Southwest Trip

sranderle

We are heading out to the southwestern national parks in less than two weeks for our third trip with our new T@b Q, and our first extended trip.  As it stands right now, we will only have one day to take in Bryce Canyon, the north rim of the Grand Canyon, and the Arches/Canyonlands area.  We may have two extra days to spend at any of these locations.

Any recommendations on must things to see or do with such a short visit time?

Thanks

Nomad

Am also interested in recommendations - Heading in that direction in a week or so. Don't yet know how long it'll take me as I tend to get side-tracked but the north rim is definetly on my list. Missed it last spring, road was still closed when I went through that area.

mash2

Kodachrome State Park (near Bryce) is a nice Utah State Park.

sranderle

mash2, our plan was to stay at Bryce Canyon NP.  Is Kodachrome a better destination?  We would be arriving on a Sunday late afternoon.

source3

Check the night time temperatures.  You may want to winterize the water lines and leave the Alde heat operational. 

Michigan_Mike

If you are going to Bryce Canyon you definitely want to visit Zion NP if you have the time as it is absolutely beautiful.  

sranderle

Sadly, our Zion experience will be driving through it twice as we venture to Garden Grove, CA to visit a sick relative.  :(

I asked our dealer about temps and the water lines, and they said that as long as it gets above freezing for most of the day we should be fine.  It looks like highs in the Bryce Canyon area will be in the low 60's.

It is also looking like we will have two additional days to split among the three NP's.  Where would you spend an extra day?

mash2

If you have a day, definitely go to Bryce.  If you are looking for a second night in the area, consider a stay in Kodachrome.

I started at Kodachrome (I could reserve a space online which, because of long driving day, was needed when I went).  Turned out I needed a hookup (due to an unforeseen electrical issue) so I was glad I started at Kodachrome.  I woke up the next morning, went back to bryce and got a great site in the north campground.  (I was one of the first comers of the day).  Never stayed in Sunset, but it is further into park so would be nice.  

Beyond this, it depends on what you need.  

Kodachrome can be reserved (when I went, Bryce was on a first come basis - though probably won't be an issue this time of year).
Kodachrome has utility hookups if you need them
Kodachrome is a bit lower as i recall (so would be a bit warmer at night - though I suspect not much).  
Kodachrome is a smaller more intimate space than bryce (both have their splender though the long view from Bryce is stunning).  
Kodachrome is about an hour away from Bryce entrance, could act as kick off point without much problem.

On the way into bryce, there is also red canyon recreational area with some good campgrounds as well.   

mickietucs

sranderle said:

We are heading out to the southwestern national parks in less than two weeks for our third trip with our new T@b Q, and our first extended trip.  As it stands right now, we will only have one day to take in Bryce Canyon, the north rim of the Grand Canyon, and the Arches/Canyonlands area.  We may have two extra days to spend at any of these locations.

Any recommendations on must things to see or do with such a short visit time?

Thanks

I'll be interested in your report on Arches. I plan on making a reservation for next May (will get online in Nov and hope to snag a spot when the system accepts the May reservations). May put Kodachrome on my list too - will be in Utah for a while next year.

mash2

Make sure you do arches reservation as early as possible.  Never managed to get a site in arches proper. Some BLM sites nearby.

sranderle

Due to a long driving day returning from LA, our Arches stay will be at an RV park in Moab.  I like the comfort of a reservation on a long driving day.

One thought is to spend one of the extra days in Moab.  One day in Arches, the other in Canyonlands.

Orygun

The North Rim of the GC is one of my favorite places. I don't know if you are hikers, but the Widforss trail rewards you at the end with one of the most splendid views of the canyon I have seen, from either rim. 

mash2

Which campsite in Moab.  There is one north of town that I thought was a bit less squeezed.  

jkjenn

I have stayed at both Riverside Oasis and The Moab Valley RV park. The commercial Campgrounds definitely feel like parking lots, but in the Summer, it is worth it for the A/C. There are a ton of BLM campgrounds and boondocking sites in the area if you visit the Moab BLM website. Also, Canyonlands NP and Dead Horse Point SP have nice campgrounds and would be cooler in the summer.

mash2

Archives Resort (north of town) feels less like a parking lot.  It's out of town a couple of miles out of the river valley.

sranderle

We're staying at OK RV Park.  Not my first choice, but Arches, Canyonlands, and Dead Horse Point were all booked.  Since we have a 10+ hour driving day, I didn't want to search for a place in the dark.  

The long term forecast for our Grand Canyon stay looks like snow flurries and rain.  :(

Allie

The North Rim is closing Oct. 15.  Here is the news article from the St. George News

GRAND CANYON, Ariz. — North Rim operations will begin seasonal shutdown of most visitor services Oct. 16. The North Rim will remain open to visitors until closing for winter Dec. 1 or when snow closes state Highway 67 leading into the park.

North Rim Visitor Center will be staffed daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Oct. 24

Regularly scheduled ranger-led programs will continue through Oct. 15 with the final evening program beginning at 8 p.m. that night. Beginning Oct. 16, the North Rim Visitor Center will be staffed daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Oct. 24.

The Grand Canyon Lodge, operated by Forever Resorts, will continue to take reservations through Oct. 15. The last meal served at the Grand Canyon Lodge will be breakfast on the morning of Oct. 16, which ends at 10 am. The Grand Canyon Lodge gift shop will remain open daily 9 a.m.–5 p.m. through Dec. 1.

Self-service gas and diesel fuel will continue to be available in the park through Dec. 1 or until state Highway 67 closes. Canyon Trail Rides will offer their last mule rides Oct. 15.

Visitor entrance and campground fees will be collected by rangers through Oct. 31. Beginning Nov. 1 and going through Dec. 1, entrance fees are paid at the automated fee machine located behind the visitor center. Entrance fees are $30 per vehicle, $25 for motorcycles and $15 for walk-ups and bicycles, all good for seven days for both the North and South rims.

North Rim campground sites are available by reservation through Oct. 31

North Rim campground sites are available by reservation through Oct. 31. Campground reservations are booked online or by calling 1-877-444-6777. Nov. 1 through May 15, the North Rim Campground reverts to primitive use with backcountry reservations required. Reservations can be obtained from the Backcountry Information Center and are necessary prior to arrival.

The North Rim Backcountry Information Center will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week through Oct. 31. The South Rim Backcountry Information Center remains open year-round and can be reached by email or by calling 928-638-7875.

Beginning Nov. 1 and going through Dec. 1, or until snow closes state Highway 67, the park will remain open from dawn to dusk for day use. Weather and road conditions permitting, visitors will have access to Bright Angel Point, Point Imperial and Cape Royal, as well as the North Kaibab trailhead.

Inner canyon users with a valid backcountry permit will be allowed to park overnight at the North Kaibab trailhead. A limited number of campsites at the North Rim Campground will be available to hikers with advanced reservations. A backcountry permit is required and will be available through the South Rim Back Country Information Center. No overnight parking or car camping will be allowed.

Hikers and cross-country skiers will still be able to enter the North Rim of the park through the winter months

The North Rim will close for the season at 8 a.m. Dec. 1. Hikers and cross-country skiers will still be able to enter the North Rim of the park through the winter months with valid backcountry permits.

The Kaibab Lodge, located four miles north of the park boundary, will have full service through Oct. 20, closing at 10 a.m. Oct. 21. The North Rim Country Store, located across the street from the Kaibab Lodge, will remain open until noon Oct. 30, weather permitting.

Jacob Lake Inn, a restaurant and gas station located 45 miles from the North Rim, remains open year-round.  Beginning Oct. 17 through Dec. 31, the Kaibab Plateau Visitor Center at Jacob Lake will be open on weekends from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Arizona Department of Transportation officials intend to keep state Highway 67 open through Dec. 1, but a major storm with heavy snowfall could close the road earlier.

After Oct. 15, visitors should be prepared for winter driving and travel conditions and are encouraged to call Arizona Highway Information at 888-411-7623 in advance of their trip to check on the status of state Highway 67. Visitors to the area are reminded that state Highway 89A remains open year-round.

The South Rim and inner canyon facilities of Grand Canyon National Park are open year-round

The South Rim and inner canyon facilities of Grand Canyon National Park are open year-round. Additional Park information can be obtained by calling 928-638-7888 or by visiting the park website.

Nomad

Dang - May miss it again :-(

sranderle

For those who have been to these parks, what would you recommend for activities/hikes for a wet two days in Bryce Canyon NP?

Similarly, for two full days in the Moab area with one being wet, which day would you spend at Arches NP and which day at Canyonlands NP?

Thanks for your insight!  Our adventure begins EARLY tomorrow morning.  13 days and 4,500+ miles...EXCITED.  

jkjenn

Check with rangers if it is going to be wet. You don't want to be caught in a flash flood. The parking lot at Delicate Arch is under construction, so check with rangers about that, too.

If I were at Bryce and it was wet, I would either head to Escalante. There is a nice multi-agency visitor center on the right hand side of the road and the rangers there could give you some great ideas, based on weather. They are very helpful, there. Bryce would be really tough in the rain. The other thing is that at a higher elevation, like Bryce, it might snow. I have been there in the snow and it is stunning. Also, you could do a trip down to Zion. When it rains, many waterfalls appear, which is sort of cool.

sranderle

Our first real trip with our new T@b Q was a huge success.  We traveled over 5,100 miles, visited 8 states, 6 national parks (Bryce, Zion, Grand Canyon, Capital Reef, Canyonlands, Arches), 2 national monuments (Vermillion Cliffs, Grand Staircase-Escalante), and stayed at 3 Walmarts.  We amassed 150 GB of photos and video!    We made it through sun, rain, and even snow in Loveland Pass.

Our tow vehicle, a Ford F-150 Supercrew HD averaged 11.5 mpg on the trip; mostly due to me pressing the speed limit as much as possible.  Not bad, considering we had the truck pretty well loaded.  It hardly even knew it was towing a trailer.  The engine braking of the Ecoboost engine was a very pleasant surprise.  The only real braking needed was on grades of 8% or more, of which we travelled a few.

Our T@b performed beyond expectations.  We never really used the Alde heat even though it did get down to 30 degrees a couple of nights.  Body heat in this small space was more than enough to keep the temperature in the mid-40s by morning.  That would not have been the case in our old popup.  I did mistakenly leave the fridge on battery our last night, and drained the trailer battery.  Maybe that’s why my cell phone battery died the same night, causing/allowing us to sleep in. 

Sadly, we now need to retire it for the season, as the MN weather is turning colder.  We are already thinking of where to go next year for a long adventure, as it will be our 25th anniversary.

I will try to get some pictures up as we process through them.

sranderle

Walmart, Avon, CO

Walmart, Barstow, CA

Las Vegas, NV

Bryce Canyon NP

Zion NP

Grand Canyon NP

Grand Canyon NP

Vermillion Cliffs, AZ

Scenic Highway 12, UT

Capital Reef NP

Spanish Trails RV Park, Moab, UT

Sunset in mirror, I-70 east of Denver, CO

DeeDee

Glad you had a good time. Utah is such a beautiful state and I feel very lucky to live here. If anyone is considering a trip around southern Utah, I'd also suggest Goblin Valley State Park. It's off the beaten path between Capital Reef and Canyonlands. Only 25 campsites, but some of the most unusual rock formations I've ever seen & you can hike all through them. Lots of BLM boondocking spots around too. And while driving Hwy 12 (Million $ Highway) in Boulder, UT, must try Hells Backbone Grill http://hellsbackbonegrill.com/

Nomad

There's also the Pink Coral Sand Dunes just down the hill southeast of Zion. Nice little state park.

jkjenn

DeeDee said:

And while driving Hwy 12 (Million $ Highway) in Boulder, UT, must try Hells Backbone Grill http://hellsbackbonegrill.com/

Thanks for the recommendation! I find my self in this area every 1-2 years and have wondered about the grill.

DeeDee

Pink Coral Sands SP is beautiful, too bad you have to fight the ATVs for a little peace and quiet.  

Nomad

Ya, ATVs are a pain at all dune sites other than I can't recall any at White Sands.

jkjenn

Let them have their fun. There are fewer and fewer places where they can go and they won't destroy any landscape at the dunes.

DeeDee

Jenn, sadly I've become an old fart. 

Nomad

Just did a whirlwind run thru Arches, Capital Reef, Scenic Highway 12, Bryce Canyon, Red Canyon and finally Zion. Getting too cold at night to linger in those areas though.
Was surprised how shabby the Zion campgrounds are. Capital Reef's were nice with deer and turkeys wondering thru. Arches were also nice but 18 miles from the entrance, as far as you can get in the park.

jkjenn

PXLated said:

Just did a whirlwind run thru Arches, Capital Reef, Scenic Highway 12, Bryce Canyon, Red Canyon and finally Zion. Getting too cold at night to linger in those areas though.
Was surprised how shabby the Zion campgrounds are. Capital Reef's were nice with deer and turkeys wondering thru. Arches were also nice but 18 miles from the entrance, as far as you can get in the park.

It's hard to beat that circuit. I have heard Red Canyon is a great place to camp. I love the drive over Boulder Mountain through Escalante to Bryce. It's simply amazing.