Take Me To Moab

RZRBUG

I'm thinking that after Durango in September, I may check out Moab on the way home.  I know it's in the opposite direction, but it's so close I hate to pass up the chance.  I know many of you have been and was hoping for some advice on routes to take and things to see.  I notice there are campgrounds on the river along Hwy 128.  Are these commercial or BLM, state?  Are they reservable or first come-first served?

Nomad

Was just there but was also there last October...
There are several BLM campgrounds up 128. A couple are tent only. The one closest to town is Goose Island (my favorite). All are first come, first served. Moab was a zoo this year and I didn't manage to get into any on 128. Ended up south of town at Ken's Lake. Not the nicest campground but I didn't spend any time in camp other than to sleep. And it does have a nice waterfall you can hike to.
There's other BLM dispersed north of Arches but rain had made the roads in pretty rutted so I passed. There's also BLM dispersed on the road to Canyonland / Dead Horse. And there are several co-managed BLM/county campgrounds out the east end of town. They're first come, first served. Even though the ranger said they were full, I found several spots. Turns out they don't keep track but just say that as they usually are. The trouble with a lot of the campgrounds is they are iver run with ATVs as the whole area has lots of trails.
Last year I stayed in Arches - They take reservations but at a certain point it's first come, first served - That's when I was there. Nice campground.
Didn't go thru Durango, went further south from Cortez. Reversing course, between Durango and Cortez you have Mesa Verde NP with a campground. The Cortez to Monticello and just north of Monticello you have the entrance to Canyonlands (south section). Real nice drive down thru the canyons to the NP and there are several BLM campgrounds along that 35 mile entrance. I did dispersed along the road to Hamburger campground. It's the closest BLM to the NP visitor center.
From the Canyonlands entrance it's roughly 40 miles to Moab. Along that route there's a big arch right by the highway with a oull-off.

DurangoTaB

Ditto to PXL (we've motel'd in Moab but never T@B'd)...Moab is about 3hrs from Durango.  There's a nice campground at Hovenweep and Canyons of the Ancients if you have the time for a slight detour. There are several cool sights/camping areas in SE Utah...Natural Bridges is one of our favorites.  For some reason Moab/Arches has become hugely popular in the last couple years, so I'd recommend a place that takes reservations or a good dispersed area.  Other attractions in the area include the Durango-Siliverton Narrow Gauge train, hot springs in Pagosa Springs, Chimney Rock (now a National Monument).  Hope this helps!

DeeDee

We have reservations for Arches end of Sept hope it isn't too crazy. We also like Hovenweep. It's somewhat remote, good road bike area.

Verna

I highly recommend the Durango/Silverton Railway. Don't wear white clothing (coal dust). I took the train to Silverton and the bus back. The bus driver was a retired History professor and he gave a running history of the area as he drove back. Very knowledgeable about the area. 

RZRBUG

Thanks all for the suggestions.  I've been to Mesa Verde a couple of times and will probably skip it this time.  (If you're interested, ask me around a campfire sometime about the weird chance meeting I had there the last time.)  I would like to do the train thing, but I have no place to leave my dog for that long and prefer not to use kennels.  To be perfectly honest, red rocks and scrub brush are not my favorite landscapes, but I really want to see the arches.

DurangoTaB

Larry...Durango is VERY much a dog town, and we have 3 good places for boarding or day care; one is close to town...Creature Comforts; the other two are Durango Pet Resort (where we board our dog, about 4 miles east of town on 160), and Willow Tree Kennels (7 miles north on 550).  But I know how you feel about boarding your dog in unfamiliar territory...

Verna

You need to have reservations two or three weeks ahead of time at the kennels. That's why I rode the bus back to cut about 3 hours off the time Sunny Day was alone in the Silver Shadow teardrop.

Cyclonic

I did not spend nearly enough time in Moab, have to go back.  It is remarkably beautiful.  When I was there the campground in Arches was closed for renovations, so I stayed at Dead Horse Point State Park, which has electric sites (I wanted, and need, the A/C), but you need to bring water.  The views there were amazing.

I also really loved Canyonlands, very surprised by it.

For camping there are also a lot of bare bones BLM campground all over the area, and a few private campgrounds closer in Moab that seem very nice.

jkjenn

Larry, Moab is still very hot in Sept and Arches is not dog friendly. You might either way to a site with hook ups for a/c or to check out doggie day care.  The other option is in the LA Salsa, outside of Moab, where it will be much cooler, like Warner Lake.

Nomad

LA Salsa?

Cyclonic

Mmmmm... salsa....

RZRBUG

jkjenn said:

Larry, Moab is still very hot in Sept and Arches is not dog friendly. You might either way to a site with hook ups for a/c or to check out doggie day care.  The other option is in the LA Salsa, outside of Moab, where it will be much cooler, like Warner Lake.

Thanks, Jenn.  I read La Sal and understand the idiosyncrasies of auto-correct.

mickietucs

I'm at Arches now (staying longer than expected due to an ER trip via ambulance - kidney stone! HORRIBLE).  The campground hosts have been awesome and also found out the campground will be closed next year due to repaving the road. Not sure of details on dates but wanted you to know.

Nomad

Ok - La Sal or LA Salsa - What/Where?

RZRBUG

Dang, Michele, sorry to hear and hope you're feeling much better.  Thanks for the heads up on the repaving.  I hope to go later this year, so should miss that.  I suppose the campground is full?

Nomad

Larry - As I mentioned, I went a month later last fall and there were plenty of empty spots - so it could be a little quieter than it is in the height of the season. It was a zoo here in May and I won't go near the place again except real early or late.

RZRBUG

Maybe it'll be thinned out by the middle of September.  If not, I don't plan to stay very long, so maybe I can stand the crowds for a couple of days.  I went to Yellowstone in June a couple of years ago and it was a madhouse.  The entire stretch from Cody to Jackson, WY was crowded.

Nomad

Me not big on crowds. Too many places to go explore - NPs might be nice but not worth the hassle. I'll just get the picture book :-)

DurangoTaB

Timely article...
http://www.durangoherald.com/article/20160528/NEWS03/160529603/Park-Service-considers-visitor-caps

Nomad

Yes it is - I figured it be reasonable as It was high tourist season but man, people everywhere -Totally unlike last fall.

RZRBUG

PXLated said:

Ok - La Sal or LA Salsa - What/Where?

Just so happens that one of the blogs I follow posted about the area today.  Looks like a possibility and probably not as crowded as campgrounds right around Moab.

http://rvsueandcrew.net/

jkjenn

September (Have been there 2x in Sept) is still very busy because the temps are more tolerable than July and August. I think it starts slowing down in October. 

La Sal Mountains.

Nomad

As I mentioned, just north of Monticello is the entrance to the southern half of Canyonlands - While the main NP campground was busy, it still had two sites open but there are a bunch of BLM sites on the way in - I boondocked along the riad to NP-HamburgerRock. These are just north of Monticello and LaSal - I didn't head up in LaSal as it was still too cold but did stay at a campground south of Monticello called Devil's Canyon. Personally I prefer a view other than just trees.

mickietucs

RZRBUG said:

Dang, Michele, sorry to hear and hope you're feeling much better.  Thanks for the heads up on the repaving.  I hope to go later this year, so should miss that.  I suppose the campground is full?

Thanks! I'm now back with the living. The campground was full however the hosts were able to move me when it was clear I couldn't go anywhere. I left yesterday (feeling much better) and am in Fruita, CO (loves Arches but after being off the grid and sick for that length of time, I'm glad to be closer to a town).  Glad I got 3 days of hiking in there before I was laid up (it was beautiful).

Nomad

Glad you're better!

Ratkity

Sorry you were sick @mickietucs!!! I'm glad you're better and not the living-dead. If you post that you're sick, I'll send virtual chicken soup and/or a warm blanket!

jkjenn

@mickietucs what a painful experience! Glad you are on the mend. 

Verna

My Mother always said she would rather have had all four of we kids at the same time, rather than pass one kidney stone. I've watched my older sister many times in the ER with a kidney stone. I do not want to experience that.

So glad you're on the mend @mickietucs!  

(My sister finally started drinking water and lemonade and the kidney stones stopped, but Mother had to have a surgery to remove an enlarged gland. Daddy quit drinking iced tea and had no other occurances. So it seems there is no one way to avoid them.)

mickietucs

Verna - I heard about lemonade (and I already drink lots of water). This particular doc said even with tons of water, etc., there's no real way (in his opinion) to avoid them. Thanks everyone! 

Mr_Mrs_Gnome

@mickietuc, I get them if I take calcium supplements and/or get dehydrated. I can empathize. All my Sweet Pegaleen can do is say, "I'm soooo sorry".  I have found that for me (calcium stones) a couple of two liter bottles of Cherry Coke help me dissolve them. Pain killers, pshheesh, don't touch the pain, even shots of Tordal. So glad you're on the mend and "...on the road again"!