We're looking at a late Sept/early Oct. trip to Southern Utah for the first time. Can spend 2-2 1/2 weeks in the area. Towing a 5th, would prefer CG's with full services (or at least power), but can get by for 2 days at a time boondocking before needing to dump/fill/recharge. Will have 2 medium size dogs with, don't mind leaving them for several hours (temps permitting, of course) but would prefer having them with. Looking for suggestions as to places to base camp for some days at a time. Of course Bryce and Zion are on the list, Moab looks interesting. NP experience might be limited, due to the dogs. Thinking of Kodachrome as one possibility to stay at. Easy biking in some spots would be nice. Hiking with the dogs, of course. Off hitch drive around sightseeing.What's your suggestion for newbie's to get a decent overview of the highlights of the region?

Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Dinosaur, Cedar Breaks also to name a few. Have a Great Trip!Bob in Calif.

We just returned from there. The easiest route we found to Bryce Canyon was EXIT 95 on the I-15, going through Panquitch. Other routes are much higher elevation and steepness.I suggest you do not go from Bryce Canyon to Zion through the tunnel. Not only will it take longer, even though the miles are less, it will cost you time and money. There is a $15.00 fee to be escorted through the tunnel and there are also switchbacks on that road.Drive through Hurricane to get to Zion. Good road, good scenery.

I would add Glen Canyon National Rec Area (aka Lake Powell) to the itinerary. Stay at Bullfrog and rent a boat for a few days.You (and the dogs) will love it.

Dead Horse State Park is a must-go if you can get a site. Gooseneck SP is another low traffic area along with near by Valley of the Gods are dog friendly mainly because there is very little traffic. Also near by is Hovenweep NM for some indian ruins. All of the above except Dead Horse are in the bottom SE corner of Utah. Canyon of the Ancients also in the same area. We stayed in Monticello UT at a minimal FHU CG and also in Cortez CO (right across the border) in a very nice CG: La Mesa. It has a lot of trees but no pool ect. You can drive around Canyonlands with the dogs. And at Capitol Reef you can drive the Burr-Notam Trail with the dogs and explore the slot canyons and spectacular landscape:LinkLink 2That trail is a backcountry mostly dirt trail but it has a little traffic on it making it safer for in-experienced backcountry drivers. There are even better trails going north from Hwy 24 going to Cathedral Valley but those get you way off the traveled road.The problem with the big name parks is the dogs; Arches, Bryce, and Zion especially mean leaving the dogs for most of the day if you are going to do any hiking. Zion has a mandatory tour/shuttle bus system.We like going to Escalante UT and exploring the back roads and slot canyons near there but 4WD is highly desirable. The Hole in the Rock road puts you 70 miles from the nearest paved road at the end for example.With only a couple weeks you probably should pick one area and stay there. We can, and have spent 2 weeks exploring any one of the big parks and don't feel that we saw everything.

Suggest a Utah itinerary! | Good Sam Community

4runnerguy
Explorer
May 06, 2016
In terms of timing, remember that the aspen viewing in CO is great in the last half of September and into early October depending on how far south one goes.
Flapper
Explorer
May 06, 2016
Wow, thanks for the resources/suggestions all! Yep, there are an awful lot of possibilities. The plan, such as it is, is to spend a week + going from Minn. through Colorado, then 2 + weeks in Utah. Then whatever on the return home. So many choices, so little time.

Any advice for the return home? I'm unsure about mountain passes, and the potential for bad weather in Oct. If I push the trip more into October, then Utah may not be so hot. But we've been known to get blizzards near Halloween in Minn. I am thinking of taking the long way - across through Texas, and then straight up to Minn. Too cautious?
tomman58
Explorer
May 05, 2016
You can't go wrong there most of the wonderful national parks are breathtaking.
Busskipper
Explorer
May 05, 2016
Flapper wrote:
We're looking at a late Sept/early Oct. trip to Southern Utah for the first time.
Can spend 2-2 1/2 weeks in the area.
Towing a 5th, would prefer CG's with full services (or at least power), but can get by for 2 days at a time boondocking before needing to dump/fill/recharge.
Will have 2 medium size dogs with, don't mind leaving them for several hours (temps permitting, of course) but would prefer having them with.
Looking for suggestions as to places to base camp for some days at a time.
Of course Bryce and Zion are on the list, Moab looks interesting.
NP experience might be limited, due to the dogs.
Thinking of Kodachrome as one possibility to stay at.
Easy biking in some spots would be nice.
Hiking with the dogs, of course.
Off hitch drive around sightseeing.

What's your suggestion for newbie's to get a decent overview of the highlights of the region?

First thing I suggest is time your trip to include Colorado in the last week of September allowing you to enjoy the Aspen and some cool crisp days in the Colorado Mountains, Heaven in September and the Dogs will enjoy not being in the Heat and the Trailer (note aside from B C of Gunnison NP all the areas in Colorado are Wild national Forest).

Then on over to Utah, My advice would be to run through Colorado Golden to Leadville to Salida to Gunnison to Ouray to Silverton to Durango to Mesa Verde on into Utah.

In Utah Monument Valley to Page to Antelope to Lake Powell to North Rim through Zion to Bryce to Boulder Mountain to Goblins/Kodachrome/Escalante and more then through Moab to Rt 128 t hen on the way home through Vernal and Flaming Gorge and Home.

On edit Might need this to be 2 - 2 1/2 months.

Just a long list of suggestions, pick a couple to stop in and if possible drive through the rest to set up the next trip.

Sorry but because of the timing - end of September - the Aspen are NUMBER ONE and it might still be a little warm in Utah. My brother just came back and stopped in Moab - and LOVED the trails to the tops of the mountains to the East of Moab - Great drives and Cooler places on the tops of the local mountains.

If you clicked on the September link earlier yo can hit the Browse button and see this couples trip into Utah, it will give you some inspiration.

Hope this is not too much.

BOL,
ORbiker
Explorer
May 05, 2016
NOW
Here is a different type of link.
I post my trip reports when I travel on my motorcycle. There is more pictures then type, so ENJOY.

Here is a sample.

Utah on my motorcycle
(note; there are 2 pages)
ORbiker
Explorer
May 05, 2016
trailertraveler wrote:
With 2-3 weeks, you will have to pick and choose what you want to see. Here are some links to places in Utah that we liked:

Utah 12-24 area:
Ut-12 Scenic Byway
Fishlake Scenic Byway
Scenic Backways off UT-12
Burr Trail
Cedar Breaks National Monument
Escalante Petrified Forest State Park
Kodachrome Basin State Park
Anasazi State Park
Calf Creek Falls
Hells Backbone
Capitol Reef National Park
Bryce Canyon National Park
Goblin Valley State Park

Moab area:
Kane Creek Road
Potash Lower Colorado Byway
Upper Colorado River UT-128 Scenic Byway
Sago Canyon
Dead Horse Point State Park
Arches National Park
Canyonlands National Park
Needles District
Newspaper Rock

US-89 area:
Zion National Park
Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park

Monument Valley, Bluff, Blanding Area:
Monument Valley
UT-261 the Moki Dugway
Goosenecks State Park
Hovenweep National Monument
Natural Bridges National Monument
Bluff Fort
South Fork of Mule Canyon and House on Fire
The Valley of The Gods
Sand Island Petroglyphs
Edge of the Cedars State Park
Dinosaur Museum

We also enjoyed Dinosaur National Monument and the Utah Field House State Park; however, Vernal is some distance from the other areas commonly combined in a loop through Utah.

WOW Traveler. That's a lot of great links.
Dick_B
Explorer
May 04, 2016
Look at Adventure Caravans Tour of the Great Western Parks for ideas. Also do a Google search for `Utah tourism'.
trailertraveler
Explorer
May 04, 2016
With 2-3 weeks, you will have to pick and choose what you want to see. Here are some links to places in Utah that we liked:

Utah 12-24 area:
Ut-12 Scenic Byway
Fishlake Scenic Byway
Scenic Backways off UT-12
Burr Trail
Cedar Breaks National Monument
Escalante Petrified Forest State Park
Kodachrome Basin State Park
Anasazi State Park
Calf Creek Falls
Hells Backbone
Capitol Reef National Park
Bryce Canyon National Park
Goblin Valley State Park

Moab area:
Kane Creek Road
Potash Lower Colorado Byway
Upper Colorado River UT-128 Scenic Byway
Sago Canyon
Dead Horse Point State Park
Arches National Park
Canyonlands National Park
Needles District
Newspaper Rock

US-89 area:
Zion National Park
Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park

Monument Valley, Bluff, Blanding Area:
Monument Valley
UT-261 the Moki Dugway
Goosenecks State Park
Hovenweep National Monument
Natural Bridges National Monument
Bluff Fort
South Fork of Mule Canyon and House on Fire
The Valley of The Gods
Sand Island Petroglyphs
Edge of the Cedars State Park
Dinosaur Museum

We also enjoyed Dinosaur National Monument and the Utah Field House State Park; however, Vernal is some distance from the other areas commonly combined in a loop through Utah.
2chiefsRus
Explorer
May 04, 2016
If you like easy biking, when you are at Zion look into loading your bikes on the front of the shuttle bus on the way up and then riding the bikes back down. We did that about 5 years ago and it was great. We did it twice, once at dusk and saw a lot of wildlife.
Gonzo42
Explorer
May 04, 2016
Trip report Bryce-Zion