North Rim of GC area campgrounds or cabins.
I'm going to do a solo camping/hotel trip out west for my 60th birthday in my convertible. My primary destinations are Monument Valley (including Mokee Dugway and Valley of the Gods), and North R...
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They are not that close together. For NRCG you can try to get a reservation in the park, or there are many campsites in the National Forest on the way south to the NR (no hookups of any sort of course), and finally there is Jacob Lake which has at least one CG and there may be rooms at the Jacob Lake's Inn. That would also be convenient for Vermillion Cliffs.
For Capitol Reef/Grand Staircase either stay in the park at their CG or get a site or room in Torrey UT. That's right outside the CRNP. Drive thru the park on Hwy 24 and you'll find the Notam-Bullfrog Rd which leads you right into the Grand Staircase. It runs into the Burr Trail. That road is a few miles past the Park to the south but to the north is a very good loop the Cathedral Valley/Hartnet Rd. I might try the Cathedral Valley section in excellent weather, w/o 4WD, but not the Hartnet since there is a river crossing and the road itself gets far away from the highway. Cathedral Valley is worth the trip. Whatever you do stay off the South Draw Trail.
Check at the Park HQ for road conditions before going on any of these.
Escalante is really, IMO, the best place to explore the Grand Staircase but you'd have to be -very careful- on the back country roads. Get caught out by a big rainstorm could leave you stuck. And summer is monsoon season for all these places, meaning there is a good chance of afternoon rain.
Zion and Bryce may look fairly close but driving from one to the other will eat up your day if you want to do some hiking. Stay at Ruby's Inn for Bryce and Springville for Zion.
Oh yes, add The Goosenecks SP when you are at the Valley of the Gods.
For Capitol Reef/Grand Staircase either stay in the park at their CG or get a site or room in Torrey UT. That's right outside the CRNP. Drive thru the park on Hwy 24 and you'll find the Notam-Bullfrog Rd which leads you right into the Grand Staircase. It runs into the Burr Trail. That road is a few miles past the Park to the south but to the north is a very good loop the Cathedral Valley/Hartnet Rd. I might try the Cathedral Valley section in excellent weather, w/o 4WD, but not the Hartnet since there is a river crossing and the road itself gets far away from the highway. Cathedral Valley is worth the trip. Whatever you do stay off the South Draw Trail.
Check at the Park HQ for road conditions before going on any of these.
Escalante is really, IMO, the best place to explore the Grand Staircase but you'd have to be -very careful- on the back country roads. Get caught out by a big rainstorm could leave you stuck. And summer is monsoon season for all these places, meaning there is a good chance of afternoon rain.
Zion and Bryce may look fairly close but driving from one to the other will eat up your day if you want to do some hiking. Stay at Ruby's Inn for Bryce and Springville for Zion.
Oh yes, add The Goosenecks SP when you are at the Valley of the Gods.
