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 Rim of the Grand Canyon. I was planning on staying at San Juan Inn (Mexican Hat) for this leg of the trip, but I'm going to drive west on 89 to 89A over to North Rim of the Grand Canyon, Zion Bryce, Capitol Reef, Vermillion Cliffs and Grand Staircase. These are fairly close together, and it would be helpful to stay at one place and hit them all.Kaibab Village looks like a good location, but the place has horrible reviews. I can't see myself loading quarters into a shower. I could either stay in a simple cabin with no facilities except electric and heat (I'll be going the second week of September), or camp in a tent with a portable electric heater. An inexpensive motel room would probably be best.Any ideas?

we left the RV in Page and took the toad down to north rim. got on a waiting list for a cabin, got one, and spent the night there.bumpy

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.

Bumpyroad wrote:we left the RV in Page and took the toad down to north rim. got on a waiting list for a cabin, got one, and spent the night there.bumpyWe did something similar, except our trailer stayed at Zion.

Don't try to do all those parks from one spot. They are too far away and you'll be spending a lot of driving time. It's not difficult to move from one place to another and spend more time exploring the immediate areas.

North Rim of GC area campgrounds or cabins. | Good Sam Community

14 Replies

jspringator
Explorer
Jan 21, 2017
They don't take reservations ?
Mortimer_Brewst
Explorer II
Jan 21, 2017
Bumpyroad wrote:
we left the RV in Page and took the toad down to north rim. got on a waiting list for a cabin, got one, and spent the night there.
bumpy

We did something similar, except our trailer stayed at Zion.
agesilaus
Explorer III
Jan 21, 2017
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.
Bumpyroad
Explorer
Jan 21, 2017
we left the RV in Page and took the toad down to north rim. got on a waiting list for a cabin, got one, and spent the night there.
bumpy

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North Rim of GC area campgrounds or cabins.

14 Replies

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