Southern Utah in late June?

Let me point out that we have been there in July. You can do it but it takes planning. Get up EARLY, 6 AM or so and get going on any more than very short hikes. We were going thru the gate at Arches before the rangers got there. Carry at least a liter of water per person. Wear big floppy hats and light colored clothing. Reserve afternoons for car touring. Works.

Keep Bryce, North Rim and Cedar Breaks for the end of your visit. Later in the month. And as someone pointed out you better get to the Zion parking lot very early or you won't find a place to park. And those rangers aggressively enforce the parking regs.

A drive by add on: Dead Horse State Park near Moab has spectacular views.

Thank you all for your suggestions and comments. If anyone has any more suggestions of southern Utah places that can work well in late June we would love to hear them. Thanks again.

Arches and Canyonlands will just be hot. One can see much of the parks by driving and taking short hikes. Start early in the day, find a cool place for the afternoon, then go back out in the aarly evening. A couple of cooler hikes midday would be up Grandstaff Trail just upriver from US 191. Narrow enough canyon that the sun only hits a lot of it for several hours midday. Or hike up Mill Creek just east of Moab. You can wade in parts of the stream to keep a little cool. But I think I'd limit my days in Moab due to the heat.

As noted, Bryce is a lot higher in elevation and cooler. You can see many of the sites from lookouts along the road. The shuttle bus is convenient.

zion is alos low in elevation. But the Watchman CG in the park has electric hookups and the Virgin River runs right by the CG. Plop your camp chair down at the edge (or in the middle) of the water under the towering cottonwood trees and you can stay reasonably comfortable even in the middle of the day. If you can, hike a ways up the Zion Narrows. A very narrow canyon means little direct sun, even in the middle of the day. Plus, once you're up there a mile, you have to wade the river to continue. Quite refreshing. For other adventures, just plan your walks on the east side of the canyon in the a.m. and the afternoon walks on the west side in the p.m. That way you'll be in the shade of the canyon walls. Sill hot, but not in the direct sun.

Capitol Reef is a pretty hot park in the summer. Personally I'd spend my time elsewhere, although the CG is in the middle of an orchard so there is shade at some of the campsites.

If you want to drive Utah 12, might I suggest staying at Singletree CG It's around 8200' in elevation so quite a bit cooler than down lower. You can explore Calf Creek Falls as a day trip from there. Definitely worth the hike.

Don't know your route, but if you're heading through Vernal to see Dinosaur NM, stay up in the NF CG's south of Flaming Gorge. Around 7500' in elevation. Day trip down to the monument. The Fieldhouse in Vernal has a lot more dinosaur and fossil info right in Vernal and has a/c. It's a great museum and a nice complement to what you'll see at the "bone wall" at Dinosaur.

X2 on what BarryG20 said.

Another area to consider down there, that time of year, might be Cedar Mesa. It isn't a place to just drive through (you'll be sorely disappointed), but rather it's a great place to hike to see ruins.

If it was me, I would save S. Utah for a trip all on it's own. Two months there might, just might, give you a great introduction to that country.....especially if you like to hike.

Have fun.

Gaining elevation in southern Utah is not that hard. Head to a National Forest, no need to go out of state.

Whenever we hit extra hot weather during a trip, we turn it into a quest for good swimmin' holes -- but it has to be an isolated creek with nobody around. Even in southern Utah, there are places to swim. (Just watch out for those flash floods.) ;)

I had a contract on the Navajo Res nearby on Black Mesa for 6 years. We did two trips a year in May and September and always stopped at the Parks in Utah on the way. I agree with others that the weather is highly variable. We had everything from snow to over 100 degrees in May. I had people **** out due to heat exhaustion and also sometimes they had to go find a town to buy more clothes.
By late June the heat is usually there to stay. Good idea to mix it up and find some higher elevation sites to visit especially since hookups are harder to find nearby.

If I were you, I would just make plans to go. Predicting next years weather is pretty much a guessing game and one of those damned if you do, damned if you don't situations. Going someplace like Rocky Mountain National Park in June would probably guarantee cooler weather.

Depends on location, Bryce and North Rim, tho not exactly in Utah, are the best since they are high altitude. Both are relatively cool. Zion and Arches are the worst in my experience and you need to limit hiking to the hours before 10 AM. Capital Reef canyons are bad and now I think about it we never actually did any extensive hiking in Canyonlands but logic tells you it will be very bad.

Driving around to viewpoints and short walks are OK even in the heat of day. Wear Hats and light colored clothing carry lots of water. Being from Florida 90 deg out there feels fairly cool to us because of the low humidity. Until you've been walking in the sun for awhile then it hits you. Bring more water than you think you need. Being from Maryland you may be the same. Also down around the rivers is a lot cooler, Zion for example. Usually a lot of trees and such.

But early June? The weather is variable then, who knows you might get a period of cooler weather then. July and August? Get ready to cook.

You know I'd do YNP first then southern Utah if you want to do Arches, Zion and Capital Reef. Late May could be a whole different game.

As for CO, Mesa Verde is hotter than Hades walking to those cliff Ruins on those long exposed trails. And be aware you need to make reservations before you get there for tours except for a couple of them.

Travel glampers wrote:
We are wondering how brutal southern Utah is in late June?

We have been to all of the major parks there at other times of the year, and have family members who really want to see the area.

Late June is our only time available.

We know elevation is key to temperature, and think Bryce Canyon would probably be fine.

We are seeking advice on whether this can be an enjoyable trip, and what specific parks/areas can be comfortable temperature-wise.

We are okay into the lower 90's, but hate the thought of much higher temps.

Mainly, we would be sightseeing, driving, and taking short hikes. Would driving Route 12 then be pleasant or too hot?

What about Capitol Reef? We are planning to go to Yellowstone prior to Utah to avoid the crowds there, and want to see

Colorado after we leave Utah.

We will be towing a fifth wheel.

Please give us your recommendations and suggestions on whether this area can be enjoyable then. Thanks.

Doable sure just requires planning - early before Hot/Heat - late when it cools down - after 7 usually till Dark - Drive Car/Toad/Truck in the heat of the day between spots - IMHO Hiking is not fun in the Sun with no shade.

How much time do you have - to do all of the trip?

Bouncing between Colorado and Utah might also work as you will be able to get some Cool to go with the Heat:) Also the distances are not too bad so it could be that you could get back and forth with some good planning - we have done it before - but usually three days is pushing it in the Summer for Utah, JMHO.

Where will you go in Colorado? Lots there and much of it will be Hot and Crowded if not well planned.

One last thought is to not try to just check Boxes and to Go Where All just Enjoy and Have FUN!

(Easy for me to say as I've checked almost all the Boxes:S)

Best of Luck you can do it - and it will be FUN!!!!