Hello All! I just bought a month ago a new 24' Trailer. This is my first RV in the exception of 15 years with Trailer Tent. So this summer I'll do many short distance trips (300 - 500km) to get experience.In 2017, I plan to do a road trip in the several SW National Park with another couple that have also a similar RV.Unfortunately, my friends are available only end of June for this 6 weeks road-trip.I would like to stay 3 nights inside the Arches Park but there is not electricity, no shade and no AC!!! I know that in the day the temperature will 100 degrees and +. So I wonder if it suicidaire or crazy to camp in the park or I should pick an external RV Park that provide services? Staying in the park might have advantage but does it worth?If I decide to stay in the park, I will have a 12 volts fan for the night without any power issue since I will have solar panel.Does someone have experience in hot summer without using AC?Any comments, suggestions will be much appreciated!Thanks,

Arches for some reason seems to us to be an extremely hot 'feeling' park compared to others in the same area. We've been there in July a couple times. There are National Forest CG up in the mountains east of Moab which are much cooler. Dead Horse State Park is another option.

There is a Passport America in Moab. For $17 a night, I would sleep in comfort.

You will bake. It's not just the external temperature but also the internal temperature rise in the trailer during the day and the cool down (or not) time when you return to your trailer in the evening.Depending on the Air Conditioner, it may struggle anyway during the day and evening.Buy the bubble silvered sheets and cut out to fit in any skylights and windows. Also consider window awnings.Moab KOA is well placed to explore the town although there are many other good sites as well. Passport America works well too and its well worth buying the subscription for the deals. If you stay in KOA's, buy their subscription and also buy the Good Sam subscription. I own all three. You will save 10% with the last two on your camping stays.My advice is to pay the price and plug in at an electric site and also follow the above advice anyway.

Arches National Park is so close to town that it really isn't an inconvenience to stay in town and drive into the park for site seeing and hiking. Canyonlands National Park is there as well. The north part of the park is accessed by going North of Moab and the south part of the park is accessed out the South end of Moab (like an hour south). Dead Horse Point is to the North. Next time I'm down there, I'm going to do the La Sal Mountain Loop Road for the scenic drive -- I hear that is awesome and even though I'm a Utahan I've never done it.

Dead horse has 50 amp hook ups and flush bathrooms now. It's a bit of a drive from one to the other, but you get to see both parks.

Staying In Archers Nat. Park in July? | Good Sam Community

11 Replies

tandk
Explorer
Jan 13, 2016
We were there in June several years ago and it was over 100. We have a generator for our A/C, but the rangers were very strict about having it off by (8), I think? And it did not cool off.....:(
Major_Dad
Explorer
Jan 06, 2016
We stayed in Arches in mid-June for three nights. It was hot during the day, but we were sightseeing during the day. It cooled off quickly at night and was cool by morning. The elevation is above 5000' there, so nights will be cool.

It was really nice staying in the park to beat crowds to the parking lots. Of course, the Devil's Garden campground is beautiful (see photo below), and you are within walking distance to the trailhead for Landscape Arch and other features in the area. Sunset up at Delicate Arch is a real treat, and I appreciated not having to drive all the way back to a commercial campground in town after dark.
JoeH
Explorer III
Jan 05, 2016
We were there in Late July last year and was hot. We made sure we went for our hikes early and got back by mid-afternoon at the latest. We stayed at Portal RV in Moab.... it was great to jump in the pool after a hot day hiking or off roading.
TucsonJim
Explorer II
Jan 04, 2016
If you can't get electricity where you're staying, don't worry. The average daytime temps for Moab are in the high 90s, and the 60s at night. They also get frequent thunderstorms in the evening due to the monsoon moisture that comes up from the Gulf of Mexico. Keep your windows open and the interior of your coach will cool down nicely in the evening while you sit around the campfire. If needed, you can purchase a nice battery operated fan to help you get to sleep.

I frequently camp in the deserts of Arizona and Utah during the summer and there are ways to cope. Stay in the shade, leave the windows open for ventilation, and get a spray bottle to spray your skin to keep your self cool with evaporative cooling.
4runnerguy
Explorer
Jan 04, 2016
OP - Yes, it will be hot in Arches. But the desert does usually cool off nicely at night. Do you have A/C on your unit? If so, might it make sense to buy a generator, perhaps sharing it with your trip mates. Then, when you return from your day trips, you can start the genny and a/c and at least get the trailer cooled down some. Also, site selection is important. Site 48 get pretty good shade in the afternoon from the rocks. Site 46 less so, but still better than most of the sites on the east side of the road. But whatever you do, it will probably be pretty warm. The CG at Arches is one of the most scenic NPS CG's around, so you have to decide whether the experience is worth the heat. Dead Horse Point SP is quite nice, but pretty removed from Moab and Arches. But the electricity is nice if you have A/C.

ekirkland - Early May is getting right near the time it starts to get quite warm. Most years, it's totally tolerable then, but there can be exceptions.
ekirkland
Explorer
Jan 04, 2016
Sorry for highjacking but I have the same question for early May; will it be to hot for the Arches campground? Looks like it will be very difficult to reserve a spot at Dead Horse due to high demand.
GordonThree
Explorer
Jan 04, 2016
Dead horse has 50 amp hook ups and flush bathrooms now. It's a bit of a drive from one to the other, but you get to see both parks.
kohai
Explorer
Jan 04, 2016
Arches National Park is so close to town that it really isn't an inconvenience to stay in town and drive into the park for site seeing and hiking.

Canyonlands National Park is there as well. The north part of the park is accessed by going North of Moab and the south part of the park is accessed out the South end of Moab (like an hour south). Dead Horse Point is to the North.

Next time I'm down there, I'm going to do the La Sal Mountain Loop Road for the scenic drive -- I hear that is awesome and even though I'm a Utahan I've never done it.
ttsr4us
Explorer
Jan 04, 2016
You will bake.

It's not just the external temperature but also the internal temperature rise in the trailer during the day and the cool down (or not) time when you return to your trailer in the evening.

Depending on the Air Conditioner, it may struggle anyway during the day and evening.

Buy the bubble silvered sheets and cut out to fit in any skylights and windows. Also consider window awnings.

Moab KOA is well placed to explore the town although there are many other good sites as well. Passport America works well too and its well worth buying the subscription for the deals. If you stay in KOA's, buy their subscription and also buy the Good Sam subscription. I own all three. You will save 10% with the last two on your camping stays.

My advice is to pay the price and plug in at an electric site and also follow the above advice anyway.
rv2go
Explorer II
Jan 04, 2016
There is a Passport America in Moab. For $17 a night, I would sleep in comfort.