utah trip

I just have to say thanks to trailertraveler for posting all of those links -- well done! It is a lot of work to put all of that together and post it. I have bookmarked your list -- thanks again!!

Search this Forum for each of those locations.

Here are some links to places we visited and enjoyed:

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
Edge of the Cedars State Park
Dinosaur Museum

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

Capitol Reef Area area:
Ut-12 Scenic Byway
Fishlake Scenic Byway
Scenic Backways off UT-12
Burr Trail
Escalante-Grand Stair Case Hiking Trails
Escalante Petrified Forest State Park
Kodachrome Basin State Park
Anasazi State Park
Calf Creek Falls
Hells Backbone
Capitol Reef National Park

We did most of these areas last Fall. Arches and Bryce were favorites, Monument Valley OK, but roads are poor and we felt the "jeep" tours were not worth the money.
Most do enjoy it though. Be prepared for lots of rip-offs e.g. jewellry stalls and a local selling pictures of a cowboy on a horse - just money makers for the locals. Note that your National Park Pass is not valid there as the area is run by Navajo. One day was more than enough for us. While there, have a look through the museum.

Thanks both of you for your suggestions. We do hike not an all day hike but a good hike and also 4wd roads. Thinking about camping at Fruita Campground at Capital Reef and not sure where in Moab. We like a campfire so need a place where that is allowed. and how much time in monument valley. A day?

I'd concentrate on one area, we just spent over two weeks with a week at Cortez CO and the second week at Monticello for Arches and the east side of Canyonlands. From Cortez we did Mesa Verde, Hovenweep, Canyon of the Ancients, Monument Vally, Valley of the Gods, Moki Dugway and some other areas. And we didn't feel as tho we saw everything that we wanted to.

And a couple of years ago we spent over a week at Torrey for Capital Reef and didn't see everything there. But we go on the 4WD roads, if you do not then there won't be as much to see.

We used Monticello because it's higher and cooler and less congested that Moab. But in April the temp won't be as important.

But a week in Torrey and another in Moab will give you a good look at both areas.

Partly depends on what you like to do i.e. how much walking/hiking are you comfortable with.

Personally, I'd devote half of my time to the Moab area as there is so much to do. Quite a few interesting trails at Capitol Reef, so if hiking is your thing, you might move a few days to staying there.

Do plan on getting reservations for Moab ASAP as spring is a very popular time to be there.