Durango to Zion

[chompchomp]

Looking for the most scenic route from Durango to Zion in a 35'Itasca MH towing a Jeep. We're thinking of stopping for a night at The View campground in Monument Valley since we've never seen it. Any advice is much appreciated.

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

Personally I enjoyed the road direct from Cortez, CO to Bluff, UT - A combination of Montezuma County Road G, Ismay Trading Post Road in San Juan County UT and UT-162 from Aneth to Bluff, then 191/163 down to Monument Valley. It is a good route with almost no traffic. Made for nice easy towing and is about 30 miles shorter than the other route.

But we had already visited Four Corners Monument on a day trip.

The fee is $20 per day for vehicles with four or fewer people to enter the Monument Valley area - CASH only. The View Campground dry camping was listed as $40 per night in late October - CASH only. (Note - Mounument Valley and The View campground are actually in Arizona, but the entrance road starts in Utah.)

We chose to dry camp for $10 per night at Goosenecks State Park. That also put us in position to see the very similar, very wonderful rock formations at Valley of the Gods.

Our route to Zion then went up to near Blanding, across UT-95 to Capitol Reef NP. Then we backtracked to Arches/ Moab and over to Great Basin NP before back to Zion.

Our route across UT was because of the dates/ reservations we were able to get for Devil's Garden at Arches, and Watchman at Zion.

We plan to hit the lower end of Lake Powell and hopefully the North Rim in late April when we go from Tucson to Portland, OR.

[Busskipper]

chompchomp wrote:
I totally agree with the recommendations for the North Rim and Antelope Canyon. Two beautiful places we've visited in the past. Busskipper, your map is dead on though we won't drop into Canyon de or the North Rim. It's been five years since we committed a summer to the West, and I'm a bit rusty techno-wise. I was using Microsoft Streets and Maps back then. Did you just use Bing to create that map? If so, that's awesome!

https://www.bing.com/maps

https://www.bing.com/maps

Use it all the time now that MSST is obsolete, after a while you figure it out and it gets easy.

Enjoy the trip,

[chompchomp]

I totally agree with the recommendations for the North Rim and Antelope Canyon. Two beautiful places we've visited in the past. Busskipper, your map is dead on though we won't drop into Canyon de or the North Rim. It's been five years since we committed a summer to the West, and I'm a bit rusty techno-wise. I was using Microsoft Streets and Maps back then. Did you just use Bing to create that map? If so, that's awesome!

[Busskipper]

2gypsies wrote:
From Durango, take 160 west to Kayenta, Arizona then north on 163 to Monument Valley.

The View campground is right in front of the famous Mittens - an absolutely gorgeous site. When we were there it wasn't designated as a campground and it was a $5 donation for overnight parking. I think it's a lot more now. It doesn't have electric. Two nights would be sufficient there - driving to it one night; touring the next day (tours available right there) with another night before leaving the next morning.

When leaving return to Kayenta, AZ and 160 west then pick up 98 taking you into Page, AZ. Out of Page take 89 to Kanab, UT then north on 89 to Mt. Carmel and the Zion Rd. - Hwy 9. Take Hwy 9 west into Zion. You will have some tunnels to go though and then a long steep downhill into Zion.

An alternate, easier route to Zion from Page, AZ take 89 west to Kanab, UT and then south a short distance to Fredonia, AZ. Then pick up AZ389 west to Colorado City and it becomes 59 in Utah. It will take you to Hurricane, UT at Hwy 9. Then take Hwy 9 east to Zion. This is a very scenic route with no tunnels and no steep hills.

Watchman campground in Zion has electric and a dump station with water fill. There's also a RV park in Springdale. Both will have access to the free shuttle.

Here's Zion's web site for lots of good information including information on the tunnels.

https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/the-zion-mount-carmel-tunnel.htm

This ^^^^^^ is it!!!!

As usual 2gypsies has the routes down - only thing I might add is the Chance to see Antelope Canyon, would really be a smart move - just Beautiful.

Another drive I will never miss is on down to the North Rim, always Just special.

And if you have the time you would not regret a couple days down to Canyon de Chelly - this is just a special spot that is so often missed.

So, while not direct, my Map would look unusual to say the least (Not very direct), but the smiles would more than make up for the few extra miles.

Just another option,

[timandsusan]

There is so much to see and enjoy in the routing that others have recommended. I would stop in Page and visit the slot canyons -- known as Antelope Canyon. You can only see the canyons on tours--we used a tour company in Page. Another hidden spot is Blanding, UT--lots of great places to visit--it can take a full day. Enjoy your travels!

[2gypsies1]

From Durango, take 160 west to Kayenta, Arizona then north on 163 to Monument Valley.

The View campground is right in front of the famous Mittens - an absolutely gorgeous site. When we were there it wasn't designated as a campground and it was a $5 donation for overnight parking. I think it's a lot more now. It doesn't have electric. Two nights would be sufficient there - driving to it one night; touring the next day (tours available right there) with another night before leaving the next morning.

When leaving return to Kayenta, AZ and 160 west then pick up 98 taking you into Page, AZ. Out of Page take 89 to Kanab, UT then north on 89 to Mt. Carmel and the Zion Rd. - Hwy 9. Take Hwy 9 west into Zion. You will have some tunnels to go though and then a long steep downhill into Zion.

An alternate, easier route to Zion from Page, AZ take 89 west to Kanab, UT and then south a short distance to Fredonia, AZ. Then pick up AZ389 west to Colorado City and it becomes 59 in Utah. It will take you to Hurricane, UT at Hwy 9. Then take Hwy 9 east to Zion. This is a very scenic route with no tunnels and no steep hills.

Watchman campground in Zion has electric and a dump station with water fill. There's also a RV park in Springdale. Both will have access to the free shuttle.

Here's Zion's web site for lots of good information including information on the tunnels.

https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/the-zion-mount-carmel-tunnel.htm

[kalynzoo]

Do make a stop an Monument Valley. It is beautiful, awe inspiring, just magnificent. Gouldings RV is the only game in town. Really a nice full hookup RV park, fantastic view, lots of dust. The road there is an easy drive, two lane with no traffic. We went by way of Mexican Hat Rock. Gouldings has fuel, small town stores, and a rather good restaurant at the top. Don't miss John Wayne's cabin used for several movie shoots, up by the office and restaurant. Monument Valley is well worth a days stop. You can take one of the many tours with Indian guides, booked at the RV office, or if you have a high clearance toad you can drive it yourself, there is still a fee. We drove a Saturn Vue. The rutted dirt path through Monument Valley reservation area is best travelled very slowly, like 5 to 10 mph as it is potted, rutted, and covered with boulders. Still, we loved it. Happy Trails.