SW Utah

[caysea7254]

We have been twice to Utah, in September of 2013 when major flooding was going on and also again in august of 2015 and again a lot of rain. So we have been to Zion, Bryce, Capital Reef, Arches and canyon
land, but seriously haven't had the chance to hike much in any of them. Both times most trails were closed because of flooding. This year we are going middle of June. Hopefully better weather. We have reservations at Arches campground for 3 days now we really don't know if we should try to make the loop again. takes us 3 days to get out to Utah and 3 back home so that leaves us 11 days. So we would appreciate ideas from those of you that go out there. We enjoy easy and moderate hiking. We thought after Arches maybe Kodachrome Basin State Park then Bryce, then Capital Reef. That seems like a lot of driving and less hiking. So suggestions please. Thanks Tara

[lbrjet]

They are all good. We like the hiking in Capitol Reef the best, but they all so different it is hard to compare. If it was me I would go somewhere in Colorado that you haven't been to yet. Utah is our favorite, but Colorado has more offerings and is a bit closer.

[Lauren]

Bryce and then Cap Reef - forget North Rim.

[agesilaus]

Darn we missed that one, but will add it to our list.

Ah that's why it's in the Staircase off Hwy 12 not in CRNP

[huachuca]

We enjoyed Calf Creek Falls in Capitol Reef. About six miles with a minor bit of scrambling.

[caysea7254]

Sounds good Agesilaus! We have a 2014 3500 HD Silverado. It should be fine.

[agesilaus]

caysea7254 wrote:
Thank you everyone for your advice & suggestions! Very much appreciated! After reading your replies we are leaning towards after Arches going to Bryce then up Byway 12 (which we love)to capital reef. There is so much in the area! Dh retires in Feb. 2019 then (God willing) we will sell everything and begin our fulltime adventure. We can't wait to be able to travel with no reservations and not be on a time limit! The only time so far we have traveled without reservations was in 2016 when we went out to Grand Tetons & Yellowstone, but the campgrounds we wanted to stay in were 1st come 1st served. Last year was Colorado and stayed at RMNP for a week & Colorado Springs area for a week. We have done the western part and southern part of Colorado so decided on east side last year. Colorado never disappoints us!!! Thanks again everyone!! Tara

Not sure what you are driving but be sure to add the Alpine Loop to your CO to-do list if your vehicle can do it. The View from Cinnamon Pass was beyond spectacular. We had no problems doing it with our 4WD F-350 tho Engineers pass was partially closed.

[caysea7254]

Great pics Agesilaus!! Twice being at capital reef and both time road was closed to Cathedral! Hopefully this time we will make it! Tara

[caysea7254]

Thank you everyone for your advice & suggestions! Very much appreciated! After reading your replies we are leaning towards after Arches going to Bryce then up Byway 12 (which we love)to capital reef. There is so much in the area! Dh retires in Feb. 2019 then (God willing) we will sell everything and begin our fulltime adventure. We can't wait to be able to travel with no reservations and not be on a time limit! The only time so far we have traveled without reservations was in 2016 when we went out to Grand Tetons & Yellowstone, but the campgrounds we wanted to stay in were 1st come 1st served. Last year was Colorado and stayed at RMNP for a week & Colorado Springs area for a week. We have done the western part and southern part of Colorado so decided on east side last year. Colorado never disappoints us!!! Thanks again everyone!! Tara

[linnemj]

We just did the loop and the two parks we liked the best for hiking and beauty were Zion and Bryce. Our least favorite was Capitol Reef but we still enjoyed the 4 day’s we spent there.

Kodachrome State Park was a great choice for visiting Bryce but it is about 30 minutes from the park. We stayed at Watchman Campground in Zion which was a nice campground and the accessibility to the park shuttle system made it the best choice. Both of these campgrounds were sold out our entire stays so reservations are needed. If you are good with dry camping, you could skip reservations are find a place to stay.

Enjoy Utah! We loved our 6 weeks there!

[Busskipper]

caysea7254 wrote:
We have been twice to Utah, in September of 2013 when major flooding was going on and also again

in august of 2015 and again a lot of rain.

So we have been to Zion, Bryce, Capital Reef, Arches and canyon
land, but seriously haven't had the chance to hike much in any of them.

Both times most trails were closed because of flooding. This year we are going middle of June.

Hopefully better weather.

We have reservations at Arches campground for 3 days now we really don't know if we should try to make the loop again.

takes us 3 days to get out to Utah and 3 back home so that leaves us 11 days.

So we would appreciate ideas from those of you that go out there.

We enjoy easy and moderate hiking.

We thought after Arches maybe Kodachrome Basin State Park then Bryce, then Capital Reef.

That seems like a lot of driving and less hiking.

So suggestions please.

Thanks Tara

Tara,

Not sure my solution will work for you, but here goes..............................

As I read through your post it seems the Mission is to Hike where it is not Bad Weather, and the Problem has been the weather/rain in the locations you have chosen in January.

"So Suggestions Please"

Not sure I have a solution for the Weather other than maybe you need to be more Flexible - Meaning no Reservations - Go to where the weather works not to where you have a reservation - a Little more Gypsy - a little less Ridgid schedule?

Maybe the Mission needs to be to take a HIKE not get to a Particular destination, location,................ Possible?

I understand that there are basically TWO types of RV travelers - those who make RESERVATIONS and those who DON'T. I fall into the second category, and rarely make reservations, so if the Weather is bad we can move/pick a location that works, or wait it out, as we still will have options.

So suggestions - Big Picture trip - From Indiana to Utah is 1400 miles - https://binged.it/2ABqyhk - with so much to see and do along the way.

As you go through Colorado your will have the option of Thousands of HIKES. Some in the mountains that are to the North and South as you drive through the Rockies - some that are just, minutes to the north or south, along the way. So if the weather is RIGHT, STOP and "Take a Hike".

Golden - Peak to Peak - RMNP - Steamboat - Grand Lake - Dinosaur NM - To South - Leadville - Collegiates - Browns Canyon NM - Great Sand Dunes NP - Crested Butte - Marble - Ouray - Lake City - Colorado Monument. All these locations will give you great Hikes.

Same is true in Utah - stay Flexible and go where you LIKE the Weather. We've hiked to the top of Angels Landing in December then Hiked through the HooDoos in the snow a day Later.

All of the above can easily be a non scheduled destination - as all have locations you can Boondock in if there is not a spot to get a RESERVATION the day before.

So Suggestions are............ to just add some FLEX to the schedule, if you see the weather is not to your liking where you originally have decided to go, then CHANGE the DESTINATION.

Guess it just Boils down to taking the Risk of being a Little more Gypsy.

JMHO, Hope this is of some Help,

[timandsusan]

Great ideas by all of the responders. Have you thought about the North Rim of the Grand Canyon? At 8000 feet elevation and with many great hiking trail both into the canyon and along the rim, it will be cooler. We enjoyed driving the National Forest roads near the North Rim.

[2gypsies1]

In June plan to do Arches hiking early morning. Delicate Arch is quite often done for the sunset which will be cooler. If you'll have a full moon - terrific. Make a reservation for the ranger-led Fiery Furnace hike a favorite of ours. You'll even be in some shade for this one.

I'd then concentrate on Bryce. The trails are awesome - be sure to do at least one below the rim.

Capitol Reef and Kodachrome will be hot hikes. Have fun!

[Farmboy666]

We just did the loop from Moab to Bryce to Zion. At the end of Oct. All three were warm enough for me so I’m guessing June would be brutal. We had similar times with 3 days there and back and 10 days for hiking. Spent 4 days in Moab, a day to drive to Bryce, spent 1 day there and easy 2 hours to Zion and spent 3 days there.

[4runnerguy]

It will be quite warm in Moab in mid-June. Although with the drought we're now having, with your ability to bring rain, we'd all like you to come out soon to get the precipitation going again. 😉

As noted, Bryce will be cooler as it is higher in elevation. One can plan hikes at Zion so you do hikes on the east side of the canyon in the a.m. and the west side of the canyon in the p.m. to take advantage of the shade. On the hottest day, hike the Narrows. I find most of the hikes at Capitol Reef to be pretty sunny. Not nearly as many hikes around Kodachrome although Calf Creek falls is worth visiting.

Maybe look for some higher elevation hikes in someplace like Mesa Verde NP or Black Canyon of the Gunnison HP? Personally I'm finding it more difficult every year to deal with really hot temps.