Utah National Parks

[RideSlow]

Canyonlands, Arches, Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon, Zion, Grand Staircase NM, are all on the list. 3, maybe 4 motorcycle riders, 2 wives that will be staying with the RV's, and we are thinking of Moab as a base camp in September. Maybe also Richfield or Cedar City. The bikes are all road bikes, this is not an off road exploration at all. We want to have a base camp where the ladies can have A/C, and we can meet up for the evenings. Only firm info is we are going in late September. Open to suggestions on what we can do for 5 days, and a decent RV park.

[ORbiker]

RideSlow wrote:

ORbiker wrote:

Where are you from?

Where have you been riding?

I can flood you with ideas.
Using the RV as basecamp can be nice, but can also slow you down. We did Idaho a few years ago. 2 different basecamps and 6 200+ mile loops.

Live south of Seattle. We usually take 5 days, and go someplace dry. We have plans, but those are for changing. We have been thru southern British Columbia, Montana, Idaho, tip of Nevada, just a little bit on Nor-Cal, lots of Eastern Wa and Or. At this point we are covering the same ground, which is OK, because it is about the ride and the friends. Sometimes just point and shoot on the slab to get somewhere interesting, but we have been talking about a serious trip to Utah for a few years now. The impetus for this coming to life was one of the group retired and moved to SoCal. We are all high mileage types, but I am the only IBA member. Always open to cool places to ride. I will take a look at your ideas, most on that forum where you linked?

Here is one of my Colorado Rides. We cut back into Utah in the latter part of the ride report. Great riding pics.
Report

[Lauren]

Why 7 days in Moab? A great place but not sure you need 7 days.

[RideSlow]

dgminer wrote:
We are planning a week (7 days) in Moab, in June stopping at Zion, and Brice first, then up to Grand Tetons then Yellowstone

Would like to see the report, if you post that sort of stuff.

[RideSlow]

ORbiker wrote:

Where are you from?

Where have you been riding?

I can flood you with ideas.
Using the RV as basecamp can be nice, but can also slow you down. We did Idaho a few years ago. 2 different basecamps and 6 200+ mile loops.

Live south of Seattle. We usually take 5 days, and go someplace dry. We have plans, but those are for changing. We have been thru southern British Columbia, Montana, Idaho, tip of Nevada, just a little bit on Nor-Cal, lots of Eastern Wa and Or. At this point we are covering the same ground, which is OK, because it is about the ride and the friends. Sometimes just point and shoot on the slab to get somewhere interesting, but we have been talking about a serious trip to Utah for a few years now. The impetus for this coming to life was one of the group retired and moved to SoCal. We are all high mileage types, but I am the only IBA member. Always open to cool places to ride. I will take a look at your ideas, most on that forum where you linked?

[dgminer]

We are planning a week (7 days) in Moab, in June stopping at Zion, and Brice first, then up to Grand Tetons then Yellowstone

[Lauren]

Having had some experience visiting all those places more than once I would say with that time frame you can say you have BEEN to them all but you have not SEEN them.

[ORbiker]

RideSlow wrote:
I was looking at the Benchmark maps as I posted, and the info you all are providing is excellent. 2 of us will get together soon to narrow down what we can really do. Main problem is we have been doing this ride every fall for 15 years, and are running out of cool places to go ride. I am the last one working, or I am sure we would be down there for the month.

Thanks again

Where are you from?

Where have you been riding?

I can flood you with ideas.
Using the RV as basecamp can be nice, but can also slow you down. We did Idaho a few years ago. 2 different basecamps and 6 200+ mile loops.

[RideSlow]

Orbiker, great trip report, I sent it on to my riding buds, thanks !

[RideSlow]

D.E.Bishop wrote:
I will join the rest, five days may be long enough to see the roads, but not enough to see the features off the road. If you are happy with just saying you have been there, it may be enough time. Island (singular)in the Sky, Dead Horse Point SP, and Arches are doable but you would be limited in what you see.

Your schedule is like trying to See the Olympic Peninsula in 5 days. Won't happen.

Well yes, I know I can't see the Oly Pen in 5 days but I can ride around it in one. (Only 440 miles R/T from my house!)

We have some hard decisions to make.

[D_E_Bishop]

I will join the rest, five days may be long enough to see the roads, but not enough to see the features off the road. If you are happy with just saying you have been there, it may be enough time. Island (singular)in the Sky, Dead Horse Point SP, and Arches are doable but you would be limited in what you see.

Your schedule is like trying to See the Olympic Peninsula in 5 days. Won't happen.

[RideSlow]

I was looking at the Benchmark maps as I posted, and the info you all are providing is excellent. 2 of us will get together soon to narrow down what we can really do. Main problem is we have been doing this ride every fall for 15 years, and are running out of cool places to go ride. I am the last one working, or I am sure we would be down there for the month.

Thanks again

[JoeH]

Yes-- you will need more time and I'd recommend moving campsites as you visit parks. Moab was a blast seeing Arches and Canyonlands . A couple funs things we did in addition to teh hiking and sightseeing was a jet boat on the river ( you will get soaked) and renting side by side 4 wheelers here - Devil's Backbone/Hells Revenge

[ORbiker]

RideSlow wrote:
Canyonlands, Arches, Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon, Zion, Grand Staircase NM, are all on the list. 3, maybe 4 motorcycle riders, 2 wives that will be staying with the RV's, and we are thinking of Moab as a base camp in September. Maybe also Richfield or Cedar City. The bikes are all road bikes, this is not an off road exploration at all. We want to have a base camp where the ladies can have A/C, and we can meet up for the evenings. Only firm info is we are going in late September. Open to suggestions on what we can do for 5 days, and a decent RV park.

I would look for a park close to the junction with 12 and 89. That's central enough to see most of your list. Bryce is my favorite park in Utah. I have ridden in Utah 5 times touring the parks. What others are saying is correct. 5 days won't even come close to sampling the massive amount of scenery (and awesome roads).

Here is a bit of reading and pics in one of my ride reports.

UTAH Memorial Day extended trip 2015

[Gonzo42]

We took 2 nights and a full day each at Bryce and Zion and saw most of them using the shuttles plus our toad.