Utah?Next trip plan good distraction! Ideas needed :)

[jukes]

We live in Santa Cruz, CA.. family of 5 (boys ages 7,14,16).
Have/had an Alaska trip booked for July, likely to not happen (included a cruise, rental
Rv)....
so... thinking if it’s safe to go away this summer I’d rather travel in our TT.

We’d love to see Zion NP and the NP’s in the Utah area. What would be a realistic loop route from where we are, to say, Moab, or that general area? (The husband/boys like mountain biking).. even as far as Colorado? So much to see out that way, trying to narrow down to see the highlights and drive a loop if poss.

We have been along the route through Las Vegas, Grand Canyon before (when relocating from NC), so prefer a diff route.

Also, are some of the NP’s less hot in the summer, maybe at elevation? Likely this would be sometime between June-mid Aug.
We’d could go for about 2-3wks.
Can drive some longer 8hr days but then prefer shorter days.

[vermilye]

agesilaus wrote:

Someone mentioned that Zion is crowded. Yes, it is, for good reason -- it's great. And it is easy to get away from the crowds -- hit the hiking trails! You won't be alone, but the crowds thin out as you climb up from the canyon floor.

LOL if that was only true, watch some videos of Angles Landing. It's packed with people. Some less popular trails that may work on. But they have very limited parking is a big issue, you can't drive in the canyon so you have to park at the visitors center and grab a shuttle. We could not find a parking place and that was several years before the mob arrived. I've heard of people getting to the gates at 7 AM and still finding a long line.

I saw a recent video showing the mobs but could not find it on youtube. Hidden Canyon is a good less popular hike that gives you a taste of exposure without the insane riskes of Angles Landing with a mob going up.

Kolob Point is a possibility but it is very underwhelming comapred with the Valley. My advice save the Valley trip for off season

I have to agree with Jim. The last time I hiked Angles Landing the chain sections near the top were so crowded that you waited 10 minutes or so just to get your chance to advance 20' or so. There are still many great hiking opportunities in the park, but don't try the popular ones on a nice weekend!

And, don't think that hitting the park a couple of days before the shuttles start is a good idea. Absolutely no parking at any cutoff, and bumper to bumper stop & go driving. Now I know why the shuttles exist.

[Dennisokey]

If i had children that age i would plan on spending time in Salt Lake at Cherry Hills waterpark or Lagoon both have attached RV campgrounds. Cherry Hills was always a favorite of our kids but Lagoon is more for teenagers with a few rides for smaller kids.

[jukes]

thanks everyone! great tips to save for this summer,,,,,,or when we can go!

[4runnerguy]

agesilaus wrote:
Hidden Canyon is a good less popular hike that gives you a taste of exposure without the insane riskes of Angles Landing with a mob going up.

This is a good choice for a hike with fewer people. Go in the a.m. so you'll be in the shade of the canyon. Once you get to the sign that says end of the trail, keep going. Your boys will love the route finding and scrambling as there isn't a specific trail. You may have to backtrack a few hundred yards at times to find another route when you realize you can't keep going. Once past the trail end sign, the canyon is quite a bit narrower so not so much sun. Stays quite a bit cooler than down in the canyon.

The hike up Zion Narrows is also a good place to spend a hot day. You'll be wading in the river so quite cool. Plus the canyon is narrow with little sun. Make sure you have some good shoes for wading/walking in the river. Do check on the weather to make sure there's no rain up river as the water can rise quite quickly in the narrow canyon.

If you can get a spot, the campgrounds at Zion are great as you can walk to the river from your campsite. The Virgin "River" at this point is somewhat of a misnomer, as except for spring runoff, it's more like a stream. The kids build little dams to funnel the water around while adults set up their lawnchairs in or near the creek to soak their feet and cool of in the shade of the overhanging cottonwood trees.

[agesilaus]

dedmiston wrote:

Bumpyroad wrote:
isn't there another entrance/etc. to Zion to the west and north?
would that be as crowded?
bumpy

There's another area that's part of ZNP, but not another entrance to the canyon.

That's Kolob Canyon we drove it last year and it was mildly interesting, you can see the backside of the canyon at considerable distance. Probably not worth the effort unless you are serious hikers.

[dedmiston]

Bumpyroad wrote:
isn't there another entrance/etc. to Zion to the west and north?
would that be as crowded?
bumpy

There's another area that's part of ZNP, but not another entrance to the canyon.

[Bumpyroad]

isn't there another entrance/etc. to Zion to the west and north?
would that be as crowded?
bumpy

[agesilaus]

Someone mentioned that Zion is crowded. Yes, it is, for good reason -- it's great. And it is easy to get away from the crowds -- hit the hiking trails! You won't be alone, but the crowds thin out as you climb up from the canyon floor.

LOL if that was only true, watch some videos of Angles Landing. It's packed with people. Some less popular trails that may work on. But they have very limited parking is a big issue, you can't drive in the canyon so you have to park at the visitors center and grab a shuttle. We could not find a parking place and that was several years before the mob arrived. I've heard of people getting to the gates at 7 AM and still finding a long line.

I saw a recent video showing the mobs but could not find it on youtube. Hidden Canyon is a good less popular hike that gives you a taste of exposure without the insane riskes of Angles Landing with a mob going up.

Kolob Point is a possibility but it is very underwhelming comapred with the Valley. My advice save the Valley trip for off season

[profdant139]

Someone mentioned that Zion is crowded. Yes, it is, for good reason -- it's great. And it is easy to get away from the crowds -- hit the hiking trails! You won't be alone, but the crowds thin out as you climb up from the canyon floor.

OP, if you want some input on Northern Washington as a less-hot alternative, just start a new thread and we'll chime in there. I don't want to hijack this one!!

[Busskipper]

vermilye wrote:

Bumpyroad wrote:
in canyonlands be sure to check out Mesa arch.
bumpy

Mesa Arch is a short hike from a paved parking lot. Best time to see it is at sunrise:

Jon,

Always a Well thought out Image .

Thanks,

[Bumpyroad]

vermilye wrote:

Bumpyroad wrote:
in canyonlands be sure to check out Mesa arch.
bumpy

Mesa Arch is a short hike from a paved parking lot. Best time to see it is at sunrise:

I took some 3 D slides of it when I was there. later saw a Nikon Ad where it was used as background. also, a screen saver image was using it. for a real challenge, take a sun set pix thru it. 🙂
bumpy

[dennis1]

Arches, Zion, and Bryce my vote. Beware that Bryce is ar 8000 ft elevation. You may want to stay there a while to get acclimated to the thin air.

[djsamuel]

agesilaus wrote:

Bumpyroad wrote:
in canyonlands be sure to check out Mesa arch.
bumpy

There are some parts of Canyonlands that a passenger car can get to but for the most part a high clearance vehicle is needed and better yet a 4WD. The two overlooks are impressive tho, but even those need some driving on dirt and rock roads.

This is true for the Needles district of Canyonlands. However, the northern section, Islands in the Sky, is accessible by pretty much any vehicle.

[vermilye]

Bumpyroad wrote:
in canyonlands be sure to check out Mesa arch.
bumpy

Mesa Arch is a short hike from a paved parking lot. Best time to see it is at sunrise: