Tavel in Southwest USA in summer time

[Stude55Dog]

I posted about this in Destinations which I think will not get much attention so will post here. Want to travel southwest area from May to end of September but unsure of how hot it will be and where are best areas to escape heat if any, maybe Utah and surrounding areas? Have 37 ' toyhauler, duramax. Want to go to areas where we can ride Polaris SXS and boondock a few days and then campground for a day or two. Looking to lean on those with experience. Thanks in advance for your input and assistance.

[tragusa3]

We've done the Utah parks in June/July before, so we know what it can be like.

We are leaving for the area again this year. However, we have no "plan" this time. Can anyone specifically list a few high elevation options in southern Utah that will give us escape from the heat if necessary?

[Searching_Ut]

Myself, I don't mind riding the Southern Part of Utah deserts in the summer, but I tolerate heat pretty well. Daytime temps are often between 100 and 110.

That said, Utah has a lot of high elevation areas you can ride that with literally thousands of miles of dirt roads and ATV trails. You can camp and Bryce canyon, and easily hop on Paiute trail feeders from there which allow you to ride pretty all of the central mountains of Utah, especially since you can also connect to the Arapeen trail network. As mentioned, ATVUtah is a good place to start to obtain trail maps etc.

People just think of the the slick rock areas in Southwest Utah, but there are some somewhat limited roads and trails in the San La Sal mountains, and some downright beautiful high elevation trails in the Abajo mountains. The Henry mountains also have some good forest service type roads to explore. These mountain areas stay pretty reasonable temp wise and can get quite cool at night. At the mountain tops you might even need a jacket on a mid summer day.

The area up from Flaming Gorge West in the Uintah mountains can be great temperature wise, and is very scenic and fun.

As mentioned, many of the trails I really love are restricted to 50 inches wide or less, so if your polaris is the 50 inch RZR you can ride those. If not, I doubt you'll feel deprived as the options are almost endless. Let me know more about the type of riding you prefer and I can provide more specific options.

[nayther]

Safe rule of thumb on A/C in a typical RV is twenty degrees below ambient so if its 100 outside inside will be about 80. Of course if you have multiple units this will be better and that spread is reduced at higher temperatures.

[JAC1982]

Yes having camped in 100 degree heat, with AC, it still isn't very pleasant... the AC units in trailers/RVs can only do much. This was in late June on the Western Slope of Colorado. I think you'd be better off to stick to Central CO and take advantage of all the riding there.

[RedRocket204]

allcool wrote:
On I 10 going west from Phx, the sides & median of the road were covered with tire carcass piled high. At first, looking at the piles of tires that were so destroyed and piled 3-4 high on top of each other, could not even tell what they were at first. Really, could not even tell they were tires.

hahaha. Did you also happen to notice a big burn spot every so often? After having lived 5 years in PHX, it was all too common to hear the local radio announcing traffic being backed up on I10 through PHX because of a CarBQ.

Living in PHX was the first and only place I'd ever heard that. 🙂

[allcool]

Stude55Dog wrote:
but unsure of how hot it will be

Was in Phoenix to S.Cali to dunes at Glamis, end of August.

Phx was 117° mid day. 1:00am at nite was 108°, dry heat...lol
See you are from Florida, so am I. Don't let that dry heat vs wet heat fool you. 117° in Phx august temps was brutal. I think I lost brain cells from that trip...
Opening the RV door felt like a blast out of a pizza oven. Both my RV a/c(2) blasting full blast, working in tip top shape, could only get the RV down to high 80°to 90, in the sun. In a covered RV spot, got it down to high 70's... thank God for covered spots.

Can't even be outside in the sun at all for any length of time at all if you don't want to be in pain, imo. Trying to walk barefoot would not just be painful, but probably give you bad bad burns on your feet.

On I 10 going west from Phx, the sides & median of the road were covered with tire carcass piled high. At first, looking at the piles of tires that were so destroyed and piled 3-4 high on top of each other, could not even tell what they were at first. Really, could not even tell they were tires. Till we saw the big state DOT truck picking up the tires pieces with its huge dump truck bed full to the top. This was all down 10 for as far as you could see till we got of at Blythe Cali..

So better have some good tires and some spares if you intend to travel in the SW summer time. And don't forget some good flip flops...
And better make sure your ac is tuned to max efficiency, you'll surely need it to not break down.

jmo

[rexlion]

This suggestion might be a bit farther north than you were thinking, but what about the Wasatch Plateau in Utah? I drove one of the smoother sections, from US-6 to Hwy 31, in my truck and it was both scenic and cool.



Plenty of room to ride south of there, too (I don't imagine OHVs would be prohibited on those gravel/dirt roads, but check).

Mod Edit: Adjusted photo width, please set no wider then 800x wide when posting.

[jarata1]

Deserts from June to sep way to hot

[RedRocket204]

For OHV areas, look into the Paiute Trail system in central UT, Taylor Park, CO and Silverton, CO. The Moab,UT area is going to be too hot for OHV in the summer but is very doable in mid/late September and should not be missed if you are in the area.

Both UT and CO have some of the most premier OHV trail riding areas in the country just make sure and abide by the regulations and stay on trail.

[ppine]

Low deserts in the winter and mountains in the summer. It is a simple formula.

[NMDriver]

In general between the end of June and the end of Aug elevation determines the average day time temp. If you are under 5000ft it will be over 100 in the daytime, which will last until 2200-2300, 5000-6000 and it will be in the 90's, 6000-7000 and 80's will prevail. Keep in mind that the nigh time temps will drop by 20-30 degrees. The early mornings are the best time to be active.

IMPORTANT: If you are away from civilization have 1 gallon of water per person with you.

[Y-Guy]

Back in 2007 we spent a couple weeks going to Zion, Coral Pink, Bryce and the Paiute trail. Loved it! I rode at Sand Hallow outside of Zion with a guide, then down to Coral Pink Sand Dunes, then a few days at Bryce walking the tourist areas and riding in the back county (best part of the trip) and then up to ride the Paiute trail. Mixed weather up there, had rain but never got really hot and that was around the 4th of July Holiday time frame.

I loved riding at Bryce and Coral Pink was amazing. But CP was hot like 118° the day we arrived, had to ride in the AM & PM, during the day we hung out with the generator running to keep cool.

You need to know how wide your SxS is as some trails will only allow 50" or less they enforce this by gates so you can't fudge.

If you go, grab the map at the ATV Utah Website it also has some good info.

[Janss]

Best ways to escape the heat are to go to higher elevation or to the coast.

Check out Cinder Hills OHV area in Flagstaff, right near Bonito USFS Campground at the entrance to Sunset Crater Nat'l Monument.

Colorado has a lot of scenic high elevation places. I don't know about ATVing there.

[harley-dave]

You bet, southern Utah is exceptional for ATV'ing and camping during those months. They also get the monsoon up there which can help cool it down in afternoon. We're planning 8 weeks from June through July there this year. Bryce, Zion etc are great.

Dave