Going through Capitol Reef would be more interesting than 70 to 15, but will take longer. Do stop and take in the views along the way even if you don't stop to hike. Look for some petroglyphs right along 24 just before you get to CR.

Capitol Reef is not one of my favorite parks.

However, Hickman Bridge and Chimney Rock are reasonably scenic.

To hike either of these you don't even go into the park as the trail heads are directly off the main road.

I would suggest that you stop in Goblin Valley State Park between Moab and Capitol Reef.

Definately stop at Goblin Valley. Little Wildhorse Canyon is right there too and is great. I really like the pies at Gifford House in Capitol Reef. The orchards there are pretty cool in Capitol Reef-you can pick fruit if you are there when something is in season. Eat as much as you like for free.

I think most of the destinations(like to a bridge or arch)in Capitol Reef aren't as spectacular as other parks in Utah. But, it is a far less visited park, so if you prefer to hike without many or even any people around, you'll love this place. It isn't my favorite either, but I will say that the colors there seem to be a bit more vibrant than the other places(although they are great too). The reds just seem to be a darker red there to me.

Yeah, It is definately worth doing!!!

In Moab, check out www.deserthighlights.com

Thanks guys.
My trips will be in the beginning of April. There are orchards in the park but probably still no fruit to pick.
What about driving Honda Accord on a Scenic Drive off Hwy 24 and hike in the area. Is the road good for 4 wheel drive/high clearance vehicles only?
Lev.

You'll have to be more specific as to which Scenic Drive you mean. Many of them would need a high clearance 4 wheel drive. Some of them will depend on recent rainfalls. When it rains they can get really gutted out. Then, some of them you would be fine in, normally.

24 is paved all the way, I'm not sure what roads you mean that would need 4wd, there are plenty of dirt roads to choose from.

Lev,

What CR Natl park calls the Scenic Drive will not require a 4x4. It's paved part of the way and graded dirt the rest. It's an out-and-back road and there are some good hikes off it.

I like CR more than others, but I live in UT and get to go to all the parks frequently. My favorite hikes in CR (so far) are Hickman Bridge and The Golden Throne. Also highly recommend stopping and taking the footbridge along the Fremont River to see the petroglyphs. Very interesting and so accessible, it's a quick stop.

There are also lots of great petroglyphs to see along the Potash Rd. in Moab. This road starts just north of town and just south of the entrance to Arches NP. It follows the CO River for miles - also leads to one of my favorite hikes outside the Natl Parks in the Moab area - Corona Arch.

I hope you aren't going to Moab during Easter week! Do you have reservations all ready? That is Jeep Safari Week and it's a screeeeeming zoo.

I'll be driving to Moab from Las Vegas on Manday Apr.9 and staying in Moab from Apr.9 to Apr.14. I have already made a hotel reservation in Moab and a reservation for Fiery Furnace guided tour in Arches NP. If I understand you correctly I need to stop at Goblin Valley then proceed to Capitol Reef NP. Hike off Hwy 24 (Hickman Bridge Trail), drive to the Vistor Center and get weather conditions. Take the Scenic Drive south (they charge $5 per vehicle) and go on Golden Throne Trail. Return back to Hwy 24 and drive west to Torrey. Stay overnigh in Torrey. Drive to Las Vegas the following day. Did I miss anything significant? Would you recommend to stay overnight in Torrey or in another place closer to Las Vegas?

There's no end to what you can keep adding.

Lower Calf Creek Falls. Between Boulder and Escalente. Not many waterfalls around so this is worth the effort.

Devil's Garden Escalente. A little east of Escalente. A somewhat grown up version of Goblin Valley. Nice to contrast.

Willis Creek slot canyon. Just south of Cannonville and a little east of Bryce Canyon. If you haven;t been to a slot canyon this is interesting. The drive there is an adventure. Stop at the visitors center in Cannonville to check the weather (this is a slot) and get driving instructions. At least now there's a sign at the parking lot.

I just checked. Driving all the way on Rt 12 / 89 / then 15 to LAS only adds about an hour to the drive. Probably worth it just for the drive and not the sights I mentioned.

Lev, Capitol Reef is my second favorite park after Zion, Definitely worth the time to visit. I love it. In April while you won't have any fruit you will probably have blossoms. Nothing says spring like fruit trees in bloom!
The order you have in your last post is correct. My favorite easy trail in the park is the Capitol Gorge hike which is at the end of the scenic drive (last two miles are dirt but easy to do in a regular car unless there is threat of rain).
After Torrey the very scenic road highway 12 would be the recommended route. The places Myer listed are along it. You may not have time for any activities other than just stopping for pictures, but it is worth the detour if you didn't take it when you visited Bryce. You'll go right by Bryce and if you have a national Parks pass it is worth the stop to spend even half an hour just to look at the main amphitheater again

Lev,

If you time is very limited, I would choose the Hickman Bridge and petroglyphs walk because they are the least time consuming, but with the best rewards. The Hickman hike does give you some nice views of a bit of the geography of the "reef". Definitely go to the Visitor's center and see their exhibits and movie. Then, finish off with the scenic drive and a hike in the Capitol Gorge for as far as you like.

Hwy 12 is awesome and a place everyone should see in their lifetime. I loved the Calf Creek Falls hike, although its 5 mi. and takes a while, the falls are more than enough pay off!

Last fall I recommended Willis Creek (based on Myer's reco) to a co-worker and his family who were going down to Escalante. They just loved it and said it was a very cool hike. Their kids had a blast - teen and tweens.

Have fun!

To me, Little Wildhorse Canyon(within 10 minutes of Goblin Valley), is a great easy slot canyon. You would need at least a couple of hours to see it.

www.toddshikingguide.com is a cool website with a bunch of hikes in Utah and Arizaon. Little Wildhorse is one of the rare hikes that he gives 5 stars.

OK. Here we go!
I'll leave Moab in the morning, drive to Goblin Valley State Park. Spend some time there, then proceed to Capitol Reef NP. Hike off Hwy 24 (Hickman Bridge Trail) and Petroglyph Walk, drive to the Vistor Center, see their exhibits and movie. Drive down the scenic drive to the end of the road and a hike in the Capitol Gorge (Golden Throne Trail.)Return back to Hwy 24 and drive west. As you recommended, I'd take Hwy 12 South West, hike Lower Caif Creek Falls between Boulder and Escalante(requires 3 hours for a round trip) then brief stop at Bryce (was there before). Then I'll take 89 North-20 West-15 South to Las Vegas. Probably way to much for 1 day: I'll need to exted this part of the trip for 2 days. Keeping in mind this itinerary, where would you recommend to stay overnight? In Torrey?

Chuck Wagon in Torrey is decent. You could also stay at Boulder Mountain Lodge closer to Calf Creek Falls.

I don't know that I like Cassidy Arch better than Hickman Bridge. But I did like it probably equally as well. So, it would be another option in CR. The picnic area in CR is nice. Right next to it is Th Gifford House-homemade ice cream and really good pies-made from fruit in the orchard. The pies do sell out early though. They arrive there at 8:00AM

Also, Chuck Wagon has a good little deli/grocery store to pick up any sandwiches and other supplies. They have good bread pudding and salads in their deli too.

I liked Little Wildhorse far better than any hike I did in CR, btw. So much so, that I did it again a year later.

That should have read Austin's Chuck Wagon

Dayle,
I didn't know you recommended Willis Creek to somebody.

I keep recommending it and it appears very few people get to go there. It's great that they had a good time there.

Getting there is an adventure but the actual hike thru the slots is an easy walk in the park.

Lev,
A year and a half ago I took my daughter to Utah for a few days.

On our first full day we went to Devil's Garden Escalante, Lower Calf Creek Falls, Willis Creek and got to Bryce Canyon in time for sunset.

As we're both into photography we spend several hours in each place. A full and excellent day.

Myer,
I am into photgraphy too, but to reach Devil's Garden Escalante and Willis Creek I'll have to drive for miles off Hwy 12 on unpaved roads. I will not drive a 4 weel drive car or SUV, but Honda Accord. Do you think it is safe to drive a regular car in those areas?

Lev,
I've been there a few times with a regular road car. If it has just rained any dirt road is an issue. Otherwise these are ok.

Devil's Garden is about 9 miles down Hole in the Rock Road. It's not a bad road so as long as you don't drive fast and kick up rocks you'll be fine.

The road to Willis Creek is sandy with a few small hills and some ruts in the road. You'll be the only person on the road so you can use both side to find smooth parts of the road. The ruts aren't deep enough to hit bottom and it's not a rocky road so you won't kick up rocks.

I've been there twice and we only passed one car. Each time we only saw one group of people there. Not the most crowded spot but a nice easy slot hike.

The slots are each about 100-150 yards long with a couple of hundreds yards of open walking between each. The slots get progrssively taller so go at least 5 slots before turning around.

At one point there's a small waterfall (about 6-8 feet high). At that point you either have to climb down (down going and I beleieve up coming back) or up and over. Hard to explain but nothing difficult.

The slots are about 6-7 feet wide with a little creek meandering in the middle. The first time I was there it had rained in one of the feeders. The creek was a couple of inches higher on the return than when we went out.


You can see my photos of these trips at:
www.travelwalks.com

The Utah 2008 and 2010 trips have some of the places mentioned.

Dayle mentioned the Lower Calf Creek falls hike is about 5 miles. I believe that's 5 miles out and back. It's about 2 1/2 miles each way. I was there in mid-May and again in early September. This hike isn't shaded and it was in the 90's.

On the mid-May trip we went to Bryce Canyon the next day and there were snow flurries and it was 37 degrees there.

Myer,
Thank you for providing a link to your website. Great pictures!
I just checked Lower Calif Creek Falls website:
http://climb-utah.com/Escalante/calfcreek.htm

and it says trail is 3 miles one-way and will require approximately 1 1/2 hours to hike one-way. Maybe it is kind of misleading. We will see how it goes and made corrections depending on the weather condition and other factors. For now I need to make a reservation either in Torrey or Boulder for 1 night.

Lev,

There's no way you can do all between Moab and Bryce in 1 day!!

It's a 2.5 hour drive from Moab to Capitol Reef with any stops. Add 2 hour min for a side trip to Goblin Valley.

When you reach Capitol Reef, you will be able to do the Hickman and Petroglyph, probably even the visitor's center and movie. The Golden Throne hike is up out of Capitol Gorge, with a rather steep start. After that it's relatively moderate. I forget how long in miles. I think it was about 3.5 or 4mi RT.

The Capitol Gorge hike is flat, but in the sand. Unless you have two cars to shuttle, it will have to be out-and-back. You definitely won't have time for both, especially on the day you drive from Moab.

If you stay overnight in Torrey, you can enjoy the scenery up and over Boulder Mtn, take a short detour over the paved section of the Burr Trail if you want, then head to Calf Creek Falls. The parking lot is small and it's very popular, but I don't think parking will be an issue in April.

You should also have time for the Devil's Garden in Escalante. Then you will have to see where your time is and whether or not to include Willis Creek. I can't speak on that personnaly yet!

The mountains are supposed to get a pretty good snowstorm tonight, with the heaviest snow in the central UT mountains - which means Boulder Mtn. Then it's supposed to warm up again to warmer than normal early spring temps.

We are having a weird winter! Pack accordingly.

I thought Devils Garden was a really cool spot and it isn't anything to drive. We were in just a regular car. As Myer states, rain could drastically alter the roads-otherwise you would be fine on this one.

Keep in mind that Myer has made several trips to Utah and I have too(i've been every year for the past 5 years). You can't do everything all at once. I would be more tempted to do as much as you can in one or two places rather than trying to do much all over the place.

To me, the hike to Calf Creek Falls is a half day minimum trek. And I would spend a day or even two at Capitol Reef. We spent a full day between Capitol Reef and Bryce last year, and didn't even begin to scratch the surface. We spent a very full day hiking Goblin Valley, Little Wildhorse, and Horseshoe Canyon, for example. Those are all right close to each other and are really top-notch hikes.

I never thought that I would go back to Utah when planning my first trip there. There is just a lot to see and do there. The more you look, the more it makes you want to go back and see some of the places that I missed.

Keep in mind there is a Devils Garden in Arches and then the one in Escalante area. Both are great!!

What Dayle and spiro say is correct. There's a limit as to what you can do in a day. I'm very efficient. I don't rush but get a lot done in a day as I start early and go non-stop. I'm not one of those people who goes back to the room at 3PM to relax by the pool. I can do that at home.

Remember, getting to a sight and back is only part of it. Then there's the time you'll spend there.

When I took my daughter to Utah a year or two back we spent about two hours at Devil's Garden Escalente excluding driving. When I planned it I figured an hour tops. But it's such a neat place and we wandered around taking photos.

As spiro wrote, when I planned my first trip to Utah it was my "Southwest trip". Well, I've been back two more times since and could go back for more.

If I was planning for time (out, back and there) I would figure on at least 3-4 hours for Lower Calf Creek Falls from the parking lot. For Devil's Garden at least 2 1/2 hours from the Rt 12 junction and maybe an hour more if you're into photography. For Willis Creek (from the visitors center in Cannonville) about 3 hours.

As far as where to stay. I think Torrey may have a lot more choices (lodging and food) but I might lean toward Boulder as you'll be an hour closer to your sights for the next day.

This trip can double in length very easily.

Some of the places spiro mentions I've never been to. He's more adventurous than I am (read younger and braver).

Every time I figure I've seen something great someone here plants another idea. Yellowstone/Grand Tetons (2010), Yosemite (2011), Glacier (planned for 2012), etc, etc.

Here we go again.
Corrections applied.
Drive from Moab to Goblin Valley State Park. Hike there and drive to Little Wild Horse Canyon. Hike to the top and return the same way back. Drive to Capitol Reef NP. Hike Hickman Bridge trail and Petroglyphs Walk. Stop at the Visitor Center and if time permits rive down the Scenic Drive and hike a little bit in the area before driving to Torrey. Stay overnight in Torrey. If I take Hwy 12-Hwy 20 - Interstate 15 to Las Vegas it will take me 6-7 hours of non stop driving. Hardly any time for anything but stopping on the way to take pictures and a break for lunch. No time for any hikes. As you said, it is not possible to squeeze all Utah in one trip.

What do you mean "Hike to the Top".

Also just so you know. I have hiked Little Wildhorse twice.
The first time I got it confused with Wildhorse(which is also in the area). You want LITTLE Wildhorse. The trailhead parking lot is fairly easy to find. You can ask at Goblin Valley visitor center and they can give you good directions. Also, the entrance to the actual slot canyon isn't real clear. This is a fairly busy trail, so you can just ask someone where the entrance to the canyon is. Also, check out Climb-Utah.com and toddshikingguide.com for complete directions.

Oops, one more thing. If rain is threatening or you hear thunder-then DO NOT attempt any slot canyon hike.

I would like to thank everyone who spent time on answering my questions. Your comprehensive feedback is highly appriciated.It helped me a lot in planning the trip.

Lots of information in there Lev, I think you have it right that there will be little time your second day to do much of anything but the drive back. But I think you could easily take some time for a short visit into Bryce. It doesn't take too long to take in the view at the main amphitheater, or hike down Navajo Loop. Love it in there.

Someone mentioned Capitol Gorge in Capitol Reef is a one way needing a car shuttle---but I think they were thinking Grand Wash trail, which goes between hwy 24 and the scenic drive. I think the scenic drive is one of the best views in the park even if you don't take any hikes.

And if the roads are wet you wouldn't be able to get through the wash (even with a 4x4) to the Little Wildhorse trailhead, but it is worth a try as it is a great little slot.

InSandy,

thanks for the correction on the Grand Wash and Capitol Gorge hikes. I always forget which one is which!

Lev, do be cautious about driving on any dirt roads. Be certain to check with visitors/ranger stations/locals about recent and predicted weather. Most of the off pavement roads in southern UT cannot be driven (even in a 4x4) right after or during rain. The clay turns to pure grease!

Da nada Dayle, hard to catch something like that from you.

This thread is full of information and I'm also headed in that direction so thanks to all who have contributed. Not to hijack but any suggestions for dinner in Torrey?

Cafe Diablo is the top of the line.
Slackers is great at the burger end
Capitol Reef Inn Cafe is somewhere in the middle.

Slackers and that Pink Fry Sauce stuff. That stuff always cracks me up in Utah.

Thanks for the restaurant suggestions. Cafe Diablo doesn't reopen until April so I'll have to try that on my next trip. Slackers may be the winner.

Slackers is just a typical Burger Joint. Good Shakes Too.

Pick up some supplies at Austin's Chuckwagon(store and deli) and have a picnic at the park. The pie is really good at Gifford House right next to the picnic area in the park. The 2 times that I have been there, I shared the picnic area with about 50 deer(I think they area pretty much always there). The two giant trees there are pretty cool too. The Gifford House does sell some good Salsa and Chips(those aren't homemade like the pie and ice cream).

Note: when I was in Torrey at the end of Oct, all the restairants were closing up for the winter. Slackers Austin's Rim Rock Cafe Diablo. You might want to call ahead for reopening dates. Think about going prepared with cooler snakes etc. You'll have a great time!

I'm not the OP but just returned from a similar trip. We spent a short day and night in Capitol Reef, but it was worth a stop. I'm glad Dayle reminded me to be prepared with a cooler. We were hungry by the time we arrived at Capitol Reef so it was nice to pull over at the picnic area and enjoy our sandwiches, chips, cookies and drinks. It would have been a pain to drive through the park to Torrey, eat and return.

While I was researching this trip, I noticed spirobulldog recommend pies at the Gifford House several times. I told my husband we had to stop even though I was skeptical there would be any pie available this time of the year. Fortunately, for us (and spirobulldog ) there were several flavors available. We split a small mixed berry pie. YUM! It was delicious. I also purchased a jar of apricot preserves which were also perfect. I'm now kicking myself for not buying a case.

We did a quick drive through the campground and the apricot trees were in bloom. The smell was divine. I would love to come back and camp here sometime.

We then did the Hickman Bridge hike, before heading back into Torrey. Our teens had burgers at Slackers that night and said they were very good. Several restaurants were still closed but in addition to Slackers, the Capitol Reef Inn Cafe and Austin's Chuckwagon were open.

In the morning my husband and I grabbed a cinnamon roll and a decent cappuccino from Castle Rock Coffee in Torrey and we all headed toward Zion on Hwy 12. I loved this drive. Besides the incredible scenery, I really liked the isolated feel away from the madness of the interstate. We hiked to Calf Creek Falls which I would recommend, before continuing on our way. There is so much to see that it is impossible to do it all. If you are still checking this Lev I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Thank you wmt003 for your advice. We will leave in a week and I appreciate your advice very much. I really do consider Calif Creek Falls hiking on the way from Torrey to Las Vegas.
Also thank you for you recommendation to stop at the Gifford House. Did you have time to drive down Scenic Drive and hike in the area?

I have another question about Moab area hiking. We will be staying in Moab for 4 days and are planning to hike in Arches NP (that includes Fiery Furnace hike: have a reservation), Canyonlands, and also visiting Dead Horse Point SP. I have just received Moab brochure by mail. They listed 3 hiking outside NP in the Moab area: Corona Arch, Negro Bill Canyon, and Fisher Towers. Negro Bill Canyon hike requires occasional wading through ankle deep water(not good). Fisher Towers requires driving along dirt road (not good), but Corona Arch hike looks good. Here is the link: http://www.utahredrocks.com/hike_corona.htm

Would you recommend hiking this trail or 3 NP and 1 SP are more than enough for 4 days?
Thanks. Lev.




Would you recommend hiking this trail or 3 NP and 1 SP are more than enough for 4 days?



Thanks. Lev.

Fisher Towers only requires a very short ride on a dirt road. No rocks or bad ruts. Just drive it slowly and you'll be fine. If you've seen the Citibank commercial (Youtube "Citibank Accessories") the last half where the female climbs to the top, that's the Corkscrew at Fisher Towers).

Nice hike and not difficult. Quite scenic and if you're really lucky (as we were) you may see some rock climbers at/near the top.

It's a few miles east of Moab on Rt 128.

Corona Arch was my only defeat. There's a part where you hold on to a chain and another part where you go up a hill bending and holding onto a chain. I did ok with those. What defeated me was a 10 yard side-slope with some bad thing off the side.

In the link you provided, the bottom left photo is the part where you climb holding a chain. What it doesn't show is that you also have to be bent over.

I never got to the ladder as I stopped just before it.

Just above Moab you go west a bit and then turn onto Rt 279

I didn't go to Negro Bill's Canyon. Can't go everywhere.

In four days you can do a lot if you plan it well and don't sit around the pool too much.

We were there for four days and I did a bunch of hikes inside the park as well as several outside and at Canyonlands. We also went rafting one morning.

Thank you Myer.
Wow! Corona Arch reminds me Angels Landing trail in Zion NP.
We did NOT go for the final 1/2 mile where the trail follows the ridge across a saddle and up the hogs back. The things may get interesting but it is steep and you are grateful for the chains.... Fisher Towers is 4.4 mile trail. If it is not a problem to get there driving a regular car, we may go (it we have time).
Lev.

The drive off Rt 128 to the Fisher Towers parking lot is a couple of hundred yards at most. Really not a problem.

We didn't go all the way to the end. Once we passed the Corkscrew (Ancient Art) and saw the climber at the top, we didn't go much further. We decided that would be hard to beat.

We still wanted to drive over the Lasal mountains and stop to throw snowballs. We did that.

We also wanted to finish by 4PM as we wanted to stop at Goblin Valley for a couple of hours on the way to Capitol Reef.

Remeber to hike to Mesa Arch when you're in Canyonlands. It's very short and level. But it's the only arch you'll see there that you approach at the top and not look up.

Look thru the arch straight out and a little to the left to see "The Washerwoman".

I hiked Angels Landing but as you didn't go past Scouts Lookout. Other than going uphill there was nothing difficult or scary there.

Corona Arch beat me. That side slope was more than I wanted.

I'm still trying to figure out what part of the trail to Corona Arch was hard for you Myer. Just hiked it a month or so ago and still can't figure it out.
I feel Corona Arch is one of the biggest bang for your buck hikes in the Moab area. I'd go there three times before I went hiking at Fisher Towers. But you do need to take that drive up the Colorado River to the towers. It is a premier scenic drive.
And a minor technicality, Myer, please forgive me. If you only hiked to Scout's Lookout then what you hiked was the first part of the West Rim Trail. Angel's Landing trail is technically only the 1/2 mile spur to the top of that attraction.

InSandy,

The part of Corona Arch that was a problem for me wasn't difficult. Just after the chains and just before the ladder there's a small part that you climb up and walk/crawl across. It's about 10 feet long and 10 feet wide.

It's pretty flat and nothing difficult. However it's sloped left to right and at the lower end it falls off a cliff. The possibility of slipping and rolling off the end got me.

Most people may not be bothered by it.

I was there with a friend and told him I was going to stop but he could go on. He stopped as well.

= = = = =
The following is the description of the Angels Landing hike.
- - - -
Angels Landing

The Angels Landing Trail is one of the most famous and thrilling hikes in the national park system. Zion's pride and joy runs along a narrow rock fin with dizzying drop-offs on both sides. The trail culminates at a lofty perch, boasting magnificent views in every direction. Rarely is such an intimidating path so frequented by hikers. One would think that this narrow ridge with deep chasms on each of its flanks would allure only the most intrepid of hikers. Climbers scale its big wall; hikers pull themselves up by chains and sightseers stand in awe at its stunning nobility. The towering monolith is one of the most recognizable landmarks in the Southwest.

Angels Landing at Glance
Photo Album: Angels Landing Pictures
Map: Trail Map - Backcountry Map - Overview Map
Day Hike: Yes
Distance: 5-miles
Average Hiking Time: 5 hours
Equipment: Map to locate the landmarks surrounding Angels Landing.
Difficulty: Strenuous uphill hike, but hiking is on a well maintained trail.
Sun Exposure: Full sun
Trail Usage: Heavy
Permits: Not required.
Trail Conditions: The first 2-miles are paved and well-maintained. Most of the path is sunny, but Refrigerator Canyon offers shade and often a cool breeze. This is a good early morning hike. Make sure to allow time to be off the trail by dark if starting late in the day. The last half-mile is across a narrow sandstone ridge. Anchored support chains are attached along some sections of the sheer fin. Sheer cliffs at high elevations while hiking on a narrow fin. Not suggested for children or those with a fear of heights. Avoid standing near the edge at all times! Do not hike the trail when it is wet, storming, or when high winds are present.
- - - -
Nowhere am I trying to convince myself or others that I or 90% of those who do this hiked did the last part. But you'll notice that at 5 hours in length with a mostly paves early part they must be referring to the whole hike and not just the last 1/2 mile.

Lev, we were slow pokes when we started out from Glenwood Springs, so we did not have time to do the Scenic Drive this trip. I figure we will go back so I'll have another chance. I'll look forward to hearing your impressions.

You asked about staying in Torrey and I think that is the best option. We stayed at the Best Western which was fine - basic motel room and clean. I'll probably give Austin's a try next time.

Can you add in another day between Torrey and Las Vegas? It is almost seven hours between the two via hwy 12 without stops. Calf Creek Falls took us about 3 hours. We originally planned one night in Springdale before heading to LV, but within minutes of arriving we knocked a night off the Vegas side and added one more to Springdale.

As wtm003 wrote Lower Calf Creek Falls takes about 3 hours in, back out and some time to enjoy the sight.

As far as comparing Fisher Towers to Corona Arch.

I don't think Corona Arch is the biggest bang for the buck in the Moab area. Delicate Arch at sunset in imbedded in my mind.

I keep remembering those rock climbers at the top of Fishers Towers and the Citibank commercial.

I was there for 4 days, did all of these things and rafted for a morning.

No reason you can't do both.

I'm not sure I'd compare them. The whole area is amazing.

I'm glad I did Calf Creek Falls. However, if I were pressed for time, I would skip it. A ton of people and the water is cold cold cold. It is an impressive sight to see in the desert though.

Thank you wtm003.
We will be staying at Best Western Capitol Reef Resort in Torrey too. You are right. It is around 7 hours non-stop driving from Torrey to Las Vegas if we take Hwy 12 - Hwy 89 - Hwy 20 - Interstate 15 to Las Vegas. Not much time left for short stops at Hwy 12, lunch break, hiking Lower Calf Creek Falls, and spending some time in Bryce NP (drive to Sunrise, Sunset, Inspiration, and Bryce viewpoints with short hikes).
I am thinking of making a reservation in Panguish, Parowan or Cedar City on the way back to Las Vegas with a possibility to cancel reservation the day of arrival. Since we already spent a few days in Zion, I think that staying overnight in Springdale adds driving time.
Lev.

Lev,
We stayed at the BW Capitol Reef. Clean with ok rooms. A nice pool to spend a few minutes soaking your body.

If all you have time for in Bryce is for a quick overview you can do the following. Drive to Sunset Point and go down Navajo Loop as far as you have time for. The right side of it (it's a loop that meets Queens Garden at the bottom and then you have a cjoice of coming up QG or back up the other side of the NL).

While there are several really neat viewpoints, the only one that's really different is Natural Bridge. If you have time Bryce Pt extends into the canyon a bit and Inspiration Pt is nice.

Hi Myer,
What about Fairyland Point in Bryce NP?
Is it worth to drive 2 miles roundtrip?

I haven't been to Fairyland Pt but the photos make it look similar to the others.

If you're rushed for time and want to get a feel for the park I would do some of Navajo Loop and if you have another hour come up Queens Garden.

It's a big difference hiking down into the hoodoos instead or just looking from a viewpoint.

Thank you Myer,
I will follow your recommendation and will do Navajo Loop and if I have an extra time come up Queens Gardens> Also, if time permits drive down to the Natural Bridge View Point.
I have 2 more questions (I may have more.. :
- There is Devils Garden Trail in Arches NP. It is kind of confusing. If I understand it correctly there is a trail passes Tunnel-Pine Tree-Landscape-Partition-Navajo-Double O Arch and ends at Dark Angel Arch. Then there is Primtive trail from Double O Arch to Private Arch-Landscape Arch and back to the Trailhead Parking by main trail. I have heard that people do not recommend to take the Primitive Loop and go back from Dark Angel to the Trailhead Parking taking main trail. What would you recommend?
- It seems that the shortcut Hwy 14 to Cedar City is closed. See the link:
http://news.yahoo.com/landslide-buries-utah-road-under-100-feet-dirt-173349559.html
Taking into account my busy schedule driving from Torrey ( with stops on Hwy 12, hiking Lower calf Creek Fall and stop in Bryce NP (view points and Navajo loop hike) would you recommend to stay overnight in Cedar City (taking Hwy 12 - 89- 20 - 15) or stay overnight closer to Bryce NP : in Panguitch or Parowan?
Thanks. Lev.

In Devil's Garden (Arches) I only went to the first few of the arches you mentioned. I don't do hard or too long. I think spiro will answer that one.

I would sleep over in Bryce so that you can get up early and go to Bryce Point for a spectacular sunrise. Be there in the dark and you won't be alone.

Is Rt14 any shorter than Rt9 thru Springdale. Or maybe faster to go north on 89 then take 20 across.

DG in Arches is a very nice hike. You will cross on top of some large fins and see several arches along the way. The last 2 miles(depending on which way you do the loop)is in sand and a bit boring, but the rest of it is super!! The best part of the trail is the between trailhead and Dark Angel. You could easily just go back the way you came. Personally, I like loop trails as you get to see different things. Take plenty of water and really pay attention to the cairns on the trail so you don't get off-trail. Either way would be good, doing the loop or an out and back.

I don't know when Bryce Lodge opens, but I would stay at it or Ruby's if at all possible.

The entire loop is about 7 miles and will take you 3-6 hours depending on your speed and how much time you spend at each arch. It is fairly easy and doesn't involve much elevation gain or loss. The last part in the sand is a bit more difficult hiking. Calf Creek Falls hike has a lot of sand hiking in it too.

Other than The Windows, Double Arch, and Turret Arch AREA-The Devils Garden Trail offers the most "bang for your buck" as far as the number of arches you can see on a trail.

Don't confuse Double O with Double Arch. Double O is cool, but Double is really cool, IMOP.

Certainly do go at least to Landscape Arch as a bare minimum. Notice at Wall Arch that is no longer there. I have a picture of my daughter standing by it a few months before it fell and then another one from last year.

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0IatW7FqybsWSW
link to our Utah trip from 2011-Arches, Bryce, Hwy 12, Cap Reef, Goblin Valley, Little Wildhorse, Devils Garden in Escalante

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0IatW7FqybsWSl
Link from a 2007 trip to Arches, Moab, Canyonlands
Devils Garden in Arches

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0IatW7FqybsWS0
Link for 2009 trip with my neighbor. Lots of hiking in Cap Reef, Goblin Valley, Little Wildhorse, Canyonlands/Great Gallery/Horseshoe Canyon

Myer, no argument that you need to hike that long to get to Angel's Landing, but the appropriate term is "Angel's Landing via the West Rim trail"... as you will see on the NPS website.

Lev, unless you are really enjoying being out on the trail and are loving what you are seeing then hiking all the way to Dark Angel may not be worth the time for you. It is fairly underwhelming when you finally get there. The other arches are cool though.

Thank you for a recomendation to stay overnight close to Bryce NP.
I just made a reservation at Best Western Plus Ruby's Inn near Bryce NP. Now I have more time to explore Escalante Region and Bryce NP. We will try to get up early in the morning and drive to Bryce Point for a sunrise. We also have extra time in Bryce before heading to Las Vegas.
By the way, do you know that they opened the Mob Museum.
Here is the link:
http://themobmuseum.org/

InSandy,

If you go all the way to Double O, then you might as well continue on to Dark Angel as it is virtually right around the corner. At the most another 5 or 10 minutes? Maybe i'm wrong but I thought I could see Dark Angel within a minute or two of Double O. I will agree with you that it Dark Angel is underwhelming. Hiking on the fins is cool though.

As far as the West Rim Trail. I guess that is the first part of the hike as indicated by the park. But really, I think most people would consider it the trail that goes the opposite way from Angels Landing at Scouts Lookout. I'm not exactly sure I understand your point that you are trying to make.

Lev,
Ruby's is right at the entrance to the park so it shouldn't take you more than 10 minutes to get to Bryce Point.

Just make sure you don't get there 15 minutes after sunrise as I saw a tour bus arrive.

You can see some of my Bryce sunrise shots at:
www.travelwalks.com

InSandy,
I don't quite understand the point you're trying to make. You are confusing a hike/trail and a location/destination.

Angel's Landing is the very end of the hike. Yes, at the very top.

There are two hikes/trails to get there (or to get to Scout's Lookout). One is the Angel's Landing trail that starts at the bottom at the footbridge, goes up thru Walters Wiggles and then Refrigerator Canyon eventually reaching Scout's Lookout.

The other is via the West Rim.

I quote from my first mention of this fiasco: "And a minor technicality, Myer, please forgive me..."

My point is that just because everyone starts their hike to Angel's Landing on the West Rim trail is no reason that we need to call it the Angel's Landing trail. There is only one way to get to Angel's Landing and that is VIA the West Rim Trail... I like to nitpick. It is an itch and sometimes I just need to scratch. I sincerely apologize to Lev for doing it on his thread.

I am not confusing a hike with a destination. The destination is Angel's Landing, the trail is Angel's Landing trail which begins not at the footbridge but at Scout's Landing.

I was trying to correct a misperception which apparently you want to perpetuate.

Sorry I mean the Angel's Landing trail begins at Scout's LOOKOUT.

I have started packing and checked weather in Moab Apr.10-13 and Torrey Apr.14.
Not a good news. 60% probability of showers in Moab on Apr.12 (paid reservation for Fiery Furnace Tour) and the same for Apr.13. 60% probability of showers in Torrey on Apr.14 (Goblin Valley, Capitol Reef NP, Torrey). Still no forecast for Apr.15 ( Hwy 12, Bryce NP).
See the links:
http://www.weather.com/weather/tenday/USUT0165:1:US
http://www.weather.com/weather/tenday/USUT0256:1:US

Does it make sense to take a trip there under the circumstances or just postpone it and go there when weather is more stable?
I can cancel hotel reservations with no penalty and only loose a few bucks for Fiery Furnace Tour….

Take the trip. We had one trip to the area in April that had some rain, but it was not constant and we had plenty of time to do the hikes etc. that we wanted. Do pack some rain gear and understand that you can look at the local weather stations when you get there and go north, south, east or west for an hour and look for different weather.

If it isn't safe to do Firey Furnace tour they will cancel it.

Have a wonderful trip.

It rained/snowed a little the morning we were in Zion last week. We did a short early hike (it was a little slick and cold) but by the afternoon it was beautiful. Rain doesn't necessarily mean a downpour or a ruined day. It could be a few sprinkles.

Also, I take weather reports with a grain of salt. I live in the Denver area and while I might glance at the long range forecast they are rarely correct. I can't count how many times the 7 day forecast has called for sunny weather and we had snow instead and vice versa. Several years ago I had to cancel a trip to Cancun due to a hurricane. The funny thing was that weather.com was predicting dry & sunny weather for the day the hurricane actually hit. I ended up replacing Cancun with Zion & Bryce.

I would take the trip and even hike in the rain. To me, it would be worth it. DO NOT GO INTO A SLOT CANYON SINCE THEY ARE PREDICTING RAIN!!.

It is funny. Weather.com just changed forecast. No 60% showers any more, but sunny. The best advice for everyone and myself not to believe a 7-10 day ferecast and do what you are planning to do.

Have a great trip and let us know what you thought of your trip when you have a chance.

Thank you.

If by chance you are lucky enough to have rain at Zion you will have the singular experience of seeing many waterfalls coming off the normally dry cliffs. It is a memory I will always treasure.

No plans to go Zion this year. I was there last year in the beginning of May. Beutiful park with a lot of spectacular hikes.

Based on the weather forecast for Bryce, Torrey and Moab,we will be making counter clock loop:
Drive from Las Vegas to Bryce on Sunday Apr.8. Since it is only 4 hour drive we will have time this day to explore Bryce. We will stay in Bryce overnight, do more Bryce in the morning and drive to Torrey along hwy 12 with many stops and Lower Calf Creek Falls hike. If we arrive to Torrey too early we will have time to explore Capitol Reef a little bit. We will stay overnight in Torrey. Capitol Reef, Goblin Valley and maybe a little time in Arches the next day. 5 nights and 4 full days for Arches/Canyonlands/Dead Horse Point. Back to Las Vegas on Sunday Apr.15 taking Hwy 191-70-interstate 15.

Be sure and give us a run down of what you thought about everything on your return.

Capitol Reef has very nice sunrise and sunset. You might also want to do some stargazing somewhere.

You, guys, gave me so much information that it took a while for me to digest everyhing your suggested and come up with the final intenerary.
Sure I will share my experience with you.

o.k. I know you left already but if you are still checking back I second Litle Wildhorse Canyon which is very close to Goblin Valley State Park. On recommendation from alot of the above we did goblin and Little Wildhorse last Sept. It was so awesome. I can't wait to do it again. I actually would recommend Little Wildhorse over Goblin Valley if time is a problem but they are very close to each other so if you start out really early maybe you can get it all in....it will be so worth it!!!

Hi everybody,
We are back from our trip to Southern Utah.
First of all, we did a right thing when we checked the weather and made our trip counterclockwise from Las Vegas. We enjoyed sunny and warm weather in Bryce , Grand Staircase Escalante, and Capitol Reef.
It was sunny and hot one day and partially sunny and cool three days in Moab when the snow storm hit
the area we had visited before. When we drove from Moab to Las Vegas on Sunday, there was snow on the ground and fog at high elevations at Interstate 70 and 15, but it was not raining or snowing. A comfortable drive overall. Here are a couple of links to Moab weather (enter zip code for another area) and road condition in Utah:
http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=38.56&lon=-109.55
http://udottraffic.utah.gov/CLALertViewer.aspx?CLType=2
OK. Here we go!

Day 1. Sunday. April 8.

We arrived to Bryce around 1PM and drove to Sunset Point. We hiked Navajo Trail that begins at Sunset Point and travels down into the main amphitheater. There was a major rock slide that had occurred in 2011 and a part of Navajo Trail was closed. We combined it with the Queens Garden Trail that ended at Sunrise Point. We walked from Sunrise Point back to Sunset Point along the Rim Trail. This day we also drove down the Rainbow Point with all scenic stops along the way (Inspiration Point, Bryce Point, Natural Bridge, etc.). We stayed at Best Western Plus Ruby’s Inn. We had a very basic room with poor internet reception, no breakfast was included in price. There a new Best Western Grand Hotel across the street from Ruby’s. The price was $12 more with breakfast. This hotel has better reviews on Tripadvisor:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotels-g56943-Bryce_Utah-Hotels.html
Something to consider next time.

Day 2. Monday. April 9.

We took scenic Hwy 12 to Calf Creek Recreation area and hiked to Lower Calf Creek Falls. It is an easy, nice 3 miles one-way stroll in Grand Staircase Escalante area to an impressive waterfall. We continued on Hwy 12 to Torrey. We stayed at Best Western in a room with a balcony facing the mountains. Good Internet reception.

Day 3. Tuesday April 10.

We drove to Capitol Reef. Stopped at Gifford Farmhouse and bought a mixed berry pie for $5 (It was OK). We drove down the Scenic Drive to the end of paved road and continued on the dirt road to Capitol Gorge trailhead. We liked Capitol Gorge hike. It was mostly level walking in narrow wash bottom with sheer canyon walls. There is Pioneer Register and a short steep hike to the tanks. Two tanks were full of water and the middle one was dry. We returned to Hwy 24 and drove east. After a short stop at the Fremont Petroglyphs area we hiked up Hickman Bridge trail to the base of Hickman Natural Bridge.
Some people mentioned that Capitol Reef was not a popular park. I do not agree. We have seen many people on the hiking trails and we liked the park very much. We spent a couple of hours at Goblin Valley State Park and drove to Moab and checked in at Holiday Inn Express that is close to Arches. Good internet reception.

Day 4. Wednesday. April 11.

We did a lot of hiking this day starting the day with a hike to Delicate Arch from Wolfe Ranch. We also drove to Delicate Arch View Point. We hiked in the Balanced Rock area, the Windows section, hiked to Double Arch and Park Avenue Trail. We also stopped at a few view points from the entrance to the park up to Panorama Point.

Day 5. Thursday. April 12.

We had a reservation for Fiery Furnace hike . I would strongly recommend this hike. It is not easy, but definitely the best hike in the area. Here is the link to the reservation website:
http://www.recreation.gov/tourParkDetail.do?contractCode=NRSO&parkId=93768
The hike starts from Fiery Furnace Overlook. We explored the area north from Fiery Furnace Overlook in the afternoon: Sand Dune hike, Broken Arch Loop, Devils Garden hike to the Landscape Arch and back.

Day 6. Friday. April 13.

We drove to Canyonlands, Island in the Sky District.
Stopped at Shafer Trail View Point, took a short hike to Mesa Arch, drove down to Grand View Point Overlook and strolled along the rim (Grand View Point Overlook Trail). Then we hiked to Murphy View Point. The view was not very impressive. We drove to the Upheaval Dome Area and hiked up the Whale Rock on the way there and took the Crater View trail to the First and Second Overlook. The view from the Second Overlook is not much different from the First One. No need to waste your time to go to the Second Overlook. We skipped Dead Horse Point State Park since the view from the park is not much different from the view from Shafer Trail View Point in the Canyonlands and we had a good view on Colorado River on day 7.

Day 7. Saturday. April 14.

Took Utah Scenic Byway 279 (Potash Road) along Colorado River to Corona Arch Trail. We hiked the trail up to Corona Arch. Technically not very difficult hike. Fiery Furnace hike was much more challenging.
We got to the other side of the arch and there was a trail to the top of the arch, but we decided to skip it that time.
We took another hike that is also at Hwy 279. It is called Portal Overlook Trail and the trailhead is located at JayCee Park Recreation Site about 4 miles west of the Hwy 279/US 191 junction. It is 2 miles one way along Colorado River with a nice view from the top of the trail.
At the end of the day we drove to Arches and repeated Park Avenue trail.

Day 8. Sunday. April 15.

Drove back to Las Vegas taking Hwy 191-70-15.

Sounds like a great trip. Do you have pictures???

Thanks for reporting back.

Good trip!!!

I guess Fisher Towers got dropped. That's fine since you saw a lot of great places.

Now, how do we see your photos?

I have more than 600 photos. I need to work on them a little bit... Since I am back to work it will take some time.

Ok. We'll wait a day or two.

Ha!!! I know what you mean.

Hi Myer,
I just checked your website
http://www.travelwalks.com/
where you have downloads of your travel pictures arranged by year and place. I have tons of pictures from my travel to many countries and here in US. I'd like to do what you did:
to have my own travel website and arrange my pictures in albums.
Questions for you:
- How can I get my own travel website? Is it free of charge?
- Do you use Photoshop Elements to edit pictures and arrange them in albums?
Thanks. Lev.

There are several sites that you can share your photos. I like Myers, but they are all pretty good. Some of them have a bit of different ways of doing it. I don't take the time to label each individual photo, but it is nice when someone else is viewing them to know what they are looking at.

I use Shutterfly. I don't like it, because it doesn't display each trip like Myers does.

Lev,
There are several sites that let you store and display your photos.

I purchased my domain (url) and hosting it costs me $10. per month. I also use it to for my my email.

I wrote the program myself several years ago. I didn't use any tools. I wrote the programming code using aspx.net

I use Photoshop to edit the photos. The reason I don't use Elements or something else is that for some reason I got hooked on a very obscure part of Photoshop (LAB) that very few people even know exists. I read about it somewhere and found that while several books mention it or devote part of a chapter to it, there's really only one book on the topic. So I read it several times and that's what I use. It doesn't exist anywhere else that I know of.

There are some issues on my web site. Since it doesn't show thumbnails, you can't skip to a later part of an album. Oh well...

One other thing about these photo share sights. They are often used in conjunction with making photo albums, pictures, etc.(which I do use their services). However, these companies buy each other out and then you are switched to something else. I was originally on Photoworks, then Shutterfly bought them out. Photoworks was even something before it was photoworks, but I don't remember what it was called.

Did anyone use Blog for photo albums?
I did some research…
Blog is a kind of website where you post new texts and/or images from time to time and your posts are sorted chronologically with latest on top. Many blogs are personal diaries open to public or friends who may post comments to your posts. There are also many professional, political blogs etc.

Two most popular platform for creating blogs are WordPress:
http://wordpress.com/
http://wordpress.org/

and Blogger (owned by Google):
http://blogger.com

It may be easier to use Blogger.com, if the goal is to place photo albums and some travel info and you have google account.

It is possible to create your own blog without even buying hosting and programming: you enter some information, select a template, and use web admin to add new posts and images.On Wordpress.com and Blogger,com

Wordpress.org as a good platform for site development - there you have to buy a hosting and register your own domain name. You can still do very well without a bit if programming using standard templates and admin. On the other side you can dive inside the system and program anything you want.

Blogger may also has tools for programmers to customize it….

I would appreciate if you share your experience in creating your own website to place travel pictures and other travel related stuff.
Lev.

I use wordpress for my garden blog and it is very easy to use. I use the template provided since I don't know any code. Here's a link to that blog:

http://blog.timesunion.com/gardening/

That isn't where my photographs are online though...I keep mine at Pbase.

http://www.pbase.com/peterb

Pbase has a "blog" template that I did use to write our Utah trip report.

http://www.pbase.com/peterb/utah_tr

Pbase charges a fee but it is a modest and, since i use it to host my blog images, it is a decent value and seems quite stable these days. There were times in the past that Pbase had stability issues (I've been using Pbase since about 2001) but those days seem to be behind us now. I'm glad you enjoyed your Utah trip and thanks for the report.