Moab from Salt Lake City vs Grand Junction
Sep 15th, 2011, 08:18 AM
#1
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Moab from Salt Lake City vs Grand Junction
To Moab from Salt lake City vs Grand Junction.
Other than the drive from Salt Lake City being twice as long and plane fare to Grand Junction is $100. more what is the difference in the drive?
Other than the drive from Salt Lake City being twice as long and plane fare to Grand Junction is $100. more what is the difference in the drive?
Sep 15th, 2011, 09:41 AM
#2
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Driving from the airport though Salt Lake City you can run into traffic. You don't want to be there during commute times! Hwy 6 can be dangerous especially when it's windy so it's not one of my favorite routes. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...ryId=120716625 If you take the longer route of I-15 down to Scipio, cut across to I-70 on Hwy 50 it adds about 75 miles but then you get to drive though the very scenic San Rafael Swell area. http://www.americansouthwest.net/utah/san_rafael_swell/
Grand Junction to Moab, you can pick up Upper Colorado Scenic Byway 128 at Cisco for a very scenic drive into Moab. http://www.milebymile.com/main/Unite...el_guides.html (you would be doing this in reverse...which I think is more dramatic because the walls of the canyon get narrower as you approach Moab)
On the way back to Grand Junction take Hwy 191 to I-70 and leave time to take the short 3 mile drive from Thompson to Sego Canyon petroglyphs http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/prog/mor...go_canyon.html Oh..and the drive on I-70 from 191 to Colorado...watch for Golden Eagles. (There's even a sign but we've seen them for ourselves.)
If time allows you can also visit Colorado National Monument near Grand Junction. The best part is near the west entrance.
Utahtea
Grand Junction to Moab, you can pick up Upper Colorado Scenic Byway 128 at Cisco for a very scenic drive into Moab. http://www.milebymile.com/main/Unite...el_guides.html (you would be doing this in reverse...which I think is more dramatic because the walls of the canyon get narrower as you approach Moab)
On the way back to Grand Junction take Hwy 191 to I-70 and leave time to take the short 3 mile drive from Thompson to Sego Canyon petroglyphs http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/prog/mor...go_canyon.html Oh..and the drive on I-70 from 191 to Colorado...watch for Golden Eagles. (There's even a sign but we've seen them for ourselves.)
If time allows you can also visit Colorado National Monument near Grand Junction. The best part is near the west entrance.
Utahtea
Sep 15th, 2011, 09:54 AM
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Rarely, but sometimes you can fly into Moa
CNY) for about the same as GJT. This connects in Denver and is serviced by a small plane(no bathroom, no steward/ess, open cockpit, sometimes just one pilot)--Great Lakes Aviation is the carrier.
CNY) for about the same as GJT. This connects in Denver and is serviced by a small plane(no bathroom, no steward/ess, open cockpit, sometimes just one pilot)--Great Lakes Aviation is the carrier.
Sep 15th, 2011, 10:51 AM
#5
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utahtea,
A few years ago I drove from SLC to Moab and from Bryce Canyon back to Salt Lake City.
Both drives were really smooth and pleasant.
I'm trying to plan a very focused trip that may be quite constrained time-wise.
On a related matter I listed the places my daughter has visited (park related) in the past year and had her rate them.
1. Bryce Canyon
2. Antelope Canyon (tie)
2. Valley of Fire (tie)
4. Willis Creek
5. Devil's Garden
6. Zion (tie)
6. Yosemite (tie)
8. Lower Calf Creek
9. Kolob (tie)
9. Horsehoe Bend (tie)
11. Grand Canyon
12. Hoover Dam
She just came back from Hoover Dam, GC, Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend.
She told me she would have enjoyed Valley of Fire more than she did had we not just gotten off the plane and stopped for an hour on the way to Utah.
In view of the above I think she'd really enjoy Arches NP.
Scheduling is an issue.
A few years ago I drove from SLC to Moab and from Bryce Canyon back to Salt Lake City.
Both drives were really smooth and pleasant.
I'm trying to plan a very focused trip that may be quite constrained time-wise.
On a related matter I listed the places my daughter has visited (park related) in the past year and had her rate them.
1. Bryce Canyon
2. Antelope Canyon (tie)
2. Valley of Fire (tie)
4. Willis Creek
5. Devil's Garden
6. Zion (tie)
6. Yosemite (tie)
8. Lower Calf Creek
9. Kolob (tie)
9. Horsehoe Bend (tie)
11. Grand Canyon
12. Hoover Dam
She just came back from Hoover Dam, GC, Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend.
She told me she would have enjoyed Valley of Fire more than she did had we not just gotten off the plane and stopped for an hour on the way to Utah.
In view of the above I think she'd really enjoy Arches NP.
Scheduling is an issue.
Sep 15th, 2011, 11:29 AM
#6
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GJT is closer and easier if things are on time and go smoothly. The drive into Moab is very scenic. However, with smaller airports, if you get delayed or screwed up, it is much harder to get another flight. So, instead of being fouled up for 3 or 4 hours it ends up being a full day or worse.
My daughter says Arches is one of her very favorite places(she puts it behind Yellowstone). I really enjoy it myself too.
My daughter says Arches is one of her very favorite places(she puts it behind Yellowstone). I really enjoy it myself too.
Sep 15th, 2011, 12:12 PM
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Usually just fly into DIA RT and then carrentals.com make scenic
stops along the way... gobrek.com comes to mind
save a lot over airfare and more expensive car rentals
elsewhere especially with 2 or more...
stops along the way... gobrek.com comes to mind
save a lot over airfare and more expensive car rentals
elsewhere especially with 2 or more...
Sep 15th, 2011, 01:42 PM
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If DIA is Denver International Airport(which is DEN), they have some of the highest car rentals on the planet, IMOP. And that is even further. I think the jest of the post was trying to save time.
Sep 15th, 2011, 04:02 PM
#9
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Actually, I'm looking at a few things.
What's the drive like from Grand Junction to Moab?
Flying directly to Moab doesn't appear to be worth the effort. Few flight choices and auto rentals.
Now I'm a bit concerned about flying into GJT. Not much backup should there be issues.
What I like about GJT over SLC is we'd save about 3 hours. The early flights seem to get in an hour earlier and the drive is 2 hours shorter.
And of course it's a much shorter drive returning.
What's the drive like from Grand Junction to Moab?
Flying directly to Moab doesn't appear to be worth the effort. Few flight choices and auto rentals.
Now I'm a bit concerned about flying into GJT. Not much backup should there be issues.
What I like about GJT over SLC is we'd save about 3 hours. The early flights seem to get in an hour earlier and the drive is 2 hours shorter.
And of course it's a much shorter drive returning.
Sep 15th, 2011, 04:16 PM
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I believe you have been to Fisher Towers. The first part of the drive from the airport is really not much. But then the last part on HWY 128(i think thats the righthwy)is very scenic drive all along the river. Somewhat like the drive to Fisher Towers if my memory is correct. I have driven it twice. It's a very nice drive, a little on the edge of the river for a while. No big dropoffs, just right on top of the river. There is a prairie dog town at Cisco right off the interstate that is kinda cool.
GJT isn't a tiny airport, but it certainly isn't Salt Lake or Denver. You do have a few options and carriers. Now Moab is teeny. Like 2 flights per day and only 1 gate. It's pretty hilarious actually. The guy shows up about an hour before your flight to do the security check screening.
GJT isn't a tiny airport, but it certainly isn't Salt Lake or Denver. You do have a few options and carriers. Now Moab is teeny. Like 2 flights per day and only 1 gate. It's pretty hilarious actually. The guy shows up about an hour before your flight to do the security check screening.
Sep 15th, 2011, 04:24 PM
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If you do fly into GJT, The Colorado National Monument has always looked interesting to me. I haven't been. From the pictures it looks a little like Arches, Monument Valley, Zion, with a little green and trees thrown in. I imagine that it isn't heavily visited and would be a neat thing to see.
Sep 15th, 2011, 06:25 PM
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Reread what Utahtea wrote, I think she got it right.
The drive from GJt to Cisco is Interstate and not much to consider other than it will be shorter than from SLC.
You need to get off at the Cisco exit and take hwy 128 south. It isn't too much to look at before you get to Fisher Towers, but after that it is one of the most scenic routes in the country. It is a two lane road, so you can't go as fast, but it is a great introduction to the area.
Yes both Colorado National Mon and Sego Canyon petroglyphs are great stops. But if you are short on time I would head straight to Moab and spend your time at the parks there.
Are you considering the time changing planes in your overall time frame? You might lose your "two hour shorter" in the process.
The drive from GJt to Cisco is Interstate and not much to consider other than it will be shorter than from SLC.
You need to get off at the Cisco exit and take hwy 128 south. It isn't too much to look at before you get to Fisher Towers, but after that it is one of the most scenic routes in the country. It is a two lane road, so you can't go as fast, but it is a great introduction to the area.
Yes both Colorado National Mon and Sego Canyon petroglyphs are great stops. But if you are short on time I would head straight to Moab and spend your time at the parks there.
Are you considering the time changing planes in your overall time frame? You might lose your "two hour shorter" in the process.
Sep 16th, 2011, 03:01 AM
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Another option is Vegas. The ride is not too much farther than SLC, up 15 and over 70 and is quite scenic. This also gives you the option of going the slow route one way and visiting Zion, Bryce, CR, etc. If you are coming from a distance, the airfare and car rentals tend to be much less expensive than the other options. In any case, look at all the time options, if you have to change planes to get to Grand Junction or SLC, the total travel time may not be significantly different, assuming that you don't mind driving.
Sep 16th, 2011, 05:45 AM
#14
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spiro, yes I've been to Fisher Towers. In fact I hike around there and saw some climbers at the top of the Corkscrew. We exchanged email addresses and photos upon returning home.
LAS is definitely much longer a drive. I was in Bryce and Zion last year with my daughter so the focus of this trip would be Arches NP.
InSandy, when I looked at the time difference I checked current plane schedules to SLC and GJT.
I think the planes left here about the same time but arrived in GJT about an hour earlier than SLC. So that would consider plane changes.
Then the drive from GJT is 2 hours shorter than from SLC.
It's funny, but my original question was really to make sure the drive from Grand Junction was hanging over cliffs or anything like that.
We could arrive in GJT at about 11AM and that would get us to Moab between 1:30 and 2PM. We could use a good part of that day.
However, arriving in SLC we would get there about 11:40 and be in Moab between 4:30 and 5PM. That would leave us just enough time to hike to Delicate Arch and no more.
And of course, we'd have to plan on a longer return drive.
LAS is definitely much longer a drive. I was in Bryce and Zion last year with my daughter so the focus of this trip would be Arches NP.
InSandy, when I looked at the time difference I checked current plane schedules to SLC and GJT.
I think the planes left here about the same time but arrived in GJT about an hour earlier than SLC. So that would consider plane changes.
Then the drive from GJT is 2 hours shorter than from SLC.
It's funny, but my original question was really to make sure the drive from Grand Junction was hanging over cliffs or anything like that.
We could arrive in GJT at about 11AM and that would get us to Moab between 1:30 and 2PM. We could use a good part of that day.
However, arriving in SLC we would get there about 11:40 and be in Moab between 4:30 and 5PM. That would leave us just enough time to hike to Delicate Arch and no more.
And of course, we'd have to plan on a longer return drive.
Sep 16th, 2011, 08:44 AM
#16
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I just did mapsonus.com Anyway, HWY 128 is longer drive time than if you just stick with Interstate and then down to Moab on 191.
HWY 191 is 113 miles or 1.7 hours (not much scenic)
HWY 128 is 102 Miles or about 2 hours (very scenic)
I would do HWY 128. Fisher Towers is along the way.
HWY 191 is 113 miles or 1.7 hours (not much scenic)
HWY 128 is 102 Miles or about 2 hours (very scenic)
I would do HWY 128. Fisher Towers is along the way.
Sep 16th, 2011, 11:02 PM
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As InSandy said, the drive from Grand Junction to Cisco or even the Junction of Hwy 191 is much like the drive from Green River to Junction 191. It's a pretty easy, level drive over desert area. This part of I-70 is not mountainous like the drive going east towards Denver from Grand Junction.
If you decide to get off at Cisco, it's a easy drive though farm land and then you cross the Colorado River and the canyon begins. Since you've been to Fisher Towers, you know what the drive in the canyon to Moab is like. I'm sorry, when I first replied I wasn't pay attention to who as asking the question or I would have realized you had been to the area before.
Utahtea
If you decide to get off at Cisco, it's a easy drive though farm land and then you cross the Colorado River and the canyon begins. Since you've been to Fisher Towers, you know what the drive in the canyon to Moab is like. I'm sorry, when I first replied I wasn't pay attention to who as asking the question or I would have realized you had been to the area before.
Utahtea
