georgecollins

Suggestions solicited for the following trip:10 day starting Sept 1. Have been to Bryce, Zion, rt 89, Goosenecks, MV, GC (35yrs ago). Two seniors , Yogi's and in good shape.

We've tried to have a schedule flexible enough to add/subtract 3/4 hrs on most days between stops for must do's. Have cherry picked from many Forum Threads. Have placed 50% of the driving in the first two days.

Aug 31----- Savannah, Ga to LAS,...................................... rental car to Hotel Alexis

Sept 1------ To Monument Valley(MV) .................. dinner at the View, Hotel Hampton Inn
-----Antelope Canyon hike on the way
-----Windtalker Monument
-----MV ride thru next day

Sept 2 -----To Moab via
-----Moki Dugway
-----Needles
-----Arches visitor ctr
----PM---Islands in the Sky and Grand view,..................... hotel Hampton Inn
.................................................. .................................................. .dinner = Sunset Rest.
Sept 3 ---- Arches
-----Firey Furnace hike--10 AM booked................................. Moab Diner--bkft
-----Delicate Arch hike--PM .................................................. Muffin/Desert Bistro
-----Devils Garden and night prgm .....................................Hampton Inn

Sept 4 -----To Torrey
-----Chimney Rock
-----Hickman Br. .................................................. ................ Kiva Coffe House
-----Goblin
-----Little wild horse hike ............................................... Best Western/ --------------------------------------------------------------------------Cafe Diablo

Sept 5--------to Boulder/Escalante
-----Anasazi Museum
-----Angels Palace
-----Panoramic Trail
-----Little Calf River hike ----------------------------------------------Dinner/hotel=Slot River inn

Sept 6 - Escalante to Bryce
-----River Bridge
-----Hell's backbone Rd. .................................................. ..........Bryce cabin/Lodge dinner
-----PM to Bryce

Sept 7 Bryce
-----Just hiking--did the horse thing(once was enough)
------Kodachrome Basin
-----Mossy cave trail
-----PM to Zion.............................................. .......................................... cabin

Sept 8 Zion
-----2 hr shuttle tour
-----Observation Pt
-----Watchman trail .................................................. ............................. cabin

Sept - Zion, to LAS after dinner --------------------------------------------- Alexis

Sept 10- to Savannah

jerry

emalloy

sept 2 is a bit of a stretch time wise. If you tour in the AM it will take yo at least an hour and it is over 3 hours to get to Moab without stopping or going up Moki Dugway. Going into Needles always has taken more thann a half hour from 191 and if you just visit a little, like cowboy camp and the VC, so that is going to be at least 2 and a half hours more and you haven't stopped to look at much yet..

So six hours thus far and you haven't gone to Arches VC yet. The sun sets fairly early in September, and I'm not sure how early you can start the tour in MV, so re plan that day at leat unless this is a "Been there, done that trip".

utahtea

I agree with emalloy that on Sept 2 you're not going to be doing much more than driving with an occasional stop to view. You are looking at least 330 miles and 7+ hours of just driving and during your visit you will only have approx. 13 hours of sunlight. With Monument Valley, Needles & Island in the Sky you have three major points of interest, meals and pit stops. I think I'd be temped to drop the Needles section and add the Green River Overlook and easy Mesa Arch hike in the Island in the Sky district instead. I do notice that you are only stopping at the Arches visitor center. Keep in mind the speed limits are like 35 mph in the parks so it's a lot slow driving than the main roads.

Sept 3 ---- Arches
We haven't done Fiery Furnace yet but it is 3 hours of strenuous hiking. Delicate arch is a 3 mile round trip hike and will take another 2 - 3 hours. I'm not sure if you are hiking or just visiting Devil's Garden for the evening program. September can still be HOT in Moab area and the heat can drain your energy.

I have finally done Hell's Backbone Road and while it was fun, I wasn't that impressed and probably won't drive it again. If you are just driving to the bridge and then driving back to Boulder that would be worth it BUT If you stay on Hell's Backbone Road to Escalante and you do not drive scenic Hwy 12 between Boulder and Escalante you will be MISSING THE BEST PART of Hwy 12!!!!

Most of your days are go...go...go and there are a lots of strenuous hikes and it can be HOT and you are going to be at a much higher elevation than at home. I hope you will come back and tell us how it went.

Utahtea

georgecollins

emalloy----------We plan on leaving MV at 7AM. We planned 1.5 hrs for Needles(will add one more hr) and one hr for the Moki Dugway.
We hoped to be at Arches VC by 3-4 PM, confirm our hike reservations for next day; and then drive to Islands in the SKy and maybe all the way to Grand View((this last part could be moved to one of the next two days???.
Understand the 3hr from MV to Moab. Dinner at 8. Craw into the hotel at 9PM

Appreciate your input. What would you recommend we delete or move to the next two days? One option is to do MV, by car on Sept 1 as we have already seen it(but I think it is just on the way North?).
Another option is to skip something that we will see something similar later on. For example we scratched Hoodoos on R89 as we will also see them in Bryce.

Will check on sunset and sunrise times--that will alter the menu.

thanks again for your input. Fell free to offer options.

georgecollins

--------------UtahTea: thanks for your recommendations;

I agree with emalloy that on Sept 2 you're not going to be doing much more than driving with an occasional stop to view. You are looking at least 330 miles and 7+ hours of just driving and during your visit you will only have approx. 13 hours of sunlight. With Monument Valley

------------MV--Drive by, no tour, have been there already. Have seen all the John Wayne movies. Could easily eliminate and reroute to help. Will look at an alternate route skipping MV. Suggestions??

, Needles & Island in the Sky you have three major points of interest, meals and pit stops. I think I'd be temped to drop the Needles section and add the Green River Overlook and easy Mesa Arch hike in the Island in the Sky district instead.

-------------Like this recommendation and will ease the congestion of Sept 2. Green River and Arch hike is good idea

I do notice that you are only stopping at the Arches visitor center. Keep in mind the speed limits are like 35 mph in the parks so it's a lot slow driving than the main roads.

Sept 3 ---- Arches
We haven't done Fiery Furnace yet but it is 3 hours of strenuous hiking. Delicate arch is a 3 mile round trip hike and will take another 2 - 3 hours. I'm not sure if you are hiking or just visiting Devil's Garden for the evening program.

--------------Just visit and evening programam Devils Garden.

September can still be HOT in Moab area and the heat can drain your energy.

I have finally done Hell's Backbone Road and while it was fun, I wasn't that impressed and probably won't drive it again. If you are just driving to the bridge and then driving back to Boulder that would be worth it BUT If you stay on Hell's Backbone Road to Escalante and you do not drive scenic Hwy 12 between Boulder and Escalante you will be MISSING THE BEST PART of Hwy 12!!!!

--Wow--Hell's Backbone deleted. Hwy 12 wins

Most of your days are go...go...go and there are a lots of strenuous hikes and it can be HOT and you are going to be at a much higher elevation than at home. I hope you will come back and tell us how it went.

---------And you have eased the effort on several days. I will --------reanalyze our trip with the new input. Still
--------comfortable with the long driving times the first two days

--------Will do a trip rpt., and after last yrs Machu Pichu
--------and Cusco hikes we are gung ho for both the elevation --------and hikes. Heat-we love it. Now in Georgia, previous --------10 yrs in Florida-recovering from 20 years in Vermont


Utahtea/jerry AKA george

utahtea

With the alterations and not minding the heat you should be pretty good. I know when our kids were young and we didn't have a lot of vacation time my DH use to kid that he went back to work to relax.

Utahtea

RVvagabond

Agree with skipping Needles (hiking park), Hell's Backbone (fascinating, but should not be rushed. hwy 12 "Hogback" excellent)
Hanksville - You will be driving through that town. Stop at the BLM office (1/2 mile off the highway) and visit the restored Woolverton gold Mill.
MV - take the self driving tour. Or just look at the Mittens from the visitor center.
Arches - Devil's Garden Expect 4 hours of moderate hiking. I'd favor that to Furnace if there is a time constraint.
Capitol Reef - Chimney - it along the road. Do the Capitol Gorge drive.
Bryce - Mossy Cave hike is a yawn.
Kodachrome: Drive into the campground, take pictures of the pipes (well worth it) and then drive to Grosvenor Arch - about 8 miles one way. If you have time, hike the Panoramic Trail in the park.

Boulder - Burr trail/road is very scenic. At the end and south is Wolverton Petrified Forest. About one mile hike, one way. Excellent black wood. Please do not take any home.
Zion - Observation Point. The best view of the park, but it is a strenuous hike if you start within park boundary. If entering outside of park (EAST) entry, then it is practical. Suggest Canyon Overlook whose trailhead is east of the tunnel.

For your planning and driving detail, suggest investing in this travel book. Cheaper than a lunch.
https://www.createspace.com/4342887

georgecollins

RVvagabond
------Agree with skipping Needles (hiking park),
------2nd suggestion = Needles dropped. This significantly
------helps with day two constraints and opens Arches Schedule

Hell's Backbone (fascinating, but should not be rushed. hwy 12 "Hogback" excellent).

------ Will keep both in plan

Hanksville - You will be driving through that town. Stop at the BLM office (1/2 mile off the highway) and visit the restored Woolverton gold Mill.

------ Thanks, needed something on the way to Capitol Reef.

MV - take the self driving tour. Or just look at the Mittens from the visitor center.

-------Driving tour unless we decided to skip MV

Arches - Devil's Garden Expect 4 hours of moderate hiking. I'd favor that to Furnace if there is a time constraint.

-------After watching the video on Furnace, I welcome your
-------suggestion. This also unconstrains Arches timing
-------issues.
-------Will do further research and look at rearranging
- -----schedule.

Capitol Reef - Chimney - it along the road. Do the Capitol Gorge drive.

------Both added, needed suggestions for Capitol Reef

Bryce - Mossy Cave hike is a yawn.

------We might be ready for an easy hike. Bryce Suggestions?: ------we have done the horse trip before.

Kodachrome: Drive into the campground, take pictures of the pipes (well worth it) and then drive to Grosvenor Arch - about 8 miles one way. If you have time, hike the Panoramic Trail in the park.

------Will add somewhere??

Boulder - Burr trail/road is very scenic. At the end and south is Wolverton Petrified Forest. About one mile hike, one way. Excellent black wood. Please do not take any home.

------Lots to do in Boulder. Will add your suggestions as we ------need a few things to add with 2 1/2 days in
------Escalante area. Maybe put Kodachrome between Bryce and -------Zion??

Zion - Observation Point. The best view of the park, but it is a strenuous hike if you start within park boundary. If entering outside of park (EAST) entry, then it is practical. Suggest Canyon Overlook whose trailhead is east of the tunnel.

------Added

For your planning and driving detail, suggest investing in this travel book. Cheaper than a lunch.
https://www.createspace.com/4342887

------Have the book. Have just begun digging into the details. -Have been working first on the general outline. Will -check out your suggestions and redo schedule. Will restate schedule 2nd pass tomorrow.

------Thanks Mucho for all the great suggestions.

utahtea

I'll second the Capitol Gorge hike in Capitol Reef. It's 5 miles round trip but you don't have to go all the way if you don't want to. It's also very level and a pretty easy, beautiful hike in the canyon and one of my favorites.

I'll also second the Burr Trail. You had so much on your plate already I didn't want to suggest more ideas.

Kodachrome is nice but it's not a national park. We finally made it to Grosvenor Arch and WOW! We had tried and tried for years but each time the road was closed because of flash floods. If you decided to do it the best plan would be to visit it before you reached Bryce so you don't have to double back 25 miles.

One of the easiest hikes in Bryce is along the canyon rim from Sunrise to Sunset point and back. Queen's Garden is my favorite if I feel like hiking. I like to start at Navajo loop and then pick up the Queen's Garden. Exiting this way is an easier climb than trying to do it in reverse.

Utahtea

georgecollins

Utahtea

We are working on an update with all the great suggestions.
My CoPilot killed the Moki Dugway after viewing some of the pics and vacationers statements--reminds her of our Mesa Verde trip --35 years ago(white nuckles). So maybe we will put Needles car only trip back on the itinerary.?/

Soooo we have opened a lot of time for the rest of the trip. At the least--additional 1/2 day at Arches.
Arches plan-Sept 2--PM Islands in the Sky/Green river/Arch hike/Grand View. Sept 3--Deliacate Arch hike and Devils Barden hike and--night pgm if clear sky.

Will add the Capitol Gorge hike and Burr Trail. All recommendations point to this--and we can make it fit.

We are so impressed with the Boulder/Escalante area that we are working on adding an additional day there.

Agree to add Kodachrome before Brice to eliminate back tracking. But with sooo many things to do in the Boulder area, we may keep Kodachrome for the next trip. If we cannot make it fit.
Presently we are considering to add Kodachrome as we leave Bryce on the way to Zion(eat the backtrack). Trade off is time at Bryce or time at Zion(where we have two nights).

Thanks for the Bryce hike info

Myer

I'd drop Kodachrome SP and go to the right instead of the left below Cannoville and do the very easy Willis Creek slot canyon hike.

There's a visitors Center in Cannonvile on the main (only) street. Get instructions on how to get there. The drive is an adventure but the slots get higher as you go. So do about 5 of them before turning back. Do this especially if you haven't done Little Wild Horse slot canyon.

I would not skip Fiery Furnace. It's about 3 hours long but definitely not strenuous as there will be as many as 25 people in different states of fitness. If you have to make a choice I'd do Fiery Furnace and Delicate Arch an hour or so before sunset.

If I'm choosing, I'd pick Dead Horse Point State Park (just outside of Canyonlands) instead of Canyonlands.

You're doing a lot of running with one day in each place. There are worthy stops that are not in national parks.

Goblin Valley State Park.
Devil's Garden Escalante (not the same as Devil's Garden in Arches. This is a grown up version of Goblin Valley.
Lower Calf Creek Falls. A beautiful waterfall in southern Utah.

georgecollins

Version 2 of 10 day circle trip:
and You guys/gals are great!
Hopefully this will make more sense to you. Feel free with suggestions(I am thick skin).
Overall we fell 95% of the way to a good plan. Polishing always necessary and can be done on the fly.

Aug 31----- Ga to LAS,...Rental car to Hotel Alexis
Sept 1—LAS to MV----Antelope Canyon hike on the way.-Drive time 7 hrs.
----Windtalker Monument

Sept 2 -----To Moab via-----MV ride thru.------------------ Drive time 3-4 hr.
--------------Moki Dugway (deleted by copilot)
--------------Arches visitor ctr------------------------ Hampton Inn/Sunset Rest.
4hr------PM-Islands in Sky/ Green river/Arch hike/Grand view,

Sept 3 ----- Arches………………Moab Diner--bkft...Hampton Inn
3hr----------Delicate Arch hike--PM...Muffin/Desert Bistro
4hr----------Devils Garden hike and night prgm

Sept 4 ----To Torrey--Hanksville-gold Mill. Drive time 3 hr.
3hr---------Chimney Rock/Capitol Gorge drive
1hr---------Hickman Br. trail
1hr---------Goblin—night program?
2hr-Little wild horse hike
---------------------/Best Western/CafeDiablo(7:45)4:00Pie)

Sept 5--------to Boulder/Escalante--------Drive time 3-4 hr
------Anasazi Museum -bkft Backbone Grill Boulder
3-hr4-----Burr Trail / Wolverton loop
------------------------------------Slot River inn/dinner

Sept 6 - Escalante ----------------------------------------------Drive time 1-2hr
4hr---Hell's backbone Rd/ Little Calfcreek hike/River Bridge
4hr--late PM Kodachrome/Panoramic Trail/pipes/Grosvenor Arch
----------- to Bryce------.Bryce cabin/ Lodge dinner

Sept 7 Bryce-Just hiking—did the horse thing(once was enough.
-----Mossy cave trail / Queens landing----------------------------Lodge dinner
..--- after dinner to Zion...---------------. cabin

Sept 8 Zion
2hr------- shuttle tour
-1hr----canyon overlook................. cabin/pizza
2hr------Watchman trail

Sept 9- Zion,
5hr-Observation Pt hike(east entrance /
LAS after dinner Alexis Hote/--------------------------------------Drive 3-4hr

Sept10-home

georgecollins

Meyer:

Sorry I missed your post as I was constructing new itinerary.

I'd drop Kodachrome SP and go to the right instead of the left below Cannoville and do the very easy Willis Creek slot canyon hike.

-----This is in the cards. Will check out Willis Creek hike

There's a visitors Center in Cannonvile on the main (only) street. Get instructions on how to get there. The drive is an adventure but the slots get higher as you go. So do about 5 of them before turning back. Do this especially if you haven't done Little Wild Horse slot canyon.

---------We plan on LWH hike. And we are wondering--after 4,5,6 slot canyons don't they all run together??

I would not skip Fiery Furnace. It's about 3 hours long but definitely not strenuous as there will be as many as 25 people in different states of fitness. If you have to make a choice I'd do Fiery Furnace and Delicate Arch an hour or so before sunset.

-----We have reserved/paid slots for Furnace--will make final decision as this thread ends and/or when we arrive. 2 other responses say skip it. Difficulty is not our main concern.
wife is stronger than me--30 yrs of Yoga. After 49 yrs of marriage, the copilot will make the final decision.

If I'm choosing, I'd pick Dead Horse Point State Park (just outside of Canyonlands) instead of Canyonlands.

----Will check it out

You're doing a lot of running with one day in each place. There are worthy stops that are not in national parks.

Goblin Valley State Park.
-----Goblin is in plan--see above post(itinerary2
Devil's Garden Escalante (not the same as Devil's Garden in Arches. This is a grown up version of Goblin Valley.
-----Will check it out--we have some time in Escalante.

Lower Calf Creek Falls. A beautiful waterfall in southern Utah.
----Lots of recommendations for CalfCreek Falls--it is in the plan--see my last post.

thanks for your new ideas--back tomorrow after I have educated myself. Also, since slaughtering all places(MOKI//NEEDLES) on the way to Moab from MV, Dead horsestate park is possible and we need some options there.

emalloy

FWIW, I actually prefer island in the sky to dead horse, but both are beautiful.

Be sure to get a national park pass at your first park if you do not already have one. If you are a us citizen and over 65, it is only $10 and good for a lifetime, otherwise $80 and good for a year at all parks,monuments,historic sites, etc.

georgecollins

emalloy:

We have the passes, thanks

peterboy

Sept 4 ----To Torrey--Hanksville-gold Mill. Drive time 3 hr.
3hr---------Chimney Rock/Capitol Gorge drive
1hr---------Hickman Br. trail
1hr---------Goblin—night program?
2hr-Little wild horse hike
---------------------/Best Western/CafeDiablo(7:45)4:00Pie)

Goblin and Little Wild Horse are on the way to Torrey...You won't want to drive back over an hour each way to them after driving all the way to Torrey.

If your copilot has difficulty with edges then this will be an exciting trip for her. The good news is that you do get used to edges after a while.

Here's the "hogsback section" of Scenic Byway 12.

http://www.pbase.com/peterb/image/88442508

Here's the last bit of the hike to Delicate Arch.

http://www.pbase.com/peterb/image/34945817

I'd suggest skipping the Hell's Backbone Rd. It is a long drive and mostly just alpine scenery just like the drive over Boulder Mtn. Nothing wrong with that but just a slower, bumpier, dusty version of it. Devote that time to Calf Creek Hike and Devil's Garden on the Hole in the Rock Rd.

utahtea

I'm with emalloy on Dead Horse State Park. I like Dead Horse State Park but if I had to choose one or the other, Green River Overlook in Island in the Sky would win every time.

Utahtea

georgecollins

peterboy:

Thanks for the pics. Actually eased my wife's fears and the drop offs don't look as bad as we remember Mesa Verde.

Agree--no backtracking, don't have enough time. Next Utah vacation will be two weeks; maybe 4 including Yellowstone(our favorite). Will put the night pgm to Bryce as we have finally confirmed an additional night there. You are very correct that night at Goblin made no sense without an extra 2 hrs driving.

Moab to Torrey scheduled stops are now aligned. We will do Goblin, LWH in the morning and Capitol Reef in the afternoon.
Check into the Best western, then do 7:45 dinner in Torrey.

peterboy and Meyer:
Hells Backbone/Kodachrome scratches help a lot with scheduling Boulder/Escalante opportunities. Devils Garden and Willis Creek Hikes are now easier to arrange and now in the Plan.

georgecollins

A big thank you to utahtea, emalloy, Meyer, peterboy and RVvagabon.

We feel very comfortable with the changes that follow(version3). We appreciate the reinforced 2nd and even 3rd recommendation for several places. Each day has become more organized and at a significantly reduced pace. peterboy's pics help a lot with the Escalante Devils Garden hike. We did get the extra day at Bryce that also helps with all the Boulder/Escalante options. We also have open times for the additions between now and what new things we will find along the way. Trip report on the way home.

Aug 31----- Ga to LAS,.......... rental car to Hotel Alexis

Sept 1-LAS to MV-Antelope Canyon hike on the way-Drive 7 hrs.
----Wind Talker Monument---Hampton Inn/View=dinner

Sept 2 --To Moab via---MV ride thru -- Drive time 3-4 hr.
---Arches visitor ctr--------- Hampton Inn/Sunset Rest.
4hr----PM-Islands in Sky/ Green river/Arch hike/Grand view,

Sept 3 ----- Arches…………………………...... Moab Diner--bkft
3hr----------Delicate Arch hike--PM .................Muffin/Desert Bistro
4hr----Devils Garden hikeand night prgm ...Hampton Inn

Sept 4 --To Torrey---Hanksville-gold Mill. Drive time 3 hr.
AM----1hr-Goblin— 2hr---------Little wild horse hike
PM -3hr-Chimney Rock/Capitol Gorge drive
1hr---Hickman Br. trail
----------Best Western/-Cafe Diablo(7:45)(4:00 Pie)

Sept 5----to Boulder/Escalante------Drive time 2-3 hr
------Anasazi Museum -------bkft(Backbone Grill Boulder)
3-4hr-Burr Trail / Wolverton loop- Slot River Inn/dinner

Sept 6 - Escalante
3hr-----------Little Calf creek hike/River Bridge
4hr----------Devils Garden + Willis Creek Hikes
PM__to Bryce----------------------Drive time 1-2hr

Sept 7 Bryce
Rim Walk(ranger)+Mossy cave /Queens landing-Lodge dinner

Sept 8 Bryce
AM------open---PM---- 2hr tour ride(2:30) 2hr------Watchman trail
drive to Zion--2hr

Sept 9- Zion,
5hr-Observation Pt hike(east entrance /
LAS after dinner to Alexis Hotel----drive 3-4hr

Sept10-home

sharondi

Your itinerary looks good, georgecollins. And your trip will overlap with our upcoming visit (I'm peterboy's wife). Looking forward to another amazing trip to Southern Utah - can't wait! Enjoy the planning and have a wonderful trip.