voyager61

We're from the Seattle area and want to do the Southern Utah national parks sometime in the next year or so, but our son is in high school, so we'd have to go either Spring Break (first week of April) or last half of June. I know it gets hot down there, and we're Pacific Northwest heat wimps, so where would be the best places to go when? We love hiking and are looking for dramatic scenery combined with some nice but moderately priced Western-style lodging (pool if warm, fireplace if chilly) and good food. We could always do some areas now and save other areas for when he's in college. Thanks for your help!

spirobulldog

My 13 yr old daughter and I went to Arches National Park over Memorial Day Weekend (weather was slightly hot). Arches is a smaller very managable park. Everyone in Moab said it was busy. We didn't really find it busy at all. We did a lot of hiking. Definately see Delicate Arch, Landscape Arch and the entire primitive trail,Double Arch, Balanced Rock. Most of the other major sites are right on the main road leading thru the park. I would highly suggest Canyoneering. You do that with a guide and it was absolutely awesome. Desert Highlights is the only guide in Arches National Park. We did fly over Canyonlands in a small plane and found it interesting also. There is a lot of other things to do in and around Moab. Moab is about 5 minutes from the entrance of Arches NP. I think it wouldn't be really that hot at any of the NP around April 1. I would think any time in June would be pretty darn hot. The mornings are cool there, but it's about a sure bet it will be near 100 in the afternoons in the summer. I would think it would be much busier in June than April 1. On some of the trails you will have it pretty much to yourself. It was one of the cheaper trips and one of the best we have ever been on. We are planning on going back to Utah next summer to either Zion, Bryce, Capital Reef. We really want to hike a place call "the wave". It is on the Utah-Arizona border. Only 10 people per day allowed a permit for it. You can do Arches in 2-3 days. 1 day would not be enough time for me. There is a lot of bicycling trails in the area, with a lot of bikes for rent. This is mountain bike, cross country type Heaven. The entire thing was spiritual in a sense. Tike time to drive to Dead Horse Point State Park. It doesn't Shock and Awe as much as The Grand Canyon, but, I think it may be the single most beautiful place I have ever seen. I have done a ton of reading on other Utah NP. I think all of them look very good. Mesa Verde in Colorado is not to far from Moab. It looks good as well.

utahtea

You're smart to realize that you can't do them all this trip. Bryce might still have snow on the trails in early April, but I'm not postive about that. Moab get's very busy in April (especially Easter week) because they have 4 wheel drive events. It will start getting hot in late June in most of the Utah National Parks.

Utahtea

gail

Northeast US has a totally different vacation schedule as do many parts of the south. At least in the northeast, National Parks are not associated with big Spring Break destinations, even Parks closer to us than the Utah Parks.

utahtea

gail,

My mistake. I checked and the annual Jeep Safari is March 15th to the 23rd...so April in Moab shouldn't be so bad. Spring is "in season" in this area, so there still could be crowds.

Utahtea

karens

We went to Zion/Bryce/Lake Powell last April (first week) and the weather was great! I have been to this area in the summer and it was HOT.

I'd recommend April.

voyager61

It sounds like the Bryce/Zion area would be best done at the beginning of April. It's also a good idea to do Arches/Moab over the Memorial Day weekend, which is typically still a bit cool and rainy in Seattle, especially since some of the postings mentioned snow in Moab in April. Thanks for the tips. Others are welcome.

utahtea

Both places are going to be crowded on Memorial Day weekend.

Utahtea

spirobulldog

We were at Arches on Memorial Day Weekend this past year. It was our first time there. The motels were full, and everyone said it was busy. However, to us the Arches nor Canyonland seemed busy at all. There were a large number of people on Delicate Arch Trail, but we did Landscape Arch in the morning (the entire 7 miles of it on the primitive loop, and we saw only about a dozen people the entire 5 hours). Check out canyoneering. It was Awesome and your high schooler would love it. It was just us and one other family with a guide for that. We had Fiery Furnace to ourselves. Lots of good places to eat in Moab. Lots of chain motels and B&B. Moab Brewery was probably our favorite place to eat.

CarlaKen

We're from MI and I was, also, thinking of a family trip to the Lake Powell area first week of April. (We took a wonderful trip around Arizona 2 years ago - same week). I was thinking it might be fun to rent a house boat for a couple nights for 2 families. Has anyone ever done this before?

karens

Water's quite cold for houseboating in April.

ElendilPickle

We were at Arches over Memorial Day weekend, too, and I thought it was plenty hot (we live in New Mexico). June will be worse - I'd go in April if I were you.

Lee Ann

voyager61

It's starting to sound like the first week of April is better in general for the Utah parks...will we be able to hike into the canyons without freezing or getting snowed on?? What's the likelihood of snowy weather March 29 through April 5? I just want to pick the warmest of the Utah national parks for this trip and save the colder ones for when we can go in May or September, which won't be for four more years. Thanks for everyone's help. Moab sounds very appealing because we like the idea of good food at the end of a day of hiking, but maybe there is a spot comparable for Bryce or Zion.

virginiafish

We went to this area with our 3 kids-about 7-18 at the time-during winter break and it was great. We went to Zion, Bryce, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands, Arches and Monument Valley. Any possibility of that? With appropriate clothing and shoes, it was fairly empty and gorgeous with the snow.

voyager61

If by winter break, you mean the President's Day long weekend, that would work for us schedule-wise, but wouldn't the weather be more iffy then than in April? If you mean the December holiday break, we're already booked for a different trip.

karens

voyager - we had zero snowy weather when we went this year the first week of April. We had gloriously sunny weather with highs about 70 - perfect for hiking.

We did have cooler temps and there were (very small) patches of snow on the ground at Bryce. Bryce is at a higher elevation. People around there did tell us that they did get some snow the week before we arrived, so anything is possible.

virginiafish

yes, I did mean Dec. I really don't know conditions in Feb. Good luck!

Dayle

Hi Voyager,

April is best if you can go then. You can have snow or rain in any of these areas in April. May is nicer and warmer, but not too hot.

If you were to go in winter, either Dec or Feb - Bryce WILL have snow, others, Moab, Zion could have snow.

I prefer to visit the red rock country in spring or fall when the weather is the nicest, and the plants and trees are green. Makes a beautiful contrast with blue skies, red rock, and green.

Winter is also pretty, with white and red, but I'm busy skiing then.

Have fun!