LCP

Hello, my husband and I are planning a trip to Utah, June 2-13, flying into Las Vegas and renting a car. We would greatly appreciate suggestions on our itinerary, especially the number of nights we are staying in certain places and the route. We have spent time in Zion and Bryce before -- just enough to know we need to go back and see more of Utah! I really would like to limit the number of places we stay for "one night" so we can enjoy an area more. Our priority is getting to Moab, (Arches, Canyonland).

Current thinking:

Las Vegas (getting in late, 1 night)
Bryce Lodge (! night -- have a reservation)
driving to Capital Reef via Byway 12 (is there a good place to stay for 2 nights?)
Moab - 3 or 4 nights?
Best route back to Las Vegas? (Where to stay another 2 nights between Moab and Las Vegas, perhaps via Monument Valley??)

Trying to have a restful vacation and not spend all our time driving. Thank you for your feedback!

Lisa

sludick

For Capitol Reef - we liked Austin's Chuckwagon Motel in Torrey. The Chuckwagon Motel ? Located in the heart of the trees in Torrey, Utah

tomfuller

Go south on US 191 from Moab into Arizona. Get on US 160 west from Mexican Hat. Drive through Monument Valley. Spend a night in either Tuba City or Cameron (US 89). The next day be sure to go into Grand Canyon by the east entrance to see the Desert View tower. Whether you go all the way through on the south rim or go back to Cameron and south to Flagstaff is up to you.
Either way you will go through Williams on I-40 west to Kingman. In Kingman you get on US 93 to Las Vegas. When you go over the big bridge into Nevada, you have the chance to go down and see Hoover Dam.

LCP

Thank you! Is there enough around Torrey to stay for 2 nights?

tomfuller

On the way from Torrey to Moab, take the detour over to see Goblin Valley SP. There is a museum that you might want to see in the town of Green River along the east bank of the river.

LCP

Thank you so much! I will check out these suggestions.

need to figure out the best place to stay for two nights between Moab and last Vegas via monument valley. 2 nights in one place or 1 in Tuba City/Cameron, and 1 someplace close to Las Vegas...

tomfuller

Close to Las Vegas would be the Hoover Dam Lodge. Depending on what time you come over the bridge into Nevada see Hoover Dam late afternoon or first thing in the morning.
Sometimes there is a helicopter tour that takes off from a hill next to the Hoover Dam Lodge parking lot.
Check my recent trip report about our trip to the Grand Canyon etc.

oldemalloy

Moab to Monument Valley takes about 2 hours and another 2 hours to Cameron. So, as long as you leave Moab early enough to see M V and get to Cameron before dark that could work. Or you could stop along the way to MV at places like Edge of Cedars State Park and then spend the night in/ near MV, see sunset and sunrise there and start towards Vegas with an overnight along the way and a visit to Hoover Dam.

I really love Grand Canyon, so I would opt to try for the overnight at Cameron Trading Post, the next day, head west on 64 in Cameron and go through GC np before heading to Vegas.

Melnq8

Regarding how long to stay in Moab - we've been twice now (we were just there a little over a week ago). We found four nights perfect for us both times. That leaves three whole days - one each to visit Arches, Canyonlands/Island in the Sky and Canyonlands/Needles.

LCP

Thank you for these suggestions!

LCP

Well, we never did get back to Utah and are now trying again to get to Utah! September 14-30th, flying in and out of Salt Lake City. My husband and I will be renting car, and we want to spend a leisurely time seeing the national parks (Arches, Canyonlands, Capital Reef, Bryce). Ideally we would like to stay several days in one place with day trips (rather than spending one night in different places). Looking for a suggested route and potential locations to stay. Appreciate all suggestions!

Thanks

Lisa

Melnq8

We'd booked 17 nights in Utah for a winter trip next month, but are going to cancel - it's just too scary out there right now with the rampant virus.

We live in CO and were planning to drive, so our itinerary included two days in Palisade at the start of the trip and two in Moab before we drove home, but I did a fair amount of research and we'd decided on this itinerary, which may or may not help.

Our plan was to allow two full days for winter hiking in the parks that interested us the most - except for Moab area - as I mentioned up thread we've been there twice before and found four nights perfect for visiting Arches, Canyonlands and Island in the Sky - and to travel at a leisurely pace with plenty of wiggle room for possible weather delays.

You can probably combine a few of these stops since you're traveling in September and based upon your particular interests.

Three nights Torry - base for Capitol Reef - Red Sands Hotel
Drive Torrey to Escalante (90 minutes) - two nights at Canyon Country Lodge
Drive Escalante to Bryce (one hour) - three nights at Best Western Plus
Drive Bryce to Springdale (two hours) - base for Zion - three nights at Majestic View
Drive Zion to St George (one hour, base for a day in Snow Canyon) - two nights Chalet Motel
Drive St George to Moab (6 hours) - two nights at Hyatt Place
Drive home

LCP

This is really helpful. Thank you!
We are starting out in Salt Lake City and are thinking of staying 2 nights --and go to Bonneville Salt Flats -- then Torrey and Escalante seems like great next stops. (We have been looking at both), then Bryce, then Moab before going back up to SLC.

Thanks for the suggestions on hotels as well. Also interested in places with kitchenettes ----- so we do not have to do all our eating in restaurants!

Lisa

oldemalloy

Good advice so far. I am going to suggest that you spend a little time between Bryce and Moab if you have not been to that area yet.

Bryce to Page, for Antelope canyon, then up to Monument valley then on to Moab. Touring each of these would take an hour to two, so you might want to plan a night near MV, look at Goulding’s, The View or one of the motels in Kayenta.

On the way to Moab you could stop in the Needles District of Canyonlands which os about a long hour from Moab and gives you a view from the bottom of the canyons unlike Island in the Sky where you are looking from the top. There is a nice state park (the name escapes me) along this route, after you start up 191 I think. I will work on that.

Have a great trip

Melnq8

Dead Horse Point oldemalloy?

tomfuller

It has been my experience that car rental in Las Vegas is cheaper than in SLC. Going from Las Vegas you can make a stop at the Grand Canyon and Monument Valley on the way to Moab. Also going out of Las Vegas you can stop to see Hoover Dam. Bonneville Salt Flat is a rather bleak place with not much to do. I did swim once in the Great Salt Lake. Once you get out, you must immediately shower with fresh water or you will be very itchy.
The motel we stayed at in Utah when visiting Arches, Capitol Reef and Canyonlands is the Robbers Roost in Green River. Las Vegas area hotels I've stayed at are the Luxor, Fiesta (Henderson) and the Hoover Dam Inn near Hoover Dam.
My favorite all you can eat buffet in Las Vegas is upstairs at the Golden Nugget on the "Fremont Street Experience".

oldemalloy

It came through the fog the state park is Edge of Cedars, between Moab and Bluff. Dead horse is ok too but that is in the way it Island in the Sky area of Canyonlands.

isabel

I am planning a trip that will include a lot of the areas you are looking at. We are hopefully doing this in late March but that will depend on how the covid numbers are looking when we get close to that time. Haven't been to either of these but Dead Horse Point (near Canyonlands) and Goosenecks (near Monument Valley) both look great. They are state parks. On past trips I tended to skip state parks in favor of National Parks but then one trip we did Valley of the Fire (on the way back to Las Vegas) and it was amazing. As good as any National Park, so now I include places like this. They both look like they don't take long to see some amazing views.

Also consider Page. I have been to both Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend and they are two of my favorite places - which given that they are in Grand Canyon country is saying something. I plan on this next trip to go back to Page to do a boat trip on Lake Powell. Both Monument Valley and Antelope Canyon are on Navajo land which has been closed since the beginning of the pandemic. I've read that you can sort of "see" Monument Valley from the highways even if the park is closed, but Antelope Canyon you need a (reserved) group tour for. But if you can do it you should.

If you end up driving from Capitol Reef to Bryce (Rt 12) there is a slot canyon, Willis Creek, that I really wanted to do when I was at Bryce but the thunderstorm threat was too high that day. Instead we did the hike (off Rt 12) to Calf Creek Falls and that was great. I'd still love to do Willis Creek. I have photos of it (as well as Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, etc.) here https://andiamo.zenfolio.com/f764149109

Patty

You're backtracking a bit if you do Torrey, Escalante, Bryce and then Moab.

If you hike, there's plenty to fill 2 or more nights in Torrey. I haven't stayed there but Torrey Trading Post has two cabins with kitchens.

For Bryce I've used the nearby town of Tropic as a base. Bryce Country Cabins is nice and has kitchens. Willis Creek is an easy slot canyon. The road to the trailhead has a sandy, uphill stretch so check with the visitor center in Cannonville for conditions.

Devils Garden near Escalante has some interesting formations.

Did you decide to skip Monument Valley in the new plan? If you do plan to head farther south, Bluff is a cute, tiny town that makes a good base for day trips. There's quite a bit to see within a half hour to hour drive in different directions. We stayed 4 nights and covered Hovenweep, Natural Bridges, Bears Ears, Valley of the Gods (like a mini MV), Muley Point, Moki Dugway and Goosenecks (as stunning as Horseshoe Bend without the crowds). We also stopped at the Needles section of Canyonlands on our way south to Bluff. We stayed at Bluff Dwellings which I can highly recommend and has kitchen units. MV is also within an hour's drive. However it's nice to stay right there for sunrise and sunset.

There are some cool places around Page/Kanab too but you've run out of time

LCP

Thank you for all these suggestions. I have been to antelope canyon with a guide (who played a guitar --- beautiful!). I also would love to go through MV and worried if it was too far away. I am retiring in a few weeks. Then I will have the time to finish planning this trip!

Best,

Lisa