Driving route: Monument Valley to Moab on hot day
 

We will be driving from Monument Valley to Moab in a few days. It is supposed to be really hot, so we won't want to do much walking/hiking along the way. Is it worth doing any of these side parks/monuments when you don't want to get out of the car? Or should we just do the shortest route and start the hiking early the next day?
Thanks!

<i>Is it worth doing any of these side parks/monuments</i>

which ones?

Driving into the Needle section of Canyonlands is a scenic drive but a little out of your way. On the way is Newspaper Rock State Park. You will want to get out of the car for a couple of minutes but it's right at the parking lot.

On the way to Moab watch for Wilson Arch.

Once you get to Moab there are several scenic drives. Scenic Hwy 128, the Potash Road Hwy 279 with petroglyphs, dinosaur track and Jug handle arch and the red cliffs as you drive along the Colorado River. There is also Kane creek road on the other side of the river.

Utahtea

Thank you Utahtea. Michael, I was thinking of Canyonland or the Natural bridges monument. But I have never been on that side of Utah, so I am sure there are others. I hadn't heard of newspaper rock state park for instance.

The Needles area of Canyonlands represents a considerable detour (Monticello to the Needles, Canyonlands NP is 46 miles) that, in my mind, is not worth it unless one wants to take walks in that area, which you clearly are trying to avoid in your scenario. Island in the Sky is the area that allows the best views closest to the where one can park the car, but its entrance is past Moab.

Newspaper Rock State Park is only 25 miles round trip out of your way.

Natural Bridges if you take the Moki (Mokee) Dugway, Route 261, Utah is 45 miles round trip out of your way. http://www.natedamm.com/moki-dugway/ Lots of great views from this drive. On the Natural Bridges scenic drive you really need to get out of the vehicle at the overlooks to see the three natural bridges. It will be to hot to hike to them.

Needles Section of Canyonlands is 68 miles round trip out of your way with the bonus that you will pass Newspaper Rock. I personally just enjoy the drive in to the park and no there won't be much else to do on a hot day.

Utahtea

Ok, now that I've looked at a map to get milages I remember two more places.

Goosenecks State Park http://www.utah.com/stateparks/goosenecks.htm

Valley of the Gods http://www.utah.com/monumentvalley/ValleyOfTheGods.htm

Utahtea

I would do Goosenecks State Park and then continue up the Moki Dugway and hit Natural Bridges.

Muley Point and Valley of the Gods are just OK, in my opinion. They can both be done with little effort though.

Sipapu Bridge in Natural Bridges is just amazing. Just as good as anything at Arches National Park. The other bridges there are just ok. However, if you aren't going to take the time to head all the way down the trail to see Sipapu, then I would skip it. The trail will take you less than an hour roundtrip. You do go down a couple of ladders and the ascent back up is somewhat steep. I wouldn't really call it difficult tho. On a positive note, this is higher elevation area, so probably would be slightly cooler. TAKE WATER AND TAKE YOUR TIME....even for just an hour hike. By the way, this is absolutely the middle of nowhere.

I always tell people to not miss Goblin Valley and Little Wildhorse Canyon while near Moab. Little Wildhorse is all in the shade, so you can hike it during the day.

A great stop if you are into ancient Anasazi artifacts and pottery would b the Edge of the cedars State Park Museum in Blanding. It is off the main drag and easy to miss. In addition to one of the largest artifact collection in the region, the Museum also boasts an Anasazi Greathouse ruin on the property with a reconstructed kiva that you can enter. Also on the grounds are sculpture by Joe Pachak. Great way to spend an air-conditioned hour or so.
http://www.pbase.com/peterb/image/146407351

Peterboy - recommendation - RE Edge of Cedars State Park - they have the finest display of ancient Indian pottery in Utah - well worth the visit.

Valley of Gods - last time I was there, the road was rather rough - high clearance may be required.

Wilson Arch - located at Milepost 100.5 on the east side of the road. Near there is is Looking Glass rock (huge arch). Westward from MP 102.9, Utah route number 131 - about one mile. This was a famous landmark of the historic Spanish Trail to Los Angeles. Recommend visiting it.

Newspaper Rock - excellent display of pictographs especially bear paws. Needles National Park has the absolute best display of 'faces' of any park in US that I've visited. Also 200 hands pictograph panel which I also refer to as Marching Men that are pecked at the bottom of the hands. Best is All American man - google that guy - long hike. Therefore, as a drive-by, I would not recommend Needles for this journey, but definitely spend a week+ next time (4-Wheel Drive mandatory). Permits required for back country hiking.

Sprio - Agree with him on Moki Dugway - very steep climb - caution if heights are a problem. Once at the TOP, a dirt road west goes to the actual overlook. About 1/4 from top as I recall.

Vaga

Eastava, Hope you will come back and let us know what you ended up doing on the way to Moab.

utahtea

Ugh, I wrote a long reply and it just disappeared. We left MV late due to rain the night before pushing our drive of their loop to the next morning. We ended up just driving out to the Needles overlook off of 191, just north of where you would turn in for Needles section of Canyonlands. The overlook was amazing and not crowded.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I toyed with the Moki route, but due to the heavy rain the night before I was nervous.

I will try to get back and post our experiences in Zion, MV and Moab. We had a great time.