Go Back  Fodor's Travel Talk Forums > Destinations > United States
Reload this Page >

our trip to northerm arizona and Utah in March 2018

our trip to northerm arizona and Utah in March 2018

Old Mar 20th, 2018, 12:03 PM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 657
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
our trip to northerm arizona and Utah in March 2018

Tuesday-We flew to Phoenix to start our adventure. We arrived at about 1PM, so we were able to get through Phoenix before rush hour. A friend told us we had to drive through Jerome. it is an unusual place-an old mining town situated on a large hill-so there is a great view. . We didn't have time to stop and look around, through-we wanted to get to Sedona before dark.

I had reserved a room at "Las Posadas de Sedona." based on good traveler reviews. It ended up being a good find. It is right on the main drag going to Sedona from I17-I believe the rte is 179.. The hotel is just off a roundabout south of Sedona proper, near Bell Rock. . We arrived before dark. Our room was large-a big bedroom separated by a fireplace-with a living area and wet bar. Quite nice. Just across the street was a very good restaurant (Dahl & Delucca's?-named "Cucina Rustica"-7000 highway 179) with a lovely outdoor patio We both enjoyed our meal as well as the very pleasant guitarist who performed.. We walked back to the room and enjoyed an early bedtime.

Wednesday-Another treat at the hotel was the very extroverted and gifted cook in the breakfast room. We enjoyed a wonderful breakfast. We visited the Chapel-which was unusual and quite striking. We walked around Bell rock.
-
The next stop was the Grand Canyon-on the way, we drove through Oak Creek Canyon on our way to I-40. A very pretty drive. We were glad we had purchased the senior lifetime park pass last fall. No $30 entry fee for us at the Grand Canyon. The somewhat bad news is that the peak season at the Grand Canyon begins at spring break. Also, there is a lot of construction-with a number of detours, smaller parking areas, etc. We were told that the el Tovar was going to be closed for renovation, so we made reservations at Yavapai Lodge. When we arrived, the lodge was in a state of administrative meltdown. Apparently a group of new housekeepers who were to arrive had not arrived, so when the rooms would be ready was not clear. Not to worry-there is a tavern. but we wanted to see the grand canyon. Anyway, after farting around there for longer than we wanted, we took the shuttle to el Tovar. We got to the rim before dark. and sat on the porch at el Tovar looking at the canyon. A Great place, and we got to talk to the waitress about living and working there. The dining room at the el Tovar is beautiful, but we didn't have reservations. .We finally got back to the Yavapai and got a room.

Thursday-We got up the next morning and were greeted by an overcast day-and by overcast I mean overcast. One challenge of the grand canyon is that there is no internet (I think there may have been slow internet at the el Tovar that you could buy.) So we were blind about weather forecasts. We went to the visitor center to see the movie, which was pretty good. A Peter Coyote description of the Canyon...When we went into the center, I noticed some stray snow flakes-how cute. When we left the center, I thought I was in Aspen. Definitely a snowstorm. Hmm. We decided to try to get to Monument Valley.

Anyway-I have been to the Grand Canyon a number of times. I have taken a raft and hiked out of the canyon. this was the most unpleasant trip I remember. It was so crowded, so difficult to park. Maybe it was affected by all the construction. but I was quite disappointed.

We limped along in the snowstorm for a while-finally after about 30 miles, out of the park, the snow subsided. We drove by many small native communities. We got to Gouldings I late afternoon. WE were given a nice room on the third floor with a great view from the patio. the light for photography is very good in late afternoon. So I got some very good pictures of the Monument valley stones, or whatever you call them, as the light changed and the clouds varied. And then another snow storm approached!. Much more fun looking at it , as opposed to driving in it. It passed through in about 45 minutes.

Friday. We Awoke and had a nice breakfast at Goudlings. WE then went to the Navajo building closer to the rock formations. (There is a $20 fee to visit.) . I enjoyed some of the items in the gift shop, including a variety of Navajo prayers. We then drove north toward Moab on fte. 191. there is a spot about 15 miles north of Gouldings where the road looks as if it is going straight at some of the rock formations. A wonderful photo op. many people were standing in the middle of the road to take the ultimate photo. .. .

WE stopped in town named Monticello and in a gas station had an interesting conversation with one of the clerks about life as a farmer in the area (his family ran a farm.)

We got to Moab in the middle of the afternoon and went to Arches for s while. The weather for the past few days has been so varied-it has gone from snow storms to a relatively warm sunny day in Moab. Arches is quite spectacular. I'm glad we got good weather to see it. .. Many rock formations of varied colors and shapes. it's funny-many shapes remind a person of a variety of things-my partner and I each commented on what we thought each stone outcropping looked like. .and some of the arches themselves are gigantic.

My partner noticed an ad for a restaurant a bit out of town-called the Red Cliffs Lodge. We went there for dinner. It's a bit of a drive-14 miles each way. But it's a beautiful spot and a good restaurant. I'm glad we went.

We stayed at the springhill suites. I's just out of town-on the way to the Arches entrance. Quite nice-great place for kids..2 oools 2 hot tubs, a basketball court, free breakfast.

Saturday

We spent another day around Moab. we went back to Arches. Another sunny but windy day.

Sunday-we have decided to fly out of Salt Lake. So we get up leisurely and drive to Salt Lake. We were fortunate-some snow overnight, but by midday things had warmed up enough that the roads were largely OK>

Salt Lake is clear and chilly. We stayed at a Fairfield Inn near the Temple Square. We arrived in time to go to the square and we heard a part of a performance at the Tabernacle-bagpipes, a Bosnian children's choir, Hindu dances, and a Bahai prayer, among other things. We then came back to the hotel and went to a pub by the name of Squatters, where we enjoyed some curry..

Monday-back to texas.
youngtom2910 is offline  
Old Mar 20th, 2018, 12:43 PM
  #2  
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 5,904
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thanks for the report. You went to Moab and didn't go to Canyonlands Island in the Sky district??? You need to go back and hike a bit in Arches too.
emalloy is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Kay2
United States
3
May 7th, 2019 05:49 AM
nfldbeothuk
United States
7
Apr 23rd, 2012 04:19 PM
FLmom
United States
10
Jul 11th, 2007 08:40 AM
Ozarksbill
United States
22
Jul 11th, 2006 02:54 PM
andalusian
United States
5
Jul 2nd, 2006 06:49 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -