Hi All,
My husband and I (late 50's) planning a trip to Utah in late April 2019. I'm trying to do a loop trip and I'm having a little difficulty with the distances.

First night 1 - fly into Salt Lake city late and overnight near hotel
3 nights Moab - pick up rental car and drive to Moab. I have tentatively booked at Red Cliffs lodge but wondering if staying in Moab is better?
1 night Bluff or in Monument Valley - Get up early and drive to Monument Valley and Valley of Gods. Not sure if we should stay in Monument Valley or drive back up a little way to Bluff as we are going to Escalante the next day.
3 nights Escalante - have tentatively booked Escalante Yurts
1 night Salt Lake - as our flight is late at night any info on Salt Lake area would be very helpful.

Does the route look okay? Am I doing too much? Too little? We like to hike and really enjoy an area, hence the 3 nights in both places. But we also can't be so close and not see monument valley. Any ideas or suggestions welcome.

Thanks!

I would stick with the "Big 5" in Utah and skip Monument Valley. Zion and Bryce Canyon have better hiking IMO. If you really want to see Monument Valley, combine it with the South Rim of the Grand Canyon and Mesa Verde.
Depending on where you are coming from, you can arrive in SLC in the early morning hours on the Amtrak California Zephyr and get a good breakfast at the 24 hour Denny's before renting your car.
When we visited the southern Utah area to see Arches and Canyonlands (Island in the Sky) and Capitol Reef, we stayed at the Robbers Roost Motel in Green River which was much cheaper than anything in Moab.
While geocaching on that trip, we visited a couple of Earthcaches including Chrystal Geyser and a place in Copper Valley which had dinosaur tracks cast in stone.
The Chrystal Geyser on the bank of the Green River is a rare cold water geyser

Your route looks fine, but perhaps you need to tweak the pace. The time it takes to get from place to place is usually longer than the mapping programs tell you it seems that you are looking at nights, not how much time to spend in the parks.

Red Cliffs is nice, but a bit out of town. I would want to be right in Moab where you can walk to dinner and back to your lodging. We've stayed in chain places like Best Western and Number motels as well as the B&B Cali Cochita. We liked Cali Cochita best, but are thinking of lodging as a place to sleep for the night, not a place to hang out half the day.

How much hiking do you plan to do in the parks?

In Arches, one day could be spent just stopping on the sites along the road through the park. Unless you are planning more trips to. the area, I would want to go out through Devil's garden at least to Landscape arch and do a hike to Delicate Arch and maybe do the ranger led hike in Fiery Furnace.

In Canyonlands Island in the Sky I would want to stop at all the pull offs and hike out to Mesa Arch and out at Grandview and maybe Upheaval Dome. In Canyonlands Needles District I would want to at least to the hike to Cowboy Cave (this could be done on the way to MV).

You can see Monument Valley in a few hours and if you get there by late afternoon you can get some nice sunset pictures, spend the night and get up early for sunrise pictures, take a tour and head for Escalante before noon. I would not spend 3 nights in Escalante, but perhaps you plan to visit Bryce and/or Zion from there?

It's a fantastic area to visit, have a great trip.

Personally, we LOVE Red Cliffs Lodge. It is a bit outside town (20 minutes-ish), and a beautiful drive along the Colorado River. I think you'll be pleased with your choice there. It got us away from the hustle-bustle of town and into the pure beauty of the area.

Although I admonished another poster for an off-location suggestion, l'll do the same. Fly into grand junction, CO, drive through Colorado National Monument, and then take route 123, a simply spectacular drive that takes you along the Colorado River right to your lodging (which I'd keep, it is a beautiful scenic spot). Arches the next day, then Monument Valley by sunset (wouldn't miss that); maybe if you have time stop at Gooseneck State Park (a good substitute for Dead Horse). You could do Grand Canyon, then up to Bryce, Escalante, Capitol Reef, then Goblin Valley State Park (wonderful), past Green River on I70 back to Grand Junction.
That's a loop that doesn't repeat, and worked well for us this fall.

Thank you so much for the tips. We went to Arizona and Utah a few years ago and did Grand Canyon, Antelope Canyon, Zion and Bryce. We wanted to focus more on the east side this time. We will probably return to Bryce again as I don’t think we spent enough time there last time. I picked 3 nights in Moab and Escalante as that will give us 2 full days to explore. Do you think that is too long?

I enjoy staying in Moab--different places to eat, browse at the bookstore, etc. We go every February. You can easily explore Arches, Canyonlands, and hiking places around Moab for 3 days. Same for Escalante. If you click on my user name, you will see trip reports for both places.

My only objection to Moab was being in the mother of all traffic jams this fall (Sunday going into and leaving Arches). Don't give up Red Cliff, it's a short drive to Arches/Moab, and that canyon is spectacular!

What does Moab have to do with traffic in and out of Arches? You would have that where ever you stayed. Be sure to avoid the big Utah school holiday weekend in the fall. This may be what Sylvia ran in to. Also avoid free entrance weekends to the Nat Parks.

Personally, on a very short trip to Moab, I would want to be in Moab and save the 30 minute drive back and forth each day. A day for Arches and one for Canyonlands is the absolute minimum. You could spend a full week in the area and not be bored. There is so much to do and see!

I agree with Dayle, we've never had a terrible traffic jam in many trips to Arches. As with any park entrance, you might get the line with the person who has to ask the ranger a hundred questions that are all in the information packet that was just handed to them, but that only holds you up for a minute or two.

Thanks again for the information. I think we will buy a year long park pass before we leave home so hopefully they have a speedy line for pass holders.

What do you think of staying in Monument Valley (at the View which seems rather pricey) or staying outside? We will be heading to Escalante the next day which appears to be a long drive.

[QUOTE=Sberg;16844052] ... so hopefully they have a speedy line for pass holders.

Ha! (But if there's one open due to crowds, it will usually be the far right one.) If you go to Arches from Red Cliffs, the traffic light from the canyon allows you a right turn onto the road, avoiding the traffic from Moab, if it is bad (we were not there on any holiday...maybe it was just the nice late fall weather causing the horrific traffic.)
We stayed at the View, and loved it. A second or third floor room facing The Mittens offers fabulous sunrise/sunset scenes, and the drive along the unpaved loop road below (you've paid to enter the lands when you enter the hotel road) is also incredible (if incredibly bumpy). We had our cooler (and microwave popcorn) so picnicked on our balcony and didn't use their restaurant (Kayenta McDonalds for breakfast). We are frugal travelers, but agreed that this was worth the splurge for the setting.

I would have to look it up, but think I might have spent 2 nights at Red Cliffs and 1or two in Moab. I preferred Red Cliffs, which has a restaurant on site (grilled trout I think) and didn't enjoy Moab town at all. Too busy and never had a good meal there. Typical tourist town. But I was there in the fall which may have been busier.

Yes I would stay overnight at Monument Valley. It takes longer than you think to get there. You may or may not make it for sunset! I enjoyed the early morning before all of the tour groups arrived (I actually drove myself). Be sure you're up on the strange time zones in that area if you want to get in when they first open.


Allow a day for Capitol Reef for hiking.

I also really enjoyed Hovenweep.

Thanks for the tips mlgb and everyone else. I will look up Hovensweep as I have not heard of it. We do plan on doing some hiking at Capitol Reef. Any and all information welcome.

Merry Christmas!

Hovenweep
Been there about 3 times now - someday will be at Holly to view the summer solstice.
Web site https://www.nps.gov/hove/index.htm
Find maps and note there are three groups of ruins
I prefer the Holly-Cutthroat group.
The campground is excellent
Along the way, you will be passing historic Hatch Trading post that first opened around 1930s
When we visited this past May, the family was closing and by now may be closed.

Vaga

Forgot
Tom Fuller referenced Crystal Geyser in Green River. Of the four in that area, it is the biggest
Problem - It is very, very random. Once regular, then some idiot dropped dynamite down the drill pipe.

emolly referenced Cowboy cave (where cowboys lived while herding cattle)
There are four such places. My favorite is near Lost canyon. Entry is the parking lot to Horse Canyon - at the gate.
about one mile hike. The other is on the road to Horse that is about a 50 yard walk.

vaga
PS. Was in Moab in Sept - traffic resembles a town that is evacuating a fire. No charm anymore.

So, I'm getting mixed reviews about staying in Moab but positive reviews about staying at the View in Monument Valley. Has anyone stayed at the yurts in Escalante?

Goblin Valley also has a Yurt in the campground
The one in Escalante is relatively new about 5 miles north of town
https://www.escalanteyurts.com/

Very quiet and secluded
While there drive on Hellsback bone road/bridge to Highway 12's Hogback and then back to Esclante
Do it
Vaga

This site has a series of books that encompasses what is know as the Grand Circle
www.southuthaparks.com

The yurts in Goblin Valley are booked but I did book the Yurts in Escalante. I have booked my flights and made some tentative reservations.

1. Arrive at 11PM and staying at hotel near airport
2,3,4 Rent car and drive to Moab. Stay at Red Cliff Lodge for 3 nights. Explore Arches and Canyonlands. Maybe Goblin Valley?
5. Drive to Monument Valley and see Valley of the Gods. Stay at The View
6. Drive to Torrey and overnight at Skyridge Inn. Explore Capitol Reef
7,8. Stay at Escalante Yurts. Explore Grand Staircase
Drive back to Salt Lake for a late night flight.

Comments? All my hotels can be cancelled except for The View. I'm still doing some research. So if you have any places you recommend staying feel free.

Thanks!