Trip Report Capital Reef, Arches and Canyonlands
Jun 3rd, 2009 | 08:48 AM
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Trip Report Capital Reef, Arches and Canyonlands
Although I have utilized these boards for information for years, it is time to give back so here is my first crack at a trip report on our 9 day trip to Capital Reef, Arches and Canyonlands May 23 - June 1, 2009. It was myself and my S.O. We have on previous trips visited Zion and Bryce and have been anxious to add these 3 N.P. to our experiences. Coming from Chicago to Salt Lake City. We started with Capital Reef. Purpose - nothing but hiking baby!
Capital Reef - 3 nights.
Accommodations: Austin's Chuckwagon Motel. Motel was convenient, clean and served our purposes well. It was nice that there were plenty of chairs for sitting outside to enjoy a cold brew after a day of hiking. There was a nice pool and hot tub.
Hikes: Chimmney Rock, Goosenecks, Sunset Point, Rim Overlook, Hickman Bridge, Cohab Canyon and Grand Wash (from Highway 24) up through the narrows. Unfortunately, the area had experienced several days of rain and during our stay the access roads off the scenic drive for Grand Wash and Capital Gorge were closed so we were unable to hike from those ends. Also, we had intended to go all the way to Navajo Knobs on the Rim Overlook trail. We got about half way and it started getting pretty dark (storms) so we turned around. Shucks, I guess we will need to come back!
Side story here: We have hiked enough and seen enough afternoon thunderstorms to know not to screw around and to err on the side of caution. We really pondered whether to turn around or continue out to the Knobs, but decided not to. We also knew we were the only ones on this trail (at least heading to the Knobs) and I always like knowing that at least SOMEONE else is out there (either ahead or behind). On our way back we encountered a solo hiker who was trying to make the same decision but decided to continue on. She mentioned that there was a Ranger coming up behind her. We encountered the Ranger a short distance later and stopped to chat. He had inquired if we had made it out to the Knobs. We said we had been concerned about the weather (which now was moving in closer). He said that he knows this weather (forecast was 40% chance of t-storms) and it would blow over and it was nothing to be concerned about. While we realize that the Rangers do know the area and the weather better than us visitors we were a little surprised that he made it seem like no big deal. It turned out not much further than stopping to chat with the Ranger we saw some lightning and we were just about down the trail when it started sprinkling and were opening the car when it downpoured. While we don't mind the rain, it was the prospect of thunderstorms that really turned us back. We felt good about our decision.
Dining: Cafe Diablo, Rim Rock Patio, Capital Reef Cafe and Slackers Burger Joint. Cafe Diablo was as good as the reviews. Although it is one of two of our most expensive meals, it was also one of our two most favorite. We came specifically for the pumpkin seed crusted trout and it did not disappoint. Rim Rock Patio was not planned but a last minute decision. We had planned to eat at Slackers but did not realize they closed early on Sundays. We had pizza here. It was cheap and fine. We had breakfast our three days at Capital Reef Cafe. They were filling enough that we found it held us over until dinner and we didn't need to supplement during the day with anything other than jerky, trail mix and fruit. Slacker's was good. We had burgers and fries (very good) and shakes (also very good).
Summary: Really liked this N.P. Although there were a lot of cars during the holiday weekend, we never felt crowded on any of the trails. I think this is mainly because we were generally on the trails by 8:30 and everyone else seemed to start out later. 3 days here worked well. Already planning a return trip and pairing it with Bryce (my favorite).
On the way from Capital Reef to Moab, we stopped at Goblin Valley State Park. This was a nice side trip. We had planned to hike Little Wild Horse and Bell Canyon after visiting the park, but alas because of the aforementioned rains the Ranger said the road was closed. Yet, ANOTHER reason for a return trip!! We also felt that this broke the trip up and before we knew it we were in Moab!
Moab - 5 nights
Accommodations - Dream Keeper Inn (Mesa Room). When planning we were torn between Dream Keeper and the also recommended Cali Cochitta. Prices were comparible. We were very happy with our selection. Both of these B&B's are on the same block. Our room was the biggest of the B&B's we have previously stayed in. The Inn is very well maintained and all the rooms (except one, the Tree Room) and two cottages open up onto a huge patio and with a swimming pool and hot tub. The backyard area is very spacious and had plenty of chairs, tables and two hammocks. It was wonderful to come back after a day of hiking crack open a beer or wine and relax outdoors. We felt that the Dream Keeper Inn appeared to be much more roomy than the Calil Cochitta which is situated on a corner lot with an insurance building right next to it. Just our perspective. The Inn was within easy walking distance to many of the shops and restaurants.
Dining - Moab Brewery, Miguels Baja Bistro (lamb tacos and fish tacos, yum!), Buck's Grill House, Cassano's Italian Restaurant (twice). We would recommend any of these. We chose Buck's because we were on a quest for trout again. It was good, but Cafe Diablo was better. An aside for trout lovers - the trout at the Bryce Canyon lodge is also terrific. Buck's was our second most expensive meal. We like grabbing dinner after coming in after hiking and then heading back to relax and crack a few. This strategy worked well here and in Torrey. All the places we chose were casual and we didn't feel like we had to "clean up" first. It also seemed to pay off in Moab were many people seem to dine later so we did not have any trouble getting in anywhere. Also, recommended was Singha Thai, which we did not make it to. Next time! (Okay, now we are up to 3 things that we need to come back for - plenty enough to start planning a trip!)
Arches - We did all the hikes here. There is not one we would not recommend. Favorites were Devil's Garden, Tower Arch (we were one of 3 couples out there) and Fiery Furnace. On Devil's Garden we came back via the primative loop. The road to Tower Arch had just been re-graded so there were only two small spots where it was washboard, so don't let the drive out there stop you. Fiery Furnace do as previous posters have recommended and sign up as soon you get to Moab. When we arrived on Tuesday they were already filled up until Thursday afternoon. The Ranger advised that the morning has the best light but it could actually be cooler in the afternoon. Cooler versus light was more important to me. We opted for Friday afternoon. This was our favorite hike. Challenging in areas but very doable. We had a couple in their 80's. With a little assistance from others they did just fine. Everyone in our group helped each other out. Our group was so much fun. It was definately the highlight. Although not part of Arches, we also did the Corona Arch hike which was wonderful and very few people. You can get a brochure of other hikes at the Visitor's station. There were a couple of others on this brochure we would have done if we had time.
Canyonlands - We only did the Island In The Sky area. Based on information we had going into this, we did not think that there would be much to do here other than drive around and see Mesa Arch. Wrong! There were plenty of hikes. We did the Lathrop Trail out to the Canyon Rim, Grand View Point, Mesa Arch and Whale Rock. We had planned to spend the rest of the day at Dead Horse State Park, but since we had plenty to do at Canyonlands we never made it. (Reason #4).
5 days here made us feel like we accomplished a lot and did not leave feeling like we didn't get to everything, although we agreed that we could spend much more time here. We would have liked to take one of the Colorado River boat trips but did not want to sacrifice hiking to do it.
We decided to spend the night in Salt Lake City and fly out the next day. Good decision. Stayed at the Days Inn at the Airport. This was very convenient, minutes from the airport. The total rate for one night was $61 and change. After getting in mid-afternoon we asked about dining choices (non-fast food, which is all we saw in the area). We were directed to The Gateway shopping area. What a terrific mall. This not only gave us a place to walk off sitting in the car but gave us our second favorite dining experience of our trip. McGraths Fish House. We both had Chef's Specials (halibut and swordfish). The fish was so good! One of the featured Chef's appetizers was Ahi Nachos. Excellent! Not only was this good but the total bill (appetizer, 2 entrees, sodas) was $43. The entrees included salad and a side. Great deal in our book. Days Inn also offered a complimentary deluxe continental breakfast.
Miscellaneous notes - Over the years we try to travel as light as possible, especially with all the increased baggage hassles. So, usually one of our first stops is to a Walmart or Target where we buy all our toiletry items and as many provisions (water, snacks, fruit, etc...) as possible. We stopped at the Super Walmart in South Jordon. It was easily accessible off of I-15 about 30ish minutes from the airport. I also spotted 2 more Walmarts from I-15 in I believe it was Orem and Provo. At the Super Walmart we were able to get everything and only had to stop at the market to replenish bananas during the rest of our trip. Speaking of Markets, the General Store at Austin's in Torrey had pretty much anything you might need and there were two Markets we encountered in Moab. I cannot remember the first one (by Moab Brewery) but we preferred City Market to this one.
The drives from Salt Lake City to Capital Reef, then on to Moab and back were easy to manage and we did not have any trouble. Bonus for us is we were booked into a mid-size car (Thrifty) and we were upgraded to a Ford Escape. Normally I do not want to spend the extra for an SUV, it sure made a big difference. We liked having the hatch to sit in and cool off and have a nibble after hiking.
Hike early if you do not like the heat. For me I would not go to Moab any later into the summer than we did. It was in the upper 80's every day and most of the trails do not have shade. It is also important to realize that when doing Arches and Canyonlands, it takes at least 30 minutes before you get to any trailhead and obviously longer the deeper you go into the parks and depending how much traffic.
We had a great trip and hope that this information may be helpful for others planning on these National Parks.
Capital Reef - 3 nights.
Accommodations: Austin's Chuckwagon Motel. Motel was convenient, clean and served our purposes well. It was nice that there were plenty of chairs for sitting outside to enjoy a cold brew after a day of hiking. There was a nice pool and hot tub.
Hikes: Chimmney Rock, Goosenecks, Sunset Point, Rim Overlook, Hickman Bridge, Cohab Canyon and Grand Wash (from Highway 24) up through the narrows. Unfortunately, the area had experienced several days of rain and during our stay the access roads off the scenic drive for Grand Wash and Capital Gorge were closed so we were unable to hike from those ends. Also, we had intended to go all the way to Navajo Knobs on the Rim Overlook trail. We got about half way and it started getting pretty dark (storms) so we turned around. Shucks, I guess we will need to come back!
Side story here: We have hiked enough and seen enough afternoon thunderstorms to know not to screw around and to err on the side of caution. We really pondered whether to turn around or continue out to the Knobs, but decided not to. We also knew we were the only ones on this trail (at least heading to the Knobs) and I always like knowing that at least SOMEONE else is out there (either ahead or behind). On our way back we encountered a solo hiker who was trying to make the same decision but decided to continue on. She mentioned that there was a Ranger coming up behind her. We encountered the Ranger a short distance later and stopped to chat. He had inquired if we had made it out to the Knobs. We said we had been concerned about the weather (which now was moving in closer). He said that he knows this weather (forecast was 40% chance of t-storms) and it would blow over and it was nothing to be concerned about. While we realize that the Rangers do know the area and the weather better than us visitors we were a little surprised that he made it seem like no big deal. It turned out not much further than stopping to chat with the Ranger we saw some lightning and we were just about down the trail when it started sprinkling and were opening the car when it downpoured. While we don't mind the rain, it was the prospect of thunderstorms that really turned us back. We felt good about our decision.
Dining: Cafe Diablo, Rim Rock Patio, Capital Reef Cafe and Slackers Burger Joint. Cafe Diablo was as good as the reviews. Although it is one of two of our most expensive meals, it was also one of our two most favorite. We came specifically for the pumpkin seed crusted trout and it did not disappoint. Rim Rock Patio was not planned but a last minute decision. We had planned to eat at Slackers but did not realize they closed early on Sundays. We had pizza here. It was cheap and fine. We had breakfast our three days at Capital Reef Cafe. They were filling enough that we found it held us over until dinner and we didn't need to supplement during the day with anything other than jerky, trail mix and fruit. Slacker's was good. We had burgers and fries (very good) and shakes (also very good).
Summary: Really liked this N.P. Although there were a lot of cars during the holiday weekend, we never felt crowded on any of the trails. I think this is mainly because we were generally on the trails by 8:30 and everyone else seemed to start out later. 3 days here worked well. Already planning a return trip and pairing it with Bryce (my favorite).
On the way from Capital Reef to Moab, we stopped at Goblin Valley State Park. This was a nice side trip. We had planned to hike Little Wild Horse and Bell Canyon after visiting the park, but alas because of the aforementioned rains the Ranger said the road was closed. Yet, ANOTHER reason for a return trip!! We also felt that this broke the trip up and before we knew it we were in Moab!
Moab - 5 nights
Accommodations - Dream Keeper Inn (Mesa Room). When planning we were torn between Dream Keeper and the also recommended Cali Cochitta. Prices were comparible. We were very happy with our selection. Both of these B&B's are on the same block. Our room was the biggest of the B&B's we have previously stayed in. The Inn is very well maintained and all the rooms (except one, the Tree Room) and two cottages open up onto a huge patio and with a swimming pool and hot tub. The backyard area is very spacious and had plenty of chairs, tables and two hammocks. It was wonderful to come back after a day of hiking crack open a beer or wine and relax outdoors. We felt that the Dream Keeper Inn appeared to be much more roomy than the Calil Cochitta which is situated on a corner lot with an insurance building right next to it. Just our perspective. The Inn was within easy walking distance to many of the shops and restaurants.
Dining - Moab Brewery, Miguels Baja Bistro (lamb tacos and fish tacos, yum!), Buck's Grill House, Cassano's Italian Restaurant (twice). We would recommend any of these. We chose Buck's because we were on a quest for trout again. It was good, but Cafe Diablo was better. An aside for trout lovers - the trout at the Bryce Canyon lodge is also terrific. Buck's was our second most expensive meal. We like grabbing dinner after coming in after hiking and then heading back to relax and crack a few. This strategy worked well here and in Torrey. All the places we chose were casual and we didn't feel like we had to "clean up" first. It also seemed to pay off in Moab were many people seem to dine later so we did not have any trouble getting in anywhere. Also, recommended was Singha Thai, which we did not make it to. Next time! (Okay, now we are up to 3 things that we need to come back for - plenty enough to start planning a trip!)
Arches - We did all the hikes here. There is not one we would not recommend. Favorites were Devil's Garden, Tower Arch (we were one of 3 couples out there) and Fiery Furnace. On Devil's Garden we came back via the primative loop. The road to Tower Arch had just been re-graded so there were only two small spots where it was washboard, so don't let the drive out there stop you. Fiery Furnace do as previous posters have recommended and sign up as soon you get to Moab. When we arrived on Tuesday they were already filled up until Thursday afternoon. The Ranger advised that the morning has the best light but it could actually be cooler in the afternoon. Cooler versus light was more important to me. We opted for Friday afternoon. This was our favorite hike. Challenging in areas but very doable. We had a couple in their 80's. With a little assistance from others they did just fine. Everyone in our group helped each other out. Our group was so much fun. It was definately the highlight. Although not part of Arches, we also did the Corona Arch hike which was wonderful and very few people. You can get a brochure of other hikes at the Visitor's station. There were a couple of others on this brochure we would have done if we had time.
Canyonlands - We only did the Island In The Sky area. Based on information we had going into this, we did not think that there would be much to do here other than drive around and see Mesa Arch. Wrong! There were plenty of hikes. We did the Lathrop Trail out to the Canyon Rim, Grand View Point, Mesa Arch and Whale Rock. We had planned to spend the rest of the day at Dead Horse State Park, but since we had plenty to do at Canyonlands we never made it. (Reason #4).
5 days here made us feel like we accomplished a lot and did not leave feeling like we didn't get to everything, although we agreed that we could spend much more time here. We would have liked to take one of the Colorado River boat trips but did not want to sacrifice hiking to do it.
We decided to spend the night in Salt Lake City and fly out the next day. Good decision. Stayed at the Days Inn at the Airport. This was very convenient, minutes from the airport. The total rate for one night was $61 and change. After getting in mid-afternoon we asked about dining choices (non-fast food, which is all we saw in the area). We were directed to The Gateway shopping area. What a terrific mall. This not only gave us a place to walk off sitting in the car but gave us our second favorite dining experience of our trip. McGraths Fish House. We both had Chef's Specials (halibut and swordfish). The fish was so good! One of the featured Chef's appetizers was Ahi Nachos. Excellent! Not only was this good but the total bill (appetizer, 2 entrees, sodas) was $43. The entrees included salad and a side. Great deal in our book. Days Inn also offered a complimentary deluxe continental breakfast.
Miscellaneous notes - Over the years we try to travel as light as possible, especially with all the increased baggage hassles. So, usually one of our first stops is to a Walmart or Target where we buy all our toiletry items and as many provisions (water, snacks, fruit, etc...) as possible. We stopped at the Super Walmart in South Jordon. It was easily accessible off of I-15 about 30ish minutes from the airport. I also spotted 2 more Walmarts from I-15 in I believe it was Orem and Provo. At the Super Walmart we were able to get everything and only had to stop at the market to replenish bananas during the rest of our trip. Speaking of Markets, the General Store at Austin's in Torrey had pretty much anything you might need and there were two Markets we encountered in Moab. I cannot remember the first one (by Moab Brewery) but we preferred City Market to this one.
The drives from Salt Lake City to Capital Reef, then on to Moab and back were easy to manage and we did not have any trouble. Bonus for us is we were booked into a mid-size car (Thrifty) and we were upgraded to a Ford Escape. Normally I do not want to spend the extra for an SUV, it sure made a big difference. We liked having the hatch to sit in and cool off and have a nibble after hiking.
Hike early if you do not like the heat. For me I would not go to Moab any later into the summer than we did. It was in the upper 80's every day and most of the trails do not have shade. It is also important to realize that when doing Arches and Canyonlands, it takes at least 30 minutes before you get to any trailhead and obviously longer the deeper you go into the parks and depending how much traffic.
We had a great trip and hope that this information may be helpful for others planning on these National Parks.
Jun 3rd, 2009 | 09:13 AM
#2
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 5,904
Likes: 0
Sounds like a great trip, I am ready to head back soon too, even though we just got back from a trip to the area last week. If you want some ideas of other places to visit nearby, check my trip report here. I think you can click on my name and you will find it under reports. Thanks for the memories.
Jun 3rd, 2009 | 10:25 AM
#4
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 159
Likes: 0
Very good report....it was fun to re-live our time out there last Sept. We thought the Colorado River cruise was great and for a fun novelty, we thoroughly enjoyed a 4WD tour....unique photo op when you drive over huge boulders. You would also enjoy Dead Horse Point...so now definitely more reasons to go back!
Jun 3rd, 2009 | 01:54 PM
#5
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 9,754
Likes: 0
Chigirl09 - so glad to hear you had a great trip! Glad yo like some of my favorites - the Mesa Rm at the Dreamkeeper and their to-die-for backyard...Cafe Diablo, Fiery Furnace.
And surprise - McGrath's too! You did get around. Next time plan a short visit to Park City too.
Peterboy - you will LOVE bella Italia!
And surprise - McGrath's too! You did get around. Next time plan a short visit to Park City too.
Peterboy - you will LOVE bella Italia!
Jun 4th, 2009 | 03:10 AM
#6
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 861
Likes: 0
Thanks so much for the incredible report! You guys did some terrific research and took your time to really adventure into the parks. What a great trip! I miss Utah so much and your report was a wonderful way for me to relive some of our adventures. So glad you enjoyed Capitol Reef - it is a park that really requires some time and effort and you guys gave it that. So when are you planning your next trip?? Thanks again.
