Utah in August
 

We would like to tour Utah in August of this year. We have already done the Moab, Canyonlands and Arches area....and a really cool rappeling there with Dessert Highlights.
We were also stationed in AZ years ago and have done the Grand Canyon....so, would like to some different areas

Never done a slot...so some suggestions on these and best ones to get to either by ourselves or with a guide. Zion, Bryce, Escalante. Any suggestions on route or itinerary? This will probably be mid-August for at least 7 days. We are coming from Georgia, so the heat is not going to kill us.

Would it be better to go into Flagstaff or Las Vegas for these areas?

For a little less heat, head for the higher elevations like Bryce, Cedar Breaks, and Dinosaur NPs. I would compare costs for flights and car rentals for Las Vegas and Salt Lake City, then make the decision on which to fly into. Flagstaff not an advantage distance wise for most of the places you want to go and is smaller with fewer flights and probably more expensive.

In any case, do drink about ten times as much as you think you need to, both because it is hot and dry and also because you are at altitude.

No way I would go in August and I am from the south too.

Have you done Capitol Reef and Goblin Valley.

The reason I mention Goblin Valley is because it is one of my favorite places. Plus, within 5 minutes of it is Little Wildhorse Canyon(probably the best slot canyon that isn't technical). Don't get this confused with Wildhorse you want Little Wildhorse. Capitol Reef is also worth a visit.
Also right nearby is Great Gallery aka Horseshoe Canyon. This is the best Indian petroglyphs/pictographs(at least according to most websites). This is also the canyon where the guy that had to amputate is own arm was found in. He was actually in Blue John Canyon, but hiked out in Horseshoe Canyon. I wouldn't attempt to drive to Horseshoe Canyon if it had rained as it is a serious dirt road.

2 days Zion
2 days Bryce
1 day Escalante
1 Day Capitol Reef
1 Day Goblin Valley, Little Wildhorse, and Great Gallery
(the last one would be a long long day)

BTW, Little Wildhorse is great when it is hot because they are nearly in full shade the entire trek. DO NOT attempt if rain/thunderstorms is forecasted.

Like others on this forum, we've been spending lots of vacation time exploring the many scenic and cultural wonders of southern Utah and will be back again this fall. One of our past trips was spent exploring the incredible corridor between Zion and Capitol Reef (including a hike into the Great Gallery that spiro mentioned).

I suggest flying into Las Vegas - saves money on airfare and car rental, and best of all, you can be in Zion in a mere 2.5 hours. For an 8-9 day trip, you can see so many remarkable sights along the incredibly scenic route 12, explore the Escalante River, check out Goblin Valley State Park (very cool) and some slot canyons, etc.

Here is our (long, detailed) trip report from that adventure. Please don't hesitate to ask lots of questions!

http://www.pbase.com/peterb/utah_tr

By the way, if you are planning an August trip, you really need to make reservations soon! We are heading out in early Sept and found many inns already filled!

But are you outside for hours at a time in Georgia in August? And the dryness--remember that part?? I live here and I wouldn't go down to S.Utah in August for all the money in the world. If you have to, then spend most of your time in Bryce, Red Canyon, Capital Reef, Cedar Breaks, anything at higher altitude.

We did summers in Utah because it was the only time we could go while our boys were in school. We sore we would never go back to Utah in the summer once our boys had left home....so what did we do two years in a row in August....we went back because other family members wanted to go with us. It's not the end of the world! Give me Utah with 100+ degrees and dry heat instead of the South at 80 degrees with the humidity!

Zion National Park, Bryce which will be cooler, Hwy 12 and the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Capitol Reef National Park would be the main places I would hit.

Utahtea

I agree with Utahtea! Give me the dry hot desert over high humidity anyday. We always go in late August - early Sept and do a lot of hiking - usually our longest hikes are 8-10 miles. Just be prepared with more water than you need and get started early.

Last year, we went out in early October and it was unusually cool. Nights in the tent were actually cold! I think August weather in the Utah parks is lovely. Just get your reservations soon!!

Right on Utahtea..Hot and dry yea!! hot and humid nay!!

http://www.zionadventures.com/zion-p...neering/trips/

Check out some of the guided canyoneering trips offered by Zion Adventure Company.

Horseshoe Canyon is great but I'd get a really early start. There's not much shade and the canyon floor is pretty sandy so it is a tougher hike than expected.

Have you ever checked out Park City and Deer Valley and Alta and Snowbird. Great places in the summer. Loved going to a free concert by the Utah Orchestra once at Deer Valley in August. Just beautiful and nice and cooler at night.

80 degrees is a cool spell in Georgia in August, right?

We've done it in August, and it is hot, but not excessively. Schedule hikes early in the a.m. & carry lots of water, then have a late lunch & an afternoon nap or hang out around a pool. The evenings are warm, long & lovely.

Funny....you guys haven't been to Georgia in a while. Our standard temps in the summer for the last few years are 98- 102...with the humidity making it much worse. We lived in AZ twice while in the military, dry air is much better. Do understand the need for carrying lots of water. One concern is what is it like to wade through the Narrows in late Sept or early October. Will the water be so cold that we cannot do this? Also....would staying in Mt. Carmel be a good spot for a base camp? Or, should we stay close to Zion after flying into Vegas, then move to Bryce area to see Escalante and Capital? What is the best vehicle to rent...jeep? Somewhere I read that they discourage you going down the long off roads anyway.

We did it at the end of October. You will need to rent appropriate shoes anytime of the year from Zion Adventure Company (2 locations at parks entrance in Springdale). They have wet suit bottoms and tops, if you desire them. We got the bottoms only and they were enough. I don't carry a hiking stick, but this is one hike that you will want one. The shoes do make a difference.

You can drive all the roads in a passenger car for the most part. Hole in the Rock Road or Hell's Backbone you might want 4 wheel drive but that's about it. (and you only need 4WD for the very end of Hole in the Rock road)

The water won't be bad in sept/oct especially with the wet suit.

Mt. Carmel is not a good base camp--too far from Bryce and you have to go back and forth through the tunnel to Zion, which is a pain. Stay in Springdale, then stay outside of Bryce at Ruby's Inn and in Torrey when you go to Capital Reef. I just went to Escalante with kids--you can search my user name for the report.

Definitely stay in Springdale for Zion and near Bryce. There are very few accommodations available in Bryce - I couldn't get rooms for our upcoming Sept trip so I opted for rooms at a small inn outside the park.

I would recommend spending a night or two in Torrey as you make your way from Bryce thru Escalante and Boulder (along scenic route 12) to Capitol Reef. Torrey is a beautiful small town with plenty of places to stay.