I have read on the various Parks'websites that the average July temps. in Bryce are about 80 degrees and in the upper 90s in the others. Has anyone done much hiking in these parks at that time of year. I know it is supposed to be a dry heat, but when the temperature is that hot, it is HOT! I don't think I can hike in almost 100 degree weather.

What experiences have some of you had with summer visits to this area?

Thanks.
Lynda

Last June, I went to Arches for a day, and Horseshoe Canyon (part of Canyonlands) for another day. It was somewhere in the low to mid-90s both days.

The general advice is:
1) Start your hike early so you can finish before it gets too hot.
2) Take plenty of water (a gallon/day I think)
3) Wear sunscreen
4) Don't forget to eat - drinking too much water without eating can be just as dangerous as dehydration.

My personal experience is that it's pretty darn hot in the sun, but when you get into the shade it's comfortable, even when the temp is above 90. That's where the low humidity really helps.

I wear a big floppy hat with a flap on the back that covers my neck, plus a lightweight long-sleeved shirt with UV protection built in. You would think a long-sleeved shirt would be hot, but it really isn't. If you get sunburned one day, the next couple days will be h*ll, so prevent it at all costs. I wore shorts, and the only place I got burned was on the backs of my knees. It was actually pretty painful by the middle of the second day.

As for the hikes you choose, if you can research them and try to pick hikes with some shade, that would really help. If there's absolutely no shade, do it early in the day, or keep it short. I found out that the hike in Horseshoe Canyon was a bit too hot, mainly because being down in a canyon kept the breezes to a minimum. So maybe keep that in mind - open terrain and hilly terrain will give you more of a chance to catch some breezes.

We had to visit these parks in the summer when our boys were out of school. We always swore that we wouldn't go in the summer once they were out of the nest, but for two years in a row we ended up going in August with other family members. We have recently hiked in Zion with temps over 100 and I don't like the heat, but it just isn't that bad. TheWeasel gave good advise and the only thing I do on top of that advise is to carry a misty-mate. http://www.mistymate.com/mmp16.html

Utahtea

How do you handle heat? What are you used to? I am in good shape, and live on the east coast. I found the heat in July in Utah unbearable. We were in Moab and the temps were 104-105 and they stayed up over a 100 until well past 5pm. Sitting outside the pool was even uncomfortable. It felt like a blast furnace. Some locals told us you have to visit in the spring for bearable temps.

If you do go, hike early and avoid mid-day.

In the heat of the day, we like to drive around in the air conditioned vehicle!

Utahtea

Karens,
We are from VA and I do not like the heat. Of course, it can be very humid here at times--that is the part I hate.

We were in Arizona two summers ago in mid-late June and stayed two days in Scottsdale after visiting the Grand Canyon. It was 115 and I could hardly make it from the pool to the hotel room. I know it is a dry heat, but Lordy it was awful.

Utahtea: Like you, we have no choice but to go in summer when son is out of school. Have to think this one through a lot.

thanks to all.

Lynda

utahtea:

The MistyMate is "way cool". We definitely will take one with us if we choose to go to Utah.

Thanks,

Lynda

LOL, Lynda. I was in Phoenix in July once with the highs 115. And I was 5 months pregnant, It was so nasty hot I didn't go out between 9 am and 8pm, LOL. Even then it was warm.
Hot is hot, although those higher elevations with heat can be nasty. I remember being at the Little Big Horn in Montana in early July, with 105 temps. You'll find me along the West Coast for most summertime vacations these days.

Lynda,
Can you visit during spring break? Bryce will be snowy but the other parks couid be quite nice in April, if you have school break then (March could be a little cool). My other suggestion would be to visit as soon as the kids get out in June. You'll find smaller crowds and cooler temps than in July and August. It won't be nearly as bad as Scottsdale (I went to college in Tempe and know what that's like) due to the elevation.

Our spring break always is in March. My husband doesn't want to fly, so a week wouldn't give us enough time, anyway.

If we go, we will go just as soon as school is out, but we have to be prepared to make up many days due to weather (nine days this year), so it is unlikely that we can ever leave before the 13th. The school system tries to make sure we miss at least 9 days, because if we don't, we can't go back in the fall until after labor day.

Do you think that doing all the parks in Utah on one trip is too much of a good thing?

Thanks to all for your help.

Lynda

If you had two full weeks, you could do all the parks. Much less than that, I'd choose either SE (Arches/Canyonlands-this will be warmer) or SW (Zion/Bryce) Utah. You could add Capitol Reef, or nearby state parks, to either trip.

lthompson,

Where will you be driving from and how long do you have?

Utahtea

We'll be driving from VA, but can take as much time as we need. At least 3 - 4 weeks. I just don't want to overload the almost 13 year-old on the same scenery day after day.

We did the Badlands, Blackhills, through the Big Horn Mountains, GNP, YNP, GTNP + two nights in Jackson, WY and home last summer in exactly three weeks. We didn't feel pushed and felt that we had time to do all we wanted to do. Having said that, we have discovered that we love hiking, so if we had it to do over again, we would do more of that.

Our lives have changed though, so we won't need to hurry back for elderly parents who lived with us last summer. As much as I wish otherwise, we actually have the luxury to spend as much time as we need. If you remember from past years, Utahtea, I want to make sure I see and do everything. We especially like the "wild things" like the Pink Jeep tours in Sedona, etc.

That's great you have so much time! I really don't think the scenery will be monotonous-each park is unique. As summer progresses and the weather gets warmer, you could explore some of the higher elevation spots in the mountains of southern Utah and SW Colorado.

Lynda,

OK, I didn't reconize you with the different sign on name! HI!

On the way out to Utah why not swing up to south western Colorado and check out Mesa Verde National Park for a couple of days. This will be a lot different than the Utah parks. There are three ranger lead hikes to the cliff dwelling ruins that you have to pay a small fee & get tickets for on the day of the tour...but they are all so worth it! Try and do two if you can. Each is different and special!

In Moab do one of the river rafting trips. You can rent 4 wheel drive jeeps in town and they are so much fun to go exploring. We like taking the Shafer trail up into Canyonlands then taking the Long Canyon trail back to Moab. If you don't feel comfortable driving yourselves, there are tons of different jeep tours in the area.

Like Christy1 said, these parks are so different and unique you shouldn't get tired of it. If you do you can always cut your time short and head down to Carsbad Caverns in New Mexico before heading home...or maybe add some Colorado Mountains.

Utahtea

Thanks, Utahtea. That is my work address. I've read and seen pictures of Mesa Verde and it looks very interesting. I think DS would really like the fact that you can actually walk through the ruins--he is very interested in that period of history.

I'll have to do some research on Carlsbad Caverns--how far, how different from our VA caverns, etc.

Thanks, again.

Lynda

Lynda,

I'm sure your son would really like Mesa Verde. It is an amazing place. My two top places to see ruins are Mesa Verde and Chaco Culture National Historical Park just south of Mesa Verde in New Mexico. They are so different in that Mesa Verde is cliff dwellings and Chaco is free standing.

Carlsbad Caverns National Park is like no other caves I've been in and we have been to Wind Cave in SD, Mammoth Cave in KY and Lehman Cave in NV to name a few. Carlsbad is truly worth seeing, but it might be a little out of your way. It's in southern New Mexico near the Texas border. One nice thing about the caves...is their constant cool temps! So no matter how hot it is outside, it's nice in the caves! Also the nightly bat flight is awesome! http://www.nps.gov/cave/

My only warning about Carlsbad is DO NOT GO on the 4th of July weekend! This place might be in the middle of no where, but everyone for 500 miles comes to Carlsbad on this weekend...been there and done that...wait for HOURS for the elevator back up to the surface!

Utahtea

Thanks, Utahtea. Carlsbad is a little of out the way, but maybe we could work it in.

My major problem is whether or not to go to Utah or Alaska. Either way, we drive. Have you been to Alaska and do you have any advice for me there?

We drove to Alaska in 1992 and I've been wanting to go back ever since!

There were a couple of years we got really close to going again, but one year it was a wedding and another year it was sick parents. Then our old motorhome had to many miles on it to be dependable for the trip. Now that we have the new motorhome, we will want to wait a couple years before we drive it up on that road. Plan on a new windshield when you get back..other wise it's a fantastic adventure!

Utahtea

I just got back from the Grand Canyon, Bryce, and Capitol Reef. All were pleasant in early May, even cool at night at the GC -- like 38 degrees at night.

In the summer, Zion, Arches, and Canyonlands are HOT. Bryce and the North Rim of the GC are high enough to be tolerable in the summer. The South Rim is a little on the warm side in them middle of the day because shade is sparse. At night it cools off.

I suggest Yellowstone and Glacier for the summer, although Glacier can be very warm on a sunny day.