Utah road trip

[Crows Nest]

We’re visiting all five national parks in Utah this fall and would appreciate any input about driving routes pulling a 21’ Escape. We’ll be passing Las Vegas on our way to Zion, then on to Bryce. From there we go through Capitol Reef to Moab, Mancos, CO (Mesa Verde), Monument Valley, Lake Powell and the south rim of the GC. Then it’s on to Cottonwood, AZ followed by Bullhead City. Are there any roads to avoid?

[JohnK]

Originally Posted by Crows Nest

would appreciate any input about driving routes pulling a 21’ Escape.

Sounds like a wonderful dream trip all of which we have seen but not in that order. You’ll do well in your Escape 21. Whatever you do, Las Vegas NV is best viewed from your rear view mirror. Put it there as soon as you can and drive out of its range as fast as your transmission cooler and the speed limit allows. Take this from someone who used to fly professionally for a Las Vegas Casino owner.

John

[jnfrombigt]

Originally Posted by Crows Nest

We’re visiting all five national parks in Utah this fall and would appreciate any input about driving routes pulling a 21’ Escape. We’ll be passing Las Vegas on our way to Zion, then on to Bryce. From there we go through Capitol Reef to Moab, Mancos, CO (Mesa Verde), Monument Valley, Lake Powell and the south rim of the GC. Then it’s on to Cottonwood, AZ followed by Bullhead City. Are there any roads to avoid?

Leave South Carolina in a couple of weeks for a very similar trip.
Sent a PM jn

[Crows Nest]

Thanks. We’re staying west of Vegas in the Red Rock campground and leaving town via the 15. Avoiding the city at all costs. I entered a contest where the first prize was a week in Vegas. Second prize was two weeks in Vegas. So, no concerns about roads to be avoided?

[JohnK]

No road concerns that I can remember. Be sure to visit the Mancos library. It is an architectural masterpiece as libraries go. Last I counted, there were 2 gas stations, 1 general store, 1 good bakery with great coffee, 7 churches and 2 dispensaries in Mancos. Something for nearly everyone.

John

[Crows Nest]

Thanks. We’ll stop in Mancos and check it out (except for the 7 churches).

[John in Santa Cruz]

Kodachrome Basin State Park in Utah near Bryce is a gem. We explored the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument from there, spectacular scenery along Cottonwood Rd.

[Crows Nest]

We plan to visit there. Thanks for your input. It’s so helpful to hear from people who have been where we’re headed. Pretty new to the RV thing.

[jnfrombigt]

I'm headed out from South Carolina on a trip that's been in the planning stages for over a year and depending on timing our paths may cross. Hit Mesa Verde around Sep 18. Should be in the Capitol Reef area about 5 days later. Will probably be spending a few days in Valley of the Gods and Muley Point between Mesa Verde and Capitol Reef. Following Capitol Reef headed up to the northern part of the San Rafael Swell for few days then down to Beas Flat on the west side of Capitol Reef in order to do the Burr Trail. From there Highway 12 down to NFS Red Canyon between Bryce and Zion for that exploration. From there over to the Paria River area. Like you I can hardly wait.

Safe Trip

[Crows Nest]

We will be on the lookout for an Escape trailer. Have a great trip

[Randy in Maine]

We parked our trailer at a small commercial campground (coral sands?) in Bluff Utah with nice shade and drove to various destination unhitched for the next week. Lots of stuff to see within 100 miles of Bluff.

[Crows Nest]

What places did you visit from that location?

[John in Santa Cruz]

This was our campsite at Kodachrome Basin SP



There's several camp areas within the park, we were in the Basin Campground, it was the most scenic. There are a few hookup sites, but we were dry camping in site 16.

cleanest camp I've ever been to. Someone would leave, lady on golf cart would promptly show up, sweep up the fire pit, hose off the table and pad, generally made the whole campsite look 'new' again.

[John in Santa Cruz]

A few random pics from Cottonwood Canyon Rd in the Grand Staircase Escalante Natl Monument...







IIRC, its about 35 miles of well graded dirt road, that starts right at the south end of Kodachrome Basin SP.... When we got to the south end, we went west on 89, then north on 89 through Kanab, had a fabulous dinner at the Rocking V Cafe in Kanab, continued north to 12, east to Kodachrome Basin, this was pretty much a full days adventure.

[Randy in Maine]

Originally Posted by Crows Nest

What places did you visit from that location?

I am a geologist (USU BS 1985) so I am allowed to go look at all sorts of interesting rocks, fossils, and weird stuff. Plus we lived in Utah for 10 years and got married in Monticello some 40 years ago. We had come north from Tuscan and Phoenix in early May. So we camped in Bluff, and travelled to Canyon De Chellie and Monument Valley down in AZ. We went over to Shiprock, NM for a day. Around Bluff we drove to Valley of the Gods, Moki Dugway, Hovenweep, Natural Bridges, Comb RIdge, Canyonlands, and Mexican Hat all in Utah. The San Juan River is pretty nice for a river trip if you can work it in. Grand Staircase and Bears Ears National Monuments are both very impressive. Bluff has been inhabited for at least 1000 years before the pilgrims landed.

We had previously stayed at Mesa Verde, Grand Canyon (south and north), Zion, Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Great Basin, and plenty more. If you have not been there, you really should. We were also trying hard to avoid crowds. We had our mountain bikes with us but no kayaks on this trip.

All of those places (and lots more) are really awesome places to spend some quality time.and one could easily spend more that just a few days at each of them.

The great thing about these trailers is that they travel well and fit in most everywhere since they are rarely the biggest ones in any campground. Some of the roads everywhere are a little bumpy, but they hold up well everything considered. When things break, we can usually fix them or find someone to do it if needed. We find them quite comfy to be in about anywhere and everywhere. We can normally boondock for about 5-7 days when we need to or be plugged into shore power and go longer.

Just my 2 cents.

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by Randy in Maine

I am a geologist (USU BS 1985)...

Cool, my son is a Geologist, got his PHD at Univ of Nevada, Reno, and after a postdoc research project at Oxford, is now Denver based, working for a federal TLA (Three Letter Agency)... His speciality is Neotectonics, recent earth movement.

The great thing about these trailers is that they travel well and fit in most everywhere since they are rarely the biggest ones in any campground. Some of the roads everywhere are a little bumpy, but they hold up well everything considered. When things break, we can usually fix them or find someone to do it if needed. We find them quite comfy to be in about anywhere and everywhere. We can normally boondock for about 5-7 days when we need to or be plugged into shore power and go longer.

Just my 2 cents.

I totally agree re the Escapes. Our limiting factor when dry camping is the grey tank and fresh water capacity, the two of us can go about a week if we're careful with shower water. With a 360W solar panel, we have no real electric limitation anymore, and the black tank on our 21C can go weeks.

[Lorraine Pittsburgh]

We toured southern Utah many years ago pre-trailer, so I can't answer your specific question about roads to avoid. However, on your way into Canyonlands, I strongly recommend that you make the detour to Dead Horse Point (State Park) - fantastic!

And do let us know how your trip is going.

[John in Santa Cruz]

On our 2018 trip, we camped at Dead Horse SP when we were visiting Canyonlands and Arches. This was late spring, it was /very/ windy there every afternoon, and every afternoon there were a bajillion tiny flies until after sunset.

[jnfrombigt]

Stayed at Dead Horse Point Early November 2020. Loved it. Rode around on my electric bike. If I remember correctly there is no water available for the campers on the plateau. Also, stayed at I believe BLM Gold Bar off the rim on the Colorado. That was nice also.

[John in Santa Cruz]

oh, view from Dead Horse Point:



btw, it was 2019 not 2018. late May, early June for that trip.