Southern Utah

[Desert Rancher]

Planning a trip mid-May through the southern part of Utah. Wanted to hit some of the arch places and the "out of the way" sights. Looking for suggestions.

Ordered the Utah Back-country Adventures book. Don't have a lot of time to plan.

 

[Barko1]

Hard to go too wrong, may be starting to get hot. If you are heading into canyonlands NP there is a dirt road, Lockhart Basin I believe, that leads to a primitive campsite (s) and many places to camp. Stream down there a couple miles that is nice. All sorts of possible exploration. If hot head up West of Monticello, a couple high elevation campsites I think on County 101, only road. Also lots of camping in Valley of the Gods, or on the river by there at Sand Island, or above o the rim, others have mentioned places there. Natural Bridges is cool, near Goblin Valley the dirt heads N all the way to I70, anywhere through the San Rafael Swell. Near Arches camp by the Colorado River, up or downstream. Of course Bryce and Zion, also Capital Reef. The developed campsites are of course busier but fine.

 

[MarkBC]

Grand Staircase - Escalante National Monument: Hole-in-the-Rock road. I spent a few days there 15-ish years ago -- barely scratched the surface, but very cool.
I'll be there myself in a couple of weeks, as part of this trip, May 1 - 21. I wonder if we'll overlap/cross-paths...?

 

[Desert Rancher]

I've been watching your plan. I thought you were going to do the AZ strip.
We have an opportunity that just came up to get away and I wanted to do it b4 Mem day & school vac.

I'll contact you in a couple of days. Need to to hi-lite a general route on the map and go from there. We are dezert folks, hot's no problem.

Want to run the back roads only....

Dang desert hitchers...

 

[MarkBC]

I've been watching your plan. I thought you were going to do the AZ strip.
Just the first couple/3 days in the AZ-strip (Toroweap) area. Beyond that I don't have a detailed plan (can't speak for Stew)...but I plan to include Escalante canyon area...Valley of the Gods (probably)...probably Capitol Reef....not necessarily in that order. Then -- ??

 

[Tuna]

We should be in VOTG sometime around the 3-7. Will be the folks with the Honda Trails CT's,if you see us stop and say hi. I'm new to this site.Desert Rancher,where are you in the desert?

 

[Desert Rancher]

Desert Rancher,where are you in the desert?


Lucerne Valley. VOTG is awesome, hard to get the "right" pic's as there are so many different angles. There is a sort of bed and breakfast place there also.

 

[NWCamper]

Escalante and Capital Reef have plenty of lonely roads, primitive camping opportunities and lots to see. You really can't go wrong anywhere you go. Your head will be on a swivel the entire time.

 

[Tuna]

Lucerne Valley. VOTG is awesome, hard to get the "right" pic's as there are so many different angles. There is a sort of bed and breakfast place there also.

Well your not far from me here in Joshua Tree.Yeh, I know about the angles,my wife is a professional landscape photographer,so she'll be a happy camper.Not a spectator sport though,sort of like her watching me fish!! Were not B&B type folks but thanks for the tip.Hope we can see you when there.I saw your rig on your avatar I'll keep my eye out for you.We drive a Gray GMC CC with a Lance camper.

 

[Tuna]

Where is a good place to camp sort of out of the winds if there blowing hard around Bluff?

 

[Desert Rancher]

Where is a good place to camp sort of out of the winds if there blowing hard around Bluff?


There are some side roads that will take you down to the river around there. Some places are kinda trashed but I found some good places up close to the water. That's very close to VOTG, so just go there. Mexican Hat was fairly good.
Goosenecks overlook can get real windy.

 

[Desert Rancher]

I just picked up this book which has a lot of detail on the backroads. Need to study the maps a bit.
We will just meander, no set plans. More dirt roads = More fun.