I’ve started planning a tour of Utah national parks for my dog and me, taking advantage of my “new” pop-up camper. It looks like I’ll need doggy day care for days I spend in the parks and that I’ll need to use commercial campgrounds in order to get electric hook ups as I have not yet installed a good solar panel option.
It will be my first visit to these parks, so I don’t know what is a must see or how much time I should allow per park (My schedule is very open for this trip.) I’m not planning on any fishing while there, just want to see the scenery, but also to avoid any hikes that are super strenuous.
Any advice from people who have experience with these parks will be most gratefully appreciated. The Net has good info, but it is always great to get tips from people who have been there and done that.
Hi Oldfrat, did not camp at Bryce Canyon but it would be worth seeing it. We were there a couple of years ago and visited Bryce, in my opinion this is one of the best. This link has the Bryce campgrounds.
Enjoy http://www.nps.gov/brca/planyourvisit/campgrounds.htm
Most folks don’t know that Utah has 5 national parks, all in the southern part of the state. Most also don’t know that Utah is the second most arid state in the nation, with Nevada being the first. It is hot and dry in Southern Utah and if you go in the summer be prepared for desert conditions. You can get the average weather for the parks here:
Better make certaint that there has not been a government shut down before you go to any of them. They will be closed if there is a shut down of the fed government.
We have been lucky enough to visit the Utah parks, and my favorite of them all is Zion. Arches, Bryce, Canyonlands, and Capitol Reef are all excellent, but Zion is spectacular (I place it in my “Top Four” of national parks, along with Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, and Glacier). For hiking, my favorites are Zion and Arches; the Double “O” Arch hike at Arches is one of the best I’ve ever taken, along with the Hidden Canyon hike at Zion. Be sure and take water with you when you hike in Utah!
There is so much to see in Southern Utah. How much time do you have? In my opinion, this is the most spectacular part of the country. Of course, I live here so I am biased. Coming from Colorado I’d start in the Southeast corner of the state. Find a campground near Moab and take a few days to see Canyonlands and Arches. I don’t have a lot of experience in Canyonlands but the views are spectacular, even from the road. Arches, on the other hand, has quite a few shorter, easier hikes that are worth doing. I’d spend a couple of days there and make sure to at least see landscape arch and delicate arch. Delicate arch is a little bit strenuous but take your time and it’s not too bad. The landscape arch trail goes on to Double-O and a few others along the way.
Head up to I-70 and go west for just about 20 miles then head south toward Hanksville. You’ll pass a turnoff for Goblin Valley before Hanksville. It’s not a national park but I’m convinced it would be if Utah didn’t already have 5. It has been used in multiple movies where the characters needed to be on Mars and is truly awesome. It’s easy to walk around and you can spend as much or as little time there as you like. Nearby is Little Wild Horse Canyon, a very narrow slot canyon that is not too strenuous and is spectacular (just ask one of the 300 people you’ll share the canyon with). Ask the guard at the entry gate for directions or google it. I’ve seen dogs up the canyon in the past but I’m not sure of current regulations. Nice campgrounds in the Goblin Valley State Park as well as forrest service land just outside the park.
Continue south to Hanksville and turn west onto Hwy 24 towards Capital Reef. Capital Reef isn’t my favorite of the parks but I have family members who are there multiple times per year and swear there is nowhere like it. It’s certainly worth a day or two of your time. Again, the gait attendants can direct you to easier hikes. Where you’ve had your fill, continue West to the city of Torrey. Eat at Cafe Diablo then head south on Hwy 12. This highway is consistenly rated as one of the prettiest in the country. You’ll drive through forests, moonscapes, and redrock. It will take you through the heart of The Grand Staircase Escalante national monument (prettier than any of the parks if you ask me). You could spend a month hiking around and still not see half. It is fairly dog friendly too. Many of the hikes are technical and difficult. Dangerous to do on your own. Google it to find what you’re interested in. One piece of advice, camp at the lower calf creek falls campground, put your dog on a leash and hike to the falls. 6 miles round trip but flat and easy. If you don’t have your 3-weight for the stream you’ll regret it.
Continue on Hwy 12 to Bryce Canyon. Gorgeous. Plan a full day but if you’re not into hiking you won’t need much more. Back on Hwy 12 to the west until you get to Hwy 89. Head South to Zion unless you want to fish at Panguitch Lake, then head north. Great Stillwater. Zion needs at least 2 days in my opinion. There are a number of short, easy hikes.
These parks could all take a week each but I also really enjoy just driving through and soaking up the scenery. My best advice would be to make sure you don’t miss the places inbetween the parks. The boundaries are pretty arbitrary and the more time you spend outside of them the more time you’ll have with your dog. Be flexible and when you see something you want to see, stop. You can always come back next year to finish what you missed. Oh yeah, and drink lots of water.
Zion has Doggy Day Care available outside the gate. That’s the reason we didn’t go in there. Didn’t want to have to pay extra to see a Park, just 'cause we had a dawg.
I Understand the reason behind it, but we made the choice…it was August and Hot, and didn’t wanna leave Lucky with strangers in those conditions.
Many thanks to all, with special thanks to slapwater. The information is very helpful. I’ve been awed by the scenery you can see from the Interstate going across Utah. I’m really looking forward to seeing these parks!