Utah Itinerary to Share?

Randy

Randy

Ranger
Donating Member
Anyone have a 5-10 day Utah camping loop to share? Prefer reservable campsites and since I travel with my dog and don’t like crowds, would prefer to avoid camping in the national parks. I would be coming from Southern California.

Thanks!
 
I’ve done some hotel and tent camping in Utah prior to getting my 560. I can offer up some general ideas.

There is some forest service camping including Duck Creek campground in the area of Duck Creek. Very pretty and not too far from Bryce if you wanted to drive there for a day. Not an area that gets very crowded. Great for fall colors.

Rubys is much closer to the national park at Bryce but supposedly never sells out their camping if you need something on short notice. I also tent camped once in Panguich which is a small town about 25 miles from Bryce/Rubys. Panguich would be a better choice if you prefer lesser crowds.

Torrey is a small little area outside Capital Reef NP. I’ve only driven by there so I can’t really speak to availability but it gets recommended a lot for lodging. I’m not sure that park or general area gets too crowded.

There’s lots of national forest and BLM land out there and especially along highway 12. For sure you should drive 12 while there. It is quite scenic.

Anything around Moab would be really nice unless that’s more crowded than you’d prefer. Although I’ve been there in late winter/early spring and it’s not crowded at all and weather can be cool, but still pretty nice.

Utah is very beautiful and well worth a visit. You can’t go wrong wherever you go.

Let me know if you have any questions.
 
JohnC said:
I’ve done some hotel and tent camping in Utah prior to getting my 560. I can offer up some general ideas.

There is some forest service camping including Duck Creek campground in the area of Duck Creek. Very pretty and not too far from Bryce if you wanted to drive there for a day. Not an area that gets very crowded. Great for fall colors.

Rubys is much closer to the national park at Bryce but supposedly never sells out their camping if you need something on short notice. I also tent camped once in Panguich which is a small town about 25 miles from Bryce/Rubys. Panguich would be a better choice if you prefer lesser crowds.

Torrey is a small little area outside Capital Reef NP. I’ve only driven by there so I can’t really speak to availability but it gets recommended a lot for lodging. I’m not sure that park or general area gets too crowded.

There’s lots of national forest and BLM land out there and especially along highway 12. For sure you should drive 12 while there. It is quite scenic.

Anything around Moab would be really nice unless that’s more crowded than you’d prefer. Although I’ve been there in late winter/early spring and it’s not crowded at all and weather can be cool, but still pretty nice.

Utah is very beautiful and well worth a visit. You can’t go wrong wherever you go.

Let me know if you have any questions.
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Thank you John!! I will be looking into your suggestions. Very grateful.
 
On our loop out to Palm Dessert and back to WI we drove through northern Utah turned south just before Salt Lake on Mt Nebo loop Rd then south on 89 to 143. Utah St Park facilities I thought were very nice.

Brians Head area - Cedar Breaks National Monument, Point Supreme Campground (pull through sites are best)
Hwy 14 north of Zion beautiful drive… at intersection 148 is Cedar Breaks. 148 & 143 East will take you through National Forest area White Bridge Campground and out to 89

Hwy 12 as suggested is a great drive- Just East of Bryce is the Best Campground Showers - Kodachrome Basin Utah St Park - Dog Friendly trails. Stayed there on the loop back from CA - We hit the North Rim Grand Canyon then to Page AZ Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe bend, Glen Canyon Area. From Page we drove a gravel road Cottonwood Canyon through the Grand Staircase National Monument area up to Govenors Arch then to Kodachrome. Drove Hwy 12 to Hwy 24 up to I70 and to Moab and Arches.

I would like to explore the area more an take 95 through the middle and 191 0n the east side

Hope this helps
 
Randy said:
Anyone have a 5-10 day Utah camping loop to share? Prefer reservable campsites and since I travel with my dog and don’t like crowds, would prefer to avoid camping in the national parks. I would be coming from Southern California.

Thanks!
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What time of year do you estimate for this trip?
 
I know you said no National Parks, but Natural Bridges National Monument (NM) is different. This is a dark skies area (Milky Way looks like a broad belt on a clear night, which is most nights). This NM is located in one of this least populated areas in the lower 48 along UT 95 between Hanksville and Blanding, 126 miles with no services of any kind. Nationals Bridges is in the middle of the triangle formed by Capitol Reef National Park, Moab (Arches and Canyonlands National Parks), and Monument Valley, a Navajo Tribal Park (fees apply to enter Monument Valley, as it is not Federal or State managed).

Southern Utah, as in parts of Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona, is within the region known as the Colorado Plateau. Even though most of it is arid, it has the most scenic geology in America (IMO). Elevation is typically around a mile high.
 
Old_Prospector said:
I know you said no National Parks, but Natural Bridges National Monument (NM) is different. This is a dark skies area (Milky Way looks like a broad belt on a clear night, which is most nights). This NM is located in one of this least populated areas in the lower 48 along UT 95 between Hanksville and Blanding, 126 miles with no services of any kind. Nationals Bridges is in the middle of the triangle formed by Capitol Reef National Park, Moab (Arches and Canyonlands National Parks), and Monument Valley, a Navajo Tribal Park (fees apply to enter Monument Valley, as it is not Federal or State managed).

Southern Utah, as in parts of Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona, is within the region known as the Colorado Plateau. Even though most of it is arid, it has the most scenic geology in America (IMO). Elevation is typically around a mile high.
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Great suggestion OP, thank you!
 
I don't know how you feel about minor boondocking but if you don't need a hookup and would like to visit Zion and be able to escape the mob, I have a nice free option for you. The town of Hurricane is nearby and there is an area near there where there is free, dispersed camping that I have used and like. If you look on Google Maps and follow Rt. 59 out of town to the east, it winds up the Hurricane Ridge and heads SE. G maps shows marker for the Hurricane Cliffs Trailhead parking a few miles down. This parking marks a dirt road that wanders around that plateau towards the NE and there are a number of widely dispersed sites you can use along it and stay for multiple nights. Also, if you keep following that dirt road north you will get to the Virgin river which is a great place for dips in the summertime --Turn right just before the bridge. Go over the bridge and you will end up on the road that goes into Zion which is not far away. Hurricane is not bad too, with a great little cafe in the trees right around where the 59 hits Main St. I think.

Also heading up the 15 towards Cedar City there is a little hamlet called Kanarraville where you will find a little Red Ledge campground where you can make a reservation. It stays cooler up there in the summer when other places are in the 100's.
 
gregangsten said:
I don't know how you feel about minor boondocking but if you don't need a hookup and would like to visit Zion and be able to escape the mob, I have a nice free option for you. The town of Hurricane is nearby and there is an area near there where there is free, dispersed camping that I have used and like. If you look on Google Maps and follow Rt. 59 out of town to the east, it winds up the Hurricane Ridge and heads SE. G maps shows marker for the Hurricane Cliffs Trailhead parking a few miles down. This parking marks a dirt road that wanders around that plateau towards the NE and there are a number of widely dispersed sites you can use along it and stay for multiple nights. Also, if you keep following that dirt road north you will get to the Virgin river which is a great place for dips in the summertime --Turn right just before the bridge. Go over the bridge and you will end up on the road that goes into Zion which is not far away. Hurricane is not bad too, with a great little cafe in the trees right around where the 59 hits Main St. I think.

Also heading up the 15 towards Cedar City there is a little hamlet called Kanarraville where you will find a little Red Ledge campground where you can make a reservation. It stays cooler up there in the summer when other places are in the 100's.
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Awesome, thank you!
 
I took my camper for a 7 week adventure a few years ago. Hit the Mighty 5 plus Grand Canyon. Stayed at a number of state parks/BLM campgrounds. I chose not to do much boondocking due to recent flash floods and being a big chicken to get stuck haha.

These offered great spots:
Red Cliffs campground in Hurricane
Kodachrome State Park (agree they have BEST showers!!!)
Goblin Valley State Park
Ken's Lake BLM in Moab
Dead Horse State Park
Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park
Snow Canyon State Park
 
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