It really is an awesome part of the country. We camped some of southern Utah in 1984, when we only had 2 of our 4 kids. Loved it then, and really hadn't been back that way until 2011, when we did a 2 week trip to Sante Fe, NM and Ouray, CO, and were reminded how much we enjoy the 'arid Southwest'.
We plan on getting back soon.