zion

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

the dreaded schedule

Option 1:

May 16 fly into DEN, drive to Glenwood Springs, CO

May 17 ebikes on Glenwood Canyon Trail, drive to Moab

May 18, Arches (Park Avenue, scenic drive, Balanced Rock, Double Arch, Landscape Arch)

May 19, Dead Horse Point, Grand View Point in Canyonlands, Goblin Overlook in Goblin Valley

May 20, Hanksville (The Bentonite Hills, Long Done Silver, Factory Butte)

May 21, Capitol Reef (Grand Wash Trail, Hickman Bridge, Scenic drive to Capitol Gorge [don't hike], Fruita School, Goosenecks overlook, hike Sunset Point Trail)

May 22, Escalante, Devils Garden Trail, Willis Creek Slot Canyon Trail

May 23, Bryce, scenic drive Sunrise Point, hike Queens Garden, Agua Canyon Overlook, Ponderosa Canyon Overlook, Rainbow Point Parking

May 24, Zion, Hike Observation Point, bus to Temple of Sinawava to hike The Zion Narrows Riverside Walk, get off at some more bus stops on the way back as time allows

May 25, Las Vegas

May 26, fly home LAS-BWI

3 options: 1 week in hotels, 3 weeks driving all the way from MD and back, or 2 weeks camping.

OPTION 1: One week trip, flying in, hotel staying, restaurant eating:
Day 1: arrive in Vegas, chill
Day 2: explore Vegas, head to Bryce Canyon Villas or similar, 4.5 hour drive.
Day 3: Bryce: Navajo Loop and Queens Garden, 1/2 hour from Villas, 30 seconds from each other.
Day 4: Escalante: Willis Creek Slot Canyon, Devil's Garden (Bryce is 1 hr from Escalante)
Day 5: Escalante: Lower Calf Creek Falls, Capitol Reef: Capitol Reef Scenic Drive, Petroglyphs (Escalante is 1 hr 40 from Capital Reef)
Day 6: Zion: Canyon Overlook Trail, Many Pools (capital reef is 4 hrs from Zion)
Day 7: Zion: East Rim to Observation Point, drive back to hotel near Vegas airport (Zion to airport, 3 hours)
Day 8: fly home in the morning

OR

Option 2: Driving from MD:

Day 1: MD to Hocking Hill State Park, OH, 6.5 hours

Day 2: OH to Garden of the Gods, IL, 7 hours

Day 3: IL to Ozark National Scenic Riverway, 3.5 hours

Day 4: Elk City State Park, KS, 5 hours

Day 5: Lake Scott State Park, KS, 5 hours

Day 6: Great Sand Dunes National Park CO, 5.5 hours

Day 7: Moab, UT, 6 hours

Day 8: Bryce, UT, hours

Day 9: Bryce: Navajo Loop and Queens Garden

Day 10: Escalante: Willis Creek Slot Canyon, Devil's Garden

Day 11: Escalante: Lower Calf Creek Falls, Capitol Reef: Capitol Reef Scenic Drive, Petroglyphs

Day 12: Zion: Canyon Overlook Trail, Many Pools

Day 13: Zion: East Rim to Observation Point,

Day 14: salt lake city: 4.5 hours

Day 15: American Heritage Center, Larame, WY: 6 hours
Day 16: Scenic Driving tour of the Sandhills region of Nebraska including car henge: 7 hours
Day 17: Grotto of the Redemption, Iowa: 5.5 hours
Day 18: Chicago, IL: 7 hours
Day 19: Cedar Point Amusement, OH: 5 hours
Day 20: Maryland: 7 hours

*OR*

Day 15: Dinosaur National Monument, UT: 4 hours (or the DNM Canyon visitor Center in CO saves about an hour and a half on the road, but doesn't have the fossils).
Day 16: Estes Park, CO: via Trail Ridge Road: 6.5 hours
Day 17: Pass through Pawnee Grasslands and the Buttes on the way to the Nebraska National Forest which is the start of the #1 scenic drive in Nebraska, 7.5 hours
Day 18:

OPTION 3:
*************************Flying out and just doing CO/UT********************
Would need to camp and cook to save the hotel/restaurant money

Day 1: Fly to Denver, arrive at noon, drive Best Western Amalmosa near Great Sand Dunes

Day 2: Great Sand Dunes National Park CO, 5.5 hours

Day 3: Ouray/Telluride, 5 hours

Day 3: Moab, UT, 3 hours

Day 5: Escalante: Willis Creek Slot Canyon, Devil's Garden, 4 hour drive

Day 6: Escalante: Lower Calf Creek Falls, Capitol Reef: Capitol Reef Scenic Drive, Petroglyphs
Day 6: Bryce: 1 hour drive
Day 7: Bryce: Navajo Loop and Queens Garden

Day 8: Zion: Canyon Overlook Trail, Many Pools, 2 hour drive

Day 9: Zion: East Rim to Observation Point,

Day 10: salt lake city: 4.5 hours

Day 11: Dinosaur National Monument, UT: 4 hours (or the DNM Canyon visitor Center in CO saves about an hour and a half on the road, but doesn't have the fossils).

Day 12: Estes Park, CO: via Trail Ridge Road: 6.5 hours

Day 13: Denver

Great Sand Dunes to Old Hundred Mine: 4.5 (Great Sand Dunes adds 2 hours)
Old Hundred to Cliff Palace Mesa Verde: 2 hr 40 min (Cliff Palace adds 2 hours)
Old Hundred to Moab: 4 hr (Moab adds 34 minutes) (Old Hundred adds 3 hours in San Juan Ntl Forest)
Moab to Zion: 5 hr 21min (Zion adds 3 hours)
Moab to Bryce: 4 hr 26 min
Moab to Escalante: 4 hr 1 min
Cliff Palace to Zion: 6 hr 42 min
Cliff Palace to Bryce: 7 hr 15 min
Cliff Palace to Escalante: 6 hr 56 min
Cliff Palace to Moab: 2 hr 55 min
Escalante to Dinosaur/Vernal: 5 hr 49 min
Escalante to Moab: 4 hr
Moab to Dinosaur/Vernal: 3 hr 41 min (Dinosaur adds 2 hours)
Bryce to Little Wild Horse Canyon: 3 hr 47 min (Little Wild Horse Canyon adds 2 hrs)
Little Wild Horse Canyon to Dinosaur/Vernal: 4 hr 35 min
Dinosaur to Emerald Lake: 6 hrs 6 min (Emerald Lake adds 2 hours)

The problem is that Dinosaur and Estes are very far from everything else and add long (6+ hours) days of driving which results in hotel and food charges, but no real vacationing/experiencing. Consider arriving Denver, and leaving from Las Vegas, or vice versa. That would mean skipping the white water rafting, or doing it in a different place than Dinosaur.

9 h 16 min (408 miles) - ()

9 h 16 min typically

408 miles

via UT-24 W

via unnamed roads

9 h 16 min without traffic

This route has tolls.

Arches National Park Visitor Center

Moab, UT 84532

Head southeast toward Arches Entrance Rd

34 s (161 ft)

2 h 5 min (133 mi)

Turn left onto Arches Entrance Rd

0.8 mi

Turn right onto US-191 N

27.0 mi

Turn left to merge onto I-70 W

32.6 mi

Take exit 149 for UT-24 W toward Hanksville

0.4 mi

Turn left onto UT-24 W

43.8 mi

Turn right to stay on UT-24 W

28.3 mi

2 h 6 min (133 mi)

Capitol Reef National Park

Utah

Head west on UT-24 W

18.7 mi

Turn left onto UT-12 W

44.5 mi

1 h 26 min (63.3 mi)

Lower Calf Creek Falls

Boulder, UT 84716

Head southeast on UT-12 W

14.1 mi

Turn left onto BLM200/Hole in the Rock Rd

12.2 mi

Turn right onto BLM 225

0.3 mi

45 min (26.6 mi)

Devils Garden Parking Area

Escalante, UT 84726

Follow BLM200/Hole in the Rock Rd to UT-12 W

25 min (12.5 mi)

Head northeast on BLM 225 toward BLM200/Hole in the Rock Rd

0.3 mi

Turn left onto BLM200/Hole in the Rock Rd

12.2 mi

Turn left onto UT-12 W

Street View

44 min (38.8 mi)

Follow Kodachrome Rd to BLM500/Skutumpah Rd in Kane County

27 min (9.0 mi)

Turn left onto Kodachrome Rd/Main St

Continue to follow Kodachrome Rd

2.6 mi

Continue onto Cottonwood Canyon Rd

0.3 mi

Slight right onto BLM500/Skutumpah Rd

2.8 mi

Turn right to stay on BLM500/Skutumpah Rd

1.6 mi

Turn left to stay on BLM500/Skutumpah Rd

Destination will be on the right

1.7 mi

1 h 35 min (60.4 mi)

Willis Creek Slot Canyon trailhead

Kanab, UT 84741

Follow BLM500/Skutumpah Rd and Kodachrome Rd to UT-12 W in Cannonville

27 min (9.0 mi)

Head northwest on BLM500/Skutumpah Rd toward Willis Creek Rd

1.7 mi

Turn right to stay on BLM500/Skutumpah Rd

1.6 mi

Turn left to stay on BLM500/Skutumpah Rd

2.8 mi

Slight left onto Cottonwood Canyon Rd

0.3 mi

Continue onto Kodachrome Rd

2.6 mi

Drive

25 min (17.1 mi)

Turn left onto UT-12 W

12.1 mi

Turn left onto UT-63 S

4.9 mi

Turn left

2 min (0.2 mi)

54 min (26.3 mi)

Navajo Loop Trail

Utah 84764

Head northeast

95 ft

16 s (95 ft)

Queens Garden Trail

Utah 84764

Head north toward UT-63

0.2 mi

Turn right onto UT-63

4.9 mi

Turn left onto UT-12 W

13.6 mi

Turn left onto US-89 S

43.1 mi

Slight right

Toll road

0.1 mi

Slight right onto UT-9 W

Toll road

22.7 mi

Turn right onto Floor of the Valley Rd/Zion Canyon Scenic Dr

2.0 mi

1 h 58 min (86.7 mi)

Zion Canyon Scenic Dr

Utah

Head southwest on Floor of the Valley Rd/Zion Canyon Scenic Dr toward Service Rd

Street View

2.0 mi

Turn left onto UT-9 E

Toll road

Destination will be on the right

6.8 mi

23 min (8.8 mi)

Many Pools Trailhead

Zion national park, UT 84767

Head northeast on UT-9 E

Toll road

3.0 mi

Turn left onto E Rim Trail

Destination will be on the left

0.1 mi

9 min (3.1 mi)

East Rim Trailhead, Zion National Park

E Rim Trail, Orderville, UT 84758

Capitol Reef

4 hours of driving. Hike at Grand Wash, and Goosenecks. At Hickman Bridge and Capitol Gorge, just walk around near the parking lot a bit. Capitol Gorge drive is scenic. At Fruita School, just a quick stop, no hike.

Possible day 2, off-road tour:

Hickman Bridge Trail: #1 thing to do according to tripadvisor 1.8 miles 406 feet
Loop

Rando says during the whole of Hickman Bridge Trail it is scenic.

Grand Wash Trail:

looks the best

https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/utah/grand-wash-trail-via-northeast-trailhead

4.8 mi / 341 ft

2 h

https://www.americansouthwest.net/slot_canyons/grand_wash/grandwash1_l.html

"One of two deep but easily-accessed canyons along the scenic drive at the center of Capitol Reef National Park (the other being Capitol Gorge), Grand Wash offers a pleasant, safe introduction to narrow canyon hiking, although even here the NPS post prominent warnings of flash flood danger.

The wash cuts right through the reef, has sheer cliffs of Wingate and Navajo sandstone up to 500 feet high, many colorful strata and eroded rock formations, with a short, enclosed section of the streamway where the walls are less than 15 feet apart and the waters, when flowing, cover all of the canyon floor."

Cassidy arch

Where is gets narrow:

Petroglyphs: The most pristine example of Capitol Reef petroglyphs can be seen 1.5 miles east of the visitor center on Highway 14. The parking turnout is well-marked. It’s just a short walk along the boardwalk to get to the impressive petroglyph panel. You’ll note animals they hunted, as well as human-like figures with elaborate horned headdresses. Additionally, there is another rock art panel in Capitol Gorge, as well as smaller petroglyphs in more remote destinations within the park.

Scenic Byway: "The most logical place to start is the Capitol Reef Scenic Drive, a 25-mile round trip paved road that is lined with pullouts that allow you to stop and take it all in. One highly recommended stop is the Panorama Point/Goosenecks view area, on the park’s west end. From the scenic drive, several nice, short side drives on well-maintained dirt/gravel roads can be negotiated in virtually any vehicle. The first of these, Grand Wash, is sort of like taking a Disneyland ride in your own car. The hike through the Narrows, from the trailhead at the end of the Grand Wash drive, is highly recommended. For more details on this very scenic route, as well as some backcountry drives in the park, see our Scenic Driving Guide." - https://www.visitutah.com/places-to-go/most-visited-parks/capitol-reef/must-see-capitol-reef

escalante

We booked rooms in Tropic, so we are committed to this schedule.

Willis Creek Slot Canyon: This (Skutumpah Road) is an exciting road that has many switchbacks down and up canyon gorges. At 6 miles, there is a small stream that crosses the road and you can park on the right. Follow the water into the canyon. Within 100 feet you are in a narrow canyon. This slot canyon is 2 miles long and ends at Sheep Creek which is a beautiful wider gorge.

At Sheep Creek, there is a small trail to the right that takes you up to some petroglyphs that date back about 800 years.

6 min video:

https://youtu.be/fCf1cFLrqUs?si=YnSJURBPqtGernmR

http://www.zionnational-park.com/grand-staircase-hiking.htm
Day hike: Yes.
Trail Distance: 4 miles/6.4km round trip
Average hiking time: 2 hours round trip
Trail Usage: Skutumpah road is impassible if wet.
Bike Trail: No
Difficulty: Easy
Sun Exposure: Sun and Shade mix.
Permits: no

25 minutes from Bryce Canyon Villas to Willis Creek Slot Canyon Trailhead as per Google Earth.

Devil's Garden: "Hole in the Rock Road, located southeast of Escalante, Utah, has so many amazing hikes, and one that shouldn’t be overlooked is a short side trip to Devil’s Garden.

Devil’s Garden – Grand Staircase/Escalante Hike Details

Distance – 0.5 miles round trip
Approximate hiking time – 30 minutes to one hour
Elevation at Devil’s Garden – 5288 feet
Difficulty – Easy
Trail – Sand
Amount of water recommended – 1 liter
Bathrooms – Yes, located at trailhead
Season to hike – Can be hiked all year long

How to get there:

From Escalante, Utah, take the main road, Highway 12, east through Escalante. The road will head in a southeastern direction. Follow Hwy 12 for five miles, and as the highway makes a left curve, the unpaved Hole in the Rock Road will be on the right side of the road. If you were to go straight instead of take the curve that would turn into Hole in the Rock Road. From Torrey, UT, head south on Hwy 12 for nearly 60 miles. There should be a sign after a curve to the right that says Hole in the Rock Road. Turn left off of Hwy 12 here. From the turnoff onto Hole in the Rock Road would be a good spot to reset your trip odometer to 0. From here you will head southeast on the unpaved Hole in the Rock Road for approximately 12 miles (19 km). Turn right onto a dirt road with a sign for Devil’s Garden. This will take you to the trailhead.

Hitting the Trail!

At the large parking area you’ll follow the trail which will head east. There are two arches in Devil’s Garden. Metate Arch and Mano Arch. Metate is more scenic of the two. " - http://www.yourhikeguide.com/devils-garden-grand-staircaseescalante/

Lower Calf Creek Falls: The lower falls are 130 feet high, with a deep swimming hole underneath them. The entire creek is surrounded by greenery, but particularly underneath the spray of the waterfall. The hike begins in the Calf Creek campground located on Hwy 12, 15 miles east of Escalante. Hikers are charged a day use fee of $5.00 per vehicle. The 6.0 mile round trip hike to the 126 foot lower falls is on a developed trail adjacent to Calf Creek. The hike is moderately difficult due to sandy sections. An interpretive brochure is available at the trailhead. The hike can be hot, especially during summer months, and hikers must carry adequate water. This is a good introductory hike to the Escalante Canyons. "Great family day hike if you are in the area! The trail is easy and the waterfall does not disappoint. The kids loved all of the sites along the way!" "Easy hike, but highly trafficked beautiful waterfall. Gotta jump in as soon as u get there cause you'll cool off quickly." "This hike has a lot to see along the way (pictographs, sheer rock faces), and with pretty much no elevation gain, the mileage goes FAST.

Monday, September 26, 2016

Bryce

Navajo Loop and Queens Garden trail: 2.8 miles 574 feet Loop Hike into the canyon to experience Bryce Canyon's famous hoodoos; the best way to see the amazing hoodoos up close.
This hike is hands down the best way to see the hoodoos of Bryce Canyon. The views from sunrise point and sunset point on the rim area stunning, but you will experience an entirely different Bryce Canyon from the canyon floor while looking up at the hoodoos.

Navajo trail is closed, took horse trail to loop back instead - Jan 2026

Stop at sunrise point and sunset point overlooks via car

bristlecone loop trail Much of it is in the pine forest. Doesn't sound interesting to me. "Hike the highest trail at Bryce Canyon National Park at over 9000 ft, the Bristlecone Loop Trail is an easy and gives an amazing panoramic view of the Grand Escalante Staircase." https://www.nps.gov/brca/planyourvisit/bristleconeloop.htm

Total Distance:	1.0 miles 1.6 km	Climbing:	195 feet 59 m
		Descending:	195 feet 59 m
		Min/Max:	8967/9115 feet 2733/2778 m