Solo Road trip to South Utah. Everything you need to know about my 3 favorite places.
A few weeks ago
my Brother-In-Law went on a solo road trip to Southern Utah. With no solid plans, he asked if I had ideas of where to go and what to see.
The following fire hose spray of information was based on my excitement about possibly my favorite place on earth. I can't help myself when it comes to daydreaming about Moab and the surrounding National Parks.
Hopefully, the email I sent him inspires you and gives you no excuses about leaving for your own road trip.
-Isaac
Hey Man,
Here is a loose list of what I think are the best spots in Moab and a few others in Southern Utah. It's the places I dream about all day and what I plan to see when I go back.
Moab:
Camping spots:
-The Colorado River northeast of Moab about 8 miles on HWY 128. They are my go to spots when I visit, mostly because being on the water means I can go swimming instead of showering at the Aquatic Center in Moab. The best sites are Hal Canyon and Oak Grove. The campgrounds are BLM and first come first serve, so get there before dark to get a spot (Get there at 11 am checkout in April and May or you won't find a spot)
-Sand Flats Rec area has some really neat camp spots hidden in sandstone nooks. The best spots are about 5 miles from the gate after you hit the dirt road (d loop or E loop I think) They are BLM and first come first serve, so again get there early for the good spots
-Kayne Creek Canyon west of Moab is a rad spot to camp. It's usually quieter than the other camp areas. There are many sites up there that are really cool along the creek. It is also a great drive on a dirt road.
-Arches or Deadhorse state park campground.I would not recommend staying in these campgrounds. They are more civilized and heavily trafficked. The Canyonlands campgrounds seem better but I have never stayed there. I tend to choose the primitive campgrounds when I can, they seem more immersive in the landscape.
Sights:
-Canyonlands Islands in the Sky district is a must see. The other districts are great, but this one is spectacular and the easiest to access. Drive to it on the Potash Rd from Moab. It's a dirt road with some minor washouts. It's almost easy enough for a sedan to drive, but you might be more comfortable in a 4x4. This road connects with the Schafer trail, which is 7 switchbacks up the canyon rim. So epic. Not scary or exposed. Get a map of the area as you might not have cell service and you don’t want to get lost. *This is true for everything you do in Moab.
Go to the Green River overlook for sunset. The Mesa Arch and the Grand View overlooks are a must see as well. This whole park is epic, but these three are the highlights.
-Arches NP is a great day trip. Hike to delicate arch (I think 3 miles round trip), the North and south window arch loop, and the short walk to Sand dune Arch. These are the highlights to me, but all of Arches really is worth exploring. If you have a 4x4 and more time head out to Tower Arch. It's rarely visited compared the rest of the park.
-The Corona Arch. This hike is about 3 miles and goes to a huge arch. The arch is on BLM land and will be less crowded than most hikes in Arches NP. It is west of Moab and on the back way to Canyon Lands NP on the Potash RD. Good for a hike on the way out to Canyonlands.
Ok, now the best thing to do in Moab.
-Ride a Mountain bike down the porcupine rim trail. It is by far the best thing to do. The trail has many lengths and different names for each length. I've only ridden the shortest length called Porcupine Rim starting at UPS (Upper Porcupine Single Track).
The other sections are longer and called LPS and The Whole Enchilada. The section I've ridden several times is 14 miles of about 90% downhill. It is the best mountain bike trail ever (have I said that already?). I would ride this trail every day if I could.
You can get a bike rental, shuttle, and guide at Moab Cyclery. If you just want to rent a bike and find a person who will ride with you I’d recommend Bike Fiend. They are super friendly and will give you all the info you need and help you with a shuttle service. I wouldn’t recommend you ride this alone, but finding someone to ride with on the shuttle is super easy if you don’t want a guide service.
RoadsTo Drive:
-Potash Road to Schafer Trail Road is amazing as I mentioned. It winds along the colorado river and ends up in Canyonlands NP. Along the way, you will find the trailhead for Corona Arch, pass the azure blue Potash ponds, and climb through canyons.
-Castle Valley Road to Sand Flats Road. You will need a map for this one. This road has all the sights you can see in Moab in about a 3 hour drive. We did it in Meg's old Toyota Corolla car, so any car can make it. It is dirt roads and sometimes bumpy. Start in Moab and then head east on HWY 128 along the Colorado river. Turn right on to the La Salle loop road into the castle Valley. This area looks like a mini Monument Valley. Then continue up that road into the Lasalle Mtns. Turn right onto road 4634 and that will turn not road 0067 and eventually Sand Flats Road. You will be heading back to Moab. Basically a giant loop. Really hard to get lost here as the Lasalle mountains are always in view and there is only one large mountain range within sight of the Moab area.
Capital Reef:
Camping spots:
-Fruita CG. The campground is good. There is an old farm house that the park service sells fresh pies out of made from the fruit trees in the park. Very scenic.
-Cathedral Valley CG: There is a campground above the cathedral valley. Small but not many people make it out there. Amazing drive with epic one of a kind scenery.
Sights:
-Fruita: This place is amazing. One of my favorite spots in the southwest. Used to be a Mormon settlement and is now a National Park. Fruit orchards and old buildings in a canyon. Feels very old west. Get the fresh pies too.
-The Grand Wash: A cool hike along a dry river bed. You can hike as little or a much as you want and will get a great canon walk experience. Recommended.
-The Temple of the Sun and the Cathedral Valley: We drove out here and it took about 3 hrs. This is an amazing spot that not many people drive out to. You will need a higher clearance vehicle (4x4 not needed). The views are incredible and there is a great campground out at the top of the valley. Love this place.
Roads:
-Cathedral Valley Road is epic. You can come back another route to create a loop that will lead you to a minor river crossing (12” deep). Fun and about a full day if you don’t stay out there. You can rent a Jeep in town (Torrey UT) from several locations.
Zion:
Camping spots:
Any CG you can get: There are a few in and out of the park. We camped out of the park the last visit and it was good but I would try something else next time.
Sights:
-Shuttle: You have to take a shuttle into the park. This is good as you can just watch the sights go by. They also have a guided audio tour playing so you can follow along with what you are seeing. I prefer this over driving through a crowded park.
-Angels Landing: Get off the shuttle here for the trail and hike up. Towards the top there is a bit of exposure, but nothing that you can’t turn around from or just hold onto the chain and keep going. The views are amazing and the hike is super unique. There are carved switchbacks in the stone to create the trail up there.
-The Narrows: This trail goes up the river in about knee deep water. It is cold but not bad. bring water shoes or prepare to get yours wet. There are 10-40 walking sticks leaning against the canyon wall at the entrance. Hikers have found these walking sticks and leave them here for others to navigate the water. I've hiked a few miles and it keeps going in there. It is a 700-foot deep canyon to the rim that gets more and more beautiful as you go further in.
Roads:
-The Mount Carmel HWY. Drive up a through a tunnel and beautiful switchbacks.
That's it man! I hope you have a great time!
Let me know if you have questions.
Isaac
