Southern Utah RV parks

[kopy kat]

We will be traveling from northern Utah (Logan area) in May 2015 and want to see as much as possible of the canyons in Southern Utah...but I'm confused as to where to "base" our 32' fifth wheel - I'm thinking Springdale to start, and I'm told it's easy to drive through the park to the
other locations with just our truck...but I really need advice on RV parks in other areas that I will need to move the fifth wheel to to see the eastern part of the state...I hoping some of you seasoned travelers or local residents can point me in the right direction...I plan on spending at least 8-10 days (newly retired and footloose) in the southern part of the state.

Thanks in advance,
Larry


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[Evo2700]

We have stayed in Zion national park a few times. The park is really nice, but they only have water and electric at each site. There is a dump station at the entrance though. The only bad thing about Zion is that there seems to be a lot of international travelers who rent the class C motorhomes and have no campsite manners. I have seen them dump their grey in the middle of the site and leave their trash all over. But the park and the surrounding area are amazing!

I have heard really good things about the Zion River Resort, but have never stayed there.

We have also stayed at Big Rock Candy Mountain Resort, which is about 2 hours from Springdale. That place was alot of fun! They have ATV trails, rafting, a ropes course, and bike trails. The cell service is shotty up there, if that is something that's important to you.

Hope this helps.

[f5moab]

For the eastern part of the state, Canyonlands and Arches, there are quite a few parks in or just outside of Moab. From Moab to Canyonlands (Island in the Sky District) it is about 30 miles, to Arches about six miles (that's from the city of Moab).
Easy to drive trucks through any of these locations.
Don't forget Dead Horse Point State Park too if you want to see some canyons; might be more spectacular than Canyonlands, just not as large.
I lived there for six years, so I never really camped in any commericial parks. I did a lot of dispersed camping in the area with my popup...

Great website for the Moab area and places to see and camp...

City of Moab's Official Tourism Website - Get up-to-date vacation planning information from the only official source for the city of Moab.

[frozen]

Kopy Kat--southern Utah is a great destination. As park volunteers, my wife and I have spent a lot of time there and enjoy the diverse scenery. Zion N.P.is spectacular, but very busy during spring/summer. Camping in the park is--well, okay. As Evo2700 said, Zion River Resort is very nice and full service, but outside the park; not inexpensive. Camping inside the park at Bryce Canyon N.P. is pleasant--wooded. A great alternative is Kodachrome Basin State Park outside of Cannonville. It's a quiet, scenic, park with a few full hook-up sites (wise to reserve), and several nice hikes within the park and many others nearby. Check out Willis Creek slot canyon online.
State highway 12 from Bryce Canyon N.P. to Torrey, UT and Capital Reef N.P. is outstanding although there's a short stretch called the Hogback which might frighten some. Good paved road all the way, and suitable for any size rig. Be sure to stop at each scenic pull-out on Boulder Mt. There are U.S. Forest Service campgrounds along the way. Camping at Fruita Campground in Capital Reef N.P. is well-shaded in cottonwoods. Deer are often in the cg. There are also nice commercial cg's in Torrey. Then Hwy. 24 from Torrey to Hanksville. From Hanksville, the shortest route to Moab is north on 24 to I-70 with Goblin Valley S.P. and its strange rock formations (camping there) along the way. A longer alternative (and my choice) with outstanding canyon scenery is Hwy. 95 to Blanding. For a unique camping experience stop at Hite in Glen Canyon Nat. Rec. Area, but don't expect hookups. Camp spots are wherever you stop along the shore of Lake Powell, and primitive. In some cases there aren't real roads along the shore, but it's solid and I've been there with a large 5th wheel several times. At Moab several commercial, state and federal cg's are available. A spectacular, very much in demand campground is Devil's Garden within Arches N.P. Sites are nestled among the rocks with great views of the Manti La Salle Mts. in the distance. It's at the end of the road several miles inside the park. Don't just drive in assuming a site will be available: check at the Visitor's Center upon entering the park. Leaving Moab, if going north, Hwy. 128 follows the Colorado River through a beautiful red rock canyon and is a preferable alternative to Hwy 191. Too much info? This is my short version.

[f5moab]

You forgot Canyonlands NP (Island in the Sky District)




And Deadhorse Point State Park

[kopy kat]

thanks for all the info--we're really looking forward to this trip!

Larry