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06-29-2018, 08:06 PM
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#21
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Cedar Creek Lake, TX
Posts: 3,477
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Four Corners is an interesting stop with native American crafts and such, BUT it is not a destination. Nothing much there. I highly recommend Arches, Canyonland, and Dead Horse. Mesa Verde is a must see!
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Cedar Creek Lake, Texas
2019 Keystone Loredo 290SRL
2019 Ram 2500 4x4 Cummins crew cab
Andersen hitch
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06-30-2018, 12:56 PM
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#22
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Dripping Springs, TX
Posts: 101
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Advice for Southern Utah
We also recently spent some time at Zion, St George and Hurricane. The one thing we almost always do is check in with the Visitor's Center as the first stop. They have so much info on trails and other aspects of the area its hard to beat. They always head us to the correct spot for hiking etc. Have a safe and great trip!
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DrippingDuo
Chappy and Liz
Dripping Springs, TX
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07-10-2018, 07:27 AM
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#23
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jammer 16
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Joplin, Mo
Posts: 101
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Southern Utah
We’re just leaving the area you’re interested in. We stayed at Ruby Inn Campground in Bryce Canyon City just outside the park. Best and closest place to stay. Kid friendly. Large sites. Visitors center is fantastic. Tour buses traverse the park on and off and it’s free. Great walking trails on the rim of the canyon.fill up in panguiich utah for a savings of 30 cents a gallon. Zion Park is about an hour or so away. Big rigs can’t traverse the park so you’ll have to go to the west side and take a car through the park. We stayed at willow wind in Hurricane ut. It was also a fantastic park. Using it as a base you can visit your Zion an Cedar Breaks NPs. This is desert country so keep your fuel at least at 1/2 tank..it’s cool at night last night was 51 here but warms up into the 80+ during the days. The NP Campgrounds usually have no hookups. The prongs and. Cattle roam freely so a watchful eye is a must. If your schedule permits while coming here a stay over at Ballard’s CG in Thompson Utah on I 70: is a place to stop the campground is clean and is close to some artifacts to see. The owner will give you directions. GPS s have a little trouble so have maps as a backups. Most campgrounds out here aren’t paved and are dusty so get ready for that. The Rangers at theses NP have a lot of programs directed for kids as well as adults. Good luck.
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2016 windjammer model 3025
2015 Ram 2500 Longhorn Diesel
Traveled 9200 miles in 2015 camping 68 nights
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07-10-2018, 10:20 AM
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#24
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Hills of Northwestern PA
Posts: 2,284
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IF you do go north to Mount Rushmore, stop in Custer State Park, wild animals and buffalo herds, oh, my! I have a cousin in St George UT. First time out, traveled I-70 across, 2nd time I-80 to hit Rushmore with our Grandson. Still pass too close to Chicago! Last trip was where we decided getting an RV would be a smart choice vice hotels
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2019 Cherokee Wolf Pup 16BHS flipped axle, 5K springs, 400AH LiFePO4, 3K inverter, 200W CIGS solar
2019 Ford F-150 S-Crew 5.5 bed V8 w/tow package, ITBC, Tow Mirrors, 3.55, SumoSprings, 7000# GVWR, 1990#CC
Husky Centerline TS WDH 400-600# spring bars
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08-18-2018, 07:03 AM
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#25
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 375
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We went to Zion and Bryce last month. It was amazing. I highly recommend Watchman in Zion. If we ever go back I am staying there. If you can't get into Bryce, stay at Red Canyon in the Dixie National Forest. It was very pretty and just 20 minutes or less to Bryce.
Hiking. There are a few trails in Bryce I think kids can do easily. Zion is a little more challenging. I have 3 kids. My youngest is 17. They have hiked and backpacked since they were 3 to 4 years old here in the Smokies. My youngest went on a 3 day backpack trip with me when he was 5. We hiked to Mt. LeConte on the TN side of the park then across the Boulevard Trail to the Appalachian Trail and spent two nights on the AT. My point is kids can do almost any trail you can do. It takes patience and planning. Remember small kids heat up quickly and get cold quickly. They have more surface area to internal body core so when out west get each kid a camel back and put electrolyte tablets like nuunz or endurolyte fizz for them.
We hiked the Narrows , That garden trail and hidden valley in Zion. Kolob Canyon was closed due to road work. On July 12 there was a huge storm dumping like 4 inches of rain in a hour or something. The Virgin River flooded 15 feet above flood stage. There were massive mud slides and the tunnel filled 4-5 feet of mud stranding motorist over night in the tunnel and the trail to Angels landing had massive sections just wash out . We stayed there on July 16. Mud was every where. I suggest if you can go in June before the moonsoon season starts do it.
My kids loved Zion a lot. We spent one day walking the dry Creek bed on the east side of the tunnel. There are numerous slot canyons to explore and the walking was easier than the Narrows and the river.
We did the Grand Canyon. It's pretty but honestly if I ever go back it would be to raft it. That's it. We did hike into it on a day hike. It was fun but hands down Zion and Bryce we enjoyed more. If we go back out west, southern Utah is our destination.
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Bob, Tonya and the kids
11 Rockwood Roo 233S
08 Grady White Seafarer 228
08 Tundra 5.7 liter 4x4 crew cab TRD limited
08 Toyota limited 4 Runner Iforce V8 full time 4WD, tow package
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08-21-2018, 09:06 PM
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#26
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Clovis CA
Posts: 566
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Pretty much any RV park will do if you have a Toad. We did southern UT and got "close" to everything, and only looked for full hookups. For us the RV park wasn't the destination.
That said, Bryce is "OK" but if you want to experience the trip I'd start with Moab for shopping, Arches, Canyonlands, specifically to do the Shaffer switchbacks and a run out to Whitecrack. If you still have things to see and do, check out "newspaper rock" and "hole in the wall". Get over to Monument Valley or Valley of the Gods, or both. One is on the "rez" the other is not. If you can get to Cameron, there is probably the best trading post around. The visitor center is also located in Cameron for back country permits. The Navajo people are the friendliest people you will ever meet and are very happy to provide information about the area. I and my wife absolutely love southern UT.
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2014 Georgetown 378 XL
2022 Aprilia Tuareg
2005 Jeep Wrangler "Toad"
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10-17-2018, 09:03 PM
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#27
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,114
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so looking at some southern Utah spots to visit end of Oct. first of Nov. Looks like Kodachrome Basin is a must see. Can't make reservations, less than 14 days. Will we have a problem getting a site in the park?
Or which commercial RV park would anyone suggest? Thinking we'll snag a spot for a night and then see if we can get into a site inside the park.
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10-18-2018, 07:31 AM
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#28
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Payson, AZ
Posts: 3,862
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commercial - try rubys rv park at bryce canyon. i'm not local so i can't say whether you can get a place at kodachrome, but based upon the time of year i think the attendance would be down. just be aware that you could experienced freezing nights and possibly snow. there is also a state campground at red canyon just outside bryce.
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2015 cardinal model 3825fl
2015 dodge ram 3500 dually
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10-18-2018, 11:23 AM
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#29
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,114
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CHICKDOE
commercial - try rubys rv park at bryce canyon. i'm not local so i can't say whether you can get a place at kodachrome, but based upon the time of year i think the attendance would be down. just be aware that you could experienced freezing nights and possibly snow. there is also a state campground at red canyon just outside bryce.
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I've stayed at Ruby's before, it was fine, even had some snow but want to do other this time. Bryce is real pretty but you have to do some hiking and we couldn't take the dog, not allowed on hiking trails (dumb). Now she's too old to go anyway and can stay back at the trailer and sleep (that's about all she does) and we can explore for a few hours without her.
I went ahead and made a one night reservation at Zion Canyon Campground, then we'll scout and see if we can get in where we want. Typically we don't make any reservations on these trips due to time of year but I want to at least know where I'll be the first night. I know I can find spots in commercial campgrounds or most likely anywhere midweek.
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10-18-2018, 02:39 PM
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#30
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Site Team
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Goodyear, Arizona
Posts: 33,607
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nayther
Bryce is real pretty but you have to do some hiking and we couldn't take the dog, not allowed on hiking trails (dumb).
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I don't know of any National Park that allows dogs on hiking trails. Some allow them on fire roads.
Don't think it's dumb and I've owned dogs.
Caused by too many irresponsible owners that have ruined it for everyone else.
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Dan-Retired California Firefighter/EMT
Shawn-Musician/Entrepreneur/Wine Expert
and Zoe the Wonder Dog(R.I.P.)
2016 PrimeTime TracerAIR 255, pushing a 2014 Ford F150 SCREW XTR 4x4 3.5 Ecoboost w/Max Tow Package
4pt Equal-i-zer WDH and 1828lbs of payload capacity
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10-18-2018, 10:46 PM
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#31
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Logan, UT
Posts: 20
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Just a thought. I agree with most everything here but the timing is everything when going to So. Utah. The very best time would be April / May timing. Once you get into June - Aug the heat is unbearable. So be sure to hit it in spring or fall would be best or else take lots of sunscreen and large brim hats.
We did Moab (Canyonlands and Arches) in May and it was perfect! Stayed at the Moab Valley RV Resort and Campground. They had the most shade and were very clean and friendly with a nice pool.
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10-19-2018, 11:16 AM
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#32
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: California
Posts: 7,616
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Going to be in Kodachrome tomorrow. In Capitol Reef right now. I can report back how full it is.
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10-22-2018, 08:50 AM
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#33
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,114
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Quote:
Originally Posted by babock
Going to be in Kodachrome tomorrow. In Capitol Reef right now. I can report back how full it is.
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Anxious for your report, heading that way next weekend.
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10-22-2018, 11:28 AM
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#34
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: California
Posts: 7,616
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Last night there were many spots. Friday and Saturday was pretty crowded but that may be due to the fall holiday for kids in Utah which occurs during the first few weeks in October. If you arrive in a Sunday, you should not have an issue.
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10-23-2018, 12:47 PM
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#35
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: California
Posts: 7,616
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New report. Last night all full. Only a few first come first serve this morning. My wife says you can reserve up to two days in advance of arrival date. I would check availability online ASAP.
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10-24-2018, 10:59 AM
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#36
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,114
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Quote:
Originally Posted by babock
New report. Last night all full. Only a few first come first serve this morning. My wife says you can reserve up to two days in advance of arrival date. I would check availability online ASAP.
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Thanks, yes I was able to make reservations for next week. Guess I was on the national parks site where 14 day minimum showed up. I don't like reserving, would rather wander and discover but oh well.
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