Capitol Reef / Grand Staircase

Grumpaw

Well-Known Member
First Name
Steve
Joined
Jul 1, 2021
Threads
70
Messages
4,279
Reaction score
20,024
Location
Fishersville, Va.
Vehicle(s)
2021 Ranger Lariat Sport Supercab
Occupation
Navy Vet., Retired Police Sgt.
I like the 4th photo....looks like an electric truck that pooped out and was waiting for a charge station to be built.
But, nice photos. We have been to almost all the parks out west. If you haven't been yet, Teton is a must see...probably the most scenic park for just out n out scenery.
Sponsored

 

dtech

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 10, 2020
Threads
33
Messages
2,363
Reaction score
5,235
Location
colorado
Vehicle(s)
Ranger Lariat FX4, chromed and forever damperless
Best time to go to either Bryce Canyon or Zion is Feb. A lot less crowded, and you get beautiful weather.
IMG_5136.jpg
IMG_5047.jpg
Have pics from visiting parks in the 80s, Zion and Grand Canyon amongst them, pics of hiking the narrows trail till one couldn't go further. Hiked the grand canyon, bright angel down kaibab up in a day, almost killing the wife from dehydration as it was in July.
Bout 4 yrs back took a return visit to those parks in early March - thinking it wouldn't be crowded, couldn't been more wrong, Zion in particular cars parked on both sides of most roads, people snowshoeing trails in Grand Canyon.
Backpacked for decades just to get away from the crowds as to me the outdoors = solitude. But people are everywhere now. But thanks for the tip. Going camping this weekend over by Dolores, CO, I'm 70 but still use a tent as the sight of all these RVs is depressing (have many friends with them, but to me it's not camping) .
Sh*t is going to hit the fan in yrs ahead as money tightens, energy prices and inflation high, decline in housing prices in many areas, false prosperity fueled by irrational fiscal policy. Happily retired.
 

Tracy Bowman

Well-Known Member
First Name
Tracy
Joined
Apr 11, 2019
Threads
25
Messages
5,159
Reaction score
26,201
Location
Alabama
Vehicle(s)
2013 Hyundai Accent, 2001 Ford F-150, 2019 Ford Ranger FX4 Saber Lariat
We just returned home after 11 days out in canyon country South Central Utah. We decided when we planned this trip to leave our little Burro travel trailer at home and take the easy route with airbnb. The Burro is almost 40 years old and I would be worried we would either rattle the whole fiberglass body off the frame or break something trying to get it out into a quiet location. Our daughter has autism and we need pretty specific sleeping conditions to make a camping trip work and generally campgrounds don't work. It's either away from everything and everyone or in a house that is quiet and we can control the environment.

We did however take the Ranger which allowed us to get away from the crowds and see some country that most just passing through miss. I have wanted to explore this part of Utah for awhile and it certainly didn't disappoint. My wife tells me that it makes her stomach hurt when I start planning the next trip while we are still on the vacation! About a decade ago we also decided to concentrate our vacations on one or two locations and really try to explore the area instead of moving around every day or two. We still ended up putting 4300 miles on the Ranger but allot of that was just getting from N. Illinois to the desert.

I was surprised with how well the topper I built packed up, plenty of room for everything and my brothers Snowmaster fridge fit perfect in the drawer I built quick before we left.

IMG_20220527_123905.jpg

(Iowan Casey's plug and lunch break)

We spent 5 days around Capitol Reef:
IMG_20220529_091232.jpg

(Capitol Gorge)
IMG_20220529_112613.jpg

(Burr Trail)

IMG_20220531_093810.jpg


IMG_20220531_102748.jpg


IMG_20220531_123640.jpg


IMG_20220531_141848.jpg

(Cathedral Valley)

And then spent 3 days in Escalante:

IMG_20220603_091942.jpg

(Grovsener Arch)
IMG_20220603_095609.jpg

(Cottonwood Canyon Rd)
IMG_20220604_084637.jpg

(Kodachrome State Park)


We have spent limited time in Utah so we wanted to see some of the main park features, we also spent a day driving and visiting Cedar Breaks and Bryce Canyon (which was horribly busy). When we return in the future we will spend more time out in BLM and Forest Service land. We found a few areas that were incredibly beautiful and we were the only people around. We will also hopefully be pulling an off-road trailer that I am still trying to figure out how to build out. Fabricating the truck topper (and it surviving the miles of rocky, washboarded, dusty roads we travelled) has given me the confidence that I can build a small off-road camper that suits our needs. It's just a matter of finding the platform and figuring out the layout.
Chris, these pics look like postcards! Absolutely beautiful! :inlove: :turkey: :turkey: :turkey:
 

Mighty Little Blue

Well-Known Member
First Name
Jeff
Joined
Jul 11, 2021
Threads
8
Messages
77
Reaction score
175
Location
Wisconsin Rapids, WI / Philippines
Vehicle(s)
2021 Velocity Blue Supercab FX4
Occupation
Printer
Vehicle Showcase
1
Have pics from visiting parks in the 80s, Zion and Grand Canyon amongst them, pics of hiking the narrows trail till one couldn't go further. Hiked the grand canyon, bright angel down kaibab up in a day, almost killing the wife from dehydration as it was in July.
Bout 4 yrs back took a return visit to those parks in early March - thinking it wouldn't be crowded, couldn't been more wrong, Zion in particular cars parked on both sides of most roads, people snowshoeing trails in Grand Canyon.
Backpacked for decades just to get away from the crowds as to me the outdoors = solitude. But people are everywhere now. But thanks for the tip. Going camping this weekend over by Dolores, CO, I'm 70 but still use a tent as the sight of all these RVs is depressing (have many friends with them, but to me it's not camping) .
Sh*t is going to hit the fan in yrs ahead as money tightens, energy prices and inflation high, decline in housing prices in many areas, false prosperity fueled by irrational fiscal policy. Happily retired.
There is still cars on both sides of the road in Zion, but at least you can drive into the park. You have to start early and begin at the Narrows then work back through the park. We could not do the Narrows walk. I have tried twice and there was flash flood warnings both times I was there in the winter for up coming storms. I still want to do that someday soon. The Bryce Canyon shot was the next day. We got in early before they closed the road to the top. Almost had the park to our selves only a couple of other cars there. Heading back to Zion the back way could not even see the road snow was so heavy. The back entrance to Zion was closed. That is a really nice drive and usually less crowded the front side.
 

dtech

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 10, 2020
Threads
33
Messages
2,363
Reaction score
5,235
Location
colorado
Vehicle(s)
Ranger Lariat FX4, chromed and forever damperless
There is still cars on both sides of the road in Zion, but at least you can drive into the park. You have to start early and begin at the Narrows then work back through the park. We could not do the Narrows walk. I have tried twice and there was flash flood warnings both times I was there in the winter for up coming storms. I still want to do that someday soon. The Bryce Canyon shot was the next day. We got in early before they closed the road to the top. Almost had the park to our selves only a couple of other cars there. Heading back to Zion the back way could not even see the road snow was so heavy. The back entrance to Zion was closed. That is a really nice drive and usually less crowded the front side.
2nd most visited park in the system, it's truly a beautiful and unique place with a variety of geographical features, it and glacier rank as the top parks I've visited, glad to see our forefathers had the vision to set aside these places. The park service does an outstanding job dealing with the increase in visitors, they are habitually underfunded but IIRC did get some billions a few yrs back to make improvements. As far as flash floods there have been some wicked ones at Zion in recent yrs.
 

philanderer

Well-Known Member
First Name
Phil
Joined
Feb 7, 2022
Threads
12
Messages
1,087
Reaction score
5,817
Location
land of oz
Vehicle(s)
'22 ford ranger
If you thought Bryce Canyon was busy - multiple that by 5 and you have Zion. So glad to have visited so many n'tl parks out West in the 80s. , was able to do stuff without making a reservation or taking a shuttle bus .
ive visited se utah numerous times, and always preferred the canyonlands park area. not nearly as crowded. but you have to be willing to get off the pavement to truly experience the beauty and scenery. the needles section has some amazing hikes. a few pics from the chesler park loop hike in needles. better be in reasonably good shape, though. i was 60 when i did it 2 years ago and it just about killed me.
1654867015559.png

1654867049219.png

1654867099103.png
Sponsored

 

Similar threads

 



Top