Utah suggestions

[Jeremy Roussak]

I'll be making a trip to the US in March, arriving into LA and leaving from Las Vegas 10 days later. I want to get to Arches and Canyonlands  (I've not been to eastern parts of Utah before) and also to Death Valley. Other than arrival and departure, my plans are pretty inchoate at the moment, but I'm musing on flying from LA to Salt Lake City and then driving to Moab: a quick glance suggests that's the easiest and quickest way of getting there. I'll then drive across to DV.

Any comments? I'm particularly interested in suggestions for the intervening places. Should I just bomb down from SLC to Moab, or is there an interesting reason to break that journey? What would be good places to see on the drive back west?

I'll be in DV at full moon, which will be an opportunity I hope I can grasp.

Any thoughts would be welcome.

Jeremy

[David Eckels]

SLC to Moab via US 6 is about 4 h. If you go south via I-15 and then pick up I-70, you can get awfully close to Zion, Bryce, and the Reef areas. Sounds like fun!

[sierraman]

I'd keep your plans and go into the Moab area. Arches and CanyonLands offer unlimited photo opportunities. Also in the area is Dead Horse Point State Park which is another fun place to visit. You can hit Bryce Canyon and drive through Zion on your way to Vegas. Valley of Fire State Park could also be a stop as it is just north of the Las Vegas area. I just got back from the Moab area and I spent one night at Bryce.

[Jeremy Roussak]

I'd keep your plans and go into the Moab area. Arches and CanyonLands offer unlimited photo opportunities. Also in the area is Dead Horse Point State Park which is another fun place to visit. You can hit Bryce Canyon and drive through Zion on your way to Vegas. Valley of Fire State Park could also be a stop as it is just north of the Las Vegas area. I just got back from the Moab area and I spent one night at Bryce.

That's a pretty shot. My last visit to Bryce was ruined by a storm, and I'm keen to go back. The lodge will be closed, though: is there anywhere in particular that's good to stay close to the park?

Nobody has suggested anything between SLC and Moab, I note.

Jeremy

[Johnny_Johnson]

Ruby's Inn just outside the entrance has nice facilities. Don't know if they're open in the winter though.

Later,
Johnny

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

... Nobody has suggested anything between SLC and Moab, I note.

There are a couple of state parks along the way, but you already have a rather ambitious and widespread plan for such a short visit. You'd have Arches, Capitol Reef, Bryce, and Zion National Parks in a single line from Moab to Las Vegas. Canyonlands would be a detour. My general advice is to try to limit the number of places and stay longer in each of them, exploring various viewpoints and times of day.

[sierraman]

Ruby's Inn just outside the entrance has nice facilities. Don't know if they're open in the winter though.

Later,
Johnny

Ruby's is open during the winter. We stayed at The Grand Hotel right across the street from Ruby's. Great rates there this time of year. 

[Johnny_Johnson]

If you have a few extra hours while in SLC you might consider visiting Temple Square - beautiful architecture and landscaping plus extra friendly tour guides.

Later,
Johnny

[Jeremy Roussak]

There are a couple of state parks along the way, but you already have a rather ambitious and widespread plan for such a short visit. You'd have Arches, Capitol Reef, Bryce, and Zion National Parks in a single line from Moab to Las Vegas. Canyonlands would be a detour. My general advice is to try to limit the number of places and stay longer in each of them, exploring various viewpoints and times of day.

I'm sure you're right. I think I'll aim to get from LA to Moab in a day, spend say three days based in Moab going out to Arches and Canyonlands, then drive to Bryce for a couple of nights, then to DV for the last three. I have the option of breaking the drive from Bryce to DV, which I recall is quite a hike.

Anybody have any suggestions for places to stay in / near Moab?

Jeremy

[sierraman]

We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express. It's at the north end of town so you don't have to drive all the way through town and you can get to Arches in just a matter of minutes. Great rates in all of Moab at the time you are going. Hit the Moab Brewery at least once for lunch/dinner. 

[PeterAit]

In Boulder, Utah, there is a side road that takes you to a gorgeous slot canyon. Ask locally for the details. There is also a most excellent cafe called the Hell's Backbone Grill - one does not expect to find such a great eatery in this place!

[David Eckels]

Anybody have any suggestions for places to stay in / near Moab?

Red Cliffs Lodge

...plus extra friendly tour guides.

How delightfully devious

[Lonnie Utah]

Driving over the boulders from Bryce to Capitol Reef could be a bit of a crapshoot in March. Highway 12 tops out at over 9000' on that stretch of highway.  One good Utah snowstorm and it could be a very long and very sketchy drive.

[Lonnie Utah]

We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express. It's at the north end of town so you don't have to drive all the way through town and you can get to Arches in just a matter of minutes. Great rates in all of Moab at the time you are going. Hit the Moab Brewery at least once for lunch/dinner.  

Last time I dove by there, the wife and I witnessed them throwing out mattresses by the bunches. We both looked at each other and almost at the same time said, "Bedbugs". Now why they threw them out, we don't really know. However, I do know that Moab has had several hotels that have become "infested" with them recently.

http://bedbugregistry.com/location/UT/

Also rather than flying from Los Angles to SLC, why not fly to Grand Junction, Co. It's a much quicker and easier drive.

[sierraman]

Last time I dove by there, the wife and I witnessed them throwing out mattresses by the bunches. We both looked at each other and almost at the same time said, "Bedbugs". Now why they threw them out, we don't really know. However, I do know that Moab has had several hotels that have become "infested" with them recently.

http://bedbugregistry.com/location/UT/

Also rather than flying from Los Angles to SLC, why not fly to Grand Junction, Co. It's a much quicker and easier drive.

No "Bedbugs", they were in the process of a re-model. Hotel was super-clean.  

[Jeremy Roussak]

Also rather than flying from Los Angles to SLC, why not fly to Grand Junction, Co. It's a much quicker and easier drive.

Thanks for the suggestion but there don't appear to be any direct flights, and routing via Phoenix is both more expensive and adds a couple of hours to the journey.

Jeremy

[Jeremy Roussak]

Driving over the boulders from Bryce to Capitol Reef could be a bit of a crapshoot in March. Highway 12 tops out at over 9000' on that stretch of highway.  One good Utah snowstorm and it could be a very long and very sketchy drive.

What's the drive along UT-20 to I-15 likely to be like, and is there an alternative?

I've left myself an overnight stop somewhere between Bryce and DV. Any suggestions?

Jeremy

[Lonnie Utah]

What's the drive along UT-20 to I-15 likely to be like, and is there an alternative?

I'm not really sure what you are asking, or what your starting and final destinations might be. I've driven most of the main roads in that part of the world.  Give me a little more info and I'll gladly help.

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

... I've left myself an overnight stop somewhere between Bryce and DV. Any suggestions?

Not sure if you are looking for a place just to spend the night, or you'd have enough time to explore a bit? You have Zion National Park and Valley of Fire State Park. "Overnight stop" wouldn't be enough for Zion, other than a cursory glance.

[Peter McLennan]

I've left myself an overnight stop somewhere between Bryce and DV. Any suggestions?
Jeremy

Pahrump, NV.  It's about 350 miles from Bryce, not including any stops at Zion along the way.  Pahrump has several large hotels and restaurants priced well below those in Vegas and positions you perfectly for a hour-long run morning in to Death Valley with the sun at your back.  Leave before dawn.