My husband and I just returned from a blitz tour of Southwestern Utah, guzzling in as many sites as we could in a 6 day 5 night road trip bonanza. And boy did we get our money’s worth! Crowds are sparse this time of year in the parks out west, which makes it perfect for the hiker and the outdoorsman that is looking for the solitude and adventure.
The downside for many is that it was pretty chilly. I don’t know that it broke freezing while we were there. BUT, with some extra base layers and heavy cache of hand warmers, we were more than comfortable.
We went to Capitol Reef National Park first, which is 1.5 hrs away from any sizable town. Literally in the middle of nowhere. We did the Rim Hike to the top of the plateau (~1000ft climb, yikes). This pic is from the canyon floor.
Capitol Reef National Park
Some snow blew in late in the day, which made me super uptight because we had a little jeep with no 4WD. So we booked it back to the hotel before more snow fell. In typical husband fashion, Mike wasn’t worried at all. We did make it safely back to Richfield, but not without a couple white-knuckle moments for me. (So sue me: I’m a worrier)
Second day we went to Bryce Canyon NP, which is known for its hoodoos. It was like a martian landscape. This is a Photo Sphere Mike took from our Queens Garden hike down into the hoodoos of Bryce Canyon! He posted it to Google Maps so that you could get the 360 experience rather than a flat image. Pretty cool huh?
Bryce Canyon Photosphere
We went stargazing one night. You could see the Milky Way with the naked eye. I was able to capture the star trails using my iPhone. The picture sucks, but I think its pretty cool the phone can capture enough light to even show the stars! Maybe Mike will clean up his “good” pictures soon and I can switch this crappy picture out for one of his fancy ones!
Taken with NightCap Pro
Day three we went to Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park. The winds howl through this valley at a sustained 50 mph with gusts upwards of 70mph! I tried to climb to the top of this 100 ft dune, but about half way up I lost my footing from the wind and had to turn back. Mike, on the other hand, made it to the top. For the record, the wind was strong enough to knock him off kilter too, but he didn’t fall over.
Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park
Last day we explored Zion Canyon, which is just beautiful.
Zion National Park – The Watchman
We did a 6 mile hike up The Narrows, which is a slot canyon created by the Virgin River. The cliffs were 1000 feet high and the canyon as narrow as 10 feet in some places. More than 70% of the hike was in the river itself.
We found a local outfitter that rented us dry suits and neoprene socks for the river hike. It was one of the coolest things I think I’ve ever done! We didn’t get cold at all (except when we sat still for lunch). The river was typically ankle to waist deep. And we were exceptionally cautious when we were in the river to not lose our footing. Here is the view in the slot canyon!
Zion National Park – The Narrows
There were lots of other neat pictures to share. And I’ll share this last one of a dessert shrub at sunset. I got a macro lens for my iPhone for Christmas and this is what it can do!
Random Tip: If you are doing a NP circuit, its worthwhile to get the $80 annual pass. Zion Canyon NP is $30/day/vehicle. Bryce was $10. So you’ll save money if you have the annual pass, which is also good for National Forests.
DO:
Capitol Reef National Park Torrey, UT
Bryce Canyon National Park Panguitch, UT
Zion National Park Springdale, UT
Narrows Hike. Rent gear from the Zion Adventure Company. Reserve the gear at least the day before – earlier during peak season. In the winter, the dry suit keeps you comfortable despite freezing air temperatures.
Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park Kanab, UT
The Taylors Travel 