Suggestions Please! Utah - Zion and Bryce

[Tellsnow]

Hi all - I'll be road tripping from SoCal to Utah later this week in my Shadow Black Basesquatch. My brother just took delivery of his Ford Maverick Tremor in Texas and we'll be meeting up in Zion to explore the park, do some camping, and a bit of trail riding.

I've seen some pretty amazing trip journals and was hoping I could get a few suggestions for some cool, less popular campgrounds (BLM) and even trails go check out in/around Zion and Bryce.

I appreciate it!

-A

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[Broncotrax]

Hi all - I'll be road tripping from SoCal to Utah later this week in my Shadow Black Basesquatch. My brother just took delivery of his Ford Maverick Tremor in Texas and we'll be meeting up in Zion to explore the park, do some camping, and a bit of trail riding.

I've seen some pretty amazing trip journals and was hoping I could get a few suggestions for some cool, less popular campgrounds (BLM) and even trails go check out in/around Zion and Bryce.

I appreciate it!

-A

Zion is highly restricted. If you want trails and camping, try Hurricane , Moab, and Knab Utah. No trail riding in Brice or Zion.

 

[OddBall88]

Check out Toquerville Falls. It’s like 20 minutes from Zion. It’s a fairly easy trail and the waterfall is pretty cool.

 

[indio22]

Zion is highly restricted. If you want trails and camping, try Hurricane , Moab, and Knab Utah. No trail riding in Brice or Zion.

Also reservations (former bane of Broncoland) have become a thing in some parks. Yeah, you have to make a reservation to get into certain parks, or into certain areas within parks. Soon you'll have to log a reservation to take a dump.

Anyway, look into that, in case you show up and are denied entry to some park you are visiting. Saw unhappy people turned away from Rocky Mountain National Park when I was there.

 

[Tellsnow]

Zion is highly restricted. If you want trails and camping, try Hurricane , Moab, and Knab Utah. No trail riding in Brice or Zion.

We definitely missed out on the camp grounds reservations in the park, but are totally fine finding something outside of the park. We'll be doing the day before lottery to try and hike Angels Landing (I've never been/done it), but not getting my hopes up. Got lucky with a Mount Whitney permit last summer which was awesome.

Appreciate the suggestions - I know there are a ton of trails in the areas you mentioned, so I'll take a look.

 

[Tellsnow]

Check out Toquerville Falls. It’s like 20 minutes from Zion. It’s a fairly easy trail and the waterfall is pretty cool.

Awesome, thanks! I'll check this out. Fairly easy and close both sound great

 

[BigFootie]

Check out Sand Hollow near Hurricane UT. Lots of trails there.

 

[Tellsnow]

Also reservations (former bane of Broncoland) have become a thing in some parks. Yeah, you have to make a reservation to get into certain parks, or into certain areas within parks. Soon you'll have to log a reservation to take a dump.

Anyway, look into that, in case you show up and are denied entry to some park you are visiting. Saw unhappy people turned away from Rocky Mountain National Park when I was there.

No kidding. Reservations are serious these days with the crowds. We got lucky in Yosemite at the end of April the day before they closed the park due to flooding. Nobody showed up after the park put out the news of closing for a few days, so we got the park to ourselves (it felt that way at least). Was pretty cool. Happened to be when we got engaged too, so that helped my nerves

 

[Tellsnow]

Check out Sand Hollow near Hurricane UT. Lots of trails there.

I'll do that, thanks! Appreciate the suggestion.

 

[BigFootie]

Most of the parks allow early entry without a reservation. Also, there typically is a pool of reservations that can be had the night before for the next day. Easiest way is just go early and avoid the lines to get in.

 

[bsmith922]

I stayed near Bryce Canyon last summer (2022) in an AirBnB, so I don't have any campground recommendations, but I do have some other suggestions...

Definitely visit Bryce and not just Zion. It's almost like looking at another planet. There were no restrictions at the actual National Park at Bryce last summer, so hopefully it's still that way.

Willis Creek Slot Canyon is not too far from Tropic, UT, which is pretty much the closest city to Bryce Canyon. The drive to the trailhead is a pretty well-maintained dirt road, but it's still fun in the Bronco. The slot canyon is pretty cool to walk through.
https://www.earthtrekkers.com/hiking-willis-creek-slot-canyon-escalante/

(If you need to stop for a meal in Tropic, UT, Showdowns is a great choice.)

Hope you have a great trip!

 

[Tellsnow]

Most of the parks allow early entry without a reservation. Also, there typically is a pool of reservations that can be had the night before for the next day. Easiest way is just go early and avoid the lines to get in.

Thanks, good advice. Early start is definitely our plan and we'll be trying for a few specific hike reservations that they do a lottery for the day before. The websites for both Bryce and Zion say that most areas/entering the park don't require permits, but I'll continue to research and make sure that's still a thing.

 

[Tellsnow]

I stayed near Bryce Canyon last summer (2022) in an AirBnB, so I don't have any campground recommendations, but I do have some other suggestions...

Definitely visit Bryce and not just Zion. It's almost like looking at another planet. There were no restrictions at the actual National Park at Bryce last summer, so hopefully it's still that way.

Willis Creek Slot Canyon is not too far from Tropic, UT, which is pretty much the closest city to Bryce Canyon. The drive to the trailhead is a pretty well-maintained dirt road, but it's still fun in the Bronco. The slot canyon is pretty cool to walk through.
https://www.earthtrekkers.com/hiking-willis-creek-slot-canyon-escalante/

(If you need to stop for a meal in Tropic, UT, Showdowns is a great choice.)

Hope you have a great trip!

Amazing photos! Appreciate you sharing them and the info. Like you mentioned, everyone I've talked to says Bryce isn't to be missed so we'll definitely be headed there. Willis Creek Slot Canyon is now on the list, looks awesome. I'll update this with our pics afterwards.

 

[RHeinz]

Drive through Zion from the east entrance. Beautiful drive. Perhaps the traffic jams have subsided since school has started. If you can get up to ”The Narrows”, DO IT!! We did the “top down hike into the narrows and Zion in the early 70’s. IMO, one of the most beautiful areas I have ever seen.

Take North Kolob Terrace Road out of Virgin, Utah. It is a beautiful drive that will get you up into the aspens at around 9000’. Appeared to me that there were many boondocking camping spots and a lot of Forrest service roads. A terrific view down on Zion Canyon from Lava Point.

EDIT: The drive through Zion from the east entrance to Springdale is on a State Highway. No reservations or permits are required. The viewpoint prior to entering the tunnel (requiring a short hike) is nothing short of spectacular. The tunnel gets bogged down since some of the larger SUV’s require it to be one way at times.

 

[woodysfj40]

If you plan anything around Sand Hollow, hit up the Sand Hollow Trails FB Group. Pretty easy to find yourself over your head at SH and then on Matt's Youtube channel There are a bunch of maps for there too, the ONLY one that I consider accurate is CartoTracks. (I helped with mapping, so I know it's accurate) The others are all crowdsourced, so only as good as the loose nut behind the wheel. SH requires a vehicle flag. Access via the state park is fee, enter at the water tanks for free. Even a run to the Top of the World via the sand would be fun.

Honeymoon Trail is great. Toquerville Falls is great. There is a forest road that enters around Veyo (stop for pie) and ends up in New Harmony. Gunlock Falls is spectacular when it's flowing. Check out the Dinosaur Tracks in Warner Valley. Hike Kanarra Falls (reservation). Hike thru Zion and up the Narrows. Hike Angels Landing (reservation).

Zion will require a national park pass.

Have dinner at Balcony 1 in Virgin. Tell George and Cindy that woody sent you

Have lunch at Oscars in Springdale.

If you don't get pie in Veyo, there is more pie at Mt Carmel Junction. Pro tip: get the pie.

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