Southern Utah Wrap-Up

This trip was different than most others we've taken. First we brought our dogs along as we couldn't find a pet sitter. We quickly discovered National Parks are not dog friendly. While State Parks generally are an improvement, the best are National Forest facilities. Secondly, southern Utah is crammed with so much to see and do, that once arriving into the area we didn't have to do much driving to reach our next destination. The interactive map below shows where we:

• Camped
• Hiked
• Took Scenic Drives
• Stopped for Attractions

 

Favorites

Utah State Hwy 12

Utah State Hwy 12 Utah State Hwy 12 is a destination in and of itself. Not only can you find many attractions, such as, National Forests, Utah State Parks, and National Parks along this highway, the scenery alone is well worth the adventure. We plan to return and explore more fully.

Red Canyon UT

Red Canyon UT What's there not to like about this place? It certainly ticks all of our boxes: Outstanding scenery Inexpensive campground with showers Great hiking trails Friendly helpful staff Dog friendly We'll be back (said in my best Arnie voice).

Capitol Reef National Park

Capitol Reef National Park Although not dog friendly, this uncrowded national park has spectacular scenery.  Next time, we plan to rent a 4x4 to check out the back roads.

Dead Horse Point State Park

Dead Horse Point State Park Despite the unattractive name of this park, it offers views of the Colorado River canyons that are only rivaled by Grand Canyon National Park. Plus it's dog friendly and has only about one tenth the number of people visiting.

Kodachrome Basin State Park

Kodachrome Basin State Park This state park lives up to its name with multicolored rocks in strange formations. It also has a great campground with showers. Plus, it's dog friendly. Next time, we plan to leave the dogs at home so we can take longer hikes.

Ancient Bristlecone Forest

Ancient Bristlecone Forest Although we've visited the ancient Bristlecones before,  it's still mind blowing to try to fathom just how long these trees have lived. The trails are great and this National Forest is lightly visited especially when compared to nearby Yosemite National Park.

Unexpected Pleasures

Kiva Koffee House

Kiva Koffee House We probably would have skipped Kiva if it weren't for a volunteer at Red Canyon insisting we make this stop. She was right. Wonderful views, coffee, with intriguing books and local arts for sale. We'd certainly stop here again.

Burr Trail Grill

Burr Trail Grill We had heard rumors of a famous chef now running a small restaurant somewhere along Hwy 12, but didn't exactly where it was. This is the place. Great food and the word is out. People from around the world flock to this place. It must be listed in every European guide book. Try an off time to avoid long waits for a table.

Tonopah and the Mizpah Hotel

Tonopah and the Mizpah Hotel To be honest, we were first put off by Tonopah thinking it was yet another washed up mining town in Nevada. Much to our amazement, it's just the opposite was and in fact Tonopah is booming again with new discoveries of gold and rare earth metals nearby. We would come back and eat at the Mizpah Hotel in a heart beat.

Disappointments & Be Awares

Goblin Valley State Park

Goblin Valley State Park Unfortunately, I was really looking forward to this stop. Although the scenery of Goblin Valley is well worth the stop, the campground is small and dusty. Most disappointing of all is many visitors show a shocking disrespect for these ancient land forms. You'd think the rangers would be more careful about protecting these land forms after negative national coverage of some idiot of a boy scout leader toppled a goblin or two... but they don't.

Arches National Park

Arches National Park Don't get me wrong, Arches has spectacular scenery and is well worth visiting. The weather was dreary on the Sunday we visited and the park was literally crawling with visitors. Next time we hope to get better weather on an off season weekday.

Snowy Mountain Passes

Snowy Mountain Passes  We do realize traveling during shoulder season (spring and fall) we run the risk of encountering bad weather. Despite all the beautiful days we had, we did cross a number of high mountain passes during late season snow storms. At high altitudes, snow can hit just about any day of the year.

 Best Resources

Southern Utah AAA Map Like many parts of the American west, connectivity is spotty at best. Cell coverage can be found only within a few miles of a town. WiFi coverage is limited to certain businesses in larger towns. Consequently, old fashioned paper resouces come in handy. This AAA map gives great detailed coverage of Southern Utah. However it did fail to list the elevation of Boulder Pass where we got hit by a snowstorm.  AAA members can get unlimited maps for around $55/year.

Hiking the Southwest's Canyon Country With over 350 hikes listed in Southern Utah. this book is great to bring. No matter if you're looking for just a day hike or a major trek, you'll be able to find a trail to your liking in this book. It gives excellent directions, descriptions, and maps for each hike. Available online at Amazon.

Moon Utah Camping: The Complete Guide to Tent and RV Camping Another excellent book in the Moon Outdoors series. Even though we might not always exactly agree with their ratings, if a particular campground gets a "Best" notice, it's a guarrentteed winner. Available online at Amazon.