Utah in Oct

[scottyb]

I have bombed two years in a row, trying to get reservations at Dead Horse Point SP near Moab. They only have a few sites large enough to accommodate us, and they only allow reservations 4 mo out. I marked it in my calendar and tried to reserve one at 8 AM MDT today, the specified date. It seems that people have already booked all the large sites earlier, for a couple weeks that run through the dates that I need. Same thing happened last year. I guess that's the price for not having flexible dates, but I am trying to fit this trip in around a race in Lake Havasu City, AZ.

My question is, does anyone know of a dynamite camp spot in southern UT? Here are a few of my wishes. All suggestions are appreciated.
1) amazing scenery
2) boonedocking is a possibility
3) some level of privacy or at least some space.
4) Immediate access to 4WD trails
5) close proximity to some of the BIG ATTRACTIONS UT has to offer.

 

[travelin2]

In late April we stayed at a small but adequate RV park in Monticello UT about an hour south of Moab. Moab was hosting a jeep rally and there were no spots to be had plus 4x4 traffic was horrendous. Mountain View RV park on 191 just north of town. Had FHU 's some hwy traffic during the day but quiet at night. Reasonably priced with GS disc't as I recall.


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[MTPockets]

We enjoyed Kodachrome Basin State Park; also the town of Panguitch - Hitch N Post Campground. Almost forgot; Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, ATV's allowed on dunes.

 

[scottyb]

Looks like we will be staying 4 nights at Kodachrome Basin. Planning day trips to Bryce, Capitol Reef, and maybe Grand Staircase. Also booked at Watchman in Zion. Any thoughts or ideas?

We will be stopping overnight in Gallup, NM. A couple questions from there to Kanab, UT.

I-40 to Flagstaff or 264 through Tuba City (64 mi closer)?

89T through Page (I have travelled old 89 in my truck) or 89A to Kanab ( I have been to Lees Ferry but no further)?

 

[TandT]

Scotty,
89 from Flagstaff is still closed just below Page. The preferred alternate route is 89 north to 89A through Lee's Ferry, up over the Kaibab to Jacobs Lake, then continue North to Kanab. It is a beautiful drive.

We just made a run up Cottonwood Canyon Road from 89 to Kodachrome 3 days ago. The road has been recently bladed and graded and is in near perfect condition.
I would venture to say right now you could actually pull you rig up through there instead of going all the way around through Tropic. However, the road south to Kodachrome from 12 is paved all the way up to the state park gate.

When booking a site at Kodachrome, I would try for sites 24 thru 31 for your bigger rig. (the pull thru sites near the road) You may fit in a few others, but some of the loops are a little tight. JMHO

Zion Watchman is a great campground.
You can walk to the shuttle and go anywhere in the park very easily.
Trace

 

[scottyb]

Scotty,
89 from Flagstaff is still closed just below Page. The preferred alternate route is 89A through Lee's Ferry, up over the Kaibab to Jacobs Lake, then continue North to Kanab. It is a beautiful drive.

We just made a run up Cottonwood Canyon Road from 89 to Kodachrome 3 days ago. The road has been recently bladed and graded and is in near perfect condition.
I would venture to say right now you could actually pull you rig up through there instead of going all the way around through Tropic. However, the road south to Kodachrome from 12 is paved all the way up to the state park gate.

When booking a site at Kodachrome, I would try for sites 24 thru 31 for your bigger rig. You may fit in a few others, but some sites in the loops are a little tight. JMHO Trace

The site we selected is suppose to accommodate up to 45'. I think I would rather take 89A and go past Lee's Ferry anyway. If you say it is OK to pull a 5th wheel through there. I checked out Cottonwood Canyon on Google Earth and it looks like a beautiful drive. I think we could spend a month in this area and not see a fraction of everything.

Have you ever driven on 264 from Gallup to Tuba City?

 

[TandT]

Semi's drive 89A daily. It's been the only good choice for almost 2 years, since the slide closed 89 above Lee's Ferry.
No I haven't ever made the drive from Gallup to Tuba city. It could be scenic, but I would guess I40 to 89 would be less stressful.
You could easily spend years and not see everything in the Southern Utah, Arizona strip area.
Just one of dozens of parks and monuments in the area, Grand Staircase alone, is an amazing two million acres of remote drives and hikes. The picture on my sig right now is taken in GSENM. Trace

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[MTPockets]

The site we selected is suppose to accommodate up to 45'. I think I would rather take 89A and go past Lee's Ferry anyway. If you say it is OK to pull a 5th wheel through there. I checked out Cottonwood Canyon on Google Earth and it looks like a beautiful drive. I think we could spend a month in this area and not see a fraction of everything.

Last month we drove from Big Water, UT to Alstrom Point in Grande Escalante with our 4WD DRW. One way about 25 miles. The final few miles was definitely 4wd, but the view from Alstrom Point was phenomenal. Internet comments claim Alstrom Point to be the best view of Lake Powell.

 

[TXBobcat]

If you have a smart phone download Allstays Camp & RV. It shows a number of places to stay Canyonlands seems to have a good review from RV Park Reviews. I stayed a bit north in 2009 because there were a lot of people around Canyonland and Arches National Park. Shady Acres was not bad. Also we went further south to Goulding's Monument Valley RV Park. This is where John Wayne made a number of movies and they have the buildings he slept in and filmed in.

FWIW
BC

1st is Shady Acres
2nd is Gouldings

 

[BobX2]

Looks like we will be staying 4 nights at Kodachrome Basin. Planning day trips to Bryce, Capitol Reef, and maybe Grand Staircase. Also booked at Watchman in Zion. Any thoughts or ideas?

We will be stopping overnight in Gallup, NM. A couple questions from there to Kanab, UT.

I-40 to Flagstaff or 264 through Tuba City (64 mi closer)?

89T through Page (I have travelled old 89 in my truck) or 89A to Kanab ( I have been to Lees Ferry but no further)?

There are some things to go see right in the Kodachrome area. There are several slot canyons as well as Grovesners Arch. If memory serves, the arch is south of Kodachrome, and the slot canyons are a little west. Haven't been down there since 2008, so I can't remember the exact directions. I believe you just continue south past Kodachrome, on the same road, Cottonwood Canyon Rd., to get to the arch. The road to the slot canyons turned off of that same road onto County Rd just south of Cannonville. Willis Creek and Bull Valley Gorge are the slots in the pictures.