Utah

Are you flying in/out? In where/out where, lol?

I haven't stayed in Escalante or Torrey in a long time but giving those areas a full day is good. I've enjoyed Capitol Reef although walking in washes got tedious, haha. What are your plans from Escalante?

Moab for 4 nights/3 days is good. Make sure you are up to date on the timed reservations to enter Arches.

When are you going?

Have you been to Zion before and that is why you are skipping (and really it is SO busy now!).

We are now planning for October. Yes, we have done Zion, Grand Canyon, Sedona and Page. We are flying into Las Vegas and out of Salt Lake with a night in each of those areas as well.

What do you mean "walking in washes" ?

Ok, so maybe our days allotted is good?

Ok, that is good to know!

On this link to Capitol Reef NP, the picture on the hiking section shows a group standing in a wash. It's a dry sandy trail that can be underwater during summer rain storms. I do not think this will be a problem in October but if the Visitor Center is open and staffed then you might want to stop and talk with the Rangers about your plans.

https://www.nps.gov/care/planyourvisit/things2do.htm

The trail surface in a wash is very sandy and last time I went it had been very dry so it was like slogging thru sand dunes although it was flat...if that makes sense?

I think your time sounds good. There is always more to see in Utah, lol.

Thank you, Pam!

Your itinerary sounds fine. I've spent time in all of those locations and there is a lot to do in or around each of them. Please be aware that many beautiful sites in the Escalante area are accessible only from dirt roads (such as Hole in the Rock Road) and then hiking. So, your rental car should not have low clearance. An SUV is probably fine but pay attention to the weather and check on road conditions. I assume that you'll stop in Boulder on the scenic drive from Escalante to Torrey in order to eat at Hell's Backbone Grill. The Cathedral Valley road in Capitol Reef is also unpaved but there are nice trails from paved roads as well. Moab is a very busy tourist town, much more so than the others. If you wish to avoid the crowds after seeing Arches and Island in the Sky, you could move to Monticello to better access the Needles District of Canyonlands, Hovenweap (long drive), or Butler Wash (dirt road access only). There is a lifetime worth of options in Southern Utah and you will no doubt have plenty to see in the beautiful locations you've chosen.

Thank you Salty Bay!

Yikes! I had no idea we needed a SUV with clearance. I'm actually not sure how comfortable we would be going a bit "off road"? Should we bypass Escalante in that case?

Thanks for the info!

We did 8 nights for Utah’s Mighty Five last May. Here is my trip report. We thought it was just the right amount of time as we are not big hikers.

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/beyond-europe/utah-s-mighty-5

Thanks Tammy! I enjoyed your trip report!

A lot of the sites around Escalante are accessed from the Hole in the Rock Road. That road is unpaved and can be washboard bumpy but typically does not require high clearance in good weather. However, several popular trailheads are accessed from spur roads off of the Hole in the Rock Road that can be rougher and you would definitely feel more comfortable with an SUV rather than a sedan or coupe. There are beautiful things to access from the pavement such as the short hike to Calf Creek Falls. You can call the Escalante Grand Staircase National Monument visitor center in Escalante for more detailed information on the roads and associated trailheads. As an alternative to staying in Escalante, you could stay in Boulder Utah from which you could also access Calf Creek as well as some trailheads along the Burr Trail Road (mostly paved).

I have a good friend in LA who loves scenery and hiking. Last year it finally worked out for us to meet there and drive to Utah for his first visit there. We were only able to allocate 5 nights to our trip in the last week of October. Joel's in his 60's but is in great condition (runs for an hour most mornings and bikes most places because of miserable traffic and parking). My hiking days are pretty much over, but Zion's my favorite place in the world, and I am content with easy hikes and lots of wonderful scenery. Over the years I've hiked in all the NP's and most of the SP's in Utah.

We left LA early on Day 1, stayed in Hurricane for cheap, easy access to Zion. On Day 2 we spent a few hours in Zion, then drove back to I-15 to Kolob Canyons for more stunning scenery and a short hike. Then we drove to Moab for 2 nights. A good bit of the drive was in darkness, but it was all interstate. We did lose our internet connection (GPS and World Series scores :-) quite a bit. We stayed on the main road, convenient but not much else. Be sure to make entry reservations for Arches every day. Ours was for 8-9 am. We arrived a few minutes before 9 and there was already a longish line of cars waiting for the next entry time. Since it was the end of the season, we had no trouble finding parking all of our stops and the toilets, though spartan, were clean. We spent one entire day there and Joel was able to do the main hike - it took him about an hour longer than planned because he got lost more than once. He wanted to do the sunset hike to Delicate Arch but was dissuaded because of the likelihood of some rain (it had rained off and on during the day) especially on the slickrock and he didn't bring hiking shoes. Unlike the other NP's in Utah, you'll spend virtually all your time miles from the Visitor's Center, so get all your information (and maps!) first thing. And be sure to have plenty of food and water with you. 4 nights in Moab sounds like a lot to me unless you are planning to spend a day in Canyonlands.

On Day 4, we left Moab early and drove to Capital Reef for a brief visit (a lot of the roads in the park were closed) and continued on to Bryce for 2 nights, giving us one full (freezing but dry) day in the park. We did the scenic overlook drive and Joel did some hiking along the rim. After lunch at the Lodge (lovely setting, good buffet) Joel did a hike down through the hoodoos. We stayed for sunset to end our single day. I would recommend your spending 2 full days in Bryce. Joel's impression of Bryce "The Grand Canyon is just a hole in the ground in comparison." On Day 5 we left early to drive into Zion from the east - one of the most scenic ways to see Zion with the sun at our back. Joel did a short hike (1 hr) and then we stopped in Springfield for lunch before heading home.

Are you driving from home? Your itinerary suggests a one-way route, but I figure you'll do a loop. Where you can, it's worth it to take the slower, scenic roads. You don't lose that much time (except for stops for photos).

Thank you Chan!

My sister and I will both be flying into Las Vegas and out of Salt Lake. I'm coming from California and she from Florida. So, we won't be looping back around.

When in October did you go? I'm hoping for good weather! We were supposed to leave April 16 but I have torn my hamstring pretty bad. So, I had to cancel because I'm having trouble walking right now, and I'm suppose to leave for Europe the first of June for a hiking trip in Switzerland and bike the Danube. YIKES!!! Now I wonder if I'll even be able to keep that trip!!

So sorry to hear of your injury, Susan. I wish you a speedy recovery. Be diligent with physical therapy (pain, though it is - pun intended).

The trip with Joel was the last week in October. In the past, I visited those areas at least twice over Thanksgiving week and had better weather!!