My sister and I are planning to fly to Las Vegas and driving to Bryce Canyon, Escalante, Torrey, Moab and then flying home from Salt Lake. We are fitting it into a time that works for us, but now I wonder if we are really too early and could run into snow or road closures?
Our trip is April 17-29. Does anyone have thoughts on that?
Thank you!
Ideal time to visit..weather should be great and crowds not maxed out yet. Bryce will be cooler @7000ft + elevation but snow will not be a problem. Lodging prices go up May 1.
Thank you so much, Brad!
Yay!! I feel much better now. I was starting to image not being able to drive to some of our destinations, and not being able to hike. I didn’t really think that would happen, but I wondered if it was a possibility. I won’t give that another thought!
We did a road trip from Minnesota through the Badlands, part of Colorado and Wyoming, down to Moab, Bluff and Santa Fe and then home thru Kansas and Nebraska this past spring: April 20th - May 10th. Santa Fe is at 7,000 or so feet and there were no issues with snow/ice. While Bryce is a bit higher, almost all of their facilities open end of March/early April. I wouldn't 100% discount the chance of a rare snowfall but chances are much less than more.
https://www.nps.gov/brca/planyourvisit/weather.htm
https://www.visitbrycecanyon.com/lodging/the-lodge-at-bryce-canyon/
Other accommodations can be found at Bryce Canyon City, just a little down the road. It's not a city; just a cluster of hotels.
Moab and the two area National Parks will be busy (!) and you'll need timed-entry reservations to enter Arches between 7:00 and 4:00. https://www.nps.gov/arch/planyourvisit/timed-entry-pilot.htm. That area was very busy when we were there April 23 thru the 27th; get up and out as early as possible. We didn't do Arches this last time as we'd covered it in multiple previous trips but Canyonlands - other than a great new (for us) hike that most people bypass - was busier than we'd experienced before.
Torrey is a nice wee town, and there's really good hiking in Capitol Reef; you may run into some Scenic Drive construction complications though. Will cross fingers that at least most of it will be open during your visit!
https://www.nps.gov/care/planyourvisit/scenic-drive-rehabilitation-project.htm
Best place for supper (IMHO) is an outdoor table at casual Rim Rock Patio (not Rim Rock Restaurant) near sunset.
The drive from Escalante on 12 to Torrey is just ridiculously scenic - rated as one of the top scenic drives in the US - but watch for free-range livestock, and don't drive it at night, OK? Make a stop at Kiva Koffeehouse near Escalante for a cuppa Joe, potty stop and maybe a sandwich. Maybe it'll be warm enough to enjoy it on their patio-with-a view. :O)
Thank you so much for all the great information, Kathy!
I do have my time tickets to get into arches national Park, and I have reservations all booked. I didn’t realize you could stay in Bryce Canyon. I checked and they were all booked up, but I’m just down the road so it will be fine. Thank you for your tips of Restaurant and coffee! I sure hope the roads are open so we can enjoy that route with the views. Keep my fingers crossed on that one! I’m glad to hear that snow will not be a problem! I love all the info… much appreciated!
A typo in my last post: that scenic drive from Escalante to Torrey is on Hwy 12, not 25.
Any other questions you might have about most of your destinations (we didn't stay in Escalante), fire away. Can't promise I'll have an answer but I'll try!
When I went to those places in April several years ago there was snow at Bryce but it was not terribly cold and the snow enhanced the landscape. There were some hikes that were risky because of the snow but I wasn't hiking any way so it didn't affect my stay there. I didn't encounter snow anywhere else on that trip. I liked going in April because it was so much less crowded.
Since there are no restaurants in Arches, we had a small, soft sided cooler and took a picnic each day. Sweet Cravings Bistro and Bakery has yummy sandwiches and salads that you can order online a day ahead of time. We picked up order in the morning and headed in to the park. I can also recommend Quesadilla Mobilla food truck for delicious (and huge) quesadillas. In hindsight, we should have split one between the two of us. Check the hours that they will be open. Thai Bella is another great dining option if you like that type of cuisine. It was busy when we were there; not sure if they take reservations. If you plan to do the hike to Delicate Arch, (well worth it) I would suggest doing that first thing in the morning, as there is no shade along the way. We were there in late April, and it quite hot by the end of the hike. Enjoy your trip!
Thank you Nancy and Travelbug!! More great info!
