Utah Canyonlands experience Anyone

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Utah Canyonlands experience Anyone

Postby paradza » Sat 11 Oct, 2014 10:17 am

Utah Canyonlands experience Anyone

I'm heading out to Utah Canyon Country in mid November. After a work conference in las vegas. Investigating the best use of my time. done some fairly strenuous bushwalks here (eg. K2K in a day), so looking to cover some milage. Just prior to said conference doing the Narrows in Zion. then post, have 6 full days of joy on the Colorado Plateau.
So thinking of the Grand Staircase Escalante region, and or Paria Canyon. At that time of the year weather can play a part. and the rivers can get cold, not taking ropes. so some limitations.

Anyway, anyone with any experiences of the region. Obviously have checked out the blogs and have books and maps.

Any thoughts, help welcome?
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Re: Utah Canyonlands experience Anyone

Postby lorrainey100 » Wed 29 Oct, 2014 11:51 pm

I hope you have a wet suit for the Narrows in Zion for that time of the year? If it isn't snowing, the most efficient route is Zion, Bryce Canyon, Grand Staircase Escalante but you need a 4WD after 13 miles in and it is another 70 miles one way on really rough roads, Route 12 scenic route, Capitol Reef NP, Glen Canyon, Natural Bridges NM, Arches NP then 10 miles down the road is Canyonlands. Each national park and national monument is spectacular and magnificent in their own way. I did that route in one week, camping in the national parks and getting up early in the morning and hiking all day in each of the national parks and national monument 100-200 miles apart from each other. It is just absolutely spectacular! Added pictures below, pictures were taken in November last year just before it snowed heavily.

If you don't have a 4WD you can enter Canyonlands after Moab and Arches NP. This route is more accessible and there is a circular drive to each lookout point overlooking the Green River and other canyons. There are about 2-3 short walks on the Island in the Sky. Other entrances and parts to Canyonlands then you need a 4WD or sand dune buggy vehicles(not sure what they are called?) which can be hired in Moab but these may be inaccessible in November.

Just up the road is Arches National Park where you can spend a week or more walking around the place looking at rock arches. I believe there are about 2000 arches in the park, some not so accessible. Nearly everyone I met in the Utah national parks said this was their favourite.
Last edited by lorrainey100 on Thu 30 Oct, 2014 10:32 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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Re: Utah Canyonlands experience Anyone

Postby lorrainey100 » Thu 30 Oct, 2014 4:33 pm

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Island in the Sky, Canyonlands 1
aasmlDSC02173.jpg (119.99 KiB) Viewed 12075 times
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Re: Utah Canyonlands experience Anyone

Postby lorrainey100 » Thu 30 Oct, 2014 4:35 pm

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Island in the Sky, Canyonlands 2
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Re: Utah Canyonlands experience Anyone

Postby lorrainey100 » Thu 30 Oct, 2014 4:37 pm

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View of Green River, Island in the Sky, Canyonlands 3
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Re: Utah Canyonlands experience Anyone

Postby FootTrack » Thu 30 Oct, 2014 4:39 pm

Cool shots lorrainey100. Very spectacular! Looks like the rain is fairly dumping in that first photo :D
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Re: Utah Canyonlands experience Anyone

Postby lorrainey100 » Thu 30 Oct, 2014 5:42 pm

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Grand Staircase Escalante unfortunately I did not have a 4WD to get there
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Re: Utah Canyonlands experience Anyone

Postby paradza » Wed 17 Dec, 2014 5:22 pm

Thanks Lorrainey,

Yes it is a fantastic part of the world.

Was able to do 'The Narrows' over night in Zion NP.
then Buckskip Gulch Paria Canyon in Vermillion Cliffs. (See trip report)
And went up to Grand Stair Case Escallante, along the Hole in the Rock Road. Looks like where you were. Coyote Wash Gulch - Some amazing Narrows
Temps dropped dramatically in the G-S. So only day hiked.

While i didnt have a 4WD, had the next best thing....A hire Car. Fortunately no rain.

http://paradzamusing.blogspot.com.au/
http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=3038359
http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=3036348
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