Arches-Torrey-??

[Scarecrow]

I'm planning to attend Torrey this May. I want to leave early and camp in Arches National Park. Can anyone recommend: a good campsite there? good hikes? I want to make reservations at the campground to play it safe, but I have no idea which campsite to go for. I'm not expecting much in the way of shade, but would like to be near a water source. It looks like (from the map) that sites exist near the end of a long road and near a trailhead leading to lots of hikes. Anyone been there? Any recommendations?

 

I'll probably stay there 3-4 days and then head to Torrey. After Torrey, head down to Page because a co-worker mentioned Antelope Canyon being a particularly nice spot. Any recommendations for Page/Antelope Canyon?

 

May stop at Zion on the way home, but not sure yet.

 

I'd appreciate any advice you'd care to share.

 

TIA,

[Bob Palin]

Can't help you with the camping, the ride from Torrey to Page will be down UT12 which is heaven. Be aware that you have to make reservations with an authorized guide to visit Antelope Canyon (see http://www.navajonationparks.org/htm/antelopecanyon.htm)

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

Arches:

 

I believe there is only one campground in the Park. IIRC there are flush toilets and water within the campground and plenty of little walks from there. It's been a number of years since my parents (annually) dragged me through the park (not that I was complaining.) You really can't go wrong with any of the hikes or walks. The whole place is awesome, especially around sunset. If you can get in on a walk through the Firey Furnace, do it, you will not regret it. Bring good walking shoes/light boots. It's either sandy, rocky, or slickrock. Other than water at developed places, I don't recall ANY, but I was always there in the summer.

[keithb]

Sorry I cannot help you with the camping at Arches (I stayed in a motel) but make sure you ride hwy. 313 to Dead Horse Point in Canyonlands. The road is fantastic and the views from D.H. Point are just awesome. You will love Arches N.P. I spent a day or so there and it is just beautiful. If you have time I would totally recommend going south from Arches to Monument Valley. You would not be sorry for going there and Page would be on the way to Torrey so to speak (Arches, Monument Valley, Page, Torrey). You would end up doing a big circle. The last 125 miles would be on Hwy. 12 to Torrey which is a fantastic ride.

[Bheckel169]

+1 on Deadhorse. Very nice campgrounds, plenty of water and toilet facilities are very good and the views are spectacular.

Deadhorse is literally only a few miles away from the entrance to Arches once you get back on the highway.

Bruce

[Twisties]

Some thoughts:

 

Arches is beautiful. Go there. The hike to Delicate Arch is easy, but worth it. However, Arches is more of a drive around and get out at each point of interest sort of park than a hiking park. The hikers go to the Needles District of Canyonlands, if they want to be in a National Park. Needles is truly first rate hiking. I haven't camped there in several years, but the campground is great too. Paved access to most trailheads. Deadhorse Point is spectacular, so +1 on that, however, I believe it is a State Park.

 

Other great hikes in the area are mostly on the west side of the Green. These will require a dual sport, or you can probably hitch a ride in and out, but are some of the absolute best hikes in Utah:

 

Little Wild Horse and Bell Canyons

 

Wildhorse Canyon Couldn't find a link, has ten thousand year old charcoal drawings. I can give you verbal directions. PM me with a phone number if you want them.

 

Horseshoe Canyon

 

Some other Options to the South:

 

Fish and Owl Creek

 

This is usually done as a back pack, but I have done a day hike in and out. The spillway down into one of the creeks is spectacular (you'll have to inquire as to which one).

 

This one is south of Torrey, and has paved access:

 

Calf Creek

 

There are also great hikes in Capital Reefs, right there at Torrey.

[Twisties]

Fish and Owl Creek

 

This is usually done as a back pack, but I have done a day hike in and out.

 

Just to clarify, I do mean completing the loop as a day hike. I just mean going in for a few hours, and returning the way I came when I felt like it.

 

Also, a point about these hikes: If it is raining, even in the distance, don't enter the canyon.

[Scarecrow]

Thank you for the link to Antelope Canyon. The site mentions Upper Antelope Canyon, Lower Antelope Canyon, Waterholes Canyon. . . Also a 2 hour limit for photos at Upper and a 4 hour limit at Lower. What time of day is best? Recommendations on Upper or Lower?

 

I will plan to make reservations. The hard part is figuring out how much time to spend in the various areas.

 

Thank you one and all for the help and ideas. I still obviously have a lot of planning to do.

[TonyS]

The Arches campground fills up early. That park is very popular with the foreign tourists; the sign in front of the check-in kiosk is in both English and German. Other camping options are in the upper Canyonlands National Park. After you've ridden to the Horsehoe State Park for the gander at the canyon, continue on to the end of the road at Grand View where you get a great view of the region where the Colorado and Green Rivers meet (you won't actually see the confluence). There is a campground at the Green River overlook. At least ride out there for the view, and the inspiration to come back on a GS or KLR. Another campground is a brand new camping area just before the little visitors' center for Canyonlands. The rangers in the center will tell you exactly how to get there. It will require you to ride a couple of miles of graded level gravel road. Both of these campgrounds are at about 6000 ft. so it won't be quite as hot as at Arches or Moab. My daughter and I stayed ther last spring. The place is too new to be on most campground maps. There are also campgrounds along the Colorado River on Highway 128 just east of Moab. A friend and I rode out there in May of 2006 after a brief visit to the Torrey. It was 102 degrees and windy so we stayed in a motel. Note that by 4:00 PM that day every room in Moab was booked.

[Bob Palin]

Thank you for the link to Antelope Canyon. The site mentions Upper Antelope Canyon, Lower Antelope Canyon, Waterholes Canyon. . . Also a 2 hour limit for photos at Upper and a 4 hour limit at Lower. What time of day is best? Recommendations on Upper or Lower?

I've never been to either so I can't really say, I think people go in the middle of the day because that is when the sun shines down into the canyons, probably best to call and ask. You could also ask on TripAdvisor.com, they have lots of info like this.

[Warren_H]

Killer is right one of the few times & places that mid-day is the best time for photos. Upper and Lower Antelope are very different being that they are so close together. Water leaves UA and turns into a wide sandy river. water enter LA through a slot in the sandstone that you can straddle. You walk into and through UA, you climb down ladders to enter LA and several ladders wood and aluminum in the canyon as you climb down there is no perceptible elevation change in UA.

 

A tripod is a must & cable/electronic release.

Experiment with loooong exposures 20-30 seconds - the people who walk through your pictures will disappear. To capture the rays of light throw a handful of sand into the light.

 

These shots are all from UA taken in May around noon. LA is more about detail. They'll let you stay longer, ask what the "fee" is to stay longer. Try the Indian fry bread with honey.

 

 

 

 

[Twisties]

Wow! Those look great.

[Scarecrow]

And Thank You again for the replies and for the great pictures. Sounds like it can get pretty hot in Arches even in mid-May. Looks like I have a lot of planning to do now. Which roads do I take to get to Horseshoe Park?

[Twisties]

There is Deadhorse Point State Park, the Horseshoe Canyon Unit of Canyonlands NP, and Little Wildhorse Canyon, and Wildhorse Canyon that have been mentioned in this thread, so I'm not sure which you are asking about.

 

I left links to some of these.

 

TonyS uses the term "Horseshoe Park", but based on his context he probably means Deadhorse Point State Park. Here is the park's WEBSITE

 

I just found this website with some great pics...

 

Canyonlands Pics

 

Best,

 

Jan

[TonyS]

You're right, I meant Deadhorse Point instead of Horseshoe. Probably a subliminal reference to the shape of the canyon. Either name, well worth the ride.

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

And Thank You again for the replies and for the great pictures. Sounds like it can get pretty hot in Arches even in mid-May. Looks like I have a lot of planning to do now. Which roads do I take to get to Horseshoe Park?

 

If we're talking about Dead Horse Point:

 

From the entrance at Arches NP, go north on US191 6 miles, then turn left on SR313. Follow SR313 for about 20 miles into the park.

[grizzly660fan]

lots of good advice so far on the area. as mentioned Arches is a drive around and park/hike kind of place. the campground is nice and in a very nice spot. if you go to the national parks web site you can get a lot of good info.

 

If you are looking for info on the moab area in general, try this site out.

http://www.moab-utah.com/

 

there are lots of places to camp, you can go from primitive areas on blm land to organized camping in state and national parks.

 

I have camped in a fair number of the campgrounds in the area, if you find one of interest, let me know if I have been there I can let you know what I discovered about them.

 

I agree, if you go up 313 to deadhorse point state park, continue beyond to island in the sky of canyonlands and travel to the end to grand overlook. also there is a short hike to mesa arch on the way to or from grand overlook that is worth a stop that is amazing, you can even get up on top of the arch. also, if hiking is your thing, there is a great hike inside canyonland (island in the sky) to overlook upheaval dome. very interesting topography.

 

have a great trip, there is lots to see and do all along your planned route.

 

Garry

[Scarecrow]

Again, Thank You one and all. Mitch, thanks for the directions to Dead Horse Point. Garry, thanks for link and advice.

 

At this point I plan to camp in Arches at the campground at the end of a long road, near the trail head for various hikes. Does anyone have a favorite campsite? 2 years ago, I reserved in Zion and lucked out with a nice site. I didn't reserve in Bryce which was ok; there were sites available, but the terrain mostly was not conducive to parking a bike. I found a spot that was a compromise between parking safety and campsite 'niceness'. That's why I ask about a specific campsite recommendation at Arches. I can't tell from the maps what is level, what has views, etc.

 

I will plan on taking a day to travel to Dead Horse Point and do a bit of hiking there.

 

Still trying to decide about which tour to do at Antelope Canyon.

 

Please keep those suggestions rolling in!

 

TIA,

[brickjockey]

Upper Antelope Canyon is about 100 yds. long and has a flat sandy bottom which could be better for setting up a tripod. Lower Antelope is winding 200 ft. drop about twice the length of upper with stairs and ladders and mostly sandstone bottom, there may be small pools of water to negotiate depending on season.

 

Cheers

[gottabmw]

there are lots of places to camp, you can go from primitive areas on blm land to organized camping in state and national parks.

Our group of four riders will be in Utah in the middle of June for a four or five day tour of the great roads. Primitive, dispersed, hobo, whatever you want to call them, campsites are our thing mostly, with a regular campground with showers every three or four days . Can anyone identify some outstanding primitive spots? Coordinates?

[Scarecrow]

This one is south of Torrey, and has paved access:

 

Calf Creek

I think I will try doing this on Saturday. Thanks for pointing it out. It looks like it's right off 12; is that right? Or is there a secondary road which takes you in? What can I expect at this time of year in terms of wet or cold? Anything else I should know in advance for preparation?

 

TIA,

[Bob Palin]

This one is south of Torrey, and has paved access:

 

Calf Creek

I think I will try doing this on Saturday. Thanks for pointing it out. It looks like it's right off 12; is that right? Or is there a secondary road which takes you in? What can I expect at this time of year in terms of wet or cold? Anything else I should know in advance for preparation?

 

TIA,

Calf Creek is right off 12. May should be fine but the weather is variable, we've had snow showers at more than one spring Torrey but it doesn't last long. It's snowing gently right now...

[Twisties]

This one is south of Torrey, and has paved access:

 

Calf Creek

I think I will try doing this on Saturday. Thanks for pointing it out. It looks like it's right off 12; is that right? Or is there a secondary road which takes you in? What can I expect at this time of year in terms of wet or cold? Anything else I should know in advance for preparation?

 

TIA,

Calf Creek is right off 12. May should be fine but the weather is variable, we've had snow showers at more than one spring Torrey but it doesn't last long. It's snowing gently right now...

 

Might check with the ranger district before committing. It's been a wet winter, and I would think that the creek might peak around May. I'd call the ranger district maybe a week a head of time and discuss conditions to make sure it is hikeable.

 

Jan

[grizzly660fan]

there are lots of places to camp, you can go from primitive areas on blm land to organized camping in state and national parks.

Our group of four riders will be in Utah in the middle of June for a four or five day tour of the great roads. Primitive, dispersed, hobo, whatever you want to call them, campsites are our thing mostly, with a regular campground with showers every three or four days . Can anyone identify some outstanding primitive spots? Coordinates?

 

Where in Utah? are you talking near Moab as this post is mainly about? give me some more details I can probably help find some primitive camping for you. Also, what type of vehicles, can you get out on dirt roads or must you always be on paved roads?

 

Garry