UTAH: PREPARE TO BE AMAZED! [And our first RV accident!]

We arrived in the Beehive State in May of 2019. It will always be a memorable place for us. First because of the incredible National Parks we visited and secondly, because it was the location of our very first (and as of yet, only) RV accident! Fortunately, nobody was injured. I'll explain in more detail below.

Utah is home to some of the most breathtaking national parks in the United States, with Zion and Bryce Canyon at the very top of that list.

Yeah, it's just that beautiful.

But more on these marvels in a moment.

ROAD-TRIP OF A LIFETIME!

If you're looking for an unforgettable road-trip (no RV required), I would highly recommend the following course (NOTE: because reservations are now needed to enter many of these National Parks, plan your route well in advance of your arrival date):

(1) DAY ONE: Fly into Page, Arizona (usually via Phoenix). Rent a car.

(2) DAY TWO: Visit Antelope Canyon (reservations required) and Horse Shoe Bend (click HERE to read my previous post about these amazing attractions);

(2) DAY THREE: Drive to Grand Staircase - Escalante National Monument. It's about a 35 minute drive from Page (also mentioned in my previous post).

(3) DAY FOUR: If you've never visited the Grand Canyon, I would adjust the itinerary and FLY instead into Flagstaff. It's an hour and a half drive to the Grand Canyon, then from there drive up to Page.

(4) DAY FIVE AND BEYOND: Head into Utah along Route 89. Allocate at least one to two days for each of the 5 remaining National Parks along the route:

• Zion NP [Click HERE for an official park map]

• Bryce Canyon NP [click HERE for an official park map]

• Capital Reef NP [if you have to pass on one of the parks, I would choose this one]

• Arches NP [Click HERE for an official park map]

• Canyonlands NP [Click HERE for an official park map]

• Dead Horse Point State Park [Click HERE for an official park map. I would not rate this State Park as a "must see"]

It's about a 670 mile loop and will take at least 11 hours of drive time once you leave Page. But it's well worth it. You'll thank me later!

NOW BACK TO OUR STORY:

Here is the route we traveled:

Our travel route

After leaving Page, we drove to at WillowWind RV Park in Hurricane, Utah. This was a very nice campground that we rated as 5 out of 5 stars (to see the complete list of the RV parks at which we have stayed, click HERE).

DISCOVERING ZION NATIONAL PARK:

We spent four days exploring Utah's first National Park.

According to Wikipedia: "In 1909, President William Howard Taft named the area Mukuntuweap National Monument. In 1918, the park was enlarged and its name changed to Zion National Monument, Zion being a term used by the Mormons. According to historian Hal Rothman: "The name change played to a prevalent bias of the time. Many believed that Spanish and Indian names would deter visitors who, if they could not pronounce the name of a place, might not bother to visit it."

After setting up the RV, we ran into Zion National Park to get a lay of the land. It was a late Saturday afternoon and we had no problem entering the park.

We went to the Ranger Station and picked up our trail maps. The next morning, we hit the road bright and early at 6:30 am to “beat the crowds”. NOT! It was already packed. Our first hike was the Angel's Landing Trail, the most popular hike in the park and rated as a Class 3, strenuous 5.4 mile trail.

Although the park has 111 different trails, a Park Ranger told us that Angel's Landing is one of the most spectacular day hikes in the world, and she was right. The trail, to its lofty peak, was hewn out of a 1,488 foot tall rock formation in 1926. There are a series of 21 steep switchbacks that take you up to the Scout Lookout plateau, this is the last turn-around before ascending the final, extremely narrow, footpath that takes you to the peak.

We had intended to hike to the top but when we saw the crowds..

We decided to turn around. Come to find out there are quite a few videos on Youtube from others that have done the hike. Much safer!

Photo courtesy of the Internet

Photo courtesy of Zion National Park

Afterwards, we were able to squeeze in a few more hikes because rain was forecast for the next few days. We had hoped to be able to hike the Narrow's Trail, which actually requires you walk in a river upstream between two cliff walls, but recent rainstorms had swollen the river and the trail was closed.

The hike leading up to the river was beautiful. At the end of the day we had hiked almost ten miles, making it a llloonngg day.

we hiked almost 10 miles today

Here are a few of the pictures we took while at Zion National Park:

And, here's a hailstorm we found ourselves in outside of the park:

After 5 days here, we headed north to our next campground in the little town of Panguitch, Utah.

PANGUITCH, UTAH: A WHOLE LOT OF QUIET:

Photo courtesy of Panquitch Tourist Bureau

After spending a few days here, we rated this town high on our "Livability List". This list will never appear in any tourism brochures because it's probably not what you think it is, but more on that below.

We were staying at the KOA just outside of town. Since that time, the campground has changed its name to: Dixie Forest RV Resort.

We really enjoyed this campground and I am sorry to see it has changed hands. The owners were two of the nicest people we have ever come across (and we have stayed in numerous KOA's). The bathrooms were spotless, the grounds were well maintained and they had good water pressure and stable electricity. The only thing that kept me from giving them a unqualified 5-Star rating was the fact that the roads and pads are gravel so water tends to accumulate into large muddy puddles when it rains. Other than that we enjoyed our stay.

By the way, if you are traveling in this area, be sure to stop by Cowboy's Smokehouse Cafe, their barbecue was delicious.

Panguitch is a quiet little town that seems a decade or two behind the rest of the world, which is why it ranked high on our evaluation list. The criteria for which is listed below.

Bryce Canyon National Park is an easy drive from this location.

"POETRY IN STONE": BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARK

Just a stone's throw from Zion lies Bryce Canyon National Park, another gem in Utah's crown. What sets Bryce apart are its surreal geological formations known as hoodoos. These cathedral spires, formed through erosion, create a dreamlike, melted landscape that seems otherworldly.

Sights like this left me speechless:

Bryce Canyon is about one-quarter the size of Zion (35,835 acres vs 146,597), but I felt it carried a much bigger punch (Lorraine disagrees). Its landscape is uniquely intriguing. While the sheer cliffs of Zion are beautiful, the melted-wax like hoodoos of Bryce truly are "poetry in stone".

Three of our favorite hikes were:

Navajo Loop (3 miles)

Rim Trail (4 miles)

Peekaboo Loop (5.2 miles)

If you are into photography and getting up early, Sunrise Point is the place for you. It offers vistas of some of the most famous and breathtaking of Bryce Canyon's hoodoos.

Photo courtesy of US National Park

After you've hiked through this geological wonderland, you will doff your cap and say:

"Well done, God. Well done!"

After 5 days here, we packed up and headed to the town of Moab, gateway to Arches NP, Canyonlands NP and Dead Horse Point SP.. And also, the location of our first RV accident! Not our fault.

MOAB:

Moab, is a playground for those who enjoy outdoor activities such as mountain biking, river rafting, climbing, canyoneering, hiking and off-roading. Needless to say, it is always crowded and often times the air is clogged with the sounds of two- and four-stroke combustion engines.

Photo courtesy of https://www.discovermoab.com/

Most of the RV parks in this town were built in the 60-70's and therefore have narrow streets and sites that are almost on top of each other. We stayed at Slickrock Campground (which has since been sold to Sun Outdoors RV), we rated it as average (3/5 stars). Hopefully, the new owners will implement some long-need upgrades.

ARCHES NATIONAL PARK:

It’s no surprise that this park is one of the top national parks in America: It’s a 73,234-acre wonderland of mystical eroded sandstone fins, towers, ribs, gargoyles, hoodoos, balanced rocks, and, of course, over 2,000 arches. The most photographed is Delicate Arch.

The 65-foot arch steals the show. Some of the other popular arches in the park are Double O Arch, Broken Arch, Landscape Arch, Windows Loop and Tower Arch. 

From April to October, Arches will be implementing a timed entry system. During this time you will need to reserve your ticket (with a dedicated entry time) in advance, and the number of daily visitors will be capped. Reservations will be released three months in advance — so if you’re planning a visit for May, you’ll have to snag them in February.

If you visit here, you will create memories that will last you a lifetime.

CANYONLANDS NATIONAL PARK:

This national park, Utah's largest, got its name because of the vast and intricate network of canyons within its boundaries. It is home to numerous dramatic landscapes and deep, winding canyons carved by the Colorado and Green Rivers.

Words fail me. This place is as mysterious as it is stark. You will feel as though you stepped into a time machine and teleported back to an eon when the earth's spongy crust was beginning to harden. Absolutely stunning. The only thing missing was the dinosaurs! Mind blowing beautiful. A must see.

DEAD HORSE POINT STATE PARK:

It's about a 2 mile hike to the overlook. From this vantage point, you are 2,000 feet above a gooseneck in the Colorado River, incredible views as you hike around the rim.

SIDE NOTE:

When you visit these popular tourist attractions, you will probably run into bus loads of picture-crazy Asians. These encounters makes me realize how little I know about their culture and they about ours.

Their version of personal space is different than ours. There were many occasions while standing near the edge of the Grand Canyon or Horse Shoe Bend, a "tourist" would nudge me either closer or further from the precipice so they can get a better picture, with no warning or apology. Strictly my opinion based on my observations, they also seemingly don't mind putting their children in precarious situations in order to get a more "breath taking" selfie. Lorraine actually had to leave one location because her anxiety level spiked watching this go on. Part humorous, part terrifying, but be aware of your surroundings when tourist buses pull up!

This is for you, Connie: "公共汽车即将出发" [inside joke]

..AND OUR FIRST RV ACCIDENT! :(

Our first visit to Moab was in May of 2019. On our 3rd trip through this area in 2023, while we were camping at the Downtown Moab Sun RV Resort, someone backed into our RV; because our 35' rig is SO hard to see! We've been on the road for seven blessed years, crisscrossed the country numerous times, and have not had one traffic incidents. No speeding tickets, no parking tickets, and no scratches to my truck or our rig. Until now. An older (than us) lady driver, driving a small conversion van was assigned the spot across the street from us. As she was trying to straighten her van, she backed all the way across the street and right into the nose of our RV.

To add insult to injury, she didn't even leave a note on our RV! When we arrived home late that evening, two of our neighbors approached us and told us what happened. When I confronted the driver, she said she wasn't completely sure what that "crunching" noise was that occurred as she was pulling in. She said she even looked at the nose of our RV and thought those damage marks were just "bird poop". Right..

I even hung a small Canadian flag from our hitch for more visibility. It didn't help. Here is the damaged nose of our beloved RV:

When I told her I was going to contact the Moab police to document the matter, she said she thought that wasn't necessary as she was fully insured. Right.. The Moab police could not have been nicer and documented the incident for the insurance company.

Long story short, $7500 later, we have a shiny new nose cap. Progressive Insurance (her carrier), paid promptly and were very nice to work with.

Shiny!

We really have to give credit to Straight Line RV Collision Repair & Painting. They did an amazing job on our rig and kept us informed every step of the way. If you're in the Phoenix, Arizona area and need body work, we would highly recommend this business.

Well, that concludes this post about our incredible time in southern Utah. From what we've seen so far, it is a beautiful state. From here we headed north to Provo and Salt Lake City. See you on down the road!

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