The National Parks in Utah have been a dream destination since moving to Bend in 2019.  The early March multi-state driving trip started in Palm Desert, California, through Nevada to Utah and a final stop in Boise, Idaho, before heading home. The itinerary lasted four weeks, 4,578 miles, 12 different accommodations, and 113 hours in the car.  This is a three-part series on the national parks in Utah.

 

 

 

Gary and I embarked on our journey through Utah, starting in the city of St. George. The first stops were Entrada Golf Course Resort and Snow Canyon State Park. Just a short drive east lay Zion National Park, offering three distinct areas to explore during our four-day stay. A side trip to the nearby Silver Reef Museum provided insights into the region’s mining and pioneer history.

 

 

Following our visit to Zion, the morning drive for just over an hour east to Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park outside of Kanab near the Arizona border was a letdown. The overcast skies discouraged a walk along the dunes, and the gatehouse attendant informed us that the park was not car friendly. Nevertheless, it transforms into a paradise for hikers and ATV enthusiasts on a clear day. Roam Tours offers exclusive guided adventures in the park.  If we had chosen, the $15 park entrance fee would have granted us access to the picnic area and restrooms.

 

 

 

The weather began to clear as we drove an hour and a half north on State Route 89 and east on State Route 12 to the town of Tropic. We checked into the Bryce Country Cabins there. The town is relatively close to Bryce Canyon Park, where Ruby’s Inn and its associated attractions occupy the land just outside the entrance. However, more accommodations from Marriott and other chains are being constructed in that area to accommodate future visitors. You get a sense local business owners are seeing the benefit of being closer to the park, and not in Tropic.

 

 

The cabins where we stayed are immediately next to the heavily trafficked road, making them less bucolic than they appeared in photos on the website. However, the view from the back deck overlooking farmland and the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument was breathtaking. We enjoyed visits from random chickens roosting at the family farm nearby. My mistake was not checking room availability in the park’s historic 1925 Bryce Canyon Lodge, perched near the canyon precipice, thinking it was full during Easter break.  It was not.  

 

It turned out that Bryce Canyon was our favorite park for the views from the turnouts and short hikes. The park road is State Route 63, which starts at State Route 12 and heads south for thirty-six miles to Bristlecone Loop Trail and Viewpoint at 9000 feet above sea level. You take the same road out. The most captivating photographs of the dramatic landscape were taken from the overlooks on both the eastern and western sides of the road during sunset and sunrise. We broke out our puffy coats, hats, and gloves for a two-day visit to the park because the daytime temperature high was 28 degrees, and it was windy.  At this time of year, a car is necessary, but Bryce Canyon also has a free shuttle bus system starting the first week of April. It is not mandatory, like the one in Zion. The park’s Visitor Center is worth a stop, as it includes a good description of how the pinnacles called HooDoos were formed over the eons. This is the only national park named after the Morman family who settled in the area and harvested timber.   

 

 

 

State Route 12 is Utah’s premier scenic route. It connects Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef National Parks, and winds through slickrock canyons, high mountain forests, red desert cliffs, and the infamous Hogback, a narrow ridge with steep drop-offs on both sides. Another feature is a very large aspen grove that goes on for miles. There’s a crazy amount of scenery from Bryce to Moab and some interesting stops:

 

 

Kodachrome Basin State Park: After a 20-minute drive from Tropic in the morning, we arrived at this park. Named by the National Geographic Society expedition in 1948, the park is renowned for its vibrant and colorful rocks. On a beautiful, chilly morning, we embarked on a hike to explore the park’s slot canyons and views of some of the 67 monolithic stone spires, called sedimentary pipes.

 

 

Escalante Interagency Visitor Center: An hour’s drive from the Kodakrome Basin State Park is one of four visitor centers in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. Exhibits outside and inside the center describe the flora, fauna, and geologic features of the area. The center is located in the town of Escalante, which has a few restaurants. We ate at Chihuahua Garcia Mexican Grill owned by locals.   

 

 

Anasazi State Park Museum: A forty-minute drive to a can’t-miss stop is the Anasazi museum, which includes the unearthed ruins of an ancient Puebloan settlement and a wonderful gift shop.  The exhibits, which were under renovation to include commentary from local tribe members, helped explain how early Native Americans lived in this area.   

 

 

Scenic Byway State Route 12 continues north to the town of Torrey, through ranches, farmland, and forests, making for a nice one-hour drive.  We diverted on East Teasdale Road to reach our destination, The Lodge at Red River, a working bison ranch open for accommodations to visitors. The lodge was established by the same family thirty years ago and is now run by the daughter of the original owner. Each room is decorated in historic memorabilia and with different Western themes.  Artwork graces the living room, and a model train runs along a track above the rafters in the dining room. The lodge, on historic State Route 24, is located at the base of a dramatic canyon wall. In the spring, the freeze and thaw cycle causes the rocks to emit eerie cracking noises at dawn and dusk.   

 

 

Capitol Reef National Park, a delightful surprise, offered a two-day adventure. We embarked on a scenic drive along State Route 24, marveling at the iconic Chimney Rock, Capitol Dome, Hickman Bridge, the Fremont Petroglyphs, and the settlers’ Behunin Cabin. Just past the Visitors Center, the 8-mile-long Scenic Drive led us south, past the Gifford Farmhouse and Fruita District camping areas. The warmer spring weather below the canyon walls caused flowering trees and daffodils to blossom. Continuing past the last parking lot, we ventured onto a well-maintained 2.5-mile roundtrip dirt road, which led us to the Capitol Gorge Trail. This trail provided a refreshing respite in the shade of the narrow canyon. For those seeking a more adventurous experience, another trail ascended the sun-drenched canyon wall, offering breathtaking views of Golden Throne Peak.   

 

 

The Lodge at Red River breakfast was plentiful, but they do not offer lunch or dinner, so we explored the town of Torrey for options.  We were happy to find Hunt & Gather Restaurant for dinner the first night, reservations required. Chak Balam, a nearby Mexican restaurant, was surprisingly good, as were pastrami sandwiches at Randy’s in the Chuckwagon General Store.    

 

Coral Pink Sands State Park: https://stateparks.utah.gov/parks/coral-pink/

Roam Tours: https://www.roam-outdoor.com/coral-pink-sand-dunes

Bryce Country Cabins: www.brycecountrycabins.com

Bryce Canyon Lodge: https://www.visitbrycecanyon.com/

Bryce Canyon: https://www.nps.gov/brca/index.htm

Kodachrome Basin State Park: https://stateparks.utah.gov/parks/kodachrome-basin/

Escalante Interagency Visitor Center: https://www.blm.gov/visit/escalante-interagency-visitor-center

Anasazi State Park Museum: https://stateparks.utah.gov/parks/anasazi/

The Lodge at Red River: https://redriverranch.com/

Capitol Reef: https://capitolreefcountry.com/capitol-reef-national-park/

Hunt & Gather Restaurant: http://www.huntandgatherrestaurant.com/

Randi’s Delicious Deli: https://chuckwagonlodge.com/randys/