Southern Utah RV trip need advice

[Kevin949]

Hi there we're taking an RV trip this July through southern Utah ( yes we know its hot !) myself the wife and 2 kids 9-12 we are in Moab for 3 days then planing on driving to Zion and spending 2 nights at Zion river resort my question is can one fit Capitol Reef national park in on the way or is that too out of the way ? are the roads OK for a 27 foot RV and coming in to Zion through highway 12 and 9 to much ? any other options ? Thanks

[Southwest Dave]

hi there.
we took a 30ft r.v. along hwy 9 and 12 with no problems and it was our first time to the states so that in itself should'nt be much of an issue. however it's quite a long drive that is'nt fast flowing and theres so much along the way i'm not sure it would be worth it if you done it in a day as you would'nt have much time to stop.
if however you could spend an extra night on this part of your trip it would be well worth it as not only is there capitol reef you also have bryce canyon which is a fascinating place to see and would make an ideal stop over, [rubys inn has a campground,shops and restuarant]have a look around before heading through red rock canyon and onto zion.
you will also have to que to get through the tunnel on the mount carmel highway,but the wait is'nt normally to bad but it'll cost a bit extra [$15 i think].an amazing drive but that extra night will make all the difference as theres a lot to see and enjoy on this scenic highway have a great trip!

[Kevin949]

Thanks I think you've talked me in to staying one more night so we can see more , properly drive from Moab to Capitol reef and sped the night in Torrey , then head for Zion the next day with a stop in Bryce , do you think that will work? and any suggestions for stops along the way ?

[PNW Judy]

I would really suggest trying to squeeze in the time to spend the night in or near Bryce. While it's only about 190 miles from Torrey to Zion, they aren't going to be quick miles. Plus Bryce is really one of my most favorite national parks and really deserves more time. Watching sunrise/sunset there, if possible, is worth doing. And the link Gommy gave you to all the sights to see along Hwy 12 is full of good tips. So be sure to check that out. A great place to stay right outside the entrance to Bryce is Ruby's Inn. They have a very nice RV park there, too. Of course, you could also look into camping inside Bryce.

If you can't find a way to sleep near Bryce in your itinerary, then I suggest leaving Torrey quite early, like the crack of dawn, so you have time to really enjoy this leg of your trip before getting to Zion area in the evening.

You need to be aware that some RVs need to be escorted into Zion if coming from the East on Hwy 9. Check out this information. It's no big deal and easy to set up but something you need to be aware of.

[Southwest Dave]

it's a lovely drive and worth the extra night. it will still only give you time for
a look at the main points along the way such as capitol reef and bryce canyon,but it's a splendid drive. theres plenty to see as in the link i gave above but you won't have to much time on your hands.capitol reef looked nice but we only had a brief stop here before heading to hanksville for the night[we were heading in the opposite direction] and we were losing daylight so was unable to explore it properly,but if you had an early start you should get some time here and make progress towards bryce. i'm not sure if you could make it there same day but the sunset there is an amazing thing to witness. the main part of bryce can be seen by the free shuttle bus service but there are a lot more great viewpoints further down the canyon,which is a well paved road all the way. if you have the time to do these,go to the furthest point first and work your way back up the canyon,this way all the turnouts/viewpoints will be on your side of the road and will be a lot easier especially in the r.v.

when you leave bryce you will drive through a rock arch where there are pull offs just the otherside,it's worth a brief stop here to look at red rock canyon and it's rock formations on the edge of the dixie national forest.

from here head south [89 i think?]and then west on hwy 9 towards zion.this will take you across checkaboard mesa which again is worth a brief stop to have a look at the rock formations. a little further on you approach the tunnel into zion,just before on your right is a pull out [although you'll be lucky if theres any room to park]. if you had anytime to spare there is a walk from here to an overlook of zion n.p.which is meant to be spectacular but this one we could'nt do,again time being the main factor. it's about a 1/12 hour hike but not sure if it's child friendly as it's high up and rocky.
the riverside walk is great with the kids,a nice easy paved walk with great scenery and ends at the virgin river ,unless you want to continue with a paddle across and up to the narrows. emerald pools is also very nice but slightly steep in places.
in the evening if you take the kids to springdale [short shuttle bus ride]there are some elks and buffalo amongst others that they can feed,lovely town also.
heres some more info for zion.

i was still typing when judy replied,and just to emphasise,then yes if you can make it to bryce and rubys inn it will be a lot better and give you more time the following day.
great minds and all that,judy! haahaa!