Grand Circle - Utah Arizona Trip in October 2016

[dirtrunnerdave]

Hello All,

I am planning a 10+Day trip out to the Grand Circle area of Utah / Arizona in Mid October and I had some questions that I thought I'd see if you could help me with....

I have not booked camp sites as of yet and I am afraid that accept for the first come first serve sites there may not be any sites available. I could do Primitive camping (bring my own water / firewood / etc). Any suggestions or tips on where to find places to camp?

I will be hitting as many parks as possible, Grand Canyon, Vermillion Cliffs, Grand Staircase / Escelante, Moab, Monument Valley, Bryce and Zion to name a few....

I am thinking it would be wise to get a gas Jerry can and a water Jerry can and bolt them up to the top of the truck just to make sure that we are safe with fuel and water. I hope to travel some of the byways between parks rather than only freeway.

What did you do on your trip that worked in terms of logistics?

Your suggestions are greatly appreciated...

David Brix


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[geo]

Since it is so difficult (and too late) to win the lottery for a hiking permit for "the Wave" near Zion, you might consider going to the White Pocket, which is nearby, with similar geology, and doesn't require a permit.

Directions are at this link: Paria Canyon - White Pocket

Other highlights would be slot canyons such as Peek-a-Boo and Spooky off Hole-in-the-Rock Rd, Escalante.

Have a great trip.

 

[RonJR]

I just checked and there are still quite a few open campsites you can reserve in the Maze district of Canyonlands for mid-October. The primo sites (Maze Overlook, Dollhouse, Teapot Road) are full, but the outlying sites such as Millard Canyon and Cleopatra's Chair are open and have awesome scenery and a huge sense of remoteness. Go to this website and follow the directions.

https://canypermits.nps.gov/index.cfm

I spent a week in the Maze last spring and would recommend it to anyone. It just doesn't get a lot of traffic, so is a really cool backcountry experience. Except for the Teapot Road, any stock 4runner will handle the roads just fine. Teapot is best done with a bit of a lift and a locker.

If you go to the Maze, carrying extra gas, all the water you plan to need, and a method to remove your human waste are a requirement.