Utah Trip in 4Runner - Looking for Input/Suggestions

[Unner]

Hey all,

I've been planning a trip to Utah for a while now, and I'm finally getting close enough to the departure date that it's time to really sit down and finalize the itinerary.

I've never been to Utah, or on this long of a trip in the 4Runner. I live in Alabama, and I plan to take 10 days, 9 nights for my total journey. 2 days driving there, and 2 days driving back. This leaves me with about 6 days to explore Utah.

For the trip it's going to be me in the car, along with a good friend for the entire drive. Then we have another friend who doesn't live anywhere near Alabama or along our route flying into Salt Lake City to join us for a few days.

We plan to camp every night of this trip, unless there are extreme circumstances that don't allow it. I also should be very prepared as far as supplies, truck stuff, camping stuff, but if there's something that comes to mind feel free to mention it.

I will make sure everyone brings plenty of clothes (especially warm ones), food for a few days (restocking occasionally), lots of water, tent, sleeping bags, camping stove, camping chairs, tools, spare CV, Hi-lift, recovery gear, oil, coolant, ATF, gear oil, camera, and chargers. I also plan to order a 3.5 Gallon Fuelpax (lower line of Rotopax) and portable jump starter here in the coming days.

The purpose of this trip is to see some of the beautiful sights this country has to offer, as well as get a little off-roading in and get off the beaten path. That's where the 4Runner comes into play

2017-02-22_09-30-44 by Unner Unner, on Flickr

Right now the plan is something as follows:

Day 1: Leave Alabama, camp in Kansas

Day 2: Leave Kansas, push through to Moab area, camp on BLM land near Arches NP

Day 3: Explore Arches NP, easy trails around Arches NP (Tower Arch, Eye of the Whale Arch, Sevenmile Rim); camp on BLM land again

Day 4: We need to pick up our other friend in Salt Lake City around 7:00 PM, and need ideas for this day on what to do in the morning/afternoon before he gets in. Things I've thought of are:

• Easy trails along the way to SLC like Eagle Canyon
• Explore Fishlake National Forest
• Bonneville Salt Flats
• Explore Mountains the mountains around SLC (not sure if this is a thing you can do or not really)

After we pick him up we'll head back towards Moab and camp near Arches again, probably at a site we already stayed at because it'll be late before we get back.

Day 5: Trails around Moab (Fins n Things, Long Canyon Trail, and Shafer Trail)
This night we have reservations at Shafer Campground on the White Rim Trail so we need to run the switchbacks of Shafer Trail in the afternoon on the way to the campsite.

Day 6: White Rim Trail, camping at Labyrinth A.

Day 7: Finish White Rim Trail, then trails around Moab. I'd like to run Top of the World after finishing the White Rim Trail in the morning. Camping on BLM land somewhere near Moab that night.

Day 8: Need ideas for what to do on this day too. Our friend has to fly out of SLC airport that night and needs to be there around 5 PM. This leaves us with the same options as above for Day 4. After dropping him off at SLC airport we will probably start on our drive back to Alabama traveling a few hours that evening to get a head start. Our camping area for the night has not been determined yet. See more below in Day 9 about this.

Day 9: We have a few route options for our return to Alabama that I'd like some opinions on:

• I-80 across Southern Wyoming and Nebraska
• I-70 back across Colorado and Kansas (This is the route in, I'd rather not go this way back)
• South back through Moab, to Albuquerque and then across Texas and Oklahoma etc.

I've been in all the states that are on the southern route through Texas, and will have just gone the route across Kansas. I'd like to go through Wyoming and Nebraska because I've never been to those states, but I don't know how the weather will be there Mid-March and if it will be conducive to driving and mostly camping at night. If we go this route I'm thinking about detouring up to South Dakota and checking out the Badlands NP area as well, this would add a few hours to the trip though.

Day 10: Arrive back in Alabama

So there's our basic plan. The main things I really want to do while we are there are Arches NP(not sure on which trails there), White Rim Trail (and Shafer Trail), and Top of the World. The rest of the trip I don't have a hard agenda for which trails to do, I just picked some that looked fun and would fit in with our schedule and location.

It also didn't occur to me how mountainous it is around SLC until my Dad mentioned something about it. I like mountains and wouldn't mind checking this out for something to do on the days we will be near SLC. I'm not into big cities and I'd rather do something outdoors/nature focused on those days since we're in a part of the country totally different than Alabama. Any suggestions for things along the way from Moab to SLC or around SLC would be appreciated.

So, some of the questions I have and opinions I want are:

1) Suggestions for what to do on the way to or around SLC?

2) Anything that I need to know about camping at the free BLM sites?

3) Special things that I need to bring for camping, Moab, Utah, 4-5k mile road trip, etc.?

4) Thoughts on the route back to Alabama and our options?

Thanks for reading this, I know it's long. Any comments/suggestions/thoughts are welcome and very much appreciated. I want to make the most of this trip, and figured it would be best to ask those that have been there or live in the area. It should be a fantastic trip!

 

[Black798]

Im going to be in moab from March 11th to the 15th and am also planning on running fins n things and top of the world. Were looking at fins either on the evening of the 11th or morning of the 12th and top of the world on the 13th or 14th and well be running other trails all the other days. If it looks like our schedules overlap shoot me a PM, it would be awesome to get out an wheel with another 4runner

 

[fourwd1]

Moved to Offroading section.

 

[wanderMT]

You've done more planning than I would do so not much help except a caution -
watch weather forecasts and also during the day - over the high plateaus of UT and the west the weather can change rapidly, good and bad. (I was in Moab few weeks ago and was delayed in WY with closed road - sun was shining but snow blowing across road turned it into skating rink.) You should be fine in mid-March but this winter has been long, brutal, and widespread with cold and snow dipping further south than many winters. Be prepared for wind when camping - may be dead calm when setting up camp and howling wind few hours later - look for wind sheltered camping spot. Not much to see in March in WY or NM except brown hills and plains and truck traffic headed east on the interstates so suggest going back thru CO also - I-70 is nice and different view each direction.. Can drop S at Denver if want.
Enjoy a great trip.

 

[Unner]

Im going to be in moab from March 11th to the 15th and am also planning on running fins n things and top of the world. Were looking at fins either on the evening of the 11th or morning of the 12th and top of the world on the 13th or 14th and well be running other trails all the other days. If it looks like our schedules overlap shoot me a PM, it would be awesome to get out an wheel with another 4runner

The 11th I'll be on the road all day still headed for Moab, the 12th I think we're gonna be exploring Arches NP, the 13th is one of the days I'm unsure of but have to drive to SLC, the 14th we will be doing some trail, maybe Fins n Things, and then starting White Rim, the 15th we will be on White Rim Trail all day. I'll shoot you a PM though and give you my cell number just in-case something changes or comes up while we're out there.

You've done more planning than I would do so not much help except a caution -
watch weather forecasts and also during the day - over the high plateaus of UT and the west the weather can change rapidly, good and bad. (I was in Moab few weeks ago and was delayed in WY with closed road - sun was shining but snow blowing across road turned it into skating rink.) You should be fine in mid-March but this winter has been long, brutal, and widespread with cold and snow dipping further south than many winters. Be prepared for wind when camping - may be dead calm when setting up camp and howling wind few hours later - look for wind sheltered camping spot. Not much to see in March in WY or NM except brown hills and plains and truck traffic headed east on the interstates so suggest going back thru CO also - I-70 is nice and different view each direction.. Can drop S at Denver if want.
Enjoy a great trip.

Haha, I know it seems to be really planned out but I kinda had to with us traveling so far to get there and having a buddy flying in and out. Can't be late for a flight like you can your own car drive. Most of it can be moved around too.

I plan to keep a close eye on the weather like you mentioned. Both for snow and flash flooding type of stuff. I lived in El Paso for a little while while I was growing up and I remember the flash flooding we would get there when the storms would roll through.

Thanks for the advice about the campsites, I'll keep that in mind when we are setting up.

So there isn't much to see in Southern Wyoming? I figured there isn't in Nebraska, but I like traveling to new places/states. I think this will come down to what the weather is like most likely. One day I will see all of them. I'm at 24 right now. :usa2:

 

[big44g]

UT is awesome, we have gone just about each year for the last 6 years. There is so much to see and we rarely see the same thing twice. Our trip plans are just like this. We plan much more than we can see and just pick places on our plan as we go and plan accordingly if we need to be somewhere on a certain day. Each night while drinking a scotch under the stars we talk about the day and we look at our plan for the next. When camping on BLM land we try to pick a spot that has been camped at before. If you stay in any of the national parks be aware that if you come in late you may not get a spot. Be sure to have a backup plan for a camp site. We use google earth to find BLM camp sites near the parks and find camp locations. Not sure if this will work out for you, but, If you leave SLC in the morning to return home (it will make a very long trip), you could travel south from SLC on I15 toward St George UT. Turn before St George UT on Hwy 17 then to Hwy 9 thru Zion NP. Hwy 89 to Kanab UT and go thru the Grand Staircase to Big Water UT and on to Lake Powell to Page AZ. Then you can head back to I40 several ways such as Flagstaff, Winslow, Holbrook or Chambers. I have tons of UT GPS data. This thread has already got me fired up to start planning this years trip.

 

[Ron4RNevada]

When are you going to do this? In March of this year? Good luck - I think most of the areas you intend to explore will be pretty much closed.

If it were me I'd shoot for at least May. I've done a lot of exploring in Utah and almost all of the National Parks are still closed until almost June.

This year is even an exception - Northern Nevada has just set an all time record for total snow fall in the Sierra Nevada at more than 500 inches so far this year. Records have been kept for 125 years! Also our total precipitation around Reno has broken the record for the the whole year - and it's only the end of February - still ten months to go.

Everything that crosses northern Nevada ends up in Utah plus what drops down from Oregon and Idaho.

 

[Unner]

UT is awesome, we have gone just about each year for the last 6 years. There is so much to see and we rarely see the same thing twice. Our trip plans are just like this. We plan much more than we can see and just pick places on our plan as we go and plan accordingly if we need to be somewhere on a certain day. Each night while drinking a scotch under the stars we talk about the day and we look at our plan for the next. When camping on BLM land we try to pick a spot that has been camped at before. If you stay in any of the national parks be aware that if you come in late you may not get a spot. Be sure to have a backup plan for a camp site. We use google earth to find BLM camp sites near the parks and find camp locations. Not sure if this will work out for you, but, If you leave SLC in the morning to return home (it will make a very long trip), you could travel south from SLC on I15 toward St George UT. Turn before St George UT on Hwy 17 then to Hwy 9 thru Zion NP. Hwy 89 to Kanab UT and go thru the Grand Staircase to Big Water UT and on to Lake Powell to Page AZ. Then you can head back to I40 several ways such as Flagstaff, Winslow, Holbrook or Chambers. I have tons of UT GPS data. This thread has already got me fired up to start planning this years trip.

This sounds exactly like our plan, have a plan, but not a hard plan. Deviations are allowed/expected.

How do you use google earth to find camp sites exactly? Just zoom in on the area you are in and search for campsites or is there some cool way that I'm missing?

That route makes our drive home about 31 hours, so 7 hours longer than going the suggested way. Probably too long, but I'll keep it in mind for sure. Then I'd get to see the other side of Utah also. Thanks for the feedback!

When are you going to do this? In March of this year? Good luck - I think most of the areas you intend to explore will be pretty much closed.

If it were me I'd shoot for at least May. I've done a lot of exploring in Utah and almost all of the National Parks are still closed until almost June.

This year is even an exception - Northern Nevada has just set an all time record for total snow fall in the Sierra Nevada at more than 500 inches so far this year. Records have been kept for 125 years! Also our total precipitation around Reno has broken the record for the the whole year - and it's only the end of February - still ten months to go.

Everything that crosses northern Nevada ends up in Utah plus what drops down from Oregon and Idaho.

Yes, March of this year. Leaving in about 2 weeks. This is the only chance I'll have this year to have enough time to do a trip like this because of the 2 day drive there and 2 day drive back it really hinders my ability to go out west...

I haven't heard or seen anything about the areas I want to explore being closed. Currently they're all open and the weather looks to be pretty nice while we're there according to the long range forecasts. Upper 60s for highs and upper 30s for lows.

 

[BrianSD_42]

Subscribed!

Just curious do you have a camping reservation for the White Rim? They are really hard to come by. When we drove through every spot was "sold out" and 90% were empty and unused.

I think what happens is tour groups buy up all the spots, even on the weekdays and then only use a tiny fraction.

When we drove through we did 8am - 6pm, one long day with lots of stops. Next time I will stay overnight.

If you are camping without a reservation I'd suggest you don't unload and setup any kind of camp until after 5pm and then camp somewhere in the middle of the park. We did see a ranger drive through but it was mid afternoon. I don't think they will be around anywhere near the center of the park after 5pm (since it takes hours to drive through) and you will be fine.

It is such a scam that all the sites are "booked but unused". Hopefully things have changed. Let us know your experience.

 

[Unner]

Subscribed!

Just curious do you have a camping reservation for the White Rim? They are really hard to come by. When we drove through every spot was "sold out" and 90% were empty and unused.

I think what happens is tour groups buy up all the spots, even on the weekdays and then only use a tiny fraction.

When we drove through we did 8am - 6pm, one long day with lots of stops. Next time I will stay overnight.

If you are camping without a reservation I'd suggest you don't unload and setup any kind of camp until after 5pm and then camp somewhere in the middle of the park. We did see a ranger drive through but it was mid afternoon. I don't think they will be around anywhere near the center of the park after 5pm (since it takes hours to drive through) and you will be fine.

It is such a scam that all the sites are "booked but unused". Hopefully things have changed. Let us know your experience.

Will do. I'll try and post a full trip report with pictures and such. I'm so ready for this trip to happen.

I was planning to do it all in one day like you did, but after reading many people saying it's best to take multiple days that's the path I chose. The first day we'll do the switch backs of Shafer Trail in the afternoon after we leave Moab and I have reservations for Shafer Campground. Then the next day we'll run the majority of White Rim and camp at Labyrinth Campground, I also have reservations for there.

That's terrible that they do that with the campsites. I think you shouldn't be allowed to book these sites if you're associated with a tour group. Keep the commercial aspect out of a place like this. I'll observe what I see there and let you know if anything has changed or not.

 

[Sleeter]

When are you going to do this? In March of this year? Good luck - I think most of the areas you intend to explore will be pretty much closed.

If it were me I'd shoot for at least May. I've done a lot of exploring in Utah and almost all of the National Parks are still closed until almost June.

This year is even an exception - Northern Nevada has just set an all time record for total snow fall in the Sierra Nevada at more than 500 inches so far this year. Records have been kept for 125 years! Also our total precipitation around Reno has broken the record for the the whole year - and it's only the end of February - still ten months to go.

Everything that crosses northern Nevada ends up in Utah plus what drops down from Oregon and Idaho.

Where are you getting your information that says the NPs are closed until may?

 

[Ron4RNevada]

Personal experience. Have explored most of Utah over the past 30 years. Most of the time I can't get to nost of the high country in April.

I live just a couple hundred miles to the west at 4200 feet in N. Nevada (most of Utah is higher than that). This January and February it has snowed about 80% of the days. An example = This week it has snowed Sat, Sun, Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri, Sat. Utah is generally much wetter

 

[Sleeter]

Personal experience. Have explored most of Utah over the past 30 years. Most of the time I can't get to nost of the high country in April.

I live just a couple hundred miles to the west at 4200 feet in N. Nevada (most of Utah is higher than that). This January and February it has snowed about 80% of the days. An example = This week it has snowed Sat, Sun, Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri, Sat. Utah is generally much wetter

Your mistaken or your confused Arches or Canyonlands NP are open 365 and snow is very rare. By June the entire Moab area is HOT. Maybe your experience is in the La Sal mountains which are snowed in till July? Growing up in Colorado we would go to Moab for spring break because it was Warm in march.

 

[Unner]

Your mistaken or your confused Arches or Canyonlands NP are open 365 and snow is very rare. By June the entire Moab area is HOT. Maybe your experience is in the La Sal mountains which are snowed in till July? Growing up in Colorado we would go to Moab for spring break because it was Warm in march.

This is what I've heard too. Weather looks amazing right now, mid to upper 60s with lows around 40*. Trying to get all the little bits together here and there for the trip!

 

[Conner94runner]

Hey I'm based out of Park City and the snowpack is pretty heavy up here. You might get away with some lower stuff in American Fork Canyon (20 minutes out of SLC) but it may be pretty greasy. Bonneville is gonna be a slosh fest but with that comes some bad ass photos. Let me know if y'all have any area specific questions. This is shot at the Salt flats

 

[Unner]

Hey I'm based out of Park City and the snowpack is pretty heavy up here. You might get away with some lower stuff in American Fork Canyon (20 minutes out of SLC) but it may be pretty greasy. Bonneville is gonna be a slosh fest but with that comes some bad ass photos. Let me know if y'all have any area specific questions. This is shot at the Salt flats

Awesome! Love the Tacoma too! When you say American Fork Canyon is that a road, trail, or general area?

And when you say Bonneville is a slosh fest do you mean the roads, or if you go off the roads and into the salt flats? I thought you weren't supposed to drive on the flats if they are wet or anything?

Any recommendations for things to do around the SLC area that would be open/doable in about 2 weeks? I'm looking for stuff to do that would take a few hours or so, cool stuff to see for us from Alabama. Just seeing or driving through mountainous areas is cool to us!

 

[slide531]

Sounds like a great trip! Is there any chance your SLC buddy can fly out or drive down to Moab to meet you? Its 4 hours each way from Moab to SLC, so you are driving 16 hours or about 2 full days of your trip for the pickup and drop off.

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

 

[Sleeter]

[MENTION=148350]slide531[/MENTION] has a very good point, your wasting two full days of potential trail time in Moab. I would suggest that your buddy rents a car inSL and meets you guys in Moab. He can leave the car at the Walmart parking lot until it's time for him to head back to the airport. good luck.

 

[Unner]

Sounds like a great trip! Is there any chance your SLC buddy can fly out or drive down to Moab to meet you? Its 4 hours each way from Moab to SLC, so you are driving 16 hours or about 2 full days of your trip for the pickup and drop off.

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

[MENTION=148350]slide531[/MENTION] has a very good point, your wasting two full days of potential trail time in Moab. I would suggest that your buddy rents a car inSL and meets you guys in Moab. He can leave the car at the Walmart parking lot until it's time for him to head back to the airport. good luck.

The flight times don't really line up well and its expensive/hard to rent a car under 25. I don't mind driving up there to get him. We'll still have the morning/early afternoon in the Moab area, unless we decide to explore somewhere else like the Bonneville Salt Flats and I've never been to Salt Lake City. Looks like it's a kinda pretty drive, going from the desert into the mountains around Provo. The trip back works out too because I'm thinking we'll probably go through southern Wyoming and Nebraska or South Dakota on the way back, and maybe hit Mount Rushmore and the Badlands if we feel like it. Might as well see some stuff while I'm out there!

 

[Sleeter]

The flight times don't really line up well and its expensive/hard to rent a car under 25. I don't mind driving up there to get him. We'll still have the morning/early afternoon in the Moab area, unless we decide to explore somewhere else like the Bonneville Salt Flats and I've never been to Salt Lake City. Looks like it's a kinda pretty drive, going from the desert into the mountains around Provo. The trip back works out too because I'm thinking we'll probably go through southern Wyoming and Nebraska or South Dakota on the way back, and maybe hit Mount Rushmore and the Badlands if we feel like it. Might as well see some stuff while I'm out there!

Fair enough, keep us posted on your trip.