My partner and I are traveling to Utah and will be arriving in Salt Lake on October 8th. We will be spending at least 2 weeks in Utah and have it all figured out but we don't know what to do on Saturday Oct. 10.

OK seriously folks, of course we are going to Rice Eccels to see the Bears continue their promising season. It should be a great game and I strongly recommend you boosters make an appearance. Utah is highly underrated as a destination and even Salt Lake City is full of things to do.

It seems that we have figured out our Salt Lake City stay pretty well, although we don't know how we are going to see everything in the 3 days/4 nights we have. We would stay longer but we are also planning a multi-park swing through the national parks in Southern Utah.

Right now our itinerary has us going from Salt Lake City to
Park City ( Oct. 12-13) to
Price (13-14) to
Green River (14-16) to
Moab/Arches (16-19) to
Capitol Reef (19-22) to
Bryce (22-24) to
Kanab/Zion (24-26) to
departure back to California probably via HWY 395 to Yosemite.

I am looking for advice about
1. What to see
2. Where to stay that is affordable
3. Where to eat
4. What to pack

Some things to note about us before responding:

1. We are mostly touring by car seeing the scenic byways wherever possible. We are planning another Utah trip next year to northern Utah and Tetons/ Yellowstone, so we won't be hitting those areas this time. I hear that Bear lake is beautiful and it would be appropriate since we are going as a couple of bears ourselves. We are not going to do any backpacking, long bike rides, long hikes or multi day rafting trips. However, we might do an overnight rafting trip and we plan on many short or half day hikes.
2. We are trying to budget this trip under $2000 so $100/night just for hotels doesn't exactly cut it. The thing is, we are not big on camping and bed and breakfasts won't work because we want to have refridgerator access and quiet space. Basically we are looking for good hotel deals. However we will be camping on Friday and Saturday nights in order to avoid the ridiculously high mark up for hotel stays on the weekends.
3. We are vegetarians with occasional fish/seafood interests and we strongly prefer organic food.
4. Obviously we are bringing camera/photography stuff as well as the basics. And we won't forget the game tickets.


Thanks!

Any help is much appreciated, but if all you can do is attend the game, do so. We have 7000 to beat the crowd that went to Austin. And this is a conference game. This one counts and could be the one that clinches a bowl for the Bears.

:gobears:

We spent some time there a few months ago and really enjoyed the Ancient Life Museum at Thanksgiving Point south of SLC about 30 miles. They have a magnificent garden as well where my wife spent hours taking pictures.

Went from there to Yellowstone and spent two weeks. I know that's not until next year but I highly recommend the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone. We stayed at The Lodge in Jackson, Wyoming, which was a quick walk to The Gun Barrel Steak and Game House...yum, yum, yum.

Extremely jealous. Utah is an awesome state, enjoy your time there!

Edit...saw point #3 vegetarians so you can scratch the Steak and Game House! LOL

Sounds like a great trip you have planned. If you're not going to hike into the canyon I'd say you can probably do Bryce in 1 day or even possibly a half day depending on your preference. It's spectacular (esp. around sunset) but pretty small compared to the other parks and the ridge trail isn't that interesting imho. I definitely recommend hiking wall street at a minimum, but it's all climb on the way out. Have fun!

If you like instruments of death, go to the Browning firearms museum in Ogden.

Uinta Brew Co. I dunno where it is but I would seek it out if I were there.

This is a good itinerary but I would allow more time in Zion, less in Bryce or Reef. It's really a spectacular park. You can stay in Springdale, the Desert Pearl is nice but not sure of the cost. Moab is probably more expensive but you can also find more choices-check out AirBnB. You can also float the Green from here. Capitol Reef and Bryce have cheaper lodging-motel style but functional. I recall some place called Austin's Chuckwagon.; there were also cabins by Bryce. Assume you will hit the Grand Escalante from one of these way stations. Food is pretty inexpensive but not very good-at least in Bryce, Reef areas. Vegetarian will be a challenge. Torrey I think was the culinary capital of the outback. Utah is much worse at food than New Mexico or Zona where good Mexican is at least possible.

Agree that Bryce can be done in one day. I advise drive all the way to the top without making any stops. Then on the way back pull out at the scenic overlooks. All of the pull outs are on the right side of the road so you won't be cutting across any traffic.

This might sound weird HOB, but if you have spare time in Salt Lake City, it won't take a lot of time, but go to Temple Square where the Mormon Temple is. Of course, you can't go into the temple, but they have a cool visitors center and the Mormon Tabernacle is there where the huge organ and choir do their thing. Think of it more like a historical site instead of some religious thing...like visiting Grace Cathedral on Nob Hill or Notre Dame in Paris. It is just a huge and beautiful landmark and if you find the times, you can actually hear the organ practice which is cool...the way the building is designed, you can stand in the back of the Tabernacle, and some one all the way in the front can drop a pin and you can hear it...again, don't be repulsed because it is religious or to some cult like...it is a huge landmark in SLC that is fun to see once......Tons of non Mormon tourists check it out. Been there myself a couple of times...

Southern Utah is well worth the trip. It gets really dark out there during the fall. I did Bryce in a day. Gets more interesting going towards the SE corner. Only real word of advice: drive the speed limit in Utah, they take it serious. I was pulled over a couple of times literally going 2 mph over the limit. No ticket but basically a "This ain't California warning".

GB54;842553542 said:

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Utah is much worse at food than New Mexico or Zona where good Mexican is at least possible.

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Oh boy, it's been years but the best moles I've ever had were from a restaurant in SLC called the Red Iguana. Poblano, Negro, Pipian, there must be a half dozen different moles on the menu. It's a hole in the wall about a mile or two west of downtown. As I recall it was on the road to the airport, which I believe is South Temple. I used to visit SLC regularly and would make it a point to stop there.

Usually moles are served over chicken so I'm not sure how that will work for a vegetarian. Maybe they can serve it over cheese enchiladas.

Cal_Fan2;842553561 said:

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This might sound weird HOB, but if you have spare time in Salt Lake City, it won't take a lot of time, but go to Temple Square where the Mormon Temple is. Of course, you can't go into the temple, but they have a cool visitors center and the Mormon Tabernacle is there where the huge organ and choir do their thing. Think of it more like a historical site instead of some religious thing...like visiting Grace Cathedral on Nob Hill or Notre Dame in Paris. It is just a huge and beautiful landmark and if you find the times, you can actually hear the organ practice which is cool...the way the building is designed, you can stand in the back of the Tabernacle, and some one all the way in the front can drop a pin and you can hear it...again, don't be repulsed because it is religious or to some cult like...it is a huge landmark in SLC that is fun to see once......Tons of non Mormon tourists check it out. Been there myself a couple of times...

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I agree it's worth a visit. It's free and there is no minimum time you need to spend there, so once you see enough you can cross the street to the mall. To understand Utah, you need to understand its people, and to understand its people, or at least the half of them that are Mormon, it might help to understand their religion a little bit. Your other option is to go watch the Book of Mormon, which actually does a pretty good job of explaining it to the uninitiated. And many in the know say it is cutting in the accuracy of its portrayal of certain aspects of the religion.

As a part time Park City resident, I have to put in my two cents.

SLC: This is more for your urban tourist type. Good shopping for the Mrs., LDS places to tour, good brew-hubs, and some trendy places. Its a more sophisticated city than most think, though not where I spend much time.

Park City: May be your best bet for healthy and vegetarian. Giodotti's area towards the highway, and Main Street, have places with good vegetarian choices (cousin is a vegetarian). Squatters is a good brew-hub, also with healthy stuff, and the local State Store there has the best wine selection possibly in the US, which comes as a shock to outsiders. We have been there in mid-October and the tress are turning colors. Very bucolic. Water is too cold for me to fish. Weather is cool, but not extremely cold, snow unlikely. If your into hiking, biking, and outdoor activities, PC has it all. Lot of folks like to head to the Uintas or Hebber Valley for hard core outdoor stuff (e.g., camping, fly fishing, hunting, rock climbing), and you may run into Robert Redford back there. Warning: there are moose and they be dangerous. Seriously, just don't move and let them ramble by.

Its a good time to year to be in So. Utah which can get real hot and real cold during summer and winter, but should be mostly in the 60s in mid-October. Outstanding hiking and biking. St. George has great spas if you need a day off from hiking the national parks. Not sure where a vegetarian eats in those parts however, as we tend to eat at hole in the walls off the 15, and is meat territory. Moab has truly outstanding mountain biking if your in to that. Take layers, breathable stuff, and Gore Tex. Have fun.

FYI We are trying to avoid eating out as much as possible and so we will be hoping to have refrigerator access wherever we stay.

Thanks so much for all the great tips.
I'm getting that Zion needs more time, but should I use the extra day from Bryce someplace else like Rainbow Bridge, Kodachrome park or Glen Canyon?

The more I think about it, we could add Zion to our trip next year if we enter from the south Utah side and head north.
We could then spend more time on the extreme east on the way north to Yellowstone and then come back down through the SLC area and spend more time in the surrounding cities like Park City, Snowbird and Ogden. We will be sure to hit Bear lake of course.

The tent cabins like they have in Yosemite or something similar might be the way to go if they are still available. I doubt they are as expense as the hotels in places like Moab.
I guess I would have to contact the parks directly to get more infomation.

CF2: Actually I was going to catch the choir itself if possible

You and your partner? I checked into a motel in Utah once with my girlfriend. The woman behind the counter wanted to know if we were getting seperate rooms and when I told her one room we got a definitive sneer from her face. Good luck.

GB54;842553542 said:

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This is a good itinerary but I would allow more time in Zion, less in Bryce or Reef. It's really a spectacular park. You can stay in Springdale, the Desert Pearl is nice but not sure of the cost. Moab is probably more expensive but you can also find more choices-check out AirBnB. You can also float the Green from here. Capitol Reef and Bryce have cheaper lodging-motel style but functional. I recall some place called Austin's Chuckwagon.; there were also cabins by Bryce. Assume you will hit the Grand Escalante from one of these way stations. Food is pretty inexpensive but not very good-at least in Bryce, Reef areas. Vegetarian will be a challenge. Torrey I think was the culinary capital of the outback. Utah is much worse at food than New Mexico or Zona where good Mexican is at least possible.

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Agree about Zion. There is a motel with an Irish name just outside the south entrance. It has a restaurant with the best lamb shanks I've ever eaten. The park is a spiritual experience - spend an extra day there.

Edit: Flanagan's. Restaurant is The Spotted Dog. Yum.

Also, to appreciate Bryce you need to hike down to the valley floor and walk among the hoodoo's. Wall Street must be seen and can only be seen from there (in fact, you can't see it any other way). This will take two days, that and to see everything else, especially sunrise at Sunrise Point (or whatever it's called). We couldn't find any top accommodations, so we stayed at the big tourist motel at the start of the road going in. Forgot what it is called. It was ok, but kitschy.

Both parks have hotels within the parks, but they are booked long in advance. Nice places, though, if you can get a room.

Just south of Salt Lake City, near the entrance to Cottonwood Canyon, is a terrific restaurant called the Porcupine Pub & Grill, http://porcupinepub.com.

It has very good food, arguably the best Nachos in Utah, plus the beer is not bad. And, as a sports bar, you'll be surrounded with large plasma displays, as well.

It is always crowded, but well worth the wait, enjoy/

Rushinbear;842553663 said:

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Agree about Zion. There is a motel with an Irish name just outside the south entrance. It has a restaurant with the best lamb shanks I've ever eaten. The park is a spiritual experience - spend an extra day there.

Edit: Flanagan's. Restaurant is The Spotted Dog. Yum.

Also, to appreciate Bryce you need to hike down to the valley floor and walk among the hoodoo's. Wall Street must be seen and can only be seen from there (in fact, you can't see it any other way). This will take two days, that and to see everything else, especially sunrise at Sunrise Point (or whatever it's called). We couldn't find any top accommodations, so we stayed at the big tourist motel at the start of the road going in. Forgot what it is called. It was ok, but kitschy.

Both parks have hotels within the parks, but they are booked long in advance. Nice places, though, if you can get a room.

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Agree about Bryce. Walk into the canyon or take a horse back ride if so inclined. Also the Ranger led activities are great and free at all NP

Don't--I repeat--DO NOT skip Zion. You will guaranteed want to go back after you leave so just pencil it in for your next trip too. I should also mention that you should make sure to do the drive from Bryce to Zion during the day, allowing some extra time to make stops. The rock formations just outside Zion on the backside of the tunnel and the descent into Zion after you go through it are amazing.

Bryce can still be done in a day. When I went we drove from Zion, hiked the rim trail, went back out to the general store for supplies then back up to the top lookout and hiked from there down to the canyon floor and up wall street. Of course this was in June so we had more daylight, but it's possible. View of hoodoos from canyon floor and wall street at sunset were life altering.

Not sure if you know but both Bryce and Zion have tram systems. Bryce allows cars to the lookout points but Zion does not. Zion is 100% walk in only, no parking inside.

OldBlue1999;842553772 said:

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Don't--I repeat--DO NOT skip Zion. You will guaranteed want to go back after you leave so just pencil it in for your next trip too. I should also mention that you should make sure to do the drive from Bryce to Zion during the day, allowing some extra time to make stops. The rock formations just outside Zion on the backside of the tunnel and the descent into Zion after you go through it are amazing.

Bryce can still be done in a day. When I went we drove from Zion, hiked the rim trail, went back out to the general store for supplies then back up to the top lookout and hiked from there down to the canyon floor and up wall street. Of course this was in June so we had more daylight, but it's possible. View of hoodoos from canyon floor and wall street at sunset were life altering.

Not sure if you know but both Bryce and Zion have tram systems. Bryce allows cars to the lookout points but Zion does not. Zion is 100% walk in only, no parking inside.

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Both Zion and Bryce are truly moving experiences. Sit next to the river in Zion, listen to the breeze moving through the Cottonwoods and tell me there's a more peaceful, serene place in the world.

heartofthebear;842553509 said:

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My partner and I are traveling to Utah and will be arriving in Salt Lake on October 8th. We will be spending at least 2 weeks in Utah and have it all figured out but we don't know what to do on Saturday Oct. 10.

OK seriously folks, of course we are going to Rice Eccels to see the Bears continue their promising season. It should be a great game and I strongly recommend you boosters make an appearance. Utah is highly underrated as a destination and even Salt Lake City is full of things to do.

It seems that we have figured out our Salt Lake City stay pretty well, although we don't know how we are going to see everything in the 3 days/4 nights we have. We would stay longer but we are also planning a multi-park swing through the national parks in Southern Utah.


:gobears:

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Moab, UT, is a destination for all kinds of folks from all over the world who come to experience Canyonlands and Arches.
There are many good eating alternatives in Moab.
One of the best is Sabaku Sushi: http://www.sabakusushi.com/menu.cfm
Fun place with excellent fresh fish (seared and sushi) and yaki udon noodles.
The chef operators are former river guides. Check it out.

Agree with the comments from others that Zion deserves more time than Bryce. Bryce is beautiful but can be seen in a day unless you want to hike off the rim down into the hoodoos and then back up.

Many years ago I was involved in a project in So. Utah and spent a lot of time in Kanab and surrounding areas. Kanab was dry at the time but right across the border is Fredonia with a number of pizza bars if you will. To the east of Kanab about 8 miles is a road turning north into Johnson Canyon. It will give you a good look into the rural environment with farms, etc. Some early western movies were shot in the area with some 'ghost' towns still around, at least a few years ago. As you go farther up the canyon you see some of the sandstone patterns and landscapes found in the National Parks. Also if you look closely you will see springs coming out of the canyon walls. These come from the Navajo aquifer that basically underlies the whole state. It recharges from the Wasatch mountains. Would a I schedule this run instead of a day in the Parks, absolutely not, but it's a comfortable relaxing side trip if you are staying in Kanab for a few days. BTW, way back then the voter registration in Kane County (i.e. Kanab) showed 4000 voters - 4 democrats and 3996 Republicans. Good friendly people but yes conservative. (And if you knew the right people they could show you the 2 bars hidden in the town!)

Further east from Kanab about 80+ miles is Antelope Canyon. You will pass the Vermillion Cliffs National Monument. Google it for some views. It's on the Navajo reservation and you have to take a tour instead of just walking in, but it's spectacular.

The Grand Staircase runs from the top at Bryce Canyon to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, as most know. You pass thru the Pink, White, Grey, Vermillion, etc. cliffs at different parts of the Staircase. What most people don't know is that the grey cliffs contain a bunch of coal, of fairly good quality, i.e. medium to high Btu and very lower in sulfur. Some estimates range up to 2 Billion tons of coal over the entire region. Notwithstanding the carbon issue, at this very early point of carbon sequestration technology development, trying mine coal from that environment would be Impossible.

Southern Utah is a incredible place to explore. Start with parks of course, but there are many smaller and unique sights to be found if you have the time. And I didn't even mention the North Rim of the Grand Canyon which you get from Kanab!

Enjoy!

P.S. East of Kanab about 50 miles is BigWater UT home of a polygamous sect of Fundamentalist Mormons. I bring this up not as a social comment but of what happened there a few weeks ago. A flash flood tore thru the town and killed several women and children. Pay attention to the weather if you are going into the canyons. Storms several miles away can create flash floods downstream of the catch basin. Fortunately, this time of year the monsoon T-storms should not be an issue.

>"...a peacful place..."<

Maybe on the Colorado in the Grand Canyon downstream from Phantom Ranch. How about the Havasu Canyon or Deer Creek?

BTW--maybe you'll find time to visit Great Basin National Park, NV, near the UT/NV at Hwy 50/93.
Spectacular overlook of the high desert at little visited Wheeler Peak (13,000'+) and the Lehman Caves.

Zion is amazing and requires several days. The Narrows in Zion is a great hike but can be challenging if you have physical limitations (note, my 7-yr old did it, so its not THAT hard), but you will need to rent proper equipment. The Cliffrose Lodge is a great place to stay in Zion and Whiptail Grill has great vegetarian options. The only other place I would recommend that might be a bit off your path is Lower Antelope Canyon outside Page, AZ (near border of Utah) -- it is beyond words and I would travel a few hours outside Zion to see it for sure.

I also agree; Bryce is beautiful, but one day should do. Spend the extra day in Zion where you should consider two different hikes: Angel's Landing and the Narrows.
If you are afraid of heights, do not go to Angels Landing. If you can handle the heights of Half Dome, you will be ok on Angel's Landing. It is remarkable - the view and the climb are exhilarating. Probably a little longer than a half day hike, depending on your fitness.
The Narrows - you need to be comfortable walking in water and also be very aware of the weather -- the canyon is prone to flash flooding. Again, the view is remarkable. This is a full day.

I would recommend Mesa Verde which is actually in Colorado, but if you are in Moab, just another 50+ miles to Monticello, then East towards Durango (not all the way) Colorado. It is a cliff dwelling and museum from the Anasazi era. Also, you will go past Dove Creek on the way, they have a mill there that sells the beans that are locally grown from Anasazi seed beans found in a sealed pot years ago that were like 800 years old. Similar, but more tender, than pintos. I recommend a couple 10# bags, they are great (especially in elk chili!)

Moab, btw, was the name of the son of Lot after the Sodom/Gomorah tale that Lot had with his daughter! Just keepin' it in the family.......

You mentioned scenic byways so I imagine scenic byway 12 is on the list. It's beautiful. One particular stretch that is often overlooked is north of the town of escalante - a stretch called hogsback and a backway detour that takes you over hell's
backbone.

Hogsback


Hell's Backbone:


This will eventually get you into the town of boulder and hell's backbone grill. You'll be able to find good vegan food there, but my wife swears by the Garlic Burger:

http://www.sunset.com/travel/wine-country/food-travel/savor-the-west_88


Edit: Ok not a burger on that menu haha. Just checked with the wife and the garlic burger place is somewhere else along this route. But Hells Backbone Grill is where you'll want to eat:

http://hellsbackbonegrill.com/

Agree on the Red iguana.

Also, visited the Buffalo Grill at the Zion Mountain Ranch a couple of years ago driving into Zion from Bryce on a tip from someone - awesome, check out the link below. They grow their produce on-site, the "farm" in their farm-to-table is on-site. This place is quite a find, about 5 minutes from the East entrance to the Park. Best salad I've had in years!!

http://www.zmr.com/dining/

Mr. Goldenbearmb and I did Southern Utah and Northern Arizona this time last year. Here are my recommendations:

Moab:

Eats:
Milt's Stop and Eat. A burger place that welcomes vegetarians, and the malts are to die for.
Moab Brewery: The beers are all fine but not up to West Coast standards. Eat in the bar to skip the hour-long wait for the dining area. Skip-able unless you are an inveterate beer hound like my DH

Mountain Bike:
Chili Peppers for bike and car-rack rentals and good advice on trails. Buy a Sriracha look-alike T shirt.

Arches:
Photographer's Dream Come True. You will want to stop every two minutes to take another picture. Allow time for this. Hang out under Double Arch at sunset. Lots of company.

Capitol Reef:
Your reward for the somewhat grim, somewhat long drive from Moab. The start of the really good stuff, Arches excepted. Guidebooks have good descriptions. Lots of company. But steal a day from here to use in the Boulder area, as above. Hell's Backbone Grill will be the best food you have on your whole trip.

Boulder:
Drive the 30-mile paved portion of the Burr Trail down from Boulder, and get out to walk the miniature slot canyon, and to pull over every quarter mile to take more photos.
Ask the locals for directions to the mochi marbles field and go play with the rocks.
Very little company.
Drive Hogsback Ridge, as above.

Bryce
One overnight is fine. Do get up early to hike down into the hoodoos. Lots and lots and lots of company.

Kanab:
Spend a couple of hours at sunset at Coral Sands State Park
Stay at Canyons Lodge. They are clean and attractive and cheap and that is good because:

#1 THING TO DO ON THIS TRIP: Take a tour to White Pocket. We used Dreamland Safari, and I highly recommend them but there are other outfitters. It will cost you big bucks but frankly I would skip everything else just to go back to this place. Seriously. It's mostly unknown because it's so remote, thank God. I almost didn't post this because it will become like The Wave and start requiring permits and stuff but for now--it's still accessible to anyone. But do NOT try to drive there unless you have serious experience in driving in deep, and I mean deep like dune-buggy deep, sand. The road, if you can call it that, in is no joke. But JUST do it. NO company. My husband and I and our driver/guide had the whole dang place to ourselves. Unbelievable.

Antelope Canyon is expensive and the only place I would not go back to. We were herded through like cattle. Don't waste your time. There are plenty of slot canyons to hike on your own.

Zion:
Hike the Narrows if the rain gods smile upon you. On the tram on the way to the trail there were a few people all kitted out with poles and shoes and stuff. We just grabbed one of the dozens of sticks that people leave leaning against the rocks at the trail's start, and waded in. Consider this a serendipity hike--if it happens, it happens. There were perfect conditions the day we went there. A week later two guys were killed in a flash flood.

Beer at Zion:
Go to Zion Canyon Brew Pub in Springdale, within walking distance of the entrance/tram stop. The beer is better than in Moab. Plus these guys are awesome. They had DISH TV there, the only place in town, and they graciously tuned the channel to let us watch the Cal-Arizona game. After the place closed they let us stay, and order more beers, to watch the game, right up until they had finished mopping/sweeping/washing dishes, and were locking up for the night. At that point the score was 31-13 and Mr. GBmb and I were jubilant. By the time we got back to our room, connected to internet to find the radio broadcast...well, yeah, never mind that now. Just go there and have a beer or six.

PM me if you have any questions. I wish I was going back right now.
Also, go to White Pocket!!!!

Sounds like you are on a pretty tight budget. You might want to swing over to Wendover on the Nevada border and go double or nothing at their craps table. Feast or famine. :p I had a hot streak when I visited a couple of years ago.

Completely spaced out on Coral Sands State Park to the west of Kanab. Great place at sunset. Amazing colors.

Sounds like you will be coming down US 89 at some point. If you have a need to get to Cedar City, not that there is anything unique there (Shakespeare Festival is actually pretty good), take the Cedar Breaks Highway. This time of year the high altitude aspen are turning yellow/gold among the lava fields. Very beautiful. But again only if you need to get Cedar City from 89.

The part of 89 north of the junction Hwy 9 going to Zion is called Long Valley. It's apparently an old fault zone and one side of the valley is something like 1000 ft higher than the other side when you compare rock samples and layers.

Highly second Mesa Verde. Fantastic human history compared to the Natural history of the other parks.

I'm ready to go back!

I agree with Mesa Verde as well. Been there twice and recommend it.

I agree the North Rim of the GC is a great visit, but remember the concessions close for the season on OCT 15. Gates to the rim are locked at the first snowfall, usually the first week of NOV. Nearby Jacob Lake Inn (cabins and motel rooms) is a good place to stay year around. The beauty of this place is spectacular. The ponderosa forests and the view of the canyon from the capes is fantastic. The North Rim is about 1000' higher elevation than the South Rim.

FYI-- Jacob Lake is named for Jacob Hamblin a Utah pioneer and Mormon missionary appointed by Brigham Young to lead the southern Utah mission and build communications thru diplomacy with the native people. He was a contact and resource for John Wesley Powell and translated, guided and assisted with his enthnographic studies after the 1867 exploratory expedition that preceded Powell's GC/Colorado River expedition of 1869.

joe yaks;842554385 said:

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I agree the North Rim of the GC is a great visit, but remember the concessions close for the season on OCT 15. Gates to the rim are locked at the first snowfall, usually the first week of NOV. Nearby Jacob Lake Resort (cabins) is a good place to stay year around.

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North Rim is terrific, but bring layers of clothes in mid-October, can be cold.

heartofthebear;842553509 said:

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Price (13-14) to
Green River (14-16) to
Moab/Arches (16-19) to
Capitol Reef (19-22) to

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I worked summers at Hite while at Cal. Canyon country is amazing. The heart of the area is Canyonlands NP, and if you're not driving a 4-wheel rig, you can get jeep trips into the remote spots. Chesler Park and the Needles district is the most accessible and close to your route. A beauty all its own, especially late afternoon-dusk when the photo opportunities start jumping out at you.

Moab is popular but expensive, and, to me, too crowded.

Small town SE Utah is very basic, hotels are inexpensive, Blanding, Montecello, etc. You may find organic food in markets, but not so likely in restaurants.

Let me know if you want to hear more. Best wishes. I love that area.