Utah noobs in a rented SUV

[tweeek]

So.. Ive never been to Utah before :( I'm going to be driving in through Monument valley between March 22 - 25. Camp in Valley of the gods, up through Hite. Here is where my need for advice comes into play.

Unfortunately, since we are flying into Vegas, I need to rent a vehicle. I am either going to end up with a stock Ford Escape or A Chevy Trailblazer. The route I want to take from Hite is south on 276, then NW to Escalante on Burr Trail Rd. (Or Clay Point Rd) South from there on Smokey mountain rd, spend a night overlooking Lake Powell (Alstrom Point??) with some stops for camping / hiking along the way.

Is this realistic to accomplish in a stock half ton SUV if the weather conditions are decent?

Can anyone make any suggestions of alternatives or places I should check out to camp/hike that I can make it to with this arrangement? Im trying to avoid crowds

I've got some 4x4 experience, on the west coast of Vancouver Island in Canada, which will be little different than driving in sand. I have heaps of backwoods experience, but mostly out of a backpack, not a 4x4.

Mostly, I just do not know how rugged the burr trail / smokey mountain rd / alstrom point roads are.

[RedMan]

Thats is all very doable in a stock SUV.
Have a good trip.

Those are dirt roads but not really nasty trails.

Burr trail from 267 is easy.
Asltrom is easy.
Smokey mt can be sippery, don't do it in wet conditions.
I think its closed in winter.

You can get an update on teh road conditions here:

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
Kanab Headquarters
190 East Center
Kanab, Utah 84741
(435) 644-4300
Fax (435) 644-4350
escalante_interagency@blm.gov

[Cirrus2000]

Unfortunately, since we are flying into Vegas, I need to rent a vehicle. I am either going to end up with a stock Ford Escape or A Chevy Trailblazer.
Careful that they actually have what they're offering you. I've rented the "Mid-Size SUV" from an economy rental place before. "Jeep Liberty or equivalent." Here's what I got:

http://images.myride.com/images/vehicle/2006/Mazda/MAZDA5/oem/06.mazda5.19_(400x300).jpg

Yeah, a Mazda 5 - lowered mini-van. It was all they had, so I took it down the Hole in the Rock Road. The damage was quite minor and easy to conceal, as it was all beneath the vehicle. Just had to tuck the loose plastic-y bits up so they didn't drag.

My first trip to Utah was 5 1/2 years ago, and I've been back 9 times since - it's kind of addictive, for some of us southwest BC folks. I've got the next 3 trips planned, too...

Good luck, and have fun!