Temps at night

[packerjack]

I'll be heading out way for the first time, doing some camping and hiking in Bryce and Zion...and I'm wondering how cold it gets there at night. The Lonely Planet Guide says in the 70s, but a friend keeps insisting that it gets well below freezing; she carries a -15 degree bag.

I have a couple of 20 degree bags; an REI Sub-kilo and a MH 2D.

Thanks.

[brookiekiller]

It depends on the time of year. This time of year - Zion will no way get close to freezing. Bryce can get close to freezing if the conditions are right this time of year. Some people have no idea how cold freezing is and it the temperature gets into the 40s they think it is freezing.

[Jaxx]

Its pretty chilly at night. You will be fine in your 20 degree bag unless you get cold easily.
When I was in Zion at the end of June I forgot my sleeping bag, all I had was a moving blanket. It would wake up cold even with a hoodie on. The wind was cold.
When we just went in August I had a cheap 30 degree bag and it was plenty.

[shaggy125]

Zion's canyon floor is like 4500 feet, bryce's rim is like 8000 feet, so it all depends where you are camping. Zion will be nice at night, Bryce will be quite a bit colder. Look at the national weather service' website (www.nws.noaa.gov), click on Utah on the map then keep clicking till you zoom in on Zion, look at the elevation in the bottom right corner of the map, keep clicking till you get somewhere around 4500 feet, that should give you an idea of what temps are right now. Then find Bryce and keep clicking till you get around 8000 feet, that will tell you what temps are about there. Looks like I'm seeing lows in Zion in the upper 50's, lows in Bryce in the 30's

[Cirrus2000]

Last year, mid- to late-September in Zion, I was very comfortable in a -7C (about 20F) bag. Took extra fleece, but didn't need it.

I'm a big fan of using Weather Underground for trip planning:

http://www.wunderground.com/tripplanner/index.asp

Just have to be careful that the weather station they select (whatever is closest) is actually close enough to the tiny, out of the way town that you're really wanting to know.

[Telkwa]

When are you going? My wife and I try to get into canyon country during fall colors. Usually October to November. Over the course of several trips we've experienced 60 deg. nites and 20 deg. nites. The 20 deg. kinda sucked because the tent got icy and it took a long time for the sun to dry it out!

[tanya]

This summer it seems like it has been so cool here on the east side of Zion. I put up the weather report at work and it's usually under 90 ... awesome for August! The nights have been chilly.... perfect sleeping in the house with the windows open, but it would be cooler sleeping outside. Bryce will be even cooler. I would say when coming here always be prepared for cool weather. Bo, Joe, I and a couple of others hiked Bridge Mountain in June and there was a hail storm and Joe and his dad did not have warm gear. I was worried about them. With September here it's already starting to cool down a lot. As the guys all said though.... it all depends on when you come and even at that it can fluctuate a lot in the desert.