Backpacking Utah in july?

[Zoriloco]

Quick question for you guys. When do they start selling these permits and how much am I looking to pay for a 3 day trip? Is there a limit on the number of people a group can have?

Thank you

Alan

lol... yeah that info would probably help in getting an answer....

I was talking about the Zion National park permits. I was thinking of the Subway trail or the Zion Narros.

Thank you

Alan

[Shan]

I was talking about the Zion National park permits. I was thinking of the Subway trail or the Zion Narros.

Thank you

Alan

"Walk-in permits are available for all areas in Zion National Park. At least 25 percent of all permits are set aside for walk-in visitors. Walk-in permits are available the day before or the day of your trip."

Or get them online starting May 5 for a July trip. $10 fee (plus your park entrance fee) for 1-2 ppl.

"There are two requirements to obtain online permits:

[Zoriloco]

Seems a bit of a chance to drive for 9hrs from CO and hope you can get a permit. Any suggestions on how to make this easier? Thanks

[tanya]

Just apply online or do something that does not require a permit.

Or go for the walkin permit and have a backup plan.

[accadacca]

The Subway however, has a lottery system that you can read about in that link.

Lottery!? What is this Idaho!

[JohnWayne]

Hello Tanya,

We are planning on visiting my daughter in Smithfield and than driving to Zion. The plan is to stay the night near the park and heading in the next day. Can you recommend any lodging near the park?
Thanks

[tanya]

It depends on if you want to stay on the east side or south side of the park or stay right inside Zion in the Zion Lodge which is ran by a private company, xantarra, not the NPS, but its rustic as if the NPS did. http://www.zionlodge.com/

Mine: http://www.zionnational-park.com/eas...park-lodge.htm This is 12 miles east of Zion at the Jct. of SR-9 and US-89

East Side: http://www.eastziontourismcouncil.org/ Most are along US-89, just past mine.

This map gives you an idea of what's on the east side of Zion. http://www.zionnational-park.com/southern-utah-map.htm

My Best Western is on the east side and handy if you are going to Bryce and Grand Canyon or just want to be away from the crowds. If you stay there ask for the building closest to SR-9. Every room has the log furniture. Many of the other rooms however were remodeled even more recently, but we have not got the log furniture in them all.

Springdale is on the southside of the park and has a bunch of hotels. Desert Pearl Inn is the best I think, but it all depends on what you want. Some want the best, some want the cheapest. Most on this site are the cheap canyoneers. etc... so they will tell you the best - cheap places to stay. Nothing wrong with that, just saying.

[JohnWayne]

It looks like the Best Western is the best bet. The hot tub sounds nice! The rooms look nice.
My girlfriend read somewhere that Zion had free roaming buffalo. Is this true and if so, where?

[gnwatts]

Mule Canyon on Cedar Mesa is nice in the summer. A couple of good size pools and lots of shade, ruins.

[JohnWayne]

Sounds great! Could you give details on those locations. Where they are located and how to get to them. Thanks,

[gnwatts]

Drive about 25 minutes past Coomb Wash until you see a sign for Mule Canyon, turn around at the sign and go back about 200 yards and you will see a dirt road heading north (on your left), drive about 1/2 mile you will cross the canyon. Park here. A short 3 to 4 mile hike will bring you to paradise, tall ponderosa pines, pools and ruins.

[tanya]

That is Zion Mountain Ranch. It's some cabins between the park and Mt. Carmel Jct. There are some buffalo roaming out there.

[trackrunner]

My girlfriend read somewhere that Zion had free roaming buffalo. Is this true and if so, where?

That is Zion Mountain Ranch. It's some cabins between the park and Mt. Carmel Jct. There are some buffalo roaming out there.

^^^ this. not your free roaming wild bison herd. more like your free roaming livestock what's for dinner herd.

mmmmmmmmm. . . bison burger

[tanya]

You are funny Shaun


That place does not have good food at all and even though they advertise that they are IN the park, they are not. If you want Bison Burgers go to the best --- really it's the best food in the Southwest! Buffalo Bistro in Glendale! I can't say much that is good about Zion Mountain Ranch and Buffalo Grill.

The Buffalo Bistro is not open all year though. It's unique... buffalo burgers, but also rattlesnake all kinds of odd things. Ron Terry owns it and does all the cooking himself.

http://www.visiteastzion.info/buffalobistro.html

Great Food!!! ~ Unique Western Atmosphere ~ Truly a Great Dining Experience

Outdoor Grill - Cold Beer - Buffalo Burgers - Rocky Mountain Oysters
Rabbit Rattlesnake Sausage - Cornish Game Hens BBQ Wild Boar
BBQ Buffalo Ribs - Vegetarian Meals

Reservations Recommended: 435-648-2778

[JohnWayne]

If you had 3 days, which of these trails would you prefer? Kalob Canyon or the Narrows?

[Scott P]

If you had 3 days, which of these trails would you prefer? Kalob Canyon or the Narrows?

It depends on the time of year. June (or whenever the Narrows open-varies year to year) through early or mid October, definately the Narrows. Other times of year Kolob Section is more reasonable.

Or are you speaking of Kolob Creek than drains into the Narrows (the word "trail" makes me thing not)? There really isn't a Kolob Canyon?

[tanya]

Kolob Canyons http://www.zionnational-park.com/kolob-canyons.htm

Kolob Creek (Canyon) http://www.zionnational-park.com/ima...ms/index64.htm

Yep.. what Scott said.

[JohnWayne]

You are correct. My map shows it as Lees Pass( Kolob canyon). More specifically, the La Verkin Creek trail and Hop Valley Trail.
We are out there for 2 weeks and want to backpack Zion first for three days. It will be the first part of July, so a cooler area with water would be our choice. The Narrows looked like a good July hike. We are just trying to figure the logistics of our hike. We will only have the one vehicle, so that would require making a loop hike or some sort of shuttle. It looks like the Narrows hike starts at the Chamberlain Ranch. From there we can either hike in and back track out or get creative and make our own loop hike. What are your thoughts?

[erial]

Reckon you're flying into Salt Lake City and that your 2 week loop of Utah would start from there? If so, you'd likely head down US6 to get to Arches/Moab. When you pass thru Price enroute you may want to consider checking out Nine Mile Canyon. After filling up on arches in Moab you'll probably head to Horseshoe via Rt 24. On the other side of 24 you might want to check out Goblin Valley and do one of the slot canyon hikes in the area. Continuing south on 24 you'll arrive at Capitol Reef. You might want to take the "shortcut" Burr Trail at this point which will take over to Rt 12 at Boulder and eventually to the Hole in the Rock rd. Some nifty hikes can be had down that road. Not too much further to get to Bryce and then Zion.

Bring plenty of water. Not alot of shower facilities along the way. May want to bring one of those portable deals that you hang from a tree branch. What I like about Utah is that there's always a dirt road available that readily leads to a free primitive campsite. Convenient car camping guarantees more time for hikes with a light daypack on one's back.

A book such as Michael Kelsey's Canyon Hiking Guide to the Colorado Plateau offers a survey of the hikes in the region and might prove useful in winnowing down the places that you positively gotta visit.

[JohnWayne]

we are actually headed the other way. down to Zion first than Bryce,Horseshoe, Escalante, Arches.