hiking SE and SW utah any suggestions

[tc11baseball]

Arriving in july, have been to bryce and zion. Looking for day hikes any where from capital reef to the stircase fo the escalante's. Would like a slot canyon or 2 and everthing in between. Will be driving in from Las Vegas in a 4 wheel vehicle. Will be in for 7 days. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. We love remote and off the beaten path and can camp if necessary. Thanks

[Rented mule]

Capitol Reef: If it's solitude and backcountry you want? Stop and see if you can get a permit for a drive on the beautiful Cathral Valley Loop.
You will need high clearance and 4 wheel drive which you mentioned. I could spend a couple paragraphs setting you up, but Stop in at Park HQ in
Capitol Reef and they are super friendly. It is an all day long slow drive where you may not run into another person. I saw three people, all day.
And since I am not a snob, and like people, I stopped and said hello. If I wanted to, I could have waited 20 minutes and I could have had those three spots all to myself. You will drive up the highway following the pretty creek and then, at some point you will turn left off the road, cross the creek, and begin your
offroad adventure. Stop as often as you like and explore explore and walk all you want in any direction. No real trail. Just do how you feel.
It is so beautiful and barren, you will think you are on another planet, and all alone, too.

Camping? Backcountry? I don't know if they will let ya set up a car camp type thing or if there are some designated first come first serve primitive campsites.
Please check with the staff at Capitol reef. If camping is your thing back there, ask them by calling them directly and see if you need a permit.

You won't be disappointed. it totally blows away anything I have hiked through in the Lake Meade Wilderness area. Are you from Vegas? Or flying in and
renting a vehicle from Vegas?

If renting, beware~ Some of the Vegas car rental companies will rent SUV to you but "disable" the 4X4 function to discourage you from actually
using the vehicle off road. I would check and get the proper rental agreement up front. So they know I will be going on established unpaved dirt roads
in a natl park and that way they know what to expect and so do you, in writing. My buddy learned the hard way.

Have a blast!
I would suggest other stuff closer to the corner of So. Utah in Washington County and St. George area, but you only wanted to go as far as Escalante.
cheers!
jerry

[Rented mule]

http://www.clubtread.com/sforum/imag...&y=449&t=26216

Cap reef Cathedral valley typical stark landscape. awesome....

[arindam]

Jerry,

Is a permit required just to drive the Cathedral Valley loop? Or did you mean, a permit for camping in there?

Capitol Reef: ... Stop and see if you can get a permit for a drive on the beautiful Cathral Valley Loop.

[americanhero]

I don't think you need a permit for the loop drive to Cathedral Valley. I could always drive it without a permit. Or have they changed something?

[IntrepidXJ]

I don't think you need a permit for the loop drive to Cathedral Valley. I could always drive it without a permit. Or have they changed something?

You are correct, there is no permit required

[americanhero]

I don't think you need a permit for the loop drive to Cathedral Valley. I could always drive it without a permit. Or have they changed something?

Thanks, that's what I thought. Will do the loop again this June and check out the campsite.

[asdf]

No permits required and there is a free "first come first serve" campground at the top of the loop. Not all of the road is within the park and I seem to recall a few privative sites on the Cainsville side of the loop between the temples and highway 24.

Not much shade out there.

[arindam]

Thanks for the clarification.

[tc11baseball]

Rented Mule, We are open to any info you have for the so. area also. Do you know anything about willis creek slot canyon,lick wash canyon near cannonville.again trying to put something together for 7 days , The trip in capitol reef sounds good. Thanks again. TC

[Rented mule]

Everyone else is correct. I knew you meant camping, too. But, I didn't know there was a campsite on the loop. Way cool. Thanks, Summit.
nope, that's all I've got. Have a great trip. Capitol Reef is pretty stark and
an amazing place. but, as Summit said, no shade. this is open, high desert
and you will be in blazing sun in July. Good luck. cheers.
jerry

[erial]

You can do a well shaded loop of willis creek and bull valley gorge from skutumpah rd. Over on the cottonwood wash rd, the hike in hackberry canyon would also be in the shade. You could make that a loop hike as well, but you'd be out in the sun on the returning ridge trails. Heading over to Escalante, you could do several hikes in the washes and slots there that would keep you out of the sun at least part of the time.

[powderglut]

Like erial said, Willis creek is easy to access and a pretty casual walk in slot. Bull Valley is just up the road and youre immediately in tight narrows. Just down the road from Kodachrome is Round Valley draw. I haven't been in it in quite a few years, but a cool climb down into, with a few obstacles, and some very high walls. Beautiful canyon. One of my favorites.

[Bo_Beck]

Rented Mule, We are open to any info you have for the so. area also. Do you know anything about willis creek slot canyon,lick wash canyon near cannonville.again trying to put something together for 7 days , The trip in capitol reef sounds good. Thanks again. TC

Maybe Tanyas and my website will help?

http://www.zionnational-park.com/gra...ase-hiking.htm

http://www.zionnational-park.com/gra...e-monument.htm

http://www.zionnational-park.com/sta...lley-gorge.htm