Utah & GC during July: Trip Planning

It's been mentioned but needs emphasis. In the summer, don't walk anywhere in this part of the country without drinking lots of water. It is very easy to get dehydrated here in the summer heat with nasty consequences. Keep plenty of water in your TV in case of breakdown.

[IzzyCamper]

Thank you everyone for the great replies and ideas!

I'm reworking a few areas, specifically:

1. I think I'm going to give up on the idea of using Goosenecks State Park (primitive camping only) as a stopover after visiting Monument Valley. It's very near Mexican Hat, but as many have correctly pointed out, this is the desert in the middle of the summer, and I may want some air conditioning. We may just drive out for the view and head elsewhere for the night.

2. Trying to figure out the best option for Bryce. I think I'd like to plan to stay at Red Canyon Campground just down the road (no facilities but apparently a nice place with great hikes similar to Bryce and dog friendly -- temps look more mild here), but they don't take reservations, so I'm worried about relying on this as our overnight option.

3. I think I'll add a 2 day trip to the Grand Canyon's North Rim. We'd apparently have to take turns hanging out with the dog, but the quieter nature of the area would likely make it worth it.

I'll post back when I have this pulled together

[OneMoBear]

So, you seem to know that the national parks are REALLY not dog friendly. We have been to, but have not seen, many beautiful parks because our Buddy was not welcome . . . Zion, Bryce, the redwoods . . .

Just a quick point that you probably also know. No one will board your dog without a kennel cough vaccination. Be sure you have all of your dog's records with you. Also, (this is not my wonderful idea) pictures and possible lost pet flyers.

Malinda

[Bill]

Mexican Hat and Mexican Water are the true definition of "the middle of nowhere". And they will be hot!

As Mud Dog mentioned, Ruby's Inn and Campground is perhaps the best place to stay when you are at Bryce.

My personal opinion, shared by few, is that the north rim of the Grand Canyon is far more enjoyable than the south rim.

Bill

[MudDog]

Not sure about the North Rim, but the South Rim of the Grand Canyon is probably the most dog friendly NP we've been to. Dogs on a leash were allowed on the entire rim trail and pretty much anywhere else except in buildings and the trails leading below the rim. They also have kennels available if needed. We stayed at Trailer Village and everyday 50+ deer would come in a graze feet away from the campsites. After the first day, our dog got used to them. We also had an Elk encounter on the rim trail. Our dog was smart enough to sit down and just look, knowing with their size he was no match.

At most other National Parks, dogs are allowed out on a leash in the parking lots or within a few feet of the side of the road. I believe Zion allows dogs on the Riverwalk Path near the entrance.

If I were traveling in UT/AZ in July with kids and a dog, I think I'd try to stick to CG's with electric...just in case the AC is needed to keep everyone (including the dog) comfortable and happy.

[OneMoBear]

We LOVE to hike and lived within 75 miles of the south rim of the GC for 23 years and never hiked it because we couldn't go below the rim with our dog. Love me, love my dog.

Malinda

[MudDog]

Maybe they'll let you strap a dog crate onto the back of a mule...

Even without a dog, not sure I'd venture down below the rim in July. On every trip to the GC we've seen people stagger back up to the rim totally spent with a near-death look in their eyes. "It seemed easy on the way down..." they say.

One of the ranger talks was about hiking the CG and what to expect (30 degree temp variances between the rim and the bottom) and what not to expect (help getting out from the rangers unless they deem it life threatening in which case you'll get a $5k+ bill for the rescue...I don't disagree with the policy, but GC seems to attract people that get in way over their heads). The most popular book at the visitor centers is titled "Over the Edge: Death in the Canyon"...it's over 400 pages.

I definetly want to go below the rim, but we'll either wait for the kids to be old enough for the mule ride or we'll go rafting. On the last trip (Thanksgiving week) we almost signed up for a float trip from the Glen Canyon Dam that goes about 15 miles down river....water on that part of the river is calm enough and the raft is big enough that they allow kids as young as four on the trip. It was too cold and we didn't research kennels in the Page area soon enough...maybe next time.

[TexasCamper]

Last July & Aug, we spent two weeks at Zion, Bryce, and Grand Canyon (north & south rims).

Some thoughts:
(1) re: dog; Zion doesn't allow vehicles in one of their scenic sections. Instead you rely on a shuttle system. The shuttle system works great but they don't allow dogs. And you DON'T want to skip this section of the park! This was the main reason we decided to leave our dog with a friend while we were away.
(2) re: Grand Canyon: we enjoyed the North Rim better than the South. Can't say you can skip the south rim, but it is much more crowded (including a few rude encounters). We spent more time at the North Rim and were glad we did....much quieter and easy-going.
(3) re: weather...hot days (90-95F); recommend electrical hook-ups so you can run your A/C. At night, things cool off. I actually used the HEATER one August evening at the North Rim when it dropped to the 30's (keep in mind, I'm from TX).
(4) re: Bryce: our favorite highlight of our trip was a 2-hr horse ride in Bryce with the kids (ages 7 & 9). You ride into the valley and the view is spectacular.
(5) re: campgrounds to consider: we stayed at the Ponderosa outside Zion for a few days (they have great activities there). The campsites themselves aren't very campy, but the facilities and activities are top notch. While at the North Rim, we stayed at the Kaibab Camper Village. Here the sites were very campy; but the laundry facilities couldn't be used after 7PM, you paid for showers, and bathrooms were outhouses. While at Bryce, we stayed at the Bryce Canyon Pines campground. This campground was campy but had similar laundry restrictions and had well-used shower facilities.
(6) we regret not taking one of the Lake Powell boat tours that provide close-up views of some beautiful landscapes that can only be viewed by boat.
(7) we were disappointed with our campground selection while visiting the south rim. If we did it again, we'd try to get into the campground within the park itself.
(8) while at Bryce, we made a day-trip to Grand Staircase NM (via Cannonville) and Kodachrome Basin State Park. Beautiful & unique. Didn't have enough time to do it justice.

HAVE A GREAT TIME!!!
John