RVing in S. Utah-Campground information

[Robnfl]

The wife and I will be visiting the Zion/Bryce area of Southern Utah for four days the end of October. We're debating whether to stay in an RV park in Virgin, Springdale, or Mt Carmel Junction. Are there any particularly nice RV parks around there? What we are looking for is someplace that is relatively secluded and don't care to stay in parks where all the RVs are on top of each other. The amenities don't matter near as much as the layout and seclusion of the park. We'd like to be able to find a park with great views and plenty of space between sites. Thanks!

Rob-n-Cherie

[Robnfl]

The wife and I will be visiting the Zion/Bryce area of Southern Utah for four days the end of October. We're debating whether to stay in an RV park in Virgin, Springdale, or Mt Carmel Junction. Are there any particularly nice RV parks around there? What we are looking for is someplace that is relatively secluded and don't care to stay in parks where all the RVs are on top of each other. The amenities don't matter near as much as the layout and seclusion of the park. We'd like to be able to find a park with great views and plenty of space between sites. Thanks!

Rob-n-Cherie

[cdjp33]

Hi
We were in south Utah 2002. Below is our diary. We spent our nites at state parks, wal mart, private park, and zion nat'l pk. We had a very nice site at Zion. Hope this helps with an idea of some things to do.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2002
Moved down the road to Kodachrome State Park named after the film made by Kodak. A couple of photographers for National Geographic took pics here in 1949 using Kodak film and somehow this area took on the name. Pretty neat place. Carol told Jeff that she would drive him to the double arches. Jeff got pretty excited as he visualized a Big Mac and fries, but it turned out to be Grosvenor Arch, a double arched natural bridge that required a 10 mile drive on the roughest gravel road in North America. Tonight we built a fire and watched the moon and the stars while sipping Kaluha and coffee.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2002
Moved down the road to Cannonville, UT to a private campground with water electricity and a hot tub. This campground is just 10 miles from Bryce Canyon. Bryce Canyon is the most under rated, under exposed National Park in the West. What wind and water erosion has done here is truly remarkable. No wonder so many commercials are shot on these cliffs and spires. Somehow, we managed to do the park in just one day, visiting many famous landmarks, and even having lunch in the old Bryce Canyon Lodge. The CCC did much of the stonework and such back in the thirties. We are planning on a return tomorrow to hike down one of the canyons among the hoodoos.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2002
The hike for today was called the Navajo Loop Trial, a short 1.3 miler that dropped some 500 feet down among the hoodoos, then, some 500 feet back up to the top. At 8000 feet elevation, it is a real lung tester and we are pleased to report that we both passed the test. After our hike we returned to our campground, packed up and headed for the WalMart in Cedar City, Utah. We got a rotisserie chicken and salad from the WalMart for dinner. We spent the night at the wal mart.


SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2002
We unhooked from the trailer in the WalMart parking lot, visited the library to send out some emails, did our laundry then had Chinese food at Hunan Restaurant. We finished our shopping chores, and decided to spend one more night at WalMart. (NO PICS)


SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2002
It was a short drive from Cedar City to Zion National Park, and we got a great site with electricity and one TV channel. After setting up we took a drive through the park and shot some great pics of the scenery. Zion is similar to Bryce Canyon, and yet is completely different. Zion is completely different than Capitol Reef, yet has many of the same geologic features. After our drive, we stopped at the museum for a 20-minute film on Zion National Park, then toured the museum to view the exhibits. Once again, the weather was nearly perfect. Here in our campground, which is at 3500 ft in elevation, the temperature this time of year ranges between 50 and 75 F.

[cdjp33]

Hi Rob
Just posted a picture of the site we stayed in at Zion National Park. It had electricity.
http://irv2.com/photopost/data/519/thumbs/102102ZIONNAT...HMANCAMPGROUND01.JPG

[CyberVet65]

I live in Cedar City. There are two nice parks on Main Street. One is a KOA that has a lot of trees and is about $26 per night.
The other park is Country Aire just down the street. I think 1170 N. Main is the address. Nice folks run the park and it is also $26 per nite. Both parks offer a pool, cable TV and 50 amp service. I recommend Country Aire because we lived there for 6 months while our new home was being built.
Zion is about 1.5 hours down the freeway from Cedar City. Bryce Canyon is about 2.5 hours from Cedar City due East. Cedar Breaks NP is a 30 minute drive from town.
October is a beautiful time in the high desert country. Bring warm clothes because it does get into the low 30's at night. Cedar Breaks NP is one of the nation's prettiest places to see "the leaves" changing color.
Have a great time and be prepared for any kind of weather. Snow in October is not uncommon up here.
Chet
p.s. If just going to Zion then Springdale is just outside the park.

[Robnfl]

Thanks for all the information. I think we are leaning towards Watchman in Springdale. It's real convenient to Zion and relatively close to Bryce. I wouldn't even mind boondocking somewhere out there if I could find a convenient spot that is isolated.

Rob

[CyberVet65]

Rob there is a lot of open (BLM) land available for camping. Most places around here you just pull off the road a couple hundred feet and set the chairs out.
There are some really nice places on State Highway 12 going to Bryce. There is also a super nice KOA in Cannonville on the way to Bryce.
Chet