Flaming Gorge to Page Az. Monument Valley, Escalante NP

[Bull_Rider]

We're going to be in the Flaming Gorge area for the two weeks (or so) in September 2020.

We also want to go to Page Az, Monument Valley, and Escalante NP,

I'm still trying to sort out the order of travel to hit these spots.

I'm thinking of heading south from Flaming Gorge, go through Moab, and drop south from there.

Hit Monument Valley, then Page, then Escalante. I would prefer to stay east of Salt Lake City and hit spots in Eastern Utah.

Any suggestions on Monument Valley, Page, or Escalante campgrounds
would be appreciated.

We love ancient peoples history.

Does anyone have input on boating on Lake Powell our of Page? We are considering renting a boat for a day trip, or just going on one of the tour boats, say to Rainbow Bridge... What say you.

Thanks in advance for your help. Stay safe!

[Community Alumni]

Just got back from our annual road trip, and Lake Powell was our last stop before getting home. We stayed at the Wahweap Campground within the Lake Powell Recreation Area with full hookups. The sites are fairly well spaced out in Loop B, where we stayed. Most sites are drive-through and Wifi was very good. We had a great site with lake views and the nightly rate was $68. You can get into the recreational area for free if you have the yearly or senior pass. I highly recommend renting a boat in the lake or take a tour, if offered. Just south of Page, there is the famous Colorado River horseshoe bend. Years ago, there was a dirt parking lot adjacent to the highway where you could park for free and take a look at the river, but now the govt built a paved parking lot and there is a fee to park. I'm assuming the yearly or senior pass is valid there as well.

A couple of years ago, we overnighted in Monument Valley, on our way to Moab, and stayed at a KOA. When we were planning our trip this year, we thought about going through that area again and we called Goulding's. We were told the tours in Indian lands were closed due to the pandemic. On our way to Lake Powell from Colorado, we drove through Four Corners and the parking lot in Indian land where the Four Corners marker is located was also closed.

[Busskipper]

Bull Rider wrote:
We're going to be in the Flaming Gorge area for the two weeks (or so) in September 2020.

We also want to go to Page Az, Monument Valley, and Escalante NP,

I'm still trying to sort out the order of travel to hit these spots.

I'm thinking of heading south from Flaming Gorge, go through Moab, and drop south from there.

Hit Monument Valley, then Page, then Escalante. I would prefer to stay east of Salt Lake City and hit spots in Eastern Utah.

Any suggestions on Monument Valley, Page, or Escalante campgrounds
would be appreciated.

We love ancient peoples history.

Does anyone have input on boating on Lake Powell out of Page? We are considering renting a boat for a day trip, or just going on one of the tour boats, say to Rainbow Bridge... What say you.

Thanks in advance for your help. Stay safe!

From Flaming Gorge be sure to go By Dino NM (some great Pictographs there)- Two Great CG right on the Green River - We were there in July and the Grands loved them Both.

Moab is filled with things to see and do - we Never Miss doing the RT 128 drive along the Colorado River, awesome!

As you head to Page try to stay off the I's as much as possible and make it a point to Catch as many State Parks as you can - they are great. Goblins - Kodachrome - Goosenecks - and More.

Near page there are an Abundance of slot Canyons so keep them in mind, along with Horseshoe bend of the Colorado.

After Page we will always try to catch Canyon de Chelly if open? With Covid you need to be aware that the Native Americans have been hard hit and as you go south you are usually on their Lands. So they may be slightly restrictive, not sure as we stayed in Colorado this summer with just a touch of northern Utah.

All the CG's I'm sure have been suggested as there are not a lot of Options.

After Page you may do a Day trip to The North Rim - great this time of year. (It closes early)

Hope this helps,

[agesilaus]

Yeah I thought about that after I saw the Goulds post. That actually is a state park and I think there is an iron ranger where you are supposed to put in $10/night if I recall right. Stunning view tho, that rock is really sharp tho, like it has razor blades stuck into it. The only other place I recall like that was El Malpais NM down in NM. You can camp anywhere in the Valley of the Gods it is BLM land and I hear right at the cliff edge near the top of the Moki Dugway, but that would mean pulling your camper up that road.



View from the top of the Moki, Valley of Gods to the left.



Our shot of the Gooseneck, we had terrible cloudy weather

[azdryheat]

Come on down to AZ, lots of Apache, er, ancient peoples history here.

[vermilye]

There is expensive dry camping in Monument Valley at the Mitten View Campground in the park next to the visitor center. Definitely has the best views. The Web Site notes they are closed until Sep 19th...

As Two Hands said, Gouldings is the closest campground that has hookups. Monument Valley KOA is a couple of miles from the park. Given the choice, I'd stay at Gouldings.

Another location that has inexpensive dry camping is Goosenecks State Park about 30 miles northeast of the park. You can camp right on the edge of the overlook.

[Two_Hands]

Goulding’s is probably the best campground in Monument Valley. Most likely the only one with full hookups. Have a great trip!

[agesilaus]

OK we stayed at Jug Hollow boondocking (@Flaming Gorge) site for 5 days this summer. Great spot with a lot of room. We stayed at the town of Escalante for 8 days a few years ago at a commercial cg, don't recall the name but it was nothing special just a dirt parking lot with FHU, there aren't many cg in the town area and none were any better. But we weren't there to hang around the cg anyway. There is a State Park near town with camping, Petroglyph SP?
We were looking at slot canyons and driving the Hole in the Rock road several times. You can collect Moqui Marbles by the 5 gal bucket full in the area as well, the ones that sell for $3 or $4 each in the rock shops. There is boondocking up in the forest area, I think north of town off the road to the Devil's Backbone. Nice forested area with lots of large pines.

We stayed overnight at Page a couple years ago and have been to Monument Valley, the Valley of the Gods is almost as good and free too plus you can drive the Moki Dugway. We stayed at a commercial park in Cortez as a base camp for that whole are which was handy for most of that area. Bears Ears in a new park and one we have on our too visit list in cooler weather.

[Bull_Rider]

Great Suggestions!!! We've been to Durango CO twice, but haven't been to Mesa Verde. Thank you.

Bear's ears, amazing pics. Never heard of that.

We've been to Bryce twice, and Zion, plus the North Rim.

We want to boondock around Escalante. We've driven Utah 12 before and been to Goblin Valley (?) Amazing places.

What about camping in Monument Valley?


Thank You

[Bull_Rider]

Great Suggestions!!! We've been to Durango CO twice, but haven't been to Mesa Verde. Thank you.

Bear's ears, amazing pics. Never heard of that.

We've been to Bryce twice, and Zion, plus the North Rim.

We want to boondock around Escalante. We've driven Utah 12 before and been to Goblin Valley (?) Amazing places.

What about camping in Monument Valley?


Thank You

[ppine]

Roads are good. A boat is the way to see L Powell.

[vermilye]

There are many interesting, less traveled ruins in the Bears Ears National Monument. Two that I'd recommend checking are House on Fire & Fallen Roof Ruin. Both are reasonably close to Blanding, UT or Natural Bridges National Monument. Lots of maps & hiking info with a Google search.

House on Fire, Mule Canyon off UT 95:


Fallen Roof Ruin, Road Canyon off UT 261:

[CA_Traveler]

After Moab have you considered Mesa Verde National Park known for its well preserved Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings? Valley of the Gods is an interesting drive through. Bryce and Zion are also near your route.

While we like water related areas we would go to GC N Rim before L Powell which may also have very low water levels, detracting from the scenery for us.