Stop 4: Canyonlands National Park: Island in the Sky district The vibe: Epic views What to do: Canyonlands is Utah’s largest and least-visited national park. Few travellers venture to its most remote areas (and those who do require suitable vehicles and self-sufficiency) and Canyonlands’ quieter nature can be a welcome break from Utah’s busier parks. It is divided into four districts, the most accessible of which is Island in the Sky, near Moab. This area stretches out atop a majestic mesa thousands of feet above the Colorado and Green Rivers, the powerful forces which sculpted this land into sheer canyons and needle-like pinnacles. The scenic drive through the Island in the Sky district dawdles past a number of overlooks. Get a 360-degree bird’seye view of the landscape from the humbly named Grand View Point, where the paved road ends. What to eat: Moab’s main street is lined with great restaurants where you can fuel up for a day out and the town is just a 40-minute drive from the Island in the Sky Visitor Center. In the northern part of Moab, Proper Brewing has an excellent beer garden, where you can kick back and enjoy a burger and a Utah-made brew. Where to stay: Canyonlands has two campgrounds. Island in the Sky Campground (Willow Flat) has 12 sites – first-come, firstserved. The campground is open year-round. The Needles Campground has 26 individual sites. More campsites on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land are scattered along State Route 313 – the main road into the national park – as well as along SR 128 and the Colorado River south of Arches National Park. For RV parks and hotel accommodations, stay in Moab for an easy journey. The drive (46 km): Canyonlands and Arches are about as close as two national parks can be and it’s just a 30-minute drive from the Island in the Sky Visitor Center to Arches Visitor Center. If you can’t get enough of the views, take a detour to Dead Horse Point State Park for even more memorable vistas and camping. Take SR 313 to U.S. 191 and drive south for a few kilometres to the turnoff for Arches National Park. RV Lifestyle Stop 3: Capitol Reef National Park The vibe: Hikes through history What to do: Capitol Reef wears its past on its sleeve and when hiking in this national park, you’re following in the footsteps of past generations from the little-understood Native Fremont people to Mormon settlers. Don’t miss the petroglyphs east of the Capitol Reef Visitor Center (accessible via a boardwalk) and on the hike through Capitol Gorge, where ancient Native rock art is carved a short distance from the Pioneer Register recording the names and dates of 19th-century settlers who passed through this slot canyon. In the centre of the park, Fruita was a Mormon settlement established in 1879 and is wellknown for its orchards, which the National Park Service still maintains. Pick up one of the famous fruit pies from Gifford Homestead, where Fruita’s last inhabitants lived. What to eat: Torrey is a short drive from the entrance to Capitol Reef National Park and for such a small town, it has some impressive food options. At Torrey Grill & BBQ, a Culinary Institute of America graduate makes magic with smoked meats, while adorable Wild Rabbit Cafe serves phenomenal all-day breakfasts and sandwiches. Hunt & Gather is a surprising spot for fine dining showcasing plated dishes of local ingredients. Where to stay: Capitol Reef has one developed campground, as well as free primitive sites in the backcountry (free backpacking permit required). The 71-site Fruita Campground is the only developed campground in Capitol Reef. Reservations are available March 1- October 31. If you’d rather stay within four walls, try Torrey Schoolhouse B&B, a 1914 schoolhouse brought back to life as an elegant bed and breakfast. One of the best places to stay in Torrey is Skyview, which has rooms with hot tubs that look out on the red rock scenery, geodesic domes with skylights over the bed for nighttime stargazing, and a rooftop terrace. The drive (250 km): Head east on State Route 24 called the Capitol Reef Scenic Byway, which turns north at Hanksville. If you have time, detour west of SR 24 to Goblin Valley State Park to wander among its bizarre rock formations. On the east side of SR 24, Horseshoe Canyon is part of Canyonlands National Park and has one of the most significant Native rock art sites in North America – it’s nicknamed the ‘Louvre of the Southwest’. The road to Horseshoe Canyon is not paved and a high-clearance 4WD vehicle is recommended. When SR 24 comes to an end near Green River, join Interstate 70 east and carry on until the Moab turnoff at U.S. Highway 191. Turn west on State Route 313 to reach another area of Canyonlands National Park. 26 | www.snowbirds.org
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