Information for those wanting to
vacation in the Grand Circle Region of Utah and Arizona
General Comments and advice:
The best time is mid to late September, not too hot, avoid the 'Monsoons' and not too many tourists.
Arrange all accommodation before your visit, especially during high season
If visiting 5 or more National Parks or National Monuments buy an National Parks Pass ($50 at entrance to Park) costs $20 per vehicle to enter Grand Canyon and $10 for other National Parks, Eagle pass also valid for National Monuments, but not Deadhorse point which is a State park (but you should still visit Deadhorse point).
Buy an ice box from a gas station for about $3 fill with ice from gas station and store in boot of car for cold drinks during journey.
Buy a 20 oz insulated mug to drink coffee during journey, refills cost 25-90 cents.
There are many small airfields which offer flights over National Parks, investigate locally. Grand Canyon airport has planes, there are helicopter rides over the Grand Canyon as well. Helicopter costs $100 for 30 minutes, worth a try. There are airports at Bryce, Blanding, Monticello, Moab, Monument Valley, and Glen Canyon (airstrip).
There are plenty of horses about so horse rides are possible.
Indian Jewelry is cheap and I think it is good, the pottery can also be good
Gas: $2+ gal. Allow 25 mpg. Fill up at Flagstaff before going to the S Rim of the Grand Canyon where it is more expensive. The average hire car will do 350 miles in a day, best to fill up each day in the morning, Hanksville to Blanding is 120 miles with only Fry Canyon where you can fill up and it is closed in winter.
In September sunset is around 6.45 Arizona time or 7.45 Utah time (Note time difference). In November Sunset was 6:15. Try to leave hotel by 9 am to avoid night time driving.
Add 10% tax to hotel accommodation and car hire.
There is a Grand Canyon lodge at the North Rim but must be booked months in advance. The North Rim is closed during winter, the South Rim is open all year.
Buy plenty of film in the UK it is cheaper than in USA. Don't forget to charge your digital camera batteries each night and have a large memory card.
Roads:
Watch for police on all main roads. Roads within Plateau usually OK. All roads are good and progress can be made quite quickly on virtually all the roads. Be very careful going off-road.
I17 Phoenix - Flagstaff: Fast 65-75+, Police, pleasant scenic
89 Flagstaff- Cameron: Fast 65+, Police, Pleasant scenic
89 Cameron - Bitter springs: 65+, Scenic
89 Alt. Bitter Springs - Jacob Lake: 65, Scenic isolated (Vermilion Cliffs)
89 Alt. Jacob lake - Fredonia: 45, Forest.
89N Fredonia - , 65, Scenic
12E Bryce - Torrey, 45-65, Scenic variable to spectacular
24E Torrey - Hanksville, 45+, Mostly spectacular,
95S Hanksville-Hog Springs, 65+, Scenic open (Bicentennial Hwy)
95E Hog springs - Natural Bridges, 55+, includes spectacular views of Lake Powell (Bicentennial Hwy).
95E Natural Bridges- Blanding, 65+ Scenic (Bicentennial Hwy)
191 Blanding - Moab, 65+, Scenic open.
261S Natural Bridges - Mexican Hat, 05-55, boring at first, spectacular cliffs in middle (Moki Dugway).
163S Mexican Hat - Kayenta, includes Monument Valley, a MUST.
191S Mexican Water via Canyon De Chelly Nat Mon to Chambers, boring forget it.
Comment:
Hwy 12 - Scenic Byway - Bryce to Torrey is well worth driving
Hwy 95 - Must drive from Torrey to Blanding via Hanksville along Bicentennial Hwy., don't miss view of Lake Powell 40 miles S of Hanksville.
Hwy 163 - Must drive through Monument Valley.
Airports
Closest access airports are: Pheonix for Flagstaff and Grand Junction for Moab. Salt Lake City is about 4.5 hours from Moab.
Smaller airports are: Grand Canyon, Bryce, Glen Canyon, Blanding, Monticello, Moab, Cedar city, Durango, Flagstaff, Page, St George (plus more I do not know of)