Favorite National Park in Utah (Moab, Escalante: buy, camp, horseback)

[InSandy]

Originally Posted by BuckeyezRule

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Distant last, for me, is over crowded, & over hyped Zion.

I'm thinking you haven't seen the same Zion I have. :-)

Have you been during a rainstorm and seen all waterfalls spilling over the cliffs? Have you seen the sunrise touch the tops of the Towers of the Virgin turning them golden? Have you walked the incredibly UN-bland and empty West Rim trail?, Have you spent the night at the lodge and enjoyed the local herd of deer and turkeys? Have you ridden a bike down the main canyon road- which even in the midst of the summer overcrowding will be blissfully quiet? Have you had seen Zion during the spring when the wonderfully cabin fever-reducing trees are greening? Have you been there in the fall when the quiet of the canyon is echoed in the yellow of the leaves?

Zion means sanctuary, and I always find it there as long as I give myself time and space to do it.

Someone recently told me the reason she liked Zion better than Bryce was because it had the river. I had been trying for years to figure out what was special about it to me, and that hit the nail right on the head. It is the river. It makes it green. And I love green.

Now, I'm really not trying to convince you. Really. But your description of Zion as bland and overhyped and overcrowded just did not square with the Zion I know.

I really think I would love the Needles area. I just need to give myself time there too.

[BuckeyezRule]

^^Totally respect your opinion. I've been to Zion alot more than the others. I've hiked the trails, seen the waterfalls, hiked at night (silly, we were kids lol) . It is amazing, & impressive, I agree. If it were more solitude, it would be among, if not, my top pick. Even as a limelight lover, I love hiking w/ NO ONE around. =) I love silence (note, I have to tell our kids to be quiet about 10 times before I hear the silence lol) .

It's really just because it's close to 15, & many go there so that there is a shuttle in the summer to handle the traffic that turns me off.

These are JMO's. lol

[BuckeyezRule]

Oh, a PS I meant to add, I might take your suggestions & try some of the areas you mentioned. =) Just, for me, except the one time as stupid kids (early 20's) we went at night, I've never been to Zion where there hasn't been a traffic jam, gaggle of people, etc. We've been in spring, summer, fall, even winter. Always busy.

Of course the last time we went was when we just moved here in spring, we hit Zion, Capitol Reef, Escalante SP, & Arches. My kids have been to & seen way more amazing things than I did or hubby as kids. lol We're trying to instill a love of nature in them. TRYING. lol

[jlawrence01]

Some of these "which national parks are the best remind me of my friends three sons (13-17). They are watching the last Victoria Secret lingerie show. One says, "She's the most beautiful." The other says, "No look at the next one." And the arguments continue for fifteen minutes.

Each place has its own beauty. It is a matter of finding one that matches your ability to experience it. Some are more geared to those who can get out of the car and walk a distance to various landmarks. Others are more geared to a drive around.

[InSandy]

So true jlawrence, I would encourage everyone to visit them all. Each amazing in their unique way.

[jlawrence01]

Originally Posted by InSandy

So true jlawrence, I would encourage everyone to visit them all. Each amazing in their unique way.

I used to be a moderator on one of the old CompuServe travel websites. A lot of visitors to the US want to be able to see the ENTIRE Western US in two or three weeks. On more than one occasion, I have told them to focus on Utah as it has some of the best scenery in a relatively compact area. The two or three people who actually took the advice wrote back that they were NOT disappointed.

My only regret is that my business no longer requires me to head to Utah County 2-3 times per year.

BTW, is there anything being developed at Escalante at this point?

[InSandy]

Originally Posted by jlawrence01

BTW, is there anything being developed at Escalante at this point?

Nothing that I am aware of. Just more and more people learning about and visiting.

[Cruzincat]

Bryce is #1 and Zion a close second for me. My wife would say the opposite. It's the only two we've been to. We don't get around very well at our age and shape. So the nice level walking in Zion's valley and the fact that you can drive, park and take a short walk to incredible views in Bryce are what makes it a great place to visit for anyone in any condition.

I wish I could get out there more often.

[BuckeyezRule]

Originally Posted by jlawrence01

A lot of visitors to the US want to be able to see the ENTIRE Western US in two or three weeks.

I'm from Ohio. We used to vacation out west alot. We just fell in love w/ the area. We spent our 2 week honeymoon in the SW US (though 1 week in San Diego, don't really count that, just my thoughts) . That was fall 98. Came again for 2 weeks in fall '00, & 2 weeks fall '02.

I'm proud & love living here. We are going Jeeping in & around Moab this weekend, of course, w/ our kiddos. We plan to take some backroads into Arches, & find any geocaches we can. Fun times! =)

[JimBaker488]

Zion is my favorite, followed by Bryce and The Cayonlands. Speaking of the Cayonlands, I'm like several other people I know who think it's more impressive than the the Grand Canyon, and it's certainly one of the best kept secrets in terms of spectacular NPs of the West.
I first saw Zion over 20 years ago, but in recent years it's lost some of it's appeal to me because it's been so crowded, however that certainly dosen't distract from the staggering beauty of the Park.