Moab, Escalante, Bryce, Palm Springs, Sedona?

[Dan Higgins]

I need to be in San Diego some time in February for business. So I thought I would take advantage of less crowds and decent weather and drive through SE Utah on the way there. I know enough of that area given my limited time and the fact that I'll be packed more for "business" than for "adventure". But on the return I'm going to try something new. My wife may join me for a brief respite in Palm Springs. From there we'll head over to Sedona. And then home likely via Moab.

So what's the question?

• Any suggestions on where to drive/explore/photography in the Palm Springs area?
• What about Sedona? (I know few there but always interested in input.)
• And then I have a full day to get from Bryce to Las Vega on the way out. Are there drives that are more interesting than going back up to I15? I've done the main road through Zion (with the tunnels) but haven't ventured beyond that.
• Then I'll also have a full day to get from Las Vegas to Rancho Bernardo. I could just take 15. But are there any more worthwhile drives than merely racing down the 15?

 

[Roy Park]

I’d recommend taking some time in Joshua Tree NP and then drive thru Johnson Valley and hit Mojave Road.

 

[Dan Higgins]

Thanks. I’m not familiar with Joshua Tree or the Mojave Road. I won’t have my camping stuff unless something changes.

 

[Roy Park]

I’ve gone to Vegas for business and wheeled the whole way thru Mojave. I only need one suitcase for my suits. The rest of my truck was camping stuff.

 

[Dan Higgins]

Thanks. I haven't abandoned the idea of camping. I can cancel my reservations in Moab at the last minute if the weather is good. I think I'll use the hotel at Bryce as it can get cold up there and I'm going to go minimalist if I do camp. We'll see how I can get everything packed and then make the call.

 

[TonyP]

I like Zion better than Bryce, but both are nice.

Valley of the Gods might be a fun side trip also.

 

[Mogwai]

Sedona is great and more or less on the way, can't go wrong w/ a stop there, expect it to be cool in evenings though. Enter from the East from Schnebly Hill Rd, an easy but scenic track. Mojave would take you a couple days min.

I went from SD to Moab and back via Mojave Rd last May so I did some of the route you're looking at, but over 9 days! Mojave, Grand Canyon (south), Canyonlands (Needles - this was a highlight along w/ Zion), Moab (cruise moab), Zion, Bryce, Vegas.

 

[RET2]

Holler when in SD and I'm positive that a couple of us will treat you to a Fish taco or two!!

 

[Dan Higgins]

@TonyP, I agree that Zion has more to offer if I were able to spend some time there. Bryce is going to be more of a layover and possibly some sunrise photos of the hoodoos. Then on from there.

@Mogwai, Sedona is awesome. We're going to spend 5 nights there on the return trip. And, @TonyP, we might try to do Valley of the Gods on our way from Sedona to Moab. I wish I had 9 days! 4 or 5 days to get to SD depending on when I leave. After SD it is more about relaxing in Palm Springs then Sedona with drives in between.

On the way out I'll hit Capital Reef and possibly the Burr Trail Rd though I have done that a couple of times.

When driving to/from Sedona via Moab and if we have time we like to go through Mexican Hat, up the Moki Dugway, maybe make a quick drive over to Muley Point and then catch 95 over to Blanding. If we can get a good start that morning.

@RET2, I'll definitely let you all know when I am going to be in town. In fact, I expect to arrive a week from Sunday. Not sure when. Then depart Saturday the 17th. I have meetings all week out in Rancho Bernardo but could possibly spring free for one evening.

 

[RET2]

FYI unless you leave pretty early from LV it's a 5 hr drive if all goes well 7 if not.

 

[Dan Higgins]

Thanks for the heads up. I'll try to leave early. I'm guessing that "not going well" may have to do with traffic on a Sunday afternoon? Or weather?

 

[RET2]

It's all about traffic. If you can leave before 7 barring any wrecks you will be ok. Everyone it seems runs 5-10 over without a problem. Choke points are Barstow, Cajon pass,south of I-10 down to past 91 freeway. I would not use the 215 as it's prone to issues even though being 13 miles shorter. Perhaps others have different views?

 

[TeCKis300]

^This. I do my fair share of long trips on the 15 fwy 5 fwy. Leaving early is great insurance to avoiding the wave of traffic, that inevitably snarls itself up in incidents and accidents later in the day. After enough trips, taking twice as long as they should, leaving early is the way I prefer to manage my road trips.

 

[JeffH]

Check out Palm Canyon for a short but scenic hike while in Palm Springs, it would be a great place for photos.

 

[kblomquist]

Come to Kanab. You won't be disappointed.

white pockets: The Wave vs. White Pocket, toroweap: Toroweap & Tuweep | Hit the Trail at Grand Canyon Kodachrome: Kodachrome Basin State Park | Utah State Parks

 

[RET2]

Come to Kanab. You won't be disappointed.

white pockets: The Wave vs. White Pocket, toroweap: Toroweap & Tuweep | Hit the Trail at Grand Canyon Kodachrome: Kodachrome Basin State Park | Utah State Parks

OK,OK rub it in why don't you

 

[Dan Higgins]

@kblomquist Ha ha! But, seriously, I'm thinking of going through Kanab on my way from Bryce to LV. In fact, at one point I was thinking of camping at Kodachrome instead of staying in a hotel at Bryce. And I would love to drive the Cottonwood Creek Rd down to Big Water. Last winter on our return from Sedona we had hoped to use that road to get to our lodging in Escalante (awesome B&B BTW) but the BLM office in Big Water told us that the road were still too wet from melting/freezing/melting/... snow and therefore that clay-mud mess had made the road impassable. So we drove through Kanab but just stopped for lunch. I also don't see an easy way to get from Kanab to LV in the short time that I have. So I'll have to do that another time.

@JeffH, Palm Canyon. Got it. Its on the list. My brother in law vacationed there for a week in January and loved it. His first time. They usually do Tucson but looks like their sold on Palm Springs. His filling my wife's ear with lot of good ideas.

@RET2 and @TeCKis300, got it. Leave early. Avoid 215. (That sounds similar to getting out of the mountains and back to Denver on a Sunday afternoon during ski season or summer.) If I want to spend 7 hours I'll do it on back roads where I'm not sitting in, or fighting with traffic. I have all day. No rush.