Utah Tour

[Sleepy]

I am in the early stages of planning a road trip with the family out to Southern Utah to see a string of National Parks and other areas. Last big road trip was with a Honda Pilot pulling a pop-up camper almost 6,000 miles from Iowa to California and back hitting 8 national parks along the way. After that, I traded my 80 series for a GX470 to be the next road trip machine. It is stock now and works for this purpose quite well. Passed with flying colors this year on a trip to Minnesota. This year we drive to Maine and back. Sometime soon I want to hit Southern Utah. We want to take in the well-known parks in the area. This may be a year or two out but I tend to plan ahead. Have to when accounting for the different schedules of my 4 kids. I am open to any general ideas you have, but here are a few of my main questions so far.

1.) How much fun can I have with stock suspension but running 255/75 R17 AT tires? I only have 53k miles on my 2007 GX so far so may not be upgrading suspension until the bags start to go. The air suspension is really nice for towing and hauling heavy loads. So is the V8! Mods money is going towards homebrewing upgrades right now. Not looking to do any rock crawling, just like to drive a little off road to get away from some crowds and see cool stuff. Fishing is always a possibility with wherever my crew goes too.

2.) Thinking about a 9 day trip around the end of March (Spring Break for the kids). What is the weather like? We will be in the popup camper. It has heat but not looking for a snow adventure.

3.) Kind of goes with #1, but any mild trail recommendations I can run in a stock (just better tires) GX without too much trouble. I will probably yank the running boards well before this trip happens.

Thanks in advance for any input.

 

[pjskinner]

Ive done a few trips through Utah in a stock 2009 double cab Tacoma pre runner with just a mild lift. You will be able to do far more than I was able to, and I had a blast. I would take off the running boards for sure, but mostly because they look really soccer mom

There's no need for anything other than a Honda civic in Zion or Bryce. The best trails there are done on foot!.

Capitol Reef is my least favorite of the parks, buuuuut, if you enter from the Boulder area and head into the park through the west and then take Notom Bullfrog you will see some of the most beautiful vistas on the planet, and you'll enjoy that vehicle a bit more. You will need to check road conditions, as the dirt road that skirts the eastern border of the park gets pretty cruddy.

Canyonlands is, IMHO, the best park in the state, and depending on what you are up for, you can see tons of dirt, or none at all. I have yet to really explore the maze because I have yet to venture out there with the 80 (however, the first trip I have planed post-GX purchase is to the maze), but I've done all you can up in Island in the Sky, and it is awesome.

Arches is always crowded, and I have found that there are several dirt roads around the park that allow you to see a bit more than you would if you stayed on the pavement. I've even come across private property gates that permit crossing if you close the gate behind you.

Also be sure to check out Calf Creek, Hole in the Wall, Paul Bunyan's woodpile, Bonneville, and any other sign you see on the side of the road. I am always finding new things in that state, and it never disappoints

As for weather, you can drive several hours in any direction and be in a completely different environment and at a lower elevation. However, in my experience, a little snow in Utah means BIG memories.

 

[Sleepy]

Thanks a bunch. Lots of good info for me there.

 

[GXO]

Canyonlands is amazing. I did Elephant Hill and I wouldn't take a stock GX there unless you know what you are doing...there are 2-3 tricky spots. I think you could actually run most of Moab stock. Easy/Moderate trails for sure.

 

[BlackCat]

I did canyonlands and arches this past August. Seriously the best time I've had in my life. My truck is at stock height with Nitto's and handled everything I threw at it off-roading.

 

[wingysataday]

Moab Moab Moab. So fun. Bryce is awesome panguitch lake duck creek. Zion is awesome. You could spend a lot of time in southern Utah and have a blast

 

[Sleepy]

This is going to be awesome. Likely going to be March or summer of 2017. Will post pics of trip of course.