Bear Down Wildcats

Getting pumped about taking some time off work, loading up the camper and taking off for about 9 days. Thinking if revisiting a few spots in SE Utah than maybe cruising around Rocky Mountain National Park. Never been there.

Tips and thoughts appreciated.

Carcassdragger wrote: ↑Tue Apr 30, 2024 9:56 pm Getting pumped about taking some time off work, loading up the camper and taking off for about 9 days. Thinking if revisiting a few spots in SE Utah than maybe cruising around Rocky Mountain National Park. Never been there.

Tips and thoughts appreciated.

We just hit SW Utah (Zion, Bryce, Snow Canyon SP) and also Antelope Canyon on the way up - all were awesome. Just got my Big 5 Utah NP badge.

If you are farther east, Monument Valley is awesome and further north Capital Reef/Arches/Canyonlands NPs and Moab are cool too. SW Colorado - Durango, Pagosa Springs, Ouray, and Telluride are nice. The railroad from Durango to Silverton is popular.

RMNP is great too - hit Estes Park while you're there. Elk roaming the street and the hotel from The Shining.

You could come out of SE Utah and hit Telluride and Ouray on the way to RMNP, but you'll be burning fossil fuels to do it. I don't have recommendations of things to do other than just to see those two stunning places. After the Mars-like landscapes of SE Utah it's great to head up to high elevation mixed conifer/Aspen and see those vertigo-inducing rock forms. There's probably not enough time to swing down and see Chaco Canyon and Canyon De Chelly, besides, they're kind of cut off from everything, and Chaco can be a bitch to get to in bad weather. Be real thorough making sure your rig can manage the route. Never been to RMNP.

We were in RMNP during buggeling season. I think it was in September. That was pretty cool. The elk came to within 50 feet of us and the Rangers were pushing us back. One bull left with the entire herd. We kind of felt bad for the other bull but that's nature in action

I've done the summer Colorado road trip- love the Durango / Ouray, Silverton area

Can't go wrong with that trip. RMNP is probably my favorite NP.

Appreciate the input and thanks! I've done the Durango-Silvetyon Ouray-Telluride loop and it was great! Definitely recommend it, but want to go further in Colorado this time.

Well. Plans have changed. Meeting my old buddy and his wife who is retired from the Park Service. Met him and her at the U of A so weve been tight for a long time.

We're taking our rigs to the Bears Ears in SE Utah. Anybody been there?

Going to camp at about 8000 feet elevation on a forested plateau with canyons on both sides. Taking the side by side so just going to unwind and explore.

Leaving Friday and up there all next week. Just can't wait.

Sounds beautiful. Was up there years ago when we went to Powell via Halls crossing. Saw monument Valley and Forest Gumps running place and there is some pretty cool petroglyph’s near Mexican Hat.

I didn’t know the elevation of those mountains were 8k. Nice and cool

Back from the Bears Ears. Place is really special. It's just huge.

We spent 5 five days camped on the top of a huge flat mesa at about 9000 feet in a Ponderosa Pine and Aspen forest with huge canyons cutting into the mesa on all sides. Wildlife and Indian ruins all around.

The Bears Ears may eventually become a National Park. But for now it's a lightly visited incredible shangri-la in a vast region of incredible shangri-las.

Mission accomplished. Head cleared after a much needed foray into the wilderness. Ready to get back at it Monday.

Carcassdragger wrote: ↑Sat Jun 22, 2024 7:50 am Back from the Bears Ears. Place is really special. It's just huge.

We spent 5 five days camped on the top of a huge flat mesa at about 9000 feet in a Ponderosa Pine and Aspen forest with huge canyons cutting into the mesa on all sides. Wildlife and Indian ruins all around.

The Bears Ears may eventually become a National Park. But for now it's a lightly visited incredible shangri-la in a vast region of incredible shangri-las.

Mission accomplished. Head cleared after a much needed foray into the wilderness. Ready to get back at it Monday.

Sounds nice, I would like to revisit that area some time. We drove through some of it almost 30 years ago on our way to Lake Powell (some friends had a houseboat up at Hite), but didn't have much time to spend in the Bears Ears area.