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Post by jhaveman on Nov 4, 2015 4:36:47 GMT -8
Thinking of a family trip to the SouthWest in early June. Any suggestions for location? Trails? I am thinking maybe Grand Canyon. Maybe some of Utah's excellent NPs? I have never been out that way for hiking/backpacking so any suggestions are appreciated.
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Post by swimswithtrout on Nov 4, 2015 15:38:28 GMT -8
June is NOT the time to visit the desert SW. The temps will be past scorching hot and getting towards blast furnace. The Rim of Grand Canyon will be a bit cooler, as would be Bryce Canyon, because of their higher altitude, but places like Arches, Canyonlands, etc are going to be intolerably hot. Since you mention a family trip, I assume scheduling around the end of school is the reason for June. Mid April to early May is the "Prime Time".
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BigLoad
Trail Wise!
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Post by BigLoad on Nov 4, 2015 17:53:05 GMT -8
SWT captured the most general answer. I didn't want to be the first wet blanket on the thread, so I held off. Even so, there are some suitable destinations, although they have less cachet than big-name National Parks. For example, if skies are clear, June is a good time for Humphreys Peak and other Flagstaff-area dayhiking and car camping. If GC would be an OK side trip for short-mileage rim hikes, which can be vary from temperate to blistering. (In the canyon itself, blistering will prevail).
Other temperate areas in AZ include Mingus Mountain (along with other areas around Prescott) and the White Mountains farther east. The latter are pretty far off the beaten path and quite wild. Large fires a few years back severely damaged some previously popular trails, so hiking there will take some research. The Highline Trail along the edge of the Mogollon Rim is also feasible at that time of year. It's mainly a Ponderosa forest hike, but there are some great long-distance views to the South and lots of USFS campgrounds.
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Post by llamero on Nov 4, 2015 18:25:56 GMT -8
No specifics, but I recommend the "Indian Country" map. It offers a lot of detail in addition to roads. I get mine at AAA.
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Post by starwalker on Nov 4, 2015 21:31:11 GMT -8
Zion is hot during the day, but it is worth going to as it is beautiful. One thing about it, the sun raises about 9 and sets about 5 due to the high canyon walls. You can also go up to Lava Point which is higher and cooler.
When we worked there, we would go up toe Cedar Breaks or Bryce for relief from the heat. They are beautiful, but not as beautiful as Zion.
The other Utah parks are hot, but worth going to. Just stay hydrated. I don't agree that they are intolerable, but dress for the heat, because it will be hot. For those of us from eastern Oklahoma, that dry heat is much more tolerable than the high humidity and high 90 degree temps we get in the summer.
The North Rim of the Grand Canyon is quite a bit cooler than the South Rim, but I found that the South Rim wasn't that hot in the daytime the summer we worked there.
I echo the advice of going to Great Basin NP just over the line in Nevada and don't forget the Colorado parks. They are high and cool, sometimes cold in June.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 8, 2015 16:10:02 GMT -8
I have done a lot of hiking in the southwest in July. It is hot, for sure, but definitely doable. Just plan to get up earlier than normal and plan to be hiking in the blazing heat.
Zion is lovely. Busy but most people stick to trails like Angels landing and the narrows (which are cool too). As soon as you go on a slightly longer trail you will see only a few people. And in the afternoon after hiking you can go lay in the river that cuts right through the campground.
Bryce Canyon Is beautiful too. Again, there seemed to be lots of people standing on the rim taking photos but not a lot of people actually hiking. We only spent a day there and did a big outer loop (think it was called the Fairyland Trail) and it was fantastic.
Moab is a good hub too. You can make some loops in arches national park and there's lots of water around.
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