| Utah is a great place for camping. One of the | | | | campgrounds with varying levels of |
| reasons it attracted Mormon settlers was | | | | accommodation with spots for your RV and |
| because it was full of stunning natural | | | | motor home. You can keep it as rugged or as |
| beauty, like nothing anyone had ever seen | | | | comfortable as you want. |
| before. | | | | |
| | | | If you really want to see the best of what |
| The good news for all you campers and hikers | | | | Zion has to offer, you have to hit the |
| is that all that scenery has been preserved | | | | backcountry. This may mean strapping |
| by the park service for us to enjoy today. If | | | | everything to your back and stretching those |
| you look at a map of Utah, you'll see that | | | | legs a little bit, but it will be well worth |
| almost the entire south-central portion is | | | | it. |
| national park. You could easily spend several | | | | |
| weeks in Utah and always find new things to | | | | At Zion, you'll see stark cliffs rising out |
| see. | | | | of the canyon floor, rushing streams cutting |
| | | | through walls of rock, wind and |
| Bryce Canyon | | | | water-sculpted rock formations that look like |
| | | | something from Mars, strikingly beautiful |
| Utah has some of the greatest camping in the | | | | wildflowers growing out of bare earth... and |
| country, and Bryce Canyon is a choice spot. | | | | maybe even a mountain lion! Don't worry, |
| Bryce is about 250 miles south of Salt Lake | | | | they're shy. If you see one, it will be for a |
| City and about 7,000 feet up in the air. At | | | | split second before he runs off to safety. |
| Bryce, you'll find hiking trails that lead | | | | |
| right into the canyon, and a nice, high | | | | Arches |
| desert climate. | | | | |
| | | | Arches National Park is named after its most |
| It may not be New York City, but Bryce Canyon | | | | striking feature - the arches. These arches |
| has its own Wall Street. It's a little | | | | are made of all natural sandstone. Over time, |
| different, though. It's one of the many | | | | the wind has carved them out of this delicate |
| canyon trails that winds around into the | | | | rock. For geologists, it's a goldmine of |
| canyon, where you are surrounded by towering | | | | ancient fossils. For hikers and other |
| rock formations that cast shadows every which | | | | outdoors types, it's full of spectacular |
| way. Bryce Canyon is a desert hiker's dream. | | | | scenery. |
| | | | |
| Because it's so high up, Bryce gets its fair | | | | In addition to the arches that make it |
| share of weather extremes. In the summer it | | | | famous, the park is full of barren desert |
| is hot, and in winter it is freezing cold. | | | | beauty. Giant boulders stand balanced on top |
| Many find that late spring or early fall are | | | | of each other, like they might be ready to |
| good times to go. At those times of year, you | | | | fall at any moment. Unearthly rocky shapes |
| can have some warmth and sunshine for your | | | | stand out in a landscape of sand, shrub and |
| day hikes and the cool desert night to sleep | | | | brightly colored wildflowers. Arches is a |
| in. | | | | photographer's paradise, with its rock |
| | | | structures that subtly change shape over the |
| Bryce Canyon has 2 campgrounds, but there are | | | | course of the day as the sun hits them at |
| also places where you can pitch your camp out | | | | different angles. |
| in the wilderness. Both campgrounds are RV | | | | |
| accessible. | | | | There's only one campground at Arches, the |
| | | | ominously named Devils Garden Campground. If |
| Zion | | | | you plan to go, especially during summer, you |
| | | | should call to make a reservation. You can |
| Zion is an amazing place because it's located | | | | also make a reservation online. There are |
| in the spot where three distinct landscapes | | | | both tent camping spots as well as those that |
| meet. It's located at the crossroads between | | | | can accommodate larger vehicles, trailers and |
| the Mojave Desert, the Colorado Plateau and | | | | RVs, complete with hook-ups. |
| the Great Basin. This is why Zion offers | | | | |
| sights you won't see anywhere else. | | | | You can plan a whole camping vacation around |
| | | | Utah alone. Besides these popular national |
| Hiking and mountain biking are the best way | | | | parks, there are more out-of-the way places |
| to see Zion. For those of you who are not | | | | to camp in Utah, where you can really get |
| into long all-day hikes, there are lots of | | | | away from it all. |
| trails that aren't too long. There are three | | | | |