I am planning to take a trip in mid-September around the National Parks in Southern Utah. We've never been there before. We have our room reservations and can't wait to go. Here is my trip plan.
http://rideplanner.harley-davidson.c...2&locale=en_US

We start in Moab and head clockwise around the area. We plan to stay in Mexican Hat first night, then Lee's Ferry, Kanab, Tropic, Hanksville, and then back to Moab.

1. The first day when riding from Moab to Mexican Hat we plan to take a side road (211) to see the Needles in Canyonlands. This leg of the trip is about 5 hours saddle time plus rest stops and sightseeing. Is it worth taking the road off 191 to the Needles Overlook too? That will add a little more than an hour to this leg.

2. The next morning we leave Mexican Hat and plan to stop at Monument Valley. We plan to take a Jeep tour. Is it worth getting up before daylight to take the Sunrise Tour? The Sunrise Tour starts at 6 am and we need to travel about 20 miles from Mexican Hat to Monument Valley in the dark in order to take that tour. Otherwise we wait until 9 am to take the next tour. Any thoughts?

3. Next day we will leave Lee's Ferry and head to the North Rim. Once we get to the Visitor Center, how much of the paved roads are worthwhile? If we go from the Visitor's Center to Cape Royal it will add 2 hours saddle time. Is this worth the time?

4. After spending the night in Kanab, we want to visit Zion. It is my understanding that route 9 between 89 and the park is under reconstruction. The web site says that they are opening the road now from 8 am to 8 pm. However, it says that the areas they are working on are graded gravel. How bad is it? How long will it take to travel route 9? Will heading back toward Byrce be worse? Any other comments on the road work?

5. When we leave Tropic we will head to Hanksville. At Boulder there is Burr Trail. If we only did the first 12 miles and return to Boulder, the trip planner says it takes 90 minutes for the round trip. 24 miles in 90 minutes! Even though this part is paved, it doesn't sound like you can ride very fast on this road. How come? We plan to do this road if we aren't behind schedule, but if we get a little behind schedule, will we regret not doing this road?

6. On the way to Hanksville we plan to stop at Capitol Reef NP. What are the must see stuff there?

7. From Hanksville, plan to ride down 95 to Blanding and on to Moab the next day. Any suggestions? After getting back to Moab we plan to check out Arches NP the next day.

Thanks for any input you can give me!

 

1-Needles Overlook-YES ITS WORTH IT, try to get there just after sunrise.
2-I dont know if the sunrise Monument Valley Jeep Tour is worth it, but right off hand I would say yes. If you do it be very careful riding the road between Mexican Hat and Monument Valley in the dark, it's very twisted and narrow in places.
3-In my opinion the North Rim is VERY MUCH worth it, way better than South Rim but to just ride in and ride out aint going to cut it. Your going to need at least a whole day or better yet a couple of days or you will be sorry!
Can't say anything about the rest of your trip because them places are still on my Bucket List.
I stayed one night at a place in Marble Canyon that's just west of there, but can't remember the name, very nice place, very rustic.
You didn't say what your time-frame on this trip is, I hope you have time to really take most of it in because it's very beautiful out there.
If you can fit it in, Dead Horse Point, Island In The Sky (Canyonlands), and Arches are all very much worth it.

 

Ride down to the water at Lee's Ferry and see Cathedral Rock(?), Balanced Rock and just a nice slow ride down to the Colorado river and take a dip.............pretty cool.
Go west from there a couple of miles and you run into a motel/bar with dozens of beers from around the world, the women that run it know their beer.
Ask Brian for directions to a camping area(if you're camping) just before you get to Jacobs Lake.
Tell him you heard about it from a guy named Huey, he'll remember us..........


Also

Boulder, Ut
Burr Trail............20 miles in, 20 miles out unless you want to do some serious dirt switchbacks then another 20-40 miles of dirt/gravel/sand.
About 5 miles in, after the creek, trees and camping area you look over your left shoulder going down a switchback and see the view into Long Canyon..........................wow sums it up..........................
Another 10-15 miles you turn around and go back, worth every moment..................

Zion is nice if you have the time to get off the bus and explore, the bus ride through the park is a nice way to take a break from riding.
The tunnel outside the park is the best part, you'll ride through it more than once I bet................................
If you want a view of Zion from a different angle than most tourists take Kolob Resovoir road north out of Virgin to Lava Point road, turn right(gravel/dirt) and you wind up at a locals viewpoint of the park.
It's another 20 or so mile in and out trip but well woth it.......a locals ride.
Coming down from the point you won't believe how high you climbed, you can damn near coast back to the hwy.

 

Just North of Mexican Hat is The Moki Dugway. Very cool. You won,t forget it if you ride up or down it.

 

2 years ago my wife and I rode from Dayton, Ohio to Palm Springs Ca. While in Moab we rented a jeep and had a blast. The best vacation I ever had. We drove on some Slick Rock trails (here's some video) and also a drive on some mountain rim trails (video)

Rick

 

Riding in the dark out there does concern me. Is the road that twisted between Mexican Hat and Monument Valley? And what do you mean when you say it is narrow in places?

Yeah, we plan to hit Dead Horse Park, Island in the Sky, and Arches NP.

 

All i can offer is that if you need to stretch your legs while in Zion, take the Angels Landing hike. It as been over 10 years since i was there so i can't remember how long it took me but i will always remember that it was well worth the time and effort.

 

That is the place we will be staying that night (Lee's Ferry Lodge). Yeah, that will be a good place to end the day.

 

Besides the road being twistie and narrow, there can be horses, sheep, and drunk drivers, since the Navajo Reservation is dry and Mexican Hat is the closet point to the northern part of the reservation were alcohol can be purchased. I am a retired Az trooper whe was stationed at one time at Kayenta and had to work numerous fatal wrecks on the Arizona side.

 

One other suggestion.
Buy a National Park Pass.
$80 and it gets you, a passenger and another bike w/passenger into the parks, all with just one pass.
Quick and easy access to the parks and it pays for itself quickly.