Utah in July

[nquesnel]

My girlfriend has said she would like to spend her birthday backpacking in Utah, preferably one of the national parks. I'm concerned water will be difficult to find on a 3-4 day backpacking trip. Can anyone provide some suggestions on which national park and some preferred trips. Thanks!

[ezabielski]

Any Utah National Park will probably be miserable in July. Summertime in Utah is when you head for the hills (like the High Uintas Wilderness)

[SkaredShtles]

Your best bet will be Bryce Canyon in July. Even that will likely be purdy hot. You might also be able to do some backpacking in the higher elevations of Zion - but again... prolly gonna be perty warm.

[kaiman]

Your best bet will be Bryce Canyon in July. Even that will likely be purdy hot. You might also be able to do some backpacking in the higher elevations of Zion - but again... prolly gonna be perty warm.

I live in Moab, and agree with the other posters that besides parts of Bryce and Zion (even there the temperatures are in the low/mid 90s in July), you will NOT want to be in the Utah desert in July. Moab's hottest temperatures are in July and it routinely is 100-110 degrees here and the desert further south near the Arizona state line (Bluff, Monument Valley, Escalante, Capital Reef, Kanab) often is hotter than that.

I would also not rely on water sources in July, as water in many parts of southern Utah is based on seasonal flows and the best time of the year to find water in the desert is mid-February to mid-May and then after the summer rains in mid-September to mid-November.

You could, however, go backpacking in the Uintas, Wasatch, or La Sal mountains in July, all of which are between 8,000-13,000 feet and have excellent water sources and much better temperatures. Otherwise I would plan to hold off until the fall before planning more than a day long backcountry trip.

Just my two cents,

Kai

[Jesse M]

Like others have mentioned it will be hot, I would suggest bringing a hiking umbrella. Summer desert backpacking for me is all about sunrises, sunsets, super long lunch breaks in the shade with a nap, night hiking with the moon, and worrying about water. It can be wonderful and solitude is almost guaranteed once away from pavement. Good luck and have fun.

[Scott P]

I'm concerned water will be difficult to find on a 3-4 day backpacking trip. Can anyone provide some suggestions on which national park and some preferred trips.

The well watered canyons in and around Zion are wonderful in July (the well watered canyons are the most scenic part of Zion anyway). I'm going to disagree with some of the posts above because early July (before flash flood season) is actually the best time of year to go there (you want hot weather).



























Just watch for flash floods, especially after mid-July.

Zion Narrows (2 days) or Deep Creek 3-4 days) is very reasonable in July as is Parunaweap (3 days, or more with side trips). Also, check out the Ashdown Gorge. You can easily make this a three day trip with side trips.

Right Fork is good (up to two days with side trips from the bottom), but you can only see part of it without ropes (2-3 days from the top). Beartrap makes a nice 2-3 day trip, but the approach can be hot, though there are always swim holes around.

For day hikes, check out lower Pine Creek, Kannara Creek, or if you are really lucky, the Subway. All of these are great in hot summer weather.

There are actually a lot more watery hikes that are great in the area.

The above are non-technical, but if you have ropes, the possibilities are endless.





Even in hot summer weather, the narrow canyons can be chilly!

[nquesnel]

Scott P, thank you for the suggestion we hadn't even considered Zion. I showed my girlfriend and I think that is where we will be spending her birthday.

[painless4u2]

Just be aware Zion will be very crowded then (http://www.denverpost.com/2017/01/01/zi ... -visitors/)

Another slot canyon that makes a good backpack, with water available in July, is Buckskin Gulch/Paria Canyon. Like mentioned, it will be dark and cool through much of the hike. Just be prepared to get down in the muck. But no crowds!

[Scott P]

Scott P, thank you for the suggestion we hadn't even considered Zion. I showed my girlfriend and I think that is where we will be spending her birthday.

Zion is the only Utah National Park that I'd consider in July, especially if backpacking. Stick to the well watered canyons in Zion and vicinity if you want a national park. You just have to know where to go. You don't want to do the dry hikes/backpacks.

There are a few day hikes in Bryce and Capitol Reef that are pleasant in July. Riggs Spring in Bryce might be just tolerable as a backpacking trip, but still Zion is the place if you want a national park in summer.

Be aware that in July, it can be hard to get some campsites in the well watered area of Zion. Reserving in advance is possible. Of note, camping in Zion Canyon itself can be miserable in summer. Camp on the plateau is much more pleasant (somewhere like Ponderosa Ranch-nice swimming pool too or Lava Point). Camping in the Narrows or Parunaweap is always pleasant in summer. The hikable part of Parunaweap is just outside the park, so no permits are needed.

For the most part, avoid Arches and Canyonlands in July.

Sulphur Creek in Capitol Reef is a great day hike in July:



So is the Fremont River Gorge.

Those are the only two hikes I'd recommend in Capitol Reef in July. Pleasant Creek might be tolerable, but there are deer flies then.

Also, consider Escalante. It isn't part of the national parks, but is in some ways better because of that. The scenery is as good or better than that in the national parks. While some hikes are too hot, some good summer backpacking trips are Death Hollow, Boulder Creek, and Fortymile. Because of all the swimming, all are tolerable in summer.







If you are with your girlfriend, it's hard to hikes with waterfalls, crystal clear swim-holes, and great scenery. You don't get dirty or sweaty on those kind of hikes either!

If you want information on any specific hike, let me know. I'd highly recommend some of the hikes in there. I have been visiting for 35+ plus years and still can't get enough. It's perhaps my favorite area in the world (and I have been to six continents and 50 countries).

[Conor]

Another vote for starting at helps backbone and coming g down thru death hallow in Escalante. You can easily arrange a shuttle and once you hit water on day one it is a very fun hike. Likely, you'll see very few people.

[SoCool]

early July (before flash flood season) is actually the best time of year to go there (you want hot weather).

This reminds me of the time I hiked the Zion Narrows from top to bottom the day after a major snow storm in April. The rapidly melting snow made the river fast and very, very cold. I wore a winter jacket/hat/and gloves.

[kaiman]

I would second Scott's recommendations and agree that Zion is the only National Park in Utah I'd consider visiting during July. I third the Death Hallow recommendation in Escalante. It is narrow enough and has enough water to keep it cool, although the latest I've been there is late May and it was plenty warm then.

As for the Buckskin/Pariah Canyon suggestion, yes it is less crowded, but depending on the year potable water can be an issue (lots of muck but not a lot of drinkable water sometimes), and there are some fairly wide sections where you will be at the mercy of the sun. Also to hike the majority/all of the Pariah/Buckskin requires a shuttle vehicle.

Kai