Montana to St. George Utah

[Rick G]

Hi all,
My wife and I are taking our Trillium to the Huntsman Senior Games in St. George, Utah in October to play slow pitch. We are leaving home in Alberta on October 1, crossing into Montana and expect to spend several days in Yellowstone Park on the way down, which is very close to the interstate 15. We will likely also camp around Las Vegas for a day or two, but we have been there before and seen the Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, and the strip.

My question is: are there other places on that route that we should stop at and see? It is basically down Interstate 15, so we would be looking at side trips give or take a hundred miles or so east or west. We have 12 days to get down to Mesquite, Nevada, where we will be camped at a casino for a week while playing ball, then a few days to get home again. I have heard great things about Zion National Park in Utah and am hoping to camp there for a day or two on the way back if we can.

What else should we be looking for? Also, are there any deals on camping rates to be had, for a foreigner?

Thanks,
Rick G

[Bobbie Mayer]

If it isn't closed by then, the north rim of the Grand Canyon is great. Zion, for sure. I know there are other things up 15 but haven't been there.

[Bobbie Mayer]

Great breakfast buffet at a casino in Mesquite- I wish I remembered the name but it was on the right hand side of 15 going towards Arizona. Also, the signs on 15 through Az say "Watch for Wildlife." Please watch. We never, ever see a single sign of wildlife there!

[cpaharley2008]

You should do the Grand Circle NP tour- explained here The Grand Circle Road Trip - Road Trip Planning for Grand Canyon, Arches, Canyonlands, Zion and more! | Visit US-Parks.com
You can drive thru Yellowstone on way home and see most of it from the road but spend more time on the Grand Circle, IMHO.

[Jon Vermilye]

2X on the Grand Circle Road Trip. Some of the most beautiful scenery in the country! As to specifics - While you could spend the entire time in Zion & not see it all, I'd take the time to head East and see Bryce Canyon, Kodachrome Basin, and, if you have the time, continue on to Goblin Valley State Park, Canyonlands, Dead Horse Point State Park & Arches. Far too much to do in a short time, but I loved all of them. Some photos & more details on my 2011 & 2012 trip pages.

[Thomas G.]

3X on the Grand Circle. I did it via car and motels from Las Vegas - terrific scenery.

[Jim Bennett]

A great place to stop for a night or two is Lava Hot Springs, Idaho. It is only about 10 or so miles off of I-15, just south of Pocatello. I have stayed at the KOA there, one of the few KOAs I have enjoyed. It is right on a small river, the Portneuf, a very beautiful spot.
Lava Hot Springs KOA | Camping in Idaho | KOA Campgrounds

Then, if you are at all into hot springs, you have to go to the Lava Hot Springs. They have varying degrees of pools up to 112°. We have purposely stopped there for the night if on I-15 for this very reason.
http://www.lavahotsprings.com/

[Rick G]

Originally Posted by Thomas G.

3X on the Grand Circle. I did it via car and motels from Las Vegas - terrific scenery.

Terrific, that is exactly the sort of info we are looking for. We will likely do at least part of the Grand Circle tour, since we don't have to end up where we started. I have also stayed at the two main casinos in Mesquite and they do have great meal deals for all meals, not just breakfast. Thanks, Rick G

[Ray N]

Cedar Breaks National Monument is gorgeous - like looking down on a somewhat smaller Brice Canyon. Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park is also beautiful. The Nebo Loop Scenic Byway is a great little side trip.

If you aren't in a big hurry I would take 89 down Utah instead of taking I-15. 89 goes through scenic mountain valleys and meadows instead of straight through the desert.

[Dave Fish]

Check the Yellowstone schedule. The season is starting to wrap up then.

If you go through Deer Lodge, Mt, stop at the prison museums and the National Monument ranch. You can easily spend a dsy between the two. We stayed two nights at the KOA so we would have time to explore.

Another day south is Craters of the Moon NP. We stayed at the Arco KOA nearby. A little off I15 but a good tour of 2-4 hours.

Continuing south, we like the Utah Lake SP at Provo for overnight. It is a nice park with a great camp host when we were there in the spring. Our paved spot was perfectly level.

X4 on the grand tour if you have time. Our favorite is Bryce but each park and area has something unique to offer.

[Carol H]

Zion and Bryce are awesome.
Valley of the Fire SP is pretty close to Mesquite and it is on my fav SP lists.

[Rick G]

Originally Posted by Carol H

Zion and Bryce are awesome.
Valley of the Fire SP is pretty close to Mesquite and it is on my fav SP lists.

Wow, thanks for the ideas. We are refining our trip ideas and are looking at all the national parks. Since we will likely pay the $80 for an annual pass, it makes sense to do a lot of the national parks this trip. We are looking at the northern half of the Grand Circle route from Arches NP to Mesquite. I also appreciate the KOA ideas as well. Next year I will be retiring in July, so we hope to have more time in October for an extended trip that catches more stuff. Next year we hope to start around Mt. Rushmore and work our way west, or maybe the reverse. We have also been wondering where to stay when we get into the Salt Lake/Provo area for an overnighter, so thanks for that tip. I know that Yellowstone campsites are after the season, but there appears to be one still open in October. We will also look at the Valley of the Fire SP as that could be a nice day trip.
Many thanks,
Rick G

[Janb313]

You may want to check on camping reservations in Yellowstone. It was a zoo in Aug. Not sure if youwill need res now. I ended up in a wonderful Forest Service campground outside the park. Thru Lamar valley past the first town (golden orsilver something).

[Wallo]

For National Parks pass.....if you are over 62 you can get a Geezers pass for $10.00. It expires when you do. A great bargain. You can save $70.

Also, on the back side of Zion is Kanab, UT. They used to shoot alot of old western movies there. Cute town with a lot of movie memoribila. Also, Best Friends animal sanctuary is not far from Kanab. They took in many animals from Katrina. If you are up to going to an broadway show in an outdoor ampitheater in St. George, Tuachan has Starlight Express and Mary Poppins.

Hope you enjoy the Senior Games. I'll be volunteering in one of the medical setups. I hope to be bored. St. George is a super town.

[Wallo]

I 2x Dave Fish's recommendation of Utah Lake SP at Provo. Stayed there overnight on the way to Yellowstone this year.

[Carol H]

Gros Ventre Campground in Grand Teton is nice With lots of wildlife passing through it. No problem getting in as it wasn't overly busy even in July. Close to Jackson Hole so you can spend your evenings checking it out.

[Marjorie M.]

Beautiful camping at Snow Canyon State Park right there at St. George, but given it's the games, you'll probably need reservations.

[cpaharley2008]

that $70 savings is for the first year and then it's free the rest of your life, best deal around from the government.

[Jon Vermilye]

I'll also endorse Valley of Fire State Park in NV - I spent a week there in 2011. They have 2 campgrounds, one that has water & electrical hookups which are nice if you have AC & the temperatures are high. I don't know what October is like, but it was pretty toasty in May.

Don't confuse it with Valley of Fires BLM Recreation Area in New Mexico, another great place to visit...

[Tuanis]

Zion is beautiful! Especially if you like hiking. Provo's utah lake campground is a good one, but if you'd rather be up in the mountains there's a good campground up the American Fork canyon (granite flats). Probably a 30-45 min drive from the freeway. I don't think it has hookups though. There's also one lower down the canyon if you don't want to go as far. The Salt Flats are unique if you've never seen something like that... A little bit out of the way, but makes for fun pictures and salt tasting just south of Fillmore Utah there are some hot springs that are not commercialize and free to the public. One end is shallow for soaking, and the other side goes about 20' deep!