Colorado, Utah & Arizona Trip

[Piston720]

My friend and I are considering a 21 day trip to the above States.
We did a similar trip across Canada before Covid, covering 11,000Km.
I ride a 2006 C10 and he rides a ST1300.
The plan is to rush across to Colorado and spend 4 to 5 days in each of the above 3 States. I am interested in your opinions and experience for touring regions in each of these states. Preference would be to centrally locate for a few days with daily trips. Daily trips could average 300-350 MILES.
We hope to leave Toronto, Ontario Canada in August.
Any considerations for weather would also be appreciated.
Thanks

 

[Motomaniac]

My friend and I are considering a 21 day trip to the above States.
We did a similar trip across Canada before Covid, covering 11,000Km.
I ride a 2006 C10 and he rides a ST1300.
The plan is to rush across to Colorado and spend 4 to 5 days in each of the above 3 States. I am interested in your opinions and experience for touring regions in each of these states. Preference would be to centrally locate for a few days with daily trips. Daily trips could average 300-350 MILES.
We hope to leave Toronto, Ontario Canada in August.
Any considerations for weather would also be appreciated.
Thanks

I have many thoughts and ideas for you when you travel through those states! I will share them with you soon! I know that you will have a fantastic time! Temps in all 3 states can be very high in August. If you ride and stay at elevation it will be much better. You should get a lot of opinions before your trip starts!

 

[Piston720]

I have many thoughts and ideas for you when you travel through those states! I will share them with you soon! I know that you will have a fantastic time! Temps in all 3 states can be very high in August. If you ride and stay at elevation it will be much better. You should get a lot of opinions before your trip starts!

Thank you.
I am looking forward to many suggestions so that we can start to map out those areas. Getting there and back is a no brainer, maximizing our time out there is key. Any suggestions of comfortable, reasonable places to stay would also be considered, no camping for these old bones.

 

[greenie]

I'm partial to Utah - there's a lot to do and see there in the way of natural features. Moab is very popular - but it's busy too with off road enthusiasts, hikers, hipsters and bicyclists. Depending on the time in August you travel there could be a lot of traffic the later in August the less vacationers. Some of the national parks limit the number of visitors now; sometimes a prior reservation might be required. If you need to make a reservation to enter Zion, Bryce, Rocky Mountain NP or Arches you get locked into a deadline that has no respect for the weather you might have to ride in or a place you might want to stay longer in. NPS reservation information Here in Maine parts of Acadia National Park requires reservations but away from the din of Bar Harbor there are bays and coastal sights to see without the crowds. A lot of motorcyclists (myself included) enjoy riding through beautiful areas rather than getting involved with typical tourist activities. Luckily you have some time to plan before August.

 

[red fox]

Sounds good plan; allow for quite hot riding temps. (EDIT: but west of mid-Nebraska it will be low humidity heat, not Toronto humidity). You'll have fun.
In Utah, maybe Monticello or Richfield (this latter not high elevation) as focus areas. Cedar City is also bit higher up. The hotels/motels (2 in my memory) right smack at Bryce Canyon National Park entrance are a real possibilty; good riding and they're at 8000 ft. Note, I don't know Utah's NE corner at all.
In Arizona, I'd probably favor eastern AZ - the Show Low or Eagar areas - without ignoring busier, prettier Flagstaff.
In Colorado, I'd think on Montrose or Gunnison or Durango as base areas.

 

[Piston720]

Thank you Greenie and Red Fox, I will look further into those suggestions.
I have also been looking at purchasing a National Parks Pass, as they are good for 2 motorcycles.

 

[tlr-boise]

Last time we went to southern Utah, and visited all five national parks down there, we stayed at Best Westerns every night. There is a Best Westerns Utah map that shows all the Best Westerns in Utah, and there are a lot of them.

There is one route there that connects all or most of the national parks. I think it's Route 28, but check the map. Not to be missed on a bike. It's up high, and looks down on the Green River--way down there--at the scenic stops.

Bring rain gear. We stopped in a parking lot overlooking Bryce Canyon, and got hit with a torrential downpour for about 15 minutes.

There's a restaurant in Torrey, Utah (where Capitol Reef National Park is), that is supposedly one of the very best in Utah. Food-wise, that is. Run by a chef. Small place. Exceptional food, but not much elegance, not fancy. Might have been French; I don't remember.

The southern Utah geology flows into northern Arizona, which has Monument Valley and the Grand Canyon. It's flat amazing country down there.

Here's a pic at Arches National Park. The tiny red dot in the lower right is me.

 

[Piston720]

Thanks for the info "tir-boise", I am getting more excited as time goes on.

 

[red fox]

My friend and I are considering a 21 day trip to the above States. ...
We hope to leave Toronto, Ontario Canada in August. Any considerations for weather would also be appreciated.

Hey Piston, curious how are your plans for your Toronto-to-mountain west ride are coming.
Weather-wise: will it be early, mid or late August do you figure you'll reach Colorado?