• Can't post after logging to the forum for the first time... Try Again - If you can't post in the forum, sign out of both the membership site and the forum and log in again. Make sure your COG membership is active and your browser allow cookies. If you still can't post, contact the COG IT guy at IT@Concours.org.
  • IF YOU GET 404 ERROR: This may be due to using a link in a post from prior to the web migration. Content was brought over from the old forum as is, but the links may be in error. If the link contains "cog-online.org" it is an old link and will not work.

vegas, zion, bryce, north rim, south rim in april

millsan1

millsan1

Mini Bike
Hi all.  My GF and i are looking to take a bike trip out west.  Since our jobs do not allow us to take 2 weeks off we have to ship our bikes out to Vegas for the trip and fly out.

We are not interested in renting as we each have our bikes set up to our tastes.

So i did moat of this trip in a car about 10 years ago.  Took 2 days to do vegas to zion to north rim to south rim to vegas.  This time we are going to take it much slower and explore bryce and other northern areas.  We plan on taking 9 days for the vaca, with a total of 7 days on the bikes.

We are both very comfortable with 300-500 mile days.  We plan on keeping the days closer to 300, but the trip from north rim to south rim is about 250 miles if memory serves, so some days will be in the 500 mile range.

My main cincern is weather in April in the Bryce and further north areas.  Can anyone give input?  We both have heated gear and we actually enjoy riding in the rain, so anytjing north of 40 degrees during the day is fine by us.

I am not a big planner so we will be bringing good camping gear, sleping bags, etc, but will credit card it where possible.

We are well set up for touring.  We have smh10 units for talking to each other, good tool kits good riding gear, rain gear, camel packs, etc.  My big question is really just about the weather and roads that time of year.  Also if anyone has suggestions as far as shipping companies, places to store the bikes until we get out there, roads to ride/avoid, eyc, would love to hear it.

She rides a bmw f800st
 
People making a north/south run up or down the eastern seaboard can load motorcycles on Amtrak's AutoTrain and ride along with them.  I don't know if the service is available on any east/west runs.

--a brief period of time passes--

Nope.  The only two places you can use the AutoTrain are Lorton, VA (just south of DC) and Sanford, FL (just east of Orlando)
 
Sounds like fun, but the weather can be tricky at that time of the year. If you plan for it and pack right, you should be fine, but just be sure you have alternatives if you get caught in weather.

In 1998, I rode my FXDWG from my (then) home in Durango to Vegas around the end of April/first of May and I alternately froze my A%% off, or cooked.

On the ride over I did the north rim and it was cold and gray most of the way. It snowed on me several times, but never enough accumulation to stop. Temps were in the hi 30s to low 40s most of the time. I spent a couple of nights in Vegas and it was approaching 100 degrees during the afternoons. On the way home I crossed the Hoover Dam and then rode into a 45 mph headwind from Henderson to Kingman and then a crosswind to Flagstaff.

Woke up to a dusting of snow in Flagstaff, but I did have a good tailwind up to the south rim, and up through the desert toward home. As you know from previous visits, there are a lot of elevation changes along the way, and the mountain/desert weather at that time of the year can be fickle.

I hope it all works out for you!
 
It's a great area. I've ridden lots of it incl some of the fab Nat Parks but not Vegas.

Lots was in late May/early June. Got snowed on a few x, scary for a Floridjit! ;D The road to Cedar Breaks had jest opened fer the season. 191 in AZ was winter wonderland. Enjoy!
 
North rim of the grand canyon is generally not open until mid May. Will not be open in April. The road may or may not be passible, but I doubt the store, gas station, visitor center, etc will be open in April at the north rim. Camp ground there will be open First come first serve. Should not be a problem, assuming you can get there.\

In general April, May, June is supposed to be the best months for weather from what I have read.  Weather is not too hot, and no afternoon thunderstorms. According to the park service website July-Aug-Sept is the monsoon season. Which really just means afternoon thunderstorms. Weather is also hotter then. And of course kids are out of school and tourist season is in high swing.

Based on this, wife and I are going the Grand Canyon end of May. Kids are still in school and tourist season is not quite as bad, weather not as hot, not monsoon season yet, and NR is open if just barely. Were are doing 3 days down, 3 days SR, 2 days NR, 2 days home, in the truck with the Travel Trailer attached. Got all the reservations, etc. made.
 
Slybones said:
... Were are doing 3 days down, 3 days SR, 2 days NR, 2 days home, in the truck with the Travel Trailer attached. Got all the reservations, etc. made.
Click to expand...

Sounds like a weiner. Mary & I reely liked hoofin the SR to Phantom Ranch & back on a gorgeous 10 hr day. Temps were ~50-80.
 
Thanks guys.  Yeah. you would think I would research openings and closings for the places I want to visit.  Thanks for the heads up on the NR.

Might push this back a month or so knowing that type of info.
 
Thats good timing but as mentioned before weather can turn on a dime. Usually between 30's in high elevation's and high 80's in the low elevations. Recomendations for the Vegas area are MT Charleston loop back through Red Rock Canyon out to Sandy Valley. Don't miss Oatman AZ and the burros. UT is amazing. Look at Cedar City for a center spot. Winter this year has been really mild. Monsoon season is June July August usually. Let me know when you finalize. May join you for a day. Also the Bun Cooler is in ID around the same time.
 
millsan1 said:
My main cincern is weather in April in the Bryce and further north areas.  Can anyone give input?  We both have heated gear and we actually enjoy riding in the rain, so anytjing north of 40 degrees during the day is fine by us.
Click to expand...

Like Slybones stated weather in the high Arizona Utah desert in April can be dicy at best. You can have 100 degree days and 30 degree nights, or a blizzard!  Who knows. I've ridden these area in the summer and still had 30 degree nights!

My advice is if you can delay until the first week of June run up to Zion and Bryce then head up hwy 12 (its a hoot!) through Torrey to Arches, then down through monument valley back into Arizona, head over to Page adn then the North Rim, then around (its a long ride!) to the south Rim then back to Vegas.  This is about a 1420 mile loop. Flagstaff is a cool town so maybe stopping there will be fun. Also make damn sure you have reservations for camping or lodging at these national parks. The north rim has some great cabins very close to the rim and camping is within reasonable walking distance. The south rim has many more vista's for viewing and you can take tours from there. I think the North Rim is fantastic, (much more isolated and traveled) but to each their own. When you go to Zion stay there overnight so you can at least tour the canyons rather than just driving through. They only allow their buses up on the tours so you better make reservations there too!  Bryce is the bomb and you can ride all the way south and back stopping at a number of vistas. Ruby's inn is the place to stay.  Hwy 12 has a feature near Escalente called the razorback. It is phenomonal! and of course Arches is incredible.  Lets just say Utah is incredible! 

So get the rand McNally out and start planning!  But yes weather is a concern, but even more so is availibility for lodging and camping!  Have fun!  :)
 
Nowbthat is what i am talking about.  Thank you for the detaiked suggestions.  Will def take all that into consideration.

And pkease excuse the typos.  Cell phone dont ya know.
 
Stayed here a few days in '05. Clean showers, laundry, camping on real grass, private sights, just not the wilderness. Nice view, though, and they had a nice beer selection in the store. The RVs get to park in the gravel lot farther out back. I see the rates have gone up to $15, they were $11 in '05. Lots of good choices for eateries.

If you stay there, go to the scenic overlook just west of Capitol Reef NP to watch the sunset. It is truly marvelous from there. Best one I've ever seen, and I live in Flowriduh(yes, sunsets/rises are quite good here).

Watch for critters on the way back to Torrey, they are everywhere and every size.

If you have the time, UT12 in both directions in it's entirety is very highly recommended.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top