North Arizona, Southern Utah in April

[PBrooks]

Hello, I'm trying to plan a trip to go out west starting end of March. Starting in Louisiana travel through Texas on I20 to Abilene head North to Lubbock. From there up to Clovis and McAllister where my mom was originally from, then up to I40. Ok, here is where I need your help. Would you stay on I40 to Pertrified Forest and then turn North at Flagstaff to head to South Rim or Head up through Santa Fe toward the 4corners area? Now I do plan on making the loop South Rim, Page, just not sure which to hit first. Arches and work my way down, just trying not to backtrack too much. Thank you in advance!
PBrooks

[steve simmons]

make sure to go to Chaco Canyon, Mesa Verde, Canyon de Chelly

just my 2 cents

steve simmons

[PBrooks]

Thanks, Steve!
I forgot to add in my post that I do have all the Martres books.
Please keep it coming, would love to hear more!
PBrooks

[Brian Vuillemenot]

Hello, I'm trying to plan a trip to go out west starting end of March. Starting in Louisiana travel through Texas on I20 to Abilene head North to Lubbock.

If I were you, rather than heading north, I'd head south to Big Bend. It's a great national park full of photographic possibilities, not quite as "cliche" as many of the Colorado Plateau parks, and that's a great time of year to be there. There's also the Guadalupe Mountains National Park on the way, and you're not too far from Carlsbad Caverns and White Sands National Monument, home to the world's most sublime sand dunes. Of course, you can't go wrong with any of the redrcok scenery on the Colorado Plateau, and you can easily spend decades photographing the area and only scrath the surface. I think it will be hard to pick from all the possibilities; if the weather cooperates, you just can't go wrong.

[anchored]

PBrooks - I'm curious as to how much time you are allowing for your trip. A couple of years ago I spent 2 weeks in Southern Utah alone, and found two-weeks there are insufficient to see that region alone... without adding any other stops along the way.

Southern Utah in itself has completely other-worldly views from end to end of the state. Don't do yourself an injustice by trying to see too much with too little time. This region is one of my favorite locations anywhere in the nation!

(Bring LOTS AND LOTS of film!!!)

[PBrooks]

Thanks Guys, I planned to give myself 3 weeks, just as a scouting trip.

[steve simmons]

The southwest can be windy in the Spring - I dobn't know if this includes Texas as well. I have not been to Big Bend but would like to go sometime.


steve simmons

[Bruce Schultz]

By April, Big Bend can be pretty hot.

[Alan Rabe]

Buckskin Gulch in the Paria Wilderness. 25 miles west of page on US89 is ranger station for the wilderness. It is in total about 18 miles of narrows and grottos that runs roughly east/west along the AZ/UT border. Try to get directions to the Wire Bend pass into the gulch. It is a half mile hike as opposed to a five mile hike to the gulch.

[mrladewig]

The four corners is a freaking PITA to get around. Unless you plan to run 89 through Page and over towards Kanab or something along those lines, I'd avoid it and take I-40.

That said, along 89, Buckskin Gulch, Wire Pass, Coyote Buttes are well worth a visit. Page obviously offers Antelope Canyon, Horsehoe Bend and Monument Valley. All sorts of stuff to do in the Escalante.

I would advise you to bring sandals or something of the sort into wire pass and do not enter if there is a threat of rain. We were there in September and were blocked by a deep water/mud hole from rains the night before. We were in our hiking boots and needed them to be dry for other activities. I'll definitely be going back to wire pass/buckskin gulch on future trips.

Here is my Wire Pass shot (blown on the highlights).
http://www.ladewigs.com/Gallery/v/So...ss_01.jpg.html