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$1,500 National Park vacation comparable to Isle Royale?

  • Good stuff here guys. Writing down notes for a southern Utah trip of my own :)

    And He Got it

  • Agree with this. Going to Arches/Canyonlands for the first time and looking forward to it!

    marshallspartan

  • And He Got it! said...

    Good stuff here guys. Writing down notes for a southern Utah trip of my own :)

    I know more about southern Utah (particularly the Moab area and Zion) than most other places, so feel free to PM me with any questions. It's one of the most amazing places in the world.

    Johnny Alpamayo

  • I've been fortunate to have visited quite a few national parks out west (Denali, Kenai Fjords, Olympic, Grand Teton, Yellowstone, Estes, Rocky Mountain, Arches, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands, Crater Lake, Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce Canyon). While so much of the west is beautiful, you really can't beat southern Utah.

    Zion and Canyonlands are absolutely gorgeous (Canyonlands is by far the most underrated national park IMO). Bryce Canyon is really neat as well...what is really nice about that area is that there are a bunch near each other and the drive between them is beautiful as well. I will say that Arches has been the most undewhelming national park IMO.

    stinkytofu

  • stinkytofu said...

    I've been fortunate to have visited quite a few national parks out west (Denali, Kenai Fjords, Olympic, Grand Teton, Yellowstone, Estes, Rocky Mountain, Arches, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands, Crater Lake, Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce Canyon). While so much of the west is beautiful, you really can't beat southern Utah.

    Zion and Canyonlands are absolutely gorgeous (Canyonlands is by far the most underrated national park IMO). Bryce Canyon is really neat as well...what is really nice about that area is that there are a bunch near each other and the drive between them is beautiful as well. I will say that Arches has been the most undewhelming national park IMO.

    I agree with a lot of this post. Loved southern Utah, Zion, Bryce, Dead Horse St Park, Hwy 12 between Bryce and Capitol reef is spectacular, and Arches is merely Okay compared to the others

    Isatoner

  • Isatoner said...

    I agree with a lot of this post. Loved southern Utah, Zion, Bryce, Dead Horse St Park, Hwy 12 between Bryce and Capitol reef is spectacular, and Arches is merely Okay compared to the others

    The topography in Arches is very similar to that outside the park (which is still undoubtedly pretty). I think the problem is that what makes it a national park are the arches, but once you've seen one you kind of get the point.

    stinkytofu

  • check on flights into Marquette, or go through minnesota and then get to the island via Grand Portage

    mullethead21446

  • Fly into Jackson or Salt Lake got to Tetons or Wind River range. Doesn't really help with the Bears but two spectacular places.

    Gene Parmesan

  • I will get some hate for this but....went to Isle Royale last summer (bucket list, went with two brothers) and was somewhat disappointed. I think it was due to the fact I've been to the U.P. numerous times (father was from Calumet) and the terrain on the island is not much different than other U.P. areas...not saying did not have fun, just that when I go out west (Utah, Cali, New Mexico, Az) everything is new to me....plus the cost of getting to Isle Royale is almost the same as going to Grand Canyon or Zion ...heck, a flight to Vegas is probably cheaper than getting to Houghton.... glad I did it, but I did not get the chills I normally feel when going to a National Park.

    EXT85

  • Hit the Smokey Mountains. Black Bears - but if you follow the rules you will be fine.

    Spartytruth

  • EXT85 said...

    I will get some hate for this but....went to Isle Royale last summer (bucket list, went with two brothers) and was somewhat disappointed. I think it was due to the fact I've been to the U.P. numerous times (father was from Calumet) and the terrain on the island is not much different than other U.P. areas...not saying did not have fun, just that when I go out west (Utah, Cali, New Mexico, Az) everything is new to me....plus the cost of getting to Isle Royale is almost the same as going to Grand Canyon or Zion ...heck, a flight to Vegas is probably cheaper than getting to Houghton.... glad I did it, but I did not get the chills I normally feel when going to a National Park.

    It's hard to disagree here - Isle Royale is extremely unique but it does not compare with jaw dropping grandeur of say a Glacier National Park.

    Spartytruth

  • I have heard from several of you that Arches is overrated so I will factor that into my time in Moab. I agree with the praise for southern Utah however. Zion is also underrated and is one of my favorite parks and while not Utah, the North Rim of the Grand Canyon is special! If I spend more time in Canyonlands, what do folks recommend? And back to the original thread, I do have Isle Royale on my soon to be accomplished bucket list.

    marshallspartan

  • marshallspartan said...

    I have heard from several of you that Arches is overrated so I will factor that into my time in Moab. I agree with the praise for southern Utah however. Zion is also underrated and is one of my favorite parks and while not Utah, the North Rim of the Grand Canyon is special! If I spend more time in Canyonlands, what do folks recommend? And back to the original thread, I do have Isle Royale on my soon to be accomplished bucket list.

    We did the Utah trip a few years ago and it was awesome. We flew into Vegas and rented a car (and also spent a night on the strip before heading home).

    I've also done backpacking in Bandelier National Monument in New Mexico - the trail goes in and out of these awesome canyons and there are some ancient Pueblo cliff dwellings to explore.

    Spyke

  • marshallspartan said...

    I have heard from several of you that Arches is overrated so I will factor that into my time in Moab. I agree with the praise for southern Utah however. Zion is also underrated and is one of my favorite parks and while not Utah, the North Rim of the Grand Canyon is special! If I spend more time in Canyonlands, what do folks recommend? And back to the original thread, I do have Isle Royale on my soon to be accomplished bucket list.

    I will defend Arches. It's a small park and a lot of the surrounding scenery is similar, but there are three great hikes in the park that are as good as anything else out there:
    - Delicate Arch - the arch that graces the Utah license plate. It's a sweet arch with an amazing backdrop, and the hike to it is fun.
    - Fiery Furnance - a jumbled landscape impossible to map. Take a tour with a ranger, or better yet get a permit and explore on your own (if you are confident in your abilities).
    - Devil's Garden - A fantastic backcountry hike with great arches. The truly brave can climb atop Double O Arch and walk to the end of it. I'd attach a picture of this arch, but an on mobile.

    My feeling is if you are in Moab, you'd be doing yourself a disservice by not spending some time in Arches. That being said, a day or two would be enough to hit the highlights. (I am still exploring a lot of off-trail canyons in the park, and I've been there a lot.)

    There was a recent thread on Moab a month or two back, that should have a lot of recommendations on things to do in the area. Earlier in this thread, I suggested a hike in Canyonlands, but realize it is a big park with three distinct areas - each of which is separate from the other areas. There is a lot to explore out there.

    Johnny Alpamayo

  • Johnny Alpamayo said...

    I will defend Arches. It's a small park and a lot of the surrounding scenery is similar, but there are three great hikes in the park that are as good as anything else out there: - Delicate Arch - the arch that graces the Utah license plate. It's a sweet arch with an amazing backdrop, and the hike to it is fun. - Fiery Furnance - a jumbled landscape impossible to map. Take a tour with a ranger, or better yet get a permit and explore on your own (if you are confident in your abilities). - Devil's Garden - A fantastic backcountry hike with great arches. The truly brave can climb atop Double O Arch and walk to the end of it. I'd attach a picture of this arch, but an on mobile.

    My feeling is if you are in Moab, you'd be doing yourself a disservice by not spending some time in Arches. That being said, a day or two would be enough to hit the highlights. (I am still exploring a lot of off-trail canyons in the park, and I've been there a lot.)

    There was a recent thread on Moab a month or two back, that should have a lot of recommendations on things to do in the area. Earlier in this thread, I suggested a hike in Canyonlands, but realize it is a big park with three distinct areas - each of which is separate from the other areas. There is a lot to explore out there.

    Don't forget about the large rock formation shaped like a giant penis.

    This post was edited by PolskaSpartan on 6/4/2012 at 12:23 PM

    signature image

    PolskaSpartan

  • Johnny Alpamayo said...

    I will defend Arches. It's a small park and a lot of the surrounding scenery is similar, but there are three great hikes in the park that are as good as anything else out there: - Delicate Arch - the arch that graces the Utah license plate. It's a sweet arch with an amazing backdrop, and the hike to it is fun. - Fiery Furnance - a jumbled landscape impossible to map. Take a tour with a ranger, or better yet get a permit and explore on your own (if you are confident in your abilities). - Devil's Garden - A fantastic backcountry hike with great arches. The truly brave can climb atop Double O Arch and walk to the end of it. I'd attach a picture of this arch, but an on mobile.

    My feeling is if you are in Moab, you'd be doing yourself a disservice by not spending some time in Arches. That being said, a day or two would be enough to hit the highlights. (I am still exploring a lot of off-trail canyons in the park, and I've been there a lot.)

    There was a recent thread on Moab a month or two back, that should have a lot of recommendations on things to do in the area. Earlier in this thread, I suggested a hike in Canyonlands, but realize it is a big park with three distinct areas - each of which is separate from the other areas. There is a lot to explore out there.

    When I visited the Moab area we did a float trip down the Green? river, the scenery was fantastic I would highly recommend this if in that part of Utah.

    Isatoner

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