March 2023
Mesquite Nevada

After my time in Las Vegas, it's time to head north to Utah for the big five National Parks. Due to recent snow across the west I decided to stop 90 miles northeast of Las Vegas in Mesquite Nevada for 3 nights to take advantage of the best window of time to navigate these National Parks. I am so glad that I did not only for the weather but I discovered a hidden gem with Mesquite. I once again took advantage of Casino boondocking at Eureka Casino Resort. This place was perfect! Mesquite is a rapidly growing city with golf course communities everywhere and the construction continues with both new communities and expansion to existing golf course neighborhoods. The golf courses are top notch and stunning with modern high desert dwellings surrounding the courses. There are also unlimited amenities in each of these communities including tennis courts, pickle ball courts, clubhouses, playgrounds, and swimming pools. Being Nevada, of course there are a number of large casinos in town if that's your jam. If you are considering a place to settle down in retirement, you need to plan a trip to Mesquite Nevada. There are countless world famous places to visit within a half days drive of this fantastic little town!

March 2023
Zion West RV Park
Leeds Utah

From Mesquite I headed northeast back through the northwestern corner of Arizona and climbing through the Stunning Virgin River Gorge. The Virgin River created the topography of both the Gorge and Zion National Park. I booked 3 nights at Zion West RV Park located in Leeds Utah just 8 miles north of St. George Utah. The trip from Mesquite to Zion West was only 54 miles. There isn't much in Leeds but everything you might need is just a few miles south on I15 in St. George. Zion West is short on amenities but there is a nice laundry room and the Free WiFi was surprisingly fast throughout the Park. I didn't book this stay for amenities; I wanted a single launch point for Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park. It's 31 miles to the Springdale Zion Park National Park entrance and 127 miles to Bryce Canyon National Park through the Panguitch Utah route. You can of course find accommodations closer to each but I don't mind a single stay with day trips. Zion West RV Park served that purpose well for me.

March 2023
Zion National Park (Winter)
Springdale Utah

From March through late November, access to the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive is by shuttle bus only. I arrived on March 10 and couldn't take Barron on the shuttle so I enjoyed Zion a couple of different yet spectacular ways. First, on the way to the Springdale Zion entrance I went up the Kolob Terrace Road in the small town of Virgin and entered Zion National Park. This is a nice drive and worth the time. Next I went back down the mountain and entered Zion again at the Springdale entrance. This is where the visitors center, the shuttles, hiking rental shops, and watchman campground surround the entrance. You can drive your private vehicle as far as you wish up Hwy 9 through Zion National Park and through the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel with pull-off areas everywhere. This will allow you to explore the sites and snap photos. I'm not saying you should skip the shuttle to the scenic drive BUT this drive up Hwy 9 is spectacular none the less. I enjoyed my winter visit to Zion and can't wait to revisit in the spring/fall and maybe stay at Watchman! As always, your America the Beautiful Pass will gain you prepaid entrance to the park.

March 2023
Bryce Canyon National Park (Winter)
Bryce City Utah

The drive from Zion West RV Park was 127 miles to Bryce Canyon so I was willing to hang around and wait for the dense fog to clear around the canyon. What a fickle weather day. Two of the main viewpoint roads were closed; Fairyland Point and Sunrise Point. The sun would pop out and I would make it to a viewpoint and get a few photos. I would make my way to the next and it was snowing and foggy by the time I got there. My first trip to Bryce Viewpoint, it was completely covered with dense fog. I returned to Bryce city for lunch and an improvement in the weather. An hour later it was bright and sunny and Bryce Point was the only open viewpoint that I didn't have photos so I headed back into the park. Half way up the hill to Bryce Viewpoint it started snowing mixed with thick sleet. The car in front of me stopped, I stopped, and that ended my 2 wheel drive F150s trip up to the Bryce Viewpoint parking lot. I had to back down a quarter mile to a flat spot, do a 7 point sliding turnaround, and head out of the park. By this time there were vehicles stuck and stranded all over the place. I so look forward to visiting Bryce in perfect weather and will do so as soon as I can because this place is beautiful! Maybe next time I can stay at one of the campgrounds inside the park.

A Necessary Pause for Now

As I was making my way through the National Parks of Utah I received bad news from home. My mother has been diagnosed with cancer and I returned to Birmingham to help in any way I can. I canceled my reservation for the rest of Utah, Salt Lake City, Boise, the Oregon coast, and the Washington coast. The road and all of these adventures will still be there when the time is right.
See you on the road!
RV Roddy...