Advice for a solo overnight or a 2 night backpacking trip

As I'm planning to make my way West for a spring climbing trip to Red rocks and Jtree for a week, I want to take a few days before I head back to NYC and do a solo overnight camping/backing trip. Any recommendations for loop hikes (one way is ok too if theres available shuttle) I love the desert and desert towers so Utah locations are welcome. Zion is great and is also something I'm considering. Grand Canyon Rim to Rim is ambitions but definitely doable solo. Not looking to climb just overnight backpacking trip (something tells me I'll be sore from a week of climbing anyway)

I'll most likely be getting a rental out in Vegas and Zion is definitely an attractive option with only 3 hour drive or so. Other locations welcome as long as I don't get wiped out by a puma ( I know the odds are pretty low in zion )

Thanks,

Roman

A lot of the routes in the SW tend to be out and backs without a shuttle.

Coyote Gulch (Escalante)

W Rim (Zion) - this guy has good info on Zion in general

I would think any able bodied climber would have no problem hiking rim to rim in the Grand canyon with just one night, that said I'd take two nights just to chill and look around a bit. I've done it in a one overnight rush and regret it.

Like fossana said, Escalante is cool as hell, so is the San Rafael Swell for one or two nights.

It also looks like you could do a Grand Canyon rim loop from Hermit's Rest in the Grand Canyon (not as much elevation gain as the R2R hikes):

• Boucher/Tonto/Hermit trails loop (24 mi)
• Hermit/Tonto/Bright Angel + shuttle loop (27 mi)

Trail info here.

I did a Zion overnight up on the west rim a few years back in July, and although it was an out and back there's so much to see the descent was almost like a new place anyway. Couple that with Angel's Landing and you have a hell of an overnight

How early in the spring? This could be a definite deciding factor...

Thanks for the advice guys, late May to Late April the latest before it gets too hot to climb.

Looking into zion (Angles landing seems to be the top choice (narrows too cold), grand canyon R2R or possibly heading to Arches? But still open to others.

Been doing a little research and looks like you need to apply for permit to spend a night in grand canyon on the first of the month 4 months in advance. I may not be opposed if things go well to doing another trip out west in the fall as well and tackle Grand Canyon and visit nearby areas (antelope canyon and so on) while checking out some climbing somewhere in Utah (Indian Creek, y u no haz easy crack climbing)

Roman

Here's the snow data for Zion.

Btw, an alternative to Antelope (which requires a hefty permit fee and a guide) is Peek-a-boo. Also, if you can snag a permit for the Coyote Buttes (a.k.a. the Wave) in the Vermillion cliffs area, check that out. There's also a super long non-technical slot canyon (Buckskin Gulch) in the same area.

Adding, there are some cool slot canyons (e.g. Lepreuchaun) around Hanksville if you're heading out to Moab. Michael Kelsey has a series of ridiculously detailed books that document the canyons and archeological sites throughout UT. They have some of them at the library in Moab.

Another vote for Buckskin Gulch absolutely stunning and reasonably easy to get a permit. Shuttle is typically from White House Campground to Wire Pass Trailhead and then you come back out at White House. I used Paria Outpost for the shuttle and everything worked smoothly.

Another idea... rent a kayak in Page AZ and backpack with a boat on Lake Powell

Grand Canyon R2R is awesome. I did it as a run in October in about 7.5 hours. As an overnight backpacking trip it would be pretty cruiser if you're fairly fit.

HOWEVER....It is kind of a logistic nightmare. The shuttle ride from one side to the other is about 6 hours, kind of pricey, and (to my knowledge) doesn't even run this time of year.

BUT.....you could do the south to south R2R alternative route which is pretty rad too. Go down into the canyon on the South Kaibab trail, all the way to the river at Phantom Ranch. Then return to the south rim via the Bright Angel trail. It's about 17-18 miles total, which would be perfect if you fell the traditional R2R might be a bit ambitions at 24.5 miles. If you decide on either of these, I'm fairly familiar and would be happy to entertain questions through private messages.

I'm also very familiar with the Needles district of Canyonlands National park, and have hiked or backpacked every mile official trail there. If you're interested in that area, maybe I could help too. Plus, as a bonus, you drive right through Indian Creek to get there. Some ideas are the Chesler Park loop including the Joint trail, or the Red Lake Canyon trail.

I always thought Cedar Mesa/Grand Gulch would be a great hike. Might be too far out of your way though.

Here's one site describing it.There are better sites if you google around.

americansouthwest.net/utah/…

Thanks guys these are all awesome ideas.

Roy, the overnight kayak on lake powell is awesome and def something I'm going to look into and probably do as well as a backpacking trip somewhere in the canyons.

txclimber I will be contacting you in the near future for more details

PS: there is no way rope swinging is still legal in Utah is there? I would love to tick that off my list...

Roman

Just drive to castle valley or indian creek and explore with a guidebook. Will come in handy at some point.

I want to incorporate as much as possible into the short time frame i'll be out west (maybe due in 2 trips, spring and fall) and found a bungee jump about two and a half hours away from jtree. However I cant find a place for a rope swing. I know Corona Arch has been shutdown any other places which offer it commercially? ( I guess I hit midlife crisis at 27 years old )

If you're determined to get a swing in you can climb Looking Glass Rock. The climb itself is nothing to write home about and is very easy. The rappel is totally free hanging, and once near ground level many parties turn it into an impromptu swing (account for rope stretch).

It's not exactly the kind of swing you're looking for (e.g. jump off an arch and immediately take a huge swing), but after working up some momentum you can really get this thing rocking too.

mountainproject.com/v/looki…