Travel from Green River to Monument Valley, UT

We drove our coach 195 miles, about 4 hours, from Green River, Utah to Monument Valley, Utah.

If you’ve ever seen a Western movie, you’ve seen Monument Valley.

Here’s the map, heading south:

Map route

Green River is proud of their melons:

Green River melons

An interesting church:

Interesting church

We stopped at Love’s to top up the diesel, since fuel stops are few and far between for the next few legs of our journey:

Love's fuel stop

Only about 40 gallons (our tank is 150 gallons), though still rather expensive with current fuel prices:

Love's fuel stop

Back under the lowish rail bridge:

Rail bridge

Mesa:

Mesa

Rocks:

Rocks

Moab:

Moab

Rocks

We stopped for lunch at the rest area by Hole N the Rock:

Hole N the Rock

Rest stop

Lunch

Onward:

Rocks

An arch:

Arch

Rocks

Trading post:

Trading post

Water

Rocks

Rocks and buildings

Rocks

First sight of some iconic Monument Valley rocks:

Rocks

Bridge:

Bridge

The bridge was a little narrow for our coach, so we treated it as a one-way bridge:

Narrow bridge

Rocks

Several people stopped at Forrest Gump point; an iconic location from the movie:

Forrest Gump point

Rocks

Our destination:

Rocks

Green River KOA Journey

We stayed at Green River KOA Journey in Green River, Utah. (Campground Reviews listing.)

Dates:

Check in: 2022-05-11
Check out: 2022-05-22
11 nights

Weather:

Mostly sunny
High temps ranging between 69-94°F, lows around 39-58°F
Windy several afternoons, with gusts up to 40 MPH on a couple of days

Noise:

Negligible road noise, occasional distant train noise
Quiet neighbors

Site:

#50, pull-through, gravel
Didn’t need to disconnect toad; parked behind coach
Large site: about 100 feet long by about 40 feet wide
Full hookups:

50 amp power somewhat conveniently located
Good water pressure, 60 PSI, somewhat conveniently located
Good sewer connection, conveniently located

Picnic table on cement pad; fire pit
Nice new landscaping

Internet:

Campground Ethernet: 97 Mbps down, 45 Mbps up, 6 ms ping (first time we’ve had an Ethernet option)
T-Mobile: 62-71 Mbps down, 38-45 Mbps up, 45 ms ping
AT&T: 6 Mbps down, 6 Mbps up, 50 ms ping
Verizon: 34-62 Mbps down, 28-43 Mbps up, 50 ms ping
Starlink: not used, since Ethernet was so fast

Amenities:

Garbage dumpster
Pool, still closed for the season (preparing to open soon after we left)
Package delivery available (sometimes collected from office, sometimes hand-delivered to our site)

Here’s the review Jenn wrote on Campground Reviews:

Good base camp for all the area has to offer.

We stayed in the newly renovated section of the park, each with very young trees and brand new patios and picnic tables. The staff were very friendly and helpful, even bringing our packages to the site. They do an excellent job keeping the sites raked and tidied up after every departure and the whole park is very well kept up. Sadly, they were just starting to get the pool ready for the season (it opens on Memorial Day) so we were unable to use it, despite several days being over 90 degrees. They recently upgraded their WiFi and even had ethernet ports on the pedestals, which we were able to plug our router right into for the fastest internet we’ve had in ages. If you need to work while on the road, this is the place to do it! In the late afternoons after work, there’s still plenty of time to venture out and explore Canyonlands and Arches National Parks, Moab, and several state parks before returning to this nice, quiet spot away from the touristy confines of Moab. We camped at Green River KOA Journey in a Motorhome.

The RV park map:

Park map

The satellite map is a bit out-of-date, since they’ve made recent renovations:

Satellite map

Screenshot of the weather for our stay:

Weather

Our site:

Out site

Our site

Out site

Working outside:

Jenn & David

Out site

Cooking burgers on the griddle:

Griddle dinner

This is the first time we’ve had an Ethernet jack available at a site:

Ethernet jack

I fed the Ethernet cable through the front passenger window:

Ethernet cable through window

Into the modem:

Ethernet into modem

Utilities:

Utilities

We visited Canyonlands and Arches National Parks while here, so added their stickers (stay tuned for posts about those visits):

More park stickers

A dust devil:

Dust devil

A lunar eclipse:

Lunar eclipse

Let’s explore:

Entrance sign

The office:

Office

Camp store:

Camp store

Camp registration:

Camp registration

The swimming pool was being cleaned, for opening on Memorial Day at the end of the month. We could have used it on some of the hot days, though we were out exploring parks most of the time:

Pool being cleaned

Playground:

Playground

Dog park, with a shade and seating area, and agility course:

Dog park

Patio sites:

Patio site

Cabin:

Cabin

Other RVs:

Other RVs

A field behind the park (and dumpster):

Field behind park

One of the many occupants of the site next to us was a U-Haul and tent; rather unusual:

U-Haul and tent

Two trailers:

Two trailers

One of the first nights here we went to Ray’s Tavern in downtown Green River:

Ray's Tavern

They had the menu on a white board above the bar:

Ray's Tavern menu

Ray's Tavern

Then we went to the grocery store (yes, the only one; it’s a very small town). A well-stocked family-run store (the two cashiers were father and daughter):

Grocery store

Towards the end of our stay, we walked from the KOA to the Tamarisk Restaurant next door (which offers a 10% discount for KOA guests, though we didn’t bother to ask for that):

Tamarisk Restaurant

We had to wait 20 minutes due to a bus-load of other guests:

Tamarisk Restaurant

River view:

Tamarisk Restaurant

Finally, the entry sign at night:

Entry sign

Travel from Torrey to Green River, UT

We drove our coach 107 miles, about 2.5 hours, from Torrey, Utah to Green River, Utah.

Here’s the map, heading northeast:

Map route

Leaving the RV park:

Leaving the park

Driving through Torrey:

Torrey

Some road works on the road to Capitol Reef National Park:

Road works

Road

Entering Capitol Reef National Park in our coach, as our route takes us through the park:

Capitol Reef National Park

More road works:

Road works

Heading through the park:

Capitol Reef National Park

Road and river

A somewhat desolate area beyond the park:

Highway

Lots of interesting rocks, though:

Highway and rocks

Working on my laptop:

Laptop

Highway and rocks

Paladin sat on the back of Jenn’s chair for a bit:

Paladin and Jenn

Highway and river

Highway and rocks

Some dust storms in the distance:

View

Dusty

Exit towards Green River:

Exit to Green River

Paladin:

Paladin

Dusty:

Dusty

Exit:

Exit

A somewhat low bridge; our coach is 12’ 7” high, so enough clearance:

Low bridge

Welcome to Green River:

Welcome to Green River

An interesting building façade:

Building

Green River would be more accurately called brown river:

Green River

Our destination, the Green River KOA Journey:

KOA Journey

Hickman Bridge Trail hike in Capitol Reef

We again went to Capitol Reef National Park, this time to the Goosenecks Point overlook and a hike on the Hickman Bridge trail.

Some pics of Torrey, Utah on the way through:

Torrey

An old house:

Old house

We really like the look of this stone building:

Nice stone building

There’s a police car parked by the side of the road, with a mannequin inside:

Police car with mannequin

The road to Goosenecks Point:

Rocks

A bunch of pics from Goosenecks Point:

Goosenecks Point

Then we proceeded to the Hickman Bridge trail, for a two-mile hike to a natural bridge arch:

Hickman Bridge trail

We went to Slacker’s Burger Joint in Torrey for dinner after the hike:

Slacker’s Burger Joint

And shared an indulgence for dessert:

Slacker’s Burger Joint

Finally, a screenshot from the AllTrails app of the trail map:

Trail map

“Loop the Fold” drive around Capitol Reef National Park

As a fun day trip, we did the “Loop the Fold” scenic drive, using a guide booklet we purchased at the Capitol Reef visitor center.

This 125 mile driving loop goes around the Waterpocket Fold, through the Capitol Reef park, along Burr Trail Road in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, and through Dixie and Fishlake National Forests.

Here’s the “Loop the Fold” road guide:

Loop the Fold road guide

The included map, with stop markers:

Loop the Fold map

We started from the RV park in Torrey, and continued clockwise, through Capitol Reef:

Capitol Reef sign

Chimney Rock, stop number 37 in the guide (see the map above):

Rocks

Panorama Point (stop 38):

Sunset Point

Jenn at Sunset Point

The guide is numbered from the Visitor Center, with total miles given from that point, so the Fruta schoolhouse is stop number 1 at mile 0.8:

Fruta schoolhouse (1)

At the petroglyphs (stop 2, mile 1.1), Jenn took a survey:

Jenn taking survey

Petroglyphs:

Petroglyphs (2)

Hickman Bridge Trailhead (stop 3, mile 1.9):

Hickman Bridge Trailhead (3)

Navajo Dome view (stop 4, mile 2.3):

Navajo Dome view (4)

Historic cabin (stop 6, mile 6.0):

Historic cabin (6)

Historic cabin

Rocks:

Rocks

We left the Capitol Reef park at the east entrance (stop 7, mile 9.1):

Capitol Reef sign (7)

A historical marker for the settlement of Notom (stop 8, mile 14.0):

Notom (8)

Notom

View:

View

Hoodoos (stop 10, mile 17.6):

Hoodoos (10)

We had a picnic lunch in our truck at that stop:

Picnic lunch

Views:

Views

The pavement ends at mile 19.3:

Pavement ends

Driving across a wash:

Wash

Washboarded road:

Washboarded road

Rough road:

Rough road

The Summerville Formation (stop 15, mile 28.1):

The Summerville Formation (15)

Re-entering the park (mile 28.4):

Re-entering the park

Ridge:

Ridge

View

Ridge

Our truck parked on the side of the road:

Truck

Oyster Shell Reef (stop 17, mile 32.3):

Oyster Shell Reef (17)

Oyster fossils:

Oyster fossils

View:

View

Selfie:

Jenn & David

Dirt road:

Dirt road

View

The road changes color:

The road changes color

Spike:

Spike

Smooth

Morrison Formation (stop 18, mile 39); 150-million-year-old Brushy Basin layer of soft claystone on the left, and Salt Wash layer of coarse sandstone on the right:

Morrison Formation (18)

Rocks:

Rocks

Junction (stop 20, mile 42.1):

Junction (20)

We took a detour off the route:

Ridges

Driving across a wash:

Wash

The post horse corral:

Horse corral

View

Back across the wash:

Wash

View

The Burr Trail Switchbacks (stop 22, mile 42.9):

Burr Trail Switchbacks (22)

Burr Trail Switchbacks

Don’t look down:

Burr Trail Switchbacks

At the top:

Top of Burr Trail Switchbacks

Rocks

We stopped for a pie snack:

Pie

Pavement resumes when leaving the park (stop 24, mile 45.3):

Pavement resumes (24)

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument:

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument

Views:

Views

Rocks

Singing Canyon (stop 26, mile 66.9):

Singing Canyon (26)

Long Canyon viewpoint (stop 28, mile 68.7):

Long Canyon viewpoint (28)

Navajo sandstone (stop 29, mile 76.5):

Navajo sandstone (28)

Sub-alpine trees:

Sub-alpine trees

Homestead Overlook (stop 32, mile 90.4):

Homestead Overloop (32)

Homestead Overlook

Sub-alpine trees

Larb Hollow Overlook (stop 34, mile 101.4):

Larb Hollow Overlook (34)

Overlook

View

A fun day trip.

Capitol Reef National Park

We visited Capitol Reef National Park in Utah. It is a long skinny park, encompassing the Waterpocket Fold, “a geologic wrinkle on earth” (quoting from the NPS site; really should be “in earth”).

Here’s a map; click it to explore the NPS map:

Capitol Reef signs:

Capitol Reef sign

Lots of interesting rocks:

Rocks

Visitor center:

Visitor center

Jenn talking with someone else at the cancellation stamping station:

Jenn stamping

Visitor center

A large wall-mounted map:

Map

Rocks

Marmot crossing

We stopped by Gifford House, a historic Mormon homestead, which now contains a gift and pie shop:

Gifford House

We bought a couple of fruit pies as a snack:

Pies

We also got a jam sampler:

Jams

Outside:

Cart

Horse

Back on the scenic drive in the park:

Rocks

Our drive led to the trailhead for a hike though a canyon, and on impulse we decided to do it (which was a bit silly, as we weren’t properly dressed for it, but oh well):

Hike trailhead

Rocks

Flowers

Rocks

Petroglyphs:

Petroglyphs

Some names from 1911, halfway up a wall:

Names

Rocks

A painter:

Painter

Rocks

The “pioneer register” rock etchings from the 1880’s:

Rock etching

A security camera to make sure nobody adds more markings (probably battery powered, recording for later review; or maybe a dummy):

Camera

Rocks

Jenn & David

Rocks

Back in the truck:

Rocks

Blowing dust:

Dust

Rocks

A nice park. Stay tuned for more posts from here from subsequent days.

Route maps

Here’s an animated GIF showing our RV travel routes: the Yellowstone rental trailer trip last year, adding travel in our coach last year, travel so far this year, and finally the planned route for much of the remainder of the year.

Route maps

Thousand Lakes RV Park

We stayed at Thousand Lakes RV Park in Torrey, Utah. (Campground Reviews listing.)

Dates:

Check in: 2022-05-08
Check out: 2022-05-11
3 nights

Weather:

Mostly sunny
High temps ranging around 60°F, lows around 30°F
Sub-freezing overnight some nights
Very windy most afternoons, with gusts up to 60 MPH
We kept our slides in most of the time

Noise:

No road noise, no train noise
Quiet neighbors

Site:

#31, pull-through, gravel
Needed to disconnect toad; parked next to coach
Smallish site: 55 feet long by about 25 feet wide
Full hookups:

50 amp power conveniently located
Low water pressure, 30 PSI, conveniently located
Good sewer connection, conveniently located
Didn’t connect water or sewer other than to fill and dump, since it got below freezing

Picnic table and fire pit

Internet:

Campground Wi-Fi: available, not used
T-Mobile: 20 Mbps down, 27 Mbps up, 90 ms ping
AT&T: 8 Mbps down, 5 Mbps up, 50 ms ping
Verizon: 16 Mbps down, 28 Mbps up, 55 ms ping
Starlink: not used, since short stay

Amenities:

Garbage bins and dumpster
Small pool, not used
Nice store and BBQ restaurant

Here’s the review Jenn wrote on Campground Reviews:

Good base camp for Capitol Reef

Nice park with trees between each site and views of the surrounding red cliffs. Sites were a little on the small side for our 40′ motorhome and tow vehicle; we had to park the truck next to the rig, and the door hit our slide when getting in or out. Very conveniently located to Capitol Reef National Park, which is the main draw. Torrey has some good restaurants, and the onsite bbq was just so nice and close after a long day in the park. The shop had a great selection of souvenirs and basic necessities, as well. We camped at Thousand Lakes RV Park in a Motorhome.

The RV park map:

Map

Satellite map:

Thousand Lakes RV Park

A couple of GIFs of our coach leveling itself, captured by the truck dashcam:

Leveling

Our site; it was so windy that we kept our slides in for most of the time:

Our site

A nice view of red cliffs beyond the park:

View

This is what our coach looks like inside with the slide-outs in; a bit cramped:

Slides in

Paladin sitting on the back of the driver chair:

Paladin

He was interested in jumping up to the top of the slide-out, though didn’t actually do so:

Paladin

As mentioned above, one nice thing about this park is that it has an on-site BBQ; here’s the menu:

BBQ menu

BBQ info:

BBQ info

The restaurant:

BBQ restaurant

BBQ dining room:

BBQ dining room

BBQ food:

BBQ food

They also have a nice gift shop and general store on site:

Gift shop

Let’s walk around. Here’s the entrance sign:

Entrance sign

Play area:

Play area

RV park store and gift shop:

Gift shop

Even a hair salon, apparently:

Gift shop

Some tent sites, populated by a group (who regretted their choices, being so windy):

Tent sites

RVs:

RVs

A small pool; we didn’t use it, since it wasn’t very warm:

Pool

Cabins:

Cabins

A nice view:

View

More RVs:

RVs

Cows:

Cows

Those sites along the back would have a great view, though were very small:

RVs

More cabins:

Cabins

A hall with seating:

Hall

Our site again, after we put out three of the four slides:

Our site

Travel from Hatch to Torrey, UT

We drove our coach 124 miles, about 3 hours, from Hatch, Utah to Torrey, Utah.

Here’s the map, heading northeast:

Map route

Heading down the highway:

Road

Paladin spent much of the time in his safe space next to my chair, as usual:

Paladin in his safe space

Some nice old buildings in Panguitch (I’m going to try to take more pictures of interesting towns we pass through):

Panguitch

Nice houses:

Nice houses

I worked on my laptop while Jenn drove:

Laptop

Butch Cassidy’s childhood home:

Butch Cassidy's childhood home

An old building:

Old building

Junction, our turn:

Junction

Mountains:

Mountains

Interesting rocks:

Rocks

The Otter Creek Reservoir:

Water

Lots of straight portions of the highway:

Road

Which are a convenient and fairly safe time for me to get up and grab a snack from the fridge:

Mountains:

Road and mountains

Never Rip Overalls:

Never Rip Overalls

Some horses crossing the highway:

Horses

More road and mountains:

Road and mountains

Curve

Up and down:

Up and down

Road and mountains

Interesting rocks:

Interesting rocks

Arriving at our destination for a few nights:

Arriving

Paladin on the dash while Jenn is checking in:

Paladin

Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument including Singing Canyon

We took a day trip along Scenic Byway 12 and Burr Trail Road to Singing Canyon, a small slot canyon in Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument.

The monument is a massive area, almost two million acres, administered by the Bureau of Land Management.

The drive we went on was just a tiny fraction of it; inspired by this article.

The Grand Staircase is a massive series of cliffs, going from Cedar Breaks National Park to the Grand Canyon; here’s an image from the Wikipedia article:

The Grand Staircase