Road conditions to Natural Bridges Nat'l Monument?

I'm trying to plan a long trip starting in May. We have a 34 ft Class
A motorhome. Are the roads from Mexican Hat, UT and Blanding, UT to
Natural Bridges National Monument paved and OK for driving our
motorhome on?

Can anyone recommend campgrounds in this area that could accommodate a
34 ft vehicle?

Thanx for your help.

US Highway 163 south of Mexican Hat, UT - Near milepost 15 a sign for
nothbound reads "6-10% grade next 6 miles". The grade is not steady for the
entire distance, but stairsteps down to Mexican Hat with the last 1/2 miles
at 10% grade. After the 10% hill you cross a bridge and make a hard right
turn into town.

US Highway 191 south of Moab, UT - Many climbs and descents that are either
short and fairly steep, or long and fairly mild. Long and mild climbs may
be difficult in hot weather. About 14 miles south of Blanding is a hill
known as "Drive Shaft Hill.' It is only about 1/2 mile long, but is 11%
grade. It is a northbound climb.

These seem to be the worst places on the route you ask about.

Ron

"Owlman" wrote in message
...
I'm trying to plan a long trip starting in May. We have a 34 ft Class
A motorhome. Are the roads from Mexican Hat, UT and Blanding, UT to
Natural Bridges National Monument paved and OK for driving our
motorhome on?

Can anyone recommend campgrounds in this area that could accommodate a
34 ft vehicle?

Thanx for your help.

US Highway 163 south of Mexican Hat, UT - Near milepost 15 a sign for
nothbound reads "6-10% grade next 6 miles". The grade is not steady for the
entire distance, but stairsteps down to Mexican Hat with the last 1/2 miles
at 10% grade. After the 10% hill you cross a bridge and make a hard right
turn into town.

US Highway 191 south of Moab, UT - Many climbs and descents that are either
short and fairly steep, or long and fairly mild. Long and mild climbs may
be difficult in hot weather. About 14 miles south of Blanding is a hill
known as "Drive Shaft Hill.' It is only about 1/2 mile long, but is 11%
grade. It is a northbound climb.

These seem to be the worst places on the route you ask about.

Ron

"Owlman" wrote in message
...
I'm trying to plan a long trip starting in May. We have a 34 ft Class
A motorhome. Are the roads from Mexican Hat, UT and Blanding, UT to
Natural Bridges National Monument paved and OK for driving our
motorhome on?

Can anyone recommend campgrounds in this area that could accommodate a
34 ft vehicle?

Thanx for your help.

US Highway 163 south of Mexican Hat, UT - Near milepost 15 a sign for
nothbound reads "6-10% grade next 6 miles". The grade is not steady for the
entire distance, but stairsteps down to Mexican Hat with the last 1/2 miles
at 10% grade. After the 10% hill you cross a bridge and make a hard right
turn into town.

US Highway 191 south of Moab, UT - Many climbs and descents that are either
short and fairly steep, or long and fairly mild. Long and mild climbs may
be difficult in hot weather. About 14 miles south of Blanding is a hill
known as "Drive Shaft Hill.' It is only about 1/2 mile long, but is 11%
grade. It is a northbound climb.

These seem to be the worst places on the route you ask about.

Ron

"Owlman" wrote in message
...
I'm trying to plan a long trip starting in May. We have a 34 ft Class
A motorhome. Are the roads from Mexican Hat, UT and Blanding, UT to
Natural Bridges National Monument paved and OK for driving our
motorhome on?

Can anyone recommend campgrounds in this area that could accommodate a
34 ft vehicle?

Thanx for your help.

Thanx for the responding. This information is helpful, but I was
actually trying to find out about the access roads to Natural Bridges
Nat'l Monument--UT261 from Mexican Hat and UT95 from Blanding. Any
info on those roads?

Thanx again.


On Sat, 2 Apr 2005 10:19:45 -0600, "Ron Recer" wrote:

US Highway 163 south of Mexican Hat, UT - Near milepost 15 a sign for
nothbound reads "6-10% grade next 6 miles". The grade is not steady for the
entire distance, but stairsteps down to Mexican Hat with the last 1/2 miles
at 10% grade. After the 10% hill you cross a bridge and make a hard right
turn into town.

US Highway 191 south of Moab, UT - Many climbs and descents that are either
short and fairly steep, or long and fairly mild. Long and mild climbs may
be difficult in hot weather. About 14 miles south of Blanding is a hill
known as "Drive Shaft Hill.' It is only about 1/2 mile long, but is 11%
grade. It is a northbound climb.

These seem to be the worst places on the route you ask about.

Ron

"Owlman" wrote in message
.. .
I'm trying to plan a long trip starting in May. We have a 34 ft Class
A motorhome. Are the roads from Mexican Hat, UT and Blanding, UT to
Natural Bridges National Monument paved and OK for driving our
motorhome on?

Can anyone recommend campgrounds in this area that could accommodate a
34 ft vehicle?

Thanx for your help.

Thanx for the responding. This information is helpful, but I was
actually trying to find out about the access roads to Natural Bridges
Nat'l Monument--UT261 from Mexican Hat and UT95 from Blanding. Any
info on those roads?

Thanx again.


On Sat, 2 Apr 2005 10:19:45 -0600, "Ron Recer" wrote:

US Highway 163 south of Mexican Hat, UT - Near milepost 15 a sign for
nothbound reads "6-10% grade next 6 miles". The grade is not steady for the
entire distance, but stairsteps down to Mexican Hat with the last 1/2 miles
at 10% grade. After the 10% hill you cross a bridge and make a hard right
turn into town.

US Highway 191 south of Moab, UT - Many climbs and descents that are either
short and fairly steep, or long and fairly mild. Long and mild climbs may
be difficult in hot weather. About 14 miles south of Blanding is a hill
known as "Drive Shaft Hill.' It is only about 1/2 mile long, but is 11%
grade. It is a northbound climb.

These seem to be the worst places on the route you ask about.

Ron

"Owlman" wrote in message
.. .
I'm trying to plan a long trip starting in May. We have a 34 ft Class
A motorhome. Are the roads from Mexican Hat, UT and Blanding, UT to
Natural Bridges National Monument paved and OK for driving our
motorhome on?

Can anyone recommend campgrounds in this area that could accommodate a
34 ft vehicle?

Thanx for your help.

I'm trying to plan a long trip starting in May. We have a 34 ft Class

A motorhome. Are the roads from Mexican Hat, UT and Blanding, UT
to Natural Bridges National Monument paved and OK for driving our
motorhome on?

A few miles north of Mexican Hat there's a left turn (west) that goes
to Goosenecks SP and Valley of the Gods, then up via 261 to Natural
Bridges. There is a 4 miles (or so) stretch of this just past the turn
off to Valley of the Gods that's not paved, called Mokee (or Moki)
Dugway and signs warn that it's off limits to vehicles towing trailers
(ie, boats to Lake Powell or campers) and to motorhomes over X ft (I
think X is ~ 22 ft but I may be mistaken ... for sure not 34 ft). This
is a very steep winding section with great views but because of the
narrow turns and limited visibility they try to keep motorhomes out.
So that route is not recommended (though I do recommend the short spur
to Goosenecks as it's on paved road, and an interesting sight).

The other route, on 95 with the turn-off south of Blanding, is paved
all the way to Natural Bridges and there are no problems for
motorhomes. Note there is no gas once you turn off so make sure you're
full.

Can anyone recommend campgrounds in this area that could accommodate
a 34 ft vehicle?

There's limited camping at Natural Bridges and I've seen campers there
but I dunno for sure about 34 ft. You can probably get this info off
their web site. Actually this entire area is a mixture of Ute Indian
land and BLM land and you can camp anywhere you can set up on BLM land
for free without hassle, which is what I'd do with a 34 ft vehicle. In
particular there's a spot on 261 south of the Grand Gulch Range Station
just before it drops down the Dugway (it's paved from 95 to here)
called Muley Point that has one of the great views of the west, looking
out over the San Juan river with Monument Valley and all the
"monuments" in the distance. You can camp free here, ask the Rangers
where it is. I've done it several times (though in the back of a
pickup, not a 34 ft-er

There are also a lot of great free camping spots north of here near
Canyonlands and between Canyonlands and Moab, many easily accessible
with a 34 ft vehicle and with great open views.

Have fun.

Bill

OK, here is the info on UT261 and UT95.

UT 261 north of Mexican Hat, UT - at milepost 10 on UT261 there are warning
signs for southbound traffic - "5-10% grades next 3 miles," and "20 mph
curves next 3 miles." Near milepost 9 1/2 the road turns to gravel and
becomes real narrow with very sharp hairpin turns. There is about a 1000'
drop over the side. In places the road is less than 2 lanes wide. After 2
1/2 miles or so, the road is paved again, but is narrow and steep for 1/2
mile. After that the grade lessens to 4% or so for 1/2 miles and then the
grade eases toward the valley floor.

UT 95 between Blanding, UT and junction of UT95 & UT261 - four miles east of
the jct of 95 & 261 there is a descent for eastbound traffic. By milepost
97 a sign says, "5-9% grade." This descent is about 10 miles long, but is
not steady. Then 5-6% grades for 8 miles, then 8% grade for 2 miles. There
are more 8% grades both up and down from this point to Blanding, but they
are all 2 miles or less in length.

Can't help you with info on the road from UT95 into the park.

Ron

"Owlman" wrote in message
...

Thanx for the responding. This information is helpful, but I was
actually trying to find out about the access roads to Natural Bridges
Nat'l Monument--UT261 from Mexican Hat and UT95 from Blanding. Any
info on those roads?

Thanx again.


On Sat, 2 Apr 2005 10:19:45 -0600, "Ron Recer" wrote:

US Highway 163 south of Mexican Hat, UT - Near milepost 15 a sign for
nothbound reads "6-10% grade next 6 miles". The grade is not steady for
the
entire distance, but stairsteps down to Mexican Hat with the last 1/2
miles
at 10% grade. After the 10% hill you cross a bridge and make a hard
right
turn into town.

US Highway 191 south of Moab, UT - Many climbs and descents that are
either
short and fairly steep, or long and fairly mild. Long and mild climbs
may
be difficult in hot weather. About 14 miles south of Blanding is a hill
known as "Drive Shaft Hill.' It is only about 1/2 mile long, but is 11%
grade. It is a northbound climb.

These seem to be the worst places on the route you ask about.

Ron

"Owlman" wrote in message
.. .
I'm trying to plan a long trip starting in May. We have a 34 ft Class
A motorhome. Are the roads from Mexican Hat, UT and Blanding, UT to
Natural Bridges National Monument paved and OK for driving our
motorhome on?

Can anyone recommend campgrounds in this area that could accommodate a
34 ft vehicle?

Thanx for your help.

OK, here is the info on UT261 and UT95.

UT 261 north of Mexican Hat, UT - at milepost 10 on UT261 there are warning
signs for southbound traffic - "5-10% grades next 3 miles," and "20 mph
curves next 3 miles." Near milepost 9 1/2 the road turns to gravel and
becomes real narrow with very sharp hairpin turns. There is about a 1000'
drop over the side. In places the road is less than 2 lanes wide. After 2
1/2 miles or so, the road is paved again, but is narrow and steep for 1/2
mile. After that the grade lessens to 4% or so for 1/2 miles and then the
grade eases toward the valley floor.

UT 95 between Blanding, UT and junction of UT95 & UT261 - four miles east of
the jct of 95 & 261 there is a descent for eastbound traffic. By milepost
97 a sign says, "5-9% grade." This descent is about 10 miles long, but is
not steady. Then 5-6% grades for 8 miles, then 8% grade for 2 miles. There
are more 8% grades both up and down from this point to Blanding, but they
are all 2 miles or less in length.

Can't help you with info on the road from UT95 into the park.

Ron

"Owlman" wrote in message
...

Thanx for the responding. This information is helpful, but I was
actually trying to find out about the access roads to Natural Bridges
Nat'l Monument--UT261 from Mexican Hat and UT95 from Blanding. Any
info on those roads?

Thanx again.


On Sat, 2 Apr 2005 10:19:45 -0600, "Ron Recer" wrote:

US Highway 163 south of Mexican Hat, UT - Near milepost 15 a sign for
nothbound reads "6-10% grade next 6 miles". The grade is not steady for
the
entire distance, but stairsteps down to Mexican Hat with the last 1/2
miles
at 10% grade. After the 10% hill you cross a bridge and make a hard
right
turn into town.

US Highway 191 south of Moab, UT - Many climbs and descents that are
either
short and fairly steep, or long and fairly mild. Long and mild climbs
may
be difficult in hot weather. About 14 miles south of Blanding is a hill
known as "Drive Shaft Hill.' It is only about 1/2 mile long, but is 11%
grade. It is a northbound climb.

These seem to be the worst places on the route you ask about.

Ron

"Owlman" wrote in message
.. .
I'm trying to plan a long trip starting in May. We have a 34 ft Class
A motorhome. Are the roads from Mexican Hat, UT and Blanding, UT to
Natural Bridges National Monument paved and OK for driving our
motorhome on?

Can anyone recommend campgrounds in this area that could accommodate a
34 ft vehicle?

Thanx for your help.

Bill is right about 95 out of Blanding. It is not a freeway but a good
road.

Last time I was up that way Natural Bridges campground was full, but they
have an overflow area down by 95. Ask the ranger about it.

Can anyone recommend campgrounds in this area that could accommodate
a 34 ft vehicle?

There's limited camping at Natural Bridges and I've seen campers there
but I dunno for sure about 34 ft. You can probably get this info off
their web site. Actually this entire area is a mixture of Ute Indian
land and BLM land and you can camp anywhere you can set up on BLM land
for free without hassle, which is what I'd do with a 34 ft vehicle. In