Guided Tours
Capitol Reef, Waterpocket Fold, Land of the Sleeping Rainbow—all are colorful names to describe a park with many striking characteristics.
Waterpocket Fold, the main feature of the park, is the name of a 100-mile-long fold in the earth's surface. This uplift contains innumerable eroded basins or pockets that hold thousands of gallons of rainwater. These pockets of water have affected the history of humanity within the park and the flora and fauna of the region.
Entering the park from the west gives the most impressive view of the 1,000-foot-high stone barrier into which erosive forces have sculpted fascinating canyons, mesas, buttes and mazes. Once in the park, other astonishing panoramas await you.
Within a short distance of the visitor center, you will see Capitol Dome, Chimney Rock, the Goosenecks and the Egyptian Temple. Hickman Bridge, the Golden Throne and Capitol Gorge reward you after easy to moderate hikes. Prehistoric petroglyphs, the Fruita Schoolhouse, the Gifford Farmhouse and the Behunin Cabin speak of bygone eras and can be reached by car. The 20-mile round-trip Scenic Drive will take you past the Ripple Rock Nature Center and many of the park's features.
If you are seeking a remote wilderness experience, Capitol Reef has it. To the north of Route 24, dirt roads, which generally require high-clearance or 4-wheel-drive vehicles, lead into the park's north end through the heart of Cathedral Valley, an area of monolithic formations of Entrada and Curtis sandstones, some of which are 500 feet high. South of Route 24, graded roads, usually suitable for high-clearance vehicles, lead into some very fine hiking country. Besides good hiking opportunities, the southern part of the park also offers spectacular views of the folded strata of Capitol Reef and the Henry Mountains. Muley Twist Canyon is in the southern end of the park, as is Brimhall Bridge. Check with a park ranger before setting out for any of these more remote locations. Weather conditions may make the roads slick and impassable.
On another note, one of my favorite drives in our country can be taken if you are heading North out of Yellowstone into Montana, Highway 212. It will take you East out of the park, though it sounds like you are heading West to Washington, I still think it is worth taking into consideration. So if you have time, the whole stretch from the North East Entrance up to route 90 is fantastic, windy, scenic, and has some interesting western towns. What else could you expect from a two lane road through Wyoming and Montana?
In November, the temperature on the South Rim varies from an estimated average high of 52ºF to an average low of 27ºF. During the same timeframe, temperatures on the canyon floor (i.e. by the river) average between 68ºF to 45ºF. Expect approximately 3º to 6º colder weather on the North Rim in November.
I hope you have a great trip to the Grand Canyon. Be sure to pack some warm clothes and check back with OhRanger.com to share your experience with our community of park-lovers! Have fun and be safe...
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The Grand Canyon in winter is a special, special place. Color contrasts are profound, the skies are deep, numbers of people are well down, and if you catch a snowfall, it's as if the snows are falling forever...
Temperatures on the rim will be cold (45° Highs and 21° Lows on average) and typically very dry. You should be prepared for snow, icy roads and trails, and possible road closures. Also, fog occasionally forms (due to cooling from snow cover on the ground) and makes driving difficult. Typically though, the fog will break up quickly by morning.
Some park lodges are open, though not all. Trails will depend on the conditions. But generally, in contrast to some other high-elevation national parks, most of the activities and services remain open at the South Rim. And, the Grand Canyon Railway, runs all year! http://www.thetrain.com/
There is going to be a great variation from year to year in what to expect in the first week of April judging by my experience. You can definitely expect some snow on the ground and it's likely to snow on and off. However, there are times it is not snowing, and my my experience, if you hike into the canyon it gets warmers and drier the farther down you go. I have hiked the Grand Canyon once in the last week of March and another year in the second week of April. Both times there was snow on the rim, intermittant snow fall, but once getting about a mile or mile and a half down the trail, no more snow. In fact, at the bottom each time, it was clear, springlike warm weather with trees having new green leaves and wildflowers in bloom. However, when hiking back up the canyon, in both instances within about a mile or mile and a half from the rim, snow again fell and the trail was a little slushy.
I definitely prefer hiking the canyon that time of the year to avoid the humid heat of the late summer or just plain hot hotness of earlier in summer. Hiking up with the air temp being 50 degrees was just perfect.
But there's a great variation in weather so your experience could be entirely different.
My advice would be (if you were hiking the canyon trails) to bring some yak traxs or pietons for improved traction (but plan on removing them at some point) as well as 2 hiking poles so you don't slip and fall on the trail. Oh, and of course, water and some type of electrolye powered additive. That is, if you're planning to hike.
It would be hard for me to imagine going there and not hiking.
The average high temperature at Mount Rushmore in October is in the 60's and 70's and lows can drop into the 40's. You can get the most up-to-date weather forecast here.
A list of suggested tours in the park is available here.
For information about tours by local organizations, contact local chambers of commerce. You can find links to all of them here.
You're getting in just under the wire to have your own campfire in the park (at designated locations) as the last day permitted is October 15th. In terms of hosted NPS campfires and Ranger campfire talks, you'll have to check with the park itself for an updated schedule. The best number to call is: (209) 372-0200; press 3 then 5.
Have a great trip!
Yes, the Tuolumne Meadows visitor center will be closed for the season by the time you visit. Check out a full list of seasonal closures here and review these recommended Yosemite fall activities.
For additional timely information, you can download the most recent copy of the Yosemite newspaper online. The shuttle schedule and map is also available for download.
