FREDRICK C.

The Dyrt Pro

LOVELAND, CO

Joined June 2016

Phantom Ranch, Grand Canyon

like the previous reviewers, you need to have reservations to stay at the ranch. i looked for a reservation, they were full, put my name on the lottery list, and got a spot the next day. Super lucky we were. Hike down not bad, about 4 hrs down, and hike up not too bad about 4 1/2 hours. Its was 123 when we arrived at the ranch before 10. we left south rim at 530. we soaked in the stream alongside the ranch which was a much needed cool down. food was good, the mess hall was filled with hikers from all over the world. dorm rooms were cooled by a swamp cooler. bunks were clean, showers were cold, and bunkmates were full of info and funny stories.

Mather Campground, Grand Canyon National Park

Drove in at the last minute, the sign says full, but talked to backcountry office ranger and he got us a site right in the middle of mather. Elk everywhere, huge site, with fire pit and picnic table.  Flat tent pad, under a tree. and a lot quieter than I thought it would be.  We were headed down to Phantom ranch the next day super early and was within 10 minutes of backcountry office on the south rim.

Monticello RV Campground

just happened upon this gem during a road trip to the south rim of the Grand Canyon, just south of Moab. Absolutely perfect campground/RV park. only a few tent sites in the back of the park, but superbly placed along a fence line. they were in the process of moving sites to allow grass to grow, but not one bad tent pad.  they are located on the back of the park near the office. just north of the tent sites lies an open field with horses that seems to go miles. To the west lies a field of wind turbines. The sites have a lot of tree cover for shade. They have some of, if not the cleanest restroom/showers I have ever been to. And that is saying a lot. Plus they have free Wifi.  Hosts were super friendly and helpful to anything we needed.  Super quiet park with pleasant fellow campers/Rv'ers.

First to Review
Fivehole Arch Site

this was tricky to get to, due to high water levels and speed of the water. the previous day was spent at robbers!! hiking trail well defined at beginning, super hot, no RATTLESNAKES!!!  so we had that going for us, but as u start to have an elevation change, a lot of misleading cairns were everywhere, leading a party that was behind us coming up when we were coming down, literally were going up a dead end. adding a painstaking reversal of and down some terrible scree!! as you see in the pictures this site was pretty darn cool!! i had worn chacos, which i advise against going this. took us just under 3 hrs to do the full loop.  hiking shoes or running shoes would be more adept for this trail.  a lot of sand, loose rock, and scrambling up, seems like a few rock slides had brought down some debris into the hiking path.  once you get about an hr in you begin to see the petrified sand dunes above you. we removed a few cairns that led others astray!  once you reach the top the view is stunning!!!  hot!!! but easy to navigate to the geological survey spike!! petrified dunes are amazing and easy to scamper over and around. there were remnants of old fire pits that people had fires up on top and in the arches. which saddens me!! but did not change my view and experience of this place and adventure@

Three Canyon Campsite

During June 2019 rafting trip, approach from Riverside was quick, sketchy and overgrown.  with the flow at over 28000 cfs. the inlet had a sharp drop off, and tamarisk everywhere.  but once we tied in it was well worth the stop, to eat, scramble around a bit, geocached a bit and had our 3rd meet up with a rattlesnake in 3 days!!!  water was high but once you get into the canyon it dried up quickly and the weather was hot but not windy. found a tent site and chilled out the rest of the day. it is beautiful and mesmerizing!  I bet when water line drops it will be even more fantastic. I truly love sites like this. we definitely earned the rest and tranquility from this site.. we will be back for this one!!

open space and very clean!!!!

drove from fort collins to raft green river down to confluence, stayed here before we put in.. super clean bathrooms, campsites were spread out, not too close and not noisy, great access to boat ramp, and friendly staff!!!  would definitely come back and probably will next month to do green river again!!