Embracing Southern Utah’s Mud Season in an RV

Embracing Southern Utah’s Mud Season in an RV
Learn about the joys of RVing in this season and helpful tips.

By: Amy Jane David

Spring and fall are seasonal transitions. However, the months between rain and shine can produce quite a bit of mud; hence the term: mud season. In the fall, the storms start to roll in, but the temperatures are not quite cold enough to produce enough snow for winter activities. One of my favorite migrations is traveling to the desert during this time of year. 

For the past 14 years, I’ve made the trip down to southern Utah during spring, to thaw out after the Wyoming winter, or in fall to soak up the last bits of t-shirt weather. This year, I made the road trip in the Winnebago HIKE 100 FLX and enjoyed exploring this geologically magnificent landscape with the comforts of an off-grid-capable rolling home.

How I Learned to Love Mud Season in Southern Utah

For someone who prefers winter and snow-covered landscapes, this time of year in southern Utah has tolerable heat and is quite enjoyable. I’ve spent years journeying down south to bask in the sunshine while climbing, biking, hiking, and seeking out swimming holes. The first time I went to southern Utah was in 2010 for my freshman orientation as a college student with the outdoor program.

I was enamored with the massive walls of red rock and an overnight rafting journey down the Colorado River. This trip inspired me to study Outdoor Education and Leadership. Each year, our class would do field sessions backpacking through the San Rafael Swell learning map and compass navigation, backcountry cooking, and leading each other on multi-day adventures. 

My favorite class was Wilderness Education where we spent two weeks in the backcountry pack-rafting and canyoneering. Being fully immersed in nature with no technology is a shape-shifting experience and invaluable for the soul. That time exploring the desert in an educational setting influenced the way I live life with an adventurous and community mindset. For years after college, I led women’s backpacking retreats based out of Escalante. Between guiding adventures with intention, I prioritized taking personal trips to reconnect with myself and this stunning environment. 

Enjoying Mud Season in an RV!

The most recent trip I took to the southern Utah desert took a slightly different form. Instead of camping in the dirt and carrying only the essential items on my back, I hooked up to the Winnebago HIKE 100 FLX travel trailer. Talk about luxury! While this is a smaller towable and built for off-road travel, this home on wheels provided next level comfort in a hostile environment. I also brought my dog, Mango, along for a week of exploring. 

Since the Winnebago HIKE 100 FLX is built for off-grid living with the solar panel, powerful battery, refrigerator, and large water tank, I prefer to camp far away from polished campgrounds and civilization. I often use the iOverlander app to identify dispersed camp locations and BLM land. 

First up, we stopped in Moab to fill up the water tank at the fairgrounds. I prefer driving the longer distance with an empty water tank to increase fuel efficiency with a lower weight to haul, then fill up on water when I get close to the destination. Fairgrounds and gas stations often have free potable water spickets, and I pack a hose to connect just in case. 

In the heat of the afternoon, we took Mango for a hike at a local swimming hole with a beautiful waterfall. I prefer hiking a little farther to get out of the crowds. After a cool dip in the water, we drove about an hour into the foothills of the La Sal mountains overlooking the wildly shaped red rock formations in the distance. Ironically, it snowed that night despite my intentions to take a break from the cold. Thankfully, the heater was cranking and we cooked hearty meals over the fire the next day. 

Continually on the move, the next stop was about an hour’s drive to Goblin Valley. A pro tip is to download the maps on your phone before losing cell service. I use OnX Backcountry and Gaia as satellite maps for hiking trails, as well as knowing where BLM, state, forest service, and wilderness land boundaries are.

We hiked up the Little Wild Horse slot canyon as an out and back. I’ve also hiked this as a loop going up Little Wild Horse and out Bell Canyon. There were endless camp options along the cliff tucked between hoodoos. However, even when camping in a trailer, it’s important to be aware of Leave No Trace principles. (Read this article for tips on following an ethical code of conduct when backcountry RVing.)

The next morning, Mango and I continued the drive down to Escalante where we had a big hike planned the next day with friends. Thanks to the dispersed camping apps, we found a spot in the dark on flat slick rock that fit my rig and two cars. It’s better to park on durable surfaces like slabs of rock or hard pack ground instead of trampling more vegetation. 

Bright and early in the morning, the three of us and our four dogs piled into my friend Tanner’s car to drive to the trailhead down the road. This was a big adventure day. We hiked over nine miles with the sun overhead the entire day. The hike started by gradually dropping down into a slot canyon which felt like we were dropping down into the earth. As the canyon narrowed, we used the harnesses on the dogs to pass them down a few rocks that were too high for them to jump. 

Once we hit our turn around point, we opted to make the hike into a loop. This required off-trail navigation through and above the slot canyon. Thankfully, we packed several extra liters of water for the pups and had our maps downloaded for the off-trail route finding. Hours later, we returned to the car covered in sand and sweat, and ready for a big meal. 

Back at the campsite, we made an outdoor kitchen. I set up the Winnebago folding table where we placed a two-burner propane stove and food prep area. The storage box on the side of the Winnebago HIKE 100 FLX trailer opens up to make another flat surface where the sauces were laid out. We cooked up a big batch of carne asada tacos with all the fixins.

With our comfy chairs out, we all kicked back and stared at the stars laughing about our day. The sink and pull-out countertop made it simple to wash the dishes inside before bed. 

To wrap up this desert adventure, in the morning I continued driving south to Albuquerque, New Mexico, to take a Wilderness First Responder recertification course for my guide license. While I was in the classroom, Mango hung out in the trailer with windows cracked and fan blowing to keep her cool. The final night of my trip, I splurged and paid for an RV hook up spot at a nice RV resort outside of Santa Fe. I spent the next morning doing laundry, showering, using the WiFi to catch up on emails, and cleaning the trailer before the long journey back to Wyoming. 

There are many places to explore in the desert, so it can be a lifelong exploration. I prefer to go during mud season when the temperatures are just right in these places that are typically too hot!

I’m preparing for a winter of skiing and snowmobiling based out of my Winnebago HIKE 100 FLX. Follow along on the adventures @AmyJaneDavid.