Williams, AZ -to- Cannonville, UT / Highway (89/89A)?

Question for anyone who cares to share their "first person" account / opinion of which route is better coming north out of Williams AZ up 89 towards Cannonville, Bryce Valley Utah.

I am inclined to go 89A, since we will have had traveled 89 down to Williams from Monument Valley a couple days before.

Is 89A a crazy route to take in a motor home?

I see coming north out of Williams, AZ, Highway 89 Branches off (89/89A)and I can go either way, at about the same route length of 320 miles.

Mr. Google wants to route me staying on 89 thru Page and Big Water. 

Curious to hear the PROs and CONs of either route (89/89A). 

This one day Journey of 320 miles is pushing the maX limits of what I like to travel, so not wanting to get on any white knuckle rides with sheer cliff drop offs. 

This is one leg of our 2500 mile circle we have planned hitting some tourist traps with the Grand Daughter. Always looking for that cool place to stop and look around also.


89 thru Page and Big Water

-Or-

89A North to Marble Canyon thru Fredonia

Going to be driving our 32.5 ft Class C, with our new to us, 2013 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, 4 down.  Braking on the Jeep is M&G Original Brake System. Our Class C, outfitted with M&G supplemental air kit.  This will also be the first big trip since I had a Roadmaster Rear Sway Bar, and a Steering Stablizer put on the RV.  Also added Bilstein Shock X-4 on the corners.  Very interested to see how it handles. I will continue to run 80 PSI in the rear OEM Air Bags. 

The little bit of highway driving driving I did since the upgrade only left me wanted to take a Long Trip, and that time is rapidly approaching.

Opinions anyone?

JD

Marble Canyon bridge was neat. Although we were on motorcycles, my late wife was a timid rider so I tended to take gentler routes. We traveled 89A from Bryce down to the road to the east entrance to the south rim. I don?t recall it being challenging.

On the other hand, we didn?t find the million dollar highway from Durango to Silverton a problem either (except for the hail storm).

X-Roughneck said:

Question for anyone who cares to share their "first person" account / opinion of which route is better coming north out of Williams AZ up 89 towards Cannonville, Bryce Valley Utah.

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Hi JD

I've done the 89-89A-89 route but pulling a 30 ft. travel trailer from Cameron, AZ to junction with I70.  North of Kanab, 89 had a lot of traffic and the road was curvy with mild ups and downs till about Panguitch.  You don't have much choice about this portion of your route.  North of Cameron thru the reservation, the road is rough pavement (just have to slow down) but again you don't have much choice.  Going west on 89A was pretty easy and as I remember it, a better road with MUCH less traffic.  The scenery on 89A is pretty cool.  I have not done the Page route on 89 so don't know if this is better choice.  89 north/south portion has lots of local traffic, is 2-lane, -- so your speed is gonna average probably less than 50 mph.

I don't know how much time you'll have to stop at attractions since you're driving 320 miles but, either way, I highly recommend you stop at a roadside attraction called Moqui Cave Museum of Ancient History-- just a couple miles north of Kanab.  The cave was initially purchased and made a bar and dance hall by a guy back in the 1950s who wanted to bring a little alternative culture to Mormon country.  He and sons and grandsons scoured the mesas and canyons of the surrounding area for the next 20 years or so (would NOT be cool today of course) and collected hundreds of incredible dinosaur bones, old pueblo pottery, and other tribal implements that are housed in nice displays at the museum now.  Also, an unbelievable collection of rocks and minerals.  Entry fee I think is $5.00 for adults.  It is family run.  I met one of the family at a gas station which is why I ended up visiting.  Very glad I did.  Nice little gift shop and food also available.

https://www.moqui-cave.com/

If you're into animal welfare, the one and only Best Friends Animal Sanctuary is also just north of Kanab and another nice place to take a free tour.  In a gorgeous canyon, this organization was founded in the early 1970s as a no-kill sanctuary for all domestic animals, dogs, cats, horses, pet pigs, bunnies etc.  But you'd need at least 1/2 a day to experience.

https://bestfriends.org/sanctuary/visit-our-utah-sanctuary

Overall, driving the 89-89A-89 route should not create problems, but it may be slow going on the curves and limited ups and downs.

Have a safe and enjoyable trip.

Linda

Thanks for the well thought out replies.  I will make the final decision once in Williams. 

I read that 89A is closed in the winter until Mid May, so I guess a freakish snow storm is never out of the question.  I know in 2018 mid June we visited Monument Valley and the Grand Canyon, by way of rental car.  This was before we got the RV itch, and we actually had to buy a couple of overpriced sweat shirts at the MV gift shop because of the cold mornings. 

That is where being from TX made me realize June does not equate to Blazing HOT everywhere.

I remembered the cool/ coldish Mornings and the dry heat in those afternoons made it so nice.

Arizona is such a beautiful state, and what a state of contrasting temps too.  The morning we departed GC, Flagstaff area nice and cold and when we later arrived in Phoenix it was oven temp 100 F PLUS hot.

I thought about moving out that way, but my roots are too deep here in TX.  You know the old saying......"Home is where the Heart is".

JD

I can be of only limited help here, we spent 3 nights in Page in October, then 3 nights at the Grand Canyon, so drove south out of Page on 89, which was overall a good road, though a short section was under construction, as I recall it was around the town of Cameron.  Speaking of which consider stopping at the Cameron Trading Post, possibly eat in the large restaurant there, walk around the trading post for a bit, etc. that is if you can grab one of the handful of RV parking spaces in the parking lot, as it is one of those places with dozens of parking spaces for cars and only 6-7 spaces for RV's, even then they are short so you might have to unhook your TOAD.  As to 89A, I only have limited experience with it, we did a half day float trip down Glen Canyon, which my wife considers one of the best things we have done on any trip, the return bus ride to Page in an old school bus was from Lees Ferry, so we only saw 89A from Marble Canyon to the intersection with 89, and I of course was not driving.  This section of 89A was no big deal, though 89 did seem to be the superior road.

Thanks Ike,  Your posts are always informative.  I very much enjoy reading your opinions, technical solutions, as well as your first hand accounts.

JD

Correction, just looked at the google satellite view and it appears that Cameron Trading post may have ample overflow RV / large truck parking behind the small gas station.

Speaking of Panguitch, don?t plan on stopping for lunch ? We stopped one day on our way to Bryce and the only place open was awful. Fast food, if available, would be better.

89 vs 89A in northern AZ.


89A is a narrower road (est 24ft vs 36 ft - incl some paved shoulder on 89
89 has only small elevation changes vs almost 3000 ft on 89A


It's been a long time since I've actually driven 89A, but at the time the pavement through the forested area was not in good shape. That said I drove it several times in a 40+FT Motorhome towing a jeep with no problems, but unless your going to the north rim of the Grand Canyon I would take 89.

Why not break up your long 320 mile trip and stop for the night at Jackob's Lake CG, about half way. https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/kaibab/recarea/?recid=11702 This is on US-89A at the high point of US-89A. 

It is dry camping and the website link above shows it is open.  Heck, even spend 2 nights and take a day trip down to the North Rim, if the road is open. 

US-89A is a pretty steep climb, about 6% to 7% but the road was very good when we traveled there about 3-4 years ago. 

Just be sure that when you start the steep climb you manually downshift to keep your RPM's up in the 3500-4500 range to keep from overheating the transmission/engine. 

Also going down hill, down engage the Tow/Haul mode, and shift to 3rd gear and 35mph as you start down hill.  Let the engine do the braking.  You want to stay off the brakes as much as possible even if that means downshifting to 2nd gear at 25mph.

Your post got me to thinking a bit more about mountain driving. Down shifting (almost forgot the F), anyway. Might even start a post on the very topic, never dwelled about a mountain driving strategy with plans about maintaining a sweet zone of RPM, Tow modes, Gearing choices, as I am still new to driving mountainous areas. Know I don't want to overheat the brakes, though, for sure.  RPM and Gearing selection will help keep your foot (hopefully, singular foot, off the brakes.) I am sure that STEEP.  In or..De "-cline" will require operator action at the wheel.  That big V10 motor will talk to you, I'm sure.  I am looking forward to seeing some new Epic Sights.

Our first Big trip out of TX to Rushmore on to Badlands was fairly flat, for the most part. Saw those Big Rockie Mts off in the distance skirting Denver.

I was just towing, my Mazda on a Dolly, but found myself forgetting to depress the button to "Tow" mode, but doubt it mattered much as things were relatively flat. I do agree with your 3500 rpm range, driving in the flats.

JD.

While distance may be the same, 89 would be a faster trip due to the roads.  You said Cannonville, UT, did you mean Kanarraville?  If so, there is a nice hike int a slot canyon there with a waterfall, but take rubber boots the water you need to hike thru is pretty cold.

PancakeBill said:

While distance may be the same, 89 would be a faster trip due to the roads.  You said Cannonville, UT, did you mean Kanarraville?  If so, there is a nice hike int a slot canyon there with a waterfall, but take rubber boots the water you need to hike thru is pretty cold.

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Bill had to go back at double check spelling, as earlier I was referring to Cannonville, UT, mistakenly as Canyonville. Bryce Canyon KOA is located there.  Only a short distance from the Grand Staircase. 

Kanarraville Falls sure look interesting but a bit more west of 89.  Probably not this trip, but something to think about for future travels...

Going to plot that on a google map of prospect sights.

Thanks

JD