A road trip through the US Southwest's national parks: packing for desert heat

The story

The alarm goes off at 4:45 a.m. in Springdale, at the gate of Zion National Park, and you almost switch it off. But the ranger yesterday was clear: start early or don’t start. By 6 a.m. you’re on the trail with four liters of water in your pack, and by 11 you understand why. It’s 37 °C (99 °F), the rock radiates heat like an oven, and the people starting up the trail now look already defeated.

Two days later, you’re at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon for sunrise. It’s 2,100 metres above sea level, and at 5:30 a.m. it’s 9 °C (48 °F). You’re wearing the fleece you packed for exactly this moment, and next to you a couple in shorts and T-shirts are shivering and holding their coffees for warmth. The canyon turns red, then orange, then gold. By noon, down in the canyon, it will be over 40 °C.

That afternoon, clouds pile up over the plateau. It’s monsoon season, and a storm arrives with lightning and a burst of rain. Park rangers close the slot canyons: flash floods can come from storms miles away. You change plans and drive on.

The road to Monument Valley has no phone signal for almost two hours. You’d downloaded the offline maps the night before, and you filled up the tank at the last town, because the next gas station is a long way off. In the trunk, a cooler with water and snacks; on the dashboard, a phone mount and a car charger.

The desert in summer isn’t dangerous if you respect it. Carry more water than you think, start early, pack for cold mornings at altitude, and plan for places where your phone won’t help you.

What to pack

A car makes packing easier: bring the cooler, the extra water and the layers.

Clothes

• Light, loose, long-sleeved shirts with sun protection: cooler than bare skin in the desert sun.
• Hiking shorts or light trousers.
• A fleece or light jacket for cold mornings at the canyon rims and at higher parks like Bryce Canyon.
• A wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses.
• Swimwear, for motel pools.

Shoes

• Hiking shoes with good grip, broken in.
• Sandals for the evenings and the car.
• For Zion’s The Narrows (a river hike), rent canyoneering shoes and a walking stick in Springdale.

For the heat and the hikes

• Water: about 4 liters per person per day of hiking, plus electrolytes and salty snacks.
• A daypack with a hydration bladder or bottles.
• Sunscreen SPF 50 and lip balm with SPF.
• A headlamp for early starts.
• A basic first-aid kit and blister plasters.

For the car

• A cooler for water and food.
• A phone mount and a car charger.
• Offline maps, and a paper map as backup.
• Your driver’s license, plus an International Driving Permit if your license isn’t in English.

Documents, money and tech

• Passport, and your ESTA or visa if you need one.
• A credit card for the car rental deposit and gas stations.
• A plug adapter if you come from outside North America, and a power bank.

Good to know

• Weather: in summer, parks like Zion reach 38 °C (100 °F) and more; the Grand Canyon’s South Rim, at 2,100 m, runs from about 10 to 29 °C (50 to 84 °F); the inner canyon can exceed 40 °C (104 °F).
• Monsoon: from July to September, afternoon storms bring lightning and flash floods. Check the forecast before any canyon or slot canyon hike.
• Parks: if you visit several parks, an annual pass usually pays off. Some parks require timed-entry reservations in summer; check each park’s page before you go.
• Plugs: types A and B, 120 V.
• Money: US dollar. Tipping is expected in restaurants.
• Entry: travelers from Visa Waiver countries need an approved ESTA before flying; others need a visa. Check yours.