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Dina Freedman ReportingThe kickoff to the summer travel season begins this weekend with Memorial Day. Thousands will head to popular recreation areas, but there are some things you should know before you go.
It's a popular weekend for travel with many people celebrating the holiday by spending it with family and friends. Arches and Moab are open this weekend and there aren't any restrictions on camping, but you cannot rock climb on any arch or natural bridge. Expect very cool mornings there.
At Zion National Park it's been very dry, so no campfires except at Lava Point Campground and everywhere else, use a stove. There is no smoking allowed at the park right now except in vehicles or designated areas, and no fireworks are allowed.
In Northern Utah if you're heading to Bear Lake, there won't be any heavy construction through Monday night at 11 pm. But, you will need to watch for pedestrians and cyclists at the bridge at Stokes Nature Center.
Also, Saturday late is going to be cold and wet and expect very cool mornings this weekend. It'll be much colder than we've been used to in the way of weather, so a few extras you might have overlooked include warm clothes and a rain coat, especially in the north. Bringing some extra blankets and a windproof jacket isn't a bad idea either; it will be windy for most of the weekend and some streams are still dangerous in Northern Utah.
Carol Majeske, Rec. Manager: "The water is still influenced by runoff. There's still a lot of snow at the top of the canyons. It's above normal. It could easily sweep an adult or child away."
Nearly 38 million people will be on the roads this weekend, going more than 50 miles even though gas is up there. The biggest increase besides gas in your travels, according to AAA, is that rental cars are an average of 19% higher. That amounts to an extra $6 a day.
