Help w my Utah Trip Itenerary

[JWC Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close JWC]

Too much to see , too little time!! I had a lot of help oy but still confused so I know my expert buddies will help me out. We had originally planned 2 days at Zion, 2 days at Bryce, 2 days at GC North Rim but the concensus is that we don't need to do 2 days at Bryce & Zion since I can't do much hiking because of my leg.

We arrive in Las Vegas on Thurs Sept 18th early enough to maybe stop at VOF on way to St George where we are staying at the new Coral Ridge in Hurricane. The only thing we have to do is is spend the night at a cabin on the rim at the Grand Canyon on Monday . Other than that we are open. I'd like to stay at the ts as much as possible but I've been recommended to see Escalante area . We could do that maybe after NRGC ? Just trying to make the most of our time without too much backtracking. And how am I going to see Hwy 12 and stay at the ts? ARRRRR!! Help.

Thanks, please rescue one confused Shaggy!!

I forgot we are spending Friday night in Vegas as we have an early flight out on Sat.

As I have said many times on a previous thread, you definitely do not need 2 days at either Zion or Bryce. With no hiking, 1/2 a day each is sufficient to stop at all the view points etc. and take lots of pictures. Escalante is very close to Bryce. The spectacular part of Hwy 12 is past Escalante going north.

If you want to see it all, Capital Reef Park, Hwy 12, Bryce, and Zion. You could do it in a loop like we did. It will require you to spend 2 nights on the route. We took 5 days to do the loop but we took our time and had lots of time for relaxing along the way. It is doable with spending 2 nights. The loop I am talking about is to go up I-15 to I-70 and then down to Torrey UT which is the entrance to Capital Reef Park. This is also the beginning of Hwy 12. It was recommended to do the loop in this direction which I heartily agree with. You will need to get an early start in the morning which will give you time to see Capital Reef Park in the afternoon. Stay the night at Torrey. I recommend the Best Western Capital Reef which has awesome views right from the resort. The next morning ( early start ) drive down hwy 12 to Bryce. You will get there around noon assuming you make lots of stops to take pictures, etc. You can do Bryce that afternoon and the stay the night at Bryce. We stayed at Ruby's Inn which is by the entrance to Bryce. The next morning ( early start ) head to Zion. You will enter that park from the east. You will get to the main park entrance around noon. Stay in Zion and park your car at one of the lots just inside the park. I believe you will still have to take the park shuttles to see the park at that time of the year. You can do the park when you arrive. We ate lunch at the Park Lodge inside Zion. If you do eat lunch there, I strongly recommend eating in the upstairs restaurant rather than the cafeteria. They have a buffet taco and extensive salad bar for $10.00. After doing the park, you can eat dinner in Springdale, UT just outside the park which has many restaurants. It is about an hour drive back to St. George. This sounds like a lot to cover in 3 days but you are not really traveling a long distance. As I said we took 5 days but we spent a couple days in Springdale relaxing at the resort.

By early starts in the morning, I don't mean 6:00 am. Leaving by 8:30 am or so will work.

If you cannot spend 2 nights then I would just do Zion and Bryce, spending 1 night at Bryce. I would skip Escalante as there is nothing that spectacular to see that would warrant taking time away from Bryce and Zion. I would definitely NOT try doing both parks in 1 day. Do them on separate days.

I would really try to do the loop route I described above as it is well worth it.

One last note. In Bryce, you will have the choice of taking the park shuttle or driving. I strongly recommend driving as the shuttle does not cover all the scenic drive. After entering the park, just continue driving along the scenic drive right to the end. Do not stop along the way until you reach the end unless you happen to spot some wild animals. On the way back, you will stop at all the view points as they will be on your right side coming back. At Zion you will probably have to take the park shuttles as driving in the park is prohibited during the busy season which I believe includes September. In any event it is better to take the shuttles as they cover everything. They run every 6-8 minutes and are free. You can hop off wherever you want and grab another one.

[JWC Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close JWC]

Since you won't be hiking, you will be "doing" the parks rather quickly. In my opinion, you may start to overdose on the gorgeous red rocks; before long as you are just driving through them, they can take on a similarity. Don't know if there is any way to do it, but if you could space "the rocks" with some other sights, I think you'd enjoy them more. Have you given any thought to going to Salt Lake? The lake itself is interesting, and the Mormon history is very interesting. If you can manage to be in Salt Lake on a Sunday morning, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir rehearses for 30-45 minutes (and it's free to attend the rehearsal) before their radio show. You may remain for the radio show (30 minutes) if you like. The Beehive house is interesting; some of the sites used for the Olympics have tours and are interesting; touring Temple Square (a low walking tour) is interesting. A little east and south of Salt Lake is Robert Redford's Sundance, where the film festivals are. That's interesting. There's a dam a little north of Salt Lake....maybe Flaming Gorge--just can't remember the name...it's interesting.

Out of Las Vegas, there's the Hoover Dam, and it's well worth touring.

Anyway, those are some ideas that might help to break up the rocks a bit. I love the rocks, but when you see too many, they can start to look like "just another rock," and that's a shame.

Salt Lake City is a long distance out of the way from doing the National Parks. I wouldn't even consider it if you want to do Bryce and Zion. Bryce and Zion are NOT just a bunch or red rocks. The 2 parks are very different from each other.

[RESORT2ME Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close RESORT2ME]

ANOTHER SUGGESTION TO ALLOW MORE TIME AT TIMESHARE:

From Hurricane to Bicknell

You should be able to run up 12 and be back to ts in one day if you get up early. You can even include Bryce as you come to it.

... If early enough, you might wish to backtrack 12, go down 89 and through Zion to Hurricane. Zion is different at night. If too tired, you can still do this the next morning, to spend much of the day at your TS.

When I mention cutting through Zion, that's all I meant.
I don't mean for you to tour the park.
Zion can be a tour of its own.

I was just trying to give you more time at your timeshare.

If you plan to hike Virgin Narrows, please read this:
Hiking The Narrows

The Narrows is one of the most unusual hikes on the Colorado Plateau. Hiking is done largely in the river, as for a third of the route, the river runs canyon wall to canyon wall. The walls are vertical and sheer, and often red in color. While water levels change from season to season, most hikers will wade at least waist-deep, and many will swim a few short sections.
The Narrows can be hiked either as a through-hike from Chamberlain Ranch to the Temple of Sinawava; or as an up-and-back hike from the Temple of Sinawava. The through-hike can be done in a day or as a two-day backpack trip. Chamberlain Ranch is accessed by the dirt North Fork Road east of the Park, and is situated in a rolling forest of aspen and scrub oak. No sign of the spectacular gorge ahead can be seen from the ranch. The hiker proceeds down the river and into an ever-deepening gorge, eventually getting to The Narrows and ending at the Temple of Sinawava. The hike is 16 miles (26 km) long and is very tiring because it is in the river itself. Permits are required before hiking the Narrows from the top and can be obtained at the Zion National Park Backcountry Desk.
The Narrows can also be explored from the bottom up, and the best places visited with less effort. The farther one goes upstream, the less crowded the canyon becomes.
Hiking in the river is strenuous. The water is often murky and the bottom of the river is covered with round, basalt rocks about the size of bowling balls. This makes foot protection and use of trekking poles or a walking stick essential. In the spring, The Narrows might be closed due to flooding while the snow melts off the upland areas to the north if the flow rate is higher than 120 cubic feet per second. During the summer, thunderstorms can cause The Narrows to flash flood. Rain showers upriver can cause flash floods in the canyon without it raining over the canyon itself. Hikers should exercise caution when hiking The Narrows during rainy periods, as the winding canyon and sheer walls make approaching flash floods all the more sudden and difficult to evade.

[shaggy Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close shaggy]

I want to thank both John & Robert for all the suggestions.

We now want to take a sunset jeep tour on Thurs when we get there. Do you have any suggestions?

The one everyone recommends on trip advisor ( I can't remember the name) but to me it looks like a pickup truck with a canvas covering over it with benches on both sides. The reviews are very good, doesn't look like a jeep.
It is a 3 hr tour , starting at 5pm so you can see the sunset.

I definitly plan to rent the special shoes, stick, and socks to do the Virgin river. I must be losing my mind as it takes me forever to get anywhere. My thoughts are to walk the flat part to the river using my normal shoes . When I get to the river take off brace and put on the special shoes. HOp in the river and pray a lot. Betty & I deceided to do this the last day so if we break a leg or get hurt we haven't ruined our vacation!!

Last year my goal was to hike to the waterfall, this year is the Narrows. Much tougher this year. Wish us luck. shaggy

[susieq Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close susieq]

It is a 3 hr tour .......

And WHERE have I heard THAT before????



Just kidding shaggy, Sounds great, I'm jealous can ya tell?? Have a fantastic time ~ and NO BROKEN LEGS!!!

[RESORT2ME Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close RESORT2ME]

Zion and North Rim info

A good read: http://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisi...all%202009.pdf

Zion Sun Rise Set

September 1 7:03 am 8:00 pm
September 15 7:14 am 7:39 pm
October 1 7:28 am 7:15 pm
Take into account that mountains block direct sunlight.

The Narrows (4.5 hrs, strenuous 6-mi)
Surround yourself with towering cliff s, slot
canyons, and hanging gardens on this epic
journey through the Virgin River.
Make reservations up to three days in advance at
the Zion Canyon Visitor Center.

North Rim Grand Canyon
Point Imperial and Cape Royal are reached via a winding scenic drive. The trip to both points, with short walks at each and pullouts along the way, can easily take half a day.
Point Imperial, the highest point on the North Rim at 8,803 feet, overlooks the Painted Desert and the eastern end of Grand Canyon. Here the canyon transforms as the narrow walls of Marble Canyon, visible only as a winding gash, open dramatically to become “grand.” Layers of red and black Precambrian rocks, not visible at Bright Angel Point, add contrast and color. Part of the viewpoint is accessible.
Cape Royal provides a panorama up, down, and across the canyon. With seemingly unlimited vistas to the east and west, it is popular for both sunrise and sunset. The sweeping turn of the Colorado River at Unkar Delta is framed through the natural arch of Angels Window. Look for the Desert View Watchtower across the canyon on the South Rim. This popular viewpoint is accessible via a paved, level trail.
It takes a bit of effort, and four-wheel drive, to reach Point Sublime, the western-most of the North Rim viewpoints. The rough, two-hour (one-way) trip to this remote point is rewarded by a view that lives up to its name. Inquire about road conditions and possible closures before heading out.
Most visitors make a stop at Bright Angel Point, at the southern end of the entrance road. From the parking area it is a short, easy walk to Grand Canyon Lodge and a classic view of the canyon. This facility is wheelchair accessible. A paved, half-mile (round-trip) trail leads from the lodge, out the spine of the ridge, to the point. This trail is steep in places, with drop-offs and stairs, but provides dramatic views into Roaring Springs and Bright Angel Canyons.

[Pstreet1 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Pstreet1]

John, I wasn't saying Bryce and Zion are "just another bunch of red rocks." What I meant was that if you do red rock area after red rock area, it's possible that all begin to blur in the mind/memory and what you remember is sort of a composite red rocks experience/area. For that reason, even though we "live among them" more or less, we space them out so they remain unique and special. I realize that if you are doing a circle tour, that's not so easy to do, but for me, spacing helps. I feel the same way about cathedrals and castles in Europe. We try not to see too many and choose ones that are strikingly different from one another so that our memories are clear (or as clear as they can be at our advanced ages) of each one.

[RESORT2ME Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close RESORT2ME]

... We now want to take a sunset jeep tour on Thurs when we get there. Do you have any suggestions? ...

Zion Sunset Safari Tour


Our Tours | Zion Jeep Tours#

I recommend making reservations as soon as you feel you are assured of being on time.

[JWC Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close JWC]

John, I wasn't saying Bryce and Zion are "just another bunch of red rocks." What I meant was that if you do red rock area after red rock area, it's possible that all begin to blur in the mind/memory and what you remember is sort of a composite red rocks experience/area. For that reason, even though we "live among them" more or less, we space them out so they remain unique and special. I realize that if you are doing a circle tour, that's not so easy to do, but for me, spacing helps. I feel the same way about cathedrals and castles in Europe. We try not to see too many and choose ones that are strikingly different from one another so that our memories are clear (or as clear as they can be at our advanced ages) of each one.

I agree with spacing them out which is why I said to NOT do two parks in the same day. We took 5 days to do the loop. However, Capital Reef, Bryce, and Zion are very much different from each other. They are very distinct. Capital Reef is the red rock park, Bryce has the beautiful rock sculptures, and Zion has the cliffs.