lazymoon

Hi All:

We are in for an ambitious 5 day trip to the GC (south rim), Bryce, and Zion.
Add to that one night's stay at Las Vegas!!

Wish us luck, and advise!

07/03-Arrive at LAs Vegas at 10am. Stay overnight

07/04-Drive to the South Rim. Found a last minute spot at the El Tovar. Yay!

07/05-Drive to Bryce(??)

07/06-Drive to Zion. Staying at the Zion lodge

07/07-Flight at 10pm from Las Vegas.

We have no otel reservations for Bryce yet, sill contemplating if I should skip Bryce, spend an extra day at the GC, and then drive straight to Zion?

Also, we would be travelling with a 5 year old. And are basically interested in the feel of the place, horse back rides in the canyons, and easy hikes.

We have been to Las Vegas before, so the night at LV would just be enough to revisit it.

Would much appreciate your inputs on the itinerary, routes, stopovers along the routes, etc

Thank you!!

ElendilPickle

You're right, this is a fairly ambitious itinerary, but it's doable given your interests.

Keep Bryce in your schedule. It's pretty easy to drive around the park in a day, and sunrise there is unforgettable. The easiest hike is just walking along the rim.

The easiest hike in Zion is the Riverwalk. If you do it in the morning, it's nice and shady and shouldn't be too warm.

Wear hats, use sunscreen, and drink *lots* of water.

Lee Ann

spirobulldog

I like Bryce and Zion better than the GC. I think seeing the GC first is a good idea though, because it has the biggest initial wow factor.

I might be tempted to do just Bryce or just Zion, since you are on a short schedule. Hiking The Narrows would be a good option in Zion(provided the water isn't running to much). The horse ride in Bryce around Peek A Boo Loop is cool. Hike Navajo loop/Queens Garden combo trail in Bryce.

Bryce would be the coolest spot. Expect the GC and Zion to be hot, most likely.

spirobulldog

One day/night in GC is plenty unless you are doing some serious hiking or rafting.

emalloy

I would keep Bryce and continue to call both Zion and Bryce lodges for the night without reservations. If you get Bryce great stay there if Zion visit Bryce and leave before dark for Zion. Cancellations come up all the time, and at this late date I would look for a cancelable reservation at a motel/hotel outside one of the parks or perhaps between them.

StantonHyde

Just remember that the 5 yo is too young for horseback riding. In Zion, concentrate on the Emerald Pools trail and the Riverside Walk. Bryce is not easy below the rim for small people, better to stick with walks like the Bristlecone Pine. I think it would be better to stick with just Zion and Bryce--easier than doing all that driving with a small person!! Here is my trip report for Zion with kids:

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...ids-report.cfm

And I would not spend any time at all in Vegas if possible!!!! (other than going to/from the airport)

Tomsd

Just did this 3 weeks ago - from the other direction (Vegas to Zion/Brice/Capital Reef/GC) - and here is my report. http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...mvgcsedona.cfm

While I/we loved the drive from Zion to Bryce and then through Capital Reef and eventually on to the GC - it's a long way for a 5 year old.

You might consider doing Bryce/that area another time, and drive from the GC to Zion and hand there for 2 nights and there is plenty to see/do. http://tinyurl.com/6pu44fa

Tomsd

Not sure if I posted the reight map (may have been for driving from the North Rim) but from the GC to Zion is about 5 hours - and before you get to Zion -you can take the road to Bryce - which going to Bryce and returning to that point to continue on to Zion I am guessing would add 4 more hours of driving time.

see: http://www.zionnational-park.com/sou...and-canyon.htm

Myer

I would not drop Bryce. If anything I would drop GC.

One night in GC is more than enough. Visit a few of the overlooks, walk the Rim in the evening and get up early the walk along the Rim watching the sun come up.

Depending upon your timing (if you're passing Page between 11 and 2) you might be able to squeeze in Antelope Canyon. It's an easy walk with spectacular effects. Unless there's a wait it's a max two hour stop.

For Bryce you can see the sunset at Sunset Point (no big deal), the sunrise at Bryce Point (absolutely spectacular) and walk down Navajo Loop a couple of hundred yards (I'm considering the 5 year old and the 8,000 foot elevation here).

For sunrise you'll be getting there pretty much in the dark.

For Zion the easiest and most scenic hike is Riverside Walk. You can do that late in the afternoon or early in the morning. Right near the beginning there's an area where you can go in the water. The 5 year old might like that.

Also, because of the scenery you might want to do the very bottom 20-30 minutes of the Angel's Landing hike. No not to the top!!!

Tomsd

DANG - the computer is acting up this am.

Anyhooo - I would definitely keep the Grand Canyon in your plans, as we just did the whole loop and at the Grand Canyon - we confirmed why it's called the GRAND Canyon - because it it.

It has everything the others have - except for the Hoodoos that Bryce has -and it has it in spectacular fashion.

We went the other/long way from Bryce to the GC - through Capital Reef (well worth it) but from the shorter way from the GC to Zion - the turnoff to Bryce puts you within about an hour and a half of Bryce if you want to do the drive - which is also beautiful.

And next trip - I would love to get to Antelope Canyon - which has perhaps the most incredible colors of all (which change during the day due to the sun) - albeit in a smaller scale. It takes some more driving though. http://tinyurl.com/7xojy38

Myer

If you are going from GC South Rim to Bryce or Zion you are passing within a couple of miles from Antelope Canyon.

mabella101

Hello, here are my two cents. We did a similar trip in 2010, with little ones (2 - 8 year olds & 1- 6 year old.) We also overnighted in Vegas, but we had a few extra days. The first thing that popped into my head when reading your thread was... If you've been to Vegas already and your flight gets in so early, why not just leave for your destination that morning? It would give you an extra 24 hours. The second thought, and no one has suggested it so maybe I'm missing something but, why not go to the North rim? I realize you have reservations at the south, but maybe you get lucky with the North. Fyi, we did the North rim as a day trip from Zion. It's completely doable assuming u don't have any major hikes planned, which with a 5 year old, I imagine you don't. But, while I think everyone should see the GC at least once in their lives, I must admit, with young kids I was a nervous wreck. If you've never been, the North rim will be just as spectacular as the south and you could save the south for a future trip combined withfor example Sedona . Anyway, from Vegas we drove to Bryce, stayed at the best Western, which is fine, as you know there aren't too many choices in that area. In the morning, after doing the Queens Garden Navajo loop,( yes, it was hot, but none of the kids complained, they would hide in the little caves to escape the heat, but be sure to take plenty of water. Er just went with a bottle of water each and everyone had run out by the time we reached the end. ) had lunch at the lodge, and left for Zion, mid afternoon. The approach to Zion is amazing. With our group we ended up doing the riverside, and the emerald pools trail. And as Someone mentioned, our kids loved playing in the water at the end of the riverside trail.( beginning of the Narrows).
So check it out and see if this won't work out for you. Best of luck.

Myer

I agree with mabella about skipping Vegas. Unless you really want to be there. It's very hot and muggy there and not much for kids.

I'm not a fan of GC and would rather spend my time elsewhere. But... "see it once in a lifetime".

Tomsd

Would agree that unless you had planned to take the kids to a water park in Vegas - or some such - head out right away from Zion. And yes, from Zion - you can drive to the North Rim of the GC - and would recommend you at least certainly do that - even if you save the South Rim for a future trip.

FYI - ou can see much more of the GC from/along the South Rim - and they have free buses you can hop on and off, but the North Rim is in more of a "nature" setting, and if it means less driving with the kids - it might suffice since you would also be visiting Zion, Bryce and maybe Antelope Canyon, etc.