amla

Hello everyone! We're planning a trip to AZ (my husband and I, our two kids ages 15 and 11) in late March and would love some advice on our itinerary. We're flying into and out of Phoenix, arriving on a Monday morning and leaving the following Tuesday morning.

The plan so far is to rent a car and drive to Sedona and spend Monday night there, and then spend Tuesday and Wednesday nights at the Grand Canyon, staying in Kachina Lodge. There is limited availability at GC for later in the week, otherwise we would have stayed in Sedona for an extra night. We definitely want two nights at GC (we've also booked a mule ride for Wednesday morning).

The question is what do with our remaining five nights? We're all active people, and the kids are good travelers. We're really interested in seeing cliff dwellings, and had considered driving through Monument Valley to Mesa Verde, and/or to Canyon de Chelly, before heading back to Phoenix for our last two nights (I wanted to visit the Heard Museum before we left, and Taliesin West). Unfortunately, the in-park lodge at Mesa Verde won't be open yet on our dates. Wondering if it makes sense to see both sites on this trip, or if one or the other would be better? What other sites would you recommend along our routes??

My mother-in-law lives in Tucson, and we've visited with the kids (Desert Museum, Sabino Canyon, etc.). It was awhile back, though, and we weren't able to make it to Kitt Peak on that trip (clouds), so heading that way at the end of the trip is also an option, but not a priority (mil is going to GC with us, so we'll get to see her

Thanks in advance for your insight and advice! I owe the folks over in the Ireland forum a trip report--we were there in July and it was fabulous, thanks to some great advice.
amla.

MikePinTucson

After the GCNP, I would go to Page. Spend a night and visit Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon on day 1. Possibly a half day river float on day 2.



Drive to Monument Valley Gouldings and The View are the in-park hotels. They are pretty expensive, so if too much, there are a couple of hotels in Mexican Hat, just north of MV, or in Kayenta, south of MV.

After that overnight, drive to Canyon de Chelly and spend a night. Drive the rim roads and book an in-canyon tour. Possibly the best tour operator is Adam Teller's company, Antelope House Tours.

http://www.canyondechelly.net/tours_4wd.html

I hope you will visit Montezuma Castle and Montezuma Well either on your way to Sedona or on your way back to Phoenix.

RVvagabond

A few miles north of Flagstaff on highway 89 are the Elden Indian ruins basic. Continue another 20, or so miles to Wupatki ruins that are superb. http://www.nps.gov/wupa/index.htm

Eastward is a fabulous alcove ruin. http://www.nps.gov/nava/index.htm An excellent, ranger guided hike is to Keet Seel.

Another above ground Indian Ruins are at Hovenweep. There are three groups. After the main, focus on Holly.
http://www.nps.gov/hove/index.htm

Tuscon: Excellent caverns - limited quantity people per day. Call ahead.
http://azstateparks.com/Parks/KACA/index.html

Be prepared to spend-spend money at Sedona - not cheap touring with all taxes.

Mesa Verde - Superb ruins but far and cold in March. If you go, stay in Cortez.

Vaga

MikeS

The Waputki National Monument is about 35 miles north of Flagstaff on Highway 89. There are multiple ruins along a loop road with the best being behind the Visitor Center. Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument is also on the same loop road. At night this is a great place to view the Milky Way.

For an actual cliff dwelling there is Montezuma Castle in Camp Verde an hours drive south of Flagstaff on I-17 at exit 289. Note there is also a Montezuma Well at exit 293.

The Palatki Heritage Site near Sedona has a couple small ruins. The best part of this site is the pictographs. The Honanki Ruins are along the same road on the way to Palatki.

If you have time visit the Museum of Northern Arizona in Flagstaff on Highway 180.

You might want to add an extra day to your Sedona stay.

amla

Thanks so much, everyone! We are (regretfully) leaning toward dropping Mesa Verde entirely, since many of the trails/tours won't be open yet, so I'm especially interested in all of your AZ recommendations.

Re: Page, has anyone done the half-day float tour in March? I suppose it all depends on the weather, but just curious to hear from folks who've been there in the spring.

We're leaning towards heading to Canyon de Chelly, although it looks like they don't have any ranger-led programs til Memorial Day, sigh--and then back to the Flagstaff area, as you all suggested.

A couple of questions: for Canyon de Chelly, should we worry about missing out on the ranger-led programs, or could we manage to see and do a lot on our own and/or with Antelope House Tours?

Has anyone done a night sky program at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff? How does it compare with Kitt Peak??

Thanks!

Gilbert56

I assume you realise that the mule ride at the Grand Canyon does NOT go below the rim.
Although I love the mule rides (to Phantom Ranch), I think you could make better use of your time there.
Maybe a short hike below the rim on either the South Kaibab trail or Bright Angel Trail.

amla

Thank you, yes, I know that the mule ride is along the rim (I would love to ride to Phantom Ranche one day--what a fabluous experience that must have been for you!).

We're spending two nights at GCNP, and the mule ride is 8:30-11:30 of our full day--I thought the kids would like it, and we'd have the rest of the day to hike? If anyone has done the 3-hour mule ride, would you recommend it? Will we be too sore to enjoy the rest of the day?!

WhereAreWe

I would keep checking on availability at the Grand Canyon until you get the dates you want. People always cancel and with your trip being 6 months away you will definitely find lodging for your preferred dates. Make your Sedona plans for 2 nights and keep working on getting GC lodging for Thursday.

I don't know that I would spend 3 hours on a mule that just walks along the rim. If you're bored after an hour, then what? Most people that spend two nights at GC are doing some hiking below the rim - as spectacular as the viewpoints are, they do lose their shock and awe after a couple hours. I would vote to ditch the mules and walk the rim trail and utilize the park shuttle to cut that short if you are tired of it.

Tonto National Monument is another option for cliff dwellings, somewhat near to Phoenix. You'd need to set aside a half day or more.

amla

Okay, I think I may end up saving a lot of money and canceling the mule ride in favor of exploring/hiking part of the South kaibab trail/attending ranger-led programs.

Still wondering about the float trip in Page--that doesn't seem any more exciting than the mules? And working out the details of the rest of the itinerary, such as it is at the moment. If only Arizona weren't so big.

HappyTrvlr

You have to hire a Navajo guide to enter the bottom of Canyon de Chelly. We didn't want to go in a large truck so hired Adam Teller of Antelope House Tours and went with another couple in his Suburban. He is an excellent guide who trains other fuides as well as leading tours himself.

emalloy

About 10 miles east of Flagstaff, off I-40 is Walnut Canyon. You hike up to the ruins and can go right into them. It is small, but very worth it for active kids.

We did the smooth water raft trip from Page to Lee's Ferry and liked it very much. We stopped along the way at a place where there were petroglyphs on the canyon wall. It also goes by Horseshoe Bend which you can look at from the top on the way into Page. The trip down to the launch point with the raft people was partly through the tunnel in the canyon that was used when they built Glen Canyon Dam. I have some pictures of this at:
www.flickr.com/photos/emalloy2009 in the 2008 album.

In Canyon de Chelley, we got a Navajo guide at the National Park Visitor's Center. She drove our 4wd into the canyon. You can also find guides at the motels in town. It was money well spent. If you don't hire a guide, you can only view the canyon from the rim and hike down to one ruin (White house ruin) from the south rim.