AnnieA

My husband, 8yr old son and I are taking a trip to the Grand Canyon. We are driving and have 8 days total to go from Boise to the Grand Canyon and home. We plan on maybe 2 or 3 days at the Grand Canyon, a day to drive there and a day driving home - but wonder where we should spend the other 3 days. I'm considering Lake Powell, Canyonlands National Park, Four Corners, Paria Canyon, etc... But - I have never been to most of these places and the few that I have seen was when I was 10, so I do not really remember what was there!

I would love to find places to stop along the way, maybe halfway to spend the night and maybe the day to tour around, then drive to the grand canyon...and the same on the way home...

Also, I am an amateur photographer and hope to get some good landscape photos during this trip!

I appreciate any advice you all can give!

janisj

I am leaving home just now so can't give a detailed response right now -- but others will I'm sure. BUT - on this sort of trip, 3 days at the Grand Canyon is 1 or 2 days too many. There is so much else to see/do -- unless one is hiking to the bottom of the Canyon you really don't need more than 1 night/1+ day (so to get a sunset and a sunrise)

AnnieA

Janisj - Thanks! Good info to know!!

StantonHyde

You want to drive that far in one day?? It's almost 8 hours from SLC. That means 12-13hours from Boise. I would split it up. On the drive from SLC to GC, I have thought about/done stops in: 1. Kanab--see all the movie museum stuff.
2. Antelope canyon outside of Page
3. Glen Canyon Dam
4. Lees Ferry
5. Pipe Spring Natl Mon
6. Come back through Zion or Bryce

2 days at Grand Canyon is plenty, I agree with janisj.

AnnieA

Thank you StantonHyde - I will check out your suggestions! My husband is a great driver - We used to drive straight through from Boise to San Diego (15 hrs or so) a couple times a year... So we could drive in one day (or night), but I would rather stop somewhere in between and see more sites!

janisj

>>My husband is a great driver - We used to drive straight through from Boise to San Diego (15 hrs or so) a couple times a year... So we could drive in one day (or night),<<

But did you sit in the back seat w/ a poor 8 yo??

If my parents did that to me I'd never want to travel w/ them again . . .

emalloy

You have several options. Let's say it is June when you have longer daylight hours.

Plan 1
Day 1. Boisie to Bryce: hike a bit before sunset, spend the night.

Day 2. See sunrise at Bryce, take a hike, drive to Grand Canyon north rim, do a hike/mule ride spend the night.

Day 3. Sunrise at GC, drive to Page, photo ops along the way, see Antelope Canyon, best dam view, spend the night in Page.

Day 4. Sunrise at Horseshoe Bend drive to Moab, visit Arches before sunset.

Day. 5 + 6 hike etc in Arches and Canyonlands.

Day 7. Back to Boisie.

Another Plan

Day 1. Boisie to Page. Check out Best Dam View, paddle on Lake Meade.

Day 2. Early morning at Hoeseshoe Bend, Visit Antelope Canyon late morning, Drive to Grand Canyon South Rim (my favorite), hike a bit and see sunset, spend the night.

Day 3. See sunrise at GC, hike down into the canyon a way. Then either drive to Moab and do 4 - 7 as above OR

drive to Bryce Canyon , see sunset,spend the night

Day 4. See sunrise and hike half the day in Bryce then go to Zion for a couple of nights and head home.

Either plan could be done in the opposite direction, depending on lodging options. In plan 2 you could go to Zion before Bryce which would give you a longer ride on day 3, but put you closer to home for the last day.

Have fun with your son and if you do go to more than a couple of NPs get the $80 NP pass which is good for entry to all the parks for a year. Another option would be to hit Dinosaur NP on the way to or from Moab.

StantonHyde

I agree with janisj--*I* can drive that long in one day if I have to. But not with my kids. shudder. Even with all the electronics in the world.

From SLC to GC, I plan to overnight in Kanab and see things there. The next day spend time in Antelope Canyon/Glen Canyon Dam and then to GC. Then from GC back home, I planned to stop at Lees Ferry, Pipe Spring Monument and overnight in St. George. And then 5 hours to home.

IMO, with kids, it really is the journey, not the destination!

RVvagabond

When are you traveling?
emalloy suggested Antelope Canyon.
You noted that you are an amateur photographer.
Assuming you don't have a box camera, I'll use 35 mm reference
1. Go at 10:30, tour the canyon and be ready at 11:30 for high noon with the sun vertically above you and thereafter.
2. At least a 28 mm lens or less
3. Sturdy tripod with remote control shutter (or timer)
4. Contrast is very wide - full 7-10 zones.
5. Soft edge split neutral density filters may help.
6. Or - meter high area and take that foto. Then the dark area. Using advanced Photoshop, merge the two using layers

Grand Canyon and most Utah outdoor scenes - use a polarizer.

Are you driving straight down I-15, then east via Panguitch and down to Kanab? North View overlook at Cedar Breaks sunset picture is unequaled due to color contrast from white to dark red.

Vaga
Vaga

AnnieA

Janisj we have a video system in our car and always bring fun things for our son to do - also, we travel at night a lot of the time, so my son sleeps. But I do sit with him sometimes. We have changed up our plans and decided to rent an RV. So everyone should be more comfortable! I rented a slot at the Grand Canyon South Rim for 3 nights (the first night we will get there late, so really just 2 or 3 days depending).
Emalloy - Arches and Canyonlands look amazing! I was thinking about going that way home after the grand canyon! Sounds like it's a good pick.
StantonHyde thank you for that - I will print out this whole page when planning our route!
Vaga - thank you! I love getting photo tips! I have a Rebel Ti5 and Adobe CS6, that I am still learning, but I can do quite a bit in photoshop. Hopefully I can get some great pics!
Thank you so much everyone! I really appreciate all of your help!!!

AnnieA

Janisj - I forgot to add, this time we are bringing my son's friend for my son to have fun with. So, he shouldn't be too bored on the trip. Also, they will have a lot more room in the RV opposed to the car.

Vaga - sounds like the drive down I15 to Cedar Breaks for sunset would be the way to go...that sounds beautiful!