My husband & I are flying into Las Vegas renting a small RV and want to see some of the National parks in Utah. Not sure how much we can cover in a week. We are not hikers as have bad knees and back. We have seen the Grand Canyon so don't need to see this trip. Did not know if we can do a modified Grand Circle? Would like to see Arches. Any Suggestions?

When are you planning to do your trip? If in the winter, you will have to watch the weather very closely. Certainly, you can do a modified Grand Circle if the weather cooperates and you do not plan to hike. It will involve a lot of driving, however. Zion, Bryce, Capitol Reef, Escalante, and if you just do a fast drive through, Arches and Canyonlands, but you will not get much more than a look, check off the list, not much time for pictures, ranger programs, etc. Why will you rent an RV instead of a car and staying in the park hotel/motels?

My parents loved their visit to Zion, Bryce, and Arches, and were able to cover them all in one week.

Hopefully you'll return to this post.

I to wonder why you'd rent an RV instead of a car.

Also, if you want to do a "circle" you'd probably be better off landing in Salt Lake city since it's about the same distance going to Bryce and returning from Arches. Or visa versa.

Returning to Las vegas from Arches is a very long drive. The other way it's about 4-4.5 hours each way.

I think you may want to indicate how bad the knees and backs are. The difference between walking and hiking can get blurred.

For instance, in Canyonlands the walk/hike to Mesa Arch is about 10-15 minutes and pretty much level. Is that too much.

In dead Horse Point right outside of Canyonlands you have to walk from your car to the viewpoints to see the sights.

In Arches it would be advantageous to walk around the Windows area the see Double Arch. Not far at all and not strenuous at all. But still a 5-10 minute walk from the car.

The distant Delicate Arch viewpoint isn't an issue but hiking to Delicare Arch probably is since it's uphill all the way there.

Balanced Rock is just beside the road.

In bryce you can visit the viewpoints and go to bryce Point to see a spectacular sunrise. The point is about 100 yards from the car.

I would also highly recommend walking/hiking down into the hoodoos a bit in Bryce. While you can walk along the rim and get nice views, I would walk down Navajo Loop about 100 to 150 yards just to a view looking up. It's not strenuous at all.

In Zion, The Riverside Walk has spectacular scenery and is a level, paved (sand covered) 30 minute walk. Nothing like a fast moving stream with walls straight up on both side. Some passing deer don't hurt the setting either.

Keeping walking/hiking to a minumum will probably make the distance between Canyonlands and Bryce quite tedious as I don't think Capitol reef or Escalante will have much to offer without reasonable hikes. I could be wrong and others may comment.

I hope this helps.

What time of year are you going? As Meyer indicates, you don't have to hike, but would be good to know if you can walk 10-20 minutes on easy terrain. Most of these places do require a little more effort than the Grand Canyon. In my opinion, these places offer far more to see than the Grand Canyon. A person could spend a lifetime and not even scratch the surface. If you are strictly driving, then a drive through Monument Valley would be good. Hwy 12 south of Torrey/Capitol Reef would be great as well. The trail to Landscape Arch is somewhat paved and level, you could probably do it in a wheelchair. It is about a 30 minute walk to it. Delicate Arch hike would be out of the question, but you could see it from a distant viewpoint. Everyone sees the parks different. Speaking for myself, and probably for Meyer as well, most of the parks require at least 3 days and I could easily spend a week in each of them. But just driving thru seeing a few viewpoints, each of them could be done in a day. pick you a great place and have a picnic every other day or so. There are a lot of Four Wheel Drive tours you might consider, but ask them how rough it would be with you back.

Other than spelling my name incorrectly I agree with much of what spiro wrote.

I spent part of 3 days in Arches, but other than that I wouldn't spend 3 days in Canyonlands, capitol reef, Bryce and probably Zion as well.

Then again, I only do "easy" so Angels Landing is out.

Highway 12 from Torrey probably past Escalante is an interesting ride.

So sorry Myer, I had a neighbor, who recently moved, and he spelled his name Mey. I am doing a 3 day trip to Capitol Reef next week and I wish I had more time. I think I remember you saying it was one of your least favorite places, so I look forward to seeing what I think about it.

Sprio,

"Least favorite" is relative. That is when compared to Arches and some of the other sights near Moab, Bryce, Zion, etc.

I think what hurt is that we took one of those easy, flat hikes and it was very hot at the bottom. That "Chimney" hike showed us we were in shape and then there was another that was pretty good. Boy the memory!!!

I just looked at you photos again. It looks like you did some really nice slots in Escalante. I am not going to have time for that on this trip. I haven't been to Bryce yet, I hope to go in 2011 and include Calf Creek and Escalante. I might try to get a permit and hike "the wave" as well. My wife and daughter aren't going with me on my trip to Capitol Reef, I have a neighbor who works for me that I am taking(I had some free SW mileage that were about to expire). He has never flown or been to a National Park. I hope I am not making a mistake taking him to Cap Reef instead of Arches. He is a lot younger than me and is an athlete in college, I just hope I can keep up with him. I hope the "wow" factor will be enough. I thought I might see Goblin Valley and hike to The Great Gallery in the Horseshoe Unit of Canyonlands.

spiro,

If you're looking for a diverse trip you can try Capitol Reef, Lower Calf Creek Falls and Devil's Garden Escalante, Willis Creek for the slots 10 miles below canonville just before Bryce and Bryce.

You'd need more than 3 days but could definitely do it in 4. Actually, if you stay in Capitol Reef for 1 day you could do all of the above.

We hiked Chimney Rock, Hickman Bridge and I think it was Capitol Gorge (?) in one day. Definitely wasn't too much.