3rd Attempt - Road Trip Utah June 2016
 

This is my 3rd attempt for a road trip in Utah. This time in June 2016, so fingers crossed, weather will be kind. We have full 7 days, excluding arrival and departure days. We have not booked our air tickets or hotels but plan to arrive in Las Vegas and fly out from Salt Lake. As mentioned previously, we are interested in scenery, photography, food, are not likely to hike for more than 2 hours and prefer leisurely drives.

I am following this itinerary => http://www.visitutah.com/plan-your-t...k-of-your-life but in reverse order and starting from Las Vegas.

Here’s how it will look:

Day 1 – Morning departure from Las Vegas to Zion. 3 hour drive. (overnight Zion National Park)

Day 2 - Afternoon departure to Bryce in time for sunset. 2 hour drive. (overnight Bryce Canyon
National Park)

Day 3 - Sunrise at Bryce. Afternoon departure to Capitol Reef National Park using scenic byway 12. 3 hour drive. (overnight Capitol Reef National Park)

Day 4 - Morning Capitol Reef. 2.5 hour drive to National Bridges. Evening 1.5 hour drive to
Monument Valley. (overnight Monument Valley)

Day 5 - Morning Monunment Valley. Late afternoon 3 hour drive to Canyonsland National Park
(overnight Canyonsland National Park)

Day 6 - Morning Canyonsland National Park. Afternoon Arches National Park
(overnight Arches National Park)

Day 7 – Morning Arches National Park. Late afternoon, drive 4 hours to Salt Lake City
(overnight SLC)

Questions:
1. Does this itinerary make sense? Any suggestions/recommendations- especially for things to
see along the drives?
2. Is it possible to fit in Antelope Canyon? Any views?
3. Should we stay in the National Parks lodges?(I am thinking that this will save some time but it
will probably cost more)
Thanks!

Just checked that there are is no lodging in both Canyonsland and Arches National Parks and the option will be to stay in Moab.

Yes, the nearest lodging for Canyonlands and Arches is in Moab. You won't have much time to explore the parks given your very ambitious plan. When you say "Canyonlands" I guess you must mean the Island in the Sky district. Canyonlands is huge and it is well worth a visit, but be aware that it takes about 45 minutes to get to the viewpoints from Moab. Bring any food you will need with you, there is water and toilets in these parks but no food for sale.

I doubt there lodging available in the other parks at this time. If not, take the park number and call for a cancellation and make a reservation you can cancel outside the park. Look for lodging in Springdale for Zion, try Ruby's or the BW across the street for Bryce, if Gouldings or the View are not available for Monument Valley, look in Kanab or Mexican Hat.

Your trip will be very rushed, but at least there are more hours of daylight so you can drive in daylight. Day 5, drive from Monument Valley to Moab, visit Arches and get the late afternoon light on the formations there, I find it spectacular just before sunset. Get up early on Day 6, pick up some sandwiches for lunch and head for Canyonlands, walk out to Mesa Arch for the early morning sunshine looking through the Arch.

If you click my name and scroll down to the TRs, you will find a few that cover this area with links to pictures. The 2015, 2013 and 2011 trips I think.

Hi Emalloy,

Thankyou for your reply. For Capitol Reef NP, given my itinerary, where would be a good place to stay for the night?

For Capitol Reef, look in Torrey or Boulder

i just noticed, I mixed up my K towns for Monument Valley, if you can't get Gouldings or the View, it is Kayenta not Kanab, or Mexican Hat. Probably more options in Kayenta.

There are several hotels in Torrey that will be your best bet for visiting Capitol Reef. Given that you have very little time in each park I would take the closest lodging to the park you can find. For Zion, take whatever you can get in Springdale or check the in park lodge for cancellations. For Bryce, check the in park lodging for cancellations or stay at Ruby's which is immediately outside the entrance to the park. Anywhere in Moab will be good for Arches and Canyonlands.

Just know this is a very rushed itinerary. Two nights is really not enough for Moab and you definitely don't have enough time in Zion. There are really only two places to stay at Monument Valley - Gouldings or The View. If you are trying to do this trip next month and have no lodging in place - you may have a tough time. If you can't get into The View or Gouldings I would skip Monument Valley. It is one of my favorite places but I wouldn't bother if you can't actually stay there - it is best at sunrise and sunset and staying anywhere else won't allow you to enjoy it at the "magic hour." In your original post you ask if you have time for Antelope Canyon and the answer really is no. I don't think you can add anything to this itinerary - in fact I would try to subtract from it to give yourself more meaningful time in the parks.

I also think it's kind of rushed. Why not head to Zion on your arrival day in Las Vegas?

It may take you more than two hours to go between Zion and one of the sunset viewpoints in Bryce. You have to get out of Zion via the tunnel, and then there is driving to a viewpoint, finding parking, and walking to the edge. Some of the colors will change before the official sunset also. Perhaps leave Zion about 3.5 to 4 hours pre-sunset?

Remember inside the parks the speed limits are low...25 or even 15 mph.

Possibly there is lodging in Bluff if you can't get into Monument Valley itself. I wouldn't skip it, just get up really early! Kayenta is a dump, as is Tuba City.

Skip Monument Valley. Go by way of Goblin Valley SP and Green River to get to Moab. Maybe return the car to Las Vegas by going through Monument Valley from Moab. Stop to see Hoover Dam before you get back to Las Vegas.

Question: is it generally ok to drive to the parks during night time or should we only drive when there is still light? Specifically, I am thinking that we might drive:
a. from LAS to Springdale in the evening
b. from Bryce to Page (might tweak the itinerary to drop Capitolreef in favour of Page) after sunset
c. Monument Valley to Moab after sunset
c. Moab to Salt Lake City in the night (to maximize our time in Moab)

Thanks for your advice!

You would miss some amazing scenery.

That is a very rushed itinerary. I would strongly suggest skipping both Natural Bridges and Monument Valley to allow a little more time to enjoy the other parks. Add that day to Moab so you can spend some time in Arches and Canyonlands. You don't have time to add Antelope or anything else.
I would not drop Capitol Reef for Page - very different experiences. Seeing Antelope is getting on a crowded bus/truck for a quick viewing of a canyon for some photos. Capitol Reef is a quiet, uncrowded national park with incredible geologic and historic features. And the town of Torrey (where you would stay overnight) is beautiful. You will also be driving from Bryce to Torrey on Scenic Route 12 with many interesting and scenic stops along the way.
If you can add another day to the trip, that would give you a little more time to enjoy Zion/Bryce.
Driving at night is not recommended - you miss some of the incredible scenery and there are deer and other animals on the roads. There is so much to see, you really cannot do it all in a week.

I did a fast 5 day trip LA to Zion to Monument Valley to GC,

might help with some of your travel times although not exactly the same

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...ent-valley.cfm

Friend, the problem with driving after dark is that the roads are very dark, no streetlights to speak of, curvy, hilly. and have limited lines of sight. There are animals like deer and elk that use the roads too and it would ruin the whole trip to hit one, not to mention ruining the car. Unless you are on an interstate, it is wise to drive on these unfamiliar roads in daylight.

In my touring world, I prefer more time on land than in a vechile. Very agressive schedule.
There are no accomodations in Capitol Reef.
These are your choices at Torrey area.

Area code is (435):
Best Western Capitol Reef – 425-3761; Boulder View Inn – 425-3800; Chuckwagon Lodge * - 425-3335; Cowboy Homestead Cabins * - 425-3414; Days Inn – 425-3111; Go West Lodge *: - 425-3866; Howard Johnson Motel -425-2150; Rim Rock Inn – 425-3398; Sandcreek RV Park & Hostel * - 425-3577; Wonderland Inn 425-3775; Super 8 – 425-3688.

* These motels are located in the town of Torrey and more pricey and newer than those IN Torrey. The others are either at the junction of highway 12 and 24 or east of that junction.

Next town west of Torrey is Bicknell that has cheaper motels.

Note: In Torrey, eat at Cafe Diablo (Devil's Cafe) - Excellent chef - refreshing outdoor patio, etc. This cafe has a bakery where pies for Capitol Reef are made and delivered fresh to CR for purchase by tourists. Baking starts at 4 AM


Vaga

This is a very ambitious schedule but you've been told that already. I just want to chime in about night driving...really try not to. The stretch between Bluff and Moab is notorious for deer strikes and Scenic Byway 12 as well...especially over Boulder Mtn. We drove from Torrey to Bouldertown over Boulder Mtn. at dusk and counted between 40 and 50 deer alongside the road...I kid you not. Another time, we almost struck one just outside the town of Escalante when it leapt out of the brush at the side of the road...full lockup...almost hade all out gear join us in the front seat...missed by an inch literally. This was in daytime too. Beside missing incredible scenery, driving at night is a slow business, dangerous due to wildlife and not one bit enjoyable.

From Vegas to Springdale is OK at night...just be careful after you are off I-15 and on secondary roads.

Also remember that portions of your drive will be over Open Range--which means cows in.the.middle.of.the.road. Hitting a cow is bad for your car needless to say. And if you do, you owe the rancher the replacement cost of the cow! That and deer--big reasons why I don't drive those small roads at night.

Ahh the cows too...free range over Boulder Mtn on Hwy 12...often have had cows in the road...black cows too! much of Hwy 12 is free range country.

Yes, big cows and once three horses running as fast as they could along the side of the road. You've got to love that open range.