Best Canyon Routes to take?
 

Our Trip West itinerary planning is into the areas above and below Grand Canyon.

After leaving Las Vegas, we wish to see the WOW stuff of Canyon Country USA.

Is there an order best for us to travel?

Hoover Dam then head for Sedona – Oak Creek Canyon – S. rim - Lake Powell- N. rim, then do Zion – Bryce – Arches and head for Mesa Verde - Durango– Great Sand Dunes?

OR

Hoover Dam then do Zion & Bryce, then head form N. rim - Lake Powell – S. rim
and on down thru Oak Creek Canyon to Sedona, then jump all the way up Arches and Mesa Verde - Durango – Great Sand Dunes?

OR

Hoover Dam - Zion – Bryce – Arches…
then head for Lake Powell –N. rim – then S. rim - Oak Creek Canyon – Sedona.
From Sedona we could then head for Mesa Verde - Durango – Great Sand Dunes?

I’m spending much time trying to figure how best to visit all without retracing our tracks or traveling unnecessary miles.

This could be an ideal itinerary in my opinion:
-Vegas-Zion n.Park-Bryce canyon-Lake Powell-S.Rim gr.Canyon-Monument valley-Mesa verde-Moab(arches-canyonlands n.park-)-Torrey(capitol reef n.park)-vegas. Paul

I failed to state that we are on the road from Monterey to Colorado Springs and don't intend to go back.

This is only a part of our national parks (plus) trek from Midland, MI to Yorktown, VA.

I'm having a problem trying to fit in the trip to Sedona, AZ.

I suppose going from Lake Mead and Hoover Dam to Jerome then Sedona and up Oak Creek Canyon to S. Rim might be the most reasonable way to do. We can then do Powell, N. Rim and Zion/Bryce/Arches before heading to Mesa Verde.

Seems like a lone way around to fit everything in.

What are your beginning and end points again?

You mentioned in another thread that you were doing this portion of the trip from Sept. 31 to Oct. 5, although you might do the trip a bit quicker and be in Yorktown, VA by the 5th.

I'm finding it pretty tough to see a way for you to drive to and visit Hoover Dam, Sedona, both rims of the Grand Canyon, Lake Powell, Zion, Bryce, Arches, Mesa Verde, Durango and Great Sand Dunes in 5-6 days. I suppose it's physically possible to get the driving part done, but it won't leave much time for stopping to see the sights.

We may get to canyons sooner or be in Yorktown later. There's no real deadline on time.

I'm just trying to determine which make most sense.

There's going to be backtracking whichever way you do it, and there can be arguments made for any of the itineraries you proposed.

Is Hoover Dam a must-see, or are you just including it because it's on the way? In a way, it makes sense to go Zion/Bryce, then Grand Canyon, etc. and down thru Oak Creek Canyon before heading to Mesa Verde/Arches. You'd have to skip Hoover, or do it as a short daytrip from Las Vegas.

Of course, you could also do Zion as a daytrip from Las Vegas. Then it would make sense to go Hoover, Sedona, GC, etc. to Bryce then Arches and down to Mesa Verde.

But I think you've already realized that no matter what, you're going to be backtracking in order to see everything. I think my preference would be for the first itinerary you listed.