Could use help with a 5 day plan for Bryce and Zion National Parks (or anything else around that area). Plan to fly into Las Vegas, NV on Aug. 10 for 5 nights. Can fly in early on arrival day and fly out late on departure day, Aug. 15. We usually always have 7 nights for vacation but won't work with kids schedules this year (18 and 14 year olds). Also, what temperatures to expect and what clothing to take? Thanks as usual as I have planned last 6 years of vacations from this website.

Fae,

Scroll through previous posts under Utah, you will finds lots of suggestions.

We did the trip the end of May (my trip report is a few posts down....

In August you can expect HOT, believe me it was hot in May, but it did not stop us from doing a thing.

We stayed at the Desert Pearl in Zion, and at Ruby's in Bryce.

There are lots of hiking trails which the kids would probably enjoy at both parks, horseback riding, ATV tours, to name a few things, Ruby's at Bryce also offers a rodeo.

The area is absolutely gorgeous and the 2 parks are very diverse, Zion you are at the bottom looking up, and Bryce you are at the top looking down, unless you hike down that is....

You could plan 2 nights in each park and a night back near Vegas.... Or 2 nights 2 nights and a night at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon then back to Vegas, depends how much you want to cram in.

You will absolutely love this trip. It is a memory maker for sure.

My wife and I did the horseback ride in Bryce and loved it. Unlike some excursions ,its worth the money. Call ahead for the times and reservations. Also the drive between Zion and Bryce is beautiful. Not sure about the August heat, we were there in Sept. and it was perfect.

We stayed at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon about 5 years ago. Probably should have done Bryce and Zion then but we had been at Crested Butte for a week, then North Rim, then Carlsbad Caverns. After all that driving that year, I was ready to fly the next vacation! We absolutely LOVED the north rim of the Grand Canyon - gorgeous and not crowded with people.

We've been to both Zion and Bryce the last two Augusts. It's will be HOT in Zion and very warm in Bryce. Bryce will cool off at night. We needed sweatshirts or light jackets when we watched the sunset in Bryce.

I'd plan on at least two nights at Bryce and Zion so you have one full day and part of another at each park. With the extra night you can either go down to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon or to Torrey, Utah and see Capitol Reef National Park.

Utahtea

Utahtea

Hello Fae,

We have stayed at Desert Pearl in the past and are going again this year from the UK.

One piece of advice I would like to give is to book the horseback riding in Bryce - it is simply awesome!!. Make sure you book the riding from the centre in the park and not from Rubys as I believe this does not take you amongst the Hoodoos.

Have a great trip (ours is 8 weeks away and counting)

andy

Oops - looked at the kids schedules wrong - we will actually have 6 nights instead of 5.

With an extra night, you could do two nights Bryce, two nights at Page, AZ & Lake Powell and do the Colorado River Float Trip, Upper Antelope slots canyon and then two nights in Zion.

Or two nights at N. Rim or South Rim Grand Canyon or two nights at Torrey and see Capitol Reef.

Lots of choices!

Utahtea

I'm looking to schedule a horseback trip while in Bryce in September.

I don't have a clue which place to take the horseback ride from [Ruby's is bad??? Marie, is that where you went from??? I thought you all liked it] and am also interested in whether I should take the 4 hour trip or the 1 1/2 hour trip? We owned horses up until 5 years ago, and have lost our cowboy legs, as it were!

If someone can give some suggestions on which horseback trip is better, and why...and when I should book the trip [we will be there in September] I'd appreciate it.

I,

If you want to ride down into Bryce, you must book through the park stables.

Ruby's doesn't go into the park itself. I have done a 1/2 day (Red Canyon) and a full day ride with them. Both were very nice. The full day ride you trailer the horses and ride up and over a very high mountain. If you are experienced riders you would enjoy it, if you have the time.

Hello,

I agree with the last post - book through the lodge stables - I think I called thre lodge directly and they helped me out 435-834-5361

The 4 hour ride was superb! - I can only imagine what the full day ride must be like.

Take plenty of film for your camera!!!!

Andy