khiker

My husband and I are hikers. Because we like somewhat strenuous hikes, ideal temperatures are between 55F-70F. Because the temperatures at Zion & Bryce are so different, we know we'll have to compromise. We're thinking about late September/early October of this year. Bryce first, Zion second. Does that sound right.? (We'd rather be cold than hot!)

We're from NJ and will fly into Vegas. We're not gamblers but my husband hasn't seen Vegas since 1973 and wants to see the change. (I'm stilll trying to talk him out of it!) So, we will need to spend a day (or part of a day) and a night in Vegas. After that, we will probably have 7 days, minus the day traveling back to Vegas & home leaves us with 6 days of hiking. I'm told that "if you can only go to one National Park, go to Bryce." I hear it's incredible. Then I hear that once you've seen a hoodoo you've seen them all and that hiking is more interesting in Zion. How should we divide our time?

Really interested in your help. THANKS

Bill_H

I think Zion has more interesting hiking than Bryce, but quite frankly for someone writing "we like somewhat strenuous hikes" the Grand Canyon is far more varied, challenging and strenuous.

WhereAreWe

Depends on your definition of strenuous hikes.

Bryce has more wow factor than Zion - somewhat like the Grand Canyon in that you can walk over to the rim and be blown away. Zion is more interactive and the more time you spend there, the more you'll like it.

2 days at Bryce would probably be enough - not sure how rewarding it would be to hike down into and around the hoodoos for more than a couple days. You can hike some of the trails on the southern end (minus the hoodoos) but the views are limited.

You could drive down to the North Rim of GC - aspens should be turning by then (?)

Several days at Zion is good. Lots of little hikes there but some good long ones as well. If you want something strenuous, get a shuttle to drop you off at Lava Point and hike the West Rim back down to the main canyon. You'll be at a higher elevation most of the way so the heat shouldn't be a huge factor.

Dayle

khiker,

With 6 days:

3 days Zion
1 days Bryce
2 days Escalante (including a long drive over Hwy 12)
1 day Capitol Reef
Very nice variety of hikes!

Or, spend 6 days in Moab and plan another trip for the rest!

Myer

Be aware that Bryce is at 8,500 feet of elevation. That takes a toll on you for at least a day or more.

I was there for two days two years ago. The first day I hiked down Navajo Loop and up Queen's Garden. Then I drove over to see Grosvenor Arch and stopped in Kodachrome Park. Near the end of the day I went back down the other side of Navajo Loop (the bottom was still closed as a result of a rock slide).

The next day I went down Navajo Loop and up Queen's Garden but did Peek-a-Boo trail in between. That was definitely more strenuous, much, much longer and somewhat different.

Last year I was in Utah with a friend who hadn't been with me the year before. It was mid-May.

We started in Moab and worked our way to Bryce (Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef and adjacent sights in each area) and back to SLC. The second to last day we went to Lower Calf Creek Falls and it was sunny and 95 degrees.

The last day we went to Willis Creek and spent several hours in Bryce. It was 37 degrees and snowing.

emalloy

From NJ you should be able to get one of those early AM flights that gets in by 1 or 2 o'clock which lets you do Vegas that afternoon/evening. Take off for Grand Canyon in the morning, do a bit along the rim, stay there that night, hike into it a bit the next morning then head to Capitol Reef then Bryce and on to Zion. The altitude adjustment takes a few days but if you take it easy and drink plenty of water, you should be ok. For a fantastic, not far from Bryce place to hike, check out Cedar Breaks (10000 ft so don't over do). The drive into Zion from the east is fantastic. The ride back to Vegas from Zion takes 3 hours so if you have a late flight out, you can get a hike in the morning you leave there. Do go to www.nps.gov and click on the parks and make reservations to stay in the parks if you can. Take the phone number and keep calling as they get cancellations all the time.

Have a fantastic trip

sharondi

Keep trying to talk your husband out of spending any time in Las Vegas and spend as much time as possible in the parks. With 9 days, you can follow some version of our Sept 2007 trip itinerary - http://www.pbase.com/peterb/utah_tr

We fly into LV but have never spent a night there - instead we always head right to Springdale (Zion) since it's only 2.5 hrs away. We would much rather wake up to the beauty of Zion NP than the manmade, wasteful mess that is Las Vegas. But, of course, that is just our opinion.

You could spend the 1st night in Springdale relaxing in the hottub at the Desert Pearl. Head to Bryce the next day and spend the next 2 nights there. We loved the Fairyland Loop trail but also recommend the Navajo Loop/Queens Garden/Peekaboo as Myer mentioned. It's a highly scenic trail and slightly strenuous. We have never experienced any problems with the elevation at Bryce - maybe we breathe a little harder but that's about it. I think late Sept will be a great time to go.
After 2 days at Bryce, head out scenic Rte 12 toward Escalante - there are lots of incredible sights to see around this area - Devil's Garden, Hells Backbone, Calf Creek, Escalante river, etc. So many amazing hikes - you should do some research on hikes along the Escalante River. There are several that will take you to some neat slot canyons. Spend a few nights in Boulder Utah at the Boulder Mtn Lodge and have a few meals at Hells Backbone Grill.

Head to Torrey (Capitol Reef NP) for a few nights and stay at Austin's Chuckwagon, if possible. It's a nice place that's very reasonably priced. Capitol Reef is a phenomenal park especially for hiking. The Cohab Canyon hike is so scenic - we take tons and tons of pictures so we really appreciate both the small details (plants, rocks, insects) and the expansive views and this hike has lots of both. I'll have to look up some of the other hikes we've enjoyed here but maybe Dayle or another Fodorite can offer some good suggestions.

After Capitol Reef, you can head back on Rte 12 (it looks different traveling west) to Zion for your last several nights. I always recommend staying in Zion your last night and leaving in the morning for the airport in Las Vegas. But you may decide to spend that last night there (if you must). Be forewarned; the culture shock can be damaging to your health....going from so much natural beauty and solitude to all that plastic and neon and people. Scary! (just being silly...sort of).
No matter what route you choose, you'll have a terrific trip.

I strongly recommend renting a 4wd SUV so you can comfortably drive on some of the backroads. Also recommend purchasing the Delorme Gazetteer for Utah. It is a book of recreational topo maps that feature all the parks, historic sites, campgrounds, unique natural features, scenic roads, etc.

maria_so

I completely agree with Dayle.

3 days Zion - Zion is superb for hikers. three hikes I would recommend is Angel's landind, Observation Point, and the narrows. There's also the east and west rim.
1 days Bryce - I would do the hike from sunset to sunrise through indian loop and the gardens which would take you about half a day. Bryce has the best WOW factor but for hikers, Zion wins out. I too prefer Zion over Bryce. The hoodoos look the same after awhile....
2 days Escalante (including a long drive over Hwy 12)- a lot of hikes including calf creek, devil's garden, etc.
1 day Capitol Reef - again, many great hikes. I liked the wash hike

khiker

My goodness! This is the first time I've started a discussion and I'm blown away by all your interest and information!I'm going to read about the places you guys mentioned - Capitol Reef, (I've neber heard of it).
I read through several other discussions re: zion & bryce, and Lake Powell kept coming up as a must, yet no one mentioned it here. Not the magical lake and experience I've read about?
Thanks!

Only one of you comented on our choice of late September/early October for our trip

maria_so

OH, lake powell is definitely great but not much hiking oportunities there. if you go to lake powell, kayaking and going to see rainbow bridge, antelope canyon, and horseshoe bend would be in order. ...but not so much hiking.

maria_so

September will still be warm I would go in October if you want cooler weather.

Dayle

Khiker,

Powell is better combined with a trip to Moab. You don't have enough time to drive to all these places, let alone get out and hike too. Just start planning another trip now....

elnap29

I love hiking in both Zion and Bryce. I'd do a minimum of 2 nights in Bryce and a minimum of 3 nights in Zion. Our preference is to skip Las Vegas altogether, but if your plane gets in too late, you might as well spend a night there before heading to Springdale. We usually try to drive to Springdale after flying in, but have stopped in Mesquite at the Best Western (about 1 1/4 hr. out of Las Vegas). As hikers, our ideal is to spend 5 nights Zion and 3 nights Bryce. Occasionally, we spent a night in Las Vegas before flying home, but it's really a downer after being in the wilderness for a week.