Driving and hiking scary in Bryce, ZIon, GC area?
Jan 15th, 2004, 01:34 PM
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Driving and hiking scary in Bryce, ZIon, GC area?
I am planning a trip to those parks for August and I'm wondering what the driving and the trails are like. Do you suddenly come upon a cliff? Are you driving next to huge drop offs? Are there rails on these roads. How about on the trails? I have 3 kids 6, 10 and 11 and I keep having vision of someone falling off the edge of a cliff!
Am I freaking over nothing?
Allie
P.S. Should I do Zion, Lake Powell and CG North rim or
Zion and Norht rima and South rim?
Am I freaking over nothing?
Allie
P.S. Should I do Zion, Lake Powell and CG North rim or
Zion and Norht rima and South rim?
Jan 15th, 2004, 06:35 PM
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Hi Allie,
I'll address the trails first. In Zion you are at the bottom of the canyon looking up. There are some hikes that you can do that have BIG drop offs so read the information they give you at the gate. It will list the hikes and give warnings. The Riverside Walk at the end of the shuttle bus ride is an easy 2 mile round trip hike that takes you deeper into the canyon. There are a couple places that have guardrails with drop offs. You shouldn't have any problems if you just keep an eye on the kids. My two boys have been doing all kinds of hikes since they were 3 & 4 years old.
At the Grand Canyon there are overlooks with guardrails but you can find many places that don't have them. Unless you take a hiking trail down into the canyon I wouldn't worry about them just falling into the canyon. The canyon rim walk is pretty wide at the Grand Canyon Village & visitor center. You will need to keep an eye on any child that loves to just take off! Keep them close and a good eye on them.
The Roads. Yes, there are roads with drop offs and switchbacks in the areas you will be traveling. Maybe about 3 or 4 depending on which routes you take. Not all of the places have rails. If you are a good driver, do the speed limit and pay attention you will not have any problems. All the roads are wide and well marked.
I wouldn't do both the N. & S. Rim. I would either add Lake Powell or Bryce.
If you are making a round trip from Las Vegas, then it's only 30 miles farther to do the S. Rim, Lake Powell and Zion instead of the N. Rim. The roads to the N. Rim are windy and slower and there is one set of switchbacks as you leave N. Rim for Lake Powell.
Utahtea
I'll address the trails first. In Zion you are at the bottom of the canyon looking up. There are some hikes that you can do that have BIG drop offs so read the information they give you at the gate. It will list the hikes and give warnings. The Riverside Walk at the end of the shuttle bus ride is an easy 2 mile round trip hike that takes you deeper into the canyon. There are a couple places that have guardrails with drop offs. You shouldn't have any problems if you just keep an eye on the kids. My two boys have been doing all kinds of hikes since they were 3 & 4 years old.
At the Grand Canyon there are overlooks with guardrails but you can find many places that don't have them. Unless you take a hiking trail down into the canyon I wouldn't worry about them just falling into the canyon. The canyon rim walk is pretty wide at the Grand Canyon Village & visitor center. You will need to keep an eye on any child that loves to just take off! Keep them close and a good eye on them.
The Roads. Yes, there are roads with drop offs and switchbacks in the areas you will be traveling. Maybe about 3 or 4 depending on which routes you take. Not all of the places have rails. If you are a good driver, do the speed limit and pay attention you will not have any problems. All the roads are wide and well marked.
I wouldn't do both the N. & S. Rim. I would either add Lake Powell or Bryce.
If you are making a round trip from Las Vegas, then it's only 30 miles farther to do the S. Rim, Lake Powell and Zion instead of the N. Rim. The roads to the N. Rim are windy and slower and there is one set of switchbacks as you leave N. Rim for Lake Powell.
Utahtea
Jan 16th, 2004, 06:44 PM
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utahthea.
you are the best! I think I will just have to be blindfolded for the drive :} just kidding!
I am SOOO excited to take this trip, but I have never been west of St Louis so I am a little anxious.
THanks,
Allie
you are the best! I think I will just have to be blindfolded for the drive :} just kidding!
I am SOOO excited to take this trip, but I have never been west of St Louis so I am a little anxious.
THanks,
Allie
Jan 16th, 2004, 07:59 PM
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If you are paranoid over this question then you are not alone. After carefully planning our trip last summer it occured to me to wonder whether or not it would be possible to actually fall into the Grand Canyon. My husband kept telling me there was a fence, but this defied logic as I knew there could not be a fence the whole way around!
I posted here asking if it would be possible to fall into the GC - got some serious, many humorous replies.
Yes, one could fall into Bryce or GC - but you would have to be irresponsible, stupid or really unlucky. At the South Rim, for example, at many of the overlooks there is some sort of fencing near the most likely viewpoint, but if you walk a short distance it is not well protected. But edge is generally flat and smooth. I would, as mentioned above, keep an eye on my kids, especially if they are the daredevil type. My 17 year old son thought it was amusing to tease me about falling in. I did not share his humor.
The driving through southern Utah and northern Arizona can be just a little nerve-wracking. Roads are fine - wide enough, safe, well-paved - but just don't get intimidated by some hotdog behind you who pressures you to go double the speed limit. There are a few places where the driver can not fully appreciate the scenery since attention to the road is important. In contrast, when we drove through Southern Arizona, the roads are so flat and straight that you could almost take a nap and wake up still on the road.
Somewhat reassuring reading is a book "Death in the Grand Canyon - Over the Edge". It chronicles all recorded deaths at GC for about a century and a half - from all causes, including lightening, river rafting. It is a best seller at Park gift shops and is reassuring since virtually all deaths involved - as I said above - extreme carelessness, stupidity, or severe unluckiness.
Have a good trip - these parks are incredible.
I posted here asking if it would be possible to fall into the GC - got some serious, many humorous replies.
Yes, one could fall into Bryce or GC - but you would have to be irresponsible, stupid or really unlucky. At the South Rim, for example, at many of the overlooks there is some sort of fencing near the most likely viewpoint, but if you walk a short distance it is not well protected. But edge is generally flat and smooth. I would, as mentioned above, keep an eye on my kids, especially if they are the daredevil type. My 17 year old son thought it was amusing to tease me about falling in. I did not share his humor.
The driving through southern Utah and northern Arizona can be just a little nerve-wracking. Roads are fine - wide enough, safe, well-paved - but just don't get intimidated by some hotdog behind you who pressures you to go double the speed limit. There are a few places where the driver can not fully appreciate the scenery since attention to the road is important. In contrast, when we drove through Southern Arizona, the roads are so flat and straight that you could almost take a nap and wake up still on the road.
Somewhat reassuring reading is a book "Death in the Grand Canyon - Over the Edge". It chronicles all recorded deaths at GC for about a century and a half - from all causes, including lightening, river rafting. It is a best seller at Park gift shops and is reassuring since virtually all deaths involved - as I said above - extreme carelessness, stupidity, or severe unluckiness.
Have a good trip - these parks are incredible.
Jan 16th, 2004, 10:21 PM
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To L,
Will you baby be walking? If so then maybe you should invest in a safty toddler tether or child saftey leash. My MIL used these when she had to cross the ocean, by ship, by herself with two children who were both walking and under 3 years of age!
If your child isn't walking then at the Grand Canyon there are plenty of places you can go with a stroller or put the baby in a baby backpack.
I went to the Grand Canyon, Zion and Bryce with a 7 month old and 3 1/2 year old. We did the Navajo Loop trail at Bryce with the 7 month old in a baby backpack and the 3 1/2 year old hiked the trail himself. We also went to many overlooks.
BTW, this was in 1979. We went back many, many times to these places and I bet Gail with agree with me...the teenagers are the ones you have to worry about more...LOL!
Utahtea
Will you baby be walking? If so then maybe you should invest in a safty toddler tether or child saftey leash. My MIL used these when she had to cross the ocean, by ship, by herself with two children who were both walking and under 3 years of age!
If your child isn't walking then at the Grand Canyon there are plenty of places you can go with a stroller or put the baby in a baby backpack.
I went to the Grand Canyon, Zion and Bryce with a 7 month old and 3 1/2 year old. We did the Navajo Loop trail at Bryce with the 7 month old in a baby backpack and the 3 1/2 year old hiked the trail himself. We also went to many overlooks.
BTW, this was in 1979. We went back many, many times to these places and I bet Gail with agree with me...the teenagers are the ones you have to worry about more...LOL!
Utahtea
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