Help with Itenerary (North GC, Monument Valley)
 

We are going to be flying into Phoenix and renting a car at the end of June. Here is our itinerary so far. I just bought a nifty new camera, so any tips on great places to take photos is appreciated.

As you can see, we still are unsure about some of the days and would like any feedback you can give. We are also unsure of specifics (which hiking trails are a 'must', etc.) We're not sure if some of these trips are all-day trips, half-day trips, etc. We are staying in Page, AZ for 5 of the nights.

Day 1 - Land in Phoenix at 11 am and visit the Desert Botanical Garden. Drive to Sedona and spend the night.

Day 2 - Visit Red Rock State Park and Sedona area. Drive to Page and visit Wupatki NM on the way (time permitting). Stay in Page.

Day 3 - See Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend. Figure out what else to do around Lake Powell! Stay in Page.

Day 4 - Visit North Grand Canyon. Stay in Page.

Day 5 - Visit Monument Valley. Get a Navajo tour. Stay in Page.

Day 6 - Visit North Grand Canyon again, or somewhere (?). Stay in Page.

Day 7 - Visit some of the National Monuments on the way back to Phoenix. Stay in Phoenix.

Day 8 - Depart for home.

I would not stay in Page and do day trips to Monument Valley or Grand Canyon. It's just too far to drive up and back each day and inevitably you'll miss the best light for photos, which is at sunrise and sunset ... you can do it but it's too much driving for most of us.

If you can change your hotel reservations I'd advise at least an overnight at the GC so you can see sunrise/sunset, and an overnight at MV ... the north rim lodge is likely booked solid but even Kanab would be about an hour closer than Page. Likewise, at MV Gouldings is the best place but likely booked so check into Kayenta or Mexican Hat as alternatives, both about 30 minutes drive from MV so you can still do sunrise/sunset without too much driving in the dark.

For Page, lots of good photo spots, especially Antelope Canyon ... maybe go to www.pbase.com and enter Page or Antelope Canyon in the search box. If you can hike a bit Coyote Buttes is a famous photo spot near Page (and Kanab ... about half-way) but you need a permit.

Just my opinion, but Page is best for the lake and the slots, then off to lodges closer to the places you wish to photograph.

Bill

I agree with Bill, I would not make Page a base camp for the N. Rim. It's only 120 miles but those last 40 miles are slow driving and if you get stuck behind a motorhome, it can take a lot longer. Figure it will take 3 to 3 1/2 hours one way! You are looking at 6 hours of the day in a vehcile and I would not do it on two different days!

If this is your first time to the Grand Canyon, I'd suggest the S. Rim instead of the N. Rim for the WOW factor.

Day 3 Do a Float Trip on Colorado River or Boat trip on Lake Powell out of page. If you do morning float trip you can fit in afternoon Antelope Canyon tour.

Day 4 Do Horseshoe Bend Hike before heading to Monument Valley. Tour Monument Valley. You don't have to do a guided tour...but if you do a guided tour ask how much time they spend at stops and how many stops they made. When we were there the people on the tours were yelling...stop..as the driver just drove past all the great overlooks. And the tourist in the open vehicles get really dusty!!! Everyone had a bandana over their face...not really my idea of touring in confort. You can easily drive yourself and stop when you like and for as long as you like. The only thing is the tour groups can go to a few locations that you can't drive to but you will see the major parts on your own. Spend night in Gouldings or Kayenta so you can get sunset pictures. (My personal favorite!)

Day 5 Get up before sunrise and go take pictures in Monument Valley then head to the S. Rim of the Grand Canyon. Stop at several of the overlooks before reaching the Grand Canyon Village. Go to any overlook to watch the sunset.

Day 6 Spend the day at the Grand Canyon. If you don't want to hike down into the canyon, then walk along the rim. We like to start at Mather Point and walk to Powell Point and then take the free shuttle bus to Hopi Point and back.

Utahtea

Thanks for the comments so far. Would you recommend more time at the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, or the Lake Powell area?

I will try to change the hotel reservations around. I didn't think the drive would be more than 2 hours from Page to the North GC.

<b>I didn't think the drive would be more than 2 hours from Page to the North GC.</b>

You can do the drive in 2 hours if there is little or no traffic, but late June will likely have many RV's, etc and it will probably take longer. There are long stretches where it's hard to pass and if you get caught behind a slow RV you just wait it out. Even at 2 hours it's not possible to be at the rim at the most scenic times (sunrise, sunset) without driving a couple hours in the dark on narrow roads.

Can't advise how to break up the available days, it depends on how the scenery of the various places 'grabs' you and everyone is different. Would also consider Bryce and Zion since they are close to the north rim ... it will be very hot at Page and MV in late June, less so at higher elevations like GC and Bryce.

Bill

Two nights and one full day at the Grand Canyon should be enough unless you plan on hiking into the canyon, then you might want 3 nights and 2 full days. Even just hiking along the rim at the S. Rim, I like having at least 2 full days. One night and part of the day at Monument Valley should be enough. Depending on what you want to do at Lake Powel. If it's just the slots canyon and horseshoe bend hike, then that can be done in half a day. If you want to do the float trip and or boat tour, you will need two or three days.

If you do decide on Bryce and Zion, I think I'd skip Monument Valley since you have such a short time. It will be the most out of your way.

Utahtea

Okay, I was able to change my reservations. Here's where I'm staying now. This cuts down on driving time a lot. The drive from North GC to Kayenta is the worst, but I REALLY want to see Monument Valley!

Day 1: Arrive, visit Phoenix area, stay in Sedona

Day 2: Visit Sedona area, drive to Page, stay in Page

Day 3: Visit Lake Powell area, Drive to Kanab, stay in Kanab

Day 4: Visit North GC, stay in Kanab

Day 5: Visit North GC, drive to Kayenta, stay in Kayenta

Day 6: Visit Monument Valley, drive south to Cameron, stay in Cameron

Day 7: Drive down towards Phoenix, and visit somewhere TBD, stay in Phoenix

Day 8: Depart from PHX

New itinerary looks good to me, if a bit rushed :)

On day 7 you are in Cameron, I would drive from there to the south rim of the GC, which is not far from Cameron, and drive on the east rim drive to the main GC tourist center. Even though you were at the north rim the views are very different from the south. The earlier you can do this drive the better the views.

The drive from the visitor center area to Phoenix is about 4 hours via Williams and the interstates, unless you hit a lot of heavy traffic.

If you are tired of rocks and canyons and want to skip this then I'd just go south of Cameron a bit and do the loop thru Wapatki National Mounument and Sunset crater (just north of Flagstaff), some interesting Indian ruins here ... but truthfully the south rim is much more scenic.

Bill

Thanks, Bill. The main reason for the trip to the North Rim is that I've seen many people that say to avoid the South Rim during the summer, since it can be very crowded. I am not the 'touristy' type person, and am trying to avoid the crowds as much as possible. My wife's a school teacher, and we can't go during the off season!

I guess the itinerary is a bit rushed, but there are a lot of places to see out in Arizona and who knows when we'll be back again.

We don't like crowds either and swore never to go to the area in the summer again after our boys were grown and didn't have to go in summer...but guess what...we ended up going two years in a row in the summer because we went with other people. One year to the S. Rim and once you start walking along the rim trail you don't see many people. Even the shuttle buses were not bad. I wouldn't let the crowds scare you away from the most beautiful views and make you spend more time driving than necessary.

Utahtea