zaksgrandma

After much map study and reading of this formum, this is my tentative itinerary. I'd appreciate all advice.

The trip is for August (exact dates still not sure) and can be of 10 days to 2 weeks duration. We are easy to moderate hikers, love birding,animal sighting, water stuff, photography, gasping at beauty.

Fly into Las Vegas-- we'll probably spend two days or so there at start or end of trip visiting relatives.

1. LV to Zion NP (is 3 days enough?)
2. Zion to Capitol Reef. It looks like Torrey is a good place to stay. Anyone have other thoughts? How long should we plan there?
3.Torrey to Bryce NP (How's 3 days in Bryce?)
4. Not sure whether to add the Grand Canyon or if that is too much for one trip
5. Return to LV

Any suggestions? I've decided to not to do the Moab area and Arches since that will add significantly to the drive time. I think that should be another trip.

Thanks so much to those of you who take the time to help.

kopp

As you say, you will be "gasping at beauty" when you head to Zion and Bryce. We spent 3 nights in each place last fall, and it certainly was not too much. There are lots of hikes and beautiful scenery is everywhere. Take your time to enjoy it. Too many people I spoke with at both places were only there for one night and were wishing they had more.

We stayed at Rudy's near Bryce, but ate dinner at the Bryce NP lodge - you can make reservations now for an August trip, and if you are interested in eating there, I would recommend you make the reservation ASAP. Lots of tours take the dinner slots, so if you're traveling independently you may want to at least have that covered as there isn't much else to eat in the park. (Plus the food was good - had the Hoo-doos Oso Bucco (actually looked like one of the hoo-doos, it was that big!!)

Anyway, enjoy Utah. Sure is pretty country.

Happy travels!

EMG

We did this trip a few years ago. This is really beautiful country. First time we flew into Las Vegas and went to Zion, Bryce, Lake Powel, Glen canyon Dam, and the north rim of the grand canyon. We had tents and camping stuff so we camped most places. It was all so beautiful we went back two years later. The second time we flew into salt Lake City and rented an RV. That time we went to Bryce, Capital Reef, Arches, Canyonlands, and Dead Horse Point. If it were me I would do Zion then Bryce spending one full day at each. Highway 12 from Bryce to Capital reef is a spectacular road. You will have to drive it there and back. I would stop at Escalante petrified forest state park for a great not too difficult hike while going one dirrection and Calf Creek Falls Hike while going the other. Torrey is a very small town but there are some nice hotels there. There isn't even a red light but its the only town for miles around. Its very close to Capital Reef.All the towns between Bryce and Capital Ref are small. Depending on how much hiking you do there is not much to do at Capital Reef. Its the drive there that make it worth while. If you still have time you can always stop at Bryce again on your way back. You could also bypass Zion and go back highway 14 past cedar Breaks and hit the other section of Zion. I have never been to either of those two places. Either way you will have a great trip. Eileen

utahtea

Looks good. Three nights - two full days is good for both Zion and Bryce. You can get away with as little as two nights in Torrey to visit Captiol Reef but there are enough hikes to stay three nights - two full days. If you decide on two weeks you could do the two nights at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.

I see you like water stuff, then instead of the N. Rim, you might consider two nights at Page, AZ and do the 1/2 day float trip on the Colorado River.

http://www.utahtea.lithium.com/pages...2003/float.htm

Which ever you choose....I guarantee "gasping beauty"!!!!

Utahtea

zaksgrandma

Thanks for all the replies. I do not know too much about Capitol Reef park. Can one of you experts tell me about the park. What is the best town to stay in when visiting?

utahtea

There's only one town close to Captiol Reef and that's Torrey, Utah. It's only 11 miles away. There are several new motels, but I don't know what they are like because we always camp.

At the park there is a paved scenic drive and two dirt turnoffs. These dirt turnoffs go down Capitol Gorge and Grand Wash. Both have easy hiking trails and they are my favorite hikes there. Just be aware of the weather. They warn not to drive down the washes if it's raining or looks like a thunderstorm because the get flash floods. There are other good hikes too, like to Hickman Bridge.

The park has fruit orchards. When they open an orchard, you are allowed to walk though and pick & eat the fruit. If you want to take some out of the orchard they charge you a very reasonable price by the pound. Looks like peaches, pears and apples ripen in August. We were there last August during Peach season BUT they had just flooded the orchard and the two days we were there...they were closed...ARGH!!!

Along Highway 24 there is the old Fruita School house and also a petroglphy path.

Here are a couple of links to check out:

http://www.so-utah.com/capitol/crnp/homepage.html

http://www.nps.gov/care/scenic.htm

http://www.americansouthwest.net/uta...onal_park.html

Utahtea

zaksgrandma

Utahtea, you are so helpful. What about the towns of Escalente and BOulder? Aren't they near Capitol Reef?

utahtea

Escalante to Boulder is 28 miles BUT THIS IS THE MOST SCENIC 28 MILES of Hwy 12! It will take about 50 minutes to drive (one way).

Boulder to Torrey is 38 miles but this is a windy mountain pass over the Boulder Mountains. Plan on an hour to drive (one way).

Torrey is 11 miles to Capitol Reef. Very quick and scenic drive.

Yes, they are near, and would be OK if you just plan on spending a few hours in Capitol Reef one day and then drive back. I don't think I would want to drive back and forth to many times, especially the 77 miles to Escalante.

Escalante doesn't strike me as a city with lots of lodging or places to eat, I could be wrong cause we always camp. I think there is some kind of resort in Boulder, Utah. If you stay in Boulder I would drive out the Burr Trail. Very scenic and it's paved almost to the switch backs. I wouldn't recommend doing the switchbacks unless you had 4 wheel drive.

Utahtea

zaksgrandma

Whats the best order to do this? Do you suggest Zion, then Capitol Reef, then Bryce; or Zion, Bryce, then capitol Reef? Is there a way to come and go via different routes?

If we decide to include the North RIm of the Canyon, how should that affect the order we do this? I assume it is best to fly into and then out of Las Vegas?

utahtea

I would use Las Vegas for flying in and out of.

I like saving Zion for last. It's just relaxing to me. If you add the N. Rim, I think I would do that first, then Bryce (or Bryce first if you don't add the N. Rim), then Capitol Reef driving scenic Hwy 12 to Torrey.

I personally would drive back on Hwy 12 back to Zion because it's so scenic and you see different views driving the different directions, but if you want a different route then take Hwy 24 east past Loa, then south on Hwy 62 past Otter Creek, then Hwy 89 south to Panquitch. Here you have two choices depending on how much time you have. You can enter Zion via Hwy 9 again OR you can take Hwy 143 past Panquitch Lake, then Hwy 148 past Cedar Breaks and Hwy 14 west towards I-15. As you travel south on I-15 you will pass the Kolob Section of Zion National Park. Continue on I-15 and pick up Hwy 17 towards Toquerville and then Hwy 9 to Zion.

Utahtea

zaksgrandma

Have you, or anyone out there, spent time in the Kolob section of ZIon? Do you recommend it?

utahtea

I've been once. The scenic drive is very short. Not much to do unless you hike. We did a good part of one of the hikes. It looks like you are planning several days at each park so it won't take away to much time from those and if you are driving back on I-15, I would recommend spending an hour or two.

Utahtea