ElizabethC

Hello all,
I want to book South Rim lodging for October 2012 next week, so I need some guidance with an itinerary to look somewhat as follows:
Fri. Arrive Phoenix, drive to Sedona, 1 night
Sat. Sedona, drive to GC, 4 nights GC?
Sun. GC
Mon. GC
Tues. GC
Wed. Drive to Bryce or Zion (which one first?) 1 night
Thurs. Drive to Bryce or Zion , 1 night
Fri. Drive toward Vegas, overnight stay someplace scenic, not too far from Vegas airport
Sat. Fly out of Vegas
We are hikers/walkers. Love outdoor activities. Have no interest in going to Vegas strip nor staying overnight in any of the strip lodgings. Is it recommended to have in-park lodging at Bryce and Zion? Any and all comments would be appreicated.
Thanks!

MichelleY

You could cut back on the GC and add another night to Bryce. This is a long drive, so another night would give you more time to enjoy Bryce. Then head to Zion. I would also add another night here. Try to stay in the park at Bryce and Zion. There is also great lodging in Springdale, just outside of Zion that is handy to the park.

I don't have first hand knowledge, but others say there are heafty drop off fees for picking up in Phoenix and dropping a car in LV. Have you thought about flying in/out of LV? You could still do your loop or check out the North Rim of the GC instead.

Here is our trip to Zion/Bryce/GC/LV from several years ago:

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...rip-report.cfm

Also, an older report for Sedona/GC from 2004, which may be helpful:

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...rip-report.cfm

Hopefully, others will chime in with better info for you.

MY

emalloy

IMO, 4 nights is too much in GC unless you plan to do a lot of hiking. If you drive there from Sedona, you will have time to walk along the rim trail and perhaps a little into the canyon on Bright Angel or Kaibab trail, and/or to visit the VC. See sunset that night and sunrise the next day and do what ever you haven't done on the day before. The next day I would then head east on 64 along the rim and stop at all the view points and head north on 89, stop in Page, visit Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend.

The next day head to Bryce then Zion. Zion is only 3 hours from Vegas, so if you had a later flight you could spend the time in Zion.

Reducing the days in GC would give you more time in the other parks

If money matters, I would look into doing a loop from Vegas rather that starting from Phoenix. I have found that flights and car rentals are less in Vegas and the drop off fees might add a lot to your car fees.

Enjoy the planning and the trip!

spirobulldog

I would spend 1 night at Grand Canyon and the other 4 at Bryce and Zion. The GC has the single most "wow factor" perhaps, but the other two are just about as spectacular and have a lot more to do.

ElizabethC

Thanks for quick replies!
Wow, I checked drop off prices-$500. So, we'll plan to fly in/out Vegas. Would it be better to begin the loop Vegas-GC or Vegas-Z/Bryce? Sunrise/sunsets and mild/moderate hiking are what we want to do. Thank you!!!

Myer

Before I suggest skipping Sedona (which I won't do) I'd like to know what you expect to do there.

In my opinion Sedona is a bunch of t-shirt store, art galleries and restaurants that close at 9PM. So unless you do some of the hikes in the beautiful Red Rocks you're wasting your time.

Boynton canyon Vista (not Boynton Canyon)
Broke Arrow
Bell Rock

Sunset at Crescent Moon Picnic Area with the sun shining on Cathedral Rock over Oak Creek. Some will say sunset at the airport but I've seen both and no comparison.

If you start and end in Las Vegas you'll do a lot of driving to Include Sedona.

I am not a fan of GC. Little WOW factor compared to Bryce and Zion.

Get to GC early afternoon. Hike Bright Angel trail part way to get a perspective, go to Hopi Point for sunset. The next morning walk on the Rim as the sun comes up. On the way out the East Entrance/Exit you can stop at a few viewpoints.

On the way to Bryce/Zion you pass right thru Page and the famous Antelope Canyon and Horshoe Bend. Be there when the sun is highest especially in October. Hike 3/4 mile to Horshoe Bend.

Then go to Bryce Canyon to sleep over. Get up very early and go to Bryce Point for a spectacular sunrise. Grab a bite and hike down Navajo Loop and back up Queens Garden. Your at 8,000 ft here so elevation could be an issue even though the hike is relatively short.

You will have seen Bryce Point, Sunset Point (start Navajo Loop), Sunrise Point (the end of Queens Garden) walk half mile on the Rim to get back to you car at Sunset Point and then go to the only viewpoint that's different. Natural Bridge.

Leave for Zion and if it's not too late you can do the Conyon Overlook hike on the way in the East Entrance. The next day select from various hikes depending upon how adventurous you are.

I'd sleep in Zion 2 night and plan on getting to Las Vegas in the evening before your flight unless it leaves late in the day.

Depending upon your interests Hoover Dam is on the way from Las Vegas to South Rim GC. You'll pass Valley of Fire just before getting back to Las Vegas.

ElizabethC

Myer: We would hike in Sedona; tee shirts/trinkets and pricy art don't appeal to us. OK, so can you help with this?
Friday - Arrive Vegas @11:00 a.m. drive to Sedona overnight at Sedona
Saturday - Sedona/drive to GC overnight CG
Sunday - Grand Canyon overnight CG
Monday - Depart CG for Page/Bryce overnight at Bryce
Tuesday - Depart for Zion overnight at Zion
Wednesday - Zion overnight at Zion
Thursday - Depart Zion and ?
Friday - ?? - Overnight perhaps at Comfort Inn Airport, Vegas
Saturday - Depart Vegas

You prefer hiking in Zion as opposed to Bryce?
We are opting to stay at Bright Angel in GC. I am not sure if a day and a half in GC will give us enough time to see East Rim view points to Desert View and back; west rim to viewpoints and Hermit's Rest; Tusayan Ruin; hike a bit of the Bright Angel trail; sunrise; sunset.
Thanks again!

Myer

This is what I would do.
Friday (sleep in Sedona). Arrive in LAS and drive to Sedona. If Hoover Dam interests you make a pit stop as you are very close. It'll be around 6PM or later when you arrive and it's October.

Saturday (sleep in Sedona). Hike a combination of Boynton Canyon Vista (a Vortex site), Broken Arrow (very scenic) and the Bell Rock area. Go to Crescent Moon Picnic Area and ask where to go to see Cathedral Rock across Oak Creek. Get there an hour before sunset to find the right spot (another Vortex site).

Sunday (sleep GC). Get up and leave for GC. You will make a couple of stops going up the canyon. Stop at the viewpoint for a great view back down. You should be at GC very early afternoon. Hike down Bright Angel for about an hour. Go to Hopi Point for sunset.

Monday (sleep Bryce). Get up early and walk on the rim as the sun comes up. Have a bite and leave thru the East Entrance/Exit stopping at several viewpoints on the way. Time Antelope Canyon to be there when the sun is highest. Allow 2 hours. Go to Horseshoe Bend (you past it on the way to Antelope Canyon but the high sun is more important at AC). Go to Horseshoe Bend first if you're early but allow about 1.5 hours. If you get there before sunset go to Sunset Point.

Tuesday (sleep Zion). Get up very early and get to Bryce Point for a spectacular sunrise. Have a bite and hike Navajo Loop down from Sunset Point and up Queens Garden to Sunrise Point. Walk a half mile on the rim back to Sunset Point and your car. You've seen 3 viewpoints and the only one different is Natural Bridge so drive there before leaving. You should be able to leave Bryce by 2PM.

On the way into Zion's East Entrance park in the little lot and hike Canyon Overlook. Since Zion is at the bottom of the canyon sunset isn't much.

Thursday (sleep Zion). Hike some combination of Emerald Pools, Angel's Landing, Riverside Walk, the Narrow and/or others.

Friday (sleep Vegas). Complete the Zion Hikes. Drive to Vegas in the evening.

I was tempted to move a day to Bryce and have you go to Willis Creek just south of Cannonville to hike thru a real slot canyon. Antelope Canyon is spectacular but more of an attraction than a slot canyon hike.

The reason I put more hike in Zion is that Bryce is a pretty small park. It's one of a kind but once you've seen sunrise and done the signature hike you've been down in the hoodoos and seen it. Many of the hikes in Zion are different and it's a beatiful park.

In GC other than Hopi Pt for sunset there really no reason to spend time going west. GC stretched from east to west so looking from most of the viewpoint between the Village (Bright Angel lodge) and the east entrance will give you the best views of GC.

If you want to see photos of some of my trips to the area you can go to:

www.travelwalks.com

Just for info. My daughter and her husband were near Vegas on business a week ago and had 2 days. They went to Hoover Dam, GC, Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon.

I listed 12 places she's been to in the past year or so and had her rate them. I've been to Sedona but she hasn't. We're both into photography so your opinion may not be the same as hers.

1. Bryce Canyon
2. Antelope Canyon (tie)
2. Valley of Fire (tie)
4. Willis Creek
5. Devil's Garden (Escalante)
6. Zion (tie)
6. Yosemite (tie)
8. Lower Calf Creek Falls
9. Kolob Canyons (tie)
9. Horsehoe Bend (tie)
11. Grand Canyon
12. Hoover Dam

Of course, some place have more to see and require more time than others. Some have the "WOW" factor but don't require much time to see.

spirobulldog

I really like Zion, but I hiked The Narrows and Angels Landing. Navajo Loop/queens garden in Bryce is great. I rode a horse on the peek a boo loop ride and it was good. I like zion and bryce equally.

Myer

Though very close together Zion and Bryce are very different.

There's a 4,000ft difference.

Zion is beautiful. Bryce is one of a kind.

spirobulldog

Since said Mid-Octber. If you are considering the North Rim, I think the facilities close there on Oct 15. I would also consider doing Bryce early in the trip as the higher elevation there would be cooler. We saw some good fall foliage in the area on our trips that we made a couple of times in October. I don't know when Bryce Lodge closes for the season. Probably end of Oct.

spirobulldog

I read that as 10-12 thinking it meant Oct 12. So maybe I am wrong about the mid-octber.

utahtea

I like doing the Grand Canyon first, then Bryce and Zion last so that you only have the three hour drive from Zion to Las Vegas. Another reason to go this direction is you get this fantastic view of the painted desert as you exit the Grand Canyon at Desert View. If you do the route in reverse, the vista is behind you. You also have the experience of entering Zion though the tunnel for a dramatic entrance to Zion going down the switch backs.

There is plenty of moderate hiking in all the parks. I like to walk the rim at the Grand Canyon and Bryce. I also like the Navajo - Queen's Garden loop. Zion there is the Riverside Walk, Weeping Rock, Lower & Middle Emerald Pools and if you don't mind a little climb then go all the way to upper Emerald Pools and then take the Kayenta Trail back to a shuttle bus stop. The Par'us trail and the Canyon Overlook Trail. http://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisi...&PageID=533013

Utahtea

ElizabethC

Wow, thank you all so much for your suggestions. We'll hash it out within the next week so that I can firm up dates to get in-park lodging for October 2012 (I didn't know that you had to book a year out-we missed staying in Yosemite last month, but it worked out well staying in El Portal at Yosemite View Lodge outside the park). We are now thinking of adding an additional day; we'd rather have more time hiking than driving:
Thurs. EWK to LAS; Hoover Dam, Arrive Sedona
Fri.

ElizabethC

Sorry. Pressed wrong button. Here's the itinerary:
Friday Sedona
Sat. Sedona to GC
Sun. GC
Mon. GC to Page
Tues. Page to Bryce
Wed. Bryce to Zion
Thurs. Zion
Fri. Zion to LAS
Sat. LAS to EWK

Again, thanks to all of you. Myer, I'll be sure to check out your photos later today. Stay tuned...I'll be visiting again!

spirobulldog

Sounds good to me.

I don't know if you could add any more days, but since you are in the area, just wanted to make sure you considered these.

Lake Powell/Page/Antelope Canyon/Rainbow Bridge

and North Rim of the Grand Canyon

Myer

I'm not sure what you're planning for Page. Hopefully Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend.

If you've added and extra day (which is what it looks like) then you'll still arrive in Zion in time to do Canyon Overlook on the way in.

With that extra day in Zion I might consider a slight change. If you are planning to hike the Narrow then you'll be in a slot canyon and it's ok. Otherwise when leaving Bryce I would go a few mile east to Cannonville and go south to Willis Creek. There's a visitors' center in Cannonville and they'll give you instructions.

It's an adventure driving there but the hike is very easy. Make sure you go thru at least 4-5 slots as they get higher as you go.

If you do this you'll probably arrive in Zion to late to do the Canyon Overlook hike on the way in. I would do it on one of the next two days. Beautiful view of the canyon. Or maybe skip it if you do Angels Landing.

ElizabethC

Page for the hikes you mentioned. We are early risers, go all daylight hours, and by 6PM, call it a day with some wine, early dinner and early to bed! (Although we'll make exceptions to see sunsets in the canyons, of course!). We don't want to hike all day and then have a 2+ hour ride ahead of us.

Myer

I might as well add 15 minutes to Page.

To get to Antelope Canyon you'll take a right (east) off Rt 89 onto Rt 98.

Then after Antelope Canyon you'll come back to Rt 89 and turn north to continue on to Bryce.

A couple of minutes after you turn onto Rt 89 you'll come to "The Best Dam View". There's a little parking lot off the scenic road on the west side. You walk down about 15 rock stairs to a viewpoint for the Glenn Canyon Dam. That dam is the reason for the town of Page. It housed the workers who built the dam.

If you look at my photos you'll see one ffrom this viewpoint. Look carefully beyonf the dam and you'll see the bridge that goes across the Colorado River on the way to Bryce and Zion.

15 minutes stop and it's free. Worth the time and money.

LindainOhio

If you are flying into and departing from Las Vegas, Sedona is really out of your way. If you want to do less driving and more hiking, I would leave Sedona out this trip.

A stop in Sedona makes sense to me if you fly into Phoenix since Sedona is on the way to the Grand Canyon.