Jackson to Bryce stopovers
 

I posted a much longer post yesterday but I never found it. Anyway, family of five doing Yellowstone to Phoenix over 12-13 days. Have alot of info from this site and will post an informed itinerary later but need to know:

Jackson to SLC is too long in the car unless it is mostly very scenic. If yes, can you suggest route and if not can you suggest midpoint overnight between JAC and SLC.

Same issue between SLC and Bryce.

Just to clarify we don't need to do SLC but want direct scenic route from Jackson to Bryce.

Since we will be doing most stays in the Parks, these two overnights can be motel/pool type breaks from the Parks.

Thanks all. PlanthetripDad

Hi Plant the trip,

I can only assume you are an eastcoaster, since you think a 5 hour drive to too long. Westerners think a 5 hour drive is completely acceptable!

Not criticizing, just (maybe) making a gross assumption! Maybe your kids are to little to sit in a car for 5 hours?

If you have to stay overnight between Jackson and SLC, I suggest Bear Lake. Very nice in the summer, lots of condos, motels, B&Bs to choose from.

If you have to stay overnight between SLC and Bryce, I suggest Torrey, UT. This would allow you to see Capitol Reef on the way to Bryce via the extremely scenic Hwy 12.

However, I do think you are pushing it to try and cover this much territory in 13 days. Were you planning to see the other national parks inbetween Yellowstone and Phoenix?

IMHO Yellowstone to Phoenix in 12-13 days is not too bad as long as it isn't a round trip (LOL). I am an easterner who drove from Jackson to SLC last summer (from Signal Mountain Lodge, actually, with a three-hour shopover in Jackson). I found it to be quite scenic. I don't remember the route numbers, but we drove south out of Jackson through Star Valley down past Bear Lake and out through Logan Canyon (which was lovely!). As I recall from a previous visit to Yellowstone, it is much less scenic to travel the more-interstate route (through Rock Springs, WY?)that leads you past Park City, but that might be a fun place for your family to visit.

I also recommend you go through Torrey and drive the beautiful hwy. 12. We need to see the rest of your itinerary.

Thanks for the info. Yes, you are correct Dayle, east coasters but I did this trip many years ago on a tour bus and want to avoid that feeling as much as we can and still get it all in. At 300 miles from JAC to SLC I wasn't counting on an average of 60 miles an hour. If that's reasonable I may reconsider. That would still be a tough two days with MY kids, 16, 13 and 11 (not great in the car) but better than I had assumed. Again good scenery and some interesting stops will help.

Right now the trip looks like this:

Fly in to Bozeman-drive to Yell Old Faithful-2 nights
Grand Tetons/Jac -2 nights
Jac to ?- 1 night
? to Bryce-2 nights
Zion-1 night
GC-South rim/Page,AZ-2 nights
Sun City,AZ-1 night(Family)
Depart PHX.

I would like to do a float trip either Snake River out of Teton or out of Page, AZ as has been recommended on this site. Also we are not huge hikers, but expect to do light/med hiking at each Park.

Open to all suggestions. Thanks.
Plan the trip Dad.

Itinerary looks basically OK to me. The driving issue - you will be doing more driving than you could imagine to Yellowstone and within Grand Teton and Yellowstone. For example, a trip from Gardiner, MT (north entrance) to Jackson took us 4 hours last week without stops. Roads within Park are winding and you will hopefully be making stops along the way to see things - and if you are lucky get delayed in "animal jams".

There was far less to see in Grand Teton than Yellowstone, especially with kids. So a float trip out of Jackson might be a good idea.

Don't know if you have hotel plans in Jackson, but we just stayed at Teton Village/Jackson Hole Resort Lodging. A 2 bedroom/2 bath condo with full kitchen that would easily sleep 6 was about $250/night - not cheap, but we saved some money on some meals by having kitchen and saved our sanity by having the extra space, 2 TVs, and a moose outside the condo.

Hi again Plan,

I think you will find driving in your own car much less claustrophobic and much more enjoyable than a tour bus since you will be able to stop when and where you like.

However, I again have to say that you are going to be spending most of your time IN the car, rather than seeing the parks.

Honestly, I would cut this trip to half the number of destinations. If I were a teenager I would hate it. They will have a lot more fun if they get to actually spend some time in a place and do some activities (such as the float trip) rather than just passing through.

Good luck with the planning!

Thanks again Dayle. Cutting the destinations and mileage in half probably means either Yellowstone or Grand Canyon, but not both. Will have to reconsider with the family which half of the trip they prefer. Sounds like there is more to do in Yell, GT,JAC area.

What would you add there?
Fly in Billings, Beartooth Highway, Cody? 2 Extra nights Yell and GTNP.

What about southern half?
Arches, Canyonlands, Torrey, Capitol Reef, GC north rim?

Hey, thanks for your sound advice. I've read alot of your posts and you know what you are talking about. I appreciate it. Got to get this right.

P.

Decisions, decisions!

If you are going during peak summer months, this is what I would do:

Yellowstone 3 - 4 nights, perhaps 2 lodging locations?

Jackson/Tetons - 2 nights w/ whitewater trip down the Snake (tame enough, but more exciting than a float trip in the park)

drive to Park City (4.5 hours), but leave EARLY so you can do some fun things here like the Olympic Park and the Zip lines and Alpine slide (there is also one in Jackson at the Snow King Ski resort in town), check out Historic Main Street. Great restaurants, galleries, even a little museum.

Torrey - 1 night (3.5 hours), see some of Capital Reef and drive to Bryce via Hwy 12. Stop for the hike to Calf Creek falls, take a dip in the pool under the falls!

Bryce - 2 nights (assuming you get there late the night of the hwy 12 drive.

Zion - 2 nights

Return out of Vegas (2.5 hours max)

I would save the Moab/Canyonlands/Lake Powell/GC loop for another trip!

Since you are not big hikers, you will have enough time to see the sights, take some short walks/hikes in all the parks.

Hope this helps.

PS- one more thing the kids would enjoy is tubing town the Virgin River in Springdale, just outside Zion. The river is normally calm enough for this and it sure feels good on a hot afternoon.

Thanks, Dayle, that looks great and includes lot of the things we'd like to do. You probably are expecting this question so... here goes. Can I really get within 250 miles (Zion) of the Grand Canyon and not go to it? It seems so close at that point. Decisions, decisions.

Thanks for all your input. P.

It will still be there next time!

The difficult thing about travel to that part of the country is there is always something wonderful only a few hundred miles further - so you could actually travel forever trying to catch everything.

Since this is a family vacation, keep telling yourself the goal is to have a memorable and enjoyable time with your family - there are no rewards at the end of the trip for seeing the most places in the least time. Go for quality rather than quantity and with kids make sure you build in some down time to just do nothing.

You should have seen my itinerary for Disneyworld! Thanks again. I'm sure I'll post again with hotel and park questions. Regards. P.