polly229

Rather belatedly, I am planning a 2 week trip to northern Arizona and southern Utah to see some things my husband and I have had to omit on previous trips. Originally we planned a more extensive 3 week trip but had to postpone it. We have decided to cut the trip in two and do the southernmost part of UT and northernmost part of AZ in Sept., Canyonlands/Arches/Capital Reef/Escalante and things around Blandings at another time. As we approach our 7th decades, we’re less enthusiastic about some of the long drives and jam-packed days we’ve spent in the past and have discovered some of the serendipitous activities to be the most enjoyable things we’ve done. Also, since we have gotten interested in photography again after 30 years, everything takes longer.

We usually prefer to travel shoulder seasons since we don’t play well with too many thousands of others and the weather is often better, too. But Wetherill at Mesa Verde is only open Memorial Day through Labor Day, so we’re leaving earlier than we would like. Because our most economical (and almost only) non-stop flights to Las Vegas only operate Thurs.-Sun., we’re planning to leave on Thurs., Sept. 1 and go fairly directly to Mesa Verde in order to get there for the 5th (last open day for Wetherill ruins) and then be there on the 6th, after maybe a few people have gone home. It appears, to my surprise, that accommodations are available everywhere except the Grand Canyon North Rim and at Gouldings and we can stay at Jacob Lake and other motels in those areas. But I have some questions particularly about the last half of the trip, although I welcome suggestions about earlier parts. We can’t make a loop with no backtracking without using some not-so-great roads, so we will be covering a small part of the route twice. (Hence, we pass through Kayenta twice, and in order not to get to Mesa Verde in the middle of a holiday weekend, we’re splitting up our Kayenta area activities.) I have checked travel distance/time on AAA and decided where to spend the nights (but not always the specific hotels) through Day 10. The current itinerary I have roughed in is:

Day 1 – Thurs., Sept. 1 – fly into Vegas (arr. 9:36PM), drive to Henderson
Day 2 – Fri., Sept. 2 – get groceries, drive to Kayenta, ~ 6 hrs. (Kayenta)
Day 3 – Sat., Sept. 3 – Navajo National Monument (Kayenta)
Day 4 – Sun., Sept. 4 – Kayenta to Cortez via Hovenweep 2:00 & 1:45 (Cortez)
Day 5 – Mon,. Sept. 5 – Mesa Verde (Wetherill) (Far View Lodge)
Day 6 – Tues., Sept. 6 – Mesa Verde (Far View Lodge)
Day 7 – Wed., Sept. 7 – Mesa Verde to Chinle ~2:30 (Chinle)
Day 8 – Thurs., Sept 8 – Canyon de Chelly (Chinle)
Day 9 – Fri., Sept. 9 – to Kayenta 1:40 (Kayenta)
Day 10 – Sat., Sept. 10 – Monument Valley (Kayenta)
Day 11 – Sun., Sept. 11 – Page?
Day 12 – Mon., Sept 12 – Page? Jacob Lake?
Day 13 – Tues., Sept. 13 – Jacob Lake
Day 14 – Wed., Sept 14 – Grand Canyon
Day 15 – Thurs., Sept. 15 – to Kanab :46 ? St. George?
Day 16 – Fri., Sept. 16 – to Vegas show in Vegas
Day 17 – Sat., Sept. 17 – fly home 10:50PM (Mt. Charleston?)

Although we do want to spend a day at the North Rim, we are not sure whether we should go to Page before, allow more time after the Grand Canyon day on the way back to Vegas, or allow more time on the North Rim or at Mesa Verde or at Canyon de Chelly. We could even drive to Window Rock for the Navajo Nation Fair from Chinle, although that sounds maybe a bit much like a state fair. Since I’m up for a Cirque du Soleil fix, I’d like to get back to Las Vegas in time for a show Friday night. (Would actually like to do a 7PM show Sat. and feel confident that we could return a rental car and make our 10:50 red eye flight, but I don’t think that’s going to happen.)

I have found a lot of suggestions for tours, must-dos in Mesa Verde, Canyon de Chelly, etc., and hotel suggestions, but not so much about Vermillion Cliffs (along 89 or 89A), Antelope Canyon, Coral Pink Sand Dunes Park, etc. – and what is Pipe Spring Nat’l Monument? Also don’t have much idea about the weather extremes we might expect in early Sept. We’d appreciate any and all suggestions and comments.

spirobulldog

I would just spend the night at Far View on Day 4, you're going to be close if you get all the way to Cortez.

You could do Rainbow Bridge while in Page, but it would take 3/4 of a day or so.

I would think early Sept could still be warm or hot in places.

You could still probably end up staying at the Grand Canyon. Check everyday about cancellations. Especially the last couple of week before your trip and even during your trip. Just get a reservation somewhere else that you can cancel.

Just to make sure- you are aware that the Mesa Verde does involve ladders, steep cliffs, etc. We loved it. We did not see any of the wetherill area though. THe more houses/ruins you can see the better!! We stayed at Far View for two nights. I can't say the lodge was that great, just ok typical park lodging. However, the food at the lodge was very good. For us, Monument Valley is one of our least favorite places we have visited in UT. Certainly, it is awesome and worth seeing though. We have not been to Page and I highly want to hike THE WAVE in the vermillion cliffs area. Not really an easy hike to do and very hard to get permits to it.

Yuck on the red eye flight. I refuse to do them. I would be messed up for 3 or 4 days trying to recover from that.

Overall looks like a good plan to me.

polly229

Yes, considered skipping Cortez, but as of 2 days ago, it would have meant a room change or 3 nights in a room we'd like less at Far View. Of course, that's pretty stupid since a night in Cortez also involves a room change. Probably will do 3 Far View, just keep hoping that a room I want will appear for the 3 nights I want. Never expect much from park lodging but don't resent the price for the poor accommodations as much as some since I realize they have a short season most places and some of the money does trickle back to support the park. Yep, realize there's a bit of climbing involved at Mesa Verde. What we end up doing will depend on how much time I can force myself to spend on the elliptical trainer between now and then. (Find it's remarkable for leg strengthening, if nothing else, but it goes away fast and since I hate it, I avoid it until the brink of a trip which will greatly benefit from better legs.) Could also depend on heat, which I rather hate despite living in a hot climate.

Since posting I have found some threads on Antelope Canyon and a little on Rainbow Bridge. With time somewhat limited we're probably not willing to commit the time Rainbow Bridge takes. But I know full well that I'm not up for the Wave, especially in hot weather, or the hassle of getting permits even if I wanted to do the hike.

There actually are two Grand Canyon rooms in Sept. but one is too early and one is too late. I do plan to keep checking but will make reservations at Jacob Lake for insurance. Rather do a red eye than change planes. Have time to recover from trips now but also drug myself with half a Valium and sleep all the way, so it's not too bad. Frankly, I hate flying at all anymore, red eye or not.

tomfuller

I would drop Canyon de Chelly and head for Moab and Arches for at least a day. You can drive through Monument Valley in an afternoon.

InSandy

Well I like your plan especially at the first. I could take a whole day traveling from kayenta to Cortez if I were going through Hovenweep. If I am in the area I always drive into the Goosenecks. Doesn't take too long and it is such an amazing thing to see. You could also stop in Bluff for the fort and pueblo there, take a side trip up to Blanding to the Edge of the Cedars State Park. It might all be too much Anasazi, but I think Mesa Verde is better appreciated when you see what some of the other dwellings are like. You know there is the back road from Hovenweep through to Lowry Pueblo now part of the Canyons of the Ancients NM with museum and headquarters north of Cortez? http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/ahc.html If you take the time to see some of the outliers you might be driving into Cortez about dark, so a hotel there might make sense.

You have a question mark by Page, but I think that would be a great addition to your trip. And an all day tour to Rainbow Bridge or a half day raft trip down the Colorado would be a good use of your time. (though there is a bit of a hike to the Bridge now). Otherwise make sure you take a tour of Upper Antelope Canyon. Mid day is best for the light. It is a short canyon and level. If you are interested in the dam the Glen Canyon dam tour can be fascinating. Horseshoe Bend Overlook is a bit of a strenuous hike but not too long and a great view.

Between Page and Jacob's Lake you'll want to stop at the Navaho Bridges for a walk across. Also drive into Lee's Ferry to see the old ferry station and walk down to Lonely Dell where the ferry people lived. You might enjoy stopping for food at Marble Canyon Lodge / Cliff Dwellers, not too far from Lee's Ferry.

So on to after the Grand Canyon....going to skip Zion? Have you see Snow Canyon? West of St George. It is a gentle quieter park with some nice short trails and views. You might also enjoy Valley of Fire just north of Las Vegas.

polly229

Have been to Zion for a couple of days and one at Bryce; my husband had a convention in Vegas every April for 30 years and I often flew out at the end and we took a long weekend, or in the years around '05, a week or two; went to for Sedona, et al; Grand Canyon south rim and Death Valley multiple times, Yosemite & eastern Sierras, Mohave, etc, once. The original trip of 3+ wks. was to include Escalante, Rt. 12 from Bryce to Capital Reef/Torrey, on to Moab via Goblins, Arches, Canyonlands, Natural Bridges, Edge of Cedars, Mesa Verde, Hovenweep (briefly), Canyon de Chelly, Monument Valley, North Rim, more. A killer, and I was having to drop some things off, so I told my husband we should split it and do some next year so we can have time to fit in things we discover along the way. Might do the more northern stuff, Bryce to Torrey to Moab to Blanding, in May. Not sure I'd go to Zion again but would spend another day at Bryce on the way to the northern part of the original trip next year. When the weather is cooler. Honestly, the only reason I'm considering going so early is because of Wetherill closing at Mesa Verde the 5th. Am still vacillating about that, whether it's worth tolerating more heat. In the next couple of days I'll make up my mind and decide to bite the bullet or move the trip later into Sept., but need to do it soon so I can book a flight. Have been to Valley of Fire 3 times, twice in April but the last in August when we took a Dutch friend to GC, Sedona, etc. for a week after a Vegas conference. (Why would anyone have a conference in Vegas the end of July?, you might ask. I certainly did.) I believe Valley of Fire was about 900 degrees on that trip, giving new meaning to the "Fire" part, and I am now DONE with it. If we have a day to kill in Vegas, which it appears we will, we may go to Mt. Charleston, which we did one April but it started to snow hard, we had show tickets and I was afraid of getting stuck in snow, so we didn't stay long. Don't know Snow Canyon, will check it out. Glad you mentioned Navaho Bridges and Marble Canyon Lodge. Had read about those last year and forgotten. All the guide books are heavy on the big stuff and barely include or omit some small but nice short stops.

ansh

I would advice to see sunrise at Horseshoe bend near Page, AZ. Antelope canyons are beautiful, and it take around 1-1.5 hrs (lower canyons). So i guess, half-a-day in Page is sufficiant, if you're not up for Rainbow bridge.