National parks in Californa and Arizona
 

Hello!
Me and my husband will visit Californa and Arizona in October and stay for 14 days and fly home the next. This is our preliminary traveling plan:
Day 1-2: Arrive by plane in San Francisco and see some of the town.
Day 3: Rent a car and drive to Mariposa (because it seems less expensive than staying inside the park?)
Day 4-6: See Yosemite NP, do some day hikes.
Day 7: Drive from Mariposa via Generals Highway and Sequoia NP to Three Rivers.
Day 8: One more day in Sequoia to have time to see the crystal cave and hike Moro rock.
Day 9: Drive from Three rivers to Lone pine (is this a good place to stay overnight och is there someplace better nearer Death Valley?
Day 10: Dirve from Lone Pine via Death valley, stop at some places and see parts of that park and arrive in Los Angeles in the evening.
Day 11: Drive from LA to Grand Canyon south rim. (This was the original plan, but see Q's below)
Dag 12-13: See the South rim. Dayhike partway into the canyon, bike along Hermit road, drive to Desert view.
Day 14: Drive to Phoenix.
Dag 15: Fly home in the morning.

Is this a possible plan? Do you believe it will be two much in to little time? To much driving/day?
I would like to see the Antelope canyon and Lake Powell also. Do you think it is possible to drive from LA early in the morning, to Page, and visit the Antelope Canyon, maybe hike to Horseshoe bend and stay for the night in Page and the drive to the GC South Rim the next morning? Will 1 1/2 day be enough in Grand Canyon to see the south rim without stress (and have time to hike some way down into the canyon)?

Thanks for your advise!

As you don't seem to be spending any time at all in Los Angeles, I see no reason to spend hours and hours on two consecutive days driving to and from the city. You could overnight in Las Vegas.

Are you talking about the beginning or end of October? The Tioga Pass may close because of snow towards the end of the month, but given our curent weather in California, it seems unlikely. Unfortunately!

"current"!

There are sequoia at Yosemite. Staying with your San Francisco-Phoenix itinerary, I would go San Francisco, Yosemite, Death Valley via Tioaga Pass, Las Vegas, Zion, Grand Canyon, Sedona, Phoenix.

HTtY

>>Day 3: Rent a car and drive to Mariposa (because it seems less expensive than staying inside the park?)<<

Not a good idea. If you can't stay IN Yosemite Valley (which is by far 'worth' the money), then book at the Yosemite View Lodge in El Portal. Driving from Mariposa will take nearly 90 minutes to Yosemite Village. El Portal is just outside the entrance gates and will save you about an hour each way.

>>Day 9: Drive from Three rivers to Lone pine (is this a good place to stay overnight och is there someplace better nearer Death Valley?<<

This is a very long drive - nearly 5 hours.

>>Day 10: Dirve from Lone Pine via Death valley, stop at some places and see parts of that park and arrive in Los Angeles in the evening.
Day 11: Drive from LA to Grand Canyon south rim. (This was the original plan, but see Q's below)<<

These two days will kill you. Literally HOURS in the car through desolate countryside and hellacious traffic. I see absolutely NO reason to go to LA. Staying in Vegas will make this segment of your trip much more doable - easy even.

>>There are sequoia at Yosemite. <<

The problem w/ that is the Mariposa Grove is closed mid-2015 through mid-2017. There are other/smaller stands but not that easily accessible.

Way too rushed IMO, only one day in San Francisco and none in LA, you need to drop a site or two, maybe start with SEKI and I agree with janis about trying to get lodging inside Yosemite.

Hotels near D.V.
I've camped here several times - exceptionally 'western' & homey

This is located west of DV border and the last motel before D.V.
http://www.panamintsprings.com/accommodations/lodging/

Vaga
PS. L.A. is a full week++ vacation. Agree with above, skip it this time.