Our friends have a trip planned to South Dakota to see Mt. Rushmore, The Badlands, Custer Nat'l Park, etc. We're joining them but have decided to drive from Los Angeles.

Using Mapquest the trip is 20 hours long and takes us up through Utah and across Wyoming. Using Viamichelin the trip is 25 hours and has us cut across Utah and Colorado into the edge of Wyoming.

We want to stop and see Zion and Bryce Canyon in Utah. We have never been to these parks. The trip is scheduled for Sept.

Questions:
Which driving route would you advise?
Our friends are staying 7 nights in SD.Is this too much time in that area? (Sept 11-18th)
Should we stay two nights in Bryce on the way there and two nights in Zion on the way back?
Where should we stay between Zion/Bryce and Rapid City SD?.

Thanks, appreciate the help

My advice would be to fly to Vegas the night before you were planning to leave L.A., and then drive from Vegas. You'll make time and save money. Next morning, 2.5 hours from Vegas you're at Zion and ready for a full day.

Don't forget, AAA says figure 55c-65c per mile is what it takes to travel by car these days, so just L.A. to Vegas round trip is costing you about $350 and two can fly for about $220, so the difference pays for a hotel night.

Even if you do the full road trip, consider car rental, something that gets better mileage than your own vehicle. If you're covered for insurance....AAA estimates that it can cost less than 40c per mile to rent a car with gas.....so on a long trip like that you're saving money and keeping thousands of miles off your odometer, wear-and-tear off your tires, etc.

Hi Joesorce,
thanks for your advice. I know lots of people like the fly/drive combo. We like road trips. My husband is big and tall and most cars are uncomfortable for him. My vehicle gets great gas mileage and is uber comfortable. We really don't like the flight to Vegas from LA or Burbank. Last time we flew out of LA to Vegas we were delayed and it took longer than if we drove.
We're planning on driving to Zion the first day.

So, back to Questions:
Which driving route would you advise? (how is driving through Wyoming compared to Colorado?)

Our friends are staying 7 nights in SD.Is this too much time in that area? (Sept 11-18th)

Should we stay two nights in Bryce on the way there and two nights in Zion on the way back?

Where should we stay between Zion/Bryce and Rapid City SD?.
Thanks!

Go to freetrip.com for mileage, route, and hotels along the way in your price range.

First do LA to Rapid City to see how they plan the trip. Then do LA to Zion NP and then Bryce NP to Rapid City. That will give you a better idea of your travel times.

Ronkala,
thank you, I've been doing that. I've checked the routes and times from place to place.

I'm asking for feedback from people who are familiar with driving in these areas. Particularly, what are the pros and cons of driving through Wyoming or Colorado at that time of year?

Do I need to be more specific in my questions?
Thanks

Presumably, you'll be driving home from S.D., so why not drive one route in one direction and the other route on the return? Or am I missing something?

We've driven from L.A. to SLC and Vail, and I think the route through Utah is so underrated. You'll enjoy most of the state using either route. The Viamichelin route takes you through beautiful Glenwood Canyon and the Rockies.

When we do long driving trips, we don't plan the overnight stops. Chain motels are fine for us, so we just drive until we decide to stop. Carry maps (or nav in your car) so you're aware of the distances between towns. Be aware that the Viamichelin route between Vail and Glenwood Springs would generally be a more expensive area to stop for the night.

Also bring lots of memory cards for your camera. The scenery is spectacular.

Thank you Jean. I was wondering about the weather in Colorado at that time. If we head back from SD on Sept. 17, that should still be fair weather? I imagine the leaves will be changing and it should be stunning? I thought Glenwood Springs might be a nice place for a stop.

September is the most beautiful month of the year in the midwest-we keep that secret to ourselves.

I think 7 days in Rapid City is loooong-a couple of nights in one of the other parks sounds good.

Glenwood Springs would be a good stop. Not too big a "city" but lots of cheaper lodging options. That's where we stop every year on our way to Vail.

I'm thinking the fall colors will be beautiful almost everywhere you're going. I'm jealous!

Thanks Susan, thanks Jean.

I decided to just stay 6 nights in SD. Our friends are going to stay 7. We're staying at the Coyote Blues Village B&B. It seems like a good location for touring the area.

Jean, makes me feel good you are jealous. I'm just throwing this trip together. It wasn't one I was excited about but it's getting there now. our friends had planned on going to the Black Hills/Mt. Rushmore area and my husband jumped on board. Zion, Bryce and Colorado foliage appeal to me.

Thanks for helping making this an exciting adventure. It's all appreciated.

Have fun! I think South Dakota is one of the underappreciated treasures(at least the Black Hills area). It's the Rockies without the crowds. And you can actually hike the Badlands, which is miserable in the summer.