I've read many of the trip reports and posts regarding hiking in Zion, Bryce, and Grand Canyon, but most are in Sept-Oct. Late June and July are the only months that will work for our holiday. Is the heat unbearable and impossible? Or, with a little planning and lots of water, doable? Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

I haven't done any serious hiking there in June or July but I have done it in late August. With that in mind ...

The answer to your question has a lot to do with the age of the hikers (are there young children or elderly people involved?), the condition they are in (do they exercise regularly?; are they obese?), how long you plan to hike (all day, back packing overnight, or just one or two hours) and how strenuous the hikes will be (elevation gain being the biggest issue.)

Not knowing the answers to any of those questions, I feel comfortable advising that if you use common sense by making sure that everyone is carrying plenty of water, wearing hats and generally light colors, and planning your hikes to avoid the hottest parts of the day or at least planning hikes in the shade during those parts, you will have a fabulous time. However, to the degree that the hikers are out of shape, over weight, not used to hiking, are particularly old or young, you really do need to try some short hikes first or at least approach them with the mentality that you don't need to complete a hike to enjoy. You can always turn around early and go back.

We (a family with two daughters, 11 and 14) hiked in Zion, Bryce, and North Rim of Grand Canyon in late June of this past summer, and it was just fine. (I should preface this by saying that though we like a nice hike of 1-3 hours, we are not incredibly serious hikers.) July undoubtedly would be a bit hotter and more crowded.

Due to their altitude, North Rim and Bryce were downright cool early and late in the day and perfectly pleasant even at midday. (To give you an idea, our first day we drove from Las Vegas, which was over 100 degrees around noon, to the North Rim, which, according to our rental car, was in the high 30s by the time we got there that night.) We took lots of water, sunscreen, and hats and dressed in layers and were fine--heatwise. What we weren't used to, at least at the beginning of the trip, was the altitude. In both those spots, your hikes start at the rim of the canyons and head down first. It's coming back out that's tough. Just be careful not to get too far in without realizing it. The rule of thumb we were told was to allow twice as much time coming up as going down, and we found that to be pretty true. (In Bryce we saw a man carrying his disabled wife on his back both down into the canyon and back out. We were truly humbled and stopped complaining about being tired.)

Zion is the opposite of the other two. At a lower elevation, it is hotter (though the lack of humidity helps), and you're starting at the bottom, so the back half is easier going. Early-day hikes were definitely the ticket here, except for the Narrows, which is a hike (more of a wade, actually) up the canyon in and out of the Virgin River. I highly recommend it as a refreshing and beautiful outing on a hot day.

Good luck. This is some of the most breathtaking country I've visited in a long time. You're in for a treat.

Thank you, this is exactly what I needed to know. We're active adults looking for day hikes, so from what you've told me, we should have an awesome trip. We'll keep in mind your thoughtful advice.

Here's a couple of URLs about hiking in the Canyon during the summer. The other parks won't be as bad, but the advice they give is still useful.

***IF*** you follow the advice given by those who have to (literally) carry out people who don't follow the advice, the discomfort you'll feel from the heat and sun will be less than the exhileration at what you experience.

If you DON'T follow the advice, it could be a hike you'll think about till -- excuse me, ON -- the day you die.

www.kaibab.org/gc/bc/heatkill.htm

www.nps.gov/grca/backcountry/smart.htm

When our boys were young and in school, we didn't have any choice but to go in July and August. Yes, it's hot but we managed just fine on day hikes. We have also been in Zion the last two summers in August and have done hikes in 100+ degree weather.

I have two suggestions. 1. Try to hike either early morning or late afternoon. In Zion you can relax in the Virgin River during the hottest part of the day. 2. Carry a misty-mate. This can be a life saver in the dry heat! Walmart and Costco have the best prices.

http://www.helmetharbor.com/estore/a...l+Cooler+16+oz

Utahtea