Southern Utah 10 Day Suggestions
Feb 3rd, 2003, 03:43 PM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Southern Utah 10 Day Suggestions
I've scoured this message board up and down and already know what the answer is going to be, but I might as well ask anyway.
The logical answer from what I've read seems to be, dont' rush it, take your time, don't try to see everything. We took that advice last year spending 12 days just in Yellowstone.
This year, we want to do Southern Utah (Zion/Bryce/Arches/Monument/Capital Reef/etc.)
If we fly into Vegas on a Wednesday and head right to Zion so we get an early start there Thursday, how much can we realistically expect to get in moving from there back East without feeling totally overwhelmed.
My wife and I typically don't do the more adventurous activities. No tubing, horse back riding, kayaking, etc. We do usually put on our hiking shoes and try to do a hike a day of a few miles to take us off the beaten path. At the same time, we want to be able to see the sites, but take time to enjoy them, not just snap off a photo and move to the next one.
Bryce and Zion are musts on our list. If we did 2 days each in them, are we going to be covered? That then leaves a day to do the route 12 drive out to the other side of the state. We'd still then have 5 days over there to work in Arches and Canyonlands and Monument Valley. Or are we pushing it?
I'm well prepared for the answer of that's way too much, but open to any and all suggestions on how to work this all in.
Thanks!
Jay
The logical answer from what I've read seems to be, dont' rush it, take your time, don't try to see everything. We took that advice last year spending 12 days just in Yellowstone.
This year, we want to do Southern Utah (Zion/Bryce/Arches/Monument/Capital Reef/etc.)
If we fly into Vegas on a Wednesday and head right to Zion so we get an early start there Thursday, how much can we realistically expect to get in moving from there back East without feeling totally overwhelmed.
My wife and I typically don't do the more adventurous activities. No tubing, horse back riding, kayaking, etc. We do usually put on our hiking shoes and try to do a hike a day of a few miles to take us off the beaten path. At the same time, we want to be able to see the sites, but take time to enjoy them, not just snap off a photo and move to the next one.
Bryce and Zion are musts on our list. If we did 2 days each in them, are we going to be covered? That then leaves a day to do the route 12 drive out to the other side of the state. We'd still then have 5 days over there to work in Arches and Canyonlands and Monument Valley. Or are we pushing it?
I'm well prepared for the answer of that's way too much, but open to any and all suggestions on how to work this all in.
Thanks!
Jay
Feb 4th, 2003, 07:28 AM
#2
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 849
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I don't know enough to give you specifics, but I think 10 days are fine since you aren't including the Grand Canyon. 3 days in Moab will give you a good feel for Arches, Canyonlands, and Dead Horse Point, leaving you another day or so for other places.
When are you going? That will affect how much time you want to spend in each park. For instance, if you'll be going in July, I'd say spend more time at Bryce and less at Arches.
When are you going? That will affect how much time you want to spend in each park. For instance, if you'll be going in July, I'd say spend more time at Bryce and less at Arches.
Feb 4th, 2003, 11:51 AM
#3
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,189
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Here are my suggestions for 10 days. To bad you couldn't squeeze 12 days into this trip!
Day 1 Las Vegas to Zion 160 miles.
Day 2 Zion Riverside Walk & Weeping Rock both very easy hikes. Ride the shuttle buses into the canyon.
Day 3 Zion to Byrce 87 miles
Drive thought the Zion Tunnel and explore the Checkerboard Mesa section of the part before heading to Bryce. Take in some of the over looks near the entrance.
Day 4 Bryce do the whole scenic drive. Maybe do a short hike.
Day 5 Bryce to Torrey 82 miles. Taking scenic Hwy 12. There are many beautiful vistas and over looks and take your time. There is a Petrified Forest State Park in Escalante but it’s a lot of hiking for just a little petrified wood.
Day 6 Torrey to Moab 175 miles. Explore Capitol Reef National Park. You might even want to take either the Grand Wash or Capitol Gorge hikes . These are very easy hikes into canyons. Not much elevation change. Make sure you check out the Petroglyphs just off the Highway. There are fruit orchards in the park. You can eat all you want while you are in the orchards and they sell the fruit VERY cheap. Depending on the time of the year will depend on what is ripe.
Day 7 Arches National Park. Do the scenic drive and a couple of the easy hikes like to Double Arch and Window Arch
Day 8 Canyonlands Island in the Sky district. Make sure you make it to the Green River Overlook and Grand Point. If you want a nice hike do the Grand Point hike. It’s easy.
If you find you have time you might try some scenic drives from Moab. The Potash Road west of town along the Colorado River. Hwy 128 east out of town also along the Colorado River. Both are very scenic roads.
Day 9 Moab to Page, AZ (Lake Powell) via Monument Valley & using Hwy 98 it’s shorter 273 miles
Depending on how early you get starts in the morning you might be able to do a tour of Monument Valley.
Day 10 Page, AZ to Las Vegas 281 miles back though Zion.
http://www.so-utah.com/
Have a great trip!
Utahtea
Day 1 Las Vegas to Zion 160 miles.
Day 2 Zion Riverside Walk & Weeping Rock both very easy hikes. Ride the shuttle buses into the canyon.
Day 3 Zion to Byrce 87 miles
Drive thought the Zion Tunnel and explore the Checkerboard Mesa section of the part before heading to Bryce. Take in some of the over looks near the entrance.
Day 4 Bryce do the whole scenic drive. Maybe do a short hike.
Day 5 Bryce to Torrey 82 miles. Taking scenic Hwy 12. There are many beautiful vistas and over looks and take your time. There is a Petrified Forest State Park in Escalante but it’s a lot of hiking for just a little petrified wood.
Day 6 Torrey to Moab 175 miles. Explore Capitol Reef National Park. You might even want to take either the Grand Wash or Capitol Gorge hikes . These are very easy hikes into canyons. Not much elevation change. Make sure you check out the Petroglyphs just off the Highway. There are fruit orchards in the park. You can eat all you want while you are in the orchards and they sell the fruit VERY cheap. Depending on the time of the year will depend on what is ripe.
Day 7 Arches National Park. Do the scenic drive and a couple of the easy hikes like to Double Arch and Window Arch
Day 8 Canyonlands Island in the Sky district. Make sure you make it to the Green River Overlook and Grand Point. If you want a nice hike do the Grand Point hike. It’s easy.
If you find you have time you might try some scenic drives from Moab. The Potash Road west of town along the Colorado River. Hwy 128 east out of town also along the Colorado River. Both are very scenic roads.
Day 9 Moab to Page, AZ (Lake Powell) via Monument Valley & using Hwy 98 it’s shorter 273 miles
Depending on how early you get starts in the morning you might be able to do a tour of Monument Valley.
Day 10 Page, AZ to Las Vegas 281 miles back though Zion.
http://www.so-utah.com/
Have a great trip!
Utahtea
Feb 4th, 2003, 01:39 PM
#5
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 536
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I agree 10 days should be sufficient since you are heading east and do not have to backtrack.
I agree consider Kodachrome and Coral Pink Sand Dunes (since they are "right there").
You may want to consider reserving a jeep tour of Capitol Reef or Canyonlands (I cannot remember which one it was that we did -- you can tell by the national park website). A regular car just won't get you into enough of the area.
I'm sure you will have a wonderful, memorable trip. ZION and BRYCE are my favourite national parks (so far).
Happy planning!
Sylvia
I agree consider Kodachrome and Coral Pink Sand Dunes (since they are "right there").
You may want to consider reserving a jeep tour of Capitol Reef or Canyonlands (I cannot remember which one it was that we did -- you can tell by the national park website). A regular car just won't get you into enough of the area.
I'm sure you will have a wonderful, memorable trip. ZION and BRYCE are my favourite national parks (so far).
Happy planning!
Sylvia
Feb 6th, 2003, 05:51 AM
#6
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My favorite is Arches followed closely by Zion then Bryce. Capitol Reef is beautiful too. May I recommend Utahtea's suggestions. We followed her timing/driving suggestions pretty closely last summer for the same trip (minus Monument Valley) but we only did a week and did it in the opposite direction, coming from Colorado to Las Vegas. 3 days for Arches/Canyonlands, one day driving through Capitol Reef (with a stop for a hike) to Bryce, overnight in Bryce (with a sunset drive and a sunrise hike) then on to Zion for a late-ish lunch. Two or three days in Zion then on to LV. Timing was just right... enough driving time, enough hiking time. It is a truly beautiful part of the world. You are lucky to go there! Enjoy
Apr 2nd, 2003, 07:54 AM
#7
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 426
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi,
I did a similar trip a few years ago, doing it in 11 days. Here was my itinerary:
Day 1: Fly to Salt Lake City, Drove to Capitol Reef. Short hikes, beautiful sunset at Sunset Point.
Day 2: Capitol Reef- Grand Wash hike, Hickman Bridge, Drove to Torrey/Bryce via Scenic Route 12
Day 3: Bryce - Queen's Garden/Navaho Loop Trail, Drove Scenic Drive in park. Drove to Springdale/Zion.
Day 4: Zion - Angel's Landing hike. Scenic drive, short hikes, Kolob Canyon - much less crowded than Zion. Drove to Jacob Lake, AZ
Day 5: North Rim of Grand Canyon hike. All day here. Drove to Page
Day 6: Page, AZ Powell Museum, Antelope Canyon (very cool!), Glen Canyon Dam & boat trip on Lake Powell. Drove to Mexican Hat, AZ
Day 7: Monument Valley, Gooseneck State Reserve, Natural Bridges National Monument. Lots of meandering today. Drove to Moab.
Day 8: 1 day rafting Cataract Canyon - worth the money - big rapids!
Day 9: Arches. Devil's Garden, lots of short hikes, Delicate Arch hike at sunset. Stay in Moab
Day 10: Arches & Canyonlands - Fiery Furnace hike w/ranger (very cool!), Dead Horse State Park, Islands in the Sky section of Canyonlands. Stay in Moab
Day 11: Drove back to SLC, fly home.
It seems crazy on paper and there was a ton of driving, but I have to say, it was one of my most memorable trips ever! Lots of stuff to do and see! If you want to see some of the pictures I took of the trip, go to this site:
http://www.worldisround.com/home/quimbymoy/index.html
Have fun,
Tina
I did a similar trip a few years ago, doing it in 11 days. Here was my itinerary:
Day 1: Fly to Salt Lake City, Drove to Capitol Reef. Short hikes, beautiful sunset at Sunset Point.
Day 2: Capitol Reef- Grand Wash hike, Hickman Bridge, Drove to Torrey/Bryce via Scenic Route 12
Day 3: Bryce - Queen's Garden/Navaho Loop Trail, Drove Scenic Drive in park. Drove to Springdale/Zion.
Day 4: Zion - Angel's Landing hike. Scenic drive, short hikes, Kolob Canyon - much less crowded than Zion. Drove to Jacob Lake, AZ
Day 5: North Rim of Grand Canyon hike. All day here. Drove to Page
Day 6: Page, AZ Powell Museum, Antelope Canyon (very cool!), Glen Canyon Dam & boat trip on Lake Powell. Drove to Mexican Hat, AZ
Day 7: Monument Valley, Gooseneck State Reserve, Natural Bridges National Monument. Lots of meandering today. Drove to Moab.
Day 8: 1 day rafting Cataract Canyon - worth the money - big rapids!
Day 9: Arches. Devil's Garden, lots of short hikes, Delicate Arch hike at sunset. Stay in Moab
Day 10: Arches & Canyonlands - Fiery Furnace hike w/ranger (very cool!), Dead Horse State Park, Islands in the Sky section of Canyonlands. Stay in Moab
Day 11: Drove back to SLC, fly home.
It seems crazy on paper and there was a ton of driving, but I have to say, it was one of my most memorable trips ever! Lots of stuff to do and see! If you want to see some of the pictures I took of the trip, go to this site:
http://www.worldisround.com/home/quimbymoy/index.html
Have fun,
Tina
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Gilawi02
United States
15
Jul 25th, 2010 06:18 PM
Sarah_and_Tim
United States
6
Apr 13th, 2003 04:05 PM
