pam_g

Wow, am I glad to find this website! I have been planning this trip for June '04. My husband, myself and two children, ages 11 & 13. I think I am on the right track, but any other suggestions/info would be greatly appreciated.
Fly into Vegas and drive to Zion NP - reservations for a Western Cabin 2 nights booked. Activity-rent ATV's from ATV Wilderness Tours on day 2 (that should satisfy my 13 y.o. boy)
Drive to Bryce NP - reservation in Western Cabin 2 nights, booked.
Activity: 1/2 day mule ride (this should satisfy my 11 y.o. girl)
Drive to Lake Powell (spend two nights, don't know where) ...Activities: no clue yet Suggestions? Would like to rent a power boat but am not so sure this is a great idea but would like adventure and to see all that we can see while we are there.
Drive to North Rim for 2 nights. Western cabin already booked.
Acitivity: hike, we will be out of money by then
Drive to Vegas and go home

utahtea

Hi pam g

While in Zion your children might enjoy intertubing on the Virgin River. I think it was $15 for an hour ride. There is a business right outside the park entrance in Springdale that rents the intertubes and then picks you up at the end of the tubing route. You can't tube in the park any more because they banned it but you see much of the park as you tube.

I'm not familar with the ATV's but I doubt you will be doing that in the park.

Did you book a mule ride with the consession in the park or one outside the park? I've heard that the consessions outside don't actually ride into Bryce, just nearby.

For Lake Powell I use to recommend the Rainbow Bridge Boat tour. But I don't now because the lake is so low from several years of drought and you have a 3 mile round trip hike before you can see Rainbow Bridge. It that's something your would like to do then, I recommend that boat tour but it's not cheap.

If the lake is low then I don't recommend renting a boat either. The only way to get to the main part of the lake is thought the narrow Antelope Canyon and in a small ski boat you get banged up really bad...I know...we were there last year in my BIL's boat.

I would recommend taking a Antelope Canyon boat tour for a couple of hours and then do Antelope Slots Canyon which is just 5 miles outside of Page, AZ. You can get tours in town or go directly to the Slots Canyon and get a tour. This takes about 1 1/2 hours.

I left the best for last, I highly recommend doing the easy float trip on the Colorado River that leaves from Page, AZ. This was the highlight of our trip last summer. This is pretty cheap for what you get. You are loaded into buses in Page, AZ and driven down to the base of the Glen Canyon Dam where they put you in rafts and you float down the river for 14 miles. They stop once to see the petroglyphs. We took our lunch and ate on the rafts. Then when you reach Lee's Ferry you are loaded up again on the buses for the scenic ride back to Page.

Pictures taken on the Colorado Float Trip:

http://www.utahtea.lithium.com/vacation2003/float.htm

If you click to the link on the bottom of the next two pages you will see the petroglyphs and the Upper Slots Canyon tour.

Utahtea

donnae_b

Pam
I would definately ride innertubes down the virgin river in Zion. It is great fun!

pam_g

Thanks for the valuable info, Utahtea! I was hoping you'd reply. I looked at your website earlier today...great job. I didn't actually book the mule ride but the other info on this site sounds like people recommend riding Bryce instead of Zion that's why I thought of that activity at Bryce. I will look into this further. Also, do you think we could do both Rainbow Bridge and Antelope Canyon in two days? I am concerned that 3 miles to Rainbow Bridge is a bit long for my 11 year old to hike though. Would we be missing something spectacular is we didn't do Rainbow Bridge? We will do whatever you suggest and the float tour in Lake Powell, how's that for self confidence Should I book either one in advance? Thanks so much for the info!!

utahtea

The Rainbow Bridge boat tour is about 7 1/2 hours long and that makes for a long day. We like to ride up top in the sun for at least half the trip and all that sun & water can wear you out.

The float trip is just a half day and the last part is in a nice air conditioned bus and if you do the morning tour you get back to Page about 1:30. and that will give you enought time have a little rest before doing an afternoon Slots Canyon tour.

They recommend last year to make the Colorado River float tour about a week in advance.

We did the Rainbow Boat tour in May and only made the reservations the night before.

For the slots canyon you can just drive up any time during daylight and get in a tour.

Now that I think about it, I thought Bryce and Zion only had horse back riding...I'm not sure if they have mules. I've never done either because we like to hike. I do know that there is a 230 pound weight limit for the horses at Bryce.

Utahtea