Utah National Parks Help
 

Utahtea and other experts, we are just beginning to plan our August trip and asking for all suggestions. We will begin 3 or 4 days in Las Vegas taking day trips to Death Valley, Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam and Lake Mead. We will then go to Zion (1night) Bryce (1night) Capitol Reef (1night) Arches (1night) Canyonlands (1night) Page in order to take a Lake Powell boat tour(2nights?)Monument Valley and maybe Masa Verde (1night - 2nights)
How many days total with driving do you figure? We will do walks, not hike or climb. ANY and ALL suggestions appreciated regarding time needed, so that we can get our flights and try to get hotel reservations.
Thank you!

Made an error above, Grand Canyon cannot be a day trip. We will drive LV to GC and then leave GC for Zion.

3 days in LV is at least 1 too many IMO.
When you are ready to go to Hoover Dam, go see it and then check in to the Hacienda which is 2 miles from the dam and Lake Meade. Leave from there to go to the Grand Canyon (south rim).
There is a walkway on the big new high bridge over Hoover Dam (US 93). The free parking at Hoover Dam is on the Arizona side (second or third lot after crossing the dam).

Death Valley . . . In <B>August</B>. Not a great idea. (The other places on your itinerary will also be very very hot but probably not as <B><red>HOT!!!</B></red> as DV and Vegas).

You likely won't be doing any walks - or very few - anywhere. How does walking in 115F-120F/46C-50C sound?

I don't plan on walking in DV Just a bit of driving. The walks will be in Utah's National Parks.

They will be hot too . . .

Zion can get well over 100F in August.

If you plan your walks for early morning, it is really not that bad. We've done some pretty long hikes (8-12 miles) in Utah's parks in late August and have been just fine. Bring more water than you need and get an early start.

I would skip Las Vegas altogether and add those days to the parks. One short day in Death Valley is really not worth it, especially in August. And you can spend a few hours seeing the Hoover Dam on your way to the Grand Canyon. Give yourself a little more time to relax and see some other incredible sights/sites along the way instead of zipping along to the next national park. Add a night to Zion and a night in Moab (Arches/Canyonlands). Are you flying home from Las Vegas?

We have changed to June, it seems a little cooler according to Weatherbase. Thank you Janis.
sharondi, I just want to see a part of Death Valley, had only planned on driving a couple of hours and then off to Las Vegas for the night and the next day doing the Dam and Lake Mead....Wanted to do a boat tour on Lake Mead and a Hoover Dam tour, they have packages for around $100.00. Then GC before going to Zion. I would be glad to add a night to Zion and Moab, that's what I didn't know how to plan, the time needed for each park.
Yes we are flying home from Vegas.

GC South Rim to Zion is a full-day drive, back towards Hoover Dam and LV. 6-7 hrs. Instead of backtracking, maybe you can go from GC eastward around the Lake Powell way to Canyonlands, Moab/Arches, or even the North Rim, then Zion and back to LV.

When I googled distance this is what it showed:

Grand Canyon National Park
2 h 30 min
In current traffic: 2 h 30 min
Zion National Park, Springdale, UT 84767

The 2hr 30 mins is the time to the North rim, not the south rim. So if that is what you want to see you can.

Are you planning to camp or do you have lodging planned for your trip? If you plan to stay in the lodges in the parks, they will probably tell you they are full, some of the camping areas will be too. You should get any lodging that will let you cancel as soon as possible, and then call every day if you want to be in the parks.

We have gone from Vegas through Zion and Bryce to Moab for Arches and Canyonlands and then back via Monument Valley and the South rim. Our style is to spend a day or two in each area and move on and we've done several trips over the past 15 or so years, revisiting the areas of the parks we loved best and adding a new area or two on each trip. DH likes to drive and the scenery is fantastic in this area. Our trips have mostly been either in the spring or fall, so the crowds have not been as bad as they say they are in the summer. We typically spend 8 to 10 days on our trips. Others will tell you to pick one or two parks and see them thoroughly, that's not our style.

Death Valley is awesome, just make sure the car can take the heat and don't try to do any long hikes. Valley of Fire and Red Rock Canyon would also make nice (but hot) day trips from Vegas.

Have a fantastic trip.

>>Grand Canyon National Park
2 h 30 min
In current traffic: 2 h 30 min
Zion National Park, Springdale, UT 84767<<

GC National Park is massive - as emalloy says -- you probably checked mileage from the wrong bit. From Grand Canyon Village/the south rim to Zion is about a 5 hour drive.

Try googling GC South Rim Visitor Center to Zion. I was assuming you want to go to the main center of the GC where all the action is not just a western viewpoint.

Thank you all!
When Googling GC Village to Zion I do get 4hr 39mim Is there anything else I need to be careful about when I Google?

For Utah road conditions go to:

http://www.udot.utah.gov/

I know there is ongoing bridge construction on 89 in the Kanab area, and probably also in Arizona. I'm sure there are dot sites for Arizona and Nevada that it might be good to look at as they will tell where there is construction or road closures.

And while I have blogged about driving to Zion and Bryce, etc - check out Spirobulldog - as he writes some of the best info - plus has great pics.

And we all have different opinions about what we like.

I love spending time in Vegas - and could care less about ever driving through Death Valley again - but some people dig it.

To each their own.

Thanks emalloy and Tomsd

cd,
I would definitely recommend skipping Lake Mead. It really isn't pretty. Add that day to Moab.

Is there some way you can add time to your trip? 1 day in each place doesn't allow time for GETTING there, so it's almost not worth going.

I remember, several times, the husband driving while the wife points a video camera out the window recording all the sites.

Then when they return home, exhausted, their opinion of their vacation was probably
Ok, but tiring.

Agree with comments above, review your wants/needs and select the most important sites and concentrate on those, skipping others for another time.
I know Death Valley intimately, one day is not worth the trip. Did you know there are three hot (117 F) springs in DV for public bathing? Takes more than a day to get there from LV.

Vaga

Dayle, the reason I wanted to go to Lake Mead was to take a Tour that takes you to Hoover Dam, and the Lake letting you see the Dam from the water. You don't think that would be worth it?
Most of the parks we are going to I have figured driving time so I definitely think it's worth it. We will arrive at each park in the morning, have the afternoon, spend the night and off to the next one the following day. We have allowed 2nights at Monument Valley and 2 nights at Lake Powell. I could have allowed more nights but now I have already purchased air fare.

Vega, Death Valley is 2hrs 13min from Vegas. We had just planned on seeing a couple hours of it and heading on to Las Vegas...We are coming from San Diego

"1 day in each place doesn't allow time for GETTING there, so it's almost not worth going."

Totally agree. It is your trip, but I suggest you consolidate and forget about seeing everything on your wish list in one trip.

One night in Vegas was enough for us.

We did the full tour of Hoover Dam and thought it was worthwhile. Pretty interesting. The art deco design and artwork is spectacular if you like that sort of thing, which I do. Lake Mead isn't the attraction, the Dam is.

ok, why is 7 - 8 hrs not enough for each park if you are not taking hikes?

>>Vega, Death Valley is 2hrs 13min from Vegas<<

DV is massive. It may be 2:15 from the eastern entrance to Las Vegas but that doesn't take into consideration driving IN the park. It isn't a place one drives to, says "we're here" and leaves. To do even a cursory tour of DV takes an entire loooooong day.

And are you driving from San Diego to DV and on to Vegas the <i>same</i> day? Without traffic in SD -- to Death Valley, a basic loop drive through Badwater, up to Scotty's Castel and on to LV will take about 11 hours without ANY stops.

I just think you aren't being at all realistic.

If you are going to Grand Canyon first, why backtrack to Zion? Why not continue on and go to Monument Valley then north to Moab then Cap. Reef the Bryce and finish at Zion which leaves you close to Vegas for your departure. What you are planning is a classic tour called "The Grand Circle". Google that and you see lots of info. It can be done in either direction. Here's an example: http://www.grandcircle.org/

cd, "Drive by" vacations are not cup of tea. Whether you are hiking or not, spending time BEING there is why many people go to these parks.

BTW, one destination you have devoted two nights to, Monument Valley is one that SHOULD be a one nighter.

Janis, I'm trying very hard to be realistic. I Googled and found it is 5hrs 30min from San Diego to Death Valley and thought we could do that, spend an hour or so and then the 2 hour 13min drive to LV. We just wanted to see what DV looks like. I will rethink about going and perhaps drop it.

peterboy, I did it this way because we are ending the Grand Circle (like that name) with 2 days at Lake Powell before going back to LV.

Thanks for your help.

I would take one of the nights at Monument Valley and add it to any of the National Parks. Unless you are planning on two tours there isn't much more than a day's worth of stuff to do there. Get there before sunset, spend the night, and/or see sunrise do a tour and be on your way.

Thanks emalloy, that's what I am doing now. Here is what I have: 2nights Zion, 1 night Bryce, 2 nites Cap Reef, 2 nites Moab for Arches and Canyonlands, one night MV, 2 nites Lake Powell. What do you think?

>>I Googled and found it is 5hrs 30min from San Diego to Death Valley<<

That is TO the park . . . not anywhere IN the park. To someplace like say Badwater which is sort of in the south-middle of DV is at least a 6 hour drive from San Diego. From there to Vegas is nearly 3 hours (assuming you hit <i>any</i> traffic in LV).

And you will not have seen anything in 75% of DV. So even just spending a couple of hours driving around IN Death Valley you are talking about 11+ hours <u>car time</u>.

cd, your new plan looks better.
I would add a night to Bryce.
Have a great trip.

Then do the grand circle the opposite direction...Zion first then Bryce, Cap. Reef, Moab, Monument Valley, Lake Powell, Grand Canyon then back to Vegas. Doing Grand Canyon as an out and back from Vegas is just setting yourself up for a lot of unnecessary driving. It can easily be added to your circle. Also, I'd consider taking a night from Cap. Reef and adding it to Moab. You need to look at a map and plot this out.

Assume you will be on I-15 north. At I-15, MP 31.8 is an exit onto 395. At MP 45.9 is Kramer Junction. To the west is the town of Boron having a superb Mexican Restaurant. Of interest is the open pit Boron Mine. In front, they have a 100% replica of the famous 20-Mule team including one of the original wagons. They also give tours - ask in town
At MP 72.8, just past tiny town of Red Mountain, is a turn off onto Trona Road to the desolate mining town of Trona. (check map)
The road ends at 178 - turn right to Trona - about 10 miles..

From Trona drive north 22.5 miles where there is a junction to the interesting ghost town of Ballarat. Southeast is Goler Canyon where Charles Manson and his fallowing were captured at Baker Ranch (canyon requires 4-wheel drive). He was hiding under the kitchen sink!
https://images.search.yahoo.com/sear...charcoal+kilns


At 32.1 miles from Trona is a junction to Panamint Springs or a short cut to Death Valley. Turn right (assume road is good - ask in Trona) continue 9.8 miles through a scenic canyon to a junction. Turn right to see the famous Charcoal Kilns - about 7 miles on high clearance road.
https://images.search.yahoo.com/sear...charcoal+kilns

When finished, return to the this junction and continue west and north to Death Valley and do the normal tour route to L.V.

1) The best hike is to Keane Wonder Mine.
2) The best drive is Titus Canyon High Clearance Vehicle road
3) The best view of DV is from Aquereberry Point Road which is a side road when driving north from Kilns. High Clearance required.


Vaga

RVvagabond: All well an good but that is a minimum 10+ hour drive (before any stops).

cd, Your new plan sounds better. Do you have lodging yet, or are you planning on camping? In any case you will probably need reservations if you want to stay in the park.

I would check on reservations and as peter boy said you can do the loop in either direction so decide which way to do the loop depending on which reservations work best for you. If they tell you everything is full in the park, make a reservation you can cancel nearby then call the park every day as people do make reservations a year ahead and then cancel.

Do get a park pass at the first park you go to. If you are 62+ and a US citizen you can get a lifetime senior pass for $10, if not it is $80 for a year and both get everyone in your car into all the parks for free.

Vega, thank you for the info and link but we have dropped Death Valley from our itinerary. However, those stone huts look amazing!
emalloy, we have all our lodging except for MV and I will get that today. DH and I have worked 3 days on all this and have had a lot of fun doing so. We also dropped Grand Canyon because we have been there and added that day to Zion. So, our finished product is: 3days Zion, one day Bryce, 2 days Cap Reef, 2 days Moab, 1 day MV and 3 days Lake Powell along with 3 days LV which we will use for trips to Hoover Dam, maybe the Valley of Fire and DH playing Blackjack :-)We will be flying into San Diego and staying 3days and flying out of LV. We already have out car reserved so we are pretty much all set.
Any activities you all enjoyed in Zion I would love to hear about!
Thanks again.

looks like a good plan....Valley of Fire was really cool...better than I expected.

Personally, I might consider dropping one day at Capitol Reef and adding one to Moab.

I don't sit around and we spent almost 4 days in the Moab area.
Arches (Delicate Arch, Double Arch, Fiery Furnace ranger-led hike, more)
Canyonlands
Dead Horse Point
Rte 128 (Fisher Towers, etc)
Rte 279

There are also some worthy sight along the way:

Willis Creek slot canyon just east of Bryce Canyon and just south of Cannonville (visitors center there for instructions)

Devils Garden Escalante (not the one in Arches) (about 10 miles down the dirt road Hole-in-the-Rock Rd) A more grown up version of Goblin Valley below.

Lower Calf Creek Falls (about a 2 mile level hike to these beautiful waterfalls)

Goblin Valley State Park (many rock figures)

cd: Much MUCH better itinerary :)

I was actually worried about your DV plans . . .