This is my second post re: my sept vacation in the southwest. I'm arriving in Las Vegas on the 16th of Sept and have ten days to spend wandering the beautiful southwest. I'm hoping you can all tell me what is overated, better to just see from the car or worth skipping altogether. I generally like to find places a little of the beaten path which is why we are considering (?) skipping the Grand Canyon.

Also, what is the tent camping scene like in mid-sept? Which ground are really the places to be? Are the grounds quite full? Are there showers in the campgrounds? How long will it take me to get to Zion from Vegas?

We are planning to spend our early mornings driving from one place to another, setting up camp by noon and spending afternoons doing hike and activities. The way my agenda is shaping up goes like this...

Please feel free to suggest or re vamp this agenda.

Sept 16 - 1:30 pm - Arrive in Las Vegas
4:00 pm - Arrive at Mount Zion National Park and camp

Sept 17-18 - see Mount Zion National Park and camp
Sept 19 Travel to Bryce Canyon
Sept 20 Travel to Capitol Reef National Park
Sept 21 Travel to Mesa Verde (Colorado)
Sept 22 Monument Valley
Sept 23 ?????????
Sept 24 Pertrified Forest / Painted Desert
Sept 25 - 4:30 pm - Depart Las Vegas

yikes!

Thanks everybody!
B.

Skip Petrified Forest/Painted Desert. Do not skip the Grand Canyon if you've never been there. There is not a whole lot to see in the Petrified Forest/Painted Desert. Definitely a drive by. The Canyon should not be missed.

Absolutely agree with the above post!

If you are going to Capitol Reef from Bryce you might as well get in a visit to Arches in Moab before heading for Mesa VERde. It would involve a 30 mile detour. From Monument VAlley visit CAnyon de Chelly since it is on the way to the Petrified Forest. I would skip Petrified/ Painted Desert and head for the North RIm of Gr. Canyon before heading back to LV. I would do the trip as follows:
Day 1 - LV, Zion
DAy 2 -Zion
DAy 3 - Zion till noon, rest of day Bryce
Day 4 - BRyce
DAy 5 - Capitol Reef/ Moab (Arches)
Day 6 - Arches/ CAnyonlands
DAy 7 - Mesa VErde
Day 8 - Monument Valley (half day) Canyon de Chelly
Day 9 - CAnyon de Chelly/Petrified FOrest/ Painted DEsert
DAy 10 - Back to LV
OR
Day 8 - Monument Valley
Day 9 - North RIM, GR. CAnyon
Day 10 - Back to LV

You must really like to drive and spend all your time in the car if you want to cover all this ground in ten days! We spent a week (7 days) earlier this summer between Arches/Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Bryce and Zion. We went in the opposite direction from Colorado to Las Vegas. Skipped going to Mesa Verde because we did not want to spend the entire time in the car. Arches/Canyonlands can easily take three days of hiking and scenic drives. Driving from Arches to Bryce through Capitol Reef is a full day, including a short hike in Capitol Reef. Bryce for an evening and a morning (the lodge there is special) and then spend two to three days in Zion taking some hikes and enjoying the scenery.

Do that trip in reverse and after Arches/Canyonlands, drop down through Natural Bridges, Monument Valley and on to the Grand Canyon, and you're set for a 10 day trip, giving yourself time for some of the national park drives (rather than from point A to point B), some hikes and some time for lunches and dinners (out of the car).

Zion is about a 2 hour drive from LV.

If you are in a hurry and there is any bit that you could just appreciate from the car, I would suggest Capitol Reef. The scenic drive in the park is worth the trip, but if you are in a hurry, maybe skip doing a hike there.

I'm sure you will get tons of other opinions, but having just done the trip, I highly recommend getting out of the car and enjoying the scenery "live" rather than from behind the windows all the time.

Sept. 16: 160 miles from L.V. to Zion NP. If you want to guarentee you will have a place to stay that first night you can make reservations at the Watchman Campground. They have tent sites there. Very beautiful campground. We love it. No showers, but just outside in Springdale you can pay $2. per person at the private campground for showers.

Sept 17 & 18: Zion NP. You'll find plenty to do!

Sept. 19: 90 miles to Bryce Canyon NP. You want to get there early to get a site. No showers.

Sept. 20: 120 miles to Capitol Reef NP. I hope you plan on driving scenic hwy 12 through Escalante-Grandstaircase National Monument. This is the fastest route to Capitol Reef. We love the campground here.

Sept 21: 260 miles to Mesa Verde. The shortest route to Mesa Verde will take you over Hite Crossing of Lake Powell. If you go via Moab it's 50 miles longer. There are pay showers at Mesa Verde. I don't think you've planned enough time to see this park. You can't just drive through, you have to get out of your vehicle and do a little hiking to see the ruins. I would suggest the next morning plan on doing a short hike before leaving for Monument Valley or spend your extra night here.

***I don't want to talk you out of Mesa Verde because it is unique but if you like natures beauty then I would choose Arches and Canyonlands over Mesa Verde and if you want to see publeo ruins you can see them at Hovenweep or Canyon de Chelly both of which are really of the beaten path.

Sept 22: 150 miles to Monument Valley. The tribal park has showers at the campground.

Sept 23: 95 miles to Canyon de Chelly. there is a beautiful free campground in the park. No Showers. Take a day tour or just hike down to the White Ruins.

Sept 24: I like the Petrified forest and Painted Desert but there are so many other places near Moab that will just take your breath away. There is no camping at the Petrified Forest/Painted Desert National Park. This last spring we stayed at Cholla Lake County Park just off I-40 in Joseph City, AZ. It had showers but the campground wasn't much to write home about. This campground is about 170 miles from Canyon de Chelly.

Sept. 25: Joseph City to Las Vegas is 330 miles. On the way is Walnut Canyon National Monument but I don't know if you will have time for this if you have to be in Las Vegas by 4:30. I would suggest driving farther on Sept. 24th but I can think of a nice place to camp that isn't a private campground.

Your trip sounds very doable.

Utahtea

Just a note to add regarding Bryce campground. There are showers. They are in the General Store building near the Bryce Lodge. There are also public showers available at Ruby's campground if needed.

You're covering a lot of ground & you'll probably want to return to many places to spend more time!

Happy trails!

Dayle,

Thanks for pointing out about showers at Bryce. It's been a long time since we stayed there and I forgot!

Utahtea

Hi Utahtea,

Next time you come though Utah, we really should get together. Love to meet you & hubby!

If your plane arrives in Las Vegas at 1:30 and you have to either wait for luggage or rent a car (or both), you won't get to Zion until 5 or 6 o'clock. The drive is closer to three hours than two. Your trip sounds great, but I too think you should slow down a little and spend more time in a few places. I also think you should add the North Rim of the Grand Canyon to your itinerary.

It will still be hot in mid-September in most places you are going, but I imagine it will cool off enough at night for you to be comfortable sleeping in a tent.

I would recommend more than 1 day in Bryce. It is beautiful and if you plan to hike, etc, you will want more than just a drive by look. I would NOT miss the Grand Canyon. Although it may be crowded, many of those folks are just driving by. Spend a few days hiking into the canyon--it is incredible and has much to offer besides just looking over the rim.