Hello everyone,
I can't hank you all enough. Our trip was FABULOUS and it was beacuse of all of you. You have sent us to many places throughout Europe and the U.S. and we are very grateful.

We just got back a few nights ago.

Here goes:

We arrived in Vegas and spent 2 nights there at the Marriott Suites. We stayed with family, so it was free and easy. They had a pull-out couch. Not bad for a suite, 2 night and 2 couples in the suite.

Then, we drove to Capitol Reef. We didn't take 70 as Utahtea suggested, so that may be faster. Randy Austin, at Austin's Chuckwagon Motel suggested a more direct route (he said). It took us about 4 hours or so.

Randy Austin in terrific. His place is IMMACULATE, comfortable, bed is great and firm, rooms are spacious and great location right near the park. Tracy, the Manager and Randy AUstin, the woner are both great. His shop, general store, deli right in front of the motel is terrific. Fresh food, free fresh coffee and anything else you would need for the day out. They even have BEER! The town of Torrey is small, but the food at the Capitol Reef Inn and Cafe is SUPERB. You must order the grilled trout. It tasted like they just caught it. We ate, drank Utah beer and crashed after 2 days of hiking there. Cap. Reef is so peaceful, no one was there and it is so quiet. We hiked Hickman and many other suggestions...sunset, sunrise, etc. all fantastic. I can't remember all of the names now, but I tokk all of the notes you all wrote with me! Did I mention Chuck Wagon charges a meer $60 or so a night for 2 queens. Such a deal for such an IMMACULATE place! Ask Randy to tell you about his family trips to Autralia, New Zealand, Mexico, etc. for snorkeling. Great guy.

We spent one night in Torrey and 2 half days hiking. Very nice. Then, off to Bryce....We drove Scenic Byway 12 at all of your advice. AMAZING. Period! A must do!
We rented a cabin in the park. I thought it was a dump and so did my husband. Expensive for what you get...a musty, old linens and bedspread, stuffy, dark cabin. This is one piece of advice I could have gone without. The Bryce View Lodge right outside the park looked a lot nicer and was motel style, but I didn't see the rooms. The benefit of the cabin in th epark was that you are 30 SECONDS from the rim. This is a huge plus. Overall, I have to say, I have no idea how Xanterra won the contract for some of the accomodations in some of our national parks. There service and staff is the absolute worst I have ever seen. I have stayed in Ritz Carlton, Four Seasons, Mandarin Orientals, and Motel 6. Nothing from night to day is as bad as them.

The Bryce Lodge staff was rude, unfriendly and very unhelpful. We decided not to eat there and we cancelled our reservation to eat there since we felt they were so terrible. We opted for dinner right outside the park at Ruby's Inn. The restaurant was PACKED so we got a pizza at the fast food Ruby's place next door. Fine for what it was. Easy and quick. Bryce was stunning.

My husband preferred Bryce over Cap Reef and Zion. he bonded with it. It became part of him. He went dowm Queen's Garden and up Navajo (harder, so do the opposite of this). Sadly, I did none of the hikes excpet Inspiration, Sunset and Sunrise. It was cold, windy and snowing while we were there. Highs hit 50s. I have bad asthma so I couldn't do Queens or Navajo in the cold. I tried. Going down was easy, of course. Up- way too hard! It was tearing me apart sitting up on the rim while he went down. He loved it. Went to Wall street, saw Thor's right up close, etc. Amazing.
p.s. Skip the Anasazi Ruins on the way to Bryce. What a waste. Nothing to see there, especialy if you have been to Wuptaki, Canyon de Chelly, or Walnut Canyon. Don't bother.

Spent one night in the dumpy cabin at Bryce and then went off to Zion. We paid $137 for the cabin.

We drove to Zion. The drive from Bryce to Zion was utterly fantastic. I felt like I died and went to heaven as we were winding through Zion. Coming from the east was suggested by some of you and I can't thank you enough for this advice.

We arrived at the Desert Pearl Inn. We loved it!!!!! Ask for room 412. River view, amazing ceilings, incredible all around. The place is, in my opinion, one of the best hotels (I know it is more liek a motel with separate entrances) I have ever stayed in. I feel it rivals any 5 star anyday, honestly.

The town of Springdale is great. We ate at Flannigans and of course got the trout. The dessert was fantastic, too. We loved the Polygamy Porter. The name alone makes you want to buy a glass. What a crack up! There tag line is something like, "Why just have one?" Tee hee......too funny!

We also at at Bit and Spur. The food is practically gourmet there. This shocked us since it is like a saloon. We went there for a few beers one night. We stayed 3 nights at the Peral before heading back to Vegas to Mandalay Bay. I didn't want to leave.

Hikes in Zion - we did Observation Point, the Narrows (with dry suits rented from Narrows Adventures Oufitters - a little tip - we sialed through the Narrows while others in regular clothes REALLY struggled. Everyone kept asking, "where did you get that walking stick and suit, shoes, special socks...lots of jealous people). Worth the expense. Rent the stuff. The water is very rough right now. You must be in good shape and the drysuit keeps you warm. I always get cold. I was warm the whole 5 hours we were out there.
We also did Weeping Rock, Canyon Overlook, all of the Emerald Pools. This was a lot for 2 days, but we are still young (early 30s) and LOVED every second. We were told by insiders (those who live there and work in the park) that people come from all over the world just to do Angel's Landing and the Narrows. But,t he truth is, Observation Point is 10 times the views of Angel's Landing. 4 different locals told us this. we took them up on it. it was worth the effort. trust me. the views from the top....ahhhh. my husband has a fear of heights. he had a little trouble toward the last 10 minutes of Observ. Pt., but he was OK otherwise.

We spent 3 nts. at Pearl and then back to Vegas for 2 nights at Mand. Bay.

We made a mistake. There was a fight there that night. Roy Jones, Jr... The place was mobbed with people. You could not get a chair at the pool for 5 hours, until about 3pm and then it was still mobbed. Sunday it died down and Monday it realy emptied out. I have to say, MB is nice, but overall it wasn't worth it. The "Beach" is cool, yes, and you do feel like you are really at the ocean with the waves, current, etc. but, the service there is VERY fair. I think next time we go to Vegas, we will stay at the Bellagio. We are open to suggestions.

We worked out and spa'd at the new THE HOTEL at MB. It is there new place. Worth checking out. Very contemporary, sleek, non-theme-ish and no casino. The gym there is fantastic. We liked it a lot better than MB.

Well, I think I wrote enough. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Great report--particularly your comments on staying in Bryce! We were out there in the winter, and the cabins weren't open. Now I think I'm glad....

Thanks, for writing about your trip. It's helpful to hear what other people experience, especially when I'm about to experience the same thing.
I have two nights at that same cabin in Bryce and I'm now wondering if I should change it. This is the first time I really have heard such a poor report about it.
I will be in Zion too in July and will do the Narrows as well. Do you think that you need to rent the dry suits in July ?

Zacky,

Thanks for the trip report. We are going to Zion and Bryce the end of June. Have a cabin in both Parks. I think I'll stick with them just for the convenience of being "in the thick of things." And it's only for one night in each. Also, I'm not sure I could get anything else at this late date.

Thanks also for the tip about Observation Point vs Angel's Landing. I had been debating which to do.

Hi Zacky,

Thanks for the great report. I would love to hear the exact route you took to Capitol Reef area from Las Vegas, if you get a moment. We are planning trip shortly, though we were not planning on including Capitol Reef this trip, with our young daughter, primarily since I thought it was a longer drive, but....4 or so hours isn't so bad. I would love to see this area too.

zacky: I was suppsoed to be in Zion and Bryce for the first time last weekend, but the trip was cancelled (for the 2nd time). Now I feel like I was there, reading your post. You probably had my room at Desert Pearl! I will go in Oct. late Sept/early Oct. when it isn't snowing hopefully at Bryce. and when colors are primo at Zion. Thanks for the hike info- I m printing it out and putting it in my floder right now.

Good morning, Thanks for writing, everyone. Answers to questions- OK -

Vegas to Cap Reef - I 15 to Route 20 N - 20 N to 89N; 89N to 62 N; 24 E is a half mile from Torrey; go thru towns of Lowa and Becknell; next town in Torrey; hotel is on Main St. on left; you can't miss it.

Next Question -
I don't think that the cabin in Bryce is horrible, I just thought overall, it was a ripoff. It is dumpy, but it is clean, decent and fine to stay in for a night or 2, honestly. I would say that I might even consider staying there agin, just like you said - you are RIGHT there 30 seconds from the rim. You can't beat it. And, to be honest, it was so damn cold there, the gas fireplace that goes on and off with a flip of a switch is great when you are cold!
Trisha, keep your cabin. It is not that bad. My perspective is the overall trip. Austin's CHuck Wagon (which we had just come from the night before) was practically free and so very clean, nice, comfortable and the people so kind - that it was hard to compare. Let's face it. You are in Bryce. Life ain't that bad!

Bayareamama - I think the drive to Cap Reef is worth it. But, you may not want to add that on wiht your daughter. We will have kids soon, I hope. And, I can't imagine how hard it is going to be to travel with them. On the other hand, I saw people trecking to the top of Observation Point in Zion wiht a 3 year old on their back! These people inspired me! Life doesn't end, but goes on and gets better wiht kids! I loved seeing that - but my husband can carry the kid.

One last thing I wanted to say about Vegas.

Someone on this post told me to eat at Il Fornaio at NYNY. We ate there and LOVED the place. Excellent food, value and nice atmosphere. I have to admit, the NYNY crowd was really cheesey (it was a Sat. night so it takes all types in Vegas)

Good morning, Thanks for writing, everyone. Answers to questions- OK -

Vegas to Cap Reef - I 15 to Route 20 N - 20 N to 89N; 89N to 62 N; 24 E is a half mile from Torrey; go thru towns of Lowa and Becknell; next town in Torrey; hotel is on Main St. on left; you can't miss it.

Next Question -
I don't think that the cabin in Bryce is horrible, I just thought overall, it was a ripoff. It is dumpy, but it is clean, decent and fine to stay in for a night or 2, honestly. I would say that I might even consider staying there agin, just like you said - you are RIGHT there 30 seconds from the rim. You can't beat it. And, to be honest, it was so damn cold there, the gas fireplace that goes on and off with a flip of a switch is great when you are cold!
Trisha, keep your cabin. It is not that bad. My perspective is the overall trip. Austin's CHuck Wagon (which we had just come from the night before) was practically free and so very clean, nice, comfortable and the people so kind - that it was hard to compare. Let's face it. You are in Bryce. Life ain't that bad!

Bayareamama - I think the drive to Cap Reef is worth it. But, you may not want to add that on wiht your daughter. We will have kids soon, I hope. And, I can't imagine how hard it is going to be to travel with them. On the other hand, I saw people trecking to the top of Observation Point in Zion wiht a 3 year old on their back! These people inspired me! Life doesn't end, but goes on and gets better wiht kids! I loved seeing that - but my husband can carry the kid.

One last thing I wanted to say about Vegas.

Someone on this post told me to eat at Il Fornaio at NYNY. We ate there and LOVED the place. Excellent food, value and nice atmosphere. I have to admit, the NYNY crowd was really cheesey (it was a Sat. night so it takes all types in Vegas)
but if you can bypass the crowd and make your way intot eh resturant, you won't be sorry. Make a reservation. The line was LONG. We walked right in.

And, we ate at Red Square at Mandalay Bay and also at Rum Jungle. Both are not worth the price. Expensive for quality and service. Service was much better at RumJungle. however. RJ has a GREAT show of dancers hanging from the ceiling, whirling around and it is great. Not for the conservative types. The women are HOT. Period. They are barely clothed. The place then turns into a club late night with a DJ. It is really fun and my husband and I danced a lot. We love to. Try to get there before 10pm to avoid the cover. I think it is 20 bucks, but since we ate there, we didn't pay. Even guests of MB need to pay.

One more thing about my beloved Desert Pearl...the whirlpool and pool following a day of hiking is superb. We sat, drank beers and vegged there for a few hours each night before going to dinner.

Once again, I can't thank all of you enough. I hope those that gave me advice read this and know how much I appreciate them. If not, as Woody Hayes said, the least I can do is "pay forward". If I can be of any more help, let me know. Good luck, safe travels, have a a fabulous, diverse and wonderful vacation.

p.s. When I stepped out of the shower this morning, the first thing I said to my husband was, "Oh, I wish we were still at the Desert Pearl" Please - don't miss it.
Bon Voyage!

opps - alomst fogot. nope - you won;t need a drysuit in the narrows in july. the weather is warm. i would suggest that you rent the neoprene sock/booties and the shoes for the outfitter though. MUCH MUCH easier to walk in then anything else. and, if they have something to cover your chins, that would be good too. you will LOVE the NARROWS. it was co cool to have the diversity of the observation point hike one day(that entire hike is so different in so many ways throughout) and then the next day the narrows. we did the bottom up hike, not top down.

don't miss emerald pools (all 3), weeping rock - so worth the 10 minutes to do! - and canyon overlook at sunset.

Zacky,

Very nice report... I'm leaving in four days for some of the same destinations. I have a cabin booked at Bryce for one night, too. Can you tell me a little more about it? Is there any kind of heat in there besides the fireplaces? Are towels and washcloths provided? This may be crazy... but is there electricity?

I hope it's warmer than 50 degrees a week from now... but I still can't wait to see the place.

I'm also booked for two nights at the Desert Pearl... have heard so many nice things about the place on here. Did you take the shuttle into Zion park directly from the D.P.? How late in the evening are shops in Springdale generally open? I was hoping to visit some of the art galleries there one evening but time may not allow for that. What did you do for lunch when hiking the trails at Zion... did you pack a picnic along with you or did you exit the park and then go back in?

Thanks again for sharing your trip report.

Hey zacky, great report! So glad you had a good time.

I totally agree with you regarding the bryce cabins. However, the newer motel style rooms are much better but difficult to get. This is just another reason why we sometimes prefer staying at Ruby's, in all its commercialism glory.

And we absoltely adored the Desert Pearl too and didn't want to leave. What a treasure! Wish i could go back there right now myself...

Idnas71, we loved the Bryce cabins. We thought they just right for the location. Yes, they have electricity, towels, indoor plumbing, bedspreads, etc. They are rustic (cabins after all) and just a few steps from the rim, convenient to sunset and sunrise viewing, which I highly recommend. You might want to pack a flashlight if you're going to be out after sunset.

As for the Desert Pearl, as others have said, it is a jewel.

You're headed to a gorgeous area. Have a great time.

Hi Idnas -
The Bryce Cabin is just like a standard hotel room, but the "look" is more rustis. They have everything you need. There is no coffeemaker, which is an issue in my world, but a few steps away is the lodge and they have it for free in the lobby beginning at 6am. They have heat. I think it will be warmer for you, I hope. You will be fine in the cabin. You may even like it. It isn't bad, really. I am just a snob!

Zion - the shuttle systemis INCREDIBLE! It is so easy, efficient, etc. Yes, we would take the shuttle from the Pearl. The only day we didn't do that is when we went to the outfitter to rent the gear. We drove to it (just down the road) and filled up our car with any gear we thought they might tell us we would need. this way, it was in the car and not back at the room. from the outfitter, we then took the shuttle to the park.

for lunch each day, since we hiked all day long, i made PBJs in the room. bought bread at the market. we packed string cheese, PBJ, fruit *apples get heavy) 3-4 water bottels for each of us, tuna to go packs, trail mix, etc. whatever you like. we just didn't want to be hungry. dinners are our treat when we go on vacation. lunch and breakfast is no big deal to us really. to be honest, we ate so much PBJ while hiking and driving we joked about it when we got home. they had some really nice whole wheat breads and PB and J's at soul foods right near the shuttle at the entrance to the park (near the theater). there is another market in town near the noodle shop. we ate there for pizza one night, too. pizza and noodle.... good pizza. not great. but, nice when you want pizza and a utah beer.

Galleries -
I expected mre from them and I think we were dissapointed. I thought Fatali's stuff looked ery contrived and unnatural. But art is art and to each their own. You will be happier with your own pictures, quite frankly. The galleries were open til about 9-10pm, I think. Just walking up and down town is cool. The Pearl is central. You can walk to Flannigans, Pizza, grocery, etc. So easy! And, again, the shuttle system is fantasic. Fast, efficient and great narration from the drivers. Compared to Bryce and Cap Reef, we felt like we were in Disney World. Zion is much more organized, traveled and touristy. I don't mena that as a negative, it just is what it is.

Cap Reef - it is like you have the whole park to yourself.

Great report, thanks for sharing!

For those that are concerned, I would second sluggo on the cabins at Bryce. I am an outdoors type of guy so that may have some effect on my opinion. There is no TV, radio or Air Conditioning. None of which are needed even in late July.

Oh and there is the outhouse to deal with but you can manage.....;-)

ok folks - now it is my turn....husband wants to go to San Fran next. He has enevr been, I have been dozens of times and we will most likely go in fall or winter. he isn't into wine unless he is in italy, otherwise, he is a beer guy. we will stay with friends while there. i am going to post on the ca section of this site, but for now, friends, thought i'd ask you guys -
should we do san fran for 3 nights, yosemite for 2 and then highway 1 or monterrey/carmel for 3? planning to do about 8 nights.... thanks.

Springdale sounds like a fun little town. I was planning to explore it after arriving at the Desert Pearl. Glad to hear shops are open late. I'm glad to hear the shuttle system is convenient... can you use it to get around the town of Springdale as well?

Spending just two nights at the D.P. and will be devoting one entire day to hiking trails in Zion. I was planning to take bottled water, beef jerky, mixed nuts, things like that in my backpack for a lunch. But I also don't want to load myself down with lots of "stuff" to carry around.

I booked the Bryce cabin only because I thought it would be nice to be so close to the rim for sunrise views.

I have dinner reservations at the Bryce Lodge... is Ruby's the only other option for dinner in the area?

I love San Francisco... first vacation I ever took was there.

On my second visit there took a one-day tour with Greyline Tours to Yosemite. It was a train/bus thing, actually only got to spend about 2 1/2 hours in Yosemite itself, and I was so glad I did it. So if you're thinking of including Yosemite for a whole 2 nights, I think that's a great idea.

Idnas

Springdale can be explored with your Nike's. The main part of town is 3 blocks at most. This suprised me when I was there, my expectations were much bigger.

Now I imagine there are some "outter edge" type places that I did not notice but there is no need for transportation in the majority of this town.

Full day hiking: Expend most of your carrying weight on water. Anybody who is semi-serious about hiking in this area carries a camelback. I have a 2-liter one but if I had to do it again would have bought the 4. I carried more than 2 liters for 3-4 hours of hiking in July. We did carry energy bars (I am especially fond of Cliff bars) and had something like a sandwich before we set out on multi-hour hikes.

At Zion it is not unusual to get on the shuttle from one trailhead to another. There is a shop at the Lodge that can resupply you with sandwiches, snacks, drinks, etc. if needed. This kind of side trip can be done in less than 15 minutes.

Zacky,

Thank you so much for taking the time to post the route you took to Capitol Reef. I really enjoyed your enthusiasm. I'm getting so excited for our trip in less than a month.

I guess the young daughter term is relative. Our daughter is 7 now (still seems like my baby though) and a trooper. We really enjoy our family trips together, though they do require a bit more planning. The weekend trips here and there as a couple are great though too. Any chance to travel is great!

I am still so tempted to add this on to the trip, going to have to discuss with husband a little more...thanks again.

In regards to your itinerary for SF/Monterey/Yosemite, it looks like you have a great plan on how to split up your time here. Enjoy!

Placeu2,

I have heard about those camelback water things. I like to ride a bicycle on the Katy trail here in lovely Jefferson City but the little water bottle carrier on my bike doesn't begin to hold enough to satisfy me for longer rides.

Can you put ice in the camelback?