Hello - we're a couple visiting Utah end of Sept with our son who's 3 yrs old. Have about 4 days of time to go visit national parks and another 2 or so near Salt Lake City. Any suggestions as to which national parks to visit and activities to do with a 3 yr old?

Arches National Park for a full day. See Double Arch, Windows, Turret Arch, Balanced Rock, and Landscape Arch. I don't think a 3 year old could make it all the way to Delicate Arch on his own(might could if he is a tough stubborn one), so you would probably have to carry him a bit on that one-but it is awesome. You would definately want to watch him for the last little bit on that trail as has a cliff. Bring plenty to drink and something to snack on. You can eat at Moab which is just outside the park.

DO NOT MISS Goblin Valley State Park, that is nearby, and Little Wildhorse Canyon(not to be confused with Wildhorse Canyon). Little Wildhorse is just a couple of miles from the Goblins and they can give you good directions at the visitor center. I can promise you a 3 year old will have a ball at the Goblins. You will need to take something to eat and drink as there is nothing there at all in the way of food. This is a place that you can turn him loose and let him crawl all over them, run around them, etc. Other than a scrape or a cut, there would be little chance of him hurting himself here. There are no cliffs or anything like that really. The two of these would take up a better part of a day. They are a little more than an hour from Moab/Arches.

Deadhorse Point is a nice scenic view(similar to the Grand Canyon). It is short drive from Moab and overlooks Canyonlands.

There is a short hill between Moab and Arches that often times you will see 15 or 20 kids climbing up and rolling/running/falling down the red sand. He would like that too.

If you happen to do Zion, I would say to go in The Narrows trail for a little ways. This is in water a foot deep(for the most part). He would love that too.

Capitol Reef is my least Favorite of the parks, but if you are driving thru there stop at the picnic area. It is a great picnic spot. There is a little store in the park that sells homemade pies from the huge orchards there. The name of the store is The Gifford House. They don't sell anything to eat really other than the homemade pies> The pies arrive ready at 8:00AM and when they run out they don't make anymore. So, you would probably want to be there by 11 to make sure you get them. We like them for breakfast as they are still warm at 8:00AM. Austin's Chuckwagon in Torrey is a good place to get sandwiches if you want to eat lunch in the park.


With 4 days stick with Arches/Canyonland/Moab/Goblin Valley/Capitol Reef

or Zion/Bryce

Don't try to do both ends- pick one or the other. You can't go wrong with either. I have visited all of them at least twice. I have been back to Utah the last 5 years straight now. My favorite thing is canyoneering with www.deserthighlights.com in Moab, but a 3 year old would be to young for that.

If I have to pick one thing for a three year old it would be Riverside Walk in Zion.

I was there last September and at the beginning of the walk many people were plaing in the water. You can't count on someone that age walking. The rest of the Riverside Walk is stroller friendly.

You can stop as often as you like and walk a few yards to the river and play in it.

Maybe somebody else who'se done some of the other easy hikes in Zion could give their opinion about how stroller friendly they are.

In Bryce Canyon the Rim is stroller friendly and probably Navajo Loop / Queens Garden. The problem with this hike is that it's in elevation and you may be carrying your son and pushing an empty stroller up.

I also think Goblin Valley would be fun. You can't just let your son climb all over the rocks but you can do it with him.

Unfortunately those two sites alone are 5 1/2 hours apart.

I don't know of any hikes in Arches that are stroller friendly. Maybe you could wander in the Windows Section where there are several arches in close proximity.

The Delicate Arch hike is not stroller friendly.

I would skip Canyonlands and Dead Horse Point.

I agree with spiro, that unless you don't mind a long drive in the middle you should concentrate on one side.

Tough call.

You could go to Landscape Arch in a Stroller, The best I remember its Wheelchair access all the way. I could be wrong? Now this isn't a sidewalk, but it was kindof a chipped rock path(i think).
Riverside walk that Myer mentions is the start of The Narrows-like I mentioned. You probably wouldn't want to go more than maybe 30 minutes past the start. And don't go at all if the water is up and moving fast. The first places that I mention in Arches are all only about 1/4 mile from the car. more of a walk than a hike. Some of them would be ok for strollers, some have a few steps.

If you are in good shape and stong, you might consider renting one of those Kid Backpacks or even buying one. I personally wouldn't do it. I hike a lot but I'm just not that hoss anymore. I see tons and tons of people with them. I see some of them trying to overdo it with them too. I just don't think it's right to make a kid to sit in one of those all day. I think a child would enjoy a couple of hours(maybe even doing it twice in one day), but when I see people on hikes that take me 7 or 8 hours, then it seems a bit much.

I agree that you don't want to do to many parks. I personally love Canyonlands and Capitol Reef and I'd urge you to go and experience them for yourselves.

I agree that you don't want to spread yourself to thin. I take it you are going to be coming from Salt Lake City. If that's the case then Arches, Canyonlands, Goblin Valley and Capitol Reef OR Zion, Bryce and Capitol Reef.

We started taking our boys to the National Parks as early as 7 months and grandson at 14 months. We had a kid back pack that our boys loved being in and going places. We encouraged them to walk too. Our oldest son did the Queen's Garden hike in Bryce at the ripe old age of 3 1/2 while Daddy carried his baby brother in the back pack. I had been ill that year so I couldn't carry him and he was on his own two legs! One woman said if he can do it, then she should be able to!

Besides hikes, there are great view points at all the National Parks in Utah that you can visit and enjoy without having to hike at all.

Stroller friendly hikes:

Zion: Riverside Walk, Pa'rus Trail & Lower Emerald Pools
Bryce: Rim walk between Sunset and Sunrise Points and maybe even beyond.

Easy hikes for kids (all of the above):

Zion: Weeping Rock
Capitol Reef: Petroglyphs & Pioneer Register
Arches: Windows, Double Arch, Balanced Rock, Park Avenue if you only do half starting from Courthouse Towers and possibly Landscape Arch.

Utahtea

We saw people with young kids on Weeping Rock Trail in Zion. A 3 1/2 year old could do that. I agree with spirobulldog that some of the Riverside Walk to the Narrows would be good. My youngest was 6, almost 7 when we hiked the Narrows. I would not have a 3 year old on that trail much beyond the beginning of the river. The going was rough when we were there, the water was cold and up to my shoulders a couple of hundred yards into the river portion of the hike. If you go to Zion and want to swim, the river is easy to access near Big Bend. It is also less crowded.

You would have to know your child to know if Bryce was right for them. It was beautiful but there wasn't an obivious place for the kids to run around. Even right outside the lodge there were signs saying to keep on the grass. Our boys couldn't find a place they could just play. There were some kids running around close to the rim; it made me nervous. I was glad mine weren't so little anymore. Navajo Loop can be hiked by people of different ages and the Rim Walk and Bristlecone Pine Loop would be fine.

Like Utahtea we started our kids at national parks young. We did the back packs. My sister camped in Canyonlands 7 months pregnant with a 2 1/2 year old. It can be done but it wasn't her favorite trip.

If Goblin Valley is like Devil's Garden he will love it.

Goblin Valley is much bigger in size, but the Goblins are smaller for the most part and there is no vegetation there at all. Just a little plants and trees at Devils Garden in Escalante. There is another Devils Garden in Arches national park, so don't get those confused. Both are amazing places.

Wow,thank you all for your responses. It will take me a while to read through this

Here is a link to my photos
Pictures are in order from the following-
Arches, Little Wild Horse Slot Canyon, Goblin Valley, Cap Reef Picnic, Calf Creek Falls, Escalante-Devils Garden and Bryce. These were taken Memorial Day Weekend this year.

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/w...0IatW7FqybsWHG

Check out the book Best Hikes with Kids in Utah. Excellent info. I have done trip reports on young kids in Arches, Moab, and Zion--check out under my user name. The backpacks only work if your child is used to them and likes them. Mine got very resistant once they walked so we had to focus on short hikes they could do. You can EASILY spend 2 days in Arches with a 3 yo. And Moab is a great place to stay--apartments/bungalows in town are affordable and easy to stay in with kitchens. Fisher Towers outside of town is fun for little ones and if you are into dinosaurs, there are some great sites north of Moab. When we drive from Moab to SLC, we stop at the dinosaur museum in Price to let the kids stretch their legs plus it is a great museum. You could also go from Moab, spend a long day at Goblin Valley and Little Wild Horse and then stay the night at Green River and drive to SLC the next day.

I agree with everyone else--do either Moab/Cap Reef (or just Moab as described above) or Zion/Bryce. If it were me, with little kids, I would take Moab hands down.

Thank you all for your suggestions. We had a great time in Utah. Checked out Bryce, Arches and Zion and will definitely go there again. You guys rock!

Oh come on-how bout some details?

What about some sort of report so that others can benefit from what you saw and did.