12 night trip: CA to UT & CO Natl. Parks
I am planning our summer roadtrip for June. Time is tight this year and I think I only have 12 nights. Might be able to squeeze in a few more nights if needed. Main goal is visiting the NP's in So...
Forum Discussion
One thing that people aren't pointing out: in Utah, in June, it's HOT. IMHO it's too hot to enjoy hiking (or doing anything else, for that matter)in Zion.
In general, if the kiddos don't like to hike (which is really too bad), the plan of action should be to be at elevation (cooler) and in a place where there are lots of short hikes and the camping is nice. So:
Zion: 100 degree days doth not a pleasant experience make.
Bryce: This is the ticket. Nice and cool at 8000 feet, not nearly as crowded as Zion, lots of great short hikes.
North Rim Grand Canyon: An utterly different experience from the South Rim, and at 8000 feet, coooool in the summer. I think it's much more beautiful than the South Rim.
Arches and Canyonlands: Much as I love the area, I can't recommend it in the summer (and June is definitely summer there). 100+ degree heat saps your energy and puts a major crimp in your enjoyment.
Rocky Mountain NP: Quite a bit off your itinerary. For my money, the Needles country north of Durango is every bit as beautiful. There are a LOT of cool things to see in southwest CO, including Durango, Silverton, Ouray, and the Black Canyon of the Gunnison.
SO...
Head for Bryce. Spend three+ days in the area. See Cedar Breaks if you have a chance. Also plan 2 days at the North Rim. This is Part One. Part Two: head east to Durango (a number of interesting routes exist). Spend some time in Durango. Ride the choo choo to Silverton (can't recommend this highly enough). Then drive the Million Dollar Highway north, exploring as you go. Eventually, work your way north to Grand Junction, and use I-70 to return. If you have extra time, camping up on Grand Mesa and/or visiting Colorado National Monument would be worthwhile.
This way, you're basically exploring two areas in depth rather than zipping from place to place. Also, you don't need to travel all the way to the Front Range to get that Colorado Rocky Mountain High. The western slope is just as beautiful, and it's 350 miles closer.
In general, if the kiddos don't like to hike (which is really too bad), the plan of action should be to be at elevation (cooler) and in a place where there are lots of short hikes and the camping is nice. So:
Zion: 100 degree days doth not a pleasant experience make.
Bryce: This is the ticket. Nice and cool at 8000 feet, not nearly as crowded as Zion, lots of great short hikes.
North Rim Grand Canyon: An utterly different experience from the South Rim, and at 8000 feet, coooool in the summer. I think it's much more beautiful than the South Rim.
Arches and Canyonlands: Much as I love the area, I can't recommend it in the summer (and June is definitely summer there). 100+ degree heat saps your energy and puts a major crimp in your enjoyment.
Rocky Mountain NP: Quite a bit off your itinerary. For my money, the Needles country north of Durango is every bit as beautiful. There are a LOT of cool things to see in southwest CO, including Durango, Silverton, Ouray, and the Black Canyon of the Gunnison.
SO...
Head for Bryce. Spend three+ days in the area. See Cedar Breaks if you have a chance. Also plan 2 days at the North Rim. This is Part One. Part Two: head east to Durango (a number of interesting routes exist). Spend some time in Durango. Ride the choo choo to Silverton (can't recommend this highly enough). Then drive the Million Dollar Highway north, exploring as you go. Eventually, work your way north to Grand Junction, and use I-70 to return. If you have extra time, camping up on Grand Mesa and/or visiting Colorado National Monument would be worthwhile.
This way, you're basically exploring two areas in depth rather than zipping from place to place. Also, you don't need to travel all the way to the Front Range to get that Colorado Rocky Mountain High. The western slope is just as beautiful, and it's 350 miles closer.
