Grand Canyon and Utah

I recommend not including Petrified Forest on the list. Really not that much to see and it is a long trip from GC and Utah. In Utah, Bryce, Arches, and Canyonlands are our favorites--we have been to each at least twice or more. Fishing in the desert is tough and the streams are isolated and maybe privately owned land on both sides.
At Bryce, the Ranger led Star parties with their telescopes are great. Have a great trip! And the other RVers have provided great advice.

Just did the exact same np tour. Are you hikers? If yes, then 2-3 days per park. More days obviously lets you hike more. GC down to river and back up takes two days itself. If like us you are not hikers, then you can do 2 days GC, 2 Zion, 1.5 Bryce,, 0.5 Arches, plus other stuff at Moab. There is not much at Capitol Reef. We skipped Canyonlands so no idea on that one. By that point we had seen enough canyons, lol.

I agree with a post above that if you go quality over quantity, then skip Moab and maybe spend time on a river or lake on the way home. I doubt if your kids are gonna care for Silverton or Durango unless you do some rafting, kayaking, jeeping.

Start at GCNP for a couple of nights. Then to Zion for a couple, then Bryce. Forget about Moab and Arches this trip. Not enough time and really hot in the summer. Instead, head straight to Durango. Do the NGRR. One or two FULL days at Mesa Verde. Make sure you get reservations for the guided cliff dwelling tours.

Petrified Forest is barely OK in my book. Consider getting to Flagstaff for Walnut Canyon, Wupaki, and Sunset Crater NM's. At 7700', not bad weather even in the summer.

With two weeks including travel time, you'll be beyond busy with this itenerary anyway.

MoRookie wrote:
We are starting to plan for next summer 2018 going to

Grand Canyon and Utah we are leaving from Missouri. We have two kids 16 and 13. Trying to figure out

where to go first thinking of starting at Grand Canyon then traveling to

Zion,
Bryce,
Canyonlands and
Arches. Trying to figure out

how many nights for each stop thinking of Trailer Village at Grand Canyon. We will have

two full weeks to travel. On our way home we might

also stop at Black Canyon of the Gunnison in Colorado and also at

Silverton and

Durango to do the train ride.. Any help would be much appreciated trying to figure out our

first stop either petrified forest or

Albuquerque New Mexico.

We like to
hike,
kayak,
fish, and also
horseback riding if you all have any tips.

OK let's look at this - 1,400 miles to the furthest point - time 14 days? - 17 days? - how many days of TRAVEL? - How many days of Camping? - 16 an 13 - boy - girl ? boy - boy ? Girl - Girl? Not that it really matters, but in my experience they do have very different likes/dislikes.

So time is critical - likely 6 days of just driving - not really fun.

Hiking - Fishing Boating/Water time - Horseback riding. not really a lot of this in Utah's desert - in the Summer = HOT.

Suggest you look for Water - Hike to it - Stay by it - fish in It - PLAY in IT - so that means we need to focus on IT. (JMHO) -WATER IS THE MISSION!

These are the places that come to Mind (1)- Buena Vista - Twin Lakes - Arkansas River - Collegiates (2) Ridgway State Park - Ouray - Silverton - Telluride - Montrose (3) Slip into Utah hit Moab/Arches/Canyonlands/Colorado River/RT 128 (4)then Back to Colorado for Glenwood Springs - more Colorado River - slip down towards Aspen/Maroon Bells - back to I-70 to Minturn RT 24 back to Leadville - Camp Hale - Turquoise Lake/Quincys and then back on the road home.

If you have your Sprinting Shoes on you will have a chance - need to eat well and be rested - lots to do everyday - not a lot of time to waste -

Two days at each stop - will allow you to see them, touch them, want to have more time with them, if my timing is wrong just add more time do more things at every stop - Next trip if this is a bust just try to Tackle Utah.

Any chance/ or am I just Crazy?

Look over THIS MAP - Zoom in - see the water - see the FUN - Just say I WILL. The Kids will love you - I know, I have two Boys, one lives there, Colorado and the other wishes he did.

JMHO,

I agree that is an ambitious itinerary for 2 weeks. I think I would try to break it into 2 - 2 week trips.

If you go to Durango and ride the Silverton Railway, try Soaring Treetop Adventures, a zipline place at about the halfway point on the train ride. It is the best zipline adventure I have ever been on. The additional plus is that you don't have to complete the whole train ride. You are dropped off for several hours of zip lining while the rest of the poor souls have to brave 4 more hours on the train. Don't get me wrong, the train ride is fun, just not 8 hours worth. When we got back on the train as it returned back to Durango, there were some haggard passengers with envious looks in their eyes.

We recently hit all the spots you mentioned but took four weeks doing it. I recommend trimming the list or it will be one hectic trip. Many say all you will want at the CG is a day or two. That's probably true for those that can only enjoy from the view at the visitors center. We had 5 nights and enjoyed every minute. Zion...again if all ya want to do is ride the bus and get a windshield tour a day is plenty. We needed 5 days to take in the hikes. Some of the other Utah parks can certainly be done in less time if need be. Except Moab you'll want for a few days there IMO.

That is a lot to do in 2 weeks. A couple of years ago we spent 6 days at Trailer Village and then headed to Moab, UT for 4 days to see Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park (Island in the Sky). We drove from Florida. We like to hike and found the 6 days in Trailer Village was great, and maybe could have used an extra day or two in Moab. Terrific trip though.