Grand Canyon or Yellowstone for 2015?

matt7591 wrote:
Yellowstone.

Might I suggest that you try not to get caught up in things to do on the way there - as the destination is so awesome. If you get "enough" of YS then those places can be seen on the way back. Your 2 nights to get there sounds reasonable.

It's a life changer.

Grand Canyon - on the way back, you can take a bit of a detour through Utah on the way back, right into Zion/GC country. You can go to the NORTH rim. The North Rim of the GC is just as awesome as the South but less crowded. In fact, the drive is better. So you may be able to "have it all" in one trip.

On the North Rim vs. the South Rim, you will get:
* Far better drive in - including excellent forest scenery, lakes, pinyon jays, deer and the occasional cow in the road (no joke).
* Excellent views yet with the ability to see the key parts in as little as 4 hours but preferably a day.
* Cooler weather in the summer (higher altitude).
* More opportunity for wilderness access to the rim (with nobody around) if you happen to have a 4x4.

But the South Rim is worthy of a trip, too - I've now been there 6 times, I think. For some it's a one day trip - for me - it would be a lifetime of trips. Whatever floats your boat.