Trip out west Part2
I posted about this a few months ago about a trip I am starting to put together for summer 2016. We will be going east to west from Canada near Detroit to California and back. We have no choice but ...
Forum Discussion
agesilaus wrote:
Agreed on Bryce but the North Rim is actually better IMO. Scenery is just as good and the crowds and commercialization about one quarter what the South rim has.
All the places OP mentioned are scenic treasures. Bryce and the North Rim are cooler in summer months than NPs at lower elevations, so I agree they are worth including, and both have the short hikes you (OP) mentioned. The North Rim's classic lodge at Bright Angel Point has a sun terrace where you can sit, kick back and enjoy the view with a beer as you described. The lodge also has a restaurant with the same view.
Another lovely off-the-beaten track location away from crowds and commercialization is Utah's Cedar Breaks National Monument, which is a natural amphitheater with hoodoos like Bryce ( on a smaller scale.) It, and the North Rim, reminded me of the way National Parks were in the 1950s.
I enjoyed the scenery and got great photos at Monument Valley on a late afternoon Navajo tour jitney and stayed one night only, but agree it could be a briefer stop.
For Canyonlands, you might want to concentrate on the Island in the Sky section for short hikes close to Arches. (Needles section is great too if time permits.) Dead Horse Point State Park is nearby Arches also with a great overlook and good campground.
Book campsites early if you want to stay in the parks -August is very popular with European visitors, and you'll see many rental RVs in the campgrounds and at places like Monument Valley. You'll also find Asian and other tour groups traveling by bus.
