Help us plan our trip! Zion NP

[alesis]

Hey guys-
We are planning on going to Zion NP from July 1-July 15 (incl travel time). We are looking for a full hookup CG with access to day trips from 1-2 hours away. Please recommend CGs and activities/day trips too.

We have kids aged 4,9 and 11 and enjoy anything outdoors, as well as typical touristy things. Any help is appreciated! We've used this forum for years to help plan trips and have always gotten tons of help. Thanks in advance!!

[4runnerguy]

2gypsies wrote:
I guess I don't understand getting a 'base camp' and traveling two hours to see something else and then two hours back again.

I'd recommend moving to different areas. Then you can explore all day without having to drive an additional two hours back to the campsite.

I'd heed this advice. Kid's hate having to "commute" three or four hours every day.

In Zion, I'd recommend Watchman CG in the park. Not FHU, but they do have electric for your A/C and a dump station (that's why put holding tanks in our RV's 🙂 ). Watchman CG is one of the best NPS CG's for kids, as it's right on the Virgin "River" (actually more of a stream in the summer) with big cottonwoods for shade. Kids go down to the stream, use rocks to dam and build little ponds, and stay cool in the heat. Best hike in the park on the hottest day would be up Zion Narrows. It can be 20 degrees cooler in the canyon than at Springdale. Take wading shoes, as you'll be walking up the river. For other hikes, plan to take the east side hikes in the morning and west side hikes in the afternoon as the canyon walls will give you shade.

The nice thing about Bryce is it is higher in elevation and quite a bit cooler. One can also make judicious use of the shuttle to drop into the canyon at one trailhead and emerge from another. Since most of the trails are on the east side of the plateau, they are in shade later in the afternoon and evening.

While Capitol Reef has lots of interesting trails, with your kids I'd suggest spending that time at Moab instead. I think the hikes in Arches NP are just so kid friendly. They spend their time looking for the next arch. At Devils Garden, take the trail all the way out to Double O arch and return via the primitive loop. Lots of easy scrambling up and down the red rocks. Plenty of shorter hikes, too, like those around Windows Section. If you have time, get a reservation to the guided hike into Fiery Furnace. Of course lots of people hike out to Delicate Arch for sunset, so you won't be alone, but it is spectacular. Bring some headlamps for the return hike.

Outside of Arches NP, another hike for a very hot day is up Negro Bill Canyon to Morning Glory Bridge. This is a narrow canyon that is in shade for much of the day, so it's cooler. Plus there's a little stream for wading in places (watch for poison ivy). Take a day and head up to Island in the Sky at Canyonlands NP. Some shorter hikes here like Aztec Butte, Mesa Arch, and Grandview Point. IMHO, I prefer the views from Island in the Sky to those at the Grand Canyon. Not quite as deep of canyon, but the immensity is startling. Of course rafting the Colorado River is a good way to cool off on a hot day. Moab is one of our favorite destinations and we usually spend three to four weeks there a year (of course it's just over three hours from our house, so our data is a little skewed!).

I think someone with kids could spend several days at both Zion and Moab hiking, etc. At Bryce, one can get the experience in one full day of hiking.

[Busskipper]

alesis wrote:

goducks10 wrote:
JMHO but after having 3 boys (now grown) and now 5 grandchildren all of which were those ages you mentioned. I would think they would be bored to death. Especially the 4 yr old. Why not go somewhere where the kids have something fun to do?
The 4 yr old and 7 yr old won't even remember the trip. But I bet they'd remember shaking Mickeys hands.

Lol. They see Mickey every year when we go to our time share. And they loooove hiking. I want don't have 30-50 years with them at home to visit all the states anyway!

Funny how we are all so different - we took our boys to Disney once - they never asked to go back - But to the beach - to swim, surf, play, bike, - every year - they still do it - along with Ski in the Winter and Hike in the Summer. I applaud you for exposing them to as much as you can. Because of Summer sports we did not get to travel as much in the RV as we had hoped but we did travel, now both still do. and now one lives in Colorado.

IMHO once you see Mickey ..... is enough ........ but that beauty you see when you are outdoors in the wilds of the country is Never Boring and once is never enough, no matter how far you drive or how short the say is.

My boys still talk about there trip to Zion and Bryce one winter just like it was yesterday. (Angels Landing in the sun and in Bryce and the Hoodoos for Sunset in the snow).

JMHO,

On Edit - ever think about trading the Disney Time Share for a Lake Powell Boat Time Share?

[alesis]

goducks10 wrote:
JMHO but after having 3 boys (now grown) and now 5 grandchildren all of which were those ages you mentioned. I would think they would be bored to death. Especially the 4 yr old. Why not go somewhere where the kids have something fun to do?
The 4 yr old and 7 yr old won't even remember the trip. But I bet they'd remember shaking Mickeys hands.

Lol. They see Mickey every year when we go to our time share. And they loooove hiking. I want don't have 30-50 years with them at home to visit all the states anyway!

[The_Texan]

Lauren wrote:
Two comments .......... Zion RiverRV. Ethics issues there and also very high price and many things limited. Would not recommend. If you have been to the South Rim you will be disappointed in the North Rim with its limited visibility. Fairly nice campground though.

Have been to both multiple times and we prefer the north rim every day of the week.

I was not going to weigh in on the issues with Zion River RV because of our property and friends here in Washington County, but you are correct. Notice I did NOT recommend it in my original post.

[Lauren]

Two comments .......... Zion RiverRV. Ethics issues there and also very high price and many things limited. Would not recommend. If you have been to the South Rim you will be disappointed in the North Rim with its limited visibility. Fairly nice campground though.

[goducks10]

JMHO but after having 3 boys (now grown) and now 5 grandchildren all of which were those ages you mentioned. I would think they would be bored to death. Especially the 4 yr old. Why not go somewhere where the kids have something fun to do?
The 4 yr old and 7 yr old won't even remember the trip. But I bet they'd remember shaking Mickeys hands.

[patperry2766]

Zion River RV Park & Resort

I saw this one yesterday in my search for my summer vacation

[ljr]

I spent two weeks at Sand Hollow SP near Hurricane a couple years ago. Nice, well kept park with FHU, great views from some sites and excellent water sports. I was there in August...HOT, HOT, HOT!

[alesis]

After reading all the posts, I have to say thank you to you all! You've never disappointed in helping us w trips!!

To address a few recurring comments:
We do plan on making the drive in 3 days - we do 20 hours straight through once a year to our Florida time share and have done many long trips so we'll be good there.
We've been to Mt Rushmore, Rocky Mountain NP and Grand Canyon, though we were at the South Rim, so we'll most likely visit North Rim this time too.
We are avid hikers, so that will be a large activity we pursue.
We're locked into these 2 weeks due to work. We've done Texas, New Mexico and Nevada in the same time frame, so we're familiar w planning around the heat. 🙂

Keep the suggestions coming! Thanks!

[alesis]

Thats exactly the kind of info we're looking for :). Thanks!

Golden_HVAC wrote:
Do you want suggestions like plan on stopping at Moab for a day or two to check out the tourist things there? You might want to take I-80 from your area west towards Moab, then take highway 128 into Moab, looking at the rocks along the way, they are very pretty, perhaps as good as Zion NP.

Arches NP is within a hour's drive and well worth it to see too. So I would spend 1-2 nights in that area. Then spend a few nights at Bryce, RUby's Inn has full hookups, hot tub if I recall right, and a pool. If you don't like moving the trailer around, then a day trip to Zion and Perhaps another day trip to the North Rim might work well with your plans, and then go back to Ruby's each night.

I prefer the North Rim of the Grand Canyon over the barren south rim. Much more trees, and you can see the canyon is just as deep from either side, but the North rim it is actually deeper, as you are at around 7,500' elevation, while the south rim is only 6,800'. So cooler too!

By breaking up the trip a bit, you will have a little more fun than driving straight through for 27 hours. I hope that is not your plan, but it might be?

You might consider Yellowstone on your way home, as well as Mt Rushmore?

Is that the sort of vacation planning you are looking for?

Bryce is actually a 'day trip' - even if you are driving from Ruby's Inn. Basically there is a paved road going through the center of the park, with small parking lots overlooking the viewpoints. The furthest south is Rainbow Point at around 9,000' elevation, while Ruby's Inn is only 7,800 according to Google.maps.com and click on Terrain to get the elevations of anyplace. You can also view it from overhead if you like. They fly a blimp over the country, and put together some great ground images of everything.

There is a Natural Bridge arch at one of the pull offs, that you can see from the parking area. You could take a self guided tour by foot into the canyon from a area close to Ruby's Inn. It will be summer time, and higher elevation, without to much air (thin are taxes even athletes until they get used to the thin air after a week or so).

Good luck with the planning stages. Planning this far ahead is a great help, as you can think of many things to see. And it gives you something to think about during the winter freeze too!

Have fun camping!

Fred.

[Busskipper]

alesis wrote:
Hey guys-
We are planning on going to Zion NP from July 1-July 15 (incl travel time). We are looking for a full hookup CG with access to day trips from 1-2 hours away. Please recommend CGs and activities/day trips too.

We have kids aged 4,9 and 11 and enjoy anything outdoors, as well as typical touristy things. Any help is appreciated! We've used this forum for years to help plan trips and have always gotten tons of help. Thanks in advance!!

Here is a great source of info for a family like yours - Options for cross country trips - take a look for additional info on great summer options.

Or look at From the left coast

When I read 4-9-11 I just go to cooler and Water, JMHO. (Flaming Gorge - and Dinosaur NM )

Utah is fine but as I look at your map I see a couple of states that would likely be as much fun and a lot more comfortable to visit that Utah (Don't get me wrong I LOVE Utah) Colorado and Wyoming are calling you. If you need a little heat just throw in the Badlands and Mt Rushmore - Black Hills.

Another comment are your Dates - the 1-17 would be Friday to Sunday - this gives you a little more time and allow you to get more done. (when we traveled and took time from work we always left after getting home from work on Friday and drove a long ways just on adrenaline, Then we continued on Saturday to drive another really long day, ( allowing us to get into a CG on Sunday while everyone was heading home after the weekend) By my estimate three big driving days would get you pretty close to the Rockies?)

Sorry, but this is getting into MY trip not your TRIP!

Take a look at the Mission and the Options, and let us know - Colorado IMHO will give you a more enjoyable list of options.

Get some input from the kids - look at others posts - and GOOD LUCK.

Sorry to start to hijack your post, just lots to think about.

BOL,

[tragusa3]

We were in that area 2 summers ago. Check the link below for my thoughts, if you're interested in the full story. In short, we spent 5 nights at "The Watchman" in Zion, in the middle of June. The heat was real, but with careful planning on what time of day you do which activities, it certainly didn't effect our trip. We wished for more time there, and would have had no problem filling 6-7 nights. But, we hiked daily. If you don't hike, 2-3 nights would be plenty.

Bryce is amazing, but worth only 2 nights. That gives enough time to have one night star gazing and one day hiking into the hoo-doos.

Arches, Capitol Reef and many, many others would be a shame to miss if in the area...but your time is short.

[Golden_HVAC]

Also check weather.com and then look at monthly temp forecasts. Check what June and July will be like. Can you change your month of travel, or is that a time your company closes for a couple of weeks? The earlier in the summer, the cooler it should be.

Fred.

[Golden_HVAC]

Do you want suggestions like plan on stopping at Moab for a day or two to check out the tourist things there? You might want to take I-80 from your area west towards Moab, then take highway 128 into Moab, looking at the rocks along the way, they are very pretty, perhaps as good as Zion NP.

Arches NP is within a hour's drive and well worth it to see too. So I would spend 1-2 nights in that area. Then spend a few nights at Bryce, RUby's Inn has full hookups, hot tub if I recall right, and a pool. If you don't like moving the trailer around, then a day trip to Zion and Perhaps another day trip to the North Rim might work well with your plans, and then go back to Ruby's each night.

I prefer the North Rim of the Grand Canyon over the barren south rim. Much more trees, and you can see the canyon is just as deep from either side, but the North rim it is actually deeper, as you are at around 7,500' elevation, while the south rim is only 6,800'. So cooler too!

By breaking up the trip a bit, you will have a little more fun than driving straight through for 27 hours. I hope that is not your plan, but it might be?

You might consider Yellowstone on your way home, as well as Mt Rushmore?

Is that the sort of vacation planning you are looking for?

Bryce is actually a 'day trip' - even if you are driving from Ruby's Inn. Basically there is a paved road going through the center of the park, with small parking lots overlooking the viewpoints. The furthest south is Rainbow Point at around 9,000' elevation, while Ruby's Inn is only 7,800 according to Google.maps.com and click on Terrain to get the elevations of anyplace. You can also view it from overhead if you like. They fly a blimp over the country, and put together some great ground images of everything.

There is a Natural Bridge arch at one of the pull offs, that you can see from the parking area. You could take a self guided tour by foot into the canyon from a area close to Ruby's Inn. It will be summer time, and higher elevation, without to much air (thin are taxes even athletes until they get used to the thin air after a week or so).

Good luck with the planning stages. Planning this far ahead is a great help, as you can think of many things to see. And it gives you something to think about during the winter freeze too!

Have fun camping!

Fred.

[profdant139]

Speaking as someone who took very long driving vacations with young children and who now regrets doing so, I would find a fun destination that did not require you to eat up so much of your limited time in driving. Zion is both far from Detroit and very hot. What about Glacier National Park -- is that any closer than Zion? Or Rocky Mountain National Park, which is at high elevation?

If you are set on going to Zion, I would not try to do Bryce as a day trip -- too much driving, once again.