Zion 7 days????

[starcraft69]

We will be visiting Zion NP the first week in may. We will be staying 7 days. We are planning a day trip to Brice NP. What are some other good sites to see in the area within 2 hrs of Springdale? Is 7 days about right to stay put in the RV park at Springdale and Zion and work out from there to sight see? How many days to really see Zion with some hiking?

[jalichty]

You might also consider Kodachrome(sp) State Park. Has a bunch of outstanding monuments and isn't that far from Zion. When we stayed at Zion a few years ago, we took one day to Bryce and one to Kodachrome as well as a short trip to St. George.

[creeper]

Lauren wrote:

Unless you are into serious hiking the best part of Zion is the drive down from the tunnel on Hwy 9. Otherwise it is pretty much a Park bus ride getting a sore neck looking up and the canyon walls.

.

We are not serious hikers and there are many other trails you can walk through. The Stream hike is the best for "non serious hikers"

You could always take the trail below Watchman tower it's a flat trail. There is of course the most photographed spot in Zion on that trail

[creeper]

tragusa3 wrote:
One of our regrets is NOT taking the horse-ride in Bryce. That would have been the coolest place to be on horseback!

One of the best things we've ever done. Tip, go for the long horse ride. The short one turns around half way and all the best stuff is on the 2nd half.

[lbrjet]

Both parks are great for hiking, but for shear beauty I would pick Bryce any day. The Red Canyon is a beauty as well.

[Lauren]

We have been to Zion and will take a day trip over there from Kanab this summer.

Unless you are into serious hiking the best part of Zion is the drive down from the tunnel on Hwy 9. Otherwise it is pretty much a Park bus ride getting a sore neck looking up and the canyon walls.

We were at Bryce last year for 6 days and will be there 6 days again this year on our way to the Oregon Coast....that might be a little long based on the short time span between visits. But it is a great place and other things around it as well.

At Bryce you are looking down at spectacular beauty; particularly at sunrise. And, as said, getting below the rim is amazing down there hiking.

Enjoy - be safe.

[Bumpyroad]

rexlion wrote:
On your way to Bryce and just a few miles west of it, Red Canyon is worth a stop. .

We stopped somewhere in that vicinity on the N side of the highway IIRC and was about as impressed with that scene as I was with Bryce.
bumpy

[tragusa3]

One of our regrets is NOT taking the horse-ride in Bryce. That would have been the coolest place to be on horseback!

[rexlion]

On your way to Bryce and just a few miles west of it, Red Canyon is worth a stop. I really enjoyed hiking the Arches Trail, and I camped at the NF CG there for a night.

In Bryce, hiking back up can be pretty tiring. Consider taking a half-day horse ride down a ways and back. They have riding horses in the park and a bunch of riders get led down the trail together, single file.

[2gypsies1]

Personally, I think you're shortchanging Bryce by only doing a day trip. Seeing Bryce from the top rim is not seeing Bryce. If you get below the rim it's like a fairyland. The hikes are awesome.

Also, if you move over to Bryce you can drive Hwy 12 toward Capitol Reef Nat'l Park - lots of beauty.

If you're staying in Springdale you'll have a long slow drive to get to Bryce.

It's not that difficult to move from campground to campground. That's what I'd recommend.

[starcraft69]

Thank you everyone for your input!!!! I think we are going to try to hike as much as the wife will do in Zion and one day trip to Brice. I was planning on one day without the wife to do a guided canyoneering trip from Zion Adventure Company. We will need a down day anyway this is just part of a 18 day trip from Sacramento, Grand Canyon, Zion, Brice, Great Basin NP, Reno, Home. Once again thank you all!!!!

[Lauren]

4runnerguy, as seconded by Thunder Mountain, is right on. I third it for sure. Time is Zion is largely dependent on how much hiking you do IMHO.

[Thunder_Mountai]

4runnerguy wrote:
I would also recommend one campsite in/near Zion and another in/near Bryce. We like the NPS CG's in both parks. As hikers, I'd recommend more time in Zion than Bryce. At Bryce, use the shuttle to drop into the canyon at one trailhead and catch the shuttle when you come out at another trailhead. If you run out of trails in Zion (not likely in only a few days) drive on up to Kolob Canyons, a part of Zion NP away from the main part of the park.

As usual, I'm in total agreement with you. We did Zion for a week about 10 years ago when we were still strong hikers. We stayed busy hiking for the entire week. We didn't do all the hikes but covered the major ones.

If you really are hikers/adventurers, I suggest you think about staying in Cannonville near Bryce. That way you can do the one figure eight hike at the bottom of the canyon and do the drive along the rim. Escalante National Monument and Kodachrome Basin with will add to a stay at Bryce.

[Bumpyroad]

I stayed at a KOA? mid way between those parks and took toad to sight see. Bryce got boring quickly.
bumpy

[tragusa3]

That felt like too long of a drive to make a day trip. However, if you are up before the sun and don't mind running into the night, you could get most of the Bryce experience in one day.

Zion kept us hopping for our 5 day visit. You'll have plenty to see and do without going outside of the park for activities.

Also, a week at the Grand Canyon would be a very long stay. Unless you are a real serious hiker. We cut our stay short after day 3 (and we hiked some).