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?

[NCWriter]

Bryce is so beautiful - especially early in the morning and late in the day with the light hitting the rocks - I also agree with splitting a week between the two.

[creeper]

Stay in Zion and when done move onto Bryce and when don't move onto Arches. No reason to go back and forth. We've done that a couple of times and prefer not to keep covering the same ground with back and forth. Bryce and Arches are a bit of ride to use Zion as a basecamp.

[starcraft69]

Thank you all for the response. I should have said we have reservation at Zion NP campground rv resort in Springdale. And we will have spent the week prior in the Grand Canyon. I was hoping to not split between Zion and Brice for camping but make a day trip to Brice. As in what to do in Zion I think I have that covered from all the other threads on Zion on here and research. Is there any other things in the area that is worth checking out within 2 hours? Once again thank you for the tips on Zion. Just wondering if I needed to find any other sites to see or will Zion and one day in Brice cover a week?

[Mortimer_Brewst]

I would leave the 5th wheel at Zion and take a day trip down to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. If memory serves it's about a 2 - 2.5 hour trip. It's probably too late to reserve a cabin for an overnight stay. Nothing like watching a sunrise/sunset at the GC though.

[4runnerguy]

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.

[tpi]

The drive to Kolob reservoir is worth doing. Nice scenery change with higher elevation. We've stayed at Zion for a week several times. Quite a few easy to moderate hikes. The narrows is great but in early May you could have cold or high water. Also with bikes if you want super easy, put bikes on front rack of shuttle (holds 3) ride it up to top, and coast down the 9 miles to the entrance. You can ride the bikes on the Pahrus trail.

That said, if you get antsy to move easily I'd second the option of splitting your camping time with Bryce. I've done the day trip but also recommend camping at Bryce.

[Two_Hands]

I agree with the Professor. Stay at both parks. The Watchman Campground in Zion only has electricity, but it is in the park and just a short walk from the visitor's center where you can pick up a shuttle.

[enblethen]

Down toward Kanab is an interesting tourist trap style gift shop in a cave. Worth about 17 minutes or so.
A pet sanctuary further toward Kanab. Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. They care for many animals.

[profdant139]

Star, it depends on how much hiking you like to do -- yes, there could be seven days' worth of hiking at Zion, especially if you go into the back country on long day hikes. But personally, if this is your first time to both Bryce and Zion, I would split it up. Bryce is a very long day trip from Zion, and the camping and hiking there are really great.

So I would spend three days in Zion, a travel day, and three days in Bryce. Zion will be quite warm. Bryce will be very cool. If possible, bring bikes to Zion -- the ride from the bottom to the top of the canyon is very easy, and the glide downhill is fun. Plus there are no cars -- I think that the shuttle buses will be running at that time.

If you are adventurous, try the Narrows at Zion -- you may want to rent special wading gear in town.

Let us know if you want some specific recommendations for hikes in both places. How many miles a day do you usually do, and how much elevation gain can you handle? (I max out at about ten miles round trip, with about 2800 feet of climbing, depending on the terrain, but hikers in really good shape can handle a lot more than that.)