Zion vs. Bryce campgrounds

[ctomallo]

Hello! We're planning our first BIG RV trip for late July. We will drive from Ohio to Yellowstone (with stops at the Badlands, & Mt. Rushmore), then south to Zion/Bryce and finally the north rim of the Grand Canyon. We have two kids ages 11 & 13.

We will only have 2 days total to explore the Zion and Bryce area. Does it make more sense to stay in one park both nights and drive the toad to the other for the day? Or do we stay one night at each? If we stay in one spot, which park would you recommend? Any favorite campgrounds? (as of right now, Watchman is booked)

(I am a bit concerned about the heat at Zion for my kids but Zion seems to be a top place to visit).

Any advice regarding where to stay and how to make the most of our time would be appreciated. Also, if you think we need to spend both days at one park to have a better appreciation for it, please let me know which you recommend.

Thanks so much for your thoughts!
Cara

[Lauren]

Been kinda watching this as, of course, MY opinion is so very important! 🙂 Yeh, right! 🙂

So won't comment on Bryce / Zion - would have said Bryce for two nights though.

"We'll just focus on the Wyoming/Colorado areas this time around and enjoy all that they have to offer."

Excellent decision IMHO.

God bless - be safe - enjoy!

[jalichty]

You won't be disappointed coming to Wyoming to see the Parks. We live three hours from Grand Teton and 3 1/2 from Yellowstone and can't wait to get up there every year. I do agree, trying to see all the others so quickly is probably not the best plan. Hopefully, there will be another trip and you can spend time at the southern parks then. We have been to Zion three times and love it, but one or two days does not do it justice. Same for the Grand Canyon, really need more than one or two days to truly enjoy it.

[ctomallo]

Thanks everyone for your advice! I'm realizing we're trying to do too much. We're going to save the Grand Canyon, Zion & Bryce for another trip when we can take the time those sites deserve (hopefully with less heat and crowds then the summer months). We'll just focus on the Wyoming/Colorado areas this time around and enjoy all that they have to offer.

Safe travels!

[katleman]

2gypsies wrote:
Also, for Zion, don't put all your plans into doing the Narrows river walk. July/August is monsoon season and if it rains, that hike will be closed. Serious flooding can and has occurred.

It does indeed flash flood, as there was one the night before my hike down the Narrows in 2011. CFS spiked well over 250 (they close it to hiking at 150). But then 2011 was a record high flow, it was at 100 CFS for the hike, where normal is 30-50.

If you still plan on a side trip to Zion/Bryce, setup plans for both, and then look at the weather as you approach. If it looks iffy for the Narrows, do just Bryce instead. But if the weather is favorable, do the Narrows, its well worth the trouble.

We used this Site to monitor the flow on the Virgin river. Right now it looks ideal, almost a bit dry at 30 CFS, was still well above 100 in 2011.

[katleman]

As a veteran of two July visits to Zion, with the second visit in a tent, the heat is quite manageable. Would prefer Zion's dry heat to summers in the humid Midwest.

You don't need to worry about the Narrows hike being hot, you are in a slot canyon, hiking in a cold river. If anything, getting too cold is sometimes a problem. Also found that the lawn and shade in front of the Zion lodge is a great place to cool off.

I echo the concern of others here, you are biting off more miles than you should. I've done three monster trips of 5500, 5000, and 4500, in 4-5 weeks each. Naively thought I could cover 600+ miles in a day like in a minivan. While we did cover that distance, it was not enjoyable for anyone. By the end of the first trip, found the sweet spot to be 300 miles (no more than 6 hours driving).

Perhaps dip down into Colorado and then head back?

The national parks of southern Utah, along with the Grand Canyon are worthy of a couple weeks to themselves.

[the_armadillo]

I have to agree with most here that 2 days is not enough to do justice trying to visit both parks. We did just that about a dozen years ago and will have to revisit both to fully explore in the next few years. We visited in July and Bryce was completely over-run at the time. We ended up staying overnite at King Creek USFS campground west of Bryce. At that time, King Creek was a very quiet and nice respite from the Bryce madness. You may want to look into that campground or someone else may want to chime in wIth more current info about King Creek.

Whatever, you decide, both Bryce and Zion are must see National Parks...

[rarintogo]

The last time we went to Zion was in early June, and it was very hot. And, you have to take the shuttles to see anything and they are not air conditioned. We won't be going back in the summer any time soon. Those shuttles were miserable.

[Drew_K]

My wife and I just got back from Bryce and Zion last week. If you just want to do a quick visit to each park, 1 day at each is okay but, like others have said, I would recommend spending both days in 1 place. In late July, I would strongly lean towards Bryce because it's a lot cooler. Zion will be *hot* in late July.

[Busskipper]

ctomallo wrote:
Thank you all for the advice! I do appreciate it. We have 2 1/2 weeks (18 days) set aside for this trip. I feel good about the first half of our trip out to Yellowstone (which was originally our primary destination). Our plan is for the 1st 11 days to be traveling west to Yellowstone/Grand Tetons & spending 6 days in Yellowstone. After that, we are totally up in the air/flexible about where to go.

My original thought was to maybe take you to Glacier NP and keep the trip in the same loop but IMHO that is just too far to drive back in two days. (1800 miles) But it is 1900 miles from the north rim home so still bad. From the little info you have given us I think I’m safe in assuming that this is the first real trip and that you have not driven an RV these distances before? That said – if you are able to average 50 MPH driving your RV you are good, so North Rim is like 36-+ hours of SOLID driving back. That is THREE really – really LONG days to get home.

We are checking out of Yellowstone on Sunday morning & need to be back in Ohio by the following Sunday night. We need to leave 2 days to drive back to Ohio (probably head out Friday pm to start our trip home), so about 5 days for other stops. I do realize we are trying to cover a lot of ground in a short period of time, and that all of these destinations could be a week long stay on their own. However, since this is our first time out, I was thinking we could get by with some short stops to check them out and decide where we want to come back to in future years, for further exploration. I know we can't do a lot of "activities" in the parks with our limited time, but I wanted to show my kids this amazing country we live in. (And my husband & I have never been to any of these places, so we're excited to see them too!)

So with a lot of thought I will make this suggestion as to a change to the route/destinations.

Let’s leave Yellowstone and head to Thermopolis and have a good Soak in the Mineral hot tubs then Head down the Wind River Valley toward the tip of Colorado and Utah. Catch Flaming Gorge and Dinosaur NM. Because you nave the urge for the Desert you could catch Colorado NM or side over to Arches and Canyonlands for a quick Peek then take Rt 128 out of Moab following the Colorado River back to I-70 Now follow that to what has been called the most beautiful part of the Interstate system the over under construction along the Colorado River as you leave Glenwood Springs. Now you will drive through the Ski towns Vail etc – usually lots happening in the Summer – hike or bike if time permits. Then to the Eisenhower tunnel to Breck/SIlverhorne – more Ski areas – now drive to Exit 244 getting off on Rt 6 following Clear Creek to Golden Colorado the home of Coors Beer and a really fun town. (If timing is right might spend the night in Clear Creek CG)

My girls are excellent travelers & are used to traveling 13-15 hours in our mini-van, so RV driving will not be a problem. However, hiking in 100 plus degree heat will do them in! I definitely don't want to end our trip on a sour note. Perhaps we should skip Zion/Bryce all together and spend more time at the North Rim? I'm still researching the North Rim & don't have much info yet. I know it's cooler & much less crowded then the south rim though. Again, I am completely open to advice and travel itinerary ideas- places to stay/things to do, etc.

Now for the fun – the drive home – 1250 miles of pure FUN, maybe not, but a loooong run home—on I70 – not a short run but less than the 1950 from the North Rim –

Thanks again for any information you can provide.
Cara

These suggestions do a couple of things – they expose you to a number of other sites – including Utah and it gets you 700 miles closer to home for the final push.

Two web sites I always suggest to new travelers with kids.

Stan Parkers photo Album; Just the best and easiest to view



Family of Fours many trips; A crazy Family that Pushed all the limits and loved it.



Just a suggestion, as no matter what you decide this is the beging of a lot of new adventures.

BOL,

Busskipper

[2gypsies1]

Another thing to consider, Bryce and North Rim of Grand Canyon are both much cooler than Zion because of elevation. Also, for Zion, don't put all your plans into doing the Narrows river walk. July/August is monsoon season and if it rains, that hike will be closed. Serious flooding can and has occurred.

[kohldad]

Stayed two nights at each in 2005 when my kids were 14 and 12. Knowing what I know now, if I only had two nights, I would just stay at Bryce and skip Zion. However, my wife says she would two nights at Zion and skip Bryce. To help you decide, I'll share what we did and enjoyed at both.

At Bryce upon our arrival, we had enough time to drive the road to Rainbow Point and get oriented from the overlooks. Next day we drove around to Mossy Cave Trail in the morning and then did a short hike down into the Hoo-Doos from the top. We also signed up for a half day horse back ride down into the Hoo-Doos. Last morning there, we moved the FW to a parking lot near the corral. Then the kids and I took the trail ride while my wife relaxed. After a quick lunch we moved down to Zion.

At Zion, after setting up camp in South campground (no hookups), we took the shuttle up to the end and did the Riverside Walk along with a few other stops on the way back down. Next morning, the girls and I took the bikes via shuttle up to the end. Since the shuttle only carries two, I took the first shuttle and let the girls ride on the second shuttle together. The ride back down is mostly gentle down hill with only one very short steep hill and the last 1/2 mile flat along the river. Was very neat being able to stop along the way where the shuttles don't. The shuttles are always on the lookout for pedestrians and bicyclist so no worries there.

Regardless of which way you do it, you will be glad you did.

[Mtrain]

My vote is for Zion. We have two boys, and they loved Watchman Campground and playing in the river. No big water feature at Bryce. Hiking the Narrows at Zion is not to be missed.

[donkeydew]

if only sight seeing you can see either one in one day.i think both justify a day ,would not want to drive by either one

[katleman]

Went to Bryce/Zion at the end of our 2006 Yellowstone trip, when the kids were 7, 11, 12, in mid July

We arrived at Bryce around 7pm, stayed for the night, and did a brief tour in the morning, out to the point and left. Had not planned on more than that at Bryce because the park is similar to Grand Canyon, great views, but not much more unless you are going to hike into the Canyon and I knew the kids would not be up for that kind of hike late in trip. Did not feel I missed out.

We had two nights booked at Zion, with the intent on a day hike up the Narrows. We brought water shoes especially for the hike, but in the future, would just rent them. Best hike of the 4 week trip. My 7 year old liked it so much he wanted to do the whole 16 mile Narrows hike from top to bottom, which we did in 2011.

Given you won't have more than a couple days, that's what I would do, hike the Narrows, with maybe a quick look at Bryce.

[CA_Traveler]

N Rim is indeed very nice with not so many people. Staying in the main CG will be difficult at this point. But there are several CG including Jacob Lake or even boon docking.

And then stop by Monument Valley for at least a look see. It's spectacular and yes hot that time of the year.

You could stop at 4 corners, take pictures and the girls will have bragging rights. It's now known that the actual point is about 1.5 miles away but who cares? The original surveys were accurate for their day...