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

[gazingm42]

We only 4 hours from Zion so we go every year as we enjoy it so much. We have
teenagers near your kids age and they have so much fun every year.

If you have 2 days I would only go to Zion. Both places will be hot, but it not
so hot you hate it. In Zion there places to cool down specially if you hike the narrows in the water.

There so much to do a see in Zion you will not be disappointed. If you like to hike, bike and 4X4 this is the place for your family.

I would recommend staying in Virgin, UT at the River Resort RV Park. Much much much better than the other places in Springdale, UT. You only a short drive or shuttle into the NPS gate.

If you limited on time I would recommend 2 different things for you.

1. If you have mountain bikes with you. Take them to the shuttle stop INSIDE the park pickup. They have racks on the shuttles you can put them on the shuttle. Go to the end of the route and bike downhill back to the shuttle starting point. The shuttles are not allow to pass you and thus there lots of
places to stop along the way. You get to see views you don't see on the shuttles.

2. Is take the shuttle to the end stop and hike into the Narrows. It amazing and cooling trip. If you like I can post a few pictures for you. You can hike a short or long as you wish. Just depend on the water flow on how wet you wish
to get. If you going do a long trip you need to consider to rent the insulated booties in springdale.

I can post some pictures if you like to see some of the amazing views of Zion.

Have Fun.

[dennis1]

Two day not enough. I think it take one day to drive between the two or about 4 hours. In Bryce Elevation is 8000 ft so need time for body to get used to the elevation. In bryce you look down, in Zion you look up. Both have trams. so plan you day.

[BubbaChris]

Lauren wrote:
I do NOT recommend Zion River Resort - ethics issues.

Without hearing more, I don't know how to respond to a post like this. Are there links to reviews or articles you are comfortable sharing?

[tpi]

reubenray wrote:
When will Zion not be to crowded and hot? I was thinking about late September. When does Zion shutdown for the winter?

Zion does not shut down for the winter. It does slow down-the shuttle stops running and South campground closes. Watchman is open all year and the last two early Februaries it was running less than half full on a weekday. Nights can be cold at that time of the year..or at times be in the 30s or 40s.

I usually go in late Sept. It is still usually in 80s or even 90s at that time with nights 50s or 60s. Shuttles are still running and still quite a few people. I'm not sure exactly when the tail off occurs but something tells me there are many days of nice weather in Oct. and Nov.

[Lauren]

I do NOT recommend Zion River Resort - ethics issues.

[reubenray]

When will Zion not be to crowded and hot? I was thinking about late September. When does Zion shutdown for the winter?

[BubbaChris]

Just in case others come to this thread looking for Zion/Bryce suggestions:

For Zion, the Zion River Resort is a very well run private CG. It's a short drive from there to Springdale, and then you can take the trams all over the park. Also you can start in Virgin take a toad or your TV up towards Kolob reservoir and see parts of Zion that hardly anyone visits. You also have the ghost town of Grafton where the bicycle scene from Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid was filmed (good for a short side visit).

Yes, Zion is hot in the summer.

Bryce always captures my imagination and we're going again this September. Roughly 8,000ft elevation so cooler than Zion. We haven't stayed there camping yet, but Ruby's has always treated us well on motorcycle or by car. The hikes at Bryce are worth the effort - last time we were there was January 2013 and on a 6 hour hike we only ran across 1 other couple. Summers are naturally more busy.

I applaud the OP for scaling back the mileage goals for this vacation. Very smart move!

[RSNK61]

If you want whitewater rafting go to Jackson WY outside of Teton NP. They have a great all day float down the Snake River. First part of the day is a nice scenic float you will see all kinds of bald eagles. The second part is white water with class IV rapids also with beautiful scenery... There are all kinds of horseback riding. We did an evening ride with a dinner fun times. I agree with just stay to the north. Zion and even Bryce can get hot in July. Save those trips for spring or early fall. I have been to both many time and IMHO that is the best ime to go.

[Trlrboy]

We liked Bryce better than Zion. We spent 3 days at each park and did a lot of hiking. Take a look at my signature photolink for albums of each place. Hiking down in the bottom of Bryce is just unbelievable with all the formations.

[fanrgs]

You are making a wise decision to concentrate on Yellowstone NP and northwestern Wyoming after the Black Hills NP. Between the two national parks, you may have time to visit Devil's Tower NM and the Little Bighorn Battlefield. And don't miss the Buffalo Bill Museum in Cody, just outside the east gate of Yellowstone. Great art and gun collections, but much more than that for the whole family.

Just the Yellowstone-Grand Teton area has more than enough to keep your kids occupied. If the kids are pretty adventurous and not too tired of driving, if you don't mind driving on twisting mountain roads, and if you are in a motorhome with a toad or towing a trailer, plan to spend two nights in Cooke City, MT, while you are in Yellowstone. Then take your toad or tow vehicle (NOT a MH or trailer) on US 212 over Beartooth Pass to Red Lodge, then MT 72 and WY 296 back to Cooke City. The Beartooth Highway has been called "the most scenic drive in America." It is a road that your kids will love telling their friends in Ohio about when they get home!

If the kids are getting tired of camping by the time you leave Yellowstone, head for Colter Bay on Jackson Lake in Grand Teton NP. There you might still be able to reserve a log cabin with a big stone fireplace. Our kids loved building a fire in the fireplace and pretending they were Daniel Boone when they were that age. You can also rent a canoe at Colter Bay and paddle around near the shoreline, maybe catching a glimpse of a moose or an eagle in the early morning hours.

In the town of Jackson, you can take a raft trip on the Snake River, ride the tram to the top of the ski area, go horseback riding, or visit the National Museum of Wildlife Art. And, if you are tired of cooking in an RV by that point, there are plenty of great places to take the kids for meals.

Have fun in SD, WY, and MT and wait to experience Bryce and Zion on a trip just to Utah, Arizona, and Colorado. After all, Bryce and Zion are not the only sights you will want to see in that region. If you are driving that far, you don't want to miss Arches NP, Canyonlands NP, Dead Horse Point State Park, Capital Reef NP, Kodachrome SP, Coral Pink Sand Dunes SP, North Rim of Grand Canyon NP, Monument Valley, Hovenweep NM, and Mesa Verde NP. And you'll need at least three weeks for all that . . . after you get to Utah!

[kknowlton]

Just FYI, checked the Fishing Bridge site on Xanterra and there is availability throughout August and until its closing in mid-September.

[dragracer5256]

thanks a bunch

[katleman]

dragracer5256 wrote:
Great info I am doing same trip (2 weeks), first timer. I think im just doing Yellowstone,Rushmore, Little bighorn and Teton also. Taking 2 14yr old boys and wife. What do you recommend for activities and where and which do you need to get advance tickets for? We like white water raft,little hiking,Horseback or donkey trail. What about campground reservations? Think you can just drive on in there and find something for rv? Not really good at preplanning. What things would you definatly do while there?

Two weeks is about right for that trip, with half the time in Wyoming. If you are thinking this summer, will be difficult to get reservations at Yellowstone at this point, but cancelations do happen, so take a look. Roosevelt cookout has a horseback ride option that is very popular, so much so you might not be able to get reservations this summer. Would highly recommend it if you can.

But I'll stop here. You should open up a new topic, like "Yellowstone / Rushmore suggestions", with what you just posted here, as most people are reading this topic about Zion & Bryce. 🙂

[dragracer5256]

Great info I am doing same trip (2 weeks), first timer. I think im just doing Yellowstone,Rushmore, Little bighorn and Teton also. Taking 2 14yr old boys and wife. What do you recommend for activities and where and which do you need to get advance tickets for? We like white water raft,little hiking,Horseback or donkey trail. What about campground reservations? Think you can just drive on in there and find something for rv? Not really good at preplanning. What things would you definatly do while there?

Thanks for great info