Utah and Grand Canyon

[RV Chick]

Hi Everyone! We are planning on a 2 week trip from Ohio to Utah to visit the 5 NPs, then down to the Grand Canyon and then back home. I'm working on the overall timing of the trip and here's what I have so far:
Arches - 2 days
Canyonlands - 1 day
Capital Reef - 1 day
Bryce - 1 day
Zion - 2 days
Grand Canyon - 2 days

I'd love to add a night where we camp on BLM land and have a day where we can hike with our dogs. (We need to be in full hookups for the National parks since we have to leave the dogs and it will be June).

Any suggestions on where to add that extra night and place where we can be with the dogs?

There will be 4 adults and 4 teenage boys and 3 dogs in 2 RVs.

Thanks!!

 

[Isaac-1]

You may want to cut back your list or add more days as you really need to account for travel days

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

Seems with that schedule even if you could manage the travel without anything going wrong all you'll be doing is watching the scenery go by from the inside of an RV. I think you vastly underestimate the logistics of traveling in an RV not to mention weather, park traffic and crowds. I'd cut that list in half and actually spend some time doing something at a few places unless you're re-enacting a Lampoon Vacation movie.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[Jayflight]

Zion is normally packed to the max starting early in the am. Parking is always a problem if you are planning to park a motor home at the reception center. And There is a tunnel on the main road. So plan accordingly. If you are oversized you will need a pass to go thru it. I would also plan two days at Bryce. The walking trails are worth a visit down inside.

 

[SeilerBird]

The other posters are correct. Way too ambitious of a schedule. I would limit it to two parks maximum. Zion and the south rim of the Grand Canyon would be the two I picked. The roads between all the parks you listed is almost all two lane windy country roads. Very slow traveling. Check out my Grand Canyon photos listed below. I lived in the canyon for many months. There is an RV park at the entrance to both parks. Get reservations way in advance if you want hookups.

 

[Rob&Deryl]

I liked Bryce better than Zion but... I only spent a few hours at Capital Reef. I can see 2 days at South Rim & Arches.
Have not done Canyon Lands but I hope to boondock there someday.
Things are big out there. It is a days driving from Bryce to the South Rim. Take 89A and the Marble Canyon Bridge.
If you can’t go through the tunnel at Zion, it is a days drive to Bryce.

driving an RV (assuming rental Class C rigs?) with 4 people aboard is way slower than travel by car .

 

[Larry N.]

As others have suggested, 5 very long travel days are pushing it, especially with kids on board, and expect to arrive worn out and to want to rest for half a day or more. I'd want to have a minimum of 3 travel days each way, and 4 would be better.

And if you've not been in that area before, you'll want time to just gaze at the scenery (perhaps even to see some things en-route, spur-of-the-moment) and to not feel rushed.

Also, as others have said above, travel time between these various attractions is probably longer than you expect, especially if your only transportation is a motorhome (you didn't say).

Finally, you won't know how long you wish to spend at each attraction (or travel time between them) until you get there and experience it. You might do OK with Arches, Bryce and the Grand Canyon, keeping in mind how far it is from the Grand Canyon to the other sites (slower than you might think). Some folks want to spend more time at, say, Arches, than others do, and the timing is different yet with kids, and add time and coordination for traveling with people outside your own immediate family, especially in another rig.

And finally, you didn't mention which part of Ohio, but coming from Akron is quite a bit longer than coming from Dayton.

So best of luck and keep in mind that there are plenty of surprises out there, especially for people who've never been out there -- it's a LOT different from Ohio or the mid-west.

All this being said, indicating your experience (or lack of) and what you'll be traveling in, and whether it's rentals or whether you are towing a car, and whatever other details might help folks to provide you with more pertinent information.

 

[Jayflight]

I think a lot of replies has a lot to do with respondents having witnessed many of the areas that you describe. So we favor doing a bit more indepth in certain areas that will expand your required time which you may not have on this expected trip. If you have not done it go to you tube and search the areas that you plan on visiting. There are many full timers doing videos with the scenery out west that will give you pause when understanding what others have described about driving times and sight seeing.
Of course its possible that since this may be your first trip you may be dealing with squeezing in as much as possible in a limited time to do all that you want to do. On my first time out west I considered it more of a scouting expedition for future trips. If this is the case be happy with what you do see in the limited time that you plan on taking. Then plan another trip targeting what you really like on another trip and staying in place a bit longer. FWIW, the Grand Canyon has a great kennel for animals.

 

[phil-t]

Good luck - VERY busy schedule, and VERY tiring.

 

[RV Chick]

Thanks for the replies. We are traveling from Toledo, Ohio. We are in a Class A towing a Jeep and my sister is in Class C towing a jeep (unless they upgrade to an A before this trip lol). We are planning on 2.5 days for the drive out and 3 days for the drive home. We've done it before and while they are long days the ultimate goal is to have as much time as possible at our destination.
Our goal is also to see as much as possible. It's difficult for me to get 2 weeks off in the summer (my busiest time at work). We know going into our long vacations that they are very active and we'll be busy.

 

[Larry N.]

OK, sounds as if you have some experience, then, and certainly the toads will make things easier. Best of luck.

 

[ArdraF]

Southern Utah is a roamer's paradise so it's hard to make a choice when time is so limited. My first choice is Bryce Canyon because it's so different and the hiking trails are neat. My second choice probably is Zion because of beautiful formations and more neat hiking trails. The Grand Canyon is neat but the teenagers in particular might not be very impressed except for an initial "Oh wow". Scenery is scenery but things like neat hikes are more fun. Moab has both Arches and Canyonlands. We love hiking in Arches with trails that fit all levels of ability. Canyonlands is neat too but more oriented toward things like four-wheeling. Whichever locale you choose will be fun. And, by the way, Utah has had a lot of dinosaur finds so there are neat dinosaur museums farther north in the state. If you cross the state on I-70 the area between Green River and Richfield is 100 miles of what appears to be nothing (including fuel stops) but it's a fascinating area called the San Rafael Swell. The rest areas have signs that interpret the very interesting geology of the area. If you go from the Zion area to the south side of the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley is a Tribal Park and you can make lots of short stops as well as taking a Tribal-run tour offroad. In other words, there's enough to keep you busy for a month! Have fun choosing where to go!

ArdraF

 

[John Stephens]

RV Chick - we will be catching So. Utah also this Spring but will take more than two weeks to see what we want while we are out there and I still feel as though this isn't long enough. We are spending two days and three nights at GC and then heading into Utah, dry camping for four nights around Monument Valley, three nights at Moab to see Arches and Canyonland, one night at Goblin Valley SP, and then a week in Kanab to see Zion, Bryce and other spots in SE Utah. I had initially planned on being there in June before finding out we would be in 100+ temps. I changed it to April and may possibly encounter snow in Bryce and the GC, but should have better temps in the other locations. Good luck and I hope you aren't too tired to enjoy the sights.

There are a lot of spots in the southern part of the state where you can hike with your dogs. We are planning on hiking into slot canyons with our dogs. We are planning on dry camping at Gooseneck SP and I found a lot of other spots in that same general area for BLM dispersed camping. Go to Campendium.com for a list of places.

 

[X-Roughneck Strike 3]

RV Chick, Not sure what you have booked as far a reservations, but make sure you go to the national park Website and purchase your Day use entrance Passes for the days you plan on attending those parks if you are not staying inside the NP. I am Not sure if they are limiting Access to these parks, but now is the time to purchase those tickets if they are available for sale. Don't wait!

They are only a couple dollars a day for the car load and without those you may be in for a huge disappointment when you get turned around at the Entrance gate. Not sure what the current state of affairs is out there at these places.

I am finding that full hook ups are almost impossible to find at State Parks, and unsure of how lucky you will be securing FH at a Nat Park?

One thing sure about these time is nothing stays the same. Yesterday's info is not reliable. When we went to Grand Canyon in June 2020 only the area open was the walking trail from Matthers Point (Main Bus Station Area) to the Geology Center building (3/4 mile Stroll From Parking lot) None of the Buses were running at that time. No Trains from Williams AZ Running either. Still a great time for anyone who has never seen the Grand Canyon, Lots of Great Photo Opportunities so yea...It will be a nice trip. We stayed at the KOA in Williams and drove the 60 miles into the park. Almost hit a Huge Elk with my Jeep so if you are traveling into the CG area from Williams near day break.. WATCH oUT! That Road in is Active with Wild Life!

In 2020 the 17 Mile scenic Drive within Monument Valley was also closed. Still much beauty to be seen at both places. Valley of the Gods and Forest Gump Point (From Movie where he quit Running) are both very close and kind of cool to see. Don't Forget to stop by and see "Mexican Hat" while if you venture out from this area.

When we were at Monument Valley we stayed at Goulding's, nice place and enjoyed it very much other than the Gale Force winds we encountered. There is a new KOA Campground close too. In 2020 it looked like you need to wait a decade until those Small Trees planted will mature. Very barren desolate looking KOA at the time in my opinion.

I liked Arches and I think you can see what you want in 1 day, and there seems to be alot in the MOAB area that you could venture out and see too.

Not going to add to the tally of replies stating that is a long trip, but it is reminiscent of my near 3000 mile circle I took that year in 14 days. Tiring. Would I do it again? Nope? Am I kicking myself in the butt for doing it? Nope. I got the memories...I also learned not to be so aggressive in my travels. Kind of took the relaxation out of it for me as I logged all the mileage behind the wheel.

Snap some Pics and Post them.

Have fun!

JD

 

[Domo]

You may want to make your reservations - NOW, especially with two sets of RVs.

FYI - some national parks do have kennels for watching Fido - just in case you can't find electric to run your A/C when you're out hiking... And, many parks do allow pets on a leash as long as they stay on the designated trail (yeah, that's tough and distracting...).

You've picked some beautiful country to drive through and some wonderful parks to see. It will be tiring - but will also give you places you'll want to see again when you have more time.

No matter what - it's a vacation - treasure the time and as ^^ JD ^^ suggested, snap some pics and post them for us to see.

 

[AStravelers]

Hi Everyone! We are planning on a 2 week trip from Ohio to Utah to visit the 5 NPs, then down to the Grand Canyon and then back home. I'm working on the overall timing of the trip and here's what I have so far:
Arches - 2 days
Canyonlands - 1 day
Capital Reef - 1 day
Bryce - 1 day
Zion - 2 days
Grand Canyon - 2 days

I'd love to add a night where we camp on BLM land and have a day where we can hike with our dogs. (We need to be in full hookups for the National parks since we have to leave the dogs and it will be June).

Any suggestions on where to add that extra night and place where we can be with the dogs?

There will be 4 adults and 4 teenage boys and 3 dogs in 2 RVs.

Thanks!!

Arches & Canyonlands is pretty doable in 3 hard days. Stay in Moab at an RV park and drive to the NP's. Get up early and leave your camp well before daylight so you arrive at where you are going about 15 minutes before sunrise. A lot fewer people on the trails.

All my travel time estimates below don't allow for anything more than a quick bathroom stop. If you stop to look at the great views then allot more time.

Moab to Capital Reef is a good 4 to probably 5 hour drive plus the time to break camp and setup again. That will leave you just a few hours in the afternoon to look around.
Capital Reef to Bryce, while the maps show it to be about a 110 mile drive, plan on at least 3 to close to 4 hours to get there, plus time to break camp and set up again. High 12 is best for great views, but is very slow driving with some steep mountain 2 lane roads. A lot of people stay at Ruby's just outside of Bryce.
Bryce to Zion: Check the Zion NP website for details on going through the tunnel coming from the east on SR-9. There is a fee for large vehicles and a delay while they stop all traffic and allow you to drive through the tunnel. Hight and length restrictions as well. Several RV parks in Springdale IF you can get a reservation this late in the year. There may not be any June reservations until 2022.
Zion to South Rim. About 250 miles, probably plan on at least 6 hours plus time to break camp, etc. That is if you can get reservations at the FHU RV park at the rim. If you have to stay in Williams then a longer drive. Like Zion reservations may be hard to find this late in the year at or near the Grand Canyon.

A place to stay for the night to be out walking with the dogs:
-- Jacobs Lake National Forest CG at 8000' on US-89A between Fredonia, AZ and Marble Canyon, AZ. There is a FHU RV park here as well. Lots of NF land to drive around and to let the dogs out to play.
-- Lone Rock campground on US-89 right on Lake Powell between Kanab, UT and Page AZ. This is beach camping, park anywhere you want (as long as you don't get stuck in the sand). Swim and play in the water.

For what it is worth. I don't know of any teenagers who would enjoy this trip. Just riding in the RV day after day looking at mountains, that the adults enjoy, is just not fun for teens. There will be a few hours each day to walk on trails, but not many.

 

[X-Roughneck Strike 3]

Circling back at a better reply attempt. Something you might be able to actually use in your planning. I Some how I had routed your vacation thru locations you are not even traveling to. Sorry about that, LOL.

Bryce is a Real Gem!

I would add another day (2nd) to your Planned Bryce Itinerary and I would Include the following in this order.

According to the lady at Bryce KOA, Bryce Canyon NP is the Top of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. The bottom, step is the floor of the Grand Canyon, AZ.

The below 3 places are very near the Cannonville, UT KOA which was where we stayed. Nice Cramped KOA with Dog Small Fenced Park.

1. Navajo Loop Exiting thru Wall Street and near by Queen's Loop (Main Part of the Bryce Canyon Park- Sunset Point Area) 15-20 Min From KOA
Stunning Views! Great Photo Opportunities
2. Mossy Cave - The Waterfall (5 Min from KOA towards Bryce NP)
3. The Slot Canyon (15 Min drive from KOA away from Bryce NP)

I will say that the steepness of the trails (Navajo Loop) wear hiking boots with GRIP on the soles. Trails can be somewhat slick. Definitely leave those flip Flops back in the RV on the Bryce Hiking trails.

Coming out of MOAB I would get off the interstate 70 travel Highway 24 thru Hanksville Linking up with Scenic Highway 12 going into Bryce. You would be going in the opposite direction of the way we traveled if you do Select that route you would probably be dealing with slightly steeper climbs than I encountered going the other direction if memory serves me correct. I think the Top of that road is at Sunrise Utah at around 9000 ft in elevation. Very beautiful road, I felt pretty safe driving it. Couple areas that will make you pay more attention than others, but use your tow mode, down shift when you need to. There are a couple pretty steep grades but I had no problems what so ever with my 32.5 ft Class C towing my 4 Door Jeep Wrangler. Scenic Highway 12 routes thru a town named Kanab Utah which is a stunningly beautiful little town.

Somebody mentioned this previously as we passed on Zion due to the potential to get stacked in a line entering the park. I had such a tight schedule I had to pass on a few Gems when I planned our adventure, Zion being a Huge Gem Pass.

 

[SeilerBird]

All five of Utah's NPs and GC are incredibly beautiful and very different from one another. You won't be disappointed with any of them. You will hate leaving each one since you could easily spend a week in any of them, I know, I did just that.

 

[Rob&Deryl]

The first time out that way, we chose Bryce & Grand Canyon south rim as trying to include Zion used too much time. We came in to Moab from the south (from Teluride), saw Arches & skipped Canyonlands. Then a short visit to Capital reef and the to Bryce.
We did 89A through marble canyon to the east entrance of the Grand Canyon.
Our second visit came via St George and added Zion, subtracted Capital Reef & Grand Canyon and still didn’t get to Canyonlands. Next time for sure. It is all trade offs. Both of my visits were on motorcycles. Next one will be with 5th wheel.

 

[Sweetsurrender]

Sweet trip!! I agree with all about it being a lot of driving and less exploring, but hey...I'm an oldie. When younger I too might prefer it your way.
Just a thought, I didn't notice anyone mention going to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. I only mention it because it is much closer to your southern Utah destinations than the south rim. Also, it is generally way less crowded and to us it "feels" like a national park. Maybe because of the lack of throngs of people. Admittedly the views are not as immense, but still incredibly breathtaking.
You will surely enjoy your western odyssey and enjoy the wild wild west. Happy trails!!