This makes a nice stop if you are traveling with kids.
It can be done in 2 to 3 hours.Fall, just after Labor Day, is a good time to visit because the crowds have thinned but the fall colors make the drives more scenic. After spending some […]Simply reverse these directions and take the Zion Mount Carmel highway east out of the park, then route 89 north until you get to route 12. Also, you will get the best rates if you are traveling outside of major holidays.This Visitor Center is located inside the Grand Canyon Village on the South Rim. You can also buy souvenirs, rent bikes, and grab something to eat at the Visitor Center. I really appreaciate the details & your opinions on options. We decided to […]
There are about 8-10 viewpoints along the road that offer great views of the canyon.We had fun navigating the inspection gallery tunnels of the dam along with our tour guide and seeing parts of the dam that most people don’t see.The Lake Mead National Recreation Area is good to have a picnic lunch/dinner on the way to Vegas or to even stay as a short 2 to 3 days trip.The views of the hoodoos towering above the canyon floor from below are stunning and there is no better way to see them than on the Navajo Loop Trail.Visitors can take a boat on the water and visit secluded parts of the lake, scuba dive to see interesting underwater formations, take a lake cruise to the Hoover Dam, kayak, swim, or birdwatch.The other time we visited Zion was in November and the shuttles were not in operation.The highlight of the visit is the 5 storied cliff dwelling built inside a sandstone cliff.This sliver of light highlights the patterns on the red rock wall to create stunning photos.We got our free map of the National Park. UT 12 is amazingly scenic. Or how you went about? Some roads near the Grand Canyon North Rim will be closed during winter, but other than that you can visit all three national parks throughout the year.Lake Mead is especially popular with summer visitors for its water recreational activities.The trail past Scout’s Lookout continues along the mountain ridge with steep drop-offs on both sides.The ruins were initially supposed to be built by the Aztec people hence the name Montezuma after the Aztec leader of the same name.It is wider at the top than at the bottom and hence, appears well lit during the day.We started from Las Vegas and also made additional pit stops at Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, Page, Antelope Canyon and many other exciting things to do in this area.Also, Bryce is located at a much higher elevation than Zion and hence, it is usually 10-15 degrees cooler inside Bryce than Zion.Post kids, we still love Las Vegas.We recommend booking tickets as far as 6 months in advance during the summer and Christmas holiday season.The distance from Bryce to Page or from Bryce to Antelope Canyon is about 160 miles or roughly 3 hrs drive time.Flagstaff is a beautiful mountain city located among tall pine forests. Roughly 60% of this hike is spent wading or walking in the river. Lush vegetation surrounds the Virgin river all throughout the canyon with red rock cliffs towering over you.Bryce Canyon to Zion National Park is a beautiful drive! Take your time driving from Zion to Bryce.I assume you will take US 89 to UT 12. Instead, we recommend staying in Springdale after seeing Zion and heading for Bryce early the next day.We took the detailed guided tour of the house and were able to view the living quarters, drafting studio, and other areas of the house.The trail starts descending at Sunset Point and follows along a slot canyon called Wall Street to reach the canyon floor.We followed the map and got down at various points on the scenic route. Located less than an hour-and-a-half from Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, Utah’s smallest national park (and one of the 10 smallest in the Nation, in fact), is without a doubt one of the most extraordinary places on Earth. The hike is also strenuous because most times you will be hiking on really cold, knee-deep water!If you are planning to travel this way, then here are some of the must-visit destinations on the Flagstaff to Phoenix section of this road trip:The prettiest views by far are at the end of the trail/canyon around the 4 to 5 hours mark.We received a free map of the drive at the visitor center – shuttle stops and what to see at each stop was marked on it.Zion National Park has many other short day hikes which are great to explore the park, its rock formations, vivid colors, and beautiful foliage.But the Antelope Canyon is most famous because of its striking colors, particular appearance at certain times of the day, and its location on Navajo land hence, the added exclusivity.This was definitely one of my favorite parts of our visit to Scottsdale.We arrived and stayed in Las Vegas for 2 days before embarking on our road trip.Even if you start walking the Narrows, you can turn back whenever you want – we have seen people return even a quarter of a mile into the hike due to less time – so you can always fit the Narrows into a time schedule.We recommend driving to Springdale or St. George which are great bases for Zion National Park and staying there for the night.The Grand Canyon formed over 200 million years ago due to erosion work carried out by the waters of the Colorado River.After returning to Las Vegas, we usually stay in the city for a day or two – just to relax and soak in the memories of the road trip – while devouring Las Vegas’s fabulous buffets!The hike is really popular during summer and the crowds can be quite dense, so to get beautiful views into the canyon, we recommend going really early or in off-peak season.The views along the trail of Bryce Canyon and the hoodoos from above are incredibly pretty throughout the day, so we recommend this trail as a great starting point even if you don’t reach during sunset or sunrise times.The iconic views of the wide expanse of the Grand Canyon, its many chiseled layers, its vast depth, and the Colorado River at the bottom can only be seen from the South Rim.That way you won’t be wasting precious daylight hours on driving and can have an early start at hiking inside Zion before the crowds arrive.After the ‘Big Three’ of Grand Canyon, Yosemite, and Yellowstone, Zion is one of the most visited national parks in the country.The hoodoos look strange and weird and if you happen to visit them without crowds, the entire park seems desolate and eerily beautiful.Some people travel this route clockwise starting from Vegas and then visiting Grand Canyon National Park, Bryce, and Zion in that order before returning to Vegas.There are more facilities near this rim including the Visitor Center, lodging and accommodation, restaurants, and it is visited by the most number of people throughout the year.After seeing both the canyons, you should still have time to visit Horseshoe Bend Overlook.We recommend staying in one of Scottsdale luxury spa resorts and relax for a night after your hectic road trip.We also found many people walking from one stop to another while exploring the National Park – however, this is not a good idea since the roads are narrow and the shuttles are big plus frequent.There a lot of things to do inside the Visitor Center including a documentary on the Grand Canyon, historical artifacts, geological exhibits, ranger-led programs, etc.We have been on at least a dozen road trips through that area, each time adding something new to our itinerary and yet haven’t seen everything this area has to offer.As a result, Upper Antelope Canyon tours are more expensive and sell out faster during peak season.