It will be my wife and I plus our two children, ages 9 and 13. We plan to spend 10-14 days doing this trip. We like hikes, all of us are fairly fit, the weakest link probably being the 9 year old just due to his age and small stature.

I plan to fly into Las Vegas in July, mainly because they have a good supply of rental cars at a decent price. And there is something in Vegas we want to do.

The first question, when heading out of Vegas, do I head for Zion National Park or the north rim of Grand Canyon. It's one or the other, not both.

From there it will be off to Moab. We plan to do Arches National Park one day, and a Jeep or UTV tour another day. I have been here before and done both of these.

From Moab we will head to the Rocky Mountains. What are the must see areas here? I am thinking from Moab we head through Grand Junction up into Rocky Mountain National Park, near Boulder, and then drop south leaving Colorado near Durango on our way to the south rim of Grand Canyon.

Then it's some time at south rim of Grand Canyon.

And we will end with a night or two in Las Vegas. Over the last few years the kids have gotten hooked on Penn and Teller's Fool Us TV show, so we plan to see this show while in Vegas.

I know there are tons of members here who have seen all these areas. And did I miss something that I will be driving right by? Please let me know.

I have been to all three. I visited Moab in MAY and it was really really HOT. Take plenty of water and stay hydrated. Arches is very impressive. The big issue is people. Way too many. Take a look at Canyonlands. Decidedly fewer people.

Yeah, not a great time of year to be visiting SE Utah; still, hope you enjoy it.

I’ve never been very fond of RMNP, perhaps you’ll like it though. New this year, you need to call ahead and reserve a gate time, just to get in and visit the Park.

I might suggest that you instead spend a 3 or 4 days just touring around Colorado, maybe a night or two in Buena Vista, Crested, Durango/Telluride. Hope you have a great trip.

I’ll add. I’m a little confused by your geography. You say Grand Junction then “up into” RMNP, then “down” to Durango. It’s certainly down to Durango from GJ, but the Park is all the way east on I-70 to the Front Range, then north up to Allenspark, pretty close to 300 miles from Grand Junction.

It’s probably out of your way but Mesa Verde is well worth a visit.

If you plan to see Zion National Park, Bryce National Park is almost next door.

+1 on the carrying of water. Carry plenty both on your person and in your car and drink it :-).

Good on you to be out making memories for your kids.

Silent

From Vegas I would hit Zion first. Plenty of lodging options and lots to do there. From there, I would head to Kanab, and then down to the north rim of the Grand Canyon, then over past the Vermillion Cliffs, Navajo Bridge, and Page AZ (don't miss Horseshoe Bend just outside of Page). From there, you'll have to go down to Flagstaff and then back up to get to the Grand Canyon, since the East entrance to GC is still closed. From there, head back up north and hit all the other parks in Utah. Beautiful country down there! I hope you enjoy it!

With that amount of time, you need to do The Mighty 5. Zion, bryce canyon, capital reef, canyon lands and arches in that order.

quote:

Originally posted by amc:
With that amount of time, you need to do The Mighty 5. Zion, bryce canyon, capital reef, canyon lands and arches in that order.

I agree with this statement. My son and I completed the Big Five in July 2019. Each is unique and awe inspiring in its own way. However we did it in two separate vacations. Summer of 2015 we hit Zion and Bryce after coming up from the seeing the Grand Canyon. Summer of 2017 we spent traveling all over Colorado including RMNP and Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Great Sand Dunes NP and Colorado National Monument. But the in 2019 we did Capital Reef, Canyonlands, and Arches to finish off the Big Five. However my trips with him out west with my son are over I’m afraid. He’s getting married next month!

I will just add that the most memorable trips for me have not been to go see the most popular places. But to take the road least traveled. Making your own adventures. I know most do not wish to do but I suggest you try to do a little of that if you can. Good luck.

Look up Dead horse point state park. The name itself and the stories will be etched in your kids mind for the rest of their life.

I also really liked Bryce Canyon NP. Probably my personal favorite.

I also enjoyed the North Rim of the GC. It has been a long time since I have been there though.

A couple of observations.
Access to Zion in July will likely be a zoo so I'd opt for the North Rim.
Check out Milt's hamburger shop in Moab. Most excellent.
Make sure Penn and Teller are performing before you finalize your plans. Shows have "dark" periods in the summer and they may be taking a break.
Have fun. Drink lots of water.

Not to much to add, last trip was 2.5 years ago, South rim and Zion mainly. There is so much in the area, use a map, plan your route.

Nothing wrong with CO, I wouldn’t drive hours just to get to RMNP, seems you’d be driving right by as good or better. Yes, Durango, train ride, & some of the ‘second tier’ spots. Mesa Verdes sounds great.

Supposedly one gets access if a military veteran. I think regular National Park entrance fee is good for 6 days or so. Driving from Vegas we even went to ‘Grand Canyon Caverns’, an underground cavern tour. It was an interesting 2 hour filler.

I usually put a bunch of ‘saved’ spots in Google maps, highlights along the way, may not hit them all.

You're so close to Zion you might as well. It's a wonderful park. Then you can hit the North Rim via Kanab and see the Vermilion Cliffs on the way to Page.
North Rim would be very nice and uncrowded. I've been by it but not in it so far. From there head to Kayenta and mind your driving, you're on the Navajo Nation. Head up the Monument Valley to Moab and Arches. Moab is a funky, smug town. Check out the petroglyphs on the cliffs across the river.

You're close to Four Corners on the trip. It's owned by the Navajo Nation, I think, and they get a fee, but still pretty cool. Then Mesa Verde.

I liked RMNP and Estes Park but Colorado is full Libtard these days. I'd suggest Masa Verde to Bandolier and Chaco Canyon. You can also visit Telluride and Ouray in the mountains. And there's the Durango & Silverton narrow gauge railroad near that route. Consider Bryce if you do Zion, pretty close to gether for out West,

If you're looking for a fun family day in Kanab, visit Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. You can do a tour or book a volunteer shift. We try to go a couple of times a year and tend to the dogs, pigs, horses, kitties, bunnies, etc.
When in Vegas, look for places to eat off the Strip. Lots of good choices.

Have fun!

Bruce

We are doing something similar, but in reverse next week. Driving from the Midwest through Colorado to Utah, and spending some time there on the way to Tucson to visit family for a couple of days, then making our way back.

It may be blasphemous, but IMO Zion is better than the Grand Canyon. Unless you're a serious hiker, GCNP is more about the views. Zion has more fun day hikes...the Narrows is awesome and temps are much cooler, too.

I like the North Rim of the Grand cCanyon better than the South. You have to work harder to get to the viewpoints, but there are less people. Drive UT12 on your way up to Moab...it takes you past Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef, and some beautiful scenery in Grand Staircase Escalate National Monument.

Honestly, we've started avoiding National Parks in favor of National Forest and National Monument areas. The National Parks have become very crowded...almost overrun...and the scenery and stuff to do in the other places is usually just as good.

You need to be aware of crowds and limited access in places. Zion has a shuttle system into the Main Canyon, you need to have tickets for this, sold in advance. Without tickets you can still get in by either hiring a private shuttle or rent e-bikes.

https://www.nps.gov/zion/plany...-shuttle-tickets.htm

You're going to be doing a lot of driving, maybe try to break it up a bit. Seeing Zion, you should visit Bryce, it's higher elevation and cooler. From Bryce to Moab is a days drive, another alternative is to stay in Torrey, see some of Capitol Reef.

Arches has been very crowded, they've been shutting the gates around 9:30 AM, you'll need an early start.

I would plan to skip the South Rim and factor in the North Rim on the way back or first on the way out. Lodging will be tough in the park, plan on Kanab for this.

I've worn out three of these Benchmark Guides, highly recommended to give you a good overview.

https://www.amazon.com/Utah-Ro...k%2Caps%2C227&sr=8-3

If timing permits, book a one way trip on the Durango Silverton railroad. Staying at one of the Silverton hotels would be a bonus. Million dollar hwy is in the area as well.

I'd recommend the zip lines in Moab. I was very skeptical, what can they do over rocks with no trees, etc? It was actually a lot of fun, the wife and I both enjoyed it very much. The ATV ride in and out were a blast too. Arches is a great place too, we went there 3 days I think it was, there is that much to see.

North Rim of the Grand Canyon was incredible. If you have a chance to stop in Page AZ and check out the slot canyons I'd do it. Very crowded, but a good site to visit also.

I'll echo much of the above and add some personal opinions based on my trip last year.

1. Bryce is 2 full days. One day, leisurely hike the rim, other day leisure hike around the valley in a couple different locations. Definitely worth the visit once. Lodging may be tough. Food is average and can be crowded. Very scenic though. If you can make it (time and capable vehicle), Willis Creek slot canyons was a very nice place. First time to see slot canyons so it was very cool for us.

2. Zion has some nice hikes yielding scenic locations. But they can be pretty rigorous. Narrows was closed when we went which is the on place we really wanted to go. The pass system was okay if you do it early enough - it may be a little self serving but reserve any time you may want to go - there is no penalty to cancel your slot (but be courteous and cancel as soon as you know you'll not use the pass). The lodging was good but the traffic and crowds, especially at meal times, was very bad. And they largely don't do take out - that's how slammed the kitchen gets. One night, I had to wait until about 9:30 to submit a take out order; just for hamburgers. With the help of friendly SF members here, I was able to visit another very nice, picturesque slot canyon in the area (Kanab) - again, capable vehicle required (able to traverse deep sand) but for us it was a highlight of the area. My opinion only but I think the real attractive of the Zion area is the canyoneering if you're capable (I'm not). I think 1-2 trips to Zion would be enough for me; but I know some people that do the canyoneering thing and they go every few months.

3. North Rim was very nice and scenic. But it was a very long drive back and forth from Zion. For me, if Canyon Lands is part of the itinerary, I would skip North Rim. For me, some of the hikes and views from Canyon Land was just awe inspiring and humbling.

4. Arches was cool (got itchy butt on the drive up/down though; something I acquired as I got old) but 1 day was enough. Spent a few days in Canyon Lands and really enjoyed that. There was a BBQ place (Blu Pig?) across the street from the hotel that was decent (well, our expectations were pretty low for Moab; and after a long tiring day of hiking, I guess almost anything would have been good).

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Make your car rental reservation 1st and ensure it is guaranteed (pre-paid) if possible. Use a company with a "Membership" program of some kind and join to obtain premier customer status.

A lot of the rental car companies sold car inventory and cancelled car replacement plans to survive Covid. As demand increases and car supply declines prices are up, in some areas very high rental prices or cars just aren't available. Rental Car Companies oversell cars, you might show up and find out you don't have a car. Being a Premier customer and having pre-paid will help you if they need to pick between you or someone else that just reserved a car.

When you land, divide and conquer ~ you get the luggage and send your wife to get the car. This will help you beat the 100+ people on your flight to the rental car counter. Helpful hint, make sure cell phones are turned back on after landing so you can find each other

The areas you will be visiting and/or the route to them are going to be very hot into the 100 degree range. At the first grocery store you hit to buy snacks for the road, buy a couple of large 2.5 gallon water jugs just in case that rental car breaks down and you're stranded for a while. Also make sure the kids avoid snacks that melt, I love Snickers but melted into the cup holder is an awful mess to clean. Depending on space, maybe buy an inexpensive cooler for the car?

Not wanting to repeat the great options already written by others, seeing the Grand Canyon by air is spectacular. If you find yourself short on time to do everything you want, consider a Grand Canyon Air Tour. As a Private Pilot, I flew the route back in the early 1990s before the FAA created height restrictions. The amount of rock colors you can see from the air and the ability to view more of the landscape vs. walking just one segment of the rim really makes the trip worth the time and money.

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This post caught my eye because for the last 35 or so years we've gone to Moab on vacation. I like it. If you don't like the Blu Pig, just go to dinner at Zac's. Its in the middle of town so easy to find. One of their managers was on my top 10 list of favorite servers..way back before she became a manager. If you go, speak to Destiney. Yeah, spelled like that. Really nice girl. Places change. We used to stay at the Virginian Motel, but its kind of become a dump with the owners son running it. Every place will he over priced.

If you take 128 north east there's a hike up a hidden canyon. Because its deep and you're in the bottom, you get shade most of the time. I like shade. Forget what everyone has said about "water", take Ice with some water added. It turns to all water way too quick. Back in the "olden days" before the crowds, we'd end up taking an extra couple of gallon milk jugs along on our extended rides. Almost always gave them away to hikers, bikers, you name it. I don't know way the animosity between bikers except that we took the easy way to see stuff. And gave away water, too.

What the OP is doing is trying to include his kids into what could be a difficult trip. If you rent a Jeep, and pretender 4 wheelers won't do, out of Moab try a trip up Sandflats road. Its scenic, not too difficult and has good views on the way up to the Loop road. You can come back down that road or go left to Castle Valley (you've seen it on commercials for years), or go right to drop down south of Moab. Either way is great. Just pay attention to your driving, sometimes there is a cliff going up on one side and absolutely nothing on the down side. Well, for the next 1000 feet or so, then a hard landing. A side trip up to Oowah lake is nice.

I'd not recommend hiking in the Moab area in summer. Lots of nice short drives will cure you of any idea of walking. You do walk in town after dark, the only time its survivable. If you want to take a guided Jeep tour, look up Dan Mick. He and his son will lead you around. Visit "Moab Adventures". They will put you and your family in a Hummer and drive you around. One of my buddies used to drive for them. They'll even drive you over "Hells Revenge", a nice little trail close to town if you want. Don't try to drive it your self. I led that trail for 20 some odd years. Just difficult to scare the adventure out of you. Every few years they kill a few inexperienced crazies who can do anything.

Nice rock shop on the north end of town. Nice air conditioned place to stop. Not far from the highway (191) you can go to Copper Ridge. Dinosaur tracks where you can see them. If you run all the way up the road, you get an amazing view of the airport down below and in the distance.

OK, I'd also suggest Buena Vista, (Bueny). To do any of that you'll need to rent a jeep. There's a rental in the middle of town, but reserve in advance. Not much to the east, but you can drive up to St Elmo for a nice cool walk. Its the mountains, so much cooler than the Utah desert. St Elmo even has a web cam, but its off line today. Nice general store that sells Ice Cream bars. If you get there, you'll understand why I added that in. Kind of a clip joint, but the lure of ice cream will be too much.

One of our posters here lives in Chaffee County (where Bueny is located) He used to work in the gun shop down in Salida. You can visit that, too. The advantage of Bueny is that you won't be too cooked to look at stuff. Not many good places to eat there, but Quincy's is just short of great. South part of Bueny on the main drag (US24), east side of road. My favorite motel is the Lakeside, right in the middle of town. Still a western town that rolls up the sidewalks at dark. Moab has too many Kalifornia invaders and stays open later. Don't assume because its 2021 and places are open in the evening these real western towns will be. Oops, don't miss the Dairy Barn in town, either. Everyone eats there. Some on the street tables to sit at. Another ice cream place on Main street a few blocks east of 24. Good odd flavors, and place to sit and eat. Umm... I guess that's enough. If you want more, say so.

I can't really help you plan other than to say we just returned from our vacation in Southern Utah. The weather was perfect but will be hot for you. Get camelback hydrators for each member of your family. It will make all the difference in your experience. Take some powdered gatorade for when water won't be enough. Wear boots on the less traveled trails (rattlesnakes)(yes, they are a thing). I can say Zion NP is astounding to see but the crowds may be off putting. We were just there and it felt like Disneyland. No one required masks where we went.

Moab was busy but more spread out. Lots to see and do. Mrs DF and I prefer fewer people so we went to places like Dead Horse Point near Moab (see pic below) and the like.


Pictures simply do not do these places justice though. Beware that there are cliffs hundreds of feet tall so watch the kids closely. Moab has a full array of accommodations and is a great base camp for adventure. Make reservations now!

I second the recommendation for Mesa Verde. What a treat that place is. If you pass through Durango and have time for the Silverton train and a dinner at the Bar-D (dinner and entertainment) that's a full fun day. The Grand Canyon really needs no further recommendation.

We went to Hovenweep, ghost towns, petroglyphs/pictographs, pioneer historic sites, Fremont Indian sites, Moab, Zion NP, Kanab, St. George, Monument Valley and more ghost towns/cemeteries. And now for some really exciting pics.

Random scenic pic


Hovenweep Utah



Hovenweep Colorado

Snake that tried to bite Mrs DF. This is why I say wear boots on trails...


^^^^^^^^^^^Mrs DF heard the buzz of the rattle and froze. She didn't know where the snake was. I saw it coiling about a foot to her right ankle and grabbed and hauled her back toward me safely out of range. It was about a 3 footer. I resisted the urge to play with it.

Pictographs

Petroglyphs


Pipe Springs pioneer historic site


These are just a tiny fraction of the pics we took and the sights we saw. The South West is peppered with pictographs and petroglyphs that are thousands of years old in historic places. We enjoy visiting ghost town cemeteries in places so seldomly visited they are nearly forgotten. We love history. We love anthropology. We love genealogy. Now that our children are grown we are free to follow those interests on vacation rather than Pacific Islands and the Caribbean etc., we do that.

Hope you have fun. How could you not?