Colorado, Utah and Arizona summer vacation planned

Ikarus1

Ikarus1

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What started out as a scouting trip to Colorado with a friend turned into an entire 2 week summer vacation driving across county to Western CO then down to Utah. We're gonna visit Bryce Canyon, camping in Zion National Park and then eventually camping and hiking into the Grand Canyon. My wife and 2 boys are going to hike probably 30 miles total the entire 2 week period.......so gonna invest in some good shoes!

The hardest part was getting camping spots in Zion NP.....jeez 'RV Only' campsites where you can't tent camp unless you at least have a travel trailer on site. So I got one of each depending on if we rent an RV for a couple days and have it dropped onsite.

I am trying to avoid motel stays if at all possible. We are happy campers, and I don't like bed bugs.

Anybody visited these places and stayed in the summer for any more than a day?
I have been to the North Rim exactly one many years ago, and it was awesome.
 
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I did that trip right after college. Great memories from that place! Spent a week camped next to the Colorado river after hiking down the north rim. Then a few days at Zion. I wish I'd had more time there, - it's an incredible place. Two weeks is not enough, especially when you'll spend half that driving.
 
I was out there year before last, visiting 4 of the 5 Utah national parks along with Grand Canyon northern rim and Mesa Verde. I went in September and would think more in terms of October if I go back. I stayed more in state parks and found that they vary wildly. Plan on getting very hot anywhere in southern Utah or at Grand Canyon in the summer. The northern rim of GC would be a better bet in the summer as the elevation is higher there and they receive more rain. Mesa Verde has good campground facilities and was the only one which was not full. I was told that reservations for camping at GC north rim had to be made about a year in advance. This pic is from Utah Hwy 10 in Red Canyon near Bryce Canyon NP:
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That'll be a blast, I was out there with brothers and granddad summer 2014. North Rim, Bryce, Zion all worth seeing. We rode through a few parks like Natural Bridges and Cedar Breaks, and ended up in Moab for a few days.
 
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Yeah due to the heat, I am seriously considering renting an travel trailer from a company near Zion and having it dropped in place, and picked back up. A mobile hotel room if you will....but it's not exactly cheap.
 
I went to Zion last year. And I plan to go back.
Check out Angels Landing.
 
My brother and a group of our friends started a tradition where we all meet up at a national park in October. We did big bend the last couple years but this year we’re gonna meet up in Vegas and rent some vehicles to drive out to Zion for a few days if camping
 
BASIL said:
I went to Zion last year. And I plan to go back.
Check out Angels Landing.
Click to expand...
Zion is awesome, will definitely be going back for at least a week the next time.

The shuttle system makes it easy to get to different trail heads but once you get past that area, it's raw national park and you can camp wherever you feel you can hike to. There are a few places that the hike would require an overnight to complete. (Permits are required for overnights)

20181026_131805.jpg
 
Derek8404 said:
My brother and a group of our friends started a tradition where we all meet up at a national park in October. We did big bend the last couple years but this year we’re gonna meet up in Vegas and rent some vehicles to drive out to Zion for a few days if camping
Click to expand...

I drove from Las Vegas to the North Rim and back in a day when I was much younger and my ass could take more seat time. In November, there will be snow on the ground and everything including trail systems, are closed. November is too late :D
 
Ikarus1 said:
I drove from Las Vegas to the North Rim and back in a day when I was much younger and my ass could take more seat time. In November, there will be snow on the ground and everything including trail systems, are closed. November is too late :D
Click to expand...

We’ll be headed there the first week of October, so looks like we’ll be just in time.
 
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