help with vegas/zion/bryce/north rim

[kizzy]

We are planning a trip, driving from LA in July, to Vegas, Zion, GC north rim and Bryce Canyon. There will be 10 of us ranging in age from 65 to 3, including two teens and a five year-old.

We were thinking of driving from LA to Vegas for a night, then heading to Zion (Desert Pearl) for four nights, using it as a base for day trips to Bryce and GC North Rim. Is Hoover Dam worth a stop? We have four or five days to work with, before driving back to CA.

Anyone have any experiences with tubing on the Virgin River or Jeep/ATV tours in Zion or Bryce? Any thoughts on what order to visit the parks? What are the best things to do with kids there? Any help or info on the above places would be greatly appreciated!

 

[TiggerCate]

First, the Desert Pearl is a great place to stay! The last time we made that trip, we came down from the NW, so we went to Bryce first, spent two nights outside of Zion, went to the N. Rim and then headed around to go S. to Phoenix (staying with my kids' grandma). Our plan was to go to the S. Rim from there and then on to Vegas, but we witnessed a fatal accident (please be very careful on the edges when up high at any parks- they don't advertise it but quite a few people fall in at the G. Canyon and some from time to time at various places in Zion) at the N. Rim and everyone was too traumatized to go to the S. Rim. I think the Grand Canyon and Bryce are both good for day trips, although I don't know that I would want to make two separate day trips- I'd probably prefer to head out to the N. Rim, and then Bryce, staying a night somewhere along the way and then heading back through Zion to Vegas. Zion is my favorite park, so definitely spend the most time there.

Hoover Dam is worth seeing. My husband loves engineering marvels, so he was very excited and took about 60 pictures. The bridge they are building now is crazy to see. We didn't take the tour but others I know did and enjoyed it. It is definitely a day trip from Vegas, unless you are headed to Vegas from the S. Rim, Sedona (also pretty), or Phoenix. It would be out of the way to head there from Zion, Bryce, or the N. Rim.

 

[TiggerCate]

PS- the Virgin River tubing looked fun- we didn't do it, but we saw others doing it!

Also, an old boss said his daughter really liked the horseback riding at Bryce. Be aware, later July brings Monsoon season to the SW- and it's pretty crazy. I am glad we saw it, but when we were at Zion, the road to Virgin (towards Vegas) was washed away, trapping day-trippers in town. Also, another road washed away as we were leaving the G. Canyon. If you aren't used to high elevation, the summer heat + high elevation will be hard on the five year old and older folks. Take lots of water on hikes and anticipate wearing out sooner than usual. If it is an active Monsoon season, expect to head to shelter (not under a tree) when you see dark clouds rolling in, bringing lightning and rain.

Also, bats come out at night at the Desert Pearl, my husband and daughter came running in after swimming one evening, because the pool was being dive-bombed by bats trying to get to insects in the water.

I am not trying to scare you- with the exception of the accident we witnessed- we have great memories!!!

 

[kizzy]

Thanks for the advice! I can't believe you witnessed an accident--how scary! That's my biggest fear. I am totally afraid of heights and I don't want to get anywhere near the canyon rim.

I think we will spend the most time at Zion, since we are staying at the Desert Pearl. Thanks for the heads up on the bats. So is is possible to do the north rim and Bryce in one day and then return to the Desert Pearl? Which order to do them?

 

[TiggerCate]

It is possible to do the N. Rim and Bryce in one day, but it will be a long one- it's about 3 hours from Zion to the Grand Canyon, about 2 from G.C. to Bryce and then about another hour back to Zion, so over 6 hours of driving. If you leave at sun-up, and spend an hour or two in each park and return, you should be fine. If you want to hike in either place, it will take longer. You can do them in any order, but I would probably start at the G. Canyon and get the biggest drive out of the way. You absolutely want to be back to Zion before dark. I would NOT drive the main road through Zion (no going around) back into Springdale in the dark. The road down into the bottom of the valley floor in Zion is twisty, descending, and has sharp drops down the other side.

I never ever would have anticipated witnessing a fall, even though I knew they happened (and kept my kids far away from the edge). The man was up on a rock at the end of Bright Angel Point (a nice walk at the N. Rim) and we were at the observation area below him. There are no signs that rock is off-limits, although I would never have gone up there. Everyone where we were heard him fall, yell, and hit the first time. DH was the only one who saw him. I was never a fan of heights, but now I am even more phobic!