Salt Lake City to Grand Canyon and back. Help!

Hi,
A friend and me have planned to visit different Utah and the Grand Canyon. It is a 5 day trip (May, 17th to May 21st). We will be flying back from SLC on 22nd. We are not planning on camping and will be staying at motels/inns throughout the trip. This is our plan:

May 17th : Drive from SLC to Bryce Canyon. We have already booked a stay at Harold's Place Inn closer to that area.

May 18th : Drive to Page, AZ from Bryce area. Booked a motel for the night (Rodeway Inn, Page, AZ)

May 19th : Tour the Antelope canyon near Page, AZ. Drive to Grand Canyon. If possible drive around the Grand Canyon area. We only plan to spend 1 day here, which rules out hiking down into the Canyon. We only plan to drive around it stopping intermittently. Please suggest anything good near here for 1 day. We have not yet reserved a place to stay in the Grand Canyon area, but will do soon. Any places to stay are welcome. I have seen good reviews for the Red Feather Lodge among the places to stay within our budget.

May 20th: This is where I will need some advice. I was initially thinking of going to Capitol Reef area via Hanksville, UT and stop for the night at Torrey, UT (Hwy 95). On further research I realized even the Arches National Park area is worth a visit, which means I will have to go through Moab, UT (Hwy 191). Please suggest which would be a better route. In short, which place is better: Capitol Reef or Arches National. I do no think we will be hiking extensively on this trip.

May 21st: Drive back to SLC. I have heard I-70 through the San Rafael Swell is beautiful and also the Hwy 128 near Moab is scenic.

May 22nd : Fly out of SLC

Please let me know if this itinerary sounds doable and most importantly enjoyable. I am still undecided about the return route from Grand Canyon to Salt lake City. Any advice on this will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Raja

Welcome to the RoadTrip America Forum!

What you have heard about I-70 is correct. Click here for more about the San Rafael Swell.

As for which to visit, Capitol Reef or Arches, I may be mistaken but I believe Arches is better explored through hiking trips.

Thanks for the advice. I will be taking the route through Arches National Park from GC to SLC. I figured I would save a little more time, which means I will have more time to hike.

Raja

Hi
A genuine roadtrip, completely ridiculous but hey, I've done insane roadtrips in my life so....
Ok
5/17: Leave SLC very early, drive down I15, take truckroute ut20 to us 89. South to ut12 (one of the most scenic drives in the USA but not the short stretch to Bryce but for Red Canyon) SLC to Bryce is 5 hours. Drive the rim to the farest point and drive back making as many stops as possible along the rim all east facing so perfect in the afternoon. Sunset at Sunrise point (sounds strange I know).
5/18: Leave Bryce early again. Bryce to Page is 3 hours. I won't mention attractions between Bryce and Page. Visit to Antelope Upper Canyon because it's best visited midday (try between 11.30 am and 1.00 pm). AC is on 98 just outside Page on your right hand side. Pay your Navajo fee at the boot and the fee for the guided tour at the shag. They will drive you by jeep to the entrance. If Antelope is the only thing you want to see in Page you can be on the road by 3 pm and the drive to GC Village only is some 2.5 hours if you drive fast. If you want to stay in Page see Horseshoebend overlook, Glen Canyon Dam etc.
5/19. Red Feather Lodge is in Tusayan only 15 miutes drive to GC Village but not at the rim. Anyway, rim lodging probably will be sold out by now. Make a reservation right now. You can't hike down and up the canyon in one day unless you are in excellent shape but even then, never do this. Spend you time walking the rim and maybe just a short hike down. Better view from the rim.
5/20: GC Village to Moab is a 6 hours drive and you will want to make a stop in Monument Valley. See sunrise and drive back on east rim to Cameron. Stock up (sandwiches to go) at Cameron Trading Post, stop at Monument Valley and see the Mittens from the visitor Center. Also take time to stop at Desert View at the east side if GCNP.
5/21: See as much of Arches NP as you can. This is one of the best NP.Most places can be reached by car and short hikes but hikimnh Delicate Arch (one of the highlights) will prob. take to much time. Then drive back to SLC. Forget about 128 (yes, very scenic) of I70 (One of the best interstate drives in the USA. Just drive back via Price which will take 4 hours (Moab-SLC), the interstate drive will be a detour.
Happy planning
Yeehaw.