Zion Canyon + Page, AZ Tour from Phoenix, AZ : Need advice.

Hi Friends,

I am planning a road trip from Phoenix, AZ to Page, AZ + Zion National Park for this coming weekend i.e. 18th Oct and 19th.
Our tentative plan is mentioned as below. Looking for your kind advice to plan the tour better.

Day 1
1. Start from Phoenix.
2. Try reaching Zion National Park by 2-2.30 pm. Take a shuttle tour of the park/drive to the visitor's spot.
3. Stay back at Zion National Park overnight.

Day 2 :
1. Start for Page, AZ
2. At Lake Powell Marinas , take a boat tour on lake Powell. [10 am > 12 pm, 11/2 hrs]
3. Visit Antelope Canyon on the way back and horse shoe bend. [ 12 pm > 3 pm, 3 hrs]
4. Start for Phoenix around 4, 4:30 sh to reach by night.

Questions:-
1. Is it wise to include Zion National Park or it is over packed tour? If Yes, what places are must see in Zion, please advice.
2. Which one is better, Upper or Lower Antelope Canyon ?

Hello and welcome to RTA !

Whereas your trip is doable on paper it rarely works out how you plan things. Boat and ANtelope canyon tours means you have to make sure your there in plenty of time to join the group or wait for the next. You would need early[ish] starts on both days to get to Zion after lunch and to Page by 10am. Zion alone really needs a day and a half minimum to enjoy and appreciate it and to visit the atrractions around Page would be similar. For a more relaxed weekend I would choose one or the other and leave the other for another time. If you visited Page you could possibly make time for a quick detour to the Grand canyon or Monument valley.

Look up whatever information you can find about the NARROWS WALK at ZION. The conditions now are ideal; warm weather, low water level, and low flow rate.

This is a DREAM walk, if there ever was one!!! You follow the paved walkway for about a mile ... then ... you step into the Virgin River and walk in the water through an absolutely gorgeous slot canyon with beautiful walls towering high above you. There is no way to describe how fantastic this hike is. You can walk an hour, or several hours, or a day or two. It's up to you. But be forewarned if you only plan on walking a short time ... you will want to see what is around the next corner and soon you will be in the canyon all day.

You really need to walk with your shoes on, or rent water hiking shoes from nearby concessions. Renting a hiking stick might be worth it, although there are usually an assortment of "free" sticks near the water's entry.

Here is some information on it.

ZION National Park Website (experiencing some problems)

http://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/thenarrows.htm

A lot of information can be found here.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractio...Park_Utah.html

ZION is a destination in itself. But, THE NARROWS WALK is also a destination in itself. I have been to Zion several times, but sometimes the river was too high and the flow rate too fast to chance hiking. NOW is a perfect time, unless it rains soon. Hike it. You won't regret it.