Chicago to Grand Canyon RV Trip via Zion and Bryce in 14 Days

Hi All,

My family of 4 (w/ 2 Kids Age 8, 4) are avid air-travelers but this is our first RV Road Trip! Needless to say with the entire world on lockdown, thought we could take this summer to visit our beautiful National Parks. We have about 14 Days and will be traveling via RV.

The Grand Canyon North Rim (2 Nights?), Zion (2 Nights?), Bryce (1 Night?) are a MUST but any help on what else we could add along the Round-Trip would be great. I'm thinking Badlands/Mt Rushmore, Rocky Mountain National Park, Arches, Antelope etc.

Thanks in advance

Welcome to RTA!

When is this trip? That's a tall order to do all of that in 14 days, too. First, the drive from Chicago to Grand Canyon North Rim is going to be at *least* 4 days. Then another day to see the GC. Another few hours to drive to Zion, and then time to see it (along 1 to 1-1/2 days), a few hours to drive to Bryce Canyon and then time to see it (about 1 day). If you want to hike into any of these places, you have to allow more time. Arches would be the next logical place, allowing about 6 hours to drive along UT-12 (a designated scenic highway) to get there. Then it's another full day to see Arches. Now you need another 4 days to drive home. You really don't have time, in 14 days, to add Badlands and Mt Rushmore.

If you have to travel as the country comes out of lockdown, an RV is probably the safest way to do it. But you're going to have to take some precautions. Bring gloves to fuel up, have face masks for every member of your group, bring along your own hand sanitizer. Bring your own food and supplies.

Try to stay 6' away from others in those parks you want to go to -- unfortunately, probably the most popular parks in the country are Zion, Bryce and Arches...even during the Pandemic. (It's easier to stay away from crowds at the North Rim. However, the campground is closed at least until July 1st, and the nearest one is a Forest Service campground about 25 miles north. No hookups at either one. The nearest place with hookups MIGHT be at Jacob Lake - about an hour's drive from the Rim, I think.)

Anyway, I'd think about this trip heavily ... how much you can REALLY do without putting yourself, and others, at risk.


Donna

Hello and welcome to RTA!

Do you own an RV or will you renting ? To maximise your time out west you could consider flying out and back and then visit some National parks if you are renting, starting out with a rental from Denver or Las Vegas. Otherwise time will soon disappear, so I wouldn't plan to much extra into your trip as it will get rushed with the drive out and back. Arches, Canyonlands and Capital Reef NP's are the other picks of Utah and you could drive along stunning UT24 and scenic 12 to Bryce. The problem (again) is time, in an RV you have 8-10 days of driving the whole route and you already have 5 nights accounted for in 3 NP's. I would forget about Badlands and Rushmore as it will take the best part of 5 days just to drive to Denver and back. Then you could slow the pace with (what boils down to) a 9 day trip through Colorado into Utah to the Grand canyon and back to Denver.

As others have pointed out already, 14 days will disappear quickly. Just a quick survey of your proposed route means that you'd be spending at least 10 of your 14 days IN the RV and only 4 days at the sites you'd spend all that time driving to. That will be no fun for the adults and shear torture for the kids, especially the four-year-old.

If you've got your heart set on an RV trip, I'd look at keeping your ultimate destination significantly closer to home and finding a destination with multiple attractions in a fairly compact area. You mentioned one such place in your post: Badlands/Mount Rushmore. Also in the same general area are Devils Tower, Wind Cave, and Jewel Cave. There are even a couple of quirky stops along the way that the kids might enjoy as breaks in a solid day of driving (or "being confined" in their view): Mitchell Corn Palace and Wall Drug. But the main advantage is that Rapid City is only 915 miles from Chicagoland rather than almost 1,700 miles to the North Rim (with no detours!) saving you at least 4-5 days of driving which can be better spent enjoying the places you have driven to.

However, please note that on all the national park websites linked to above, there are restrictions on the use of the parks due to the COVID-19 pandemic. You will need to be prepared to deal with those restrictions, lack of facilities, and the chance that any particular site you visit may be closed of 'full' when you get there. That's another argument for picking a destination with multiple attractions in a compact area rather than the beautiful, but spread out, American Southwest.

AZBuck

You also have to keep in mind that RV rental demand is very high now, before you make any plans you need to see if you can actually rent one for the time frame that you want.

As an avid RV'er with 2 years van camping, 5 years pop up tent trailer, 10 years travel trailer, 13 years 24 ft motorhome and 14 years 30 ft motorhome ... I'm experienced! We've also been to all the parks you plan to go many times.

Driving an RV whether it's a trailer or motorhome, it's more taxing on the driver than just driving a car. It's also a lot slower so when others say it will take 4 days to get from Chicago to the North Rim, they're not exaggerating.

You don't mention if you're RV is a trailer or a motorhome. A motorhome will be more challenging for getting around the national parks. Currently Zion shuttle buses are not running and parking is very limited. They will close the park to new vehicles until others leave when the parking is full.

You are going to want to have camping reservations. Typically, reservations for camping in the national parks you mentioned fill up 6 months in advance. I have no idea how things are this year with the pandemic. If you don't camp at the North Rim, then it is a long slow drive from other campgrounds to the rim especially in a motorhome.

You haven't mentioned what time of year this trip is. If it's summer be aware that Zion can be very hot in the summer. Bryce and the North Rim will be a little cooler because they are at higher elevations. Arches will be HOT too!

I'd be happy to answer any questions you might have.

Utahtea

Update February 2024 (RTA): The link in the original post is no longer active. Click here for the official NPS Zion National Park page.

Wall Drug is a fun place but first check if it is open. Some friends drove by a while ago and it was mostly closed up.

You might not be permitted in Zion. Currently there is a 23 foot vehicle restriction. Shuttles are closed and only a small number of vehicles are allowed in due to the very few parking areas.

With such young kids, you will probably see enough of the Badlands from the overlooks.

According to their website, Wall Drug is opening June 1.

It's going to be next to impossible to get into the Zion National Park scenic drive unless they start the shuttle buses. Plan on more than one day if you want to see this park.

I just saw this yesterday on Zion National Park Facebook page.https://www.facebook.com/zionnps/posts/3284187161612234


Important information for trip-planners:

Since resuming limited operations three weeks ago, a more consistent pattern is emerging for parking capacity and closures of the Scenic Canyon Drive.

The Scenic Canyon Drive is a 6-mile road with roughly 400 parking spots and contains many of Zion's most popular trails. It can be entered from 6:00 AM until 6:00 PM. When parking capacity is reached, the road is closed to vehicles until parking becomes available.

These are approximate average times for areas to fill (even on weekdays):

- The trailhead for The Narrows and Riverside Walk, The Temple of Sinawava, fills around 6:30 AM.

- The trailhead for The West Rim and Upper Emerald Pools, The Grotto, fills around 6:45-7:00 AM.

- The entire Scenic Canyon Drive typically closes sometime between 6:30-8:00 AM.

The Scenic Canyon Drive will periodically allow more vehicles as space becomes available throughout the day, but parking turnover is infrequent, and the road is closed to vehicles most of the day.

There is no waiting area or line for the Scenic Canyon Drive from SR-9, since vehicles cannot stop on the state highway. Alternatives to the Scenic Canyon Drive are trails near the Visitor Center, or driving State Route 9 itself.

Follow our social media for parking information, or keep up with park operations at our website.

Utahtea

Update February 2024 (RTA): The link in the original post is no longer active. Click here for the official NPS Zion National Park page, and here for basic information about visiting the park.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Utahtea

There is no waiting area or line for the Scenic Canyon Drive from SR-9, since vehicles cannot stop on the state highway. Alternatives to the Scenic Canyon Drive are trails near the Visitor Center, or driving State Route 9 itself.

Follow our social media for parking information, or keep up with park operations at our website.

Utahtea

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FYI - This link doesn't work (seems to have replaced some of it with ...).

Update February 2024 (RTA): The link in the original post is no longer active. Click here for the official NPS Zion National Park page, and here for basic information about visiting the park.

Zion National Park Limited Resumption of Operations page:

AZBuck

Update February 2024 (RTA): The link in the original post is no longer active. Click here for the official NPS Zion National Park page, and here for basic information about visiting the park.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BillyGr

FYI - This link doesn't work (seems to have replaced some of it with ...).

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Update February 2024 (RTA): The link in the original post is no longer active. Click here for the official NPS Zion National Park page, and here for basic information about visiting the park.

Thanks guys for fixing the second link which takes you to the official Zion National Park webpage.

The first link on my post is the one that told more about the daily parking issues and that still worked.
https://www.facebook.com/zionnps/posts/3284187161612234

Utahtea

Update February 2024 (RTA): The second link in the original post is no longer active. Click here for the official NPS Zion National Park page, and here for basic information about visiting the park.

Utahtea, you have a private message.

A few years ago, I flew from California to Albuquerque where I bought a Harley sight unseen, and I rode it back to California. If you go south, there's a WigWam motel in Holbrook, AZ. But my experience on the North Rim was fantastic - Bryce, Zion - and if you go deep into Bryce, there are many adventures to be had. If you can swing it, there's Lee's Ferry outside of Page AZ...where the Colorado River enters the Grand Canyon...the landscape there is truly magnificent. And if you get THAT far, might as well to to ANTELOPE CANYON, that is a slot canyon outside of Page.

Don't miss the "Banana Blueberry" pie at Bryce Canyon Pines - there's a sign outside that says, "BEST PIE" and it is...I went sideways on my bike so I could stop in time. Worth it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by lanzador49

Don't miss the "Banana Blueberry" pie at Bryce Canyon Pines - there's a sign outside that says, "BEST PIE" and it is...I went sideways on my bike so I could stop in time. Worth it.

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The next time you find yourself in California, since I know you'd almost lay a bike down for pie -- you've got to check out "Pie in the Sky" near Bishop, California. Plus, you'd get a kick out of the road leading to Rock Creek Lake! I don't for sure that they've managed to weather the coronavirus shut-down.

A slight digression from this thread -- but still worth the consideration...

Mark

Quote:

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Originally Posted by AZBuck

Zion National Park Limited Resumption of Operations page:


AZBuck

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I think the most interesting aspect of this reopening is that the shuttles are not in use -- meaning that visitors can drive up the canyon -- which hasn't been possible this late in the season in years!

Mark

Update February 2024 (RTA): The link in the original post is no longer active. Click here for the official NPS Zion National Park page, and here for basic information about visiting the park.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mark Sedenquist

I think the most interesting aspect of this reopening is that the shuttles are not in use -- meaning that visitors can drive up the canyon -- which hasn't been possible this late in the season in years!

Mark

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From what I hear, the first 400 cars fill all the parking spaces along the road by 6:30 AM, so they close the gate at that point, and nobody else gets in until some of the first wave comes back out. If people are hiking, they might be up there most of the day, so the turnover is pretty slow, especially when you figure that without the shuttles, everyone has to hoof it from their coveted parking space to everywhere else (and back). Further complicating the issue: there's no parking on UT-9, so people vying for the 6 AM opening can't just line up down the road and wait for it. Sounds to me like a recipe for organized chaos--but I'm not there, so I'm just speculating. If crowds are minimal, it's probably great, but if too many people show up all at once?

Rick