So' Cal' to Grand Canyon North Rim, Bryce, Zion, Las Vegas and back

[shirohniichan]

I got back from my end-of-spring road trip to the national parks of southern Utah/ northern Arizona.

Since I don't have my mileage log with me I'll add a post later with travel times and miles.

Day 1:
6:25 AM- left Orange County CA-91 E to I-15 N
8:08 to 8:21 AM- Lenwood, CA (just south of Barstow): Stopped for coffee. Mile 105
10:38 to 11:01 AM- North Las Vegas, NV: Stopped for gas (we still had gas in the tank, but gas is far less expensive here than elsewhere on our trip). Picked up sandwiches for lunch at Subway. Mile 270.1
11:45 to 11:54 AM- Glendale, NV: Potty stop (we have a 4-year old and an 11-year old, so such stops are expected). MIle 316.0
1:55 to 2:40 PM- St. George, UT: Stopped for gas and groceries. We loaded up on snacks and breakfast at the Walmart here because our accomodations in Kanab didn't offer a complimentary breakfast. Please note we changed from PDT to MDT so it only took us 1 hour 10 minutes to get from Glendale to St. George. Mile 385.
3:58 to 5:36 PM- Fredonia, AZ: Visited Pipe Spring National Monument. The main purpose of our trip was to see the national parks, and on our first day we bought our $80 annual parks pass here. Our kids got their Junior Ranger booklets and did the required projects as we toured the grounds. Not only did they learn about the local Piutes and settlers, but they also got to learn about plural marriage and federal investigators! Mile 448.6
5:59 PM- Kanab, UT: Stopped for dinner and lodging. Mile 469.8

Day 2:
9:31 AM (MDT)- Departed Kanab for the North Rim.
10:05 AM (MST)- North Rim visitor center: We picked up more Junior Ranger work books from the visitor center, participated in a ranger-guided program, and bought sandwiches at the deli. Mile 551.1
2:01 PM- Arrived Point Imperial: Photos. Mile 562.8
2:36 PM- Arrived Cape Royal: Photos. Mile 580.0
5:04 PM- Left North Rim visitor center: The kids got their Junior Ranger badges, we bought souvenirs, and we mailed off some post cards at the post office. Mile 603.2
- Kanab: Back for dinner and a snooze. Mile 684.2

Day 3:
Kanab: We bought sandwiches, drinks, and snacks at the local grocery store before heading out.
10:07 AM- Departed Kanab
11:44 AM- Arrived Bryce Canyon, UT: We spent the whole day in the park. We took the Navajo Loop Trail to see the hoodoos below the rim, listened to a ranger talk on the geology of the canyon, bought souvenirs. The kids got their third Junior Ranger badges (are you seeing a pattern here?). Mile 763.3
Kanab: Back for a late dinner and much-needed rest. Mile 845.2

Day 4:
Kanab: We ate pastries from the local grocery store/ bakery and filled the car with gas before heading out.
10:00 AM- Departed
10:49 AM-- Zion National Park, Checkerboard Mesa (east entrance). Mile 876.6
The park was crowded, and traffic slowed to a crawl. The valley overlook turnout was full, and traffic through the tunnel was limited to one direction at a time. Don't expect to travel quickly though the park as cars continually pull in and out of the scenic vistas. We parked at the Museum of Human History for a ranger talk and to watch the video about the park. We drove past the west entrance near Springdale to stop for lunch before parking at the visitor center and taking the shuttle into the main part of the park.
3:57 PM (MDT)- Departed Zion National Park, UT. Mile 890.0
5:27 PM (PDT)- North Las Vegas, NV: We checked into our room and ate dinner. Mile 1051.8

Day 5:
12:04 PM: North Las Vegas, NV: We filled up the car with gas after spending a relaxing morning at the hotel.
2:55 to 3:21 PM- Lenwood, CA: Stopped at McDonalds for ice cream and ice coffee. Mile 1,222.7.
5:59 PM Orange County: Arrived back home. Mile 1,337.2