Recommendations Please: Which combo? Zion / Bryce / Monument Valley / Arches

[Jakovasaurus]

I'm planning a UT roadtrip in August (probably). I've seen Las Vegas and Grand Canyon and want to cover a couple of national parks in the UT area.

My original plan was to drive from LV to St. George and then do both Zion & Bryce canyon in 2 days. Now I'm torn - I read about Arches and Monument valley and Monument valley looks awesome too. But I also want to do Zion (!)

What would your recommendation be if I were to choose 2 of the 4 (Zion / Bryce / Monument Valley / Arches) and how taxing would the drive be?

PS - Am not specifically interested in camping/hiking. I want to drive around, do a few guided trips etc. Nothing intense.

PPS - Want to add something else that you think is great to see around in that area? Please do. Make my life harder than it already is :)

[Southwest Dave]

Hello and welcome to the RTA forums !

They are all awesome !! With Arches you also have the 'Island in the sky' section of Canyonlands 'across the road' which is another awesome park and then there is ........ Woah, before I go on, perhaps you could let us know how much time you have for the trip. If it's a couple of days you need to choose 2 that are relatively close together, or not have much time in these parks.

[Jakovasaurus]

Ouch, Stupid of me!

I'm planning to keep 4 days in total for the trip. 2 addl. days will go in travel / some time spent in Vegas (I will fly in from New York). 4 days from the point where my rental car leaves LV and returns.

[Southwest Dave]

With 4 days I think you will need to choose between Zion and Bryce or Arches and Canyonlands and you could add Monument valley to either option. It will depend on how much time you want to send at each place or whether you are happy keeping moving. If it's the latter you could possibly stop at Zion and take a quick shuttle bus tour into the canyon take some snaps and continue towards Arches and back through Monument valley. Expect that to feel more like 3 days driving and 1 out of the car 'here and there', but some of that time behind the wheel will include getting in and out of the parks.

If you done the smaller loop you could head to Zion to Bryce and down through Page AZ to Monument valley and then back along I 40 via the Hoover dam, or from Bryce you could continue on Utah scenic 12 to Torrey and UT24 to Hanksville and South down UT95 and 261, down the rather exciting Moki Dugway to 163 and MV. A great scenic drive !

[Utahtea]

With a total of 4 days I'd keep it to Las Vegas, Zion and Bryce with two nights and one full day at each park. There are so many great hikes to do in Zion and Bryce. Both parks have reservations campgrounds and first come first serve campgrounds. There are also private campgrounds just outside the parks.

Save Arches, Canyonlands, the Moab area and Monument Valley or Capitol Reef for when you have at least 7 days. I'd fly into either Salt Lake City or Grand Junction, CO to do this area.

Utahtea

[illusion]

I only stayed in Zion for a few hours (something I regret), but I was able to hike "the narrows", you walk in a river. Its an easy hike and a must do, it was really something different..

[Lifemagician]

Even if you can't, or are not inclined to walk 'the narrows', the River Walk itself is a lovely way to absorb the surroundings and spend an hour... or two... or three...

Besides the vegetation clinging to the cliff walls and the bubbling brook most of the way, we saw numerous squirrels which were obviously not fazed by the crowds, 'posing' for photographs. But the highlight was a (probably) ten foot long rattle snake, right there by the path, not two feet from where we were standing. It too was not the slightest bit perturbed by all the attention.

My grandchildren love the video of the snake. :)