Moving PA to CA

[Southwest Dave]

I personally would opt for I-70 through Colorado and follow glc's route to Bryce canyon. From there I would look at the option of visiting the North rim of the Grand canyon NP and go to Zion NP (Springdale UT) From Springdale UT you could head towards Vegas and cross Death valley and then head through Yosemite NP via Tioga Pass (CA120) and on to San Jose. You won't have lots of time to explore but West of Denver onwards would be a spectacular drive with lots of amazing photo opportunities through diverse scenery.

[carissanboys]

I personally would opt for I-70 through Colorado and follow glc's route to Bryce canyon. From there I would look at the option of visiting the North rim of the Grand canyon NP and go to Zion NP (Springdale UT) From Springdale UT you could head towards Vegas and cross Death valley and then head through Yosemite NP via Tioga Pass (CA120) and on to San Jose. You won't have lots of time to explore but West of Denver onwards would be a spectacular drive with lots of amazing photo opportunities through diverse scenery.

That’s exactly what I’m looking for!

[glc]

The only downside of Dave's suggestion is you won't be going anywhere near Phoenix. If you can deal with that, and the days on the road you will have to find lodging, it's an outstanding suggestion.

[carissanboys]

The only downside of Dave's suggestion is you won't be going anywhere near Phoenix. If you can deal with that, and the days on the road you will have to find lodging, it's an outstanding suggestion.

I’m thinking we could skip Grand Canyon and Phoenix since we plan on taking a trip there specifically for that in the near future. So, I just have to plug everything in and see how long it will take and how many days/lodging we will need.

[glc]

Okay, my route, as modified by Dave - Bryce Canyon to Zion to LV to DV to Yosemite to SJ, is 3100 miles. This is 6 to 7 days of just driving, not including sightseeing stops. You will probably need to allow for more than 6 overnights.

Bryce Canyon can be seen in half a day if you stop at the welcome center to watch a short movie, then drive down to the end, turn around, then stop at each lookout on the way back (they will all be on that side of the road) for a short photo session. Zion probably needs closer to a full day, you will have to park in Springdale and take shuttle buses. Death Valley can pretty much be driven straight through, it's too hot in August to do much of anything out of the car. Make sure your A/C is working properly! You don't have to spend too much time in Yosemite because that's an easy weekend trip from San Jose. The drive over Tioga Pass is spectacular, if you have time you could go down into the valley to see the waterfalls and head up to Glacier Point. August is generally not a great time to see the waterfalls, they should really be seen in the spring when the snow is all melting off.

If you are pinched for time, you can go straight from Zion to LV and on to SJ. Go to Yosemite and DV on your GC-Phoenix trip.

[glc]

Being that I have my software open, let's see how overnights would stack up, keeping costs down as much as possible.

Option 1 - with DV and Yosemite:

Richmond IN
Lawrence KS
Golden CO
Torrey UT
Tropic/Panguitch UT
St. George UT
Bishop CA

This is with a quick drive through Capitol Reef, half a day in Bryce Canyon, just over half a day in Zion, quick drive through DV, and a quick drive through Yosemite. I'd probably plan on one additional night somewhere. That comes to 8 nights in hotels.

Going from St. George to SJ via LV and Bakersfield will need one night in a hotel somewhere. That's still 7 nights.

[carissanboys]

Thanks for doing that for me! That’s plausible—it’s still a heck of a lot cheaper than shipping my car and few items across the country. ;) Plus, I get to see amazing sights along the way. Works for me.

[Rick Quinn]

Hello:

I agree with everyone, regarding the route you seem to be leaning towards. The drive between Capitol Reef and Bryce is epic, one of my personal favorites, with sweeping views, gorgeous curves, and not all that much traffic. If you're going to stay the night in Tropic, you should make a point of getting up super early--before sunrise, if you possibly can, and drive straight to Bryce Canyon. Depending on where you stay in Tropic, it's only 20 minutes away (or less--there are several motels right at the park entrance). The gate doesn't open until 8 AM, but all that means is that nobody will be manning the entry station. Unless things have changed since I was there two years ago, you can drive straight into the park; there are (or were) no closed gates across the roadway. Once inside the park, there's a drive that leads past a series of overlooks, each with a parking area. Start at Inspiration Point, which faces due east: Bryce Canyon has an eastern exposure, and when the sun pokes up above the horizon, it sets that entire landscape on fire, spires and hoodoos gleaming in golden light! As a photographer, you'll truly appreciate the very special opportunity. The best part about the early start: you'll have the whole place (almost) to yourself. Once the gates open and the tour buses start rolling in, it's a completely different experience. Assuming you have an annual parks pass, it's perfectly acceptable for you to drive in without paying. If you don't have a pass? You can pay on your way out.

I have a slideshow on my personal website with photos of what I've just described. Check it out, if you're interested (give the first page a minute to load, then the slides will advance automatically):

Bryce Canyon Sunrise

Enjoy! Sounds like you're going to have an awesome trip!

Rick

[travelingman]

If you only camp once, make it at Bryce Canyon National Park, particularly the North campground. You can walk directly from your campsite to the rim walk that overlooks the magnificent amphitheater. It's right there!

https://www.nps.gov/brca/planyourvis...ndmaps2009.pdf

Starting June 1, they will be repaving the roads in the two campgrounds. Check that the North campground is open by then.

[carissanboys]

Rick:

Thank you for the suggestion! My boyfriend and I love to get up and take shots of sunrises. I will definitely keep that in mind. And I will check out your website. :)

Travelingman:

Sounds like that would be a perfect match with Rick’s suggestion. :) Question: if we’re there in August, is it going to be super hot though? I’m used to the humidity in the south during summer so I know it will be different out there.