Anonymous wrote:I can report that the road from Zion to Bryce has reopened to car traffic, but no RVs or oversized vehicles.

I was surprised that I lost an hour from Vegas to Zion. Vegas is Pacific time and Zion is Mountain time. Plan accordingly.

We did a canyoning tour with Zion Adventure Company and it was truly amazing. Ask for Bailey.

YES! I am so glad the road has reopened!!

I can report that the road from Zion to Bryce has reopened to car traffic, but no RVs or oversized vehicles.

I was surprised that I lost an hour from Vegas to Zion. Vegas is Pacific time and Zion is Mountain time. Plan accordingly.

We did a canyoning tour with Zion Adventure Company and it was truly amazing. Ask for Bailey.

Op here. Thanks again! I am really excited for the trip! Yes, we have the free 4th grade park pass!!! Woo hoo.

Right now I have two nights booked in Vegas, two nights in Zion, two nights in Bryce, and one night planned back in Vegas before flying home. I actually just made a [now double] reservation on the front end of the trip to add a third night in Zion (giving up the second night in Vegas). The only rub is that the first hotel I have booked in Zion was booked that night, so it would change to: one night in Vegas, one night in Zion hotel 1, two nights in Zion hotel 2, two nights in Bryce, and one night back in Vegas. I think it would have been a no-brainer if I could have gotten the third night at the original Zion hotel. But, 2 full days in Zion is appealing so we may make the change and try to pack strategically so we aren't bringing a million bags in to each hotel each time. I still haven't made a hotel reservation for that last night in Vegas. I should get on that.

I am traveling with a large-ish group - my family of 5 and 3 other family members. I am NOT planning to do the Narrows with the kids. Idk whether others will try for it - but I have let them know it's not certain it will be open.

If helpful to others I'll post my current itinerary ideas shortly.

April is the least likely month to hike the Narrows. With the snow pack this year, bet that the water flow will be too excessive mid April.

Anonymous wrote:We are planning an extended version of this trip for spring break, too. Kids are 10 and 13. We are starting in Las Vegas and going to Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Lake Powell, Bryce Canyon, Zion, and back to LV. I planned our trip from this guide since I had no idea what to do and I like detailed instructions. LOLhttps://antelopecanyon.az/grand-canyon-beyond-ultimate-7-day-itinerary-northern-arizona-southern-utah/ We booked a jeep excursion, rafting trip, and an ATV tour along the way. Have a few hikes planned, too.

Lots of great ideas here I will be adding to our plans. I'm really excited about this trip!

Be sure to reserve a Monument Valley tour. You are not supposed to drive your rental car around the dirt roads, plus lots of good info from the guides. Bring some dollars for tips for Navajo ladies, guide, etc.

Is your nine-year-old in fourth grade? If so hopefully you have the every kid in a park pass. For the fourth grade year all kids get into national parks for free with three family members.

I did Bryce and Zion in my 20s and I really enjoyed it. We always said we go back with the kids but we have not yet. Looking forward to hearing your report back. Have fun.

We are planning an extended version of this trip for spring break, too. Kids are 10 and 13. We are starting in Las Vegas and going to Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Lake Powell, Bryce Canyon, Zion, and back to LV. I planned our trip from this guide since I had no idea what to do and I like detailed instructions. LOLhttps://antelopecanyon.az/grand-canyon-beyond-ultimate-7-day-itinerary-northern-arizona-southern-utah/ We booked a jeep excursion, rafting trip, and an ATV tour along the way. Have a few hikes planned, too.

Lots of great ideas here I will be adding to our plans. I'm really excited about this trip!

Anonymous wrote:Hi! OP here. Still planning the trip.

Just wondering - did anyone get altitude sick in Bryce? Apparently it’s 8000-9000 feet there. I got very altitude sick in Cusco Peru (but that’s 11,100 ft).

Thank you!!

I had no issues in Bryce. Be prepared for it to be cold though; much colder than Zion. We were there in May on year and it wa freezing and snowed overnight. Also check overall conditions in the area. People keeps mentioning the Narrows, but again depending on snowfall/snow melt it may not be an option. The year we were there they had record snowfall and in mid May the river was raging so the narrows were not accessible.

I would pack snacks &water for hikes. You need water in high altitude. it can get cold at night and up to 70s in the daytime. You need sunblock. Zion will be crowded!! Long lines. Not all trails at Zion are easy. Some ascend gets higher. & Some kids don't know how to behave so they do stupid things at the edge. Bryce is nit as crowded but not as bad because families with young kids would not like to hike too far down with their kids and have to go back UP with their whining kids. On the rim, you would need to watch them closely.
Hoover dam is cool. Go to the Valley of fire on your way North before you enter Utah. Easy hikes. & There is a dinosaur park museum that is really cool west of Zion but not close to Zion.

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Anonymous wrote:Please post back after the trip. Very interested in doing something like this with our kids next year. What ages are your kids?

Sorry, just re-read your post re ages. Again, please post back!

Thanks! I promise I will report back in this thread - I reported back after my Acadia trip

Link please!

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/index/posts/list/644562.page

You should go to Acadia

Hi OP> I want to read your report! But the link isn't working. Are some digits missing?

Whoops try this?

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/644562.page

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Anonymous wrote:Please post back after the trip. Very interested in doing something like this with our kids next year. What ages are your kids?

Sorry, just re-read your post re ages. Again, please post back!

Thanks! I promise I will report back in this thread - I reported back after my Acadia trip

Link please!

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/index/posts/list/644562.page

You should go to Acadia

Hi OP> I want to read your report! But the link isn't working. Are some digits missing?

Thanks again everyone! I really appreciate it.

There’s so much to do - I already know I will have to go back

There are three main visitor areas in Zion canyon- one at the main entrance plaza- mostly a gift shop and ranger desk- one is a museum- worth a short stop and one is the hotel/restaurant/gift shop deep in the canyon. The shuttle stops at all three locations. The hotel/restaurant is the only place to get food in the park, so if you are going to be in the park all day, either take food with you, or plan to spend some time at the hotel/restaurant area.

At Zion, you can take the shuttle to the last stop in the canyon (Temple of Sinawava, I think) and get off and "hike" about a mile farther up canyon on a paved path. At the end of the path, you can keep hiking in the "Narrow" where you hike in the river. It might be too cold or the water too high in April, but the walk to the end of the path is still worthwhile.

Bryce is prettiest at sunrise and sunset. Since you want to stay on East Coast time, sunrise should be perfect, but it will likely be very cold. Definitely hike down into the hoodoos- even if you only go a little way. It's completely different from seeing them from the top of the cliff. If there is a night sky program, it's worth staying up for- the stars in the desert are phenomenal.

The town just outside of Bryce (Ruby's Inn area) has a bunch of touristy type attractions that are good for a family.

The drive past Bryce, to Escalante, on Rt 12 is one of the best drives I've ever taken. The landscape is surreal and amazing. It's out of the way for you, but worth it.

On the drive between Zion and Vegas, you can get off I-15 at Valley of Fire and drive back along the shore of Lake Mead- much prettier drive.

About 30 minutes south of Kanab is Pipe Spring National Monument- you may drive by it. It's a pretty cool frontier site with a lot of history- there is a tour of the "Castle" which is the Mormon fort, and barns, gardens and bunkhouses to explore. The kids can do a Junior Ranger program. We stopped there on a trip to the Utah parks to use the bathroom and ended up having a great time.

Anonymous wrote:FYI the road between Zion and Bryce just closed due to a mudslide. Fingers crossed this is a high priority fix, as the detour doubles the time to get to Bryce from Zion (we are also going for Spring Break).

Ugh thanks I know! I am bummed to miss out on that route but I saw pictures of the damage and I don’t know that I have any hope that it will reopen in a month

These are great tips- please post back OP! We are doing an RV camping loop this summer of Grand Canyon, antelope valley, Zion, Bryce and arches. I know it will be ungodly hot, but I am so excited to see that part of the country!