4-Day Road Trip Visiting Zion, Bryce, and Antelope Canyon
February 12, 2019
My second post is dedicated to a separate visit to the Southwest, just in case my first one didn’t convince you to buy that plane ticket. I’ll be sharing the details for visiting Antelope Canyon, Lake Powell, Zion, and Bryce Canyon National Parks in 4-days!
A college friend and I booked flights to Las Vegas for July 4th weekend. Traveling during peak summer months and during a holiday meant we had limited availability for lodging but we were happy with the home we stayed at using airbnb. We would have liked to camp but are both inexperienced and didn’t feel too comfortable winging it to secure a walk-in site.
Day 0: Las Vegas to Toquerville
Driving Distance: 150 miles
My flight was scheduled to arrive at Las Vegas at midnight. Unfortunately it was delayed 2-hours resulting in landing in Vegas at 2:00 am. We planned to drive that night to our airbnb, and so we did arriving at 5:15am.
Arriving this late (or early in the morning) with an early start the next day meant that we weren’t exactly well rested for our planned outdoor activities. Consider your arrival time before booking any tours for your first day.
Day 1: Toquerville to Page, AZ
Driving Distance: 300 miles (Back to Toquerville)
Our airbnb hosts provided breakfast so we ate before hitting the road. Our first stop was to grab some much needed coffee. There’s not much in the area, so we stopped at the first convenience store we saw.
First Stop: Antelope Canyon
Since I had visited Upper Antelope Canyon earlier in the year, we booked tours for Lower Antelope Canyon. There are two choices for tour groups (Ken’s or Dixie Ellis’ Antelope Canyon Tours) and we went with Ken’s Tours for a 10:30am slot. Keep in mind that you need to check in 30 mins before your tour start time. After the Navajo tax and permit fee the tour came out to $50/person.
It was hard to wake up and make the drive for this tour but it was totally worth it!
Remember from my first post that the tours operate on Mountain Standard Time, which is the same as the local community of Page, AZ although the land is on Mountain Daylight Time. In other words your googlemaps will tell you that will arrive 1-hr later making you believe that you missed your tour, but you’re good!
Are you wandering which Antelope Canyon you should visit? Future post comparing Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon to come!
Second Stop: Lake Powell
We booked a tour with Kayak Lake Powell for 3:30 – 7 pm and it came out to $115/person. This doesn’t include entrance to Lake Powell, which is a $30 fee or included with your National Park Pass.
Unfortunately when we arrived at the lake we were informed that the winds were picking up and were given the choice to continue with the tour but would be cancelled if winds continue to pick up (with no refund) or choose to cancel the trip and receive a refund. Our exhaustion convinced us to cancel and enjoy the lake instead.
I had never experienced any lake like this in my life. The water was amazing and so was the view! I highly recommend considering doing the kayak tour or checking out Lake Powell on its own. We wanted to stay in the area to watch the sunset (how epic would that have been) but we didn’t want to drive back to Toquerville in the dark and what a good call that was!
Day 2: Toquerville to Springdale, UT
Driving Distance: 50 miles (Back to Toquerville)
This was our first day at Zion National Park and we planned to do The Narrows hike.
Some tips on visiting Zion National Park:
- The park entrance fee is $35 for private vehicle and it is valid for 7 days. If you’re visiting more than 1 park consider if an Annual Park Pass ($80) is a better option. The Visitor Center is open from 8am – 7pm
- Plan to be there early – aim for no later than 7am. Not a morning person, trust me you’ll regret it later. You don’t want to wait an hour for a shuttle. Arriving early increases your chances of finding parking deeper in the park so that you don’t have to take the shuttle at the main entrance where there’s always a huge line that can last at least an hour
- Plan your day in advance. In the summer the heat is brutal. Avoid hiking in exposed areas during the middle of the day by starting your day early
- Be aware which stations have water fill stations and plan to fill your hydration pack accordingly. It’s important to note this if you plan to hike more than 1 trail in a day
Zion NP: The Narrows – Bottom Up
- Difficulty: Moderately strenuous/strenuous river hiking – Weather impacts trail conditions
- Distance: 9 mi RT to Big Springs (Includes the Riverside Walk trail)
- Permit: Not required for the bottom up hike up to Big Springs
The Narrows hike at Zion NP is one of my favorite trails. Can you imagine hiking in a river? The shuttle drops you off at Temple of Sinawava (ToS), the last stop, and you start hiking on the Riverside Walk trail for approximately 1mi. The Narrows trail starts right on the river. If crowds bother you, continue hiking north and they will start to disappear. We went as far north as the mouth of Orderville Canyon (will be on your right), explored this detour for a bit before retracing our steps. There are “obstacles” along this detour therefore we only went as far as we felt comfortable – keep in mind you have to turn back around.
-
-
-
-
Orderville Canyon -
I’ve never experienced anything like this – it was so much fun and a unique experience. I have some recommendations based on my experience. Note that I hiked in July; if you visit in cooler months your clothing and gear list will be different.
Clothing
- It is cooler within the canyon walls so consider a lightweight thermal, long-sleeve shirt, or sweater. Once you start moving you’ll warm up but the water is cool
- Wear shorts, you don’t want to hike in wet pants
- Quick-drying wicking material is best
- Closed-toe water friendly footwear. I used a pair of Nikes but if you own trail runners those would be perfect. I wouldn’t recommend Keens because the rocks will destroy your toes
- There are companies in Springdale that rent dry suits, neoprene socks, mountaineering shoes, walking stick, etc. – I chose not to rent any of this items and didn’t need them for the conditions I hiked in
Gear
- Hiking poles or stick. I didn’t have any but it would have been helpful to lean on and find stable surfaces in the water. We experienced perfect weather and river conditions during our trip
- Dry bag for valuables if carrying on you
- Fanny pack or pocket that you can easily access your phone/camera
Safety Tips
- Flash Flood Warning – Don’t hike if the forecast calls for rain. Water flow affects the difficulty of this rail. Note that the Wilderness Desk will not issue a permit if the water flow is above 120cfs
- The rocks are slippery so watch your footing – this is where a walking stick comes in handy
- If you’ve never walked in a river read some tips for this. Let’s be honest, I’m not a pro so I’ll let you learn from one
Zion NP: Weeping Rock
The next trail we did was Weeping Rock (0.4 mi). We took the shuttle to Weeping Rock Trailhead. This was an easy trail and suited us after our morning adventure. Our socks and shoes also dried within 15 minutes of walking in the sun.
We were pretty exhausted from our day so we decided to grab a dinner and head back to our airbnb for some much needed rest.
Day 3: Toquerville to Bryce, UT
Driving Distance: 250 miles (Back to Toquerville)
Stop 1: Bryce Canyon NP
We slept in to rest and eventually made our way to visit Bryce Canyon National Park. We decided to do less difficult trails at Bryce and the beauty of this park is that you can still experience it fully if you choose this option.
Some tips on visiting Bryce Canyon National Park:
- The park entrance fee is $30 for private vehicle and it is valid for 7 days. If you’re visiting more than 1 park consider if an Annual Park Pass ($80) is a better option. The Visitor Center is open from 8am – 8pm
- We didn’t come across large crowds and were happy that we could sleep in without worrying of not finding parking
- Plan to be on trail early in the day. The one con to sleeping in is being subjected to the heat in the middle of the day – I was dying while ascending switchbacks
Bryce Canyon NP: The Queen’s Garden/Navajo Loop Trail
- Difficulty: Moderately
- Distance: 2.9 mi (2-3hrs)
- Elevation Gain: 600 ft
We started this trail at Sunrise Point towards Queen’s Garden trail. It’s called Queen’s Garden because at the end you will come up to a hoodoo resembling Queen Victoria. We then continued to Navajo Loop where it leads up to Sunset Point.
Bryce Canyon NP: Scenic Drive
After our hike, we hopped back in the car and took the scenic drive in the park stopping at the overlooks to experience the different rock formations.
The scenic drive ends at Rainbow Point where we walked a short trail to stretch our legs before making our way back to our airbnb.
Stop 2: Zion NP – Canyon Overlook
On our way back to our airbnb we stopped at Canyon Overlook to watch the sunset. This is one of my favorite trails at the park. It’s a relatively easy 1mi trail with an amazing view!
Day 4: Toquerville to Las Vegas, NV
Driving Distance: 200 miles
This was our last day at Zion National Park and of our trip. We planned to hike Angel’s Landing since it takes half a day and then make our way to Las Vegas to catch our late flight.
After the killer switchbacks experience at Bryce I convinced my friend to get up extra early so that we could be one of the first one on trail to minimize our exposure to the heat and crowds.
Zion NP: Angel’s Landing
- Difficulty: Fairly strenuous and exposed
- Distance: 4.8 mi RT (3-6hrs)
- Elevation Gain: 1,500 ft
- Trailhead: Take shuttle to the Grotto Trailhead
There’s are many reasons why Zion NP has captured my heart, and Angel’s Landing is one of them. Angels Landing received its name in 1916 when a group in passing commented, “Only an angel could land on it!”
Scout Lookout – You’re almost there. If you have a fear of heights or don’t feel comfortable continuing the hike this is a good place to stop. Heights make me uneasy so I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to complete this trail but by hiking at my pace and taking it slow during the ascent I was able to make it!
The final ascent – hiking and scrambling to the final viewpoint, Angel’s Landing!
Safety Tips
- During the summer months bring plenty of water and snacks
- Listen to your body and take breaks as needed
- This is a strenuous and exposed hike. The switchbacks up to Scout’s Lookout will get your heart pumping. Consider taking a break here to hydrate and grab a snack if needed before continuing to the final ascent
- Be considerate of others on the trail – even if they’re going slower than you especially in areas of one-way traffic
After we completed the Angels Landing trail we headed back to Las Vegas. Pro tip: If you have some extra time before needing to catch a flight – go to a spa where you can freshen up and relax! If you’re on a budget check on groupon (like we did!).
