Grand Canyon June Vacation

[JCasper]

Last summer we took our new trailer to Yellowstone.



This summer we are thiking of going to Grand Canyon, Carlsbad Caverns, Zion, Bryce, and who knows what else. We will be going just as soon as my Daughter is out of school in June.



Any thoughts and ideas as to my plans here. We may cut out Carlsbad due to the distance, but who knows I love to drive.



I appreciate any and all input, however I may not use it all. Thanks in advance. Joe



Here is just a real quick tentative route.

 

[RVTRKN]

Well make sure you don't eat at the McDonalds there if your on the So. Rim side, there at the Grand Canyon, they charge triple the price. Ate there in 95 because wife wanted something quick and cheap before heading to Flagstaff and paid $45. 00 for four. Dont miss Slide Rock in Flagstaff, its a natural water slide from sandstone and other fun water stuff. Ask a local where it is, I dont remember anymore.

 

[RCook]

Will you be doing some trail hiking? For an easy and yet dramatic 1/2 day hike at the GC south rim, take the Kaibab Trail down as far as Cedar Ridge. As you get down into the canyon a bit, you appreciate the vastness of it quite a bit more. Take plenty of water.



For alternatives to Carlsbad that don't involve as much distance, the other red rock parks in Utah are great - Canyonlands, Arches, and Capitol Reef.

 

[steved]

Moab... Arches NP, Dead Horse Point SP, and Canyonlands NP.



Natural Bridges NM, Glen canyon Recreation Area, Capitol Reef NP, Bryce canyon, Zion NP.



North Rim Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Valley of the Gods (do not do this with the RV), Four Corners, Mesa Verde NP, Hovenweep NM.



Meteor Crater, Petrified Forest and Painted Desert NP (off I40, AZ), Canyon De Chelle, Shiprock, ElMapais and ElMorro...



The Tram in Albuquerque, Petroglyphs NM, Bandelier NM, Calle Caldera...



Lots of stuff in the four corners region! Our favorite was Bryce Canyon... the Tram is kinda cool... and Petrified is interesting.



steved

 

[Blu-meanie]

Be sure to purchase a National Parks Pass card. It will save you $.

 

[JCasper]

Wow, tons of info coming already. I love this place for that.



I think I need to start a list of notes at home and see what we can fit in.



There will be some hiking. My kids will be 7 and 2. If the 2 year old still fits in her backpack, I can carry her around.

 

[steved]

Be sure to purchase a National Parks Pass card. It will save you $.

Very true... it costs $80, but for example it has saved us around $75 to date! Depending on the parks, it can start paying for itself in four visits!



steved

 

[BarryG]

Sounds like a great trip. Remember it will be hot as heck in some of those places by mid June.



Zion- You will have to take the shuttle in Zion if you want to go up the main canyon you have no choice. Just make sure and take a day pack to carry some snacks and water. Water is your friend in that part of the country especially for the youngins. Definitely take a walk up the Virgin River narrows there. You can go up the paved trail but you can continue up as far as you want. The river is the trail. It gets so much better than the paved trail just shortly after it ends and gets better the farther you go up. The water makes a nice cool hike on an otherwise blistering day. Another good hike there is up to Angels landing. It is not that long couple miles but is a bit steep. The little ones especially the two yo wont be able to make the final bit but maybe you or your wife can stay and let the other do the last 5 minutes to see the incredible views from out on the end.



Bryce- do the viewpoint thing and if looking for a short hike go down at Sunset point and come up at Sunrise point. Maybe a mile and a 1/2. You can extend it if you like just take a look at the trail map. Definitely worth getting down into the canyon. If you want to go for a 1/2 day hike or so take the Peekaboo loop hike 5 miles or so there. The weather will be quite a bit cooler there in Bryce due to the elevation. Make sure and carry water. It is one of my favorite parks.



Grand Canyon- Will be warm. As suggested above take one of the trails down into the canyon even if just for a little ways. The South Kaibab trail is very nice and will be much less crowded thoug a bit steeper than the Bright Angel. You truely get a different perspective from inside the canyon. An easy hike is to take the shuttle west to Hemits Rest stopping at the various viewpoints. We walked back to the village from Hermits Rest approx 7 or 8 miles. However you can walk from one viewpoint/shuttle stop to another and catch the shuttle again so you dont have to go the whole way. The hiking is easy and it follows the canyon rim. Much less people there as well and you really get good views of the canyon along the Rim Trail there. Take water, take water, take water.



Carlsbad is very nice. Obviously take the hikes/tours in the cave. If possible be there early evening and watch the bats fly out. It is quite a site seeing a a few hundred thousand bats flying out. They actually have seating for it. Walk the trail down into the cave instead of taking the elavator. Take the elevator up to get out



Steved listed a bunch more places that are all great recommend them all as well. If taking an RV or camping you best make reservations for a spot soon especially Grand Canyon and Zion. Bryce might be all first come first serve but there are other places close by to camp if you get shut out there. Also second Steved mentioning the park pass if going to several it will save you some money and is good for the year. Did I mention to carry water everywhere you go.

 

[Crash&Burn]

Very true... it costs $80, but for example it has saved us around $75 to date! Depending on the parks, it can start paying for itself in four visits!



steved

steved;

You made me look for our National Parks card we bought in Alaska this summer.....

if you don't use for a while, things get misplaced... ...

.

.

.

found it

 

[JCasper]

Will it be miserably hot?



Looking online it looked like the North Rim of Grand Canyon would be on average mid 80's.



I would love to go sooner in the year, but I don't want to pull my daughter out of school for that long.

 

[DShore]

You may want to stop in Williams, AZ, off I-40 and take the steam train to the South rim of the Grand Canyon. Then get off I-40 W at Seligman and stop at the SNOW CAP drive-in to eat, then take Rt. 66 W. out of Seligman and visit the Grand Canyon Caverns, and Hackberry then on to Kingman.



You can drop your trailer at one of the several campgrounds in Golden Valley (on Hwy 68) and use that as your base.



Then pick up Rt. 66 in Kingman and take it west to Oatman. It is a very twisty & steep road, but a great drive and super scenery. Oatman is an old mining town and is where Clark Gable and Carol Lombard were married. They spent their wedding night in Kingman @ the Brunswick Hotel, also on Rt. 66. While in Kingman, visit the Powerhouse Museum on Rt. 66, just down the street.



Take 93 north to Pierce Ferry Road to the West end of the Grand Canyon. There is a BIG sign at the junction so you won't miss it. Take the gravel road off this blacktop and go about 20 miles (I think) of VERY rough road... but it is the right one. The new Overlook of the Grand Canyon West is located on the Hualapai Indian Reservation. Plane trips and helicopter tours are available.



On the way back to Kingman, you may want to stop in Chloride, another old mining town... several interesting sights.



Just some suggestions.

 

[Bob4x4]

When you mention Oatman,you have to talk about the wild Burros walking around town,begging for hand outs :-laf



Bob

 

[BarryG]

The heat is not that bad but it is warm. Zion mid June low 90's to low 100's usually with a good morning and evening breeze due to the convection. Grand Canyon South Rim high 80's to high 90's, Bryce 70's to mid 80's. I have actually seen snow at Bryce in June. You always hear it is a dry heat and it is so if you are coming from a humid environment it will be more comfortable. The biggest thing is just to make sure and stay well hydrated, a broad rimmed hat also does wonders.

 

[TFucili]

The Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff is an interesting stop.

If you explore further south, I'll put in a shameless plug for the

Desert Caballeros Western Museum - Wickenburg Arizona, here in Wickenburg. Taking a

hike up Vulture Peak is also a popular draw.

 

[Bob4x4]

If you make it that far south don't miss Oak creek canyon and Sedona.



Bob

 

[JCasper]

The heat is not that bad but it is warm. Zion mid June low 90's to low 100's usually with a good morning and evening breeze due to the convection. Grand Canyon South Rim high 80's to high 90's, Bryce 70's to mid 80's. I have actually seen snow at Bryce in June. You always hear it is a dry heat and it is so if you are coming from a humid environment it will be more comfortable. The biggest thing is just to make sure and stay well hydrated, a broad rimmed hat also does wonders.

For a guy from the NW, That's HOT.

 

[KevinSmith]

I noticed you route took you through Commiefornia. If you dont have any reason to go there I would reccomend a different route. Hillsboro-Bend-Burns Junction- You are now on Hwy 95 going south to Winnemucca. At Winnemucca {get fuel here at Flying J} go East on 80 to Battle Mountain and take 305 south to 50 {50 is Americas lonliest Hwy}. Now head south toward the Grand Canyon. Southern Or is 55mph but Nv is 70&75mph. Northern Nv is one of the worlds latgest gold producers. Winnemucca has a nice little museum with a wooly mammoth found in the desert. The town of Austin on Hwy305/50 was one of the largest towns in the west at one time. Now the town is a nice little tourist stop{dont buy fuel here unless you have no choice}. You could also check out Death Valley on you way south. When you are done in Utah you can get back on I80 at SLC and follow it back to Nv. At Elko you may want to go toward Boise and jump on I84. Have fun

 

[JCasper]

I noticed you route took you through Commiefornia. If you dont have any reason to go there I would reccomend a different route. Hillsboro-Bend-Burns Junction- You are now on Hwy 95 going south to Winnemucca. At Winnemucca {get fuel here at Flying J} go East on 80 to Battle Mountain and take 305 south to 50 {50 is Americas lonliest Hwy}. Now head south toward the Grand Canyon. Southern Or is 55mph but Nv is 70&75mph. Northern Nv is one of the worlds latgest gold producers. Winnemucca has a nice little museum with a wooly mammoth found in the desert. The town of Austin on Hwy305/50 was one of the largest towns in the west at one time. Now the town is a nice little tourist stop{dont buy fuel here unless you have no choice}. You could also check out Death Valley on you way south. When you are done in Utah you can get back on I80 at SLC and follow it back to Nv. At Elko you may want to go toward Boise and jump on I84. Have fun

That route is just what Streets and trips gave me. I will edit it depending on where I end up wanting to go.

 

[azpete]

If you are taking the travel trailer there is a height restriction in Zion. I can't remember what the limit was but you have to pay some bucks for an escort where they block traffic while you go through the tunnels. Check the parks website, they should have it there. Monument Valley and the Painted Desert make for some nice pictures.

 

[RRuggles]

Slide Rock State Park is in Oak Creek Canyon between Flagstaff and Sedona.