Bryce/Zion/Valley of Fire tips?

[marinkitty]

I'm surprising DH with a little birthday getaway just the two of us to get outdoors and hike.

We are flying into Vegas and then driving straight to Bryce Canyon NP and staying one night in the NP lodge there. Sunset at Bryce and then we will get up for sunrise and spend the next day hiking at Bryce before driving over to Zion NP early evening. We are staying three nights near Zion. Right now I've got us all three nights at the Desert Pearl Inn in Springdale, but toying with spending the final night at Under Canvas Zion (glamping) since we won't be headed back into the park that last day just for a change of scene and to try something new. My tentative plan for that last day is to hit Valley of Fire State Park on the way back to Vegas. Late afternoon flight out of Vegas.

I know we have some avid hikers/outdoorsy folks here so I'd love to hear what hikes you'd recommend in Bryce, Zion and VOF given our time constraints. Or something else I haven't considered.

We are both experienced hikers who are up for challenging hikes, although I'm not sure I can take on Angel's Landing as I get squigged out by ridgeline hiking with big vertical drops on either side and worry my nerves would lead to an accident (for reference, I also bailed on the cables on the final 400 ft of vertical at Half Dome, much to my dismay - don't want to set myself up for that again). But exposure and scrambling generally are fine for us.

We like avoiding the big crowds which hopefully with May and early wake-ups will be doable, but if you have any off the beaten track suggestions that will still get us a good overall flavor for the parks, please let me know!

I'm tempted to hike the Narrows one morning at Zion even though I'm sure it's always crowded and it might be cold and high water level in May. But are there other spots with lower traffic to get the same feel?

Also, any recommended dinner locations in Springdale? Dining isn't going to be a huge part of the trip but decent dinner options after a long day of hiking would make it all even better.

Thanks!

[georgiegirl]

DH loves all those places. I’ve only been to Valley of Fire, and it’s beautiful there. Several areas for hiking.


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[sariana]

FWIW, my DD hiked Angel's Landing when she was six. She didn't quite make it all the way because she had to go to the bathroom and freaked out about doing it on the mountain. I did NOT do that part of the hike. My legs were too shaky (day 2 of AF, and I have low iron to begin with), so I stayed at the lookout point while DH took DD and DS (10 at the time). Even if you don't do the last (cable) portion, the hike to the lookout point is worth it. When we were there, a ranger was giving a lesson on condors. I don't remember what it's actually called--not lookout point. But it's where the last set of bathrooms are, just beyond Walter's Wiggles.

Honestly, I don't remember a bad hike at Zion. We loved the whole park. The rangers will let you know if The Narrows is doable. Conditions change daily, so be prepared with an alternate hike. We've had tons of snow this year in CA, but I'm not sure what the snowmelt will look like upstream of Zion.

Bryce is pretty small in comparison. The rim hike is pretty pointless for an avid hiker, but you probably already know that. Go down into the canyon.

I've never been to (or even heard of!) Valley of Fire. Maybe I should look into it. We're trying to plan our summer vacation.

BTW, my DH would absolutely LOVE a birthday gift like this. What a great idea!

[marinkitty]

FWIW, my DD hiked Angel's Landing when she was six. She didn't quite make it all the way because she had to go to the bathroom and freaked out about doing it on the mountain. I did NOT do that part of the hike. My legs were too shaky (day 2 of AF, and I have low iron to begin with), so I stayed at the lookout point while DH took DD and DS (10 at the time). Even if you don't do the last (cable) portion, the hike to the lookout point is worth it. When we were there, a ranger was giving a lesson on condors. I don't remember what it's actually called--not lookout point. But it's where the last set of bathrooms are, just beyond Walter's Wiggles.

Honestly, I don't remember a bad hike at Zion. We loved the whole park. The rangers will let you know if The Narrows is doable. Conditions change daily, so be prepared with an alternate hike. We've had tons of snow this year in CA, but I'm not sure what the snowmelt will look like upstream of Zion.

Bryce is pretty small in comparison. The rim hike is pretty pointless for an avid hiker, but you probably already know that. Go down into the canyon.

I've never been to (or even heard of!) Valley of Fire. Maybe I should look into it. We're trying to plan our summer vacation.

BTW, my DH would absolutely LOVE a birthday gift like this. What a great idea!

Thanks for much for this perspective! This is great!

Did you guys hike Observation Point while you were there, by any chance? That was my thought as an alternative to Angel's Landing. If DH really wants to do Angel's Landing I think I'd be fine to the point you went to, so that's an option too.

I've only read a tiny bit about Valley of Fire but it looks amazing from the photos I have seen and it is right on the way for us. I need to research that one more.

DH only knows we are flying into Vegas (because after our trip he's flying on to CA for work). He started trying to guess where we'd head from there (he knows I probably wouldn't actually plan to stay in Vegas for a trip as that's not my scene at all) and he guessed Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, Canyonlands and Monument Valley but so far hasn't mentioned Zion or Bryce. We went hiking over winter break in Patagonia with the kids and DH kept commenting how much he's missed hiking during the past 15 years of kid-rearing (we were avid backpackers pre-kids). So I think he will LOVE this. I'm super excited for it and to be able to surprise him. I'm not sure he has really seen photos or knows much about these parks and I think they will blow his mind. Yosemite is his favorite place on earth but think Zion will be right up there.

Thanks again for responding.

[sariana]

I just pulled out our photo album, and we did not do Observation Point. We did the Watchman Trail, which was fine as hikes go but nothing compared to Angels Landing (even without the "scary" part at the end). I don't remember what Observation Point was. It may have been too long for us when the kids were younger (or too long for me any time!) combined with all the other things we were doing.

[gobadgers]

How exciting!

We opted not to do The Narrows (DD was a baby in a backpack carrier at the time and we were nervous first time parents) and I'm dying to go back someday to hike it. It was spectacular even at the end of the paved trail.

We did hike Angel's Landing - I am not sure footed and pretty shy about ledges, but I don't remember being terrified (maybe I'm blocking it out?). But, it sounds like you will have time to adventure further into the park so maybe just as well to avoid that scene anyway.

Agree with PP about hiking down into Bryce too - such a surreal landscape.

Sounds like an amazing surprise trip!

[baymom]

We loved so many hikes at Zion but perhaps our favorite was Hidden Canyons. We were there in the Spring and the water was too high to attempt the Narrows and we opted to save Angles Landing for our next trip—so don’t know how Hidden Canyon would compare. But, the views were spectacular and it was challenging but not crazy so. For reference, we’ve done the cables on Half Done and I consider *that* to be crazy challenging.

[marinkitty]

We loved so many hikes at Zion but perhaps our favorite was Hidden Canyons. We were there in the Spring and the water was too high to attempt the Narrows and we opted to save Angles Landing for our next trip—so don’t know how Hidden Canyon would compare. But, the views were spectacular and it was challenging but not crazy so. For reference, we’ve done the cables on Half Done and I consider *that* to be crazy challenging.

I remember seeing that one. Will go back and give it another look - it sounds great. We have two full days so we should be able to cover some decent ground and I suspect we may run into the same problem with the Narrows in early May with such a snowy winter. I imagine this will be a first trip to Zion and that we'll get back there some day with more time (maybe after the kids aren't at home) so we don't have to do it all.

[marinkitty]

How exciting!

We opted not to do The Narrows (DD was a baby in a backpack carrier at the time and we were nervous first time parents) and I'm dying to go back someday to hike it. It was spectacular even at the end of the paved trail.

We did hike Angel's Landing - I am not sure footed and pretty shy about ledges, but I don't remember being terrified (maybe I'm blocking it out?). But, it sounds like you will have time to adventure further into the park so maybe just as well to avoid that scene anyway.

Agree with PP about hiking down into Bryce too - such a surreal landscape.

Sounds like an amazing surprise trip!

Good to know about Angel's Landing. Maybe I should reconsider. I'm still so pissed off at myself for not finishing Half Dome but it was like my body just wasn't listening to my brain I was so freaked out, so I knew I had to just get off the cables asap. I've never had that happen again but I do have trouble sometimes skiing when we are on a ridge or the top of a very steep run and I need to get down a few turns fast before that crazed feeling gets to me again.

[StantonHyde]

I will write more later. But wanted to say we have had a ton of snow/water this winter. Even in May, the Narrows might be too cold/deep to do this year! And Angels Landing--the problem is that there are so many darned people who do it and all have to pass each other on "the chain" that it gets iffy. I wouldn't do it. The Kolob Canyon Section of Zion is amazing and much less populated. You can also go up to Cedar City and hike "Kanarrah Falls"--my spelling could be off. Or Snow Canyon is good too. I love hiking Bryce below the rim--not really hard. It will be higher altitude for you, though.