Utah National Parks in March

[jgenie]

Hop over to www.fodors.com and go to the Forums for the US and then Utah. You will see a ton of queries for info just like you are asking. There is a fairly standard loop that people do. You may not do all 5 in one trip. Not if you want to hike and get out of the car to see things and take some down time, etc. Fly in and out of Vegas puts you close to Zion, Bryce, and Capital Reef. Add in Snow Canyon State Park, some time in Grand Staircase National Monument (Escalante) and that could easily eat up 9 days. Remember that distances are long, the roads are not super highways, and you really should not drive after dark. (you miss the amazing scenery, but more importantly, there are lots of animals out--including free range cows--and you don't want to hit one in the dark!!)

All of my recommendations are in all of my trip reports--which are all posted in the Fodors Forum website. (no I don't work for Fodors, :-) I just have used those boards for many years to research trips and I find them to be highly valuable)

Thank you! Looks like recommendations are to split Arches/ canyonlands/ Moab area
or Zion/Bryce/GSENM. Is either better suited for March weather wise?

[StantonHyde]

Arches area has a lower altitude overall and will tend to be warmer. Bryce can be cold in March. GSNM and Capitol Reef are also at higher altitude. On the flip side, Arches etc could be really crowded with spring break folks. Zion etc. is closer to Zion. If you want to go to Arches, I would fly into Salt Lake City.

[jgenie]

We’re booked in and out of Las Vegas. Tickets to SLC were quite a bit more so we opted for LV. We’ll have 6 days to sightsee so will focus on Zion/Bryce/GSENM.

[marinkitty]

Now that you've settled on Zion/Bryce . . .

Our favorite hikes at Bryce were the Peek-a-Boo Loop (we did this mid-morning and went the opposite way of most traffic and while we passed many people they were mostly going the other way) and the Queen's Garden Trail to Navajo Trail (if you combine them they are a loop; we did this at sunrise and it was empty and really cool to see the changing light as the sun rose). We also hiked the Fairyland Loop the afternoon we arrived, which was good, but we liked the other two better if you are short on time. Drive the road up to the end too - there were some beautiful pull outs for photos and views. We stayed in the NP lodge so that we could enjoy sunset and sunrise - both were amazing and sunrise was well worth the early wake-up; we ate dinner and breakfast in the lodge restaurant and never ventured out of the park to the nearby town. We just spent one evening and most of the next day there (drove straight to Bryce from Vegas, took the Cedar Breaks and Kanab roads as detours to check those areas out but pretty sure Cedar Breaks won't be open yet in March as it's at high elevation. We also stopped at a state park right outside Bryce that was like Bryce-lite. I cannot remember the name right now.

Mid-afternoon our second day we drove Bryce to Zion taking the East Zion road in through the tunnel. A gorgeous drive. We stayed at a very cute place in Springdale - the Desert Pearl Inn - in a river view room that had a wonderful deck and super peaceful view. There was a pool and coffee service - I don't' think they had any dining. They did have a kitchenette in the room which was nice for coffee/breakfast and prepping trail food.

We ate at Spotted Dog Cafe, Whiptail Grill (kind of looks like an old service station - big Radiator Springs vibes in Springdale), Oscar's (Mexican), and Switchback Grille. We hit the local grocery for breakfast foods, drinks and snack foods to bring into the park for when we were hiking.

Our favorite hikes were Observation Point, Canyon Overlook (on the east side), Watchman Overlook (we did this for sunset and it was amazing) and Angel's Landing (we caught the first shuttle into the park for this one and it was still busier than I would have liked; they are going to permit this year but not sure if that will be in effect for March or not; with young kids I would stop the hike at Scout's Landing (no permit needed to that point) and not do the portion with the chains as there are big drops and you end up having to let go to pass people going the other way). When we were there the Narrows was closed because of high water (we went in early May) so we will have to do that another time, but if water levels permit, I would highly suggest renting the proper equipment from a local outfitter (we had planned to rent from Zion Adventure Company before the water levels closed the hike). If Observation Landing is closed when you are there, know that there is an alternate route that ends at the same point and has way less elevation gain (you access it through the east side off East Mesa Trail) - some friends of ours went after us and had to use that route rather than the Weeping Rock trailhead down in the valley. We did walk the paved trail that takes you to the start of the narrows, which was jammed with people but worth the short stop. We skipped most of the other main tourist stops on the shuttle - we did stop at Weeping Rock/Emerald Pool but all those crowds aren't our thing so we mainly tried to get out on trails where you lose 90% of the people.

We loved it and I'm sure we will go back (we didn't take our kids - it was a surprise birthday long weekend for DH) and they want to go after seeing our photos and hearing about the trip. Have fun and hope this was helpful.

[StantonHyde]

We’re booked in and out of Las Vegas. Tickets to SLC were quite a bit more so we opted for LV. We’ll have 6 days to sightsee so will focus on Zion/Bryce/GSENM.

Great--I have trip reports on Zion, Bryce, Escalante. If you want to go to Capital Reef, you might be able to do that too--I have trip reports for that as well. Again, all with lodging recommendations, food, hiking, etc.

[jgenie]

Now that you've settled on Zion/Bryce . . .

Our favorite hikes at Bryce were the Peek-a-Boo Loop (we did this mid-morning and went the opposite way of most traffic and while we passed many people they were mostly going the other way) and the Queen's Garden Trail to Navajo Trail (if you combine them they are a loop; we did this at sunrise and it was empty and really cool to see the changing light as the sun rose). We also hiked the Fairyland Loop the afternoon we arrived, which was good, but we liked the other two better if you are short on time. Drive the road up to the end too - there were some beautiful pull outs for photos and views. We stayed in the NP lodge so that we could enjoy sunset and sunrise - both were amazing and sunrise was well worth the early wake-up; we ate dinner and breakfast in the lodge restaurant and never ventured out of the park to the nearby town. We just spent one evening and most of the next day there (drove straight to Bryce from Vegas, took the Cedar Breaks and Kanab roads as detours to check those areas out but pretty sure Cedar Breaks won't be open yet in March as it's at high elevation. We also stopped at a state park right outside Bryce that was like Bryce-lite. I cannot remember the name right now.

Mid-afternoon our second day we drove Bryce to Zion taking the East Zion road in through the tunnel. A gorgeous drive. We stayed at a very cute place in Springdale - the Desert Pearl Inn - in a river view room that had a wonderful deck and super peaceful view. There was a pool and coffee service - I don't' think they had any dining. They did have a kitchenette in the room which was nice for coffee/breakfast and prepping trail food.

We ate at Spotted Dog Cafe, Whiptail Grill (kind of looks like an old service station - big Radiator Springs vibes in Springdale), Oscar's (Mexican), and Switchback Grille. We hit the local grocery for breakfast foods, drinks and snack foods to bring into the park for when we were hiking.

Our favorite hikes were Observation Point, Canyon Overlook (on the east side), Watchman Overlook (we did this for sunset and it was amazing) and Angel's Landing (we caught the first shuttle into the park for this one and it was still busier than I would have liked; they are going to permit this year but not sure if that will be in effect for March or not; with young kids I would stop the hike at Scout's Landing (no permit needed to that point) and not do the portion with the chains as there are big drops and you end up having to let go to pass people going the other way). When we were there the Narrows was closed because of high water (we went in early May) so we will have to do that another time, but if water levels permit, I would highly suggest renting the proper equipment from a local outfitter (we had planned to rent from Zion Adventure Company before the water levels closed the hike). If Observation Landing is closed when you are there, know that there is an alternate route that ends at the same point and has way less elevation gain (you access it through the east side off East Mesa Trail) - some friends of ours went after us and had to use that route rather than the Weeping Rock trailhead down in the valley. We did walk the paved trail that takes you to the start of the narrows, which was jammed with people but worth the short stop. We skipped most of the other main tourist stops on the shuttle - we did stop at Weeping Rock/Emerald Pool but all those crowds aren't our thing so we mainly tried to get out on trails where you lose 90% of the people.

We loved it and I'm sure we will go back (we didn't take our kids - it was a surprise birthday long weekend for DH) and they want to go after seeing our photos and hearing about the trip. Have fun and hope this was helpful.

Thank you!!! This gives me lots to look into!


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[jgenie]

Great--I have trip reports on Zion, Bryce, Escalante. If you want to go to Capital Reef, you might be able to do that too--I have trip reports for that as well. Again, all with lodging recommendations, food, hiking, etc.

Thank you!! Starting to research and piece it together now. We’re thinking we might stay overnight in LV to see Hoover Dam (Saturday afternoon) and Valley of Fire (Sunday morning) before heading to Utah. I booked Cable Mountain Lodge for Thursday, Friday and Saturday night at the end of our week. They only had one room available and those were the days they had. Would we be able to book something nearer to Bryce and day trip from there to Escalante and Capital Reef. Or would we be better getting lodging in a hotel each night near each park as we go?


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[StantonHyde]

Thank you!! Starting to research and piece it together now. We’re thinking we might stay overnight in LV to see Hoover Dam (Saturday afternoon) and Valley of Fire (Sunday morning) before heading to Utah. I booked Cable Mountain Lodge for Thursday, Friday and Saturday night at the end of our week. They only had one room available and those were the days they had. Would we be able to book something nearer to Bryce and day trip from there to Escalante and Capital Reef. Or would we be better getting lodging in a hotel each night near each park as we go?


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Hoover Dam is actually really cool! And Valley of Fire gets amazing reviews. For Zion, stay in Springdale, then go to stay at Ruby's outside of Bryce. Ruby's Inn does have older rooms and there is a newer Best Western. But I love Rubys, I really do and it is a fun place. Then stay in Escalante and do a hike there and then over to Torrey to stay there. I checked in 2020 and Austins Chuckwagon hotel still has the apartment over the store if you want more space. I know it's a pain to go to a different hotel each day but i promise its worth it.

[georgiegirl]

Thank you!! Starting to research and piece it together now. We’re thinking we might stay overnight in LV to see Hoover Dam (Saturday afternoon) and Valley of Fire (Sunday morning) before heading to Utah. I booked Cable Mountain Lodge for Thursday, Friday and Saturday night at the end of our week. They only had one room available and those were the days they had. Would we be able to book something nearer to Bryce and day trip from there to Escalante and Capital Reef. Or would we be better getting lodging in a hotel each night near each park as we go?


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We LOVE Valley of Fire. My kids can spend hours there exploring and climbing on the rocks. We will spend a day there in March over spring break. We’ve also done Hoover Dam twice and enjoyed it as well.

[marinkitty]

Hoover Dam is actually really cool! And Valley of Fire gets amazing reviews. For Zion, stay in Springdale, then go to stay at Ruby's outside of Bryce. Ruby's Inn does have older rooms and there is a newer Best Western. But I love Rubys, I really do and it is a fun place. Then stay in Escalante and do a hike there and then over to Torrey to stay there. I checked in 2020 and Austins Chuckwagon hotel still has the apartment over the store if you want more space. I know it's a pain to go to a different hotel each day but i promise its worth it.

We drove through Valley of Fire on our way back to Vegas from Zion but didn't have time to do more than just pop in and out of the car. Definitely worth a stop - it is beautiful. We hope to go back and camp at some point when we have more time.