Zion_Bryce From Vegas
Day One: Las Vegas
- We arrived in the Afternoon, rented car, checked into Paris Hotel
- 4:00-5:30PM. Walk strip, gamble if that is your thing. Open container on the strip is cool.
- Eat Dinner. 19. Flour and Barley
- Show. Look for famous musical acts performing multiple nights. We were fortunate to catch Elton John at Caesars Palace, so much better than seeing him in a 20K seat arena. We also saw is Criss Angel Mind Freak, and I agree, it was a mind freak. So many to pick from, you can find something that fits your interests. Just search concerts in Vegas.
Day two: Zion National Park
- 8:00-11:00AM. Drive is only 2 hours and amazing. You lose an hour due to time zone change. 8:00am is an early start in Vegas, but it is 11:00am back east.
- IMPORTANT TIP FOR ZION: Stay at the lodge in the park. You can walk from the lodge to most of the hikes. Otherwise, you may need to get in line very early to get into the park, and worse, you may need to park on the road a couple miles away from the hikes.
- 11:00-11:45AM. Eat at Whiptail Grill,(445 Zion Park Blvd), great mexican food in a converted gas station.
- 11:45-12:15PM. Zion Outfitters (7 Zion, Mount Carmel Hwy) to rent pole, socks, and boots to hike in the Narrows. Do I really need this? Yes, I highly recommend the gear if you intend on a long hike.
- 12:30-3:30PM. hike the Narrows, it is all the way to Stop #9, past the lodge and the other trail heads, gives you a feel for the park. Recommend making it to "Wall Street" and back. This hike is a must do experience. Scroll down for pictures.
- 3:30-4:30PM. Check in to the lodge, sit on your balcony in awe of the red rock walls over 1,000 ft tall.
- 4:30-6:30PM. Emerald Pool Trails. Only 3 miles and less than 500ft elevation change and very close to the lodge. This is an easy hike which is needed after the Narrows. Unfortunately, you are prohibited from swimming in the pools, but great anyway.
- 7:30PM+. Zion Pizza and Noodle (868 Zion), pizza place in an old church with a solid beer selection.
Day Three: angels landing then onto Bryce
- 7:00-9:30AM. Angels Landing. WOW!. This could be a half day hike, could pack a lunch and eat at the top just below the chains. Maybe for a longer trip. Stunning views, fairly unsafe. IMPORTANT: you need a permit to hike Angels Landing due to popularity. This must be done in advance through a quarterly lottery process. Scroll down for pictures.
- 9:30-10:15AM. Back to Lodge, showers, check out.
- 10:30-11:15AM. Oscar's Cafe (948 Zion Park Blvd). Fantastic local spot for Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner.
- 11:15-12:45PM. Canyon Overlook. The drive from the lodge to the Canyon Overlook is stunning, we pulled over a couple times to look at the canyon. The trail and parking are just past the Zion-Mt Carmel tunnel, only 1 mile. Scroll down for pictures.
- 12:45 to 2:15PM. Drive to Bryce Canyon. As you near Bryce, you drive through Red Canyon. Next time we go, we will go for a week and bike in Red Canyon.
- 2:15 to 3:00PM. Bryce Canyon Visitor Center. Museum, information and a 22 minute film.
- Tip: Do not do a trial into the canyon on the same day you hiked Angel's Landing. We made this mistake, the switchbacks on the way back up from the bottom are rough.
- Another Tip: Unlike Zion, I don't think staying at the lodge in Bryce is necessary. It is great and convenient, but unlike Zion, seems like you can drive in daily and park close to the hikes or maybe we were just lucky with small crowds.
- 3:00PM - 4:00PM. Rim Trail. From Sunrise Point to Sunset Point is very easy, paved and level. The total RIm Trail is over 5 miles. This is one place where you want to watch the shadows move across the canyon as the sun gets lower in the sky.
- 4:00-4:30PM. Check in, relax on balcony for a second.
- 4:30 - 6:00PM. Scenic Drive. 18 mile with several stops. Rainbow Point, Yovimpa Point. The Bristlecone loop is a one mile hike at the end of the drive.
- 6:00-6:30PM. Contingent upon time of year, you could catch the sunset at Sunset Point.
- 7:00PM. Showdowns (80 S Main St, Tropic, UT). BIg Menu, Steaks, trout, burgers, sandwiches. Enjoyed this place b/c food was good, beer was cold, and live music, a guy doing covers with an acoustic guitar.
Day four: Hike Bryce then back to Vegas
- 7:00-7:30AM. Rim Trail, Sunrise Point. We just had some coffee and quick snacks, energy bars, for breakfast, wanted to get hiking.
- 8:00-10:00AM. Navejo Loop/Queens Garden starting at Sunrise Point, down into the Canyon and back up at Sunset Point. This is combining two trails for a 3.1 mile hike. See Queens Garden, Two Bridges, and Thor's Hammer, and up the famous switchbacks, very difficult workout. NOTE: there is a fork in the trail where you can take "two bridges" or "wall street". both are great. Scroll down for pictures.
- Option: Fairyland Loop. This is 8 miles, probably 4 hours, wish I would have done this one. Also, wish I had hiked Mossy Cave.
- 10:00 - 10:45AM. Shower up and check out.
- 10:45 - 1:30PM. Drive to Ceder City Utah. The Grind Coffee House (19 N Main) in the charming downtown area. The town is home to Southern Utah University.
- 1:30 - 3:00PM. Drive to Vegas, it's about 2.5 hours but you gain a time zone hour.
- 3:00-5:30PM. Checked into Caeser's Palace went swimming, some blackjack and slots, watched the fountains. Thought the boys would like Caesar's b/c of The Hangover.
- 5:00-7:00PM. Dinner. Yardbird Table and Bar in the Venetian. Could take the Gondola ride, the Venetian is fun.
- 7:00PM +. Another show/concert.
- Option: Old Vegas, The Golden Nugget, Fremont Street.
More tips for a Zion_Bryce_Vegas visit
- More Suggestions, maybe take several 3dayvacations: So many more hikes in both parks. Antelope Canyon is within 3 hours of Bryce and Red Rock Canyon is near Vegas. Also, one time we took a helicopter ride form Vegas to the Northern part of the Grand Canyon, we landed in the Canyon and ate lunch, flew over Hoover Dam and Lake Mead. Also, many famous musical acts perform in Vegas, so you could plan a trip around that. You could easily spend a week, or take a few 3dayvacations.
- Check out the National Park websites, trails may be closed at times. Parks may be too crowded in the summer. The permit for Angels Landing is a new thing, we did not need a permit in 2020.
Details & Descriptions
Chris angel mind freak
Chris angel mind freak
Chris angel mind freak
Criss Angel Mind Freak is amazing. Best part was when he was levitating on stage, disappeared, and came up through a door under the bleachers a row behind us. Crazy.
Zion PIzza & Noodles
Chris angel mind freak
Chris angel mind freak
Zion Pizza & Noodles is a great way to end a day of hiking, pizza is really good and local beers on tap. Unita Hop Nosh is a highly recommended IPA.
Oscar's Cafe
Chris angel mind freak
Oscar's Cafe was a favorite for all of us, Kristi and I brought two of our boys along. Generous portions. The Pork Verde Breakfast Burrito is the best breakfast burrito I've ever enjoyed.
The Narrows
The Narrows is a unique experience, walking in the VIrgin River between 1,000ft rock faces. It's one of those things in the world everyone should do at least once.
ANgels Landing
Canyon Overlook
Angels Landing is the top of the rock formation behind me and the boys. Challenging and somewhat dangerous hike, so popular you have to get a permit well in advance.
Canyon Overlook
Canyon Overlook
Canyon Overlook,,,, actually this is a view of Zion Canyon from halfway up the Angel Landings hike, Canyon Overlook is on the other side.
Bryce Canyon Rim Trail