Which National Park?

[Redbug]

Been there. It is pretty amazing being so close to downtown Columbia. When I was a child I used to hunt on the property right next to it.

Yup...I still do...

 

[deserteagle71]

I'm also wondering if there are private guides or tours you can pay to take you off the beaten path either one-on-one or in small groups that might get you away from the tourist throngs in some of the bigger parks.

Absolutely there are. I've seen them in all the remote areas that I go to - usually they have a Suburban or 4x4 van, depending on how many people. There are also Jeep tours - you can even rent a Jeep.

 

[BoylermanCT]

My wife and I just went to Grand Tetons and Yellowstone for 8 days in early October right before the park closes for winter. No crowds, no traffic, awesome visit! We saw grizzlies, buffalo, antelope, elk, deer, coyote, fox. Perfect place if you love wildlife. Zion National is also incredibly beautiful, you can fly into Vegas and visit Grand Canyon and Bryce Canyon at the same time.

 

[N80]

Yup...I still do...

We used to hunt around Green Pond and Big Lake....or Big Pond and Green Lake....I don't remember. My great uncle owned a big chunk. He was a Burnside.

 

[N80]

It looks like my wife is leaning towards the North Rim of the Grand Canyon along with Brice and Zion. This is kind of her thing. I feel like we are already a little behind for planning this sort of trip. I would also prefer to go to these places in early fall rather than summer but that's when she wants to go. Time to do a lot of reading and research.

I'm very torn about how to get there. Domestic flights are pretty cheap. Probably less than $1000 for both of us. Rental car for the week, especially if we get and SUV or truck, could run as high as $1000 as well. And if we're going to do this sort of thing I would want to pack decent hiking gear (for all weather possibilities) as well as photography equipment which would include a tripod and at least one large lens. All of that can be a pain when flying.

On the other hand, I have a newish pick-up with all the luxury gew-gaws that is 4wd and very pleasant to travel in (Drove from east coast to Memphis and down to New Orleans and back in April). That way, we pack whatever we want (including conceal carry FWTW, YMMV). But, the drive is 30 hours and would probably take 2.5 days since we aren't exactly marathon drivers. I'm good for 10-12 hours a day. Hard call. Will have to think about that.

 

[deserteagle71]

It looks like my wife is leaning towards the North Rim of the Grand Canyon along with Brice and Zion. This is kind of her thing. I feel like we are already a little behind for planning this sort of trip. I would also prefer to go to these places in early fall rather than summer but that's when she wants to go. Time to do a lot of reading and research.

I'm very torn about how to get there. Domestic flights are pretty cheap. Probably less than $1000 for both of us. Rental car for the week, especially if we get and SUV or truck, could run as high as $1000 as well. And if we're going to do this sort of thing I would want to pack decent hiking gear (for all weather possibilities) as well as photography equipment which would include a tripod and at least one large lens. All of that can be a pain when flying.

On the other hand, I have a newish pick-up with all the luxury gew-gaws that is 4wd and very pleasant to travel in (Drove from east coast to Memphis and down to New Orleans and back in April). That way, we pack whatever we want (including conceal carry FWTW, YMMV). But, the drive is 30 hours and would probably take 2.5 days since we aren't exactly marathon drivers. I'm good for 10-12 hours a day. Hard call. Will have to think about that.

Early fall is by far a better time....days are still pleasantly warm and nights can get genuinely cold - good sleeping weather! By the second week of September the crowds at the parks are minimal compared to the summer months.

Bryce will be pleasant in summer as it too runs between 8,000 and 9,000 feet in elevation...don't be surprised if you run out of air while hiking, compared to low elevations, if you're not used to it. Zion, on the other hand, is much lower (~4,200 feet) and in a deep canyon that holds the heat. Of course, most stay cool by wading in the river. The mountains just north of Zion soar to 10,000+ feet in elevation so if it's too hot down in the canyon you can drive into the mountains to see alpine scenery and hike some real mountain trails. Keep in mind that you cannot drive Zion - you have to park your vehicle and take a bus. Don't forget nearby Kodachrome Basin, Capitol Reef Park, and the adjacent Cathedral Valley. That whole area of southern Utah is just amazing; I've taken my spring and sometimes my fall vacations there for 30 years now and still find new area to explore.

 

[dragoneggs]

Surprised there isn't more interest in the southern Utah parks - Zion, Canyonlands, Bryce, etc. Best in spring and fall when the weather is cooler and the crowds are not at all bad then. Of course, everyone should visit Grand Canyon, Yellowstone and Yosemite in their lifetime.

Yeah started reading through this thread and of course Yellowstone should be on your bucket list. Lots of very short hikes... I mean very short but you will be with lots of people if you go spring thru fall. I have to say for day hikes and if you have a car and some time, is to drive around Utah. Zion/Bryce. If you go at the right time in summer you can do several great hikes in the narrows (walking up the river), Angel's Landing, etc.

Joe's Guide to Zion National Park - Recommended Hikes

If you have a week you can hit several other parks like Moab Arches, Canyonlands, etc. Not so many people and you are more one with nature vs. being on a boardwalk at Yellowstone.

 

[N80]

Far more interesting and enjoyable for us.

Yep, in Italy we might have missed the best museums, art and architecture, but we still saw a lot of that anyway. What we did do was interact a lot with the locals and went to places where the locals clearly did not see many tourists. I learned to speak a tiny bit of Italian and doing so was genuinely appreciated by the locals. As an example, we stopped at a small grocery in a tiny rural town to pick up some food for a picnic. I put my stuff on the counter and asked the girl for a small salami. She set two down on the counter and I told her in broken Italian, just one, not two. She said "regali" which means gift. That pretty much summarized our week in Emilia-Romagna and the Apennines.

Have you driven up the Blue Ridge Parkway?

That is nearby for us so we have been there many times (most every summer). We hike a lot in Pisgah National Forest and used to mountain bike there when I was a younger man. It can be unpleasantly crowded in October during peak season.

One problem with going out west, when one lives in the east, is the huge amount of time it takes to get out west. Unless one has lots of time, one has to fly. Driving takes too long and even the train burns up precious time.

Yes, I'll be struggling with that dilemma as mentioned above. Packing for a trip like this sounds tough if you fly. In spring and fall it looks like you could see extremes in weather in places just miles apart. Also, as mentioned, photo gear.

I don't really like cities per say, and have no desire to see any US city.

I actually love big cities as long as I can ditch the car. For me, having grown up in the burbs or small cities, even U.S. cities seem like foreign places to me. I feel totally out of my element and everything seems strange to me and that's what I like about travel. Another anecdote: Went to NYC (Manhattan) a few years ago. Thought I'd hate it. Loved it. Was standing there looking down into the subway trying to get up the nerve to use it. Decided not to and then all these small, uniformed, unescorted school children piled up the stairs. How scary could it be? Anyway, Manhattan in the spring, Central Park, the museums....I loved it.

Same thing for Glasgow Scotland.

A Scotland scotch tour is on the short list. Might even still be an option for this trip but good grief transatlantic flights have gone way up in cost. Like $1500 per person.

I share your desire to avoid the hordes of tourists and resulting traffic especially in areas where nature is the reason to visit.

Later,
Dan

Yep. I have a hard time with that concept. Even as a photographer I see these pictures of people taking photographs of these wonderful things in the National Parks and there are like 100 photographers should to should in a mass of tripods. Not my cup of tea.

I did find a photographer who gives personal tours to fit your agenda for the Grand Canyon North Rim. Pricey I'm sure but it would be nice.

 

[N80]

Early fall is by far a better time....days are still pleasantly warm and nights can get genuinely cold - good sleeping weather! By the second week of September the crowds at the parks are minimal compared to the summer months.

That is when I prefer to travel. I don't even mind snow and cold if things aren't shut down. Of course, the North Rim is closed in late fall through winter.

Bryce will be pleasant in summer as it too runs between 8,000 and 9,000 feet in elevation...don't be surprised if you run out of air while hiking, compared to low elevations, if you're not used to it.

That could be a problem. I do not exercise regularly and am not in tip top shape but we don't mind walking and I can walk all day around here, even in the hills. But we're at like 600 feet here. And I don't think Diamox pills are of any benefit below 10,000 feet. We would have to start 'training' right away. The last thing I want to do is to be limited to short hikes. As mentioned, I don't mind long day hikes but I do not have camping gear or much know-how....and really don't like it much.

Zion, on the other hand, is much lower (~4,200 feet) and in a deep canyon that holds the heat. Of course, most stay cool by wading in the river. The mountains just north of Zion soar to 10,000+ feet in elevation so if it's too hot down in the canyon you can drive into the mountains to see alpine scenery and hike some real mountain trails. Keep in mind that you cannot drive Zion - you have to park your vehicle and take a bus. Don't forget nearby Kodachrome Basin, Capitol Reef Park, and the adjacent Cathedral Valley. That whole area of southern Utah is just amazing; I've taken my spring and sometimes my fall vacations there for 30 years now and still find new area to explore.

Excellent info. Thanks. We should have whole week to spend in the area.

Edit: My wife has expanded the possible travel time to include late May through late September.

 

[N80]

Yeah started reading through this thread and of course Yellowstone should be on your bucket list. Lots of very short hikes... I mean very short but you will be with lots of people if you go spring thru fall. I have to say for day hikes and if you have a car and some time, is to drive around Utah. Zion/Bryce. If you go at the right time in summer you can do several great hikes in the narrows (walking up the river), Angel's Landing, etc.

Joe's Guide to Zion National Park - Recommended Hikes

If you have a week you can hit several other parks like Moab Arches, Canyonlands, etc. Not so many people and you are more one with nature vs. being on a boardwalk at Yellowstone.

We will have a week so that sounds good. I'm sure a week is no where near enough for that region but since I've never been out west it is all going to be neat to see for me.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

El Yunquke is nice; too bad the hurricane damaged it so badly that it's closed.

https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd568469.pdf

It's a bus ride from San Juan, which is another delightful place to visit...if you like to "hike", visit the two old Spanish forts there. The beach is gorgeous.

 

[MossRoad]

That's 6 days of driving 10 hour days just to get there and back. With no stops, that's no fun, in my opinion. I enjoy a drive, don't get me wrong. But man, that's a lot of driving with no stops. You mentioned having a week.... is that a week plus the 6 days of driving?

When we went to yellowstone, we drove 10 hours the first day from here to Souix City, SD. From that point on, we never had more than a 2 hour drive without stopping to see an attraction for the next 11 days. Then one 8 hour and one 10 hour drive to get home for 14 days on the road in a car with 2 kids.

If I were you, I'd look at Allegiant Airlines. They fly direct flights to Las Vegas from all over the country, including Charleston, SC. Rent a car in Vegas and drive to the canyon, Bryce and Zion.

 

[MossRoad]

Allegiant Air

 

[MossRoad]

Loop, sorry, you'd have to fly like Charleston to Indy, then Vegas, or something like that.

We've flown them direct to Vegas and down to Disney in FL. Nice airline. :thumbsup:

 

[RSKY]

We've flown Allegiant a few times. Cheap tickets but they charge you for EVERYTHING else.

 

[N80]

That's 6 days of driving 10 hour days just to get there and back. With no stops, that's no fun, in my opinion. I enjoy a drive, don't get me wrong. But man, that's a lot of driving with no stops. You mentioned having a week.... is that a week plus the 6 days of driving?

I feel sure we'd stretch the drives beyond 10 hours. I don't like it but I can do it. And, we'd probably stop in places we'd like to see again like Memphis. But, overall, I agree, the biggest issue would be the wasted time. I don't have paid vacation so when I don't work I don't get paid. So time is an issue. And we've already decided not to drive if we do this trip.

If I were you, I'd look at Allegiant Airlines. They fly direct flights to Las Vegas from all over the country, including Charleston, SC. Rent a car in Vegas and drive to the canyon, Bryce and Zion.

We can get direct flights from Charlotte to Vegas for reasonable prices so flying should be easy. Packing will be tricky but we'll figure it out. Camera gear and tripod are the big issue. Its expensive stuff and can be heavy. But, people do it all the time.

 

[N80]

Rent a car in Vegas and drive to the canyon, Bryce and Zion.

As it stands right now, that is the plan.

Now, here is maybe a stupid question. A lot of the time when we travel, food is one of the primary attractions. In fact, our trip to Italy was primarily a food trip to the heart of Italian cooking, Emilia-Romagna (not just to eat, I was learning about Italian cooking too). Clearly, this trip to these national parks will not be food driven............but in this region are there interesting towns, good restaurants, to be found?

 

[Oaktree]

You do realize that that paragraph regarding hordes of tourists and tourist traffic on the roads pretty much eliminates most of the major National Parks during the summer? Living in the west, I've been to pretty much every National Park east of the Mississippi (some I've explored multiple times) except for Great Bend down in Texas - and that's on the agenda. Yellowstone, the south rim of the Grand Canyon, even Glacier are an absolute zoo June through August. Death Valley you don't want to visit except November through about March.

You make a good point. The OP didn't mention whether or not he had school-aged kids, but if not why not postpone the trip until Sept.? The crowds are MUCH smaller, but the weather is still pleasant and most facilities are still open thru Columbus day or so.

I'll put in my vote for using Rapid City as a hub...lots of beautiful country within a day's drive, including Yellowstone, Mt. Rushmore, Badlands.

If you're over 65, it would be smart to get a golden age pass...$80 and you get into any National park for the rest of your life. You only need one...it's good for I believe up to 4 people in the same vehicle. My wife got hers a few years ago when it was only $20. One visit and it's more than paid for itself.

 

[N80]

You make a good point. The OP didn't mention whether or not he had school-aged kids, but if not why not postpone the trip until Sept.? The crowds are MUCH smaller, but the weather is still pleasant and most facilities are still open thru Columbus day or so.

I'll put in my vote for using Rapid City as a hub...lots of beautiful country within a day's drive, including Yellowstone, Mt. Rushmore, Badlands.

If you're over 65, it would be smart to get a golden age pass...$80 and you get into any National park for the rest of your life. You only need one...it's good for I believe up to 4 people in the same vehicle. My wife got hers a few years ago when it was only $20. One visit and it's more than paid for itself.

I did mention that it was our 30th anniversary but I guess it is still possible that we had school age kids. We don't. Both grown and on their own. It will just be the two of us, I'm 55, she 54.

We have probably narrowed it down to Bryce, Zion, North Rim.

She says September is probably an option. May is also an option.

Talked to my brother yesterday. He used to be a serious hiker/camper and had made many trips to the national parks, Rockies, etc. He said this area is one of his favorites.

 

[MossRoad]

As it stands right now, that is the plan.

Now, here is maybe a stupid question. A lot of the time when we travel, food is one of the primary attractions. In fact, our trip to Italy was primarily a food trip to the heart of Italian cooking, Emilia-Romagna (not just to eat, I was learning about Italian cooking too). Clearly, this trip to these national parks will not be food driven............but in this region are there interesting towns, good restaurants, to be found?

All I can tell you is that when we went to the south rim of the grand canyon, there's a little village just outside the gate where, I assume, many of the seasonal workers live. This was about 12 years ago, or so. A Big Mac at the McDonald's was like $47.00.... :laughing: OK, that's exaggerating. But it was way higher than anywhere else.