National Parks

Kiroy · Jul 20, 2017

There are a few threads i've looked through spattered around re a lot of national parks but most are old.

Wife and I are planning a trip through a few national parks. Gonna take off Oct 1st from N Cal and loop through zion / bryce, up to yellowstone, then up to glacier NP before heading west towards a quick family visit.

Our breakdown is:

2 nights in zion (one full day)
1 night in bryce (one almost full day)
1-2 nights in grand tetons (one full day)
3 nights in yellowstone (we plan on moving camps each day, getting up at the butt ass crack of dawn and hitting up the first come first serves)
1-2 nights in glacier

Then we're heading west to seattle area to visit family and taking 101 back down.

Are there any must see's / do's for zion / bryce and yellowstone as far as day hikes and best camps to go for? Do our times at locations need adjusting? We're planning on getting a good taste this trip so next year we can do two-three weeks sans trip to family and really do some overnight backpacking, but with everywhere we want to hit on this trip we need to home base car camp.

Dandain · Jul 21, 2017

If the river is low and there is no chance of rain, take the time to consider the narrows in Zion. Arches is very close to Bryce and Zion, you might consider it for trails or hikes.

There is a wide variety of things to see in Yellowstone. Check out the more remote waterfall/geyser hikes that fit your ambitions. If you've never been the main river canyon waterfalls are impressive. There is a loop that you can traverse over the course of your time there, make sure you have a plan about where and what you want to see. Maximize the time outside of your car, low backtracking.

Glacier is just stunning, take the going to the sun road to the visitor center, the view up there is worth it. There are many trails that radiate from there, and depending on how ambitious you are, its possible to summit many of the peaks and ridges around the main center. There are a couple of lakes in glacier, if that is your speed too.

Gravel · Jul 22, 2017

Feels like you're spreading yourself very thin. I think we spent a week in Zion, then went to Bryce for a few days, and decided instead of heading over to Arches we wanted to go back to Zion. Also found plenty to do to spend 2 weeks in Yellowstone. 1-2 nights in Glacier, however, might be enough as long as you're not intending on hiking or anything.

At Zion, The Narrows really is bucket list material. Seriously the best hiking in my life by a huge margin. If the water level cooperates, it's absolutely must do. We didn't do Subway, but I'd guess it's even cooler. My wife couldn't do Angel's Landing (heights), but we did get to Scout's Landing, and then went to the West rim trail I believe. Gorgeous views. If you've got a fear of heights, you may also not want to do Hidden Canyon, as there's a dicey section there (my wife was able to do it though; although getting there is the first part of Observation which is like straight fucking up). The Emerald Pools and Weeping Rock are definitely worth doing and are super short.

And also, speaking of water levels, seriously take that shit carefully. After we had went back, we were camping near the river and it was a babbling creek. It rained that afternoon and by around 11pm that night, our camp was basically washed out. The water came up about 5 feet in a few hours and it was moving fast.

Bryce I'm not sure what to do besides hiking. We ended up connecting a bunch of trails and did something like 8-10 miles. It's really good hiking in October and gorgeous. But once you've hiked it once I think you're good.

Kiroy · Jul 23, 2017

Gravel said:
Feels like you're spreading yourself very thin. I think we spent a week in Zion, then went to Bryce for a few days, and decided instead of heading over to Arches we wanted to go back to Zion. Also found plenty to do to spend 2 weeks in Yellowstone. 1-2 nights in Glacier, however, might be enough as long as you're not intending on hiking or anything.

At Zion, The Narrows really is bucket list material. Seriously the best hiking in my life by a huge margin. If the water level cooperates, it's absolutely must do. We didn't do Subway, but I'd guess it's even cooler. My wife couldn't do Angel's Landing (heights), but we did get to Scout's Landing, and then went to the West rim trail I believe. Gorgeous views. If you've got a fear of heights, you may also not want to do Hidden Canyon, as there's a dicey section there (my wife was able to do it though; although getting there is the first part of Observation which is like straight fucking up). The Emerald Pools and Weeping Rock are definitely worth doing and are super short.

And also, speaking of water levels, seriously take that shit carefully. After we had went back, we were camping near the river and it was a babbling creek. It rained that afternoon and by around 11pm that night, our camp was basically washed out. The water came up about 5 feet in a few hours and it was moving fast.

Bryce I'm not sure what to do besides hiking. We ended up connecting a bunch of trails and did something like 8-10 miles. It's really good hiking in October and gorgeous. But once you've hiked it once I think you're good.

Ya I feel like we're spreading ourselves thin too. We may say fuck it and just do 5 days in zion / 5 days in yellowstone before heading back west.

Kiroy · Sep 30, 2017

Wife and I are pulling out tomorrow. 2 days and 1 full day in zion, 1 night and 3/4 a day in bryce, 1 night and a day split between grand tetons and moving up into yellowstone. 2 night 2 days in yellowstone, 2 nights in glacial national park then wrapping over to WA to visit some family.

Should be a good time.

Based on my research we're planning a week in zion only next march.

Will try to post some pictures and shit.

Chanur · Sep 30, 2017

Man that sounds like my kind of vacation. Take a lot of pictures.

ZyyzYzzy · Sep 30, 2017

Idk if this is the right thread, but my wife got one of those dumb national park passports. Been going to plaves over VA, DC and Maryland that I don't really feel like going to...

Alex · Oct 1, 2017

I wouldn't feel like going to VA and MD either.

Kiroy · Oct 4, 2017

Tenks · Oct 12, 2017

I really need to go to Zion now that I'm within driving distance. It looks really amazing.

Utnayan · Oct 27, 2017

Kiroy said:
View attachment 154274

I’m here right now at this moment.

about to do angels whatever today and emerald.

Gravel · Oct 27, 2017

If there isn't rain in the forecast anywhere nearby, I strongly recommend doing the Narrows. Was one of the coolest hikes I've done (only recently supplanted as my favorite by one in Kauai).

My wife isn't good with heights, so we started the Angel's Landing hike and ended up turning around after the first set of chains. Up to Scout's Landing was a good hike though, and we ended up going to the rim trail instead.

Hidden Canyon is also a pretty neat hike (I think it's across the street from the Angel's Landing start?). Go to the Weeping Wall/Observation hike area and just take the right fork instead.

McCheese · Oct 27, 2017

ZyyzYzzy said:
Idk if this is the right thread, but my wife got one of those dumb national park passports. Been going to plaves over VA, DC and Maryland that I don't really feel like going to...

Great Falls is nice as long as you avoid the VA side on the weekends when all the Mexicans are celebrating their quinceaneras and overcrowding the place.

MD and VA have some great parks though.

Utnayan · Oct 27, 2017

Gravel said:
If there isn't rain in the forecast anywhere nearby, I strongly recommend doing the Narrows. Was one of the coolest hikes I've done (only recently supplanted as my favorite by one in Kauai).

My wife isn't good with heights, so we started the Angel's Landing hike and ended up turning around after the first set of chains. Up to Scout's Landing was a good hike though, and we ended up going to the rim trail instead.

Hidden Canyon is also a pretty neat hike (I think it's across the street from the Angel's Landing start?). Go to the Weeping Wall/Observation hike area and just take the right fork instead.

Awesome. Yeah angels landing we aren’t afraid of heights. Well, I was, but my wife took care of that for me when I jumped off a zip line 300 feet above the ground on big island that ran for almost a mile super sunny here. Not a cloud in the sky. High will be 75. We are going to get some water shoes I think and do that tomorrow! (Narrows)

Utnayan · Oct 27, 2017

I’ll post pics if I live.

also, we ate at the bit and spur last night. Awesome!

Gravel · Oct 27, 2017

Utnayan said:
Awesome. Yeah angels landing we aren’t afraid of heights. Well, I was, but my wife took care of that for me when I jumped off a zip line 300 feet above the ground on big island that ran for almost a mile super sunny here. Not a cloud in the sky. High will be 75. We are going to get some water shoes I think and do that tomorrow! (Narrows)

Take a hiking pole or find a place to rent a walking stick or something. That and some sort of water shoe is damn near a necessity. I think we got ours from the Zion Adventure Company in Springdale.

Utnayan · Oct 27, 2017

Gravel said:
Take a hiking pole or find a place to rent a walking stick or something. That and some sort of water shoe is damn near a necessity. I think we got ours from the Zion Adventure Company in Springdale.

Ok yeah we were there last night where I think that’s the same place they had the predator I’m going to buy made of scrap metal, spark plugs, and bicycle chain parts.

Utnayan · Oct 27, 2017

See ya on the other side’

Utnayan · Oct 27, 2017

I am so.... fucking.... tired. Made the west rim. Up hill. 2.5 miles. 2,000 feet in that time. Holy switchbacks. I was so happy when we made it to the top

Ate at oscars. Had the killer ribs. Almost ordered a full rack and holy shit am I glad I didn’t because the half was more than enough. Now I’m laying in bed. I can’t move. Tomorrow is the narrows. Maybe I can tube the bitch.

Kiroy · Oct 28, 2017

Utnayan said:
I am so.... fucking.... tired. Made the west rim. Up hill. 2.5 miles. 2,000 feet in that time. Holy switchbacks. I was so happy when we made it to the top

Ate at oscars. Had the killer ribs. Almost ordered a full rack and holy shit am I glad I didn’t because the half was more than enough. Now I’m laying in bed. I can’t move. Tomorrow is the narrows. Maybe I can tube the bitch.

Ya we did observation point (angels was closed) and felt like a bag of hammered assholes when we got down. Damn though the views were great and not to many tourist after a mile of steep switchbacks.

Get to the narrows at first light, like be there statting at first light and make sure u have a walking stick (they leave some there u can get if u get there early).

If you start even after an hour past first light you'll be hiking in with 100s of people.

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