Customer Questions

Hey Timm,
Thank you so much for taking the time to report back on our itinerary! Glad it worked out well for you and your family. We hope you get a chance to come back to the area, and maybe try out our 14 Days In The Grand Circle trip plan.
Take care and have a wonderful rest of your summer, fall, and Holiday Season,
Alley 🙂

August 13, 2019 at 1:55 PM

Hi Sharon,
Mid-October is a great time to be here, my favorite, in fact, so good decision there! Weather is usually pleasant and quite stable.. note, “usually.” It can actually vary widely from place to place, due to the difference in altitudes. Las Vegas, for example, is only 2000′ above sea level. Grand Canyon South Rim is ~7,000′, Page and Zion are between 4,500′-5,000′, and Bryce goes all the way up to 8,000.’ While snow is unlikely at that time of year, you might encounter an occasional rainstorm, and you’ll definitely want to pack at least a light jacket for cold nights. Of course, it’s too soon to tell how the weather will actually be right now, but start monitoring the weather about 2 weeks before you get set to travel. Check it in all places you plan to visit. That will give you the best idea of how to pack.
As for whether you start your trip in Grand Canyon or Zion will depend largely on lodging availability in either place. If availability in Zion (Springdale, UT, or Kanab, UT) is more conducive to beginning your trip there, then by all means, do so! And if you can free up an extra day, you won’t have any trouble finding things to see and do. I’d recommend giving it to Zion or the Grand Canyon if you’re able to swing it.
Since Springdale, UT, is the central departure point for the Zion Canyon Shuttle System, that is where you should try to obtain lodging for the Zion portion of your trip. If that area is booked up, then Kanab, UT, is your next best option. In fact, you could even use Kanab, UT, as a “base camp” from which to explore both Zion and Bryce. It takes ~1 hour to drive from Kanab to Springdale, then ~90 minutes to drive from Kanab to Bryce (figures are one-way). Devote at least 2 days to Zion, and 1 to Bryce.
The drive from Kanab, UT, to Page, AZ, takes ~1 hour. The two towns are on different time zones, so keep that in the back of your mind. Utah is 1 hour ahead of Arizona, so you’ll “gain” an hour traveling from Kanab to Page, or “lose” it if you were to travel from Arizona to Utah. On your Bryce-Page transition day, you could tour Antelope Canyon the afternoon of your arrival, save that 2nd full day for a water-based activity such as the Rainbow Bridge Boat Tour or the Glen Canyon Half Day Float Trip, then hit Horseshoe Bend just after sunrise on the way down to the Grand Canyon. As for “fitting something at GC in” on the day you travel from Page to GC, the drive will naturally take you along the scenic East Rim/Desert View Drive of Grand Canyon National Park. There are over half-a-dozen named viewpoints of the Grand Canyon along this route, all with different perspectives and features to marvel at! Prior to arriving at the Grand Canyon, you’ll be on Navajo land, which also has many beautiful features that will no doubt pique your curiosity. The Cameron Trading Post makes a good breakfast/brunch stop. The Navajo tacos there are legendary!
Whatever you decide, a couple things to keep in mind:
1. There is a major construction project taking place on a stretch of I-15 through the Virgin River Gorge. This will affect your drive time between Las Vegas and Zion, typically tacking on an extra 30-60 minutes.
2. Everything — lodging, tours, reservations at fancier restaurants, etc. — should be booked in advance. Do not leave anything to chance!
3. You should plan on buying an “America The Beautiful Federal Lands Access Pass.” For $80, this card grants you access to all the National Parks, Monuments, and Federal Fee Areas in the U.S. for 1 year’s time. The only areas it won’t work are State Parks (such as Valley of Fire, a short but stunning detour you should try to make on the drive from Las Vegas to Zion!), and Native American Tribal Parks (Antelope Canyon is one of these), but it will still pay for itself on the trip you’re planning to take. Just pick it up at the first National Park you visit on your tour.
Hope that helps. Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

August 12, 2019 at 2:20 PM

_________________________________________

From Sharon

Alley
Thank you so much, we have not yet booked our tickets flying in to Vegas so things may still move around. We may loose a day on the parks route so will have to figure things around.
If we book our flight out of Vegas on a red eye to NYC (11:45 pm) do you think on the last day we can start in GC travel a bit there and on the way and take the drive back to Vegas straight to the airport? Will that be too risky if we need to be there by 9pm?
Thanks

August 12, 2019 at 6:09 PM

Hi Gary,
Honestly, I wouldn’t recommend doing that. Northern Arizona and Southern Utah are extremely popular vacation spots, and Antelope Canyon is a world-famous attraction. Tours (which are required) sell out weeks, sometimes months in advance, and those who “wing it” may find themselves out of luck! Naturally, there are alternate slot canyons in Page, AZ, which might save the day should you find yourself coming up against sold-out tours in the main branches of Antelope Canyon, but even those are selling out ahead of time.
As with every rule, however, there is an exception, and that holds true in this case: if you are traveling during the winter months (December-February), that timeframe tends to be a little quieter due to the colder weather, so then, you might find less competition for seats on tours, hotel rooms, etc.
All that said, there unfortunately isn’t one single number to use to check for availability on Antelope Canyon tours. There are four companies who oversee Upper Antelope Canyon and two who manage Lower Antelope Canyon. You must call these companies individually to inquire about booking seats.
Lower Antelope:
Ken’s Lower Antelope Canyon Tours (928) 606-2168 http://lowerantelope.com/ and
Dixie Ellis’ Antelope Lower Canyon Tours (928) 640-1761 http://antelopelowercanyon.com
Upper Antelope:
Tsosie’s Slot Canyon Tours, antelopeslotcanyon.com, 928.645.5594
Antelope Canyon Navajo Tours, 928-698-3384 https://navajotours.com
Ekis’ Antelope Canyon Tours, antelopecanyon.com, 928.645.9102
Adventurous Antelope Canyon Tours, navajoantelopecanyon.com, 928.380.187
Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

August 12, 2019 at 1:53 PM

Hi Nicole,
October is a great time to be here!
The best location to stay is as close as possible to the attractions you wish to see! For the Grand Canyon, that would be Grand Canyon Village, or Tusayan, aka GC Village South, 7 miles outside the park. For Antelope Canyon, Page, AZ, would be where you’d want to seek your lodging. As for how to plan your trip, honestly, it will depend on when you can find availability for Grand Canyon lodging and Antelope Canyon tours. Both Grand Canyon South Rim and Page, AZ, are ~a 5-hour drive from Las Vegas, so the order in which you visit them is really a “six of one/half-a-dozen of another” proposition. As for the Antelope Canyon tour reviews, I wouldn’t put too much stock in them. Every single tour company, restaurant, hotel, or other type of retail store here has received good and bad reviews. Besides, Antelope Canyon is such a popular attraction that in the time it takes for you to hem and haw over which tour company is best, you may find all the seats booked. If you think we’re kidding, think again. “Help! Antelope Canyon Tours Are Sold Out” However, a viable method to avoid some of the pitfalls of Antelope Canyon tours — namely, how crowded they are — is to consider touring one of several alternate slot canyons in Page, AZ, that are just as beautiful, but a lot less crowded.
So, all that said, a sample itinerary including Grand Canyon South Rim and Page, AZ, is:
Day 1: Drive from Las Vegas to Grand Canyon, with optional stopover at Hoover Dam (~5-6 hour drive), overnight at Grand Canyon
Day 2: Drive from Grand Canyon South Rim to Page, AZ, stopping at Grand Canyon viewpoints along the way, and points of interest in the Navajo Reservation (~3.5-4 hour drive), tour Antelope Canyon in the afternoon, overnight in Page, AZ
Day 3: Visit Horseshoe Bend just after sunrise, drive back to Las Vegas (~5 hours), optional “drive-through” of Zion National Park, which will add another 90 minutes-2 hours onto your drive time. Be aware of a construction project taking place on a stretch of I-15 through the Virgin River Gorge, which could tack another 30-60 minutes onto your trip.
If lodging availability is more conducive to flip-flopping that itinerary, then by all means, do so. If you have another day to spend, I’d recommend spending it in Page, AZ, so you can take part in a water-based activity, such as the Glen Canyon Half Day Float Trip, Rainbow Bridge Boat Tour, or perhaps a kayak tour from Lone Rock.
Hope that helps! Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

August 12, 2019 at 1:40 PM

Hi Jennifer,
You posted your inquiry in the Ultimate 1-Day Itinerary section, so that’s where it has been answered 🙂
Alley

August 12, 2019 at 12:37 PM

Hey MP,
Contour Airlines is now the Essential Air Service carrier between Page and Phoenix. They also offer service between Page and Las Vegas, as well as San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Oakland, CA, on a limited basis. Last I checked, their rates were pretty darn reasonable, starting at $49, varying all the way up to $129. PGA is the correct airport code for Page, AZ. From what I’m able to gather, Contour has yet to “ping” on the radar of search tools such as Google Flights and Scott’s Cheap Flights, so you’ll have to search for it separately. This may be because they have yet to arrange a downline agreement for baggage transfers, but I’m just guessing on that.
For more information, visit www.ContourAirlines.com
Hope that helps,
Alley 🙂

August 10, 2019 at 1:05 PM

_________________________________________

From MP

That’s fantastic news, and thank you for replying so quickly. Delta ran the “puddle jumper” service back in the day. I’d get on the 9pm and be in Page by 10pm. I hadn’t done a search in a while, mainly due to the astronomical prices I would get, but I just went to kayak.com and it does now list Contour and Frontier for flights from Phoenix to Page. Last year I flew into Denver and almost drove down to Page on a whim (but restrained myself). 🙂 Now I know I have options. Thanks again, Alley!

August 13, 2019 at 3:02 PM

Hi Jennifer,
First off, October is a great time to be here, so I approve of that wholeheartedly! The rest of your trip plan? About 50-50.
Your plan for your arrival day is good, especially if you’re coming from the East Coast, you’ll be pretty whooped by the time you get to Phoenix, so spending the night there is a good idea so you can relax, wind down, etc.
Day 2 is OK as well, but you’ll need to make sure you get on the road by 6:00 AM, and plan on arriving in Page, AZ, no later than 12:00 Noon to get your bearings and check in for your Antelope Canyon tour. That means resisting most temptations to stop at various scenic overlooks and scenes that will invariably pique your curiosity. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, you should be able to make it without a problem, seeing as though the normal drive time — wheels up, no stops — is ~4.5 hours. That gives you a small cushion for bathroom breaks, snack stops, and the inevitable, “oh wow, look at that!” moment.
Day 3 is where things go a bit wrong. Let me back up a bit first: save the visit to Horseshoe Bend for on your way to the Grand Canyon. Early morning is actually a better time to be there than late afternoon, when the parking area is usually full, and the outside air temperature is quite warm. Sunrise occurs at about 6:30 AM that time of year, so “wheels up” at 6:00 AM should time things quite well. Other advantages to a sunrise visit are fewer people to contend with and cooler temperatures! Back to what I was getting at: the drive from Page, AZ, to Grand Canyon South Rim, on paper, is given as 2.5 hours. In reality, it ends up being more along the lines of 3.5-4 hours due to the fact that it’s a very scenic drive (a familiar refrain in these parts, for sure!) and you will find yourself stopping to take photos, especially along the section of the Desert View Drive between the East entrance of the park and Grand Canyon Village. The Cameron Trading Post, in the Navajo Reservation, is a good breakfast/brunch stop. Then let’s say you spend 3 hours or so exploring Grand Canyon Village, then you’re looking at a 4.5 hour drive back to Phoenix. That’s potentially 7-9 hours of driving in one day. Not my idea of a vacation. Plus you really should be somewhere on the canyon rim for sunset! Another concern is regarding nighttime driving; it’s something you want to avoid if at all possible due to lack of ambient lighting on local roads (a deliberate move in order to preserve the natural darkness of the night sky), and the possible presence of deer, elk, free range cattle, and even wild horses around them. A nighttime collision with a large animal in an area with spotty cell service, if you can get service at all, and where help will be a long time coming, and VERY expensive can ruin a vacation in a hot second. A better plan would be to spend the night at Grand Canyon South Rim on Day 3, then head down to Phoenix on Day 4 when you’re rested. If you take us up on that, you might return to Phoenix with a drive-by through Sedona, which will extend the trip, but the scenery is well worth the diversion! But then again, it might leave you wanting: Sedona is a place where you can spend 4-5 days and still feel as though you’d only scratched the surface, so, maybe a return trip to Arizona would be a better plan when you can do that area justice.
Hope that helps, and sorry for the delay in replying.
Good luck and safe travels!
Alley 🙂

August 12, 2019 at 12:59 PM

_________________________________________

From Jennifer Ann

Thank you so much for your guidance! I took your advice and made a reservation at the lodge at the Grand Canyon! One more question—should I book a later antelope canyon tour or stick with 1 pm? Thanks again!!

August 14, 2019 at 5:03 AM

Hi David,
So sorry for the delay in response to your inquiry.
Your plan looks pretty fun, whether or not it materializes the way you envision it will depend largely on availability of lodging – or lack thereof, maybe – in the various locations you wish to visit.
On your arrival day in Las Vegas, you might simply plan on spending the night there, especially if you’re traveling from the East Coast or overseas. You’re bound to be pretty whooped by the time you get to Vegas, and the logistics of collecting your luggage and sorting out your rental car is bound to take ~2 hours. You might feel a bit better making that drive when you’ve had a good night’s rest. The drive time from Las Vegas to Springdale, UT, where you have to go to catch the Zion Park Shuttle, normally takes ~3 hours, but these days, it’s taking 4-4.5 hours due to a long-term construction project taking place on a stretch of I-15 through the Virgin River Gorge (another compelling reason not to make that drive during the afternoon rush hour!). Get as early a start as possible on the trip; sunrise occurs about 6:30 AM. If possible, try to book your lodging in Springdale, UT, for convenience. If nothing is available in that area, try Kanab, UT, on the Eastern border of the park. In fact, you can use that area as a “base camp” for exploring Bryce Canyon, too, if lodging in the immediate area is sold out. The drive from Kanab to Springdale is ~1 hour; Kanab to Bryce is ~90 minutes, then Kanab to Page, AZ, is ~1 hour.

The main thing you want to avoid once you get out of Las Vegas and into Southern Utah and Northern Arizona is driving at night. Roads in this part of the U.S. are very dimly lit, which is a deliberate move to preserve the natural quality of the night sky. Another possible hazard is deer, elk, free range cattle, and even wild horses have a tendency to come out at night and graze on the shoulder, which ratchets up the chance of your having an accident. That can definitely put a damper on your vacation in an area where cell service is spotty (or non-existent) and a tow truck will be a long time coming, not to mention very expensive. So where you say “drive to Page, AZ, in the evening,” I wouldn’t do that if I were you. You want to be sure you’re at your final destination for each day, well before sunset, which in Page, AZ, occurs at ~6:15 PM; in Utah, that’s 7:15 PM since they are 1 hour ahead of Arizona.
In Page, AZ, Antelope Canyon tours are one of the most popular activities. Be sure you make reservations for these ASAP, along with all lodging on the various legs of your trip. Plan on hitting Horseshoe Bend on your way out of town just after sunrise. That’s the best time to be there for cooler temperatures and thinner crowds!
A word of warning about Sedona: it’s amazing. OK, that’s not really a “warning,” but a word of caution: one night’s stay will leave you wishing you had more time. People spend 4-5 days there and report feeling as though they’d only “scratched the surface,” so don’t be surprised if you find yourself planning a return trip, which isn’t such a bad thing 😉
Since your flight is at 10:00 AM, and you’ll probably need to check in at least 1 hour prior to departure, I’d recommend spending the night prior in Phoenix. The drive from Sedona, AZ, only takes ~2 hours, but then you hit Phoenix at rush hour, which may delay you at the worst possible time.
Hope that helps! Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

August 12, 2019 at 1:26 PM

_________________________________________

From David

I have revised my trip based on some of the suggestions. Please advise if this will work.

[Fri] Sep 20: Arrive at Las Vegas at 1 PM. Collect rental car by 3 PM. If time permits drive to Hoover dam and then stay in Vegas or just simply stay in Vegas for the night based on when I get the rental car.

[Sat] Sep 21: Drive to Springdale UT. Start around 7 and reach Springdale by 12 PM [TIme change]. Perhaps try the Narrows in the afternoon. Rest in the evening in Springdale.

[Sun] Sep 22: “Angel Landing”, start at 6ish. Hopefully return by 1 PM. Then drive to Bryce. Drive time 3 hours. Arrive between 4-5 PM. Stay in Bryce.

[Mon] Sep 23: Morning sunrise and spend time in Bryce, then drive to Page at around 2-3 PM. Stay in Page. Drive time 4 Hours.

[Tue] Sep 24: Drive to Monument valley, return and stay in Page. [No hotels in MV]. 3 Hours each way.

[Wed] Sep 25: Leave page at 7 AM to Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Canyon. Then drive to Grand Canyon. Stay in Tusayan. Drive time 3 Hrs.

[Thu] Sep 26: Explore Grand Canyon. Then drive to Sedona for the night. Drive time 3 Hrs.

[Fri] Sep 27: Explore Sedona – and leave to Phoenix at 5-6 PM. Stay in Phoenix. Drive time 2-3 hours.

[Sat] Sep 28: Return rental and arrive at airport at 8 AM, flight leaves at 9.55AM.

August 12, 2019 at 2:33 PM

Britney,
You might see if you can find a space at the Beehive Campground, aka the “New” Wave. This is a free (for the moment), first-come/first-served camping area. To get there, you must cross the Glen Canyon Dam Bridge and on the left side of US89, look for a turn-off across from the turn-off to the Lake Powell Resort. However, you may find this campground full by the time you arrive, and it is monitored by the National Park Service, who frown on “improvised” camping in this area. If that’s the case, just about the only other option would be the Page, AZ, Wal-Mart parking lot, but they don’t allow tent camping, just car and/or RV camping.
One thing I do wish to point out is that in August, nights are still quite warm in Page, AZ. The current weather forecast calls for daytime highs in the high 90’s/low 100’s, and overnight lows in the 70’s. Not that comfortable for camping of any stripe IMO. I would recommend springing for a hotel. You’ll have a much better night’s rest so you can be refreshed and ready for fun with your family the next morning! For the most reasonable rates, look to the independently-owned properties on the “Street of Little Motels,” which tend to offer lower prices than the chain hotels and motels.
Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

August 10, 2019 at 1:17 PM

Hi Josh,
You want to avoid doing any driving in the dark in this part of the U.S. due to the lack of artificial lighting on local roads (a deliberate move to preserve the natural darkness of the night sky), and the possibility of encountering large animals such as deer, elk, free range cattle, and even wild horses. That can be quite a disconcerting experience in an area where cell service is spotty and a tow truck might be long in coming, not to mention very expensive!
It takes approximately 3.5-4 hours to drive from Grand Canyon South Rim to Page, AZ, factoring in the numerous stops you’ll inevitably make. Since you’re driving all the way from Barstow that morning, which is ~a 6-hour drive, better (and safer) to spend the night at the Grand Canyon, then hit the road to Page, AZ, the next morning when you’re fresh and rested.
Whatever you decide, be sure to make all lodging reservations and Antelope Canyon tour reservations in advance.
Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

August 09, 2019 at 5:23 PM

Hey Jessica,
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but a guided tour is 100% required to visit Antelope Canyon. The days where you could “self-tour” have been over for going on 20 years. One way to save money on an Antelope Canyon tour, whether it’s Lower or Upper, is to tour at “off-peak” hours, namely, earlier in the morning or later in the afternoon. The light is still good then, so you can still get beautiful pictures. Your guide will assist you in that. Another possibility would be to look into alternate slot canyons in the area that are just as beautiful, but less crowded. Some tours are less expensive than Antelope Canyon, others not so much. Still worth looking into, though. Antelope Canyon Alternative Tours
As for any “must-see” stops on the route from the Grand Canyon to Page, there’s a TON of them! Google maps lists the drive time as ~2.5 hours, but it’s not unrealistic for that time to actually shake out at more like 3.5-4 hours. Possible points of interest you might stop at include but aren’t limited to:
– Over half a dozen named viewpoints of the Grand Canyon between GC Village and Desert View Point
– The Tusayan ruins and museum
– The Little Colorado Overlook (on Navajo lands, after exiting the park)
– Chief Yellowhorse’s souvenir stands
– The Cameron Trading Post (good breakfast/brunch stop)
– Chinle formation views
– The Gap Trading Post
– The “Cut” overlook
Regarding Horseshoe Bend, you might have better luck hitting that just after sunrise the following morning as parking tends to be quite a bear in the hours between later afternoon and sunset.
Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

August 08, 2019 at 12:31 PM

Hi Anvi, thank you for visiting us!
Your itinerary looks OK, still warrants a couple small reality checks and one big one. More on the latter in a minute.
On Day 2, you are looking at a long drive: ~4-5 hours from Grand Canyon South Rim to Monument Valley, factoring in stops, and another 2 hours to Page, AZ. If you have your heart set on touring Antelope Canyon that afternoon, you’ll need to either a. get a very early start out of the Grand Canyon to Monument Valley, or b. drop Monument Valley from the itinerary. Not that it isn’t lovely – believe me, it is! It’s just a long way to get there and you have limited time as it is. Another thing you’re up against at the time of year you’re visiting is daylength that is rapidly shortening. Sunrise occurs at ~6:15 AM, sunset at around 6:30 PM. You want to avoid doing any driving in the dark in this part of the U.S. due to the lack of artificial lighting on local roads, and the possibility of encountering large animals such as deer, elk, free range cattle, and even wild horses. That can be quite a disconcerting experience in an area where cell service is spotty and a tow truck might be long in coming, not to mention very expensive!
If you prefer not to drop Monument Valley, you might be better off doing all your Page, AZ, activities on Day 3 as follows:
– Just after sunrise: visit Horseshoe Bend
– Sometime that morning: tour Antelope Canyon
– 12:00 PM – Check in for the 1:00 PM Glen Canyon Float Trip
– Spend a 2nd night in Page, AZ
On Day 4, drive to Bryce, explore and stay the night in that area (if nothing is available, check out Kanab, UT)
Day 5, head back to Las Vegas via Zion National Park. This is where the “big” reality check comes in: you haven’t built any time at all in your itinerary for Zion, which is a real shame. It’s a beautiful park with a lot to see and do. It really deserves at least 3-4 days time to do it justice, but unfortunately, you don’t have that kind of time. 1 night, maybe 2 would be all you could squeeze in, and here again, this could be accomplished by dropping Monument Valley. However, there still might be a way you can work it in… more on that in a minute 😉
A revised itinerary, without changing your flights, would be as follows:
Day 1 – Hoover Dam and Grand Canyon South Rim, overnight at the South Rim
Day 2 – Drive from Grand Canyon South Rim to Page, AZ, visit Horseshoe Bend (parking permitting), tour Antelope Canyon that afternoon
Day 3 – Hit Horseshoe Bend just after sunrise if you couldn’t manage it the day prior, take 90-minute scenic flight over Rainbow Bridge and Monument Valley first thing in the AM, do Glen Canyon Rafting Trip in afternoon, drive to Kanab, UT, to spend the night
Day 4 – Drive to Bryce, explore that area, then drive back to Kanab, UT for a second night
Day 5 – Drive to Springdale, UT, get on shuttle to explore Zion National Park, spend the night in Springdale
Day 6 – Drive back to Las Vegas, fly home
Whatever you decide, be sure to get your lodging and guided tours reserved ASAP. Good luck, I know it’s a hard choice.
Alley 🙂

August 08, 2019 at 12:23 PM

_________________________________________

From Anvi Shah

Hi Alley, thank you for for taking the time and writing back to me.

The revised itinerary looks perfect.. Except that I don’t think we can manage to do Zion. We have booked the show ‘o’ for 25th evening and want to spend sometime in Vegas as well.

And since Zion anyways needs 3-4days, to do it justice, I’ll leave it for the next time.. Till then we’ll make do with the national parks back home in Kenya 😉

I was actually thinking about dropping Monument Valley after looking at the maps.. Great idea of taking the flight. Will check if its available.
Many thanks again!
Cheers.
Anvi

August 08, 2019 at 5:37 PM

Hi Luis!
The two primary routes from Phoenix to Yuma are 100% paved, in fact, they are comprised mostly of interstate highway.
I cannot personally vouch for the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area, but from what I can gather looking at Google maps, that road is also paved.
Whatever you decide to do, be sure to reserve all hotels and guided tours (especially Antelope Canyon) well in advance.
Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

August 07, 2019 at 4:40 PM

_________________________________________

From Luis

Than you so much Alley for your response. Truly appreciated!
I am a bit OCD and therefore will have everything ready. Can’t hardly wait for this trip. Dreaming of Sedona, Antelope Canyon and all the beautiful places in Arizona…..Will be making reservations shortly for the Grand Canyon lodge and Antelope Canyon as I already seen it gets packed pretty soon.

Again, thank you for the information and this awesome site.
You are AWESOME!

Luis

August 07, 2019 at 5:11 PM

Hi Vipalu,
Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend are located near the town of Page, AZ, so these two attractions can be visited in one day, which is what most tour companies do. In the article you responded to, we list several tour companies worth considering. One we recommend is MaxTour. They feature smaller groups for a more personalized experience. You can choose from a single-day tour to Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend, or a 2-day tour that covers the Grand Canyon, Antelope Canyon, and Horseshoe Bend.
The above-referenced tours, by the way, are ground/coach tours. If the prospect of spending all that time on the road didn’t appeal, there is a combination air/ground tour offered by Scenic Airlines out of the Boulder City Airport. Las Vegas Antelope Canyon Expedition
Hope that helps. Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

August 06, 2019 at 2:14 PM

Hey Julie!
Your itinerary looks pretty fun.
Not surprised that the Bryce area is full. I did a cursory check of hotels in that area myself for that date and came up with the same result. Keep checking back as cancellations do happen, but instead of schlepping all the way to Springdale that afternoon, you might see if you can get another night at Zion Ponderosa. That frees up another hour for sightseeing at Bryce, which you’ll probably appreciate after a 4+ hour drive from Salt Lake. You would end up having to go to Springdale the next morning to get on the Zion Park shuttle, though, so it’s 6 of one/half a dozen of another, but I would at least book something somewhere as a back-up plan so you’re not left hanging.
Hopefully you already have reservations in place for an Antelope Canyon tour. If not, book a tour ASAP.
I would recommend hitting Horseshoe Bend just after sunrise on your way out of town en route to Grand Canyon South Rim. That way, you can take advantage of cooler temperatures and fewer people to contend with. If you try to visit the afternoon of your arrival, you’ll be jockeying for a parking space with hundreds of other people with the same idea as you. Not fun, IMO.
A couple of other things: be sure to pick up an “America The Beautiful Federal Lands Access Pass.” For $80, this card grants you access to all the National Parks, Monuments, and Federal Fee Areas in the U.S. The only areas it won’t work are State Parks and Native American Tribal Parks; Antelope Canyon falls in the latter category. Still, the card will pay for itself on the trip you’re proposing to take, plus it’d good for 1 year, so if/when you come back to SLC in the next few months, you can use it to hit Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and maybe Yellowstone and Grand Tetons as well.
Another thing: keep an eye on the time, and be sure that you’re at each day’s final destination by nightfall. You want to avoid driving at night in this part of the U.S. due to the lack of ambient lighting on local roads (a deliberate move to preserve the natural darkness of the night skies), and the strong possibility of deer, elk, and other large wildlife to be about. You don’t want to have a collision with one in an area where cell phone service is spotty and a tow truck may be a long time coming, not to mention really expensive. Sunrise in Utah takes place at ~6:45 AM; sunset occurs at around 8:30 AM. At the Grand Canyon and Page, AZ, the sun comes up at ~5:45 AM and goes down at about 7:15 PM.
Another thing (last one, I promise! LOL): time zones — they’re wonky. Nevada is on Pacific DAYLIGHT Time. Utah is on Mountain DAYLIGHT Time. Arizona, however, is on Mountain STANDARD Time (except for the Navajo reservation, which you don’t have to sweat too hard this time around). Therefore, you’ll “gain” an hour traveling from Utah to Arizona, “lose” it for a short time traveling between Page and Grand Canyon South Rim (Navajo reservation), “regain” it as you enter Grand Canyon National Park, then remain on the same time as you wrap up your trip in Las Vegas.
Hope that all helps! Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

August 05, 2019 at 3:00 PM

_________________________________________

From Julie Russell

Alley,
I just wanted to thank you for your advice on our itinerary. We had an awesome trip and I have to say your site helped very much in the planning process! The National Park pass was a great recommendation. We hope to go back within the year and maybe hit another couple of parks so we will be able to use it then as well. Also, I thought I would let you know that we did find a very nice Bed & Breakfast near Bryce. I highly recommend The Panguitch House. Our rooms were very private, clean and nicely decorated. Owner was very nice and served a great breakfast. Thanks again for all your insight to visiting this area. We hope to go back again in the future as there is so much more to visit and explore!

September 01, 2019 at 12:34 AM

Hi Barbara, and thanks for the compliment! Wish that comparison was actually my quote, but I borrowed it from someone who had already made the observation 😉
At the time of year you’re visiting, it will still be busy. It’s just after Labor Day, so you’ll encounter a few families getting that one last trip in before school, as well as ‘snowbirds’ and young couples.
If the stairs and ladders of Lower Antelope Canyon would be problematic for your husband, then Antelope Canyon X will be, too. It has a similar topography, as well as some stairs and ladders to navigate. Horseshoe Bend Slot Canyon has no stairs, but is a longer canyon (~500 yards), that doesn’t have any chambers per se, but is one long, continuous slot. Horseshoe Bend Slot Canyon would have actually been the “alternate” I would have proposed for you in light of the physical challenges going on. As for it not being as “dramatic” as Upper or Lower, some recent Google reviews would beg to differ! You might want to check them out. If you do opt to take that tour, you can still do the Antelope Canyon boat tour, time permitting, but you’d have to book it separately.
Before you completely rule out Lower Antelope Canyon, take a look at this Full Video Walk-through.
Good luck and safe travels!
Alley 🙂

August 05, 2019 at 1:45 PM

_________________________________________

From Caroline

Hey Alley,

i am coming with my father who is in his upper 70s in the beginning of October. I want him to see the coolest slot canyons he can see, but also know that he won’t be able to do a ton of walking/climbing etc. Is Secret Canyon the only real viable option? I did one years ago with the Hummer tours. I remember it being cool, but it definitely didn’t have any chambers. Possibly secret canyon? I would love him to be able to get the variety, but want to consider his limitations… Is secret canyon the only viable option?

Thanks for all the advice!

September 13, 2019 at 6:48 PM

Hi Tom and “g’day” from Arizona!
There is a package that includes both Upper and Lower Antelope, plus the boat tour of the waterside, but at the present time, it’s designed to do all 3 tours in one day. If you’re wanting to do the 3 tours over the course of 2 days, you would need to book either two out of 3 tours as a package, then the stand-alone tour separately.
At the end of October, mid-day will still be regarded as optimal time for touring Lower and/or Upper Antelope Canyon, but don’t be surprised if you find those time slots already booked. Anytime there is available space is a good time to go. As for temperatures, “slightly balmy” to “comfortably brisk” is the usual temperature range for late October in Page, AZ, with a slight chance for precipitation thrown in for good measure. The interior of the slot canyons, however, tends to remain constantly cool, so a light jacket at the very least should be brought, whatever the circumstances. If your travels are taking you to some of the higher elevation parks in the vicinity, such as the Grand Canyon or Bryce, a few items of heavier clothing might come in handy during the early morning or evening hours. Start monitoring the weather about 2 weeks before you get set to travel for a more accurate picture of what’s expected.
Hope that helps! Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

August 05, 2019 at 1:38 PM

Hi Ana!
There’s no two ways about it: the Antelope Canyons — Upper and Lower — will be busy at the time of year you’re visiting. If you already have a reservation in place for Lower, I’d recommend hanging onto it. The tour companies do a great job of ensuring that your group won’t be nipping at the heels of the one in front of it, nor will the one behind you be too close for comfort. If this still doesn’t sound like fun, you might consider touring Antelope Canyon X. It bears enough of a resemblance to Lower that you will come away feeling as though you’ve had a comparable experience, but the group sizes are deliberately kept smaller — for a price, of course.
Good luck, I know it’s a hard choice. Best wishes for safe travels,
Alley 🙂

August 05, 2019 at 1:28 PM

Hi Lianna,
This is a very good question! When you apply for a Wave permit, either through the online lottery or the walk-in lottery, you must apply for all members of your party who wish to hike. So, if you and your husband want to hike, you must apply for two spaces. If anyone else wishes to join you, you must put their names down on your application. If you were to apply for a hiking permit in your name only, only you would be permitted to make the hike. Your husband would NOT be able to just “come along” with you. If he did so, both you and he would risk fines and/or jail time!
Hope that clarifies things.
Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

August 03, 2019 at 2:43 PM

Hi Elizabeth,
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but I can’t fully endorse this itinerary. It seems as though you haven’t looked at a map and familiarized yourself with where things are, not to mention the realistic driving distances between places.
On your arrival day, for example, you indicate you want to try and hit the Seven Magic Mountains art installation, but depending on when your flight arrives, and how long you have to wait to collect your rental car and check into your hotel, you might be too exhausted to even think about doing this by the time you’ve gotten your “Vegas legs.” If you are wanting to see this attraction, as well as visit Death Valley, I would recommend booking an extra night in Las Vegas in order to accomplish this. 7 Magic Mountains can be visited as a short “detour” en route to Death Valley.

I am not certain if you are committed to staying Washington, UT, on the next leg of your trip, but if you aren’t, I would recommend cancelling the last two nights at those accommodations and moving to either Springdale, UT, or Kanab, UT. Washington is an OK place to use as a base from which to explore Sand Hollow, Yant Flat, and Snow Canyon, but it’s a bit far afield for Zion and Bryce if you’re doing day trips to those locations. The main concern is re: nighttime driving. You want to avoid it in this part of the U.S. due to the lack of ambient lighting on local roads, and the possibility of encountering deer, elk, and other wildlife. A collision with a large animal in an area where cell service is spotty and help will be a long time coming (and very expensive) is a sure way to ruin a vacation. If you wish, you could extend your stay in Kanab or Springdale to encompass slot canyon exploration and the Coral Pink Sand Dunes.
RE: Arches National Park, take it off the list. Again, it’s too far removed from the main points on your itinerary (~6 hours from Page), plus it’s an area that needs at least 3-4 days to fully enjoy and explore. Save it for another trip when you can give it the time it deserves.
So, all that said, a revised itinerary would look something like this:
09/12 – Arrive in Las Vegas, overnight in Las Vegas
09/13 – Day trip to 7 Magic Mountains, Death Valley National Monument, 2nd night in Las Vegas
09/14 – Drive to Washington, UT (~3 hour drive taking into account construction taking place on I-5 through the Virgin River Gorge), visit Sand Hollow State Park, overnight in Washington
09/15 – Explore Yant Flat and Snow Canyon, 2nd night in Washington

09/16 – Drive to Springdale, UT (~1 hour from Washington) or Kanab, UT (~2 hours from Washington), get on Zion Canyon park shuttle to explore park, overnight in Springdale or Kanab
09/17 – Day trip to Bryce, overnight in Springdale or Kanab
09/18 – Day trip to local slot canyon and Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, overnight in Springdale or Kanab
09/19 – Drive to Page, AZ (~2.5 hours from Springdale, 90 minutes from Kanab), do Antelope Canyon hiking tour and Lake Powell kayak tour, overnight in Page, AZ
09/20 – Visit Horseshoe Bend, drive back to Las Vegas, overnight in Las Veags
09/21 – Fly home
Another couple of things to keep in mind: time zones. Las Vegas is on Pacific Daylight Time, and Utah is on Mountain Daylight Time, BUT – Arizona is on Mountain STANDARD Time. This means that you’ll “lose” an hour traveling from Las Vegas to Utah, “gain” the hour back traveling from Utah to Arizona, then stay on the same time as you drive from Arizona back to Las Vegas.
Hope that makes more sense. Good luck and safe travels!
Alley 🙂

August 05, 2019 at 1:23 PM

Hi Sukaina,
Yes, it is too late to apply for the online lottery for September – that took place in May. However, when you arrive in the area, you can apply for the walk-in lottery at the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument Visitors Center in Kanab, Utah. You would apply for a permit the day PRIOR to when you wish to actually hike.
Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

August 03, 2019 at 2:37 PM

Hey Bill,
Thank you for reporting back on our itinerary! Hope you get a chance to return to our area sooner rather than later 😉
Take care and have a wonderful summer,
Alley 🙂

August 03, 2019 at 2:39 PM

Hi Abu,
Your itinerary and thought process look OK, until you get to the part where you propose to “catch sunrise at Horseshoe Bend, head to the South Rim, then continue on to Las Vegas.” There are other areas where your perception of timing of certain tours is off, but I’ll get to that in a minute.
Anyway, visiting Grand Canyon South Rim as a “drive by” between Page and Las Vegas is not a good plan. It takes approximately 3.5-4 hours to drive from Page, AZ, to Grand Canyon Village. I know Google Maps gives the figure as 2.5 hours, but that’s wheel’s turning, no stops. That rarely happens as the drive is very scenic and you will be stopping to take pictures — a LOT of pictures. You should also plan on stopping at the Cameron Trading Post for a meal – it’s an experience in itself! Then, the drive from Grand Canyon South Rim to Las Vegas takes approximately 5 hours. That does not give you much time at all to enjoy the Grand Canyon, especially at sunset. You want to avoid doing any driving in the dark in this part of the U.S. due to lack of artificial lighting on area roads, and the tendency of deer, elk, and other large nocturnal wildlife to be nearby. A better plan is to stay overnight at Grand Canyon South Rim, then do the drive to Las Vegas when you have had a good night’s rest.
RE: Lower Antelope Canyon – the typical tour time is anywhere from 60-90 minutes, but depending on how much “bottlenecking” has occurred by the time you get there, it could take anywhere from 2-3 hours. Still, you should be OK to visit Canyon X at 4:00 PM, if that’s what you really want to do, but frankly, I don’t think it’s necessary to visit more than 1 slot canyon in order to have a fulfilling visit to Page, AZ. Indeed, you might find doing so “redundant,” since the scenery will be similar. You might reconsider and do a combination tour of Lower Antelope Canyon, plus a short boat tour on Lake Powell.
Horseshoe Bend may be visited without a tour guide or escort, parking permitting. Sunrise is the best time to visit for cooler temperatures and thinner crowds.
Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

August 01, 2019 at 4:16 PM

Hi Willem,
Thank you for your inquiry that is clear, concise and to the point!
I will attempt to respond in kind:
1. While touring both Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon is not necessary to have a fulfilling visit to Page, AZ, you are bound to feel as though it was time well spent. In years past, booking both tours was a hassle, as they are run by different tour companies. Now, it’s possible to book both tours in one step! Lower & Upper Antelope Canyon “Bundle”
2. It is NOT possible to visit either Upper or Lower Antelope Canyon without a guide. Both slot canyons are situated on Navajo Indian Tribal Land, therefore, you must have a tribal-authorized company guide you into the canyon.
3. April, and every other month of the year, is a time where it is necessary to book in advance. The Antelope Canyons are very popular attractions, and April coincides with the Spring Break holiday in the U.S., so many families will be traveling in this area!
Hope that helps! Wishing you good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

July 30, 2019 at 4:53 PM

Hi Jeff!
First of all, at the time of year you’re visiting, you can’t do anything “on the fly.” September is peak travel season in this part of the U.S. and many hotels are likely to be already booked up. Hoping to book a hotel or motel room without reservations is a recipe for disaster, especially in an area where cities and towns are few and far between and you may have to drive hours to find a place to lay your head. Not my idea of a vacation. Book your accommodations NOW.
Speaking of which, Grand Canyon North Rim, Marble Canyon, and that area doesn’t have much to work with in the way of lodging. Page, AZ, on the other hand has quite a few hotels and vacation rental homes to choose from. You may have an easier time of it visiting Grand Canyon North Rim as a day trip out of Page, AZ (~2.5 hours drive each way), or Kanab, Utah (~90 minutes each way).
On Day #5 where you propose visiting Bryce Canyon on the way to Salt Lake City, I’d recommend re-thinking that. It’s about a 4-hour drive from Bryce to Salt Lake, and you want to avoid doing the first half of that drive in the dark. Even if you don’t do any hard-core hiking, sunset is a great time to be at Bryce Canyon. I’d hate to be racing against the clock to get to Salt Lake and miss that! Plan to stay overnight somewhere in the Bryce Canyon area, then getting an early start on the drive to SLC early the next morning.
Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

July 30, 2019 at 4:47 PM

_________________________________________

From Jeff

Thank you for your quick reply. So I guess I will have to bite the bullet (At least on the first week of my roadtrip) and pre-book hotels. That means will need to make sure how long I plan to stay at each place and have time to get back and forth from the hotel to these destinations each day effectively.

Other than that, Is Bryce Canyon or Marble Canyon redundant in any way since I will be doing the rest, or are each of those two can’t miss places? Just wondering if it’s something I can skip if need be.

Thanks again 🙂

July 30, 2019 at 6:29 PM

Hi Tara and thank you for your compliments!
At the time of year you’re visiting, I’d recommend skipping the Grand Canyon Skywalk. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a pretty cool attraction, and there are other things you can do there that you can’t do anywhere else, but during the summer months, GC West is GHASTLY hot, as in 120 degrees in the shade hot. The South Rim, what with being 7,000′ above sea level, will be cooler, plus offer the iconic “picture postcard” views you’re expecting to see.
That said, the order in which you visit the different parks on your wish list will depend now on availability of lodging at Grand Canyon South Rim. Since you’ve already got your Antelope Canyon tour booked (at prime time, too — SWEET!), here’s what I’d recommend:
08/05 – Arrive in Las Vegas, overnight in Las Vegas
08/06 – Drive from Las Vegas to Grand Canyon South Rim with stop at Hoover Dam if desired. Approximate drive time, ~4.5-6 hours (latter with frequent stops), overnight at the Grand Canyon
08/07 – Drive from Grand Canyon South Rim to Page, AZ, ~3.5-4 hour drive factoring in stops at Grand Canyon viewpoints, the Cameron Trading Post and other points of interest along this very scenic drive, tour Antelope Canyon that afternoon, overnight in Page, AZ
08/08 – Visit Horseshoe Bend just after sunrise, head to Bryce Canyon (~3 hour drive), overnight in Bryce Canyon
08/09 – Drive to Springdale, UT (~90 minutes from Bryce), take Zion Canyon Shuttle into park, overnight in Springdale, UT
08/10 – 2nd day in Zion, all kinds of easy scenic hikes to do, or hike Angel’s Landing if you prefer a challenge! 2nd night in Zion
08/11 – Drive from Springdale, UT, back to Las Vegas — this drive could take anywhere from 3.5-4.5 hours because of construction taking place in the Virgin River Gorge — fly home
Now, if you find that lodging at the Grand Canyon is not available on 08/06 but you can find availability on 08/09 or 08/10, you can flip flop this itinerary easily enough, but you’d end up sacrificing a day in Zion. Zion really deserves at least 2 days to explore and enjoy.
Hope that helps! Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

July 30, 2019 at 4:31 PM

Hi Vikki, we’re glad you found us!
So when you say at the end of your inquiry, “skip Sedona,” I take it you are traveling from the U.S. and are in a position to visit Sedona another time? If that is the case, you may indeed want to skip it regardless of where you fly into this time around. The reason I suggest this is because Sedona is the kind of place you can spend 4-5 days at and still feel as though you only “scratched the surface.”
I would also suggest not using Flagstaff, AZ, as your “staging city” simply because there are no direct flights into there, you always have to connect through Phoenix, no matter what. After all’s said and done, you’d probably find that you didn’t save any time going to Flagstaff, and you certainly won’t save any money. I’ll put it this way: most people who fly into Flagstaff report that they would have “bitten the bullet” and done the longer drive out of Phoenix or Vegas if they had it to do over again.
RE: Monument Valley, whether or not you visit it depends largely on lodging availability, or lack thereof. At this point in time, you may be looking at “lack thereof.” Monument Valley does not have that many lodging options to work with in the first place, and the better hotels, generally regarded as The View and Goulding’s, tend to sell out a year or more in advance. Alternate locations for lodging are also few and far between, namely Kayenta, AZ, and Tuba City, AZ. So, for practicality’s sake, you’ll probably end up dropping MV from the “wish list,” but there still might be a way to work it in. More on that in a minute…
So, with all that said, here’s what I’d recommend:
Day 1 – Arrive in Phoenix, overnight in Phoenix
Day 2 – Start early, drive to Grand Canyon South Rim (~5 hour drive, 6 with frequent stops [it’s a very scenic drive]), take free shuttles in afternoon to overlooks on Hermit’s Rest/West Rim Drive, overnight at Grand Canyon South Rim
Day 3 – Early start (that’s how we roll around here!), drive to Page, AZ, stopping at overlooks along East Rim/Desert View Drive en route. Breakfast/brunch at Cameron Trading Post. Stop at Horseshoe Bend Overlook on way into town (parking permitting), overnight in Page, AZ.
Day 4 – Morning fixed wing airplane tour over Monument Valley (~90 minutes), tour Antelope Canyon in afternoon, 2nd night in Page, AZ
Day 5 – Hit Horseshoe Bend just after sunrise if you couldn’t get there in days prior, drive to Bryce Canyon (~2.5-3 hour drive), overnight in Bryce Canyon area
Day 6 – Drive to Springdale, UT, take Zion Canyon Shuttle to explore park, overnight in Springdale, UT
Day 7 – 2nd day in Zion, lots of good hikes to do in varying degrees of difficulty, if you’re up for a challenge, try Angel’s Landing, 2nd night in Springdale
Day 8 – Drive to Las Vegas (~3.5-4.5 hours depending on whether Virgin River Gorge construction project is complete), fly home
Notice I didn’t build an overnight in Vegas into your itinerary. For one, summertime is not my favorite time of year there by a long shot. It gets SUPER hot there, and another consideration is that if your kids aren’t 21 yet, you’ll be somewhat limited on places they can go, not to mention there are Vegas “purists” who insist that their town is not a family destination and never should have been marketed that way. Take that information how you wish, but I’ll add my personal perspective here: I got married in Reno, NV (more years ago than we’re going to discuss LOL) and my then-teenage brother was constantly getting yelled at not to go here, not to go there, stay behind that line, etc. Frankly, a family trip to Las Vegas is a trip I’d save for when the kids are 21+ and for a cooler time of year so you can visit Valley of Fire, Red Rock Canyon, and maybe Death Valley.
Anyway, hope that helps. Wishing you good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

July 30, 2019 at 4:07 PM

_________________________________________

From Vikki

Thank you very much for your time!!

July 30, 2019 at 9:01 PM

Hi Lisa,
It’s good that you’re planning your summer 2020 vacation well in advance. You’ll be glad you did, trust me!
First off, if you are serious about doing this in an RV, don’t expect to save all that much vs. conventional hotels. At the time of year you’re visiting, it’s HOT, and you will want to have access to reliable air conditioning. That means staying in developed RV parks with electrical hook-ups, which, unbelievably, can be just as expensive as regular hotels depending on where you stay. Just wanted to put that out there.
4 nights/5 days may sound like a lot of time, but it really isn’t. To see all the places on your “wish list,” and allow enough time to fully enjoy them, you really need 7-10 days. If this is not an option, you’ll need to sacrifice a destination or two to make it happen, and the destination that makes the most sense to drop is Monument Valley. Not that it isn’t beautiful (it is), but for one, there isn’t much there in the way of lodging, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s sold out already.
RE: Horseshoe Bend, yes, you can fit it in as well as Antelope Canyon. Both attractions are located in Page, Arizona, which you pretty much have to pass through anyway to get from Grand Canyon South Rim to Bryce and Zion.
As for doing “arranged tours,” vs. self-touring, there are some parks where this is feasible, if not required (Antelope Canyon falls into the latter category), but others where self-touring kind of comes naturally. Traveling from Grand Canyon South Rim to Page, AZ, for example, the most logical route takes you along the East Rim/Desert View Drive of the park, where there are over half a dozen named viewpoints you can stop at, as well as the Tusayan Ruins and Museum. Upon exiting the park, and entering the Navajo Reservation, there’s even more to see. Plan on getting an early start on that drive so you can enjoy breakfast/brunch at the Cameron Trading Post. The Navajo Tacos are awesome!
All that said, here’s what I recommend:
Day 1 – Drive from Las Vegas to Grand Canyon South Rim with stopover at Hoover Dam. 5-6 hour drive. Overnight at Grand Canyon South Rim
Day 2 – Drive from Grand Canyon South Rim to Page, AZ. ~3.5-4 hour drive factoring in stops. Visit Horseshoe Bend and tour Antelope Canyon, overnight in Page.
Day 3 – Drive from Page, AZ, to Bryce Canyon National Park, ~3.5 hour drive, take free shuttle around the scenic rim drive, overnight in Bryce Canyon.
Day 4 – Drive from Bryce to Springdale, UT, ~2.5 hour drive, take Zion Canyon Shuttle into park, overnight in Springdale, UT.
Day 5 – Further exploration of Zion if desired, drive back to Las Vegas, ~3.5-4.5 hour drive depending on whether construction project in Virgin River Gorge is completed
If you still feel as though your vacation would somehow be incomplete without seeing Monument Valley, there’s still a way you might work it in without actually going there: fly over it. Fixed wing airplanes depart from the Page Municipal Airport daily. Scenic air tours of Monument Valley are about 90 minutes in length, and morning is the best time to fly for better light and less wind.
Hope that helps! Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

July 30, 2019 at 2:48 PM

_________________________________________

From Lisa Jefferies

Hi
Thanks for your response. We really feel MV is a must and so far there is availability in accommodation there. We are definitely rethinking the RV and feel car / hotel may be best. Thinking possibly Bryce and Zion same day with overnight at Zion or adding 1 extra night. So much to do and see, so little time!!! Thanks for your help really appreciate it.
Lisa

July 30, 2019 at 7:34 PM

Hi Khagesh!
The order in which you should plan your itinerary and your activities will depend largely on availability of Antelope Canyon tours. However, let me back up a bit: one stop I see is conspicuously absent from your plans is the Grand Canyon. Have you been there before? If not, I would strongly recommend setting aside at least one day to visit it, even if it means sacrificing one of the Antelope Canyon tours. Assuming that the omission of the Grand Canyon was accidental or inadvertent, you can still visit both Page and GC with two days to work with.
A sample itinerary would go something like this:
Day 1 – Drive from Phoenix to Grand Canyon South Rim (~5 hours), overnight at Grand Canyon
Day 2 – Drive from Grand Canyon South Rim to Page, AZ, stopping at the half-dozen+ Grand Canyon viewpoints between Grand Canyon Village and Desert View Point, as well as points of interest in the Navajo Tribal Lands East of the park, such as the Little Colorado River Overlook, Chief Yellowhorse’s souvenir stands, the Cameron Trading Post, Chinle formation views, etc. Drive time: ~3.5-4 hours, factoring in stops. Tour Lower Antelope Canyon that afternoon, overnight in Page, AZ.
Day 3 – Visit Horseshoe Bend just after sunrise, drive back to Phoenix (~4.5 hours)
If you’ve already visited the Grand Canyon and are able to devote the entire weekend to visiting Page, AZ, then I would recommend simply driving to Page, AZ, that first day, using the second day to tour both Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon, then driving back to Phoenix on the 3rd day, with an early morning stop at Horseshoe Bend on the way.
Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

July 29, 2019 at 12:58 PM

Hi Cheryl,
Glad to hear that you’re taking advantage of the opportunity to visit us during your husband’s conference! Plus you’ve chosen a great time to be here.
Since you express an interest in also seeing the Grand Canyon, that leads me to ask, have you been there before? If not, you might want to prioritize the Grand Canyon over Antelope Canyon. There are no Grand Canyon overlooks you can realistically see en route to Page, AZ, via the most direct route. Therefore, if you’ve never been, what you might want to do is this:
Friday: Fly to Phoenix, overnight in Phoenix
Saturday: Drive from Phoenix to Grand Canyon South Rim (~5 hour drive), overnight at Grand Canyon
Sunday: Drive from Grand Canyon South Rim to Page (~3.5-4 hours factoring in stops), tour Antelope Canyon, overnight in Page
Monday: Visit Horseshoe Bend at sunrise, drive back to Phoenix
In answer to your query about tours that hit both Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend, there are none. However, there is an “alternate” slot canyon, Horseshoe Bend Slot Canyon, that offers the option of adding a stop at Horseshoe Bend. The tour company is Navajo owned and they go to Horseshoe Bend via private property on the reservation. For more information visit HorseshoeBendTours.com
As to whether you’ve allowed too little or too much time, or whether there are any other “must-see” places around here, that’s kind of a loaded question LOL If you were to free up another day somewhere, you certainly would have no problem finding ways to fill it. If you’ve never been to Sedona, you might want to see if there’s a possibility of working that in, as it’s a stunning area with lots to see and do!
Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

July 25, 2019 at 2:08 PM

Hey, Sue!
We’re glad you found us and that our advice has proven helpful so far.
Your itinerary looks pretty fun. Still, I do have an immediate concern that you seem to be trying to schedule every. single. second. of your days out here. Believe me, I totally understand the desire to see as much as possible, especially coming from such a long way! But try to allow for some “downtime” in your schedule, and be open to letting some moments just happen. Oftentimes, those are the most memorable parts of a vacation 😉
With a family of two adults and three young adults, trying to cram everybody into one hotel room is probably less than desirable. A “family-style” room at Yavapai would be a good bet for the Grand Canyon, and hopefully it’s still available. In other areas, you might want to consider Air B&B’s or vacation rental homes, as well as conventional hotels. If you go the hotel/motel route, you’ll probably want to get two rooms for everyone’s comfort and sanity! LOL
A few items that call for a “reality check:”
On Day 1 where you say you might do a “Bright Angel trail hike,” by the time you drive over from Las Vegas, see IMAX, check into your hotel and ride the shuttles, you may be too knackered to even think about anything resembling a hike! The easy, paved rim trail may be more realistic at this point. If you are still feeling energetic enough to attempt a short hike on the Bright Angel Trail, going as far as the “first tunnel” will give you enough of a sense for how different the inner canyon feels from the rimside. Always remember when it comes to hiking below the rim that 1 hour down = 2 hours out and that food and water should be carried by each member of your party! You might also want to carry flashlights or headlamps if you find yourselves “burning daylight” as John Wayne used to say. Once the sun goes down, it gets really dark out here.
On Day 2, the “hike to the cliff dwellings at Navajo National Monument” probably won’t happen. For Keet Seel, an advance permit is required; for Betatakin, it’s first-come/first-serve, but those slots are usually snatched up pretty early in the morning. Another consideration, if you’re traveling in the summertime, is that these hikes are frequently getting cancelled due to extreme heat warnings. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t stop and visit Navajo National Monument, you definitely should, but you’ll probably want to stick to the Sandal Trail (no, don’t wear sandals!), which is a 1-mile paved trail where you can see the Betatakin Ruins from. After lunch in Kayenta, be sure to pop by the WWII Navajo Code Talkers’ exhibit in the local Burger King Restaurant!
On Day 3, where you indicate wanting to “visit Horseshoe Bend at sunset,” be aware that tons of people are going to have the same thing in mind, and you may have trouble finding a parking space. If that’s the case, you might try visiting the ‘Bend at sunrise the next morning.
On Day 4, I’m assuming that you’ll be taking the morning departure of the Rainbow Bridge boat tour, which wraps up at 2:30 PM, which leads me to the conclusion that you’re traveling during the summer months. Keep in mind that depending on the level of Lake Powell, which is higher than it has been in years past, a 2-3 mile round-trip hike could be required to get to Rainbow Bridge from the boat dock. Although the rest of the tour is not strenuous, don’t be surprised if afterward, you’re in no mood to do anything else but go back to a hotel room and crash, or at most, go find a meal and some cocktails! Around here, we refer to this state of mind as being “sun drunk.” Being on the water out in the sun can zap the energy out of you pretty quick, so here, you might consider spending a 2nd night in Page, then visit Bryce the following morning as a “day trip” before heading to Zion Ponderosa (a cool place, by the way!).
On Day 6, whether or not you do the tubing on will be highly dependent on the water level of the Virgin River. Sometimes it cooperates, other times it doesn’t, so you’ll want to check with the tour outfitters on this. Right now, for example, one of the river tubing companies states on their website that “tubing season has ended as of July 18th due to low water levels.” Horseback riding would probably be a safer bet, and you can do that right at Zion Ponderosa. If you do opt for a trail ride, as with all labor-intensive activities, try to do it in the morning when it’s cooler.
One more thing: no matter what you decide to do, keep an eye on the time, and be sure to time all your drives for daylight hours. You do not want to do any driving at night in this part of the U.S. due to lack of ambient lighting on local roads, and the tendency of deer, elk, free range cattle and sometimes even wild horses to congregate around them. Also: remember that whilst Arizona DOES NOT observe Daylight Savings Time, Utah and the Navajo Reservation DO. Therefore, if you’re traveling between March and November, Las Vegas will be on the same time as the Grand Canyon; Monument Valley will be one hour “ahead” of the Grand Canyon; Page, AZ, will be one hour “behind” Monument Valley, then Utah will be one hour “ahead” of Page; finally, you’ll “regain” an hour traveling from Utah back to Las Vegas.
*whew* Hope that doesn’t leave your head spinning! Please don’t hesitate to hit us up again if you need further guidance.
Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

July 25, 2019 at 1:54 PM

_________________________________________

From Sue A

Hi Alley,
Thanks so much for your reply – being that you do this all the time, I’m guessing you know how amazingly helpful it is to have someone with so much local knowledge, to help with finer details – particularly when I am on the other side of the world.
I really appreciate you advising on some changes to make the trip a little less hectic – you are right that I don’t want to over schedule , but don’t want to miss out either!!
So in saying that, I wondered if I could ask one more question – I have juggled our itinerary a bit further down & pinched an extra day for this part of the trip. So with an extra day/night, I am keen to know where you would spend it ? We are planning to be there in mid April.
Thanks again – your info has been invaluable..
Sue 🙂

July 27, 2019 at 12:01 PM

Hi Alison and thank you for this excellent inquiry.
I assume you are tent camping, thus the concern about heat. Your concerns are certainly justified in Page, AZ, in August. Page, AZ, is about 4,300′ above sea level, and has a desert-like climate. Daytime highs in August to run into the 90’s-100’s, with overnight lows only dipping down into the 70’s. Another concern is monsoonal weather, which can bring sudden thunderstorms in the afternoon, which are often accompanied by high winds. Not too comfortable for sleeping in a tent IMO, so I’d definitely recommend springing for a hotel room during your travels here. A solid roof over your head and air conditioning are things you’ll be glad to have! Page, AZ, hotels run the gamut from Motel 6 to Marriott and everything in between as far as price points and amenity classes go, so you’re bound to find something that suits your need and budget.
Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

July 25, 2019 at 2:18 PM

Hey Jill,
By visiting in January, your chances of winning the Wave lottery are *slightly* higher than they would be at other times of the year, but just slightly. Your best move is acknowledging that both families’ chances of obtaining a permit either through the on-line or walk-in lottery are going to be quite small to begin with. So, even if you were to advise your other family members against applying, statistically speaking, the more likely outcome is neither family getting chosen. On the off-chance that another family is chosen and yours is not, be happy for their good fortune, plan something fun for yourselves, and enjoy looking at each other’s photos over a good dinner and some cocktails.
If I were you — all of you — I’d start looking at alternate areas around The Wave that are just as beautiful (some assert even moreso!), but don’t require permits to explore. The “catch?” Many of these areas require traveling down roads that can be quite hazardous, and shouldn’t be attempted in a rental car. Working with a licensed local guide can ensure that a. you make the most of your day by traveling with someone who knows the area and b. that everyone makes it back to the hotel in one piece! For more information on local guides licensed to to go areas such as White Pocket, Alstrom Point, Sidestep Canyon, Soap Creek, and the Cockscomb, visit our companion site TheWaveAZ.com: Hiring A Guide
Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

July 24, 2019 at 6:40 PM

_________________________________________

From Jill Schnitzer

Thank you so much for your suggestions.

August 13, 2019 at 11:36 PM

Hi Tiffany,
Your itinerary is certainly a busy one, and though feasible on paper, my immediate concern is regarding the lack of “downtime.” This is the sort of vacation people end up needing a vacation from! Zion, for example, is a huge park that really deserves at least 3 days time to explore and enjoy fully. Seeing it as a “drive by” from Barstow to Kanab will leave you wanting, that’s for sure.
It also doesn’t make much sense to overnight in Tuba City en route to Kingman, AZ. It doesn’t make much of a dent in the drive. If that is your goal, your best bet is to drive to Flagstaff, AZ, where there are more hotels to choose from. Another thing to keep in mind, is Tuba City is a Navajo reservation town, and as such, is dry. Consuming, possessing, or transporting alcohol is a no-no, so if you want to have a drink with dinner, or just buy a six-pack to take back to your hotel, Flagstaff, AZ, would be the better choice, and would put you closer to Kingman. The drive from Page, AZ, to Flagstaff is ~2.5 hours.
I’m getting a big ahead of myself, though: I’m not sure what time of year you are visiting, but if it’s during the summer or early fall, I would skip the Grand Canyon Skywalk. Though it is a neat view, Grand Canyon West is CRAZY hot during the spring, summer, and fall months. If you live in the Barstow, CA, area, you’re close enough to plan a future visit when temperatures are more comfortable, which is usually late October-early November.
By skipping the Skywalk, you can give an extra day to Zion, or, simply hit the South Rim, overnight there, then just head back to Las Vegas afterward.
So a revised itinerary would look something like this:
1. Drive from Barstow to Kanab, UT via Zion, overnight in Kanab* or Springdale, UT (~7 hour drive, due to construction taking place on I-15 through the Virgin River Gorge)
2. 2nd day in Zion; possible hikes are Emerald Pools, Weeping Rock Trail, Watchman Trail, Canyon Overlook Trail, 2nd night in Kanab or Springdale, UT* *since you are required to use the Zion Park Shuttle system, which operates out of Springdale, UT, you may use this town as your ‘base’ for this leg of your trip
3. Drive from Kanab or Springdale to Grand Canyon North Rim (2-2.5 hours depending on lodging location the night before, then Page, AZ (2.5 hours from GC North Rim) for overnight
4. Tour Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon, then drive to Grand Canyon South Rim (3.5 hours from Page, AZ, factoring in stops), overnight at Grand Canyon
5. Drive back to Las Vegas (~5 hours)

Whatever you decide to do, be sure that you always keep an eye on the time. You should strive to get any and all driving completed by sunset. Nighttime driving is strongly discouraged in this part of the U.S. due to the the lack of artificial lighting on area roads (a deliberate strategy to preserve the natural darkness of the night sky), plus the tendency for deer, elk, free range cattle, and other wildlife to be nocturnal. Trust us, you don’t want to risk a collision with a large animal in an area where cell phone service is spotty at best, non-existent at worst, and a tow truck will be a long time coming, not to mention expensive. For sunrise and sunset times in the various cities you visit, consult www.sunrise-sunset.org
Hope that helps! Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

July 25, 2019 at 1:16 PM

Dear Janet,
Nope, nope, nope… this is SO not happening! Even if you are “movers and shakers” as you say, you’re talking about WAY too much driving to pull off in a single day:
4.5 hours from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon
2.5 hours from the Grand Canyon to Page, AZ, plus at least 4-5 hours to visit Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon
2.5 hours to drive from Page, AZ to Bryce Canyon
90 minutes from Bryce to Zion
4.5 hours from Zion to Las Vegas
That’s 15-16 hours driving, wheels turning no stops, and not even factoring in the places you want to visit, and the logistics of checking in, getting your bearings, meals, restroom breaks, etc! You just don’t have enough hours in the day.
Another consideration is that nighttime driving is a dangerous proposition in this part of the U.S. due to the lack of artificial lighting on local roads (a deliberate choice to preserve the natural quality of the night sky) and the possible presence of deer, elk, free range cattle, and even wild horses near them.
Start your trip just after sunrise, which occurs at ~5:45 AM. If you’ve never been to the Grand Canyon, go there, enjoy it, and start your drive back to Las Vegas by 3:00 PM at the latest. If you’ve already been to the Grand Canyon, and/or are OK with sacrificing it this time around, then go to Page, AZ (also ~5 hour drive from Las Vegas), visit Horseshoe Bend, tour Antelope Canyon (advance reservations required), then head back to Las Vegas. Here, you could visit Zion as a “drive through” on the way back, but with it taking 4-6 hours minimum to hit Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon, you won’t have time for any hiking in Zion.
The trip you’re proposing to take requires at least a week to do properly. This time around, for your safety and comfort, you’ll need to pick one destination and make the best of it, or else try to free up another day or two to squeeze in more time elsewhere.
Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

July 24, 2019 at 4:59 PM

Hi Beth,
First off, it’s good that you’re planning your 2020 vacation well in advance. You’ll definitely be glad you did!
Second, as I’m sure you’re aware, pulling a trailer, you’ll have to be a bit more conscious than the average visitor of what constitutes realistic travel times. A drive that may take someone a couple of hours in a Ford Taurus is more likely to take you 3 hours. Also, be aware that many roads around here are two-laners, so be especially careful about passing and making U-turns, if you do it at all. You might indeed want to use Kanab, UT, as a “base camp” for exploring Zion and Bryce, especially Zion since the Mt. Carmel Tunnel requires buses, motorhomes, and larger vehicles to have an escort, which is a pain.
Having a tow vehicle that can be unhooked and hooked back up as needed is definitely advantageous over a large motorhome in some ways for sightseeing, but at the time of year you’re traveling, you’ll definitely want to stay in developed RV parks with electrical hook-ups. Our area is HOT at that time of year, so having access to air conditioning is a convenience you’ll be eternally grateful for!
The one area where I have a bit of a problem with your itinerary is when you get to Arches. The Moab, Utah area is absolutely stunning and requires at least 3-4 days to fully enjoy. To accomplish this, as much as I hate to say it, I’d suggest dropping the North Rim from your itinerary. Yes, it is beautiful, but the South Rim definitely has more to offer in the way of visitor facilities, and square mileage of the Grand Canyon that is driveable. However, there still may be a way for you to work it in. More on that in a minute… Also, I suggest reducing your time at Grand Canyon South Rim to just one night since you’ll do a good chunk of your Grand Canyon sightseeing on the drive to Page, AZ.
So a revised version of your itinerary would look something like this:
Days 1-4 Drive to Holbrook, AZ – Petrified Forest/Painted Desert, overnight in Holbrook, AZ, on Day 4
Day 5 – Travel to South GC (~3-4 hours from Holbrook), overnight at Grand Canyon (either Trailer Village inside the park or GC Camper Village in Tusayan)
Day 6 – Take morning helicopter flight over GC North Rim (see what I did there? LOL), then travel to Page, AZ (~4-5 hours factoring in stops), overnight in Page, AZ (Wahweap RV Park near Lake Powell or Page/Lake Powell Campground in Page [RV and Camping Options in Page])
Day 7 – Visit Horseshoe Bend just after sunrise, tour Antelope Canyon, 2nd night in Page, AZ
Day 8 – Drive to Kanab, UT (~2 hours from Page, AZ), park RV for 3 nights (Kanab, UT, RV parks)
Day 9 – Day trip to Zion NP. Drive to Springdale, UT (~1 hour away), catch Zion Canyon Park Shuttle, hike in main visitor area of park. Possible hikes include Canyon Overlook Trail, Emerald Pools Trail, Riverside Walk, Watchman Trail
Day 10 – Day trip to Bryce, drive Scenic Loop Drive or do some light hiking (Top Hikes in Bryce Canyon)
Day 11 – Drive from Kanab, UT, to Moab, UT (~7 hour drive), park RV for 3 nights (Moab, UT RV Parks)
Day 12 – Explore Arches NP 2nd night in Moab
Day 13 – Explore Canyonlands NP 3rd night in Moab
Day 14 – Drive to Rocky Mountain National Park (~7 hours), park RV in Estes Park, CO for 2 nights
Day 15 – Explore Rocky Mountain National Park
Day 16-18 – Head back to Michigan

Hope this helps! Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

July 24, 2019 at 6:20 PM

Hi Linda!
As you have rightfully deduced, your itinerary is ambitious, and as much as I hate to say, too ambitious.
If you count April 4th and April 12th as “travel days” into and out of Las Vegas, that gives you 7 full days to work with. Due to the remote location of the Hualapai Lodge and the length of the one-day Grand Canyon white water raft trip, that element of your trip will essentially eat up two nights right off the bat. You should plan on staying in Peach Springs, AZ, both the night prior to the trip and the night the trip returns for optimal safety and comfort.
With that in mind, you could do something like this:
April 4th: Travel to Las Vegas, overnight in Las Vegas
April 5th: Drive to Peach Springs, AZ (~3 hours) w/stop at Hoover Dam, overnight in Peach Springs (warning: there’s not much lodging to work with in that area, so advance reservations are a must!)
April 6th: One-Day Grand Canyon White Water Raft Trip, 2nd night in Peach Springs
April 7th: Drive from Peach Springs to Grand Canyon South Rim (~4 hours), overnight at Grand Canyon
April 8th: Take short hike on Bright Angel Trail, then drive to Page, AZ (~3.5-4 hours factoring in stops), visit Horseshoe Bend, overnight in Page, AZ
April 9th: AM tour Antelope Canyon and Lake Powell (see “How To Book A Tour For Antelope Canyon” for information on bundling these two experiences), drive to Bryce Canyon (~2.5 hours), overnight in Bryce
April 10th: Drive to Zion, overnight in Springdale, UT
April 11th: 2nd day to hike and explore in Zion, 2nd night in Springdale
April 12th: Drive back to Las Vegas (~4.5 hours due to construction project taking place in Virgin River Gorge), fly home
As you can (hopefully) see, Arches and Canyonlands has been dropped from the itinerary. Though they are beautiful parks, they are simply too far away to be feasible this time around. Unless — you were to take the one day white water trip off the table. But even then, Arches/Canyonlands deserves at least 3-4 days time to fully enjoy. So unless you can modify your trip plans to give that area the time it deserves, my suggestion would be to save it for another trip.
Good luck, I know it’s a really hard choice!
Alley 🙂

July 24, 2019 at 5:30 PM

Hi Jennifer,
Naturally, you have a lot of questions about doing an engagement photo shoot in Antelope Canyon. Unfortunately, answers can be all over the place depending on what you have in mind, how many people will be in your group, how much $$ you want to spend, and other considerations. The good news is there’s a local company that specializes in coordinating engagement, elopement, and wedding photo shoots at Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, Tower Butte, and other beautiful locations around Page, AZ. I strongly recommend working with them, as they’ll make life a lot easier for you and your party! For more information, visit AntelopeCanyonWeddings.com , phone 480-980-8121, or e-mail monumentalarizonaweddings@gmail.com
Good luck, safe travels, and congratulations from all of us at AntelopeCanyon.AZ!
Alley 🙂

July 23, 2019 at 5:08 PM

Hey Jenifer,
Talk about a hard choice, huh?
The good news is, you won’t go wrong, whichever you decide to do, but I’m going to suggest option #2, mainly because of the weather. In August, daytime highs can and often do ratchet up over 110 degrees Fahrenheit. This can result in the cancellation of slot canyon tours later in the afternoon, and seeing as though late August can also fall within Arizona’s monsoon season, that’s a “double whammy” in terms of risks to life and limb. Do as much of your sightseeing as possible in the cooler morning hours, starting with a visit to Horseshoe Bend just after sunrise (which occurs at ~6:00 AM at the time of your visit), then a mid-morning tour of Antelope Canyon X, then a short boat tour, such as an Antelope Canyon waterside tour, which lasts 60-90 minutes.
You’re then looking at approximately a 3-hour drive to Williams, AZ, which is wheels turning, no stops. A dinner stop at the Cameron Trading Post for some Navajo tacos and taking advantage of the ample photo ops along the way can easily extend the drive time by another hour. Just be sure that you start the drive down from Page, AZ, in plenty of time so that you’re pulling into Williams before sunset. Nighttime driving is not a good idea in this part of the U.S. due to local roads being very dimly lit (and deliberately so to preserve the natural darkness of the night skies), and the tendency for deer, elk, free range cattle, and the occasional wild horse to graze near them after dusk. At the time of year you’re visiting, sunset occurs shortly before 7:00 PM.
Hope that helps! Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

July 23, 2019 at 5:01 PM

Hey Jennifer!
So, “can” you see Antelope Canyon then go to the South Rim in one day from Williams? Theoretically, yes, as long as you are traveling during the summer when days are long and you get an early start out of Williams.
“Should” you do it? In my opinion, no.
It will take you 3 hours, minimum, to drive from Williams, AZ, to Page, AZ. However, that’s wheels turning, no stops. That rarely happens as the drive is very scenic and you will find yourself stopping. Plus you definitely want to make time to stop at the Cameron Trading Post for some Navajo tacos! Another consideration is that Page, AZ, has a lot more to offer than Antelope Canyon. You should also take the time to visit Horseshoe Bend, maybe take a boat tour on Lake Powell (which you can “bundle” with your Antelope Canyon tour), maybe tour the Glen Canyon Dam, or visit the Navajo Village Heritage Center. You would then be facing a 2.5 hour drive from Page, AZ, to Grand Canyon South Rim, then a 1-hour drive to Williams. All this while keeping an eye on the time to ensure that you don’t do any part of the drive in the dark; nighttime driving is strongly discouraged in this part of the U.S. due to lack of artificial lighting on local roads and the tendency for deer, elk, and other large wildlife to congregate near them after dusk.
Long story short, if possible, set aside separate days to visit the Grand Canyon and Page. You’ll have a much more comfortable experience by doing so.
Hope that helps!
Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

July 23, 2019 at 4:13 PM

Hi Mei!
Whether you visit the Grand Canyon or Page first really doesn’t matter. Either one is ~a 5 hour drive from Las Vegas, so it’s, as we say “six of one, half a dozen of another.” How you plan your trip will depend largely on availability of lodging at the Grand Canyon, and availability of Antelope Canyon tours — or lack thereof in either case! Start by seeing when you can book a hotel at Grand Canyon South Rim. Then check Antelope Canyon tours, as well as Page, AZ, hotels. Then let the rest of your trip planning evolve, and revolve around those 3 key elements.
Hope that helps. Please don’t hesitate to come back again if you need further guidance.
Alley 🙂

July 23, 2019 at 4:05 PM

Hi Alan, and thank you for your compliments!
Your itinerary looks pretty fun, and I especially like the fact that you’ve built some “chill time” into your vacation. In my profession, I often find folks trying to plan every single second of their vacation and not allowing for any down time.
As to whether you’re “missing” anything, that’s kind of a loaded question. For example, if you’re traveling as far as Page, AZ, you might be tempted to try and squeeze Bryce Canyon and/or Zion into your itinerary, but frankly, I’d leave things just the way you have them, with one exception: drop a day in Phoenix and give it to Sedona. Sedona has so much to offer that 3 days bare minimum are necessary to do it justice. While you won’t be able to do any swimming at Slide Rock State Park or Oak Creek, you can still enjoy hiking in those areas, with the proper clothing and shoes. Besides, IMO, Phoenix is just another big city, and I’m definitely of the “been there, done that” frame of mind!
Whatever you decide, be sure to book all lodging well in advance, and to make advance reservations for Antelope Canyon tours. Also keep in mind that early November is usually a nice time to be here, but still falls in that transitional period between fall and winter. Keep an eye on the weather, starting about 2 weeks before you get set to travel.
Good luck and safe travels!
Alley 🙂

July 23, 2019 at 4:01 PM

_________________________________________

From Alan

Thank you, Alley, for your response and your advice! I’ll certainly factor that into the final itinerary. I’m looking forward to exploring your beautiful state!

If you have any tips on how to make the most of the Sedona experience (e.g., top things to do), I’d be all ears!

Alan

July 23, 2019 at 9:06 PM

Hi Gwen, and thanks for your compliments!
In light of the fact that you guys are visiting in January, and one of your party members is a rock hound, you might consider going to Quartzsite, AZ, for the town’s HUGE annual gem and mineral show. It’s ~a 3.5 hour drive from Las Vegas. You could stop at Hoover Dam along the way if desired. Once you get to Quartzsite, there’s all kinds of hikes and other side trips you can take in that area, so you could easily spend your entire 3 days there and wish you had more time! However, if you wanted to hit some other sites like the Grand Canyon and Sedona, these would be too terribly far away. By that, we mean ~4-4.5 from Quartzsite to Sedona, ~3 hours from Sedona to Grand Canyon South Rim, 4.5-5 hours from GCSR back to Las Vegas. Are you sure you can’t free up another week? LOL
Hope that helps you get started. Don’t hesitate to hit us up again for more guidance if you need it!
Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

July 23, 2019 at 3:54 PM

Hi Cathy,
Unfortunately, I can’t endorse this plan. You’re trying to cram too much sightseeing in too short a time frame.
First order of business: drop the trip to the North Rim. It’s 2.5 hours, each way, from Page, AZ, to the North Rim, and after a 9:30 AM Antelope Canyon tour, you simply won’t have enough time to do it justice. Another consideration is daylength. Sunrise occurs at ~6:00 AM, sunset at about 7:30 PM at the time of year you’re visiting. Nighttime driving is something you want to avoid if at all possible, due to the lack of artificial lighting on local roads, and the possibility you might hit a deer, elk, free range cow, or even a wild horse. In a remote area like this, help will be hard to find due to spotty cell service, a long time coming since tow trucks will ultimately have to be sent out from Page, AZ, or Kanab, UT, which means that a tow back to civilization will come with a very high price tag. Although the North Rim is beautiful, I recommend saving it for another trip when you can give it the time it deserves, preferably by staying a night or two. Grand Canyon North Rim lodging tends to book up a year or more in advance, so planning ahead is crucial!
Since the Horseshoe Bend parking lot is extremely busy in the afternoon, I recommend visiting it right after sunrise to take advantage of cooler temperatures and fewer people, then proceed to your Antelope Canyon tour. A tour of the Glen Canyon dam would be a good way to round out the day.
On Thursday, instead of doing a boat rental, you might consider taking the Glen Canyon Float Trip instead. That’s a wonderful family activity, and someone else will be doing the work of driving the boat! As the name suggests, the trip doesn’t go through any rapids, but you get a lot of beautiful scenery, compelling history, and an opportunity to swim in the Colorado River. The AM trip (6:00 AM check-in/7:00 AM departure) is best at the time of year you’re visiting for cooler temperatures in the inner canyon.
On your final travel day, here again, you’re trying to squeeze too much into that day. Instead of going all the way in to Grand Canyon Village, which will be ~a 3.5-4 hour drive from Page, factoring in stops, I’d recommend doing a “pop-in” to Desert View Point. That will be a 2-hour drive from Page, AZ, then you’re looking at another 2-hour drive to Slide Rock State Park, then yet another 2-hour drive to Cave Creek.

I don’t know about you, but to me, that sounds like too. much. driving. If I were you, I’d make a choice: Grand Canyon South Rim or Sedona, and if you’ve never been to the Grand Canyon, that’s the place you should prioritize, and save Sedona for another trip. It’s a beautiful area that truly deserves 3-4 days, bare minimum, to fully enjoy.
Or, here’s another idea: forget about driving to the Grand Canyon altogether and take a fixed-wing airplane flight over it from the Page, AZ, Municipal Airport! Grand Canyon flight tours do not land on either side of the Grand Canyon, and yes, this type of activity does cost some serious money, but in just 90 minutes time, you’ll get a good view of both the North and South Rims, and a lot of other beautiful scenery. For more information, visit Westwind Air Service: Flights from Page/Lake Powell
Anyway, I hope that helps. Whatever you decide to do, I wish you good luck and safe travels!
Alley 🙂

July 23, 2019 at 3:02 PM

Hi Kristin!
Unfortunately, Lower Antelope Canyon is rapidly catching up in popularity and traffic with Upper Antelope Canyon. Seeing as though your visit is scheduled for Labor Day Weekend, you’re going to find that prime-time tours (mid-day) are mostly sold out. Book a tour at a time that has available seats and fits your schedule. Whether you tour Upper Antelope Canyon at 6:00 AM or Lower Antelope Canyon at 9:00 AM, no matter when you tour Antelope Canyon, you will have good light and be able to get good pictures. Your guide will give you guidance on how to make the most of the available light.
In the event you find Antelope Canyon tours sold out, consider touring one of several alternate slot canyons in the Page, AZ, area that are just as beautiful, but far less crowded.
Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

July 23, 2019 at 2:16 PM

Hi Bev and sorry for the delay in response to your question. I was actually on vacation myself!
As you have rightfully deduced, you are “adding too much driving time for an unlikely payoff” (well-said!) concerning Antelope Canyon. The light beams in Upper Antelope Canyon technically start to appear in late March, but at that time of year, they rarely reach all the way down to the canyon floor. At that point in time, they’re just starting to bounce off the upper walls of the canyon. Peak time for the light beam phenomenon is summertime, namely, June, July, and August. Another consideration is that tour prices for mid-day departures are higher than off-peak hours, light beams or no light beams, and competition is bound to be a bit more rigorous for those time slots. Long story short, don’t fixate on the light beams, and structure your itinerary so that you’re not backtracking. Whatever you decide, book your Antelope Canyon tour well in advance.
Another observation: Sedona is absent from your itinerary. Unless you’ve been there before, it really deserves to be worked into your itinerary, and you should allow for at least 3 days there. It’s an absolutely stunning area, just 2.5 hours from Phoenix, with a lot to see and do. VisitSedona.com If necessary, drop a day or two from Grand Canyon South Rim in order to work it in. Crazy as it may sound, you can scoot by with 1 night at Grand Canyon South Rim and still have a fulfilling visit. The primary reason for this is because you’ll do a good majority of your Grand Canyon sightseeing on the drive to Page, AZ, since the most logical route takes you along the East Rim/Desert View Drive of the park where there are over half a dozen named Grand Canyon viewpoints you can stop at. Upon exiting the park and entering the Navajo Indian Reservation, there’s even more to see. Therefore, a drive that would take 2.5 hours “wheels turning, no stops,” can easily be extended to 3.5-4 hours by taking in the sights and maybe stopping at the Cameron Trading Post for some Navajo tacos.
Lastly, using Orderville, UT, as a “base” from which to visit Bryce Canyon and Zion is OK, just make sure that you are starting your drive “back to base” well before sunset. Make sure all your driving is done during daylight hours for that matter. Driving in the dark in this part of the U.S. is strongly discouraged due to lack of artificial lighting on local roads (a deliberate move to preserve the natural quality of the night sky), plus the tendency of deer, elk, free range cattle, and even wild horses to be nocturnal. At the time of year you’re traveling, your daylength is still going to be on the short side with sunrise occurring at ~7:15 AM and sunset taking place shortly before 8:00 PM (Utah time).
In light of these considerations, a “restructured” itinerary would look something like this:
March 21st: arrive in Phoenix, drive to Sedona (~2.5 hours), overnight in Sedona
March 22nd: take Pink Jeep Broken Arrow Tour, light hiking in Sedona, spend 2nd night in Sedona
March 23rd: take sunrise hot air balloon flight, visit Tlaquepaque, spend 3rd night in Sedona
March 24th: drive to Grand Canyon South Rim (~3 hour drive), take free shuttles out to Hermit’s Rest/West Rim Drive overlooks, overnight in Grand Canyon
March 25th: drive to Page, AZ (~3.5-4 hours), visit Horseshoe Bend (parking permitting), overnight in Page
March 26th: tour Antelope Canyon, perhaps take a short boat tour on Lake Powell (Antelope Canyon + Lake Powell Boat Tour bundles), 2nd night in Page, AZ
March 27th-March 30th: drive to Orderville, UT (~2 hour drive), spend 3 nights, explore Bryce one day, Zion 2 days
March 31st: drive to Las Vegas (~4-4.5 hour drive due to construction project on I-15 through Virgin River Gorge), return flight home
One more thing before I sign off: keep in mind that while the calendar may say it’s spring, winter weather has a nasty habit of making “one final stand” at the time of year you’re traveling. Grand Canyon and Bryce Canyon especially are prone to snowstorms, being at higher altitudes. Start monitoring local weather ~2 weeks before you set out to get the best feel for what to expect and how to pack. In the rare event a road closure occurs due to weather, the best way to deal with it is to stay put where you’re at, then move on once the weather clears.
Good luck and safe travels!
Alley 🙂

July 23, 2019 at 1:36 PM

Hi Meghan,
Sorry I’m so late in responding to your inquiry. I myself was on vacation!
If Grand Canyon South Rim lodging is too pricey, you might check availability and pricing in Williams, AZ, 60 miles South of the Grand Canyon. If that area is sold out, Flagstaff, AZ, would be your next best alternative.
Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

July 23, 2019 at 12:53 PM

Hi Barbara!
So sorry for taking so long to reply to your inquiry. I myself was on vacation!
Upper Antelope Canyon is not difficult to walk through. It’s a 100-yard out and back walk, along a mostly flat trail. The most exciting part of the trip will be the 2-mile off-road trek from the main highway to the mouth of the canyon.
As for the best time of day, that’s generally regarded to be mid-day, when the sun is directly overhead, but you will pay a higher price, and face stiffer competition for those time slots. Take whatever time slot is available and works for you.
If you’re driving in from Monument Valley, keep in mind that it’s a 2.5-hour drive from MV to Page, AZ, and that Monument Valley will be 1 hour ahead of Page, AZ, at the time of year you’re traveling. Be sure you factor that in before you leave MV.
If for some reason you are unable to find space on Upper Antelope Canyon tours, you might consider Horseshoe Bend Slot Canyon, which is a longer canyon (~450 yards), but has no stairs or ladders.
Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂
Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

July 23, 2019 at 12:51 PM

Hi Roota!
Apologies for the delay in response to your inquiry.
If you don’t mind, I’m going to work a bit backwards with your particular questions, starting with the Wave lottery: the chart in the post will tell you exactly when you should apply for the online lottery. In a nutshell, it’s four months out. For example, if you want to hike to The Wave in June of 2020, you would need to apply in February. If you wish to hike in July, March would be the month you’d need to submit your application. In the likely event you are not selected for the online lottery, this post also details how you might get a permit through the walk-in lottery permit the day prior to when you wish to hike.
As for the “must-see” parks in the Southwestern US, the Grand Canyon definitely counts; the South Rim would be where you’d want to go. Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, and Lake Powell also rank highly on the “must see” list, which you can experience with a 2-3 day stay in Page, AZ. The Utah “Mighty 5” also warrant consideration, which are: Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Arches, and Canyonlands. However, if this would be too far a swing out of your way, you might simply concentrate on the parks and attractions that are closest to Route 66, aka I-40, this time around. Some good candidates for your time include, but are certainly not limited to, Wupatki/Sunset Crater National Monument, Walnut Canyon National Monument (the latter two are located near Flagstaff, AZ), Petrified Forest/Painted Desert National Park, Meteor Crater and Meteor City, “Standin’ On The Corner” in Winslow, AZ (have a meal at the La Posada Hotel — you’ll love it!), the Wigwam Village in Holbrook — and that’s just in Arizona! There are all kinds of possibilities along the entire route. As you’ve rightly guessed, you won’t get to see them all, but you’ll have a great time trying LOL. For more information and inspiration visit:
NationalParks.org: Planning A Route 66 Vacation
NationalParkService.gov: List of Sites On Route 66
TheRoute-66.com: National and State Parks Along The Route
Last but not least, be sure to reserve spaces at RV parks in advance of your arrival. Summertime in the American Southwest is not the time to “wing it,” and what with the weather being on the warm side, you’ll definitely want to stay at developed RV parks with access to amenities like air conditioning.
Hope that helps. Feel free to hit us up again if we can be of further assistance.
Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

July 23, 2019 at 12:47 PM

Hey Stefanie!
So sorry it’s taken so long to respond to your inquiry. Being owned and operated by members of the Navajo tribe, it would stand to reason that people of indigenous descent would receive some price consideration from Antelope Canyon tour outfitters. However, to make absolutely sure what the terms are, if any, I would encourage you to contact the tour companies directly.

There are two companies operating tours to Lower Antelope Canyon. They are:
Ken’s Lower Antelope Canyon Tours (928) 606-2168 http://lowerantelope.com/ and
Dixie Ellis’ Antelope Lower Canyon Tours (928) 640-1761 http://antelopelowercanyon.com

For Upper Antelope Canyon, there are four companies to choose from:
Chief Tsosie’s Slot Canyon Tours 928.645.5594
Roger Ekis’ Antelope Canyon Tours 928.645.9102
Adventurous Antelope Canyon Tours 928.380.187
Antelope Canyon Navajo Tours 928-698-3384

In the event Antelope Canyon tours are sold out, there are a number of alternate slot canyons in the Page, AZ, area, all managed by Navajo-owned companies, that are also worth considering. For more information, check out “Antelope Canyon Alternative Tours.”
Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂

July 23, 2019 at 12:30 PM