Please critique this 2-week itinerary in the southwest

[Steve Hawkins]

Background:



Three travelers, mom, dad, and 4 year old daughter
Dates, March 2 - 18, 2012
I will have a stock 4wd suv
I will have a souped up Jeep Grand Cherokee in Page, AZ
All of us are very experienced in the outdoors, even the little one

Current Plan (solid through day 8)




Day 0: transit from Phoenix to Grand Canyon, visit Grand Falls if it is flowing
Day 1 - 4: backpacking in the Grand Canyon
Day 5: get permit in Cameron to hike/see Coal Mine Canyon, drive to Lee's Ferry and camp
Day 6: Hike the Spencer Trail, then Waterholes Canyon (legal parts), drive to South Coyote Buttes
Day 7 - 8: South Coyote Buttes & White Pocket, permits secured

*** NOW HERE IS WHERE I NEED ADVICE, DAYS 9 - 16 ***

As I see it there are really 4 options for the next week:


Kick around Page a few more days: Antelope Canyon, Cobra Arch, Wire Pass, Buckskin Middle Route, Steamboat Rock, Rimrocks, Wahweap Hoodoos, Stud Horse Point, etc
Head up Cottonwood Road - Wahweap Hoodoos, Yellow Rock, Willis Creek, Bull Valley Gorge, Kodachrome Basin, Bryce
Head to Zion for a full week of hiking, snowshoeing, peak bagging
Combination of 1 & 2, but then no Zion

I am torn as to how to spend my second week. Sightseeing in Page sounds like fun, but I just don't know which way to go.

What do you think?????

[maarten.1975]

Hmmm, I know that problem, always to little time for all the things to do. Makes you come back over and over again. Like an addiction :crazy:

But oke, let's get back to your question. I've only experienced Utah in Autumn, so that may influence some things in the scenery. Especially in Zion I think it will differ, since all the trees and plants will look different. If you are in Page though, I'd say visit the Antilope Canyon. It is very beautiful, you must have seen some pictures on Google. I myself prefer the Lower Antilope Canyon. A visit takes about an hour and a half and is guided. The Horshoebend of the Colorado river is also near Page, and takes you about an hour (or longer, if you wanna spend more time). It is a great finish of a day! Wahweap Hoodoos is quite a remote hike. The hoodoos area is beautiful, but the trip will take almost a day.

As well I absolutely advice you to visit Zion. Many very beautiful day-hikes. See the desert come alive in Zion (or is March to early for mother nature to be back alive?). In Zion, great hikes are Angels Landing point, The Left Fork/ Subway bottom-up (think of the permits), The Narrows (if it is possible with the water volume in the river in that period) And in the Kolob section of Zion I very much like La Verkin creek trail to Kolob arch (and back, or you can hike all the way to Zion main canyon on the Hop Valley trail and West rim trail, takes days though). Have you seen the book of Tom Jones? That was my guide during my recent holiday, great book.

Oke, good luck planning and have fun!

[Iceaxe]

If hanging around in Page the Glen Canyon Dam tour is worth-while.... at least to me it is.

You really can't go wrong with anything on your list.

[Steve Hawkins]

As well I absolutely advice you to visit Zion. Many very beautiful day-hikes. See the desert come alive in Zion (or is March to early for mother nature to be back alive?). In Zion, great hikes are Angels Landing point, The Left Fork/ Subway bottom-up (think of the permits), The Narrows (if it is possible with the water volume in the river in that period) And in the Kolob section of Zion I very much like La Verkin creek trail to Kolob arch (and back, or you can hike all the way to Zion main canyon on the Hop Valley trail and West rim trail, takes days though). Have you seen the book of Tom Jones? That was my guide during my recent holiday, great book.

Oke, good luck planning and have fun!

Thank you, I have been to Zion several times for hiking and canyoneering, and I am thinking "how could you not go to zion if you are that close?" It is definitely my favorite park in the national park system. Oh well, the struggle continues. It is nice to know that I really cannot go wrong either way.


If hanging around in Page the Glen Canyon Dam tour is worth-while.... at least to me it is.

You really can't go wrong with anything on your list.

I am an engineer, my wife is too, so that would be awesome to us. I had just assumed that tours would not be available due to security risks in a post 9/11 world. I am definitely going to follow up on this.

[CarpeyBiggs]

you can still get tours of the dam, for sure. it's a good way to spend an hour or so.

i'd say avoid antelope canyon at all costs. that place is a miserable zoo. any of the other options around page are good though. :2thumbs:

[Steve Hawkins]

i'd say avoid antelope canyon at all costs. that place is a miserable zoo. any of the other options around page are good though. :2thumbs:

My wife is hell bent on going, but I told her she would be solo, perhaps with the daughter. I can't see me paying the fee, plus I have heard there are made made structures built in there. She may go as a photographer, but I will probably do the middle route of Buckskin if she and the daughter go to Antelope. Unfortunately I will have the POS camera cause she will have the good one if she goes to Antelope.

[deathtointernet]

The one time I did hike to the Wahweap Hoodoos it was in March. The wash was a flowing river and what could have been a decent hike with some interesting stuff along the way and a great destination turned into a horrid struggle through thick gooey clay muck. Can't of course speak for what the conditions will be like *this* March but I was seriously discouraged by that adventure.

March though is a great time to hike the Narrows with a drysuit though, easily my favorite time to do it. Not sure about the 4-year old, experienced or not the volume and depth of the river would create some serious problems. But Zion has a lot of to offer.

[trackrunner]

Day 6: then Waterholes Canyon (legal parts), drive to South Coyote Buttes



while you mentioned getting required permits for a lot of hikes you may have left it off for these hikes accidently still knowing you need one or did not know a permit is needed. FYI in case you did not know, some portions of Waterholes requires a guide, but other portions do not require a guide but still require a permit from the Navajo. While South Coyote Buttes permit is through the BLM. It can get confusing hard to keep track.

One tip of advice it's better to get out and hike the country rather than see if from the road.

Have fun, take pictures, create lots of memories :2thumbs:

[mattandersao]

Im sure you are well aware but doing anything in Southern Utah in March is sooooo dependent upon the weather. I have seen sunny skies and temperatures in the 80's one year, and the next record breaking snow (record breaking being two inches or so :haha:) So make a plan, then a couple back up plans!!! Zion (the main canyon) typically, even if it snows is pretty accessible whereas any of your off the beaten paths off of dirt roads you mentioned ( anything off of Cottonwood Canyon, or Houserock Valley road could be difficult or flat out inaccessible) Everything you mentioned sounds awesome by the way!

[Steve Hawkins]

The one time I did hike to the Wahweap Hoodoos it was in March. The wash was a flowing river and what could have been a decent hike with some interesting stuff along the way and a great destination turned into a horrid struggle through thick gooey clay muck. Can't of course speak for what the conditions will be like *this* March but I was seriously discouraged by that adventure.

March though is a great time to hike the Narrows with a drysuit though, easily my favorite time to do it. Not sure about the 4-year old, experienced or not the volume and depth of the river would create some serious problems. But Zion has a lot of to offer.

Thanks for the heads up on Wahwheap, we'll play it by ear. There is no way I'll get my 4 year old up the narrows in March. Hiking against the flow would just be too much for her right now. I'll probably bring my wetsuit though and do it solo.


while you mentioned getting required permits for a lot of hikes you may have left it off for these hikes accidently still knowing you need one or did not know a permit is needed. FYI in case you did not know, some portions of Waterholes requires a guide, but other portions do not require a guide but still require a permit from the Navajo. While South Coyote Buttes permit is through the BLM. It can get confusing hard to keep track.

My understanding of Waterholes is that you need a permit from the Navajo, and then you are only allowed up to the power lines. The scuttlebutt is that you can go further up, and no one is going to bother you...but that is out of range for my 4 year old anyway.


Im sure you are well aware but doing anything in Southern Utah in March is sooooo dependent upon the weather. So make a plan, then a couple back up plans!!!

Agree, I have a "paved roads only" contingency plan that would include Sedona, Canyon de Chelly, Monument Valley, Bryce, and Zion. Hopefully it won't come to that, but it isn't a bad consolation prize either.

[MPH]

What about hiking parts of Buckskin? Since you are in the area...Drive up thru GSEM and head over to hole in the rock...hiking galore...obviously, all weather dependent...

[Iceaxe]

Info for Glen Canyon Dam Tour
http://www.glencanyonnha.org/glen_canyon_dam/glencanyondam_tour.php

[Steve Hawkins]

What about hiking parts of Buckskin? Since you are in the area...Drive up thru GSEM and head over to hole in the rock...hiking galore...obviously, all weather dependent...

Actually, I probably will hike Wire Pass, and the Middle Buckskin, especially if my wife wants to go to Antelope Canyon, which I have no interest in.

I hear you on Escalante. I have actually been there a couple times before, so I probably won't go there this time. I have done a bunch of hikes and canyoneering routes off of the HITR road.

[Iceaxe]

Actually, I probably will hike Wire Pass, and the Middle Buckskin,

If you enter at Middle Trail I suggest you explore upstream. One of the more interesting sections of Buckskin is the mile above Middle Trail.

[Steve Hawkins]

If you enter at Middle Trail I suggest you explore upstream. One of the more interesting sections of Buckskin is the mile above Middle Trail.

That is really good to know. I hiked Buckskin from top to bottom a few years ago, but I couldn't recall where the sweet spots were. I was wonhdering whether to go upstream or downstream.

[MPH]

Nice...I then might suggest some routes off of the Burr Trail, then head south to take the car ferry over Powell. Then explore Natural Bridges and Cedar Mesa...



Actually, I probably will hike Wire Pass, and the Middle Buckskin, especially if my wife wants to go to Antelope Canyon, which I have no interest in.

I hear you on Escalante. I have actually been there a couple times before, so I probably won't go there this time. I have done a bunch of hikes and canyoneering routes off of the HITR road.