7 National Parks in 15 days road trip

I recently did 15 days road trip across north west america with my family and thought of sharing some of the experiences, ideas and iteanrry so that others can take advantage of it.

This road trip started from Bay Area, California and completed grand circle covering Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Arches, Canyonlands, Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce. Around 3600 miles of drive across 6 states.

This planning took 6 month. Book your lodges in national parks inside. Its huge advantage as these lodges are beautiful and very near to attraction.

Before going to trip make sure all of you have started doing hiking, running so that your body is ready for hikes almost everyday. You would miss out on lot of things if you don't hike in these areas.

Following is itinerary

            - Leave in afternoon and stay in Reno or Fernley. There is no good motel after Fernley for around 200 miles.

Day 1 - 21 Friday - 580 miles 
            - Leave very early from Fernley like 5 AM
            - Drive whole day and stay in Idaho.
            - Walmart on 2 hours drive at Winnemucca
            - 2nd stop at Wells for some refreshment
            - See Shoshone Falls on the way and take lunch. 
            - Idaho’s world famous hot water pools - 1 hour detour - Natual Hot Pools - http://www.lavahotsprings.com
            - If time permits - Snake River Greenbelt in Idaho Falls City. Small park near river.

Day 2 - 22 Saturday - 200 miles
            - Leave from Idaho - Early 5 AM. 3 hours drive to Yellowstone. Half an hour in Mesa Falls ( worth spending ??? )
            - Mesa falls.
            - Enter Yellowstone through west gate.
            - Artist PaintPots, Uncle Tom’s tail, South Rim Trail 
            - Norris Gayser Basin
            - Roaring Mountain
            - Obsidian Cliff
            - Mammoth Hot Springs - Take Lunch.
            - Go to Lemar Valley around evening time to see wildlife
            - Tower Fall
            - Mount Washburn
            - Ospreys Falls Trails
            - Complete upper grand loop and come back Canyon Village
            - Find one hiking place.
            - Stay at Canyon Village

            - Madison Area - Firehole falls
            - Lower Gayser Basin
            - Fire hole lake drive - 3 miles of walk
            - Midway Gayser Basin
            - Grand Prismatic Spring
            - Fairy falls
            - Upper Gayser Basin
            - Mystic Falls Trails
            - Biscuit Basin
            - Old faithful 
            - Lone Star Geyser Trail - Eruption every 3 hours- 5 miles hike
            - Black Sand Basin
            - Bechler Area Trail  ( tough trails but not much people )
            - Stay in Canyon Village

Day 4 - 24 Monday 
            - Heyden Vally
            - Lower Yellowstone River Falls
            - Dragon’s Mouth Spring
            - Chocolate Pots
            - West Thumb Gayser Basin
            - Kepler Cascades
            - Stay in Canyon Village

Day 5 - 25 Tuesday -  400 miles
            - Leave canyon village 
            - 42 miles scenic loop drive of Grand Teton
            - Jackson lake
            - Hotel ( Dornans Hotel/Resort ) for lunch
            - Bear Lake - stop for fresh raspberry shakes, which are famous here
            - Afton Wyoming - 
            - Salt Lake City - Temple Square
            - Costco/Walmart nearby
            - Various indian restaurants near highway 15 through salt lake city
            - Come all the way down to Orem/Provo after spending some more time in Teton skip salt lake city.
            - On the way pickup food items in salt lake city or near area
            - Cash And Carry Indian Grocery & Spices, 8750 700 E, Sandy, UT 84070
            - Rest. 
            - Stay in Provo

Day 6 - 26th Wednesday -  200 miles
            - Start early ( is possible by 5 am ) from Provo and drive directly to arches and enter through north. It will take 3 hours to reach arches
            - Tower Arch
            - Delicate arch trail - hike  - must to do
            - Double O Arch - one of the days…tough hike
            - Landscape Arch
            - Visitor Center/Moab Turism Center ( 3 hour tour in 4x4 with guide )
            - We can go directly to hotel around noon time and take rest till evening

Day 7 - 27th Thursday - 
            - Next day wake up early and see arches in the morning. 
            - Do Devils Garden trail ( around 8 miles ) which will take 4-5 hours and have view for 6-7 different arches.
            - Delicate arch trail - hike 
            - Double arch trail - hike ( tough ) 
            - Corona Arch
            - Spend some time in nearby Dead Horse Point State Park if possible. 
            - RedRock Astronomy in the evening - Reservation done ( http://www.moab-astronomy.com )
            - Stay in Moab

Day 8 - 28th Friday - 300 miles
            - It will be very hot so plan to leave very early like 4 AM.
            - Dead horse shoe park
            - Canyonlands/Mesa Arch - must to do
            - Hole N Rock
            - Natural Bridge National Monument ( 10 mile loop drive to see some the natural bridge and ancient peoples places )
            - Goosenecks State Park ( http://bluffutah.org/san-juan-river/ ) - Twisting river views 1000 feet below…need to decide to see or not
            - Valley of Gods drive ( Can be skipped. Same as Monument Valley but more bumpy road )
            - Monument Valley - Spend couple of hours and break for lunch etc. ( $20 fee — roads are not good ) - 20 mile drive - 2 hour drive mostly monuments and dusty..
            - four corners - detour of around 100 miles to spot where 4 states meet. 5$ per person to see actual spot and take photos. Lot of reviewers say that its not worth to travel and see. Sometimes long queues and traffic jam in summer.
            - Come to grand canyon in the night to stay or come here to see sunset if possible around 7:30

Day 9 - 29th Saturday - 20 miles
            - Spend one full day in grand canyon
            - Sunrise at 5:30 AM or sunrise tour
            - Breakfast
            - Take Hermits Rest Motorcoach tour - around 2 hours
            - Visitor Center
            - Mather Point, Yavapai Geological Museum 
            - Stay at Grand Canyon.

Day 10 - 30th Sunday - 250 miles
            - Leave very early like 6 AM. 
            - On the way out DesertView Watch Tower/IMAX Theater
            - antelope canyon tour booked at 12 PM. Needs to be there at 11 PM. Leave from grand canyon at around 8 AM.
            - Marble Canyon
            - Navajo Bridge            
            - Vermillion Cliff - 50 miles detour 
            - Jacob Lake            - Zion National Park
            - NOT adding Lake Powell - Big detour and takes lot of time
            - Watch sunset and other things…come and stay in quality Inn in the evening.

Day 11 - 31st Monday -  
            - Wake up early and leave to Bryce - around 80 miles
            - Bryce -
                 - Rim Trail 6 miles ( Sunrise and Sunset Points )
                 - Best is to go from Fairyland Point to Bryce Point hike
                 - Shuttle available to go back
                 - To go to rainbow point shuttle/car - 18 miles inside. Shuttle only twice a day
            - Go early and come back in the afternoon or after sunset.
            - Spend evening in zion if possible.

Day 12 - 1st Tuesday - 170 miles
            - Spend full day in zion
            - Zion
                - Riverside Walk
                - Emerald Pool Trail
            - Drive to Las Vegas in the night - Around 3 hours of drive. See if finish Zion by 4 PM and leave for Vegas.

Day 13 - 2nd Wednesday - 
            - See vegas, relax

Day 14 - 3rd Thursday - Drive to Bay Area - 550 miles


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