nosoupforyou said:

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We want to do the Narrows.. but get a feel for it, get in the water, and turn back.. not the entire hike which is more of the same

Where is the stopping point.. after 30 minutes or so?

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There nothing like hiking the whole 13 miles down I two days. Most challenging and enjoyably hike I've ever done.

Awesome pics! Headed that way on Friday!

Very cool....we have Bryce on the list for spring break and this got me excited for it.

Getting to do the canyoneering is awesome....its those kind of out of the ordinary activities that pop up in different parks that make a journey like that really special

Great pics! We have a day and a half there coming up in May next year.. any specific details on your itinerary, please share!

We used Zion Adventure Company for the canyoneering. I HIGHLY recommend them. Patrick was our guide and he was a very good coach for all of us and perfect/patient with the kiddo. He is very clever and witty as well. At one point he sang Tenacious D and it just brought the whole trip together.

https://www.zionadventures.com/family-canyoneering.html

I'd definitely use that half day for some sort of adventure in the slot canyons. They are beautiful. Or just hike the Narrows!

Here was our itinerary:
Drive in from Vegas (left at 5:30am, which was really like 7:30am to us with time change)
Breakfast at Meme's cafe (go to mountain time so arrived at 10:00am)
Rented bikes an rode up the Par'is Trail and back
Canyoneeering at 1:00pm
Stopped at Court of Patriarchs to see them in the light of the moon.
Dinner at Zion Lodge (where we stayed)

The next morning we did all the stops along the shuttle. But since we were staying at the lodge, we hiked up the lower emerald trail first since it was across the street. We then hiked the grotto trail and saw tons of deer. Weeping Rock was next and it's definitely a cool short hike. We were running low on time so we did not do riverside walk. I'll leave that for next time when we hike the narrows. So after the other stops, we finished with a Ranger Talk at the human history museum to finish the Jr Ranger badge, and drove up and thru the tunnel to canyon overlook trail, short but sweet. Then off the Bryce. You can definitely get a lot done in 1.5 days...or at least hit the highlights. If I had more time (and didn't have a 9yr old along with me), I would have done the longer trails, including Angel's Landing.

If you liked Carlsbad, try to get a visit into Mammoth Cave in Kentucky. We really enjoyed it.

An added bonus is the Gravity Falls atmosphere surrounding the park.

Don't know why, but this is my first time seeing this thread.
I make trips to Big Bend and Guadalupe Mountains as often as possible. Was planning on going to BB last week but the shutdown derailed those plans. So we spent a few days at Seminole Canyon SP.
Every summer I like to load up the family and take a National Park road trip in our teardrop camper. In '16 we hit Hot Springs and Great Smoky Mountains. '17 was Yellowstone and Tetons. '18 was Great Sand Dunes, Black Canyon, Arches, and Monument Valley.
Next summer we'll have to play it by ear since we're building a house that will be finished sometime in the summer.

Since school doesn't start back up til Tuesday, we took off to Big Bend NP and SP for a 4 night trip. Yes, Santa Elena Canyon and the Boquillas Crossing was closed but we still had a great time and went horseback riding outside Terlingua (also, the taco shop in Terlingua ghost town is legit!). The freezing fog we encountered was on the coolest things I've seen.





As an added bonus, we went up to Fort Davis for a Star Party under the new moon. Saw Andromeda with the naked eye (didn't think that was possible) and they the 21" lens. Also saw a few clusters, Orion Nebula, and Mars.

We were able to visit the three Florida National Parks last week

We started at Key Biscayne and took a ride out to Boca Chita Key, which was gorgeous. It was the weekend before New Years and the cove on the island was PACKED with all sorts of yachts. It was kind of like a big party.

The guy who owned the island before it was a park used to have parties on it, which is why the light house is there.





Then we did Everglades. The first evening, we did an air boat ride. We saw a number of birds, including a woodstork and a snail kite which are both endangered (our guide was kind of giddy that we saw the snail kite). We also saw 12-15 gators, which was awesome.



The next day we drove into the park and hiked the Anhinga Trail (which is a paved ~1/2 mile trail) and saw another 8-10 gators.



Even though the government was on shutdown and the park rangers weren't working, we found that the parks had incredible ambassadors who were either volunteering or who worked for concessionaires inside the park that stepped in and were excellent



We also drove down to the southern visitor center, Flamingo, which is on the coast. We saw three manatees and then saw a crocodile (which we learned generally live in salt water, while alligators don't).

Then we drove down to Key West and took the boat out to Dry Tortugas and explored Fort Jefferson. It was stunning.





I didn't realize that the world's 3rd largest coral reef was out there. My son and I attempted to snorkel but apparently in January the visibility is really bad, which we can confirm.

The three parks are VERY different from any of the other parks we have been to. My wife and I definitely fall into the category of "mountain people", but my daughter is a "beach person" so this was a great change of pace to help capture her interest. My son is just enjoying the best of both worlds as he continues his quest to visit every NP.

Ryan, you and I are just about on the same schedule as far as parks go. we are hitting up Biscayne and Everglades for Easter weekend. Which air boat did you do? Would you recommend it? Any other tips? For Biscayne, we will probably snorkel a shipwreck!

(Dry Tortugas is going to be a later trip...not enough time)

Great job Ryan. I'm hoping to hit those 3 next winter. Looks great and thanks for sharing.

For the air boat tour we used Gator Park.....they were one of the three or four companies listed as recommended vendors from the official Everglades website. We had a really bad experience with the lady at the counter, who implied she was the owner - she wouldn't honor a coupon we had from a tourist brochure and she was really snippy and rude....also was charging a National Park admission fee, even though the parks didn't have an admission due to the govt shutdown. We had our NP pass so that didn't cost us anything but it seemed shady.

.....but everyone else we encountered was really nice - especially our guide.

They also had a 10-15 min show where a guy got in a pen with 4 or 5 gators and talked about them - I wouldn't have paid for that piece on its own, but it was included with our tour price.

We had our travel trailer so we stayed at Miami Everglades RV resort....it was fairly centralized about 30-45 min from both Key Biscayne and Everglades.

I do wish we had more time in Key West, so I'm glad to hear you are doing Dry Tortugas as a separate trip. We just did the day trip but everyone we've spoken to recommends taking your camping equipment and camping a couple nights on the island. If we ever make it back that's what we're going to do. The crew on the Yankee Freedom was excellent. Do note that the ride back is a lot rougher than the ride out to the fort so if anyone in your party is apt to motion sickness sit in the rear lower deck....they also sell Dramamine.

You could take a sea plane to Dry Tortugas! The view from above was amazing! It was also great to be there before ferry arrived with the crowds. The only negative was no ranger around to get Junior Ranger badge. We said we want to go back and camp too.

Good info. Thanks. How long a boat tour did you do? We will probably rent a private boat so I'm wondering if one hour is about or will I need to go two.

It depends on budget and your group.

The group tour was 30 min and had 10-12 people per boat and the private tour was just our family and it was an hour long....but it was at least twice as expensive.

My son and I both agreed that the longer private tour was the way to go. Since you have more time, they take you a little bit further out into the Everglades and we saw a lot more gators out there than we did in the loop that just the group tours went through.

Since gators are territorial, the guide said that with the group tour loop they pretty much know where they're going to come across the gators because, even though they're completely wild, those gators see so many more boats each day and they're used to seeing the boats/people and don't duck for cover. I thought it was more fun having to keep your eyes peeled looking for the gators - it felt less touristy.

It was my favorite part of our entire trip and I could have easily done 2 hours - but my wife and daughter said they would have been OK just seeing a couple gators, checking it off the list, and going back.

Bumping thread - lots of good info on here.

After watching Free Solo I'm sure Yosemite will be packed this spring and summer but any other Yosemite tips -how far to Sequoia from there, lodging, hikes etc.

Big Al 1992 said:

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Bumping thread - lots of good info on here.

After watching Free Solo I'm sure Yosemite will be packed this spring and summer but any other Yosemite tips -how far to Sequoia from there, lodging, hikes etc.

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Nice bump from yesterday's chat!

Yosemite is always packed. It is what it is. It's still worth it though. I don't think the movie will have an impact on the crowds (interesting note, we were there the day he did that...had no clue it was going on). Get on the trails early to avoid a lot of it. We stay in the cabins at Camp Curry, or whatever it is called now....Half Dome Village maybe? The Alwhanee is expensive. I don't think it's worth it but my wife does. Haha. We went just after Memorial Day in 2017 and the waterfalls were booming from a good season of snow. I liked heading to the falls in the afternoon to get wet. Yes, it's crowded but it felt good after hiking.

It's about 3-4 hours to Sequoia NP, which is breathtaking. Hike the Crescent Meadow around sunset for peace, quiet, and beauty. King's Canyon is worth a day too (it and Sequoia are usually lumped together in discussions).

Thanks for the tip. We'll probably do the one hour private tour. I think my 10 yr old will want to see the live show, too.

Big Al 1992 said:

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Bumping thread - lots of good info on here.

After watching Free Solo I'm sure Yosemite will be packed this spring and summer but any other Yosemite tips -how far to Sequoia from there, lodging, hikes etc.

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I stayed in Wuksachi Lodge in Sequoia for a few days right around Memorial day a decade ago. It was a great central location. Moro Rock, the sequoia grove, and early morning hiking through the misty forest are my best memories of there. I really liked it. Memorial Day is too early for much hiking at elevation due to snow. But this means better waterfalls and beautiful snowcapped mountains.

Definitely drive into King's Canyon to road's end. Fun LONG drive with plenty of good stopping points. It is lower so it will be warmer. Most of King's Canyon is hiking/backpacking though. Actually much of Sequoia is too.

Yosemite - I stayed right outside of the park at Yosemite View Lodge. It was 30 minutes to the Valley. The park is a bit spread out so if you can, stay in the areas you are visiting. Don't be afraid to spend some in the valley and some up Tuolomne some where. You can avoid most of the crowds if you stay on Central time and hike before they wake up.

I have also stayed in West Yosemite. It was VRBO or something like that. A bit more driving, but much cheaper.

Here's my itinerary for our trip to Yosemite with the Mrs...

Thursday Sep 17 - from 8 am to 1 pm PST Kevin to apply to Half Dome lottery (notified late that night)
www.recreation.gov 877-444-6777

Friday Sep 18
- Arrive SFO at 4pm - Drive 4 hours to Yosemite Lodge where we are staying just outside the park entrance
- After about 2.5 hours and 150 miles outside SFO, stop for dinner at the enchanting Vista Ranch and Cellars Restaurant live music, wood fired pizza, wine, etc. www.vistacellars.com
- Drive another hour to Yosemite View Lodge - 11136 Highway 140, El Portal, CA 95318 (209)379-2681

Saturday Sep 19
- Drive 1 hr 45 minutes to Tuolumne Meadows Visitor Center and the Yosemite High Country hiking area
o 1 hour to Olmsted Point (view of half dome) mile hike awesome!
o 3 minutes to Tenaya Lake - just walk to it and relax... don't walk the 2.5 mile loop around
o 15 minutes to Tuolumne Meadows Visitor Center many options to look and hike
o 25 minutes back to May Lake hike 3 miles round trip 3 hours - DON'T MISS!
- Drive an hour back to the Valley
o Stop by Bridalvail Falls short hike nice don't miss since it doesn't take long.
o Drive past El Capitan see climbers going up
o Mountain Room Restaurant 209-372-1403 is a good spot for dinner great outdoor views
- Drive 20 minutes back to Yosemite View Lodge

Sunday Sep 20
- Leave by 5 am for Half Dome 30 minute drive -park near Curry Village or Happy Isles Trailhead Parking.
- Sunrise is 6:39 am - We started the 17 mile trek at 5:30 am (dark!!) and got back to the car at 6:30 pm
o Take the Mist Trail on the way up (lots of steep steps) and then come back down via the John Muir Trial
- Dinner at the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite Village 5 Star beautiful! (Great breakfast brunch also!)
- Back to Yosemite View Lodge

Monday Sep 21
- Drive to Inspiration Point check it out at sunrise DON'T MISS SUNRISE AMAZING!
- Drive 1 hour to Glacier Point. Stop at Washburn Point on the way up.
- Head back to SFO



Yosemite National Park 209-372-0200 www.nps.gov/yose
Valley Visitor Center 209-372-0299 open 9-5
Cathedral Lakes we didn't make it consider next time?

Wear hiking boots and bring gloves for half dome

Anyone else hitting the NP trail for spring break?

We are hitting three NP's this week. Finishing the Utah Big 5 that we started at Thanksgiving. We are very limited in time since I have to work in North Carolina later this week so we are only spending one day in each park.

First stop: Capitol Reef. It was cool and had a historic vibe to it, but if I'll need to come back if I want to visit the southern end. We did the Capitol Gorge trail and walked up to the Tanks.




I saved a few hours for this day to drive to Little Wild Horse Canyon (on the way to Moab) and I'm glad I did. This was one of the better hikes I've done. Lots of Narrows!



Next up, a half day in Canyon lands and then some rappelling.

We leave for Utah in late May.. going to all of those places, and then some on our 11 nightRV trek

If you can share specifics on your trip, I'd love to fill in my itinerary - where to park, best places to see, etc. basically 1 day at each park, but 2 in Zion

Appreciate it

Following!!! Making this trek ourselves.. appreciate all the details and pics! We leave in late May ourselves!

Not this year - we're changed our spring break plans and ar3 camping at Fort Wilderness in Disney World instead....but....we are headed back to Utah in mid-May to visit Bryce and Capital Reef so keep the updates coming!

I'm leaving May 31 for our Utah trip. Flying into Salt Lake City, renting a car & hitting the major national parks starting at Arches working our way SW down to Zion. Flying out of Vegas. Can't wait!!

Utah is awesome. I'll definitely be coming back. Whatever y'all do, be sure to do some canyoneering. That's been the highlight of both my trips. Use Zion Adventure Company for Zion and use Desert Highlights for Moab. I had great experiences with both.

(You don't need a guide for Little Wild Horse Canyon because it's flat)

AgRyan04 said:

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Not this year - we're changed our spring break plans and ar3 camping at Fort Wilderness in Disney World instead....but....we are headed back to Utah in mid-May to visit Bryce and Capital Reef so keep the updates coming!

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That explains it. We kept looking for an Aggie with a casita! We did find an Ag in a brown Tahoe doing 85mph as pace car on a 65 mph road so to him I say, "thank you, sir!"