In May 2024 we leveraged my work conference in Las Vegas to take the most excellent American Southwest adventure.
We visited the southern Utah Mighty Five national parks, traveled through the Navajo Nation, enjoyed Fabulous Las Vegas at my company's expense, and continued on to the Grand Canyon and Sedona.
We journeyed over 2,300 miles across beautiful scenery in Nevada, Utah and Arizona enjoying a whole bunch of national parks and state parks.
1. Valley of Fire
Hike: Fire Wave / Seven Wonders Loop
2. Zion
Hike: Observation Point via East Mesa, Canyon Overlook, Scout Lookout, Angel's Landing
3. Bryce
Hike: Fairyland Loop
4. Grand Staircase - Escalante
Hike: Hole-in-the-Rock Road
5. Capitol Reef
Hike: Grand Wash and Cassidy Arch
6. Goblin Valley
Hike:Valley of the Goblins
7. Arches
Hike: Delicate Arch, Devil's Garden and Double O Arch
8. Canyonlands
Hike: Sky Distict, Upheaval Dome, Mesa Arch and Grand View Point Overlook
9. Deadhorse Point
Hike: East Rim and West Rim
10. Utah 128
Upper Colorado Scenic Byway
11. Navajo National Monument
Hike: Sandal and Aspen
12. Horseshoe Bend
Hike: Horseshoe Bend at Glen Canyon
13. Antelope Canyon
Tour: Upper Antelope Canyon
14. Kanab
Hike: Wire Pass to Buckskin Gulch
15. Fabulous Las Vegas
Venue: Mandalay Bay Beach Resort
16. Hoover Dam
Mike O'Callaghan - Pat Tillman Bridge
17. Grand Canyon
Hike South Kaibob to Skeleton Point
18. Sedona
Hike: Devil's Bridge
19. Arizona Snow Bowl
Hike: Aspen Loop
Itinerary
Day 01 Thu May 09 Arr Las Vegas Noon : 1.5-hr dr : Valley of Fire : 2-hr dr : St George/Hurricane/Springdale
Stay the night in Hurricane UT - Quality Inn (reserved)
Hotels in Springdale expensive; Hotels in Hurricane cheaper $100
Day 02 Fri May 10 Zion Day 1 : hotel to Zion 30 minutes : explore Zion
Stay the night in Hurricane UT - Quality Inn (reserved)
Day 03 Sat May 11 Zion Day 2 : hotel to Zion 30 minutes : explore Zion : 1.5 hr dr : to Bryce Canyon
Stay the night in Panguitch, UT
Hotel 5 miles away $130 15 miles away $90
Day 04 Sun May 12 Bryce Canyon : hotel to Bryce 20 minute : explore Bryce : 2.5 hr dr : to Torrey UT
Capitol Reef : Escalante Grand Staircase : Goblin Valley
Stay the night in Torrey UT
Day 05 Mon May 13 3 hr dr from Torrey UT to Arches : explore Arches
Stay the night in Moab UT
Day 06 Tue May 14 Canyonlands : explore Canyonlands
Stay the night in Moab UT
Day 07 Wed May 15 2.5 hr dr : National Monument Valley : 2 hr dr to Page AZ
Stay the night in Page AZ
Day 08 Thu May 16 Explore the area
Horseshoe Bend : Antelope Canyon : Lake Powell
Stay the night in Page AZ
Day 09 Fri May 17
Day 10 Sat May 18
Day 11 Sun May 19 Drive to Las Vegas : Mandalay Bay Hotel : 4.5 hrs
Stay the night in Las Vegas
Day 12 Mon May 20 Las Vegas : Mandalay Bay Hotel
Stay the night in Las Vegas
Day 13 Tue May 21 Las Vegas : Mandalay Bay Hotel
Stay the night in Las Vegas
Day 14 Wed May 22 Las Vegas : Mandalay Bay Hotel
Stay the night in Las Vegas
Day 15 Thu May 23 Las Vegas
Stay the night in
Day 16 Fri May 24 Grand Canyon
Stay the night in
Day 17 Sat May 25 Grand Canyon
Stay the night in
Day 18 Sun May 26 Sedona / Flagstaff
Stay the night in
Day 19 Mon May 27 Depart Las Vegas
| May 2024 | Wed May 1 | Thu May 2 | Fri May 3 | Sat May 4 | ||||||
| Sun May 5 | Mon May 6 | Tue May 7 | Wed May 8 Yale Finals End | Thu May 9 Las Vegas Arr 10:16AM Valley of Fire Hurricane UT | Fri May 10 Bryce Canyon Hurricane UT | Sat May 11 Zion Panguitch UT | ||||
| Sun May 12 Zion Torrey UT | Mon May 13 Capitol Reef Grand Escalante Moab UT | Tue May 14 Arches Moab UT | Wed May 15 Canyonlands Moab UT | Thu May 16 Canyonlands Colorado River Moab UT | Fri May 17 Antelope Canyon Page AZ | Sat May 18 Horsehoe Bend Lake Powell Page AZ | ||||
| Sun May 19 Hoover Dam Lake Mead Las Vegas | Mon May 20 Conference Las Vegas | Tue May 21 Conference Las Vegas | Wed May 22 Conference Las Vegas | Thu May 23 Conference Grand Canyon Williams AZ | Fri May 24 Grand Canyon Sedona AZ | Sat May 25 Devils Bridge Bell Rock Sedona AZ | ||||
| Sun May 26 Cathedral Rock Boynton Canyon Las Vegas | Mon May 27 Memorial Day Mariana's Flight 9:15AM-8:45PM Papi's Flight 1:48PM-11:46PM | Tue May 28 | Wed May 29 | Thu May 30 | Fri May 31 | |||||
| Wake Loc | Sleep Loc | Note 1 | Note 2 | Note 3 | Note 4 | Total Drive | ||||
| Day | 1 | 9-May | Thursday | Framingham MA | Hurricane UT | Fly to Las Vegas | Rent Car (a) | Valley of Fire SP | Fire Wave / 7 Wonders | 1 hr + 1.5 hr = 2.5 hr |
| Day | 2 | 10-May | Friday | Hurricane UT | Hurricane UT | Zion NP Day 1 | Observation Pt / Watchman Tr | .5 hr + .5 hr = 1.0 hr | ||
| Day | 3 | 11-May | Saturday | Hurricane UT | Panguitch UT | Zion NP Day 2 | Angel's Landing / Scout Lookout | .5 hr + 1.5 hr = 2.0 hr | ||
| Day | 4 | 12-May | Sunday | Panguitch UT | Torrey UT | Bryce Canyon NP | Fairyland Loop | .5 hr + 2.5 hr = 3.0 hr | ||
| Day | 5 | 13-May | Monday | Torrey UT | Moab UT | Capital Reef / Gr Escalante NPs | Cassidy Arch / Slot Cnyn /Goblin SP | 2.5 hr | ||
| Day | 6 | 14-May | Tuesday | Moab UT | Moab UT | Arches NP | Delicate Arch | .5 hr | ||
| Day | 7 | 15-May | Wednesday | Moab UT | Moab UT | Canyonlands NP | Canyonlands NP | .5 hr | ||
| Day | 8 | 16-May | Thursday | Moab UT | Moab UT | Deadhorse Point SP | Upper Colorado River Scenic Byway | .5 hr | ||
| Day | 9 | 17-May | Friday | Moab UT | Page AZ | Navajo Monument | Horseshoe Bend | 4.5 hr | ||
| Day | 10 | 18-May | Saturday | Page AZ | Page AZ | Navajo Nation | Upper Antelope Canyon | .5 hr | ||
| Day | 11 | 19-May | Sunday | Page AZ | Las Vegas NV | Return Car (a) | Kanab | Wire Pass to Buckskin Gulch | 5.0 hr | |
| Day | 12 | 20-May | Monday | Las Vegas NV | Las Vegas NV | Conference | 0 | |||
| Day | 13 | 21-May | Tuesday | Las Vegas NV | Las Vegas NV | Conference | 0 | |||
| Day | 14 | 22-May | Wednesday | Las Vegas NV | Las Vegas NV | Conference | 0 | |||
| Day | 15 | 23-May | Thursday | Las Vegas NV | Williams AZ | Conference | Rent Car (b) | Hoover Dam | Hoover Dam | 4 hr + 1 hr = 5.0 hr |
| Day | 16 | 24-May | Friday | Williams AZ | Sedona AZ | Grand Canyon NP | South Kaibob / Skeleton Pt | 1 hr + 2.5 hr = 3.5 hr | ||
| Day | 17 | 25-May | Saturday | Sedona AZ | Sedona AZ | Coconino NF | Devil's Bridge | .5 hr | ||
| Day | 18 | 26-May | Sunday | Sedona AZ | Las Vegas NV | Return Car (b) | Arizona Snowbowl | Aspen Loop | 4.5 hr | |
| Day | 19 | 27-May | Monday | Las Vegas NV | Framingham, MA | Fly to Boston | 0 | |||
| Delayed 30 minutes | |||||||
| Delayed 60 minutes | |||||||
| Delayed 60 minutes | |||||||
| Delayed 60 minutes | |||||||
Hotels
Day 1 9-May Thursday Hurricane UT Quality Inn Zion
Day 2 10-May Friday Hurricane UT Quality Inn Zion
Day 3 11-May Saturday Panguitch UT Color Country Motel
Day 4 12-May Sunday Torrey UT Motel Torrey
Day 5 13-May Monday Moab UT River Canyon Lodge
Day 6 14-May Tuesday Moab UT River Canyon Lodge
Day 7 15-May Wednesday Moab UT River Canyon Lodge
Day 8 16-May Thursday Moab UT River Canyon Lodge
Day 9 17-May Friday Page AZ Knights Inn
Day 10 18-May Saturday Page AZ Knights Inn
Day 11 19-May Sunday Las Vegas NV Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino
Day 12 20-May Monday Las Vegas NV Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino
Day 13 21-May Tuesday Las Vegas NV Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino
Day 14 22-May Wednesday Las Vegas NV Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino
Day 15 23-May Thursday Williams AZ American Regency Inn
Day 16 24-May Friday Munds Park AZ Motel in the Pines
Day 17 25-May Saturday Munds Park AZ Motel in the Pines
Day 18 26-May Sunday Las Vegas NV Mardi Gras Hotel & Casino
Day 19 27-May Monday Framingham, MA Hotel 36 McPhee
-Only screw up was Motel in Pines; Nice hotel but 45 minute drive from Sedona; Priceline listed at 7 miles - but that we would have needed an off road vehicle
Flights
Chris's Flights (Delta)
Thu May 9
Boston, MA - Las Vegas, NV 7:15AM - 10:16AM 6 hr 1 min
Mon May 27
Las Vegas, NV - Minneapolis, MN 1:48PM - 7:00PM 3 hr 12 min
Minneapolis, MN - Boston MA 7:56PM - 11:46PM 02 h 50 min
Mariana's Flights (Sprit)
Wed May 8 - Thu May 9
Boston, MA - Houston, TX 9:44PM - 12:58AM+ 04 hr 14 min
Houston, TX - Las Vegas, NV 5:45AM+ - 6:58AM+ 03 hr 13 min
Mon May 27
Las Vegas, NV - Houston, TX 9:15AM - 2:20PM 03 hr 5 min
Houston, TX - Boston MA 4:00PM - 8:54PM 03 hr 54 min
Car Rentals
Car Rental A - SIXT - Las Vegas Hughes Center
Thu May 9 2024 - Sun May 19 2024
Genesis GV80 Luxury SUV
Free upgrade - 780 miles on it to start
Super comfortable - Drove 1600 miles - Great Rental
Car Rental B - SIXT - Las Vegas Hughes Center
Mon May 27 2024 11AM - Thu May 23 2024
Subaru Forrester SUV
Car was OK - 7660 miles on it to start
Nothing wrong with it, just wasn't the Genesis machine- Drove 700 miles- Good Rental
-- Goofed by forgetting to refuel before returning .. Around $70 slap
Park Reservations
Arches
Arches National Park is generally open 24 hours a day, year-round
You may enter Arches NP before 7 am or after 4 pm
Timed Entry Pass 14-May Tuesday 1PM-2PM - Didn’t use it, Arrived 6:50am
Timed Entry Pass 15-May Wednesday 1PM-2PM - Didn't use it, went to Canyonlands
Canyonlands
Timed entry reservations are not required to enter Canyonlands National Park
Zion
No reservations are required to enter Zion National Park
Need to request reservation to Zion Angels Landing before 3PM the day before hike
Mariana won Zion Angels Landing lottery
Bryce
No reservations are required to enter Bryce National Park
Grand Canyon
Grand Canyon National Park does not require reservations to enter the park, nor do we have timed entry
The parking lots around the Visitor Center usually fill by 12 noon.
