Had we go there again, we will be driving from Las Vegas. I think that is closer to Zion or Bryce. It will be a long trip if we drive from SF where we live.
Not sure if it is practical, but can we vist in the winter? We could go to Reno/Tahoe skiing and drive down, after finish, ski the Mammoth. It will be hell of a trip.
“Not sure if it is practical, but can we vist in the winter?”
Remember that the altitude varies drastically. Zion Canyon is only about 4000ft so open in winter (though you usually can’t get up high and the river is too cold and often flowing too fast to do the narrows). Moab is the same altitude and Arches not much higher. But Bryce is 7000-8000ft so has lots of snow (the lodge opens early April) and Grand Canyon north rim is 8000ft and closed in winter (opens May 15) though the south rim is open year round (but again pretty snowy).
So we found early April had good enough weather to visit Zion/Bryce/Capitol Reef/Moab (Bryce is spectacular in snow but was well below freezing). In February and March you’d probably be more limited to Zion Canyon or Moab. Moab in particular is a popular spring break destination (mid March) for Utah students.
My family and I visited Zion and Bryce in November. Thanksgiving weekend to be exact. There was already snow in Bryce and it was absolutely gorgeous. Seeing all the rocks capped with snow was amazing. When we visited Lake Tahoe in March, we found that there was still snow in the area. Snowmobiling at Lake Tahoe is a fun suggestion if you’ve never tried it. Exactly what month of winter were you thinking of going?
I have not planned that visit, it had just jumped in my mind.
Nevertheless, the latest we skied Tahoe was July 4th, at Squaw Valley. We had season tickets, if you came without a season ticket, the price was half price, it was the last day for skiing. Believe it was the winter of 2007 or 2008.
@artloversplus Have you visited Horseshoe Bend? It is close to Lake Powell which is kind of near the North Rim of Grand Canyon if you were also planning to go to the North Rim. In your trip, were you also thinking about going to Arches?
Sorry, I am pretty green as far as Southern Utah and Grand Canyon concerned. I have not been to too many places in that area. Will start exploring that area now I am retired.
If you have any questions about good places to explore in that area and along the Colorado River, feel free to ask! I would love to help!
We drove to Zion from LV, and spent a night or two in December. We were going to drive to Bryce from Zion, but we were in a rental without AWD, and they were expecting a snow storm. I think spring or fall would be ideal, probably October, so schools are in and it’s cooler, but not cold yet.
@artloversplus - my H took 2 of our daughters to Zion and Bryce in mid March one year, when their spring breaks aligned. They loved it! It was lightly snowing in Bryce, and noticeably colder there, but manageable. They also skied in a small place in southern Utah called Brian Head.
Angel’s Landing is another great hike at Zion.
Angel’s landing was too scary for us. We hiked up to the place where it gets really steep, and decided we did t need to go the rest of the way. My 20 something kids would have done it if they were with us.
@1214mom I agree. I saw Angel’s Landing on a video and was scared of how high up it was. Would not recommend hiking this trail if you’re afraid of heights. If I did it, I’ll probably be crawling at the top and trying not to look down lol.
I think Angels Landing looks worse than it is. But ultimately everyone is the best judgment of his/her own limits (especially fear of heights).
Brians Head gets tons of snow. You can count on it having snow when no one else does. Angles Landing is not bad. One has to be careful but the ridge is wide, 5-6’-ish and the sandstone provide excellent traction. The worst thing about angels landing is the crowd. It has to be a lonely place, jutting way out. Did it become a place to “conquer”? I can’t imagine so many people are seeking solitude.