three parks in three days: wild, wild, west

I love traveling over holidays. First of all, when traveling over a holiday, you get an extra day(s) off work so that means one less PTO day used! Also, I think it’s fun to travel over a holiday and spend the holiday in a different way than you ever have before. A few years back, we traveled to Kanab, Utah for Thanksgiving.

Kanab is a small town of less than 5,000 people that sits just north of the Arizona border. Kanab truly is a hidden gem. The town is artsy mixed with outdoorsy. I love when I find a town that has more mom and pop shops than franchises. Kanab’s hidden secret is that it’s the gateway to three, yes three, national parks. In about an hour's time, you can get to the north rim of the Grand Canyon, Zion, and Bryce. Stop what you are doing, and put Kanab on your vacation list!

From Orange County to Kanab, the drive is about 8 hours. The perfect halfway point between Orange County and Kanab is Las Vegas. On our way to Utah, we drove straight through but on our way back to Orange County, we spent one night in Vegas.

You don’t have to drive all the way to a national park to find a good hike near Kanab. There are hiking trails all over the town and there are even 4x4 rentals and trails. Kanab is a wild, wild west recreation haven. The town of Kanab does shut down earlier than bigger cities, so if you plan to go out to eat, make sure to go earlier rather than later. Keep in mind, Utah has strict alcohol laws; drinks are less strong and more expensive.

Grand Canyon National Park

On Thanksgiving Day, we decided to drive to the farthest of the three parks, Grand Canyon. I recommend driving the farthest you have to drive first, to get the long drive out of the way. From Kanab to the north rim canyon overlook, the drive is 90 minutes. Please keep in mind, the entire drive is scenic! Before even entering the park, we found ourselves pulling over on the side of the road to take photos. The bright, red rock surrounding Kanab is indescribable, you just have to see it for yourself.

I also recommend getting up early. Hiking trails can get really crowded, get up early, it’s worth being some of the first people on the trail. Unless I am relaxing on a beach vacation, I am always up and ready to go (usually before the sun) on trips. You will make the most of your time by getting up early.

Upon entering Grand Canyon National Park, I was shocked at how flat it was. Where was this big hole? I also assumed the park would have mountains or at least hills, but it was actually really flat! The colors in the plains that surround the canyon are so vibrant. We even came across a field full of bison! There were dozens of them just roaming the field.

Bison at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, November 2017

North Rim entrance of Grand Canyon National Park, November 2017

We also came across small fires in the woods after entering the park. We learned that park rangers set certain parts of the park on fire so as to control the fire. Prearranged fires help prevent large forest fires. The trees and plants actually need fire to help them grow and stay strong. Who knew?! Nature is fascinating.

Since we entered the canyon from the north rim, we were surrounded by forest. I have heard that the south rim of the canyon is much more desert-like. We hiked the Bright Angel Point Loop, which is only one mile. This loop took us quite some time because we kept stopping at the breathtaking views of the canyon. Now I found my mountains! They were all below me! Looking out at the canyon really is an awe-inspiring view. Looking down at the canyon and then looking at the flat horizon was unlike anything I had ever seen before. We took our time at the canyon overlook and proceeded to explore along the north rim. Unless you plan to hike deep into the canyon, there are not many long hikes at the north rim. We spent a few hours at the park, ate our Thanksgiving lunch (consisting of PB&J’s and cheez-its) out of the trunk of our car, and then headed back towards Kanab.

grand canyon both of us.JPG — North Rim of the Grand Canyon, November 2017

Visiting Grand Canyon National Park on Thanksgiving Day was perfect. The park was not very crowded and being able to sit overlooking the canyon, really made us grateful. Much more so than if we were sitting at home watching football (though we love doing that, too). The north rim of the canyon is definitely family friendly.

Bryce Canyon National Park

The next day, we drove a little over an hour to Bryce Canyon National Park. Bryce Canyon is the brightest, and orangest place I have ever seen. You feel as though you are on a completely different planet. Bryce is so orange that both of our shoes and even our ankles (pre-hiking boot days) were dyed orange once we left the park.

Bryce Canyon had a large viewing spot of the canyon, similar to the Grand Canyon. The parking lot and viewing area was packed full of people. I noticed that most of the visitors were getting off tourist buses, taking photos, and then getting back on the bus. I was pleased once we got on the trails and realized there were not many people hiking into the canyon. That being said, Bryce is another family friendly spot where you can experience beauty without logging miles and getting sweaty!

Bryce is really easy and convenient to navigate. Unlike other parks where you need to drive long distances to get from hike to hike, everything at Bryce was really close. We only moved our car once, and we actually could have just walked.

We started the morning off doing the Rim Trail Loop, 5.5 miles, round trip. This was a great hike that took us around the vortexes and then into the canyon and back out again. Thankfully we did this hike in the morning because there was very little shade on this trail. Make sure to pack plenty of water! We always keep a gallon or two of water in our car so we can refill our Hydroflasks after each hike.

After the Rim Trail, we hiked the Navajo Loop Trail (1.4 miles RT) and connected to the Peekaboo Trail (3 miles RT). Since we started the Peekaboo trail from the canyon floor rather than from the overlook into the canyon, the last part of the trail was very strenuous, especially after hiking almost ten miles. I’m not gonna lie, I had to take several stops along the steep switchbacks to catch my breath. The switchbacks are so steep, it’s almost hard to find a flat spot to rest for a moment. Peekaboo takes you through a large slot canyon that was unlike anything I had ever seen. I would 100% do this trail again, but just keep in mind, the end is difficult.

We ended our day at Inspiration Point for the sunset. Though traveling at Thanksgiving time is fun and memorable, your days are much shorter. Make sure to plan ahead!

Zion National Park

Our third day, we drove just 30 minutes from Kanab to Zion National Park. Zion National Park is one of my favorite parks I have been to. The drive from Kanab to the Zion valley floor is stunning. I remember as soon as we entered the park, we were greeted by several mountain goats! You will drive through a tunnel and in the middle of the tunnel is a small window that gives you a glimpse of the valley. I was ecstatic and so excited to see the rest of the valley once we got out of the tunnel. Zion is a smaller park so driving from the entrance to the main parking lot didn’t take too long, though the road is narrow and very curvy.

Zion is one of the most popular national parks so please make sure to arrive early. Parking at Zion can be very difficult. I’ve been told that in the summertime, many visitors are turned away due to lack of parking. Since parking can be so bad, Zion operates on a shuttle service. You will only have to park your car once, and you can use shuttles the rest of the day. Again, I have been told that during the summer, visitors have waited at the main parking lot, for up to three hours just to get on a shuttle to their first hike. Don’t waste your day on shuttles. Get up early, and you will not have to wait long, I promise. Once you are done with your hike, the shuttles come and go frequently so you will not have to wait too long at the stops.

The first hike we did was of course, Angels Landing, 5.5 miles round trip. This hike was extremely crowded. Unfortunately, social media has almost ruined hikes like these. This is definitely a great hike, don’t get me wrong, but sometimes the best hikes are the ones that no one talks about or posts about.

Halfway up Angels Landing, November 2017

Angels Landing is a steep hike that is full of switchbacks. I was honestly shocked at how steep the hike was, there is almost no flat land. Every time you think you are done with switchbacks, you turn the corner and there are more! The hike is beautiful and once you get to the top, the views are stunning! The top of the hike allows for some flat land to relax and enjoy a hiking snack. Further on past the top is the part that gets really scary. Angels Landing is a steep and narrow rock formation that really, only one person should be on at a time. To get to the very top of the landing, you have to hold onto a steel chain for protection. We made it about halfway to the point and decided to turn around. There were so many people trying to do this at once that we trusted ourselves, but did not trust other people. If one person’s foot slips, everyone goes down. The top of Angels Landing is probably the most dangerous hike I have ever attempted. According to utah.com, there have been 9 deaths on Angels Landing since 2010. I would like to go back one day and do this hike before dawn so as to ensure that no one else is on the chain. I recommend hiking to Angels Landing but not attempting the overlook.

After Angels Landing we were wanting something a little easier and less crowded. We took the shuttle to the Watchman Trailhead (3 miles RT). This trail was stunning, and definitely overlooked by many visitors. The trail took us past a beautiful and calming stream and then up to the top of a plateau. I highly recommend this trail.

The Narrows is another popular trail in Zion. The Narrows takes you through a river and sometimes, you are waist deep walking through the water. Though the Narrows was open in November (wetsuits required), we decided to skip this hike until we visit again in the summertime (Logan did this hike several years ago).

After the Watchman, we got our car and headed out of the valley. The sun was getting close to setting but we were so sad to leave. On our way out of the valley, we saw a sign for Canyon Overlook Trail. Since we were so bummed to leave, we decided to stop for one more quick hike. Thankfully, since the day was ending, there was parking along the side of the street. My goodness, I am so glad we stopped at this trail! I think I will always remember the sunset from that night, it was a really special moment. The trail is only one mile round trip and takes you to a jaw-dropping overlook of the Zion valley. We found out from other hikers that this is known as the best place to watch the sunset in Zion. There is a large rock with plenty of room for hikers to sit and enjoy the views. If you go to Zion, this hike is an absolute must at sunset. Keep in mind, the hike is not an easy hike, especially when hiking back to your car in the dark. Thank goodness for iPhone flashlights! Overlook Trail was a perfect end to our hiking trip.

Canyon Overlook Trail at Sunset, November 2017

Where We Stayed:

If you have read many of my posts, you are probably thinking, do you ever have bad reviews? I really do pride myself in the amount of research I do prior to traveling. And honestly, we haven’t had any noteworthy bad experiences. But, let me just say, Flagstone Boutique Inn & Suites, was a perfect spot to stay. The hotel is very small and only has 10-12 rooms. The check-in instructions took us to another location to check in and get our key so we were a little nervous at first. Upon check-in, I found out that the hotel delivered breakfast to our doorstep each morning. We even got to pick what time we wanted breakfast delivered! As you know, we leave early for our hikes and they were willing to deliver extremely early in the morning! The hotel was roomy and had a fully stocked kitchen. The breakfast was incredible and homemade each morning. And the hotel was within walking distance to a few restaurants. I look forward to staying here again.

Where We Ate:

We had an intimate and farm to table Thanksgiving meal at the Canyons Hotel, right across the street from Flagstone. The meal was pricey, but it was great food and I’m thankful for the staff who was willing to work on Thanksgiving!

Also within walking distance from our hotel was Peekaboo Canyon Wood Fired Kitchen. The whole restaurant is vegetarian and they have a cute patio with heaters and delicious pizza!

We got appetizers and a drink at Rocking V Cafe. Keep in mind, Utah’s alcohol laws are very strict. If you order alcohol, even just one beer, you also have to order food at the same time. We went to Rocking V just for a drink but ended up each having to order something small so we could also order a beer.

One morning, we stopped at Kanab Creek Bakery for local coffee before heading to a park. This bakery was right across the street from our hotel.

In Zion, we had a late grab n’ go breakfast and coffee at Cafe Soleil while we mapped out which hikes to do.

Breweries:

Believe it or not, Zion has its own brewery! You can tell we really didn’t want to leave Zion because after driving out of the valley to watch the sunset, we drove back into the valley to eat dinner at Zion Canyon Brewing Company. The brew-pub was so neat! There were Christmas lights all around the patio, and the inside had live music and was decorated like a log-cabin. The beers were good and the vegetable stew was so good that I still think about it to this day. I love the fact that Zion had its own brewery, I have never been to another park that had a brewery.

Best Time to Visit:

Summer if you don’t mind crowds and want to hike the Narrows
Fall

three parks in three days: wild, wild, west

orange county, california.

california wine country.