Finally putting together my Grand Canyon trip!

<p>I've finally got the dates of my trip down firm. I'll be flying to vegas on Feb 14th and leaving the 24th.</p>

<p>We'll be spending a day sightseeing vegas, then heading out to the south rim and spending 3-4 nights camping in the gorge. So now I have 3-5 days after we're out of the gorge at the south rim and I'm looking for some advice on what to do with them.</p>

<p>I like the idea of going from the south rim, up through page to see antelope canyon, zion, and back down to LV, but I'm unsure about weather. Is it potentially freezing and blizzardy up in page/zion? I'd prefer to camp as much as possible to keep costs down. so if it's going to be nothing but snow to the north of grand canyon, perhaps some alternate sites to the south would be nicer to explore.</p>

<p>If we go the page route. would it be feasable to see all the major sites (feel free to list your favourites) through page, zion, back down the highway and then to death valley, in 4 days? or Is this overkill? Alternatively I was thinking of not going all the way out to DV and just visiting Red Rock because it's much closer to vegas.</p>

<p>Your itinerary and photography advice is appreciated.</p>

 

<p>If you loop from the south rim via Page then west, you'd certainly be able to see the main sights, the issue would be the amount of time you'd have for them. The choice would be going 89 west versus going 89A (Alternate 89). It's been too many years since going through that area to suggest which route might be better. I'm sure others will have more insight, especially as to which areas may have winter closures or be inaccessible when stormy, etc.</p>

<p>I'd count on freezing weather at night for most of the area and wouldn't necessarily be surprised by snow storm activity in much of it, expecially higher country. There are websites for the major national Monuments and National Parks and if they don't have historic temperatures, etc., they might have links or phone numbers to get more info. I've been in parts of the area in the spring break time frame several times and one April ran into a lot of snow in the Flagstaff area and travel through most of the northern Arizona high country was greatly impacted, and even if the Utah side of the loop was "open," there was no way to get there.</p>

<p>I do like Zion and the area to the east of the tunnel going east towards 89 with it's interesting canyons and formations and layering, would likely be reachable as would the main part of the canyon, etc, if weather conditions were too bad to go around via Page by returning back from the south rim through Las Vegas again. Although the time we ran into really bad snow conditions in the Flagstaff area, 89 was closed going north so Page might have been unreachable at least the first day or so from the south rim as well, I-40 was closed about at Williams to east of Winslow so it can be tough to get south and then west again at times as well.</p>

<p>If you're Tony Hillerman fan as I am, going out the east end of the GC national Park and across some of the Navajo reservation and also the Hopi reservation makes for an interesting trip. And if Canyon de Chelly is open I think that would be worthwhile too. </p>

<p>I'm not at all sure that I'd rely on being able to camp comfortably in that area in February. This has not been a mild year, and there could be legitimate safety concerns. But mainly, the weather is going to be a crap shoot at a month away. Let's put it this way, I spent over 20 years all over that area, in all four seasons, year around, and it can get ugly, even deadly, in the Winter. </p>

<p>Wait, camping in February? You're kidding, right? I'm dying to go when the weather improves, but before the tour buses arrive. Also need a graduated ND filter....<br>

Have a good trip.</p>

<p>I've been camping around there in late April and it was still very cold at night. I would suggest going north from LV through Zion, down to Page and then over to the Grand Canyon.<br>

Chad</p>

 

<p>well thanks all! Yes I know it might not be ideal but we know what we are doing, winter camping-wise. Cold is not a problem, just the thing I want to avoid is massive snow storms! We plan to be in the canyon for 3-4 days and this is at the start of our trip. It looks like the elevation up in page isn't that high so it might be a slightly warmer overnight spot. Still if perhaps the weather overall will be better (warmer, less precipitation) to the south of grand canyon I wouldn't mind exploring that area as well. I was reccomended to go see the big crater to the east of flagstaff. Would perhaps venturing down through flagstaff, sedona, presecott and then taking 93 back up to LV be a warmer alternative idea?</p>

<p>There is no way to predict massive snow storms this far in advance. But, the entire Grand Canyon South rim, Flagstaff, and much else that you mentioned is subject to just such weather. Flagstaff sits at roughly 7000' elevation. What else would you expect in the middle of the Winter, but the chance for heavy snow? </p>

<p>The places are very far apart here in the Southwest. Also lots of places are connected by narrow winding roads that don't allow for very fast travel. Make sure you have plenty of time for driving between destinations.</p>

<p>Chad</p>