Yosemite Or Yellowstone??

[omri617]

I think i will pass Yosemite - the reason is we'd like to add Monument Valley to our trip.
So for now , L.A -> Las Vegas ->Grand Canyon -> Monument Valley-> Yellowstone.

How does that sound?
Would love to get feedback.



How much time do you have for your western sojourn after the concert?

7-8 Days TOPS!

 

[elrod]

Do you HAVE to fly out of LA? Denver has some international flights and would be much closer...

 

[dr*audio]

I have been to Yellowstone, Yosemite, Zion, Bryce Canyon, Sequoia, Mesa Verde, pretty much all the major SouthWest parks. Yosemite offers the most spectacular scenery, as does Zion. I would recommend these 2 over Yosemite. If you are a backpacker, the Sequoias a breathtakingly beautiful. If you have the time for a superb backpack, say 4 - 5 days, you may be able to get up Shepherds Pass and then over to the valley on the other side, with 12,000 Ft. peaks all around. It is just gorgeous. From there you can hike over Mount Whitney from the back, but probably not in May. But you could hike around in the valley and get some great views. As I recall the pass is 11,000 Ft.

 

[elrod]

I think i will pass Yosemite - the reason is we'd like to add Monument Valley to our trip.
So for now , L.A -> Las Vegas ->Grand Canyon -> Monument Valley-> Yellowstone.

How does that sound?
Would love to get feedback.



How much time do you have for your western sojourn after the concert?

7-8 Days TOPS!

Monument Valley is pretty much a beautiful, scenic drive through. If you're doing that, it would be a sin not to stop at Arches on the way to Yellowstone.

So your 7-8 day tops, does that start the day after the concert and ends the day prior to catching your flight back?

 

[omri617]

It starts a day after the concert yes. about flights , i am looking to fly back from an airport close to YellowStone , read about Jackson airport inside Tetons?
planing to catch a flight to JFK , and then 11 hours home
Is it too short?

 

[elrod]

Quick Timeline:
Day 1 Vegas to Grand Canyon
Day 2 Grand Canyon
Day 3 Grand Canyon to Arches via Monument Valley
Day 4 Arches
Day 5 Arches to Yellowstone (10+ hr drive)
Day 6 Yellowstone
Day 7 Yellowstone to LA (Long 17+ hr drive) or Yellowstone to Denver (7-8 hr drive)
Day 8 Fly home

You could probably cut day 4 out, or leave mid-late morning day 4 and get into Yellowstone late

All in all I'd say your plan is doable but you have some long driving days in it

 

[elrod]

Jackson Hole would be the closest airport and would save you tons of time. Probably an hour from the Tetons. If you can get the flight you need, it's all good

 

[omri617]

THANKS A lot elrod , appreciate it .

 

[elrod]

no problem - you can definitely make it to Yellowstone for a day or two. I'd say figure out your return flight and fill up the days in between with as much exploring as you can take - there's tons to see and you won't be disappointing even if you had to make some changes along the way

 

[bobabode]

I've been to both Yellowstone and Yosemite and believe you'll be missing an experience of a lifetime if you skip Yosemite at that time of the year. The Bridalveil Falls will be in full flood and an unbelievable sight to see. The park is never empty but the hoards of campers will be minimal before school lets out for summer vacation. The Awahnee Lodge for lunch will blow your mind!:yes:

 

[omri617]

Want to use the opportunity also to ask , which roads shouldn't we miss?
We really like driving and our dream was always to see these scenic routes in midwest U.S .
one of the routes i noticed is Utah 128 . which will be taking when stopping in Arches National Park .
Anything else ? on the way up north to Yellowstone.?
Thanks

 

[finnbow]

Want to use the opportunity also to ask , which roads shouldn't we miss?
We really like driving and our dream was always to see these scenic routes in midwest U.S .
one of the routes i noticed is Utah 128 . which will be taking when stopping in Arches National Park .
Anything else ? on the way up north to Yellowstone.?
Thanks

I'd recommend taking the freeway through Salt Lake City to Pocatello to Idaho Falls, then take Route 26 over Teton Pass to Jackson Hole. The freeway drive is actually quite pretty once you cross into Idaho and Route 26 follows the South Fork of the Snake River to Palisades Dam and then over the pass. Then, the drive north from Jackson to Yellowstone's south entrance is quite beautiful with great views of the Tetons to the west.

Don't forget to get your lodging booked at Yellowstone as soon as possible once you sort out your itinerary.

 

[thebeez85]

I prefer Jellystone National Park myself

 

[hatrack71]

If you are coming all the way up to Yellowstone, you might as well go a bit more north to see Glacier National Park. I highly recommend the view and wildlife. Big moose, elk and many grizzly and mountain goats. It's a place I never get tired of. I'm actually centrally located between the two parks.

 

[elrod]

Want to use the opportunity also to ask , which roads shouldn't we miss?
We really like driving and our dream was always to see these scenic routes in midwest U.S .
one of the routes i noticed is Utah 128 . which will be taking when stopping in Arches National Park .
Anything else ? on the way up north to Yellowstone.?
Thanks

128 is pretty, lots of winding road. You can feel pretty deserted on that stretch of road If you have the time, I'd highly recommend checking out Hwy 313 by arches and go to Dead Horse Point State Park. Have some spectacular views there.

Finnbow gave you good advice going up to Yellowstone. Southern Wyoming is somewhat barren. Better scenery taking the SLC route then Teton Pass

That's a full days drive you have...

 

[gvalent]

The US southwest has many spectacular areas to see and there's been lots of good information given here.

My advice is that if you could only pick one place to go (or not to miss) it would be Yosemite, hands down!
Yellowstone is beautiful as well and holds a wealth geological anomalies, but Yosemite with it's 3,000ft shear granite cliffs, 2,000ft waterfalls, beautiful lakes and streams should NOT be missed.

The month May is great time of the year to go. The waterfalls will be in full swing. There will still be plenty of snow. Great hiking, horseback riding etc.

Heck, you can easily spend a day or two just exploring and hiking Yosemite Falls.
Make sure you spend time outside of Yosemite Valley as well in upper meadows.

Close by is Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon National Park where you can see some of the largest and oldest trees on the planet.

I've been to all the places mentioned previously and Yosemite is my recommendation.

 

[jetblack]

Visited Yosemite many times, haven't visited Yellowstone (or Yogi Bear). Yosemite is God's country................

 

[bobabode]

Too bad they stopped doing the firefalls over Glacier Point at Yosemite. Truly was a spectacular sight.

 

[dnewma04]

It doesn't get prettier than Yosemite. If you believe in higher powers, this is probably the place where you can connect with it.

Grand Canyon is awe inspiring in scale, but to me, it's a lot of looking at the same thing, no matter how impressive that same thing is.

Yellowstone is also remarkable, but without the breathtaking beauty of Yosemite. It's massive and offers a little of everything but not the best of anything.

 

[onepixel]

LA to Las Vegas
Palm Springs, Joshua Tree National Park, Mojave National Preserve, Lake Mead, Hoover Dam.

Las Vegas to Yosemite
Death Valley, Alabama Hills/Whitney Portal/Mt. Whitney. Bishop, Mammoth Lakes, Mono Lake, Tioga Pass into Yosemite and down to Yosemite Valley. Up to Lake Tahoe

Lake Tahoe to Salt Lake City then to Yellowstone.
Grand Teton National Park