Zion National Park

I had the opportunity to visit Zion National Park at the end of November around Thanksgiving break. We flew into Las Vegas and drove 3 hours to the park the next day. Zion National Park truly lives up to its name. The hills look so heavenly and very unique. Pictures do not do justice. The Navajo sandstone is the type of rock the monumental hills are built. The constant erosion and the theory that some parts of the hills were underwater at some time, is the reason that part of the hills are red and the rest whitish at the top. More info on the geological formation for interested folks can be found here.

There were many picture-worthy places to stop by and take pictures along the drive through the park. Shuttles are necessary to the Temple of Sinawa part of the park where the Narrows slot canyon is located. The entrance road toward that direction is blocked and is only shuttle accessible. The temperature in Zion was in the 40s in November but it was amazing to see so many tourists even during that time of the year. The water in the Narrows is surely freezing, so make sure to be well-prepared if planning a hike there.

My family booked an East Zion tour adventure of guided UTV ride and hiking with the kids, and this meant driving via the Mt. Carmel tunnel. Mt Carmel tunnel was once the longest tunnel during the time it was constructed in the late 1920s. It has a length of around 1.1 miles. Since we entered the south entrance of Zion Park, we had to drive via this tunnel and get to the East entrance. The tour started at a coffee shop in Orderville about 30 minutes from the East entrance. The shuttle is not required to get through the tunnel.

The tour was the highlight of our trip that day and both the guided drive on a UTV and the hike were memorable. The kids had a blast. The rock formation at the canyons the tour took us to, is similar to Antelope Canyon, but without the crowds and admission fees. We were well prepared with jackets and layered clothing, so the temperatures did not deter us. The pretty red sandstone formations took our breath away and the many photos we took, got many compliments from friends and family. My friends actually thought we went to Antelope Canyon and were surprised when we said it’s near Zion National Park. We paid around $100 per person for the UTV tour, and hike to two canyons. I came to know later that Antelope Canyon needs to be done via guided tour and is much more expensive at $130 per person. Plus we had no crowds at these canyons near Orderville, Utah. A must-see place!

We had to drive back the almost 3-hour trip back to Las Vegas the same day, so maybe staying longer would have helped to enjoy and get to see the Narrows slot canyon as well. Originally, I planned to stay a night at Zion and drive another almost 2hr to Bryce Canyon. But time did not permit. But surely a trip to Zion and Bryce can be coupled together if planning a vacation.

Admission Fees to Zion: Ticket admission is $35, but interestingly we were not asked to pay any fee( probably as we just drove through the park and did not take the shuttle?) The Fourth Grader park pass is useful as well to visit the national parks – so if you have a fourth grader, print your pass and keep it ready to get the family into a National Park for free!

We planned a short couple of days trip to Las Vegas and decided to visit over the Labor Day weekend in September. But eventually, the plan fell through and we moved the trip up to the Thanksgiving weekend in November. I think it ended up being a great idea so we could escape the crowds and crazy heat during the summer months! Las Vegas November weather was pleasant, mostly in the 60s Fahrenheit and tolerable with a light sweater to slip off during the afternoon heat if required.

David Copperfield magic show: We had some time to spend in Las Vegas before we left for home, so we booked the David Copperfield show at MGM Grand Casino in Vegas. The show was nice but not up to the mark. David definitely had magic tricks unique and far apart from what usual magicians do and bigger than others, but it ended up being boring, especially for the kids, and not very entertaining. I would use the almost $$$ money for another show which can keep the whole family entertained. Unless you are someone who loves magic, I think another show would be more worth your time and money.

Death Valley National Park

Death Valley National Park is a park with several unique land formations that you can find all in one place. It is a 2-hour drive from Las Vegas, so made for an easy getaway trip. It is very crowded during the summer months/tourist times, but November was not so busy. Another good part about visiting in November is that the weather is much better and NOT too hot! I was surprised that I needed to take off my sweater when I was in the lowest and hottest point in the US (Badwater Basin), so imagine how hot it would be in the summer! Make sure you are hydrated!

We had no phone signal throughout most of the park, but there were maps near the park ranger’s office on the way and the signposts were very helpful as well. Food was something we couldn’t find easily, but we found a restaurant – The Ranch 1849 Restaurant close to the intersection of Indian Village Rd in Furnace Creek. It had some pizza but had a long line and was expensive. Instead, we got some food at the opposite grocery store in the same building which had some cold sandwiches, fruit, and pasta for lunch.

Land formations at Death Valley:

1. Sand dunes

You can find many sand dunes in the Mojave desert which covers a pretty huge area, but the Mesquite sand dunes in Death Valley are close to the main roads and easy to get there. We spent about an hour or so there, though I wish we had more time to climb the highest dune far in the distance. Eureka Dunes is another area of sand dunes in Death Valley, but it is way far up north and much harder to get there. Since it was November, the sand was not as hot as it would be in the summer. So a win-win here again!

2. Badwater Basin

Badwater Basin is the lowest point in the US which is 280 ft below sea level. There are hexagon shapes formed over the salt flats due to the evaporation of water. There is a well-known hike called the ‘Lowest to Highest hike‘, which has trails for 135 miles from Badwater Basin to the highest point Mt. Whitney which is 14,495 ft above sea level. So, that is something enthusiastic hikers may be interested in! 

3. Zabriskie point

Zabriskie Point is a must-see beautiful gem in a desert. Nowhere did I see such barren and cream colored fashioned mountains. There is a convenient viewing platform to see the hills and take pictures. Adventurous people get off the platform and on top of the hills to enjoy more views.

4. Devil’s golf course

It’s probably due to the salt nearby, but the land has a very interesting look at Devil’s golf course with huge rocks tossed all over the place, something to check out!

5. Dantes view

Dantes view gets you to a viewpoint where you can see the valley floor and the saltwater basin (Badwater Basin)

6. Artist’s palette:

Some of the hills at Death Valley National Park have interesting natural colors of blue, pink, etc all over them when reflecting the sunlight. We didn’t get enough time to stop there, but viewing the beauty from the window was enjoyable as well.

Hover dam

Hoover Dam which is around 2.5 hours from Las Vegas is in the middle of two time zones – Mountain and Pacific Time Zones as it is located on the Nevada – Arizona border. It was interesting to see two clocks on either side of the dam showing both times. My phone still seemed to show Nevada time from where we started our trip, but my car time showed Arizona’s. Lake Mead with its blue waters was visible near the dam which made for some beautiful photos. I heard that Centrifugal force is present near the base of the dam and when things are thrown, they defy gravity. Tours for $15 are present for anyone interested in checking out the inner workings of the dam.