Yosemite or Bryce

[mvlimmex]

Hi,

I posted yesterday about Bryce Canyon, but now I have a question about Yosemite. We are going to be at DL in mid June and want to either go to Yosemite or Bryce for a few days afterwards. We live in Wisconsin and will have a RV. I have been to neither park and was wondering if you would recommend one over the other. They both look pretty, but we only have time for 1 of the parks. Also, how is traveling on a Friday to Yosemite from DL. I have heard that it is very congested on Fridays to Las Vegas. Also are there better days to visit Bryce or Yosemite during mid June?

Thanks,

Vicki

 

[candied]

I love Yosemite and would definately recommend it. Hopefully other posters will come along with information about Bryce, as I have never been there and not quite sure where it is located.

I would most definately not to begin your travel on a Friday night to go ANYWHERE. The So Cal freeways a.k.a. "The Friday Getaway." If you really want to leave on a Friday, I would leave maybe 10ish in the morning. Hopefully by leaving then you will miss the morning rush and afternoon rush. I don't remember which freeway we took to Yosemite, but avoid going through Los Angeles on the 5 freeway during anytime. From Disneyland you can take the 5 North, 605 North, to the 210 West. From there I am not sure which way to go after that. That is about the time I usually fell asleep But I think you just want to go north from there, it should connect back to the 5 I believe.

I think if you went in June it will be nice. We went at the end of July and it was warm but managable.

I don't know where you would stay in your RV. We have camped yet there so I don't know the best places to stay.

Candace

 

[CPT Tripss]

It's impossible to compare the two and say which one is "better." Both are spectacular and if you have only a couple of days, flip a coin! I'm serious and not trying to be smart.
Just try to get to the other one in another trip. You can combine Bryce with Zion and Lake Powell and the Grand Canyon. You can combine Yosemite with Sequoia, Kings Canyon and Deateh Valley.
I'll propose heresy. Skip DL and do the National Parks!

 

[eduk8r26]

After going to both places, I can tell you that Yosemite is extremely crowded in the summer time. So much so that you aren't even allowed to drive through Yosemite Village. You park in the perimeter lots and ride bikes, walk, or take buses wherever you want to go, unless it's one of the out of the way places--Mariposa Groves, Glacier Point, etc. Bryce, on the other hand, did not seem quite so crowded. They do have shuttles to take you to the various spots. It's pretty spectacular.

 

[luckey-lasvegas]

My parents have a 5th wheel and have said that there is no place to camp in the canyon near yosemite because of the size of their rig.

Zion, Kolob, Bryce are all beauiful although it can be very warm there in June.
I can recomend the Zion River resort though, we stay there every year.

www.zionriverresort.com

 

[ScooterL]

Hmm...I'm not sure. Well, actually I am - Yosemite is my favorite place, so I'll always recommend it! But I know the ins and outs and how to deal with avoiding crowds as much as possible. If you're not actually able to get a campsite inside the park, then I recommend getting up EARLY and getting into the park as early as you can - the crowds don't start really pouring into the park until 10:00 or so, and you'll avoid a lot of traffic and parking hassles by getting there early.

June is a great time for either park - the waterfalls in Yosemite are at their peak, and the wildflowers are blooming. Bryce is high enough (7000-8000') that it won't be as warm there as it is in other parts of Utah at that time of year. The the viewpoints are gorgeous. Unless you're into hiking I don't think there is as much to do in Bryce as in Yosemite, though.

Unless you're able to leave the Disneyland area before noon (and 10:00 or earlier is better!) absolutely do NOT drive to Bryce from Disneyland on a Friday. You'll get caught up in all of the traffic going to Las Vegas, and Interstate 15 can be a parking lot. If you're going to Yosemite from DL on a Friday, I would also leave fairly early - by 9:00 or so if you can. And then instead of taking I5 through L.A., take Ball Rd over to 57 north, then 57 to 210 west, and then it joins up with I5 just after the I5/I405 merge, and just before the 14 freeway exit. MUCH less traffic on that, and wider freeways, even though it's longer. But there are a couple of gotchas with that route - at one point you have to exit the through freeway to stay on 57, and at another point you have to exit the through freeway to stay on 210.

 

[missstcroix]

We have been to both (separately) and loved them both! You can combine Zion National park with Bryce..that is a real treat as you go down to the bottom of the canyon rather than looking at it from above. When we went to Yosemite we also did Jackson Hole Wyoming. Took a covered wagon dinner/show there that was great. The town of West Yellowstone was alot of fun for my boys.We did horseback riding in both...at Bryce it is was very cool because the elevation is so high up. For me, Yellowstone was more of a destination on its own...and Bryce/Zion were a combination trip with Grand Canyon or Vegas...but I come from NJ so both trips are a hike....