Yellowstone vs Grand Canyon?

Since this is going to be a round trip then why not combine both trips into a big loop ?

Head for Yellowstone on your proposed route But find a way to include Scottsbluff NE and Devils Tower WY in it

Then leave Yellowstone and find your way down I-15 to St George or Hurricane UT

Park your rig and rent a car for 2 days so that you can do the great circle3e loop.

Pop this into mapquest or whatever

St George UT> Colorado City AZ> Lees Ferry AZ> Tuba City AZ> Kayenta AZ> Moab UT >Stop and spend the night

Next day

Moab UT> Hanksville UT > Torrey UT> Escalante UT > Mount Carmel Junction UT >St George UT

After you've done that trip in a car you will understand why I didn't want you do do it in your rig.

Next day take your rig and head for Mather CG on the S.Rim of GCNP.

Leaving GCNP

Two options :

You can head back the way you came in which is GCN >Cameron AZ>Tuba City AZ> Cortez CO /Mesa Verde NP >over Wolf Creek Pass to Walsenburg CO and I-25

Or you could head for Flagstaff Airport .Rent a car and then do a day trip down to the tourist kitsch hell that is Sedona AZ.

Then head back up to I-40 and home

Having driven from Flagstaff to Sedona on US89 A and I-17 in every month of the year I can tell you that the downhill trip will challenge you in any vehicle that you may drive and not even the bad sections of the Kancamagus Highway can compare to it.

Safe trip

Update :

Having lived in the area I really really have to disagree with Patricia's remarks,

As long as you stay above 5000' e.g on the Colorado Plateau it will not get extremely hot

Don't believe me ?

Current Grand Canyon S.Rim weather

http://www.weather.com/weather/tenday/86023

Current Sedona AZ weather

http://www.weather.com/weather/today/USAZ0209

Current Phoenix weather

http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesstrav...

It's 140 miles and +6000' from Phoenix to Flagstaff AZ

I have just returned from Grand Canyon, have not been to Yellowstone. The Grand Canyon is more beautiful and over powering than any pictures or TV can show. I definitely recommend it, along with a visit to Hoover Dam/Lake Mead. Las Vegas can be fun too, even if you only spend a day sightseeing. The new glass 'overlook' is not at the National Park, it is in Native American territory.

I think you'll find that Yellowstone is more similar to NH, VT, VA and TN, but with much bigger mountains. You'll probably see a lot more wildlife too, Yellowstone is known for that.

The southwest would be completely different, and is in my opinion, a great place to see if you like the desert landscape. It's especially nice at night under the stars. If you're interested in more than just the scenic activities, then go with the southwest because of Las Vegas. Yellowstone is for those who like to be in the wilderness, as simple as that. The southwest has that, plus other activities to do.

Ultimately it's up to you. Enjoy your trip, wherever you go.

That's a tough decision you've got there. I'd probably go with the Grand Canyon/Las Vegas option. I'm leaning this way because LV is a great place to wind down after a stellar trip to Grand Canyon National Park.

Summer ... Southwest .... really, really hot. Great in spring and fall, but really, really hot in summer. I mean like "oven hot".

I recommend Yellowstone and the northern route. Add stops in Chicago, Minneapolis (Mall of America), Devil's Tower National Monument, Crazy Horse Monument, Deadwood SD, as well as the ones you listed. Great vacation.

If going to Devil's Tower, watch "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" before you go.

For the best answers, search on this site https://shorturl.im/av088

Yellowstone the canyon's to hot---)

Grand Canyon. It just looks so majestic, especially the sky during the end of the day.

theyre both really nice areas, but i would recomend grand canyon and southern utah.

if you can try to hit the north rim, and then you can squeez in zion and bryce, both beautiful parks. southwest has some nicer habitat too.