Any trip to visit a number of the Utah and Arizona National Parks is a big deal. Doing it with four kids is an even bigger deal. It was a challenging but rewarding week with some amazing photography opportunities. Since I was carrying the two-year-old on my back most of the time, my wife carried the backpack that had various snacks and my photography equipment. I brought my Fugifilm X-T30 with 18-55 and 70-300 lenses as well as my Nikon One-Touch 35mm film camera. I’ll have to do another post with the results of the film as those few rolls still need to be sent off to be developed.
We were fortunate to be in Moab at the same time as a weather system that brought wind and rain. The wind got a bit crazy on one day but the dramatic cloud cover and rain provided unique opportunities for capturing some of the most photographed locations in the world.
The four kids were troopers as we hiked around Arches, Canyonlands, and even hiked up The Narrows at Zion on a chilly morning! We didn’t rent the fancy waders or shoes but just decided to give it a go and the kids did great! The two places that didn’t get the full treatment due to lack of time and just being plain worn out were Bryce Canyon and the Grand Canyon. Both were quite busy and the shuttle at Bryce was irregular and often so crowded that we had to wait on multiple busses. The Grand Canyon was also quite busy and corraling the kids amidst crowds and precipitous drops is a challenge. But it was still worth it to swing through those places and give them a taste for the amazing landscapes and to make plans for another visit sometime in the future.
Is it worth the hassle, stress, and expense of a major trip like this with four young kids? We were a bit doubtful before we started out, but once we got them going and engaged with the hiking, junior ranger activities, and occasional FroYo bribe to try one last thing, they were all in. It was not without stress, frustration, and the occasional lost temper as thousands of miles in a Honda Odyssey and hotels tends to do, but it was worth it. If you are considering something like this, start saving money and planning well in advance, and then just do it. If an “indoorsy” family like us can do it, you can too.
A few helpful tips:
A few water bladders. The two older kids carried them and I carried one in our baby carrier. Nothing fancy here, we just bought cheap ones off Amazon.
Deuter baby carrier. I lugged our two-year-old up to the Delicate Arch and through fast-moving water in The Narrows. A good carrier is expensive but well worth the cost.
Trekking poles. We bought four cheap ones off Amazon and they were very helpful in keeping our balance during our short hike through the water of the Virgin River in The Narrows.
Packing in totes. We opted to pack in Rubbermaid Action Packer totes. We had three 8 gallon totes and one 24 gallon tote. These fit well in the back of an Odyssey and are much easier than wrangling odd-shaped suitcases. If you have an REI within driving distance, it’s worth picking these up from there. I think they’ll ship the 8-gallon ones but the 24-gallon size is cost-prohibitive to ship through REI.
Find a (relatively) cheap souvenir option if you are going to be visiting a lot of places. We bought patches for the kids at the parks. They already have some on their backpacks so it was a natural fit.
Don’t miss the Junior Ranger program. The three boys spent hours working on their books and it helped them (and the parents) learn more about the parks.
If you enjoy photography and you are traveling as a family, make sure to communicate with your spouse when you have a shot you want to get. This was important for us so that she knew I would not have eyes on the kids while I was focused on getting a shot. Places like Delicate Arch and Mesa Arch require keeping a close eye on young kids.
If you are carrying a toddler on your back, have an alternate plan for your camera gear. My wife carried my camera around in a backpack. I needed my hands free for support, balance, and the occasional scramble or scoot on rocks.
Remember, if you are military you get into all the National Parks for free. This is a wonderful perk.
Hank The Cowdog on Audible will keep everyone in the car entertained for hours. Yes, this includes the parents. I can’t tell you how many times I laughed out loud at some of the one-liners.
