Why must the trip start in LA? Las Vegas, Phoenix or SLC are closer to the area you want to visit. Last year I went on a PIT project in the area north of Parks AZ. We walked through some rough country and found pottery sherds from the Coconino tribe which lived in the area about 1100 years ago. Our base of operations was at the Spring Valley Forest Service cabin about 11 miles north of Parks and about 45 miles south of the Grand Canyon.

"Why must the trip start in LA? "

Tom - have you considered that they might actually live in LA?? And even if not, nothing at all 'weird' starting such a tour from LA.

slpearson: You really don't have enough time for all those destinations. I probably would drop Colorado. Zion, Bryce Monument Valley, some of the other Arizona sites and Sedona would be a VERY full 10 days. And if you only have a week you'll need to cut a few more. Do a search on here - there are lots of threads w/ suggested itineraries exactly where you want to go.

Early April or late April? Weather could be a factor.

I have a couple of TRs for trips in this area, so feel free to click my name and scroll down to the TRs. We always visit and revisit the Native American historic sites in the area, so you might pick up information on directions and lodging to some of the sites.

Yes, we recently moved to LA. All these places look so amazing, it's hard to pick and choose! We were planning on early April. I think you're right, we may have to drop Colorado. If you had to pick your top 3/4 spots just in Arizona and Utah which would they be? Thank you!

This trip looks pretty good http://www.fodors.com/community/united-states/road-trip-sedona-or-page.cfm although it leaves out Canyon de Chelly ...

For Indian sites, stick with the area expanded from the Four Corners: Monument Valley, Chaco Canyon, Canyon de Chelly, Hovenweep, Mesa Verde, the Three Mesas. On the way you could visit the Grand Canyon, but crossing southern Utah (Zion, Bryce) will add time and mileage to your trip, and you do not have the time. AAA has (or used to have) a map entitled Guide to Indian Country which covers that area.

If you want to restrict yourself to Native American sites in AZ and UT, then I'd go to Canyon de Chelley, the Moab area and the Grand Canyon area. Of course, you will be missing Chaco Canyon and Mesa Verde and Bandelier and so many other sites.

You will need to hire a Navajo guide to see Canyon de Chelley. You can go to the VC or to some of the motels in Chinle to find them.

In Moab, visit the VC at Arches and get the map of rock art sites in the area. Both Arches and Canyonlands have sites too. The Great Gallery in Canyonlands in a part of the park that is west of most of the park and is described in several TRs here. Put it into the search box at the top of the page.

There are some ruins and some rock art in the GC NP and between there and CdC are several places with ruins like Wupatki, and Walnut Canyon.

We really like using a guide book like "Rock Art Along the Way" to find some of the out of the way sites.

Thank you so much for your input. I really appreciate it. I think perhaps we should skip Sedona for this trip (we can go there for a weekend some other time). Does this itinerary look too crazy?

DAY 1: Los Angeles to Zion National Park (447 mi - about 6 hours 53 mins)
STAY: Desert Pearl Inn

DAY 2: Zion National Park
STAY: Desert Pearl Inn

DAY 3: Zion National Park to Bryce Canyon National Park (85.5 mi - about 1 hour 53 mins)
STAY: Bryce Canyon Lodge

Day 4: Bryce Canyon National Park to Monument Valley, UT (279 mi – about 4 hours 53 mins)
STAY: The View
DO: Sunset tour of Monument Valley with Trailhandlers Tours

DAY 5: Monument Valley, UT to Mesa Verde National Park (202 mi – about 4 hours 1 min)
STAY: Holiday Inn Express Mesa Verde - Cortez

Day 6: Mesa Verde National Park
STAY: Holiday Inn Express Mesa Verde - Cortez

Day 7: Mesa Verde National Park to Canyon de Chelly (165 mi - about 4 hours 40 mins)
STAY: Holiday Inn or Thunderbird Lodge

Day 8: Canyon de Chelly
STAY: Holiday Inn or Thunderbird Lodge

Day 9: Canyon de Chelly to Grand Canyon National Park (311 mi - about 6 hours 6 mins)
STAY: El Tovar

Day 10: Grand Canyon National Park to Los Angeles (507 mi - about 7 hours 33 mins)

IF you can. Get a room at FarView Lodge in Mesa Verde for Day 6. It is a fairly long drive out of the park into Cortez and then back the next morning. Maybe stay there day 5 too.

I have several threads on here about that area, having lived there for 5 years. Some with links to pictures, of Mesa Verde.

Do you plan on hiking? You do realize that there will only 2 cliff dwellings you can visit? Cliff Palace as a ranger guided tour and Spruce Tree as a self guided. There is a loop road can you drive around and be able to see some of the other sites http://www.nps.gov/meve/planyourvisit/visitcliffdwelling.htm

You might want one less night at Bryce unless you want to hike in snow. It has had snow on the trails every time we've been there in April.

Totally agree with DebitNM about Far View Lodge in Mesa Verde, stay there if you can.

That's a very good point! I think we'll drop Bryce for now then. Thank you!

The advice to stay in the park at Mesa Verde is sound. It really is a long, twisy and tedious drive into the park. The Far View Lodge is nice and the restaurant (Metate Room) is one of the best we've encountered in the National Park system.

I'd also suggest reversing the order of the trip so you can have your romantic, relaxing end at the Desert Pearl.

Agree that Bryce might be iffy at that time of year, but you might consider visiting Lake Powell instead. Probably a little too cold for swimming but it's pretty much on the way from Zion to Monument Valley and there will still be plenty to do, i.e., Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, Glen Canyon Dam, perhaps the Colorado River Discovery Float Trip.

Do book all hotel rooms in advance, even at the time of year you're traveling it's still busy.

@peterboy I like the idea of reversing the trip! @K_Bot where do you recommend staying near Lake Powell? Thanks!

Page, AZ is handy to Lake Powell's Wahweap Marina. Keep in mind, though, that it will NOT be warm enough to swim which is a shame because it is a wonderful lake to tour and swim when it is warm.