Day by day
Drive times are from Google Maps with normal traffic. Stops for gas and food add to each one.
| Date | Plan | Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Jackson | ||
| About 14 Mar2 days | Howie and Crasher Ashland to Jackson, with a night in Boise | 13 hr 46 min |
| 16 to 20 MarMon to Sat | Howie and Crasher Ski Jackson Hole and Grand Targhee Grand Teton Grand Targhee is 1 hr from Jackson. It usually has deeper snow and cheaper tickets. | none |
| Utah | ||
| Sun 21 Mar | Howie and CrasherDanielle and Lorelei Jackson to the Salt Lake City airport. Meet the Delta flight that arrives at 4:17 PM. Night in Salt Lake City. | 4 hr 49 min |
| Mon 22 Mar | Howie and CrasherDanielle and Lorelei Salt Lake City to Springdale, at the entrance to Zion | 4 hr 31 min |
| Tue 23 Mar | Howie and CrasherDanielle and Lorelei Zion National park The shuttle runs up the canyon, and the canyon road is closed to cars. | none |
| Wed 24 Mar | Howie and CrasherDanielle and Lorelei Springdale to Bryce Canyon National park Expect snow on the rim. The main road through the park stays plowed. | 2 hr 3 min |
| Thu 25 Mar | Howie and CrasherDanielle and Lorelei Highway 12 to Torrey, then Capitol Reef, then Moab National park Bryce to Torrey on Highway 12 is 2 hr 32 min. Torrey to Moab is 2 hr 39 min. Albert's family Denver to Moab, 5 hr 28 min | 5 hr 11 min |
| Fri 26 Mar | Everyone Arches, and Dead Horse Point State Park National park Dead Horse Point is 40 min from Moab. | short |
| Sat 27 Mar | Everyone Moab to Elko, Nevada Nevada is 1 hr behind Utah, so the day gains an hour. | 7 hr 8 min |
| Sun 28 MarEaster | Everyone Elko to Ashland Lorelei is home the night before school starts again. | 8 hr 7 min |
| Southern Oregon | ||
| Mon 29 Mar | Albert's familyHowie and Crasher Crater Lake National park Highway 62 stays open to Rim Village in winter. The lake sits under deep snow. | 2 hr 5 min |
| Tue 30 Mar | Albert's familyHowie and Crasher Redwood, starting at Stout Grove National park Stay the night in Crescent City or Brookings. | 2 hr 33 min |
| Wed 31 Mar | Albert's familyHowie and Crasher The southern Oregon coast north of Brookings, then back to Ashland Brookings to Ashland is 2 hr 59 min. | 2 hr 59 min |
| Thu 1 Apr | Albert's family A free day in Ashland, or Lava Beds National Monument Lava Beds has lava tube caves that the kids can walk through. It is open all year. | 2 hr 10 min |
| 2 to 3 AprFri and Sat | Albert's family Ashland to Denver, with a night in Elko Sunday 4 April is a day at home before school. | 19 hr 10 min |
Flights for Danielle and Lorelei
One way from Medford. Nobody needs a return flight, because the whole family drives home together. Prices are per person, from Google Flights on 30 September 2026.
| Flight | Date | Per person |
|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake City, Delta nonstop The plan Sunday 21 March. Leaves 1:25 PM, arrives 4:17 PM. An earlier nonstop arrives at 8:55 AM. | Sun 21 Mar | $289 |
| Salt Lake City, Delta nonstop Saturday 20 March, same times. | Sat 20 Mar | $289 |
| Salt Lake City, Alaska, 1 stop Cheaper, but it costs a day in the parks. | Mon 22 Mar | $220 |
| Denver, United nonstop The same price, but Denver is 8 hr from Jackson and 5.5 hr from Moab. | Sat 20 or Sun 21 Mar | $289 |
Google marks the Sunday fare as high right now. A price alert on Medford to Salt Lake City for 21 March catches a drop.
The parks in late March
Grand Teton
Still winter. The Teton Park Road is closed to cars, but moose, bison and elk are easy to see from the highway. Jackson Hole usually closes for the season in early April.
Zion
Mild, and the busiest park on the trip. Springdale fills up for spring break, so book a room this fall.
Bryce Canyon
The rim sits about 4,000 ft above Springdale, so snow on the red rock is likely. The rim trail between Sunrise and Sunset Points is the short walk to do.
Capitol Reef
The quiet one. Highway 24 runs through the park, past the Fruita orchards and the petroglyphs. Highway 12 from Bryce is one of the best drives in the state.
Arches
Highs in the 60s. Delicate Arch is the hike to do. In recent years timed entry started on 1 April, so 26 March falls before it. Check the 2027 rules on recreation.gov.
Crater Lake
Rim Village is open all winter from Highway 62. The rim drive stays closed until summer, so the view from Rim Village is the visit.
Redwood
Good in late March, with some rain. Stout Grove in Jedediah Smith is a short, flat walk through old-growth redwoods.
What to book first
- A room in Springdale for 22 and 23 March. Zion over spring break fills first.
- A room in Moab for 25 and 26 March, for both families. This is the Easter weekend.
- Lift tickets for Jackson Hole and Grand Targhee. Both are on the Ikon Pass, and a day ticket at Jackson often costs more than $250. Check which Ikon products include Jackson before buying.
- A place to stay in Jackson for about 15 to 20 March.
- The Delta flight on 21 March, after a price alert has had some time to work.
- One America the Beautiful pass for each car. It costs $80 and covers the whole car at every national park on this trip.