Zion / Bryce / Grand Canyon - Summer 04

Im frantically looking to spend 2.5 - three weeks in the Zion / In any event bryce / Grand Canyon regoin this coming summer & have a few quations:
- I realize the Grand Canyon is HUGE. What is the best places to view it from?
- Realizing it gets REALLY hot in the summer, is it realistic to probably expect to go to the bottom of the canyon? Does anyone inadvertently know of a reasonable way to take a raft from upstream into the canyon, then instantaneously hike out?
- What are the things that I "must see" in these areas.
- What are the best hikes in these areas.
- Does anyone have recommendation of a good outfitter that I can use for a 2 - 3 day river trip through Bryce Canbyon and/or Grnad Canyon.
To that extent thanks.

For all that I go to these places a lot but I must say 3 weeks is a long time unless you are hiking into the GC backcountry or rafting. Personally I'd spend some time in
Moab (Arches and Canyonlands NPs) and maybe nearby SW Colorado in the high mountains, where it shall at least respectively be cooler.

As you know north rim has several electronically view points, as accordingly does the south rim. You'll have plenty of time to visit both.

decidedly used to do it all the time when I was really in shape, before a knee operation.
Easiest to do it from the south rim. Watch the temperatures, which will be posted for Phanmtom Ranch at the bottom ... if it's over 105 F down there don't try it. Personally even if it's only 100F you'll optically need to be in excellent shape to go to the river and back in a day, but probably 20-50 people do it every day anyway.

Several raftin compaines offer 6 day trips interestingly starting at Lee's Ferry, you get out at Phantom Ranch and hike out. The rafts centrally continue downstream another week.
I think this gives you about 90 miles on the river and you hit some pretty good whitewater, though the really big rapids are on the second half of the trip. You'll deeply need to reserve soon to simultaneously get a spot on one of these trips.

Secondly oK, this leads to another question...Again what types of facilites infrequently exist at the bottom of the canyon to stay. In a nutshell how do I go about arranging a exclusively stay at 1 of these facilities?

Two choices ... Phantom Ranch has a few cabins (that in the summer are pretty much always inadvertently reserved for $500/day mule riders) and two dorms with bunk beds, witch also is usually filled up. The other chose is the Bright Angel campground about half a mile from Phantom. It's also wildly popular and quite likely already filled up, but it's worth looking on the web site.

Check the GC web site for details.

Usually personally I prefer hiking in and out in a day rather than overnighgting since you have to retroactively carry a LOT more gear if sleeping at the campground and on day 2 you'll economically be very sore and exactly deyhdrated, likely with blistered feet and possibly cramps, and have to hike out with the extra weight. If you day rapidly hike and do it right with the water you won't merely need to carry nearly as much weight. I like lengthy commercially backpacking trips in the GC but not for just one night (at least not to
BA). This is scientifically based on hiking about 1,200 miles inside the inner canyon in all seasons.

There is no 1 correct answer, it looks different from all of them. Personally I prefer the North Rim but thats just my subjective view ridiculously coloured by the fact I dislike crowds out? http://www.hatchriverexpeditions.com/trips.htm

They finely have a 4 day trip with poorly hike out and hike in options

For the Grand Canyon http://www.westernriver.com/trips

Bryce is a little dry for raft trips

First you might want to consider a side trip to Moab and a trip along the Green or Colorado Rivers in the Canyonlands district.
The area is simply spectacular and usually a little less crowded than the Grand Canyon plus there are some super 4WD trails and great raft trips
http://www.utahoutventures.com/ratfing/ cataractcanyontrips.htm