insman1132 Loc: Southwest Florida

Know something, Vera?? I own a P900 and would feel really comfortable making your trip only with it. But on the other hand I understand GAS and so I say buy the lens!! Your only here on earth once!! Enjoy every day.

Either way have a GREAT SAFE Trip!!!!

treadwl Loc: South Florida

It really is not which camera to take----it is all about knowing how to use what you have.
Your current camera will bring home incredible photos, if you really know how to use it and you will have more fun because you won't be worrying about having to learn a new set up while on your trip.
If you want to do anything before going---read and really think about basic composition. Pick up two ideas and just keep using them on your trip. You will be amazed at the results.

ltj123 Loc: NW Wisconsin

Rocky Mtn NP has a great hike at Bear Lake, flat and not too long, to Emerald Lake at base of Flattop Mtn, so scenic.
Glacier NP has another short hike to Hidden Lake overlook, again very scenic.
Grand Tetons take boat ride across Jenny Lake and short hike to Hidden Falls and also overlook of Jenny Lake.

Tex-s

My journey into photography began after a Grand Canyon visit. The wife had gotten a second hand DSLR and we toted it and the kit lenses, 18-250mm coverage, and shot 1000 or so pictures at the Grand Canyon, Canyon DeShelly, Meteor Crater, and a few other stops. This was a school trip, so half of those images were candid shots of the kids, which were fine, but the landscape images were B A D. 8 really nice images from 500.

My advice is to bone up on your composition skills (of which I had none back then). If you want to capture the vastness and depth of these big parks, you'll need to intentionally frame a foreground element, flanked with mid ground and background elements, hopefully in interesting light. Do that with any capable camera, and you have good images. Fail that, and the newest tech will just give you high resolution versions of disappointment.

BlueMorel Loc: Southwest Michigan

We did a similar trip last year, minus Glacier, add the Badlands. We no longer hike, so the car makes a great carrier from viewpoint to viewpoint. You will need a wide angle for sure in Utah and the Grand Canyon. For Tetons, Glacier and Yellowstone, the wide angle for the vistas and the long zoom for the abundant variety of animals. The Tokina 18-400 will cover most of your opportunities.

lmTrying Loc: WV Northern Panhandle

O M G! Your last line is the very best description of what I have read Hoggers trying to say for the last two years. That whole paragraph so very well brings together good points of composition. But, "high resolution versions of disappointment" is so to the point and priceless. I'm willing to bet that you have just coined a new catch phrase.

Rich1939 Loc: Pike County Penna.

Ditto that, so true!

Stash Loc: South Central Massachusetts

We did Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, Grand Canyon, Arches, Canyonlands, etc., two years ago. I used my P900 and think it did a fairly decent job.

Arca

Vera,

As you will be coming south toward the Grand Canyon NP, I would strongly encourage you to visit the north side of the rim as opposed to the south side of the rim. First, the north rim is 1,000 feet higher than the south rim, so it will be a little cooler in the day time. Second, there are considerably fewer visitors to the north rim as it is less accessible for most people and has fewer services, but it still has a lodge, great restaurants, cafeterias, lounge with baby grand piano, hiking supplies, general store, souvenir shops and gas/service station. There are also campgrounds and cabins for rent. So, there will be no crowds as there will be on the south rim. Third, the north rim is only open from May to October, as there is considerably more snow on that side of the canyon. Fourth, there is a herd of buffalo on the road from Jacob's Lake to GCNP. Fifth, there are some wonderful rock formations you can only see from the north side of the rim that you can't see from the south side. Sixth, in the campgrounds almost every morning, there are several deer that traverse the campgrounds looking for food on the ground in the form of their natural diet including grasses and berries. I AM NOT SUGGESTING YOU GIVE THE DEER ANY HUMAN FOOD. THEY WILL FIND THEIR OWN ON THE GROUND, IT IS JUST THAT IN THE CAMPGROUND, THEY WILL PARTAKE OF THEIR OWN NATURAL DIET, NOT HUMAN FOOD. Rangers will also remind you to NOT FEED ANY ANIMALS. You can certainly get many great shots of the deer as they stroll around and forage for food on the ground as they make their way through the campground. By placing yourself in a certain vantage point, you can get the deer without other campers' tents in the background.

I recommended the Nikon P900 to a friend, on the basis of the positive remarks I had read here on UHH one year and longer ago. He has subsequently taken that camera (This is his ONLY camera) on two separate trips to France and Ireland. He has enjoyed using the camera and I have seen the pictures of his travels. (His wife, with no special training, actually takes better photographs than he does.) The camera is definitely worthy of taking VERY satisfactory pictures. They may not be acceptable for 'Arizona Highways' magazine, but the images are definitely very good. You can't go wrong if you know how to use that camera. I think you will be pleased with the results.

Arca

Ednsb Loc: Santa Barbara

Just got back from trip to Grand Canyon, all 5 Utah National Parks. It depends on which park you are in. Some views are pretty far away unless you hike (Grand Canyon, Bryce, Arches, also state park at Dead Head Point State Park near Canyonlands) where you need both a telephoto and a wide angle but 28 would be fine but then in Zion, Canyonland, Arches you are much closer to the view so wide angle is more important. A couple of hints - if you are renting - get a convertible for the fantastic views as you drive in the close up parks.. and if you are a senior spend the $80 for a Senior Lifetime Park Pass. It will get you into the all the state parks for free rather than the $35 or so for each park. Also at Zion, either get up very early to park in the park for free or you will be spending $20 for parking anywhere in Springdale then either walking (if you are parked near stop 1 in Springdale it is a short walk to the park). Last hint - look at RoadTrippers on the web to plan your trip. Have a great time - we did !

VeraP

Thanks again for the observations and personal experiences. I have a couple of travel books (the Fodor variety, etc) but your personal knowledge is so much better. 😃

Ednsb Loc: Santa Barbara

all add on a few lodging pluses and minuses - If you are going to stay in Williams (south of south rim of GC the Comfort Inn near GC was nice and clean and when we booked relatively inexpensive. Near Zion the Springdale offerings were very expensive but drive about 15 minutes away to La Verkin and the La Quinta was clean, new and cheaper by a lot. Unfortunately in Moab and Bryce the offerings are expensive and limited. We stayed at Rudy's in Bryce which is basically a 50s National Park motel. And in Moab we stayed at the Big Horn which again is basically a motel but was the best we could find. There seemed to be a lot of choices but when we booked they were all thru the roof.

spaceytracey Loc: East Glacier Park, MT

I live close to Glacier & take many, many photos there. My kit contains both a 16-80 mm & a 70-300mm. Covers whatever I want to capture.

srfmhg Loc: Marin County, CA

I use my D7200 with an 18-300 lens 90% of the time. I always take the P900 for long shots. I bought this rather than the 200-500 or 150-600 which are large and bulky and difficult to transport. Changing lenses outdoors, especially in wind is a pain.

KSFlatlander

Grand Tetons NP!! Don't miss it plus you'll get spectacular photos! Don't hesitate to get off of the
road and take some of the dirt roads. My wife had an accidental close encounter with a
buffalo (young one) - I don't know who was more scared once they discovered each other - the buffalo
or my wife.
The problem with Yellowstone NP is that it is so HUGE, most of the animals will stay away from the roads
and trails.
In short, if you want spectacular photos AND want to see wildlife, visit Grand Tetons NP!