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Utah National Parks Road Trip Itinerary: How to Plan a 7-Day Trip to the Mighty 5 in 2024

Planning a Utah national parks road trip? I’ve got the ultimate Utah itinerary, based on my own travels in this beautiful state. And to make your planning easier, I’ve even included a handy downloadable trip planner!

With five national parks to explore, hiking trails galore and some epic scenery, a Utah national parks road trip is something you’ll never forget.

Hitting the so-called Mighty 5 – Utah’s five national parks of Zion, Bryce Canyon, Arches, Canyonlands and Capitol Reef – is possible in just a week, and you won’t believe how different and beautiful each national park is .

Here I’m sharing the Utah road trip itinerary my husband and I took. This itinerary allowed us to see the Mighty 5 in just seven days – and we even snuck in a quick side trip to Arizona .

This is one of my favourite adventures of all time in the United States, so here’s how you can follow the Utah itinerary we took.

I’ve even created a printable planner so that you can plot out your own Utah national parks road trip itinerary, so download a copy here .

This blog post may contain affiliate links, meaning if you book or buy something through one of these links, I may earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you).

How to do this Utah road trip

This is a road trip, so of course you’ll need your own wheels . You have a few options here:

• Rent a car through Discover Cars and either camp or stay at hotels/Airbnbs along the way.
• Rent a campervan or RV – this is what we did and it made the trip even more fun! You’ll combine your transport and accommodation costs, saving some dollars as well. RVShare is a good option for this; it’s like the Airbnb of RVs. Escape Campervans is another great option for campervan rentals. I’ve listed campground throughout this post and you can use apps like iOverlander or US Public Lands to find free campsites .

A question I get asked: Do you need a 4×4 for this road trip? If you follow this itinerary, you won’t need a 4×4 – a regular car is perfectly fine. The roads are all sealed and well maintained. Of course, you won’t be able to get out to some of the backroad locations – but you probably wouldn’t have time to do that in this short itinerary anyway.

Utah Mighty 5 road trip routes

To do this bucket list USA Utah national parks road trip, I’d recommend at least a week . This itinerary will give you a day in each park (two days in some parks) so there isn’t a lot of room for downtime.

If you have 10 days or two weeks to road trip Utah’s national parks, that would be even better. This will allow you to really explore all the natural beauty this state has to offer.

There are several ways you can visit all five Utah national parks in a week , depending on where you’re starting from. The best places to start and end this trip is in Las Vegas or Salt Lake City .

We did option number 1, but if I was doing this trip again, I’d probably take the Las Vegas to Salt Lake City (or vice versa) route to save on a bit of backtracking.

For option #2, check that your rental company allows you to return a vehicle to another location (there may be an additional charge).

For option #3, you could even add in a side trip to the Grand Canyon if you have one or two extra days.

These three Utah road trip route options include a side trip into Arizona to Monument Valley. But if you’re short on time, you can cut this out of your Utah itinerary.

National parks road trip itinerary

As mentioned earlier, we did a loop starting and ending in Salt Lake City , so that’s what I’ll get into in this article. You can easily take the information here and adapt it to the alternative routes listed above.

This 7-day Utah road trip itinerary that loops from Salt Lake City is:

Day 1: Salt Lake City to Zion National Park

Day 2: zion national park, day 3: bryce canyon national park, day 4: monument valley.

• Day 5: Canyonlands National Park and Moab
• Day 6: Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park
• Day 7: Back to Salt Lake City via Capitol Reef National Park

Map of Utah national parks

Before I get into the nitty gritty of the Utah national parks road trip itinerary, here’s a map of where you’ll be going if you follow the route we took. You can download a map of national parks in Utah on the Visit Utah website or they’ll even post one to you if you plan ahead.

Alright, it’s time to hit the road!

Driving time: 4.5 hours / 308 miles

First up on this 7 day Utah national parks itinerary: pick up your car or campervan . Pick up any supplies you may need (including plenty of road trip snacks!). I have a handy road trip checklist so you don’t forget anything important.

You could check out of a few of the best things to do in Salt Lake City , but I’d recommend jumping straight on the road and heading for Zion National Park . It’s about a 4.5-hour drive from Salt Lake City.

Zion National Park is the busiest Utah national park , with more than 5 million visitors. Despite the crowds, it’s a must-visit on a Utah parks road trip.

Springdale is the town just outside of the entrance to Zion, and it has several great options for your first dinner on the road.

Zion National Park quick reference guide

Entrances: The main entrance is the South Entrance, near the town of Springdale Entrance fee: Private Vehicle, $35, valid for 7 days Website: Zion National Park Tips: Access to cars through the park is limited during high season (March to November), but Zion National Park has a fantastic free shuttle bus system to get around. The shuttle stops at all the key trailheads and loops around fairly frequently.

There’s also a shuttle bus that links to the Zion Canyon Shuttle from Springdale, which is convenient if you’re staying in town.

Where to stay in Zion National Park

Zion national park campgrounds.

Zion National Park has three campgrounds : South, Watchman and Lava Point. You can reserve South and Watchman in advance (campsites are $20 per night, $30 for powered sites at Watchman). South Campground can be reserved up to 14 days in advance, while Watchman can be reserved up to 6 months ahead of time. (Update: As of December 2023, South Campground is partially closed for rehabilitation works.)

If you can’t get a reservation in advance, you can still plan to arrive at the campgrounds at around 10 or 11am just in case a site becomes available. That’s how we got a site for the night.

Lava Point only has six basic campsites and is more remote, with no cell reception. Reservations can be made online. It’s open May to September only.

Hotels near Zion National Park

• Zion Lodge is the only hotel inside Zion National Park
• For something partway between a hotel and camping, try the luxury, safari-style tents at Under Canvas Zion
• Cliffrose Lodge is close to the entrance to Zion National Park
• Best Western Plus Zion Canyon Inn & Suites has comfy rooms with mini fridges and coffee makers – and great views

Vacation rentals near Zion National Park

If you can’t get a hotel room, plan ahead and look at vacation rentals instead. VRBO has several options to suit all group sizes and budgets. Check vacation rentals near Zion National Park .

Wake up early (I’m talking, like, 5am) to get a head start on the Angel’s Landing hike . This hike is very popular on most people’s Zion national park itinerary, and starting early helps to avoid both the crowds and the heat of the day. It’s a beautiful but fairly strenuous hike with some pockets of shade.

The final ascent to Angel’s Landing is a narrow ridge with steel chains as the only barrier to keep you falling hundreds of metres off the side.

I’m not shy in admitting that I just couldn’t bring myself to do this final section – it was too scary for me. I stayed below while my husband did the final section. He said that it was hairy in some parts, but the views are worth it if you don’t have a fear of heights .

Later in the afternoon, take off on your next hike along the Riverside Walk .

If you can brave the icy water, end the day by wading through the start of The Narrows hike . We only did a small portion of this, and I would love to come back and do it completely. You can hike as far as Big Spring without a permit. It’s a 10-mile round-trip, so you’ll need the whole day to tackle this.

Best hikes in Zion National Park

• Angel’s Landing (5.4 miles, strenuous)
• Observation Point (8 miles, strenuous)
• Canyon Overlook Trail (1 mile, moderate; easier alternative to Angel’s Landing)
• Riverside Walk (2.2 miles, easy)
• Weeping Rock Trail (0.4 miles, easy)
• The Narrows (10 miles (to Big Spring) return trip, strenuous; high water levels and the risk of flash flooding can mean this is closed at some times during the year)

Driving time: 1.5 hours / 75 miles

Leaving Zion National Park on your way to Bryce Canyon , traverse the scenic 12-mile Zion-Mt Carmel Highway , passing through the historic tunnel. It’s a beautiful, winding road that exposes the red rocks of Zion.

It’s time to see just how different Bryce Canyon National Park, with its orange and white hoodoos , is to the deep red rocks of Zion National Park.

In my opinion, Bryce Canyon is the best national park in Utah . The landscape is out of this world and when we visited it was far quieter than Zion.

Hike the  Navajo Loop / Queen’s Garden trails which take you down into and back up the canyon and past Thor’s Hammer . Later, hike a section of the Rim Trail , and stand above the hoodoos to get an idea of what Mars surely must look like.

Sunset at Inspiration Point is a must, watching the colours of the hoodoos change as the sun goes down.

Best hikes in Bryce Canyon National Park

• Navajo Loop / Queen’s Garden (2.9 miles combined, moderate)
• Rim Trail (up to 11 miles, easy; paved from Sunset to Sunrise Points)
• Fairyland Loop (8 miles, strenuous)

Bryce Canyon National Park quick reference guide

Entrances: The only entrance to the park is via UT 12; you’ll pass through the small town of Bryce Entrance fee: Private Vehicle, $35, valid for 7 days Website: Bryce Canyon National Park Tips: Visitors are encouraged to take advantage of the free shuttle bus that operates through the park

Where to stay in Bryce Canyon National Park

Bryce canyon national park campgrounds.

There are two campgrounds in Bryce Canyon: North Campground and Sunset Campground (sites $30 per night). Both are close to the visitor centre.

Campsites at both campground can be reserved between mid-May and early October. For the rest of the year, they operate on a first-come, first-served system.

Outside of Bryce Canyon, Ruby’s Inn has an RV park and campground, which is where we stayed.

Hotels near Bryce Canyon National Park

If you’re not camping, try one of the hotels near Bryce Canyon National Park .

• Ruby’s Inn Best Western Plus is a popular option outside Bryce Canyon National Park (we stayed at the adjoined RV park and campground)
• The Lodge at Bryce Canyon is located inside the park, with 114 rooms and an on-site restaurant
• Stone Canyon Inn has several cabins onsite

Vacation rentals near Bryce Canyon National Park

• This charming country home on a large property – with fruit picking available in the fall
• This incredible chalet halfway between Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks

Driving time: 4.5 hours / 275 miles

On day four of the Utah national parks road trip, we’re actually heading into another state: Arizona !

As I mentioned earlier, you can skip Monument Valley if you want to stay in Utah and spend more time at the Mighty 5 national parks. But it’s a great detour.

It’s a long day of driving from Bryce Canyon south into Arizona. Stop for pie at the retro Thunderbird Restaurant at Mt Carmel Junction. As an Australian, this place is exactly how I always pictured American diners to be!

Stop at Page , home to the highly Instagrammed Horseshoe Bend , and nervously watch everyone as they perch on the edge to get the perfect selfie.

It’s a hot and dusty walk to the viewpoint, so bring adequate shoes and lots of water and sunscreen . To manage the huge influx of visitors that Horseshoe Bend has recently experienced, you’ll now need to pay an entrance fee of $30 per passenger vehicle.

Another popular site in Page is Antelope Canyon . Here you can visit Upper Antelope Canyon, an incredible slot canyon. Reservations are a must. We unfortunately didn’t have time, but photos I have seen are spectacular. If you can make the time, there are tours of Lower Antelope Canyon and Upper Canyon .

If you have even more time, many people add on a trip to the Grand Canyon to their Utah national parks road trip itinerary. You’ll need at least two days, though, to see the park properly.

Continue on to Monument Valley , famous from oh-so-many movies. Drive through the valley ($8 per person, per day; Monument Valley isn’t covered under the America the Beautiful national parks annual pass ) in the late afternoon as the sun is going down for some spectacular silhouettes of the buttes . Early morning is another option for nice light.

You need two to three hours to do the 17-mile self-guided driving tour through Monument Valley (maps available at the Information Center).

There are a few hiking trails (permit required) or you can take an organised tour which will allow you access to a traditional Navajo hogan, a small house. Here’s a good option for a sunset tour , or a 2.5-hour trip with backcountry access  where you’ll learn more about Navajo culture.

Be respectful of the land at all times and stick to the trails – this is Navajo land .

Hotels near Monument Valley

There are a couple of hotels near Monument Valley :

• We parked our campervan at Goulding’s Lodge , which has both a hotel and campground. It’s also got a restaurant, gas station, laundry, trading post and a museum highlighting the history of the area, including about the films that have been shot there. The theatre shows John Wayne movies nightly
• The View Hotel is located within Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park. As the name suggests, it has great views over the valley

Day 5: The Needles, Canyonlands National Park

Driving time: 5.5 hours / 238 miles

Day five will see you heading back into Utah on your way to Moab . Before you get too far, stop at mile marker 13 on highway 163 for the classic road jumping shot with Monument Valley in the background.

Before getting to Moab, take the long detour to The Needles area of Canyonlands National Park . It’s a side trip off the main road and does add extra time to this Utah road trip itinerary, but it’s worth it. If you’re short on time, then you can skip this and head straight to Moab.

Canyonlands National Park is actually split into three distinct areas by the rivers that run through the park: The Needles, Island in the Sky and the Maze. The Maze is only accessible by 4WD and is very remote. I haven’t included it in this Utah national parks itinerary because we didn’t visit it.

The Needles is far less touristy than the other national parks in Utah. To get a taste of the park, hike the Slickrock trail , which will take you over smooth, mustard-coloured rocks as you follow the cairns-marked trail.

After that, hit up another hike like the Cave Spring trail . This one winds through old cowboy hangouts and up ladders. Again, you’ll be marvelling at just how different the landscape is compared to the other national parks visited on this trip.

We only wish we’d had more time to do some of the longer, more challenging hikes. Unfortunately, there was a spectacular lightning storm starting up as we began hiking, and we didn’t want to be exposed.

Continue on to Moab and have a late lunch of burgers and peanut butter milkshakes at Milt’s Stop and Eat .

Best hikes in The Needles, Canyonlands National Park

• Chesler Park Viewpoint (6 miles, strenuous)
• Slickrock Trail (2.4 miles, short)
• Big Spring Canyon to Squaw Canyon (7.5 miles, strenuous)
• Cave Spring (0.6 miles, short)

Canyonlands National Park quick reference guide

Entrances: The entrance to Island in the Sky is about 40 minutes from Moab, while The Needles entrance is about a 90-minute drive Entrance fee: Private Vehicle, $30 Website: Canyonlands National Park Tips: Moab is the best place to base yourself to see the two main sections of the park

Where to stay in Moab

Moab campgrounds.

• We stayed at the KOA campground in Moab . Staff were friendly and they have a pool and shop onsite.

Hotels in Moab

Moab is a small town, but its reputation as an action hub means that it’s full of hotels and campgrounds.

• The Gonzo Inn is a popular place to stay in Moab. There’s an outdoor pool which will be a huge relief in the heat of the afternoon – Moab gets really hot
• Red Cliffs Lodge has 115 simple rooms, some with balconies with great views over the river

Vacation rentals in Moab

There are plenty of vacation rentals in Moab , so you’ll have lots of choices. I like the look of:

• This light-filled cabin with a great patio with grill (and it’s dog friendly!)
• This property would be good for groups of up to 6 people

Day 6: Arches National Park and Island in the Sky

Arches National Park is just outside of Moab, and is famous for its variety of sandstone arches.

Tackle some of the shorter hikes to Broken Arch and Sand Dune Arch in the morning.

In the afternoon, hike to Delicate Arch . This is a must-do on your visit to Arches National Park. Be aware that this hike has no shade, and the last part is around a cliff face with a sharp drop off. It’s one of the most photographed spots on any trip to Utah.

Best hikes in Arches National Park

• Delicate Arch (3 miles, strenuous)
• Double O Arch Trail (4.2 miles, strenuous)
• Park Avenue Trail (1 mile one-way, moderate)
• Devil’s Garden (7.2 miles, strenuous)
• Windows Trail (1 mile, easy)
• Fiery Furnace (reservation necessary, guided by Park Ranger)

Arches National Park quick reference guide

Entrances: The entrance is just a 10-minute drive from Moab Entrance fee: Private Vehicle, $30, valid for 7 days Reservation needed: Between 1 April and 31 October, you’ll also need to book a timed entrance. Book online here Website: Arches National Park

Before sunset, drive out to the other section of Canyonlands National Park, the Island in the Sky . From the viewpoint, gaze out over the land, which looks like a giant dinosaur has left its footprint behind.

If you’re in luck, you might even have Mesa Arch all to yourselves for a few minutes. Most people recommend to visit Mesa Arch at dawn, but we found it to be just as beautiful at sunset.

Moab is one of the best places to visit in Utah for adventure lovers , so if you’ve had enough of hiking, you can try mountain bike riding , offroading , 4×4 adventuring , rappeling  or rafting on the Colorado River . There are companies throughout Moab that offer all sorts of outdoor adventures.

Best hikes in Island in the Sky, Canyonlands National Park

• Mesa Arch (0.5 miles, easy)
• Grand View Point Trail (2 miles, easy)
• Neck Spring (5.8 miles, moderate)
• Gooseberry Trail (5.4 miles, strenuous)

Day 7: Capitol Reef National Park and back to Salt Lake City

Driving time: 5.5 hours / 369 miles

On the last day of the road trip, return to Salt Lake City via Capitol Reef National Park .

As the smallest of the five Utah national parks , you can easily drive through it via the 9-mile scenic drive and stop off to do shorter hikes. We only spent a few hours here, the shortest visit of our trip.

The park also has an old Mormon mission and you can stop by the historic Gifford Homestead to enjoy a fruit pie in the shaded grounds. The perfect sweet way to finish your Utah national park itinerary!

Best hikes in Capitol Reef National Park

• Sunset Point Trail (0.4 miles one-way, easy)
• Hickman Bridge Trail (0.9 miles one-way, moderate)
• Chimney Rock Trail (3.6 miles, strenuous)
• Rim Overlook Trail (2.3 miles, strenuous)

Capitol Reef National Park quick reference guide

Entrance fee: Private Vehicle, $20, valid for 7 days Website: Capitol Reef National Park

Where to stay near Capitol Reef National Park

If you do decide to stay longer than a few hours or one day, here are a few options for sleeping.

Capitol Reef National Park campgrounds

There’s only one developed campground within Capitol Reef, and that’s the 71-site Fruita Campground . The fee is $25 per night, and sites are reservable only between 1 March and 31 October. The rest of the year it’s first come, first served.

Hotels near Capitol Reef National Park

• For something  truly unique, book a night in a Conestoga wagon! Peek out your wagon at Capitol Reef Resort in the morning for stunning red rock views. Or, choose from luxury teepees and cabins
• Broken Spur Inn and Steakhouse (located in Torrey) is a simple hotel only a 10-minute drive to the entrance of Capitol Reef National Park

Vacation rentals near Capitol Reef National Park

• This cute cabin is great for couples or small families
• This 2-bedroom home with a great deck in the nearby town of Teasdale

Finally, return your car or campervan in Salt Lake City – 7 days in Utah goes by quickly! This will be a trip you won’t quickly forget – and if you’re like me, you’ll be wanting to go back very soon.

Tips for planning a Utah national parks road trip itinerary

Buy a national parks pass.

If you’re planning to road trip to Utah national parks, buy the America the Beautiful annual pass , which costs $80. Each national park costs between $20 and $35 to visit, so if you visit three or more parks on this Utah mighty 5 road trip, this pass will save you money .

The pass is also valid at any national park in the entire United States so you can use it at other parks for the rest of the year.

Book accommodation in advance

Hotels, lodges and camping sites around the national parks can be booked out months – even a year – in advance, so book accommodation in advance . (I use Booking.com and Expedia to book accommodation, comparing prices across both sites before I book.)

Each campsite has different processes for booking. Some can be booked online in advance, others can only be booked in person on the day, so you’ll need to factor this in to your planning.

Research each park before you visit

Do your research on each park’s website in advance – there’s a huge amount of information available online. This will help you plan your days to get the most out of each park.

And when you arrive at each park, stop by the visitor centre to pick up a map and talk to the rangers . They know the best time to visit each location for the perfect photos and which hikes to do to maximise the time you have.

Best time to visit Utah national parks

We visited in early June and found it to be a great time to visit the Utah Mighty 5 – just before school vacation so the crowds were not quite in full force, and the weather was warm and sunny, but not yet suffocatingly hot.

Spring and autumn/fall

These are the best seasons to visit the national parks in Utah – but also the most popular. Temperatures are milder, so hikes will be more manageable, but you’ll have to battle the crowds.

It goes without saying that summer is the hottest time to visit the national parks of Utah, with temperatures often creeping toward 100 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius). If you must visit during these months, plan your visit carefully and aim to hike either early in the morning or late in the afternoon. And always have plenty of water with you.

The winter months can bring temperatures below freezing at night – and snow . I’ve seen photos of some of the national parks during winter and it looks stunning with snow-dusted peaks and few crowds, but make sure to come with adequate winter clothing.

What to pack for a Utah national parks road trip

When you’re visiting the national parks in Utah, come prepared. Here are a few items I’d recommend packing, and I have a longer road trip packing list guide with more ideas:

• An America the Beautiful annual pass to save you tonnes of money!
• A cell phone mount is helpful for hands-free navigating. Remember to download maps as you’ll encounter areas without service.
• Bring a good backpack for all your gear, and a daypack for hiking.
• Use a water bladder to stay hydrated while tackling the hiking trails.
• Pack sturdy hiking boots . 
• Don’t forget plenty of  sunscreen ! It gets hot out here, and the sun can be brutal, even in winter.
• If you’re travelling in a campervan like we did or camping in Utah national parks, you may go several days without a shower (pee-yew!). Pack some body wipes to stay fresh.
• If you’re camping or in an RV, pack a power inverter to keep your electronics charged while you’re driving.
• Don’t forget a good first aid kit .
• Pick up a copy of the Lonely Planet guide to Southwest USA  or Lonely Planet’s national parks guidebook   so that you can learn more about Utah . 

For other items you’ll need to bring on this Utah national parks itinerary 7 days, check out this packing list for camping in the national parks .

Utah national park road trip: FAQSs

How many days do you need to see the national parks in utah.

You need at least a week to see all of the national parks in Utah. With 7 days, you can visit each of the state’s five national parks. This will give you 1-2 days at each of the national parks.

Can you see all 5 national parks in Utah?

The great thing about the Mighty 5 is that you can see all of them in a week. Follow my itinerary and you’ll be able to visit all 5 national parks in Utah in just 7 days.

How many national parks are there in Utah?

Utah has 5 national parks: Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park and Capitol Reef National Park.

Did you find this article helpful? Consider buying me a coffee as a way to say thanks!

Have you visited Utah? Which is your favourite national park? Let me know in the comments below.

Related posts

Before you go… you might like these USA road trips:

• New Mexico Road Trip Itinerary: Discover the Land of Enchantment
• Plan a Deep South Road Trip Itinerary: What to See, Do and Eat
• Mississippi Road Trip: 7 Fascinating Places to Visit in the Magnolia State
• 17 Fun Things to do in West Texas: An Unmissable West Texas Road Trip

USA TRIP ESSENTIALS

• Book flights to and around the USA online with Skyscanner . I like this site because it shows me which dates are cheaper.
• Find a great hotel in the USA. Check prices on Booking.com   and Expedia online.
• Check out the huge range of day tours throughout the USA on GetYourGuide or Viator . There’s something for everyone.
• A copy of the  Lonely Planet guide to the USA will be handy.
• One thing I always purchase is  travel insurance ! Travel Insurance Master allows you to compare across multiple policy providers, while SafetyWing is great for long-term travellers and digital nomads.

7 DAY ITINERARY UTAH NATIONAL PARKS: PIN IT FOR LATER

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About REBECCA

I'm a travel junkie who started dreaming about seeing the world from a very young age. I've visited more than 40 countries and have a Master of International Sustainable Tourism Management. A former expat, I've lived in Australia, Papua New Guinea, Argentina and the United States. I share travel resources, tips and stories based on my personal experiences, and my goal is to make travel planning just that bit easier.

17 thoughts on “Utah National Parks Road Trip Itinerary: How to Plan a 7-Day Trip to the Mighty 5 in 2024”

Hi Rebecca, I am looking to do a SLC to LV of the Mighty 5 plus GC, Horseshoe Bend, and Antelope Canyon in October. I have 15 days including fly days. Ideas on an itinerary? Thanks so much!

Hi Amy! You could do something like: Salt Lake City (spend a day there if you haven’t already visited), then Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Moab (for both Arches and Canyonlands National Parks), The Needles portion of Canyonlands, Monument Valley, Grand Canyon, Antelope Canyon, Zion, LV. Plan to spend 2 days at least in each of Bryce, GC and Zion, plus 3 days in Moab. That should stretch you out to two weeks without feeling rushed. I’m jealous you’ll have so much time exploring this beautiful part of the world!

Hi…I love this post but I am looking to do LV to LV including a brief visit at GC, Antelope and Horseshoe and then travel on to the Utah parks. I have 10 days including flying. Any ideas on an itinerary?

Hi Joan, how fun! The most efficient route, then, would be Las Vegas – Grand Canyon – Horseshoe Bend/Antelope Canyon – Arches NP/Canyonlands – Capitol Reef – Bryce Canyon – Zion NP – Las Vegas. You could easily do that in 10 days, with one day at each stop (or two days in places you really want to spend a bit more time in). Have fun!!

Dynamite photos, loved looking at them.

Thanks! It’s such a beautiful state, so fun to drive around.

Enjoyed reading this very much. Thanks! Since you did a fair amount of driving around where I’m planning to go, wondering if you had any info/advice to share about using an RV for this trip in the winter. Curious about accessibility with the roads, whether any of the segments between parks make driving difficult because of vehicle clearance, or whether the roads are not paved and may be difficult to traverse in a larger vehicle.

Hey Patrick! So excited that you’re heading this way – it’s a beautiful part of the world. We visited in early June and had no issues with the roads – and there were so many RVs out as well. In winter, I’d say it’d be much the same. The roads between all the parks are paved and well-maintained. Even within the parks the roads are really good so I wouldn’t think you’d have any issues. The only limitation I can see is if you want to get offroad at any time. For example, driving through Monument Valley was quite bumpy in our small campervan, and it might be tough in an RV (depending on how big it is) – check first whether they even allow RVs inside the monument. Happy travelling and let me know if you have any more questions!

Just got back from Zion, but I want to see them all!

What I loved about all the parks in Utah is just how close they were to each other – so it is possible to see several in just a few days!

Such incredible photos – Zion National Park looks like a different planet!! What an adventure – definintely one for the bucketlist!

Absolutely! Was such a great trip 🙂

Rebecca!! Seriously, I cannot thank you enough for opening my eyes to the world of camper vans! We leave in two weeks and last minute Chase wanted to camp (and we pretty much have no camp supplies, although it’s been on my list to get for this summer – to start small and camp close to home LOL, he was ready for a 3000 mile away camp trip), so it left us scrambling to figure out how to get a tent on a plane, oh and then buying a tent, and yadda! We already reserved a rental car, but believe we are returning it and going with the camper van. This post made me even more excited!

Thank you again! <3

Oh I’m so glad I saw your post and commented. It really does make life easier – you don’t have to lug a whole lot of stuff on to a plane, and buy stuff that you might not use again. It will be a bit cold while you’re there, too, so sleeping inside a van will make it a little warmer. Have so much fun – can’t wait to see your pics!!

This post reminds me of your adventure to see Mt Fitz Roy in Patagonia for you took some really great shots at both places! Weather plays an important role in making an outdoor adventure pleasant or not, and you seem to always know when to go. I have to say your photos of those national parks in Utah are some of the best I’ve ever stumbled upon! Btw, in that photo of you and other hikers wading through the icy water at the start of The Narrows, it’s not easy to spot which one your husband is. That bird of paradise reminds me of the days when you were still living in PNG. 🙂

Bama, you always leave the nicest comments!! This really brightened up my day when I first read it and I was in a slump about blogging in general. Thank you! And the fact that you noticed the bird of paradise tattoo! 🙂

Wow Rebecca this is a wonderful blog. I have really enjoyed reading it and will read the others. Elly just told me about it. Glad she did as it gives me an heads up on how you and Matt spend your rec time. Great stuff.

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Bucket-List Utah National Parks Road Trip Itinerary

February 6, 2024 //  by  Follow Me Away //   18 Comments

Are you trying to plan the best Utah road trip possible? I am here to help!

I have done road trips in Utah both as a kid and an adult and absolutely love this state! With five epic national parks and otherworldly landscapes, Utah is a nature lover’s dream come true.

My Utah itinerary is unique since it is full of tips from someone who has spent months road-tripping the state and slow traveling through Utah’s Mighty 5.

A Utah national parks road trip includes Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon, and Zion. I highly suggest purchasing a National Park Pass beforehand to save money on entrance fees.

Along with the national parks, this itinerary for Utah will feature other beautiful nature spots!

For this Utah road trip itinerary, I am not going to specify an amount of time so you can make the drive as time allows for your schedule.

Don’t forget to check out my detailed road trip packing list so you don’t forget any essentials!

Now, let’s look at my top Utah road trip ideas!

Utah Road Trip Map

Some of us are more visual and that is okay! I’ve created this Utah national parks road trip map so you can see where everything is located across the state.

As you can see, once you drive away from Salt Lake City, everything is only within 30-120 minutes of each other. This means more time to enjoy everything on your Utah road trip and fewer hours in the car!

Click Here For The Utah Road Trip Map

Stop 1: Begin Your Utah Road Trip In Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City is the largest city in Utah and the most accessible to fly into to begin your Utah road trip. Both affordable international and domestic flights fly into this city.

I recommend checking out Skyscanner to find the best and most affordable flights. I use this tool to discover the best flights because you can easily compare rates.

When you fly into SLC, consider buying a one-way ticket. Depending on how you structure your Utah road trip, you may want to fly into Salt Lake City and fly out of Las Vegas.

This itinerary will end at Zion National Park so I recommend flying out of Las Vegas which is closer.

If you choose to follow this itinerary exactly, all you have to do is decide if you want to drive 2.5 hours to Las Vegas or 4.5 hours to Salt Lake City.

Compare prices on flights out of both cities so you can find a deal that is best for you!

Best Hotels In Salt Lake City:

• Affordable: Holiday Inn Express Downtown . Check Rates: Booking.com
• Mid-Range: Hilton Garden Inn . Check Rates: Booking.com

Stop 2: Moab, Arches, and Canyonlands National Parks

I have so many memories surrounding Moab from growing up traveling around that area! It is a truly fantastic little city and a family favorite. It has only gotten better over the past few decades.

Moab is around a 4-hour drive from Salt Lake City. It is a bit of a drive but that is okay! This is hands down the best place to start your Utah road trip!

I recommend spending 2 to 3 days in Moab if you have the chance. Utilize Moab as a home base to explore the nearby Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park.

These are two of the best national parks in all of the United States and you will NOT be disappointed. They are family-friendly with many things to do and will transport you to an otherworldly landscape.

The Moab area is one of the best stops on your Southwest USA road trip itinerary!

Best Hotels In Moab:

• Affordable: Moab Valley Inn . Check Rates: Booking.com
• Mid-Range: Holiday Inn Moab. Check Rates: Booking.com
• Family Fun: SpringHill Suites by Marriott Moab . Check Rates: Booking.com

Visiting Arches National Park

Arches National Park is the ultimate way to begin your Utah road trip. Arches is just outside of Moab and is ideal for your first national park of the trip.

The arches are beyond incredible and visiting will not disappoint!

I would like to caution you to please be careful and NEVER carve your name into the arches or take rocks. Please think of the future and REFRAIN from harming this beautiful nature in any way!

There is one road in and out of Arches National Park and it is 18 miles long. This means you can easily see Arches in one day on your Utah Road trip.

That being said, if you can spend more than one day here, I highly recommend it. It is very close to Moab so you can always come back if you missed something! This region is one of the best places in Utah !

Best Hikes In Arches National Park

If you can only do one thing at Arches National Park, I suggest hiking to Delicate Arch . This outstanding rock formation is the icon of the park. You will see photos and imagery of it all over the place.

This Utah hike is family-friendly and is around 3 miles round trip. If you are hiking during the heat of the day, make sure to wear sun protection and take plenty of water!

Delicate Arch is something I remember from growing up and now is your chance to make family memories too!

I also highly recommend the Windows Hike . It is shorter than the Delicate Arch hike and will get you up close and personal with many arches.

This hike is short, easy, and very rewarding. It is a 1.2-mile loop trail and the most popular in the park.

Another favorite is Double Arch which is a really short and fun trail! The trail to Double Arch is an easy 0.5-mile, well-maintained loop. It is accessible from the parking lot of the Windows Hike.

Finally, you must pay a visit to  Landscape Arch as it is the longest natural arch in the entire world! It spans a whopping 306 feet long!

You can reach Landscape Arch from the Devil’s Garden Loop Trail. It is on an easy, maintained part of the trail so don’t go past Landscape Arch unless you want to embark on a harder 7-mile hike.

Visiting Canyonlands National Park

While I love the Grand Canyon, Canyonlands National Park is just so incredibly special! The canyon formations are beyond insane and will blow your mind.

Canyonlands National Park is located 36 minutes away from Moab so it is a tad bit further than Arches but the drive is worth it!

Canyonlands is divided into four distinct sections. These include the Green and Colorado Rivers, the Maze, the Needles, and the Island in the Sky districts.

Having a basic understanding of how Canyonlands National Park is laid out will help you see the “big picture” when planning your Utah road trip.

Best Canyonlands Scenic Drives

If you aren’t the hiking type, don’t worry! Canyonlands is home to some wonderful scenic drives!

Island in the Sky  offers some amazing Utah road trip sightseeing by car. The overlooks and pull-outs along this 34-mile scenic drive are not to be missed!

It is perched 1000 feet above the canyon floor and offers breathtaking, memorable views! If you want to drive this route, plan for at least an hour.

If you want to hike some short trails and picnic, plan longer! This is the perfect thing to do if you don’t want to do a lot of hiking!

Another great scenic drive in Canyonlands is  the Needles.  It begins at the Canyonlands Visitor Center and is 6.5 miles long. It concludes at the Big Spring Canyon Overlook.

As with Island in the Sky, there are multiple pullouts and picnic spots along the way. It is also the way to access several of the more popular Canyonlands hikes.

It is important to note that Island in the Sky and the Needles are about two hours apart from each other. Keep this in mind when planning how much time to spend in Moab on your Utah national parks trip.

Best Hikes In Canyonlands National Park:

If you can only do one thing during your Utah road trip in Canyonlands, make sure you hike to Mesa Arch . It is located in the Island in the Sky district.

It is an easy 0.6-mile round-trip trail and is perfect for families. If you are a photographer looking for some fantastic sunrise or sunset photos, make sure to prioritize Mesa Arch!

The arch is located on the rim of the Plateau so you will have some incredibly stunning viewpoints.

Another one of our favorite easier hikes is the Cave Spring Hike. This hike is located in the Needles district. It is an easy 0.6-mile loop and provides some incredible views.

You will see prehistoric rock art, a cowboy camp, and more. The trail is easy, but you have to climb two short, wooden ladders.

If you are looking for some of the best canyon views, the Aztec Butte Trail is the perfect trail for you. It is an easy 2-mile loop trail and provides outstanding views of the surrounding canyons once you arrive!

The hike will end at Butte Summit which is where you can see these fantastic views. This hike is located in the Island in the Sky area of Canyonlands.

Stop 3: Goblin Valley State Park

Goblin Valley State Park is one of the lesser-known stops on this Utah road trip itinerary. It is located roughly 1 hour and 45 minutes away from Moab.

The landscape will make you feel like you have entered another planet. The formations create small structures that look like goblins, hence the name!

Goblin Valley State Park is home to the incredibly unique valley itself as well as some easier hikes, a disc golf course, and plenty of pullouts for viewing.

This state park can be a day stop along your Utah itinerary or you can choose to spend the night. If you want to stay here, you will have to camp as the only hotel options are around 45 minutes away.

This stop can also be done as a day trip from Moab if you want to wake up early and drive. Using Moab as your home base is an easy possibility.

If you could choose one thing to do here, I recommend the easy Three Sisters Hike.  It brings you to the most iconic “goblin” formation in the entire park.

Most people view Three Sisters from the road, but if you pull off, there are small trails that go up to it.

You can also see down into the Carmel Canyon Drainage System 100 feet below from this hike too so it is two for the price of one hike!

The beauty of Goblin Valley State Park is that you can drive around and explore at will. It is a beautiful and unique stop to add to your Utah road trip itinerary and you won’t want to miss it.

Best Hotels Near Goblin Valley:

• Cute Cabin: Duke’s Slickrock Cabins . Check Rates: Hotels.com
• Mid-Range: Pet-Friendly Cabins in Hanksville Utah . Check Rates: Booking.com

Stop 4: Capitol Reef National Park

When my family visited Capitol Reef National Park a few times in the early 2000s it was the “weird” thing to do and a strange national park to visit.

Now, Capitol Reef is all over Instagram and social media, and for a good reason! It is pretty neat to see a remote national park surge into the limelight in the past 20 years!

Although it has become more popular lately, it is still off the main tourist trail when compared to places like Arches and Zion. I suggest checking it out if you want to complete your Utah Mighty 5 road trip.

This national park is defined by the “Waterpocket Fold” which is essentially a 100-mile warp in the Earth’s crust. This is an incredible and unique feature!

There are various things to do in Capitol Reef National Park on your road trip in Utah. You can choose to hike, explore by car, pick fruit like apples, or go on a tour. There is truly an option for everyone!

Best Hotels At Capitol Reef National Park:

• Affordable: Days Inn Capitol Reef . Check Rates: Booking.com
• Affordable: Capitol Reef Resort . Check Rates: Booking.com

Best Capitol Reef Hikes

One thing I remember from childhood is the Capitol Gorge Trail . This trail is incredible and the views are breathtaking. You will have to exit the main road and then turn onto a dirt road to get here.

On this trail, you’ll walk along a dried-up river bed through a massive gorge. The rock walls tower on either side and it really makes you feel small among nature.

If you want to see yet another arch,  Hickman Bridge  is one of the more popular hikes in Capitol Reef.

It is a moderate hike with an elevation gain of 400 feet, but it is still easy for families or amateurs to complete. It is a 1.8-mile hike round trip. Once you reach Hickman Bridge, you will love the views!

If you want to walk on an arch without going hiking in Sedona , I recommend Cassidy Arch Hike. This is one of the hikes in Utah where you can walk on top of the arch itself, instead of just walking under it!

Of course, this is a very unique feature and it makes the hike worth it. It is 1.7 miles each way and there is a 700-foot elevation gain.

The gain comes from the fact that you have to climb up on top of the rocks to walk across the arch. It is totally worth it and still an easy-to-moderate hike with some incredible payoff at the end!

Stop 5: Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument

Another awesome memory from my childhood and teen years? Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument!

It is only 1 hour away from Capitol Reef yet many people don’t even know about it or decide to skip it on their Utah road trip. I am here to tell you that is a huge mistake!

First off, the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument covers an absolutely HUGE expanse of land. You could take a week just to explore this area alone.

I will narrow it down to the best things to see. For example, did you know you can see slot canyons in Utah? You don’t have to go to Arizona to see these incredible features!

Want more arches? Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument is at your service there too!

I really can’t recommend this national monument enough if you are looking to get off the main tourist trail during your Utah road trip. You are going to love it!

Best Hotels In Grand Staircase Escalante:

• Affordable: The Inn At Escalante . Check Rates: Booking.com
• Unique: Escalante Yurts . Check Rates: Booking.com

Best Hikes In Grand Staircase-Escalante 

If you want to visit slot canyons in Utah , the Zebra Canyon Hike is the place to be! It is an easy 5.3 miles round trip and takes around 3 to 4 hours to complete.

There is another slot called Tunnel Slot that you can continue on to if you want but then the hike will take around 5 to 6 hours.

Zebra Canyon is epic enough as it is! This hike is in the northern part of the national monument so it is easy to reach on your Utah road trip.

There are two more slot canyons you can visit! Peek-a-boo and Spooky Gulches are just 3.5 miles round trip, perfect if you are looking for a shorter hike.

These slot canyons are near Zebra Canyon so you can easily do them both in a day. This is one of the more surreal hikes in Grand Staircase!

If you are a serious hiker and plan to trek or camp during your Utah road trip, this next hike is for you.

Coyote Gulch Hike is around 12 miles round trip and generally takes between 8 to 12 hours depending on how fast you walk and how many times you stop. You will see some stunning and remote scenery.

It is entirely possible to hike this trail in a single day, as long as you start early and pay attention to the weather.

Stop 6: Bryce Canyon National Park

Bryce Canyon National Park is still one of the most incredible landscapes I have EVER visited in my entire life. You are going to agree! Do NOT skip Bryce Canyon. It will not let you down!

Hoodoos are rock formations formed by erosion. In Bryce Canyon, they are formed by winter frost eating away at the rock.

The rocks are weathered and eroded to create the incredible formations known as hoodoos. They are tall and thin and unique to arid areas such as the desert. They are fantastic to behold!

One of the best parts about seeing Bryce on your Utah road trip is that many areas are accessible by car. You can drive throughout the whole park and see stunning views!

If you have accessibility challenges, this is a wonderful Utah national park to visit as you can still experience a lot of what it offers because you don’t have to hike to see many things!

Bryce Canyon is one of the most popular stops on this itinerary for Utah’s national parks. You can park your car and take the shuttle if you want.

If you go during the off-season, you can find parking more easily. If you are completing this Utah road trip during the summer or high season, I recommend taking advantage of the shuttle.

Best Hotels Near Bryce Canyon:

• Affordable: Bryce Canyon Pines . Check Rates: Booking.com
• Luxury: Best Western PLUS Bryce Canyon Grand Hotel . Check Rates: Booking.com

Best Hikes In Bryce Canyon 

Possibly the most famous hike in Bryce Canyon is the Navajo Loop/Queens Garden Trail . This takes you down into the canyon so you can walk among the hoodoos.

There is one switchback area of this trail called ‘Wall Street.” I highly recommend walking DOWN this section. You get a better view and the experience is just better overall.

Most people don’t know this and do the opposite. This is the premier hike in Bryce, so do it while you are here! It is a 2.5-mile heavily trafficked loop trail and it is popular for a good reason!

If the park is busy and you want to do something fun, I love the Mossy Cave Waterfall hike. You must leave the park a tiny bit, but you get to see a waterfall and a sleeping bear cave.

This is a slightly different landscape than you are used to seeing in Utah so it is something fun and different to do. It is an easy, 1-mile trail.

I also recommend Bryce’s Rim Trail. It is 0.5 miles to 5.5 miles one way and is located above Bryce Canyon. It connects all the scenic overlooks from Fairyland to Bryce Point.

If you do NOT want to hike, many of these viewpoints are accessible by car too!

If you want an accessible trail, there is a 0.5-mile section of trail between Sunrise Point and Sunset Point that is wheelchair accessible.

I love the Rim Trail because you can choose to do as much or as little hiking as you want without missing out on epic views!

Stop 7: Zion National Park

Zion National Park is easily the most famous and popular stop on this Utah Mighty 5 itinerary and for a good reason!

Often, you cannot drive in Zion unless you are staying in the campground. There is a shuttle that will take you in and out of the park. This is very important to know.

Many people do not know about the shuttle until they arrive and are in for a surprise. If you know about the shuttle, you can be prepared for your experience.

March through November, access to the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive is by free shuttle bus only. Private vehicles are allowed to access the Scenic Drive only when the shuttle system is not in operation.

If you are visiting in say, January, you will be allowed and able to drive your vehicle. This is one reason why I love doing a trip to Utah national parks in winter! Zion National Park in winter is a great time to visit.

The thing I love about Zion National Park is that it blends the red rocks with greenery! This is a sight for sore eyes after days of being in the desert.

There are very many cool things to see and do here during your trip to Utah.

While you end your road trip with Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park, they are some of the highlights of the vacation.

Best Hotels Near Zion National Park:

• Affordable: Zion Park Motel . Check Rates: Booking.com
• Mid-Range: Zion Mountain Ranch . Check Rates: Booking.com

Best Hikes In Zion National Park

One of the most memorable hikes from my childhood is the Narrows Hike . It is very long and involved, but you can choose to just do the beginning portion of it which is what I did as a kid.

It is about 16 miles round trip and you must walk through the river and even swim at some points!

If you aren’t doing the whole 16-mile hike, you can go to the beginning and have fun walking through the water in the canyon for as long as you want. This is what I did and it was such a wonderful experience!

If you want to do the most popular hike in Zion, that is the Angels Landing Hike . People do this with kids quite often, but it is strenuous and around 5 miles long.

This takes you to the peak of Zion National Park and the views are beyond incredible! If you do one hike during your Utah road trip, choose this one! I recommend budgeting around 3 to 5 hours.

The Canyon Overlook Trail is another great option. This is only a 1-mile trail and provides stunning views. It is easy and you can access it to see some of the best views in the park.

Since it is so short and easy, it makes a great beginner hike for all ages when visiting Southern Utah’s national parks. This is the perfect introductory hike to do when you arrive in Zion!

Stop 8: Valley Of Fire And Fly Out Of Las Vegas

Once you finish in Zion, I suggest flying out of Las Vegas, Nevada, since it is just over a two-hour drive from the park.

As I mentioned in the beginning, though, you can also fly out of Salt Lake City which is 4.5 hours away from Zion. Choose whichever fits your needs or budget best.

If you choose to go to Las Vegas, I highly recommend stopping by Valley of Fire State Park on the way. I absolutely love this park’s landscapes and photography opportunities.

The deep red rocks and gorgeous scenery make the park one of the best things to do in Nevada!

How Long To Spend On This Utah National Parks Road Trip

You should take as much time as you can for this Utah trip itinerary since there is so much to see and do. I understand, though, that not everyone has the chance to take over a week off for a vacation.

When planning a trip to Utah, I suggest a minimum of 7 to 10 days to see everything on this itinerary without rushing. With more time, you can also easily fly roundtrip from Salt Lake City.

If you have less time, you can cut out anywhere you have been before or that does not strike your fancy. I recommend focusing on the five national parks and saving the other spots for next time.

Best Time To Visit Utah National Parks

You can do a national parks road trip in Utah at any time of the year, but each season does have its pros and cons.

Personally, I love to road trip Utah in winter! This is when I did my last Utah parks road trip and it was great! It can be cold, but the white snow adds a beautiful contrast to the red rocks.

I think national parks are best during the off-season. Winter means fewer crowds and cheaper accommodations and car rentals. Camping is easier with less competition at campgrounds.

Plus, in winter you do not have to deal with the shuttle in Zion and can drive through the park on your own.

Summer in Utah is hot and the national parks are crowded with families and other tourists. Spring and fall are shoulder seasons with the best weather for hiking in Utah national parks.

No matter when you road trip through Utah, you will love the amazing landscapes and the chance to make memories with family and friends.

I hope you have a fantastic time visiting national parks in Utah!

I am happy to answer any questions you may have about planning your Utah Big 5 itinerary in the comments below!

Please let me know how you got on and if you went to any of the places I suggested in this itinerary for Utah national parks!

Next, check out more of the best Southwest road trip itineraries .

Reader Interactions

October 1, 2019 at 11:56 pm

Many thx for all ur tips

it was perfect

best regards,

October 8, 2019 at 7:19 pm

I live in SLC and have only visited Zion NP and Goblin Valley. I am going to steal your list! Except I’ll just take I-15 home at the end instead of heading to Vegas.

October 9, 2019 at 2:46 pm

Yessss have fun!!!!!! Def head back home!

April 23, 2021 at 1:07 pm

This is an amazing itinerary. Based on the road conditions do I need a special vehicle (4WD) in order to do this route? Are the roads paved or gravel? Can this be done with a standard sedan?

June 3, 2020 at 2:58 pm

We have never been to Utah. Family of 4. I’m planning our whole trip based off of this. Thank you!

November 10, 2020 at 8:38 am

My wife and I just completed a 2 week trip through Big 5 Utah National Park and it was spectacular! We followed your itinerary and continued on to The Grand Canyon after a 2 night so over in Las Vegas. We turned 2020 into a trip of a lifetime!

November 10, 2020 at 1:51 pm

Thank you for sharing!!!! I am so glad you had an amazing time despite 2020!!!

February 2, 2021 at 11:06 pm

This looks amazing, and so helpful. Do you know how this would be traveling with a dog? I have heard that taking dogs hiking in National Parks can be very restrictive. Thanks in advance!

February 7, 2021 at 4:27 pm

Depends on the park! I just got back from Utah! Arches allows and Zion doesn’t allow! So weird! You just have to look!

March 9, 2021 at 5:49 pm

Soooo I have an adventurous husband that would like to do some ATVing. We are following your itinerary. Any spot along the way you could suggest to rent some equipment and have some fun?

March 29, 2021 at 10:49 pm

I love this itinerary. Would you be so kind to let me know how many nights and in which location(s) you recommend booking if I were to follow all of your stops? Would it just be Moab and Zion area for the hotels / accommodations or would you suggest another location as well in between, etc. Thanks again.

March 29, 2021 at 11:03 pm

Oh goodness! how many nights is up to you and how much time you have off!! If you want to do capitol reef, I would stay in that area too for sure! It is a long drive! I would do 3-4 in Moab and 2-3 in Zion at minimum, depending on the length of time you have!

April 30, 2021 at 10:24 am

HI- My husband and I had been talking about such a trip- he had some 1200 mile trip planned but I want to do more than just drive. This came up on my pinterest feed and I am SOOOOOO excited (we really enjoy hiking). I think we are looking at 2 weeks. We are thinking September – would that be a good time?

April 30, 2021 at 2:17 pm

Yes!!! September will be a great time to go!!! Enjoy!!!!

March 3, 2021 at 1:15 pm

is all this doable in 7 days?

March 3, 2021 at 1:56 pm

Yes it is doable, but we recommend a bit longer! With 7 days we recommend arches and canyonlands, bryce and zion! That way you can do what you want without rushing too much!!

March 14, 2021 at 11:53 pm

This is great! We are heading out on Thursday and using your itinerary for our first 10 day family trip to Utah with our teenagers. Sooo excited!

March 15, 2021 at 2:06 pm

It is so fun!!!

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How to Plan an Incredible Utah National Parks Road Trip

If you’re here, that means you’re probably in the early-ish stages of planning an Utah National Parks road trip. We have good news – you’re in the right place! In the guide below, you’ll find pretty much everything you need to plan a bucket list-worthy trip to all five of Utah’s National Parks.

We’ll begin with some important logistics, like where to start and end your Utah national parks itinerary and how many days to spend in Utah, and then get into the best stops, things to do and see, sunrise and sunset spots, hikes, places to stay, and more. 

Over the last three years, we’ve been to 18 national parks. And multiple Utah national parks make it into our top five list of America’s national parks (though we haven’t visited them all…yet).

We’ve now been twice in the past few years – fall and spring – and have updated the guide below with some of our latest discoveries. 

We absolutely love Utah, and think you will too. I, Matt, have been to Utah four or five times at this point, including two trips in the past few years. The diversity of landscapes in southern Utah – which is home to the “Mighty Five” national parks – is pretty mind boggling. 

You’ll find natural arches in, well, Arches National Park. Unique rock formations called hoodoos in Bryce Canyon. The vast and surprisingly lush canyon in Zion National Park. And there’s so much more – it would take a lifetime of exploring to see everything that Utah has to offer. 

If those incredible landscapes sound like something you want to experience, you’re in the right place. In this Utah national parks road trip itinerary, we’re going to cover – in detail – how to plan an amazing road trip through Utah. 

We love Utah, and think you will too. 

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post, like hotel links, are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, we make a little bit of money if you click through and book. That being said, we would never recommend something to you that we don’t stand behind 100%.

How Many Days Do You Need for a Utah National Parks Road Trip?

We think that you need a full 10 days to do the complete Mighty Five circuit . Less time means a lot of driving and not a lot of time dedicated to each park. With 7 days, you’d essentially only have one day for each. Which we don’t think is enough time. 

Some parks have more to see than others and are worth spending two to three days in to have the best experience.  

We’ve written this guide for someone with 10 days , which I think is the perfect amount of time to see all five national parks in Utah, and have an extra day to spend on the other things that make Utah special.

What if You Only Have 5-7 Days in Utah?

If you have a week or less in Utah, we’d strongly urge you to focus on EITHER Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon, OR Arches, Canyonlands, and Capitol Reef. 

When you include driving time, which totals around 10 hours or so over the course of the itinerary, 5-7 days BARELY gives you a day in each park if you were to do all five. 

Focusing your time on only a few of them will give you a little more time in each park, rather than spending less than one day in each. The key benefit of this approach is that you’ll be able to spend more time in the early morning and late afternoon, which is when the crowds are thinnest at these parks. 

Where to Start and End Your Utah Road Trip Itinerary

There are two options for getting to Utah – driving in from nearby, or flying in, renting a car, and driving. 

The two best starting points for this road trip are Las Vegas and Salt Lake City . Denver is a distant third. It’s still doable, but involves more driving.

If you don’t live nearby, like in Salt Lake City or Denver, you’ll need to fly to one of the gateways to Utah, rent a car, and drive to your first destination. 

The two easiest airports to fly into would be Salt Lake City and Las Vegas . 

From Salt Lake City, it’s going to take around four hours to drive to the start and end points on this road trip itinerary (Zion and Moab). 

From Las Vegas, it’s going to be just two and a half hours to Zion, but six and a half hours to Moab. 

The best way to do this road trip if you want to avoid long days of driving is to fly into Salt Lake City and out of Las Vegas , which is how we’ve organized the itinerary below. 

You could absolutely do it the other way around, but doing it this direction front loads the longer drive from Salt Lake City to Moab, versus having to do that drive at the end of your trip when your enthusiasm is waning and you only have your return flight to look forward to. 

You can also fly in and out of the same airport, it’ll just involve a few hours of extra driving on one end of the trip. 

Important Note : You need to check with the rental car company to make sure that it’s okay to pick up in one spot and drop off in another. You might have to pay a one way fee, but we think it’s worth it to avoid wasting a day of your vacation driving. See below in the rental car section to see what the tradeoff is between picking up / returning to the same place, and doing a one way rental.

You could fly into Denver and out of Vegas if you wanted to add on a few days exploring Colorado. It’s going to be five and a half hours of driving between Denver and Moab, but there’s plenty of things to do and see along the way. 

Good to Know : Book the earliest flight you can into Salt Lake City, and the latest flight out of Las Vegas to give yourself as much time as possible to explore. 

Tips for Your Road Trip Through Utah

Before we get to the full itinerary, a few general tips about planning a road trip through Utah. 

National Park Entrance Fees

It costs $30 per vehicle to enter each national park (good for 7 days), and you can either pay online in advance (be aware that you must print it out and bring it with you), or at one of the park’s visitor centers. 

If you are planning on visiting three or more national parks in the next 12 months, we’d highly recommend an America the Beautiful Pass , which covers entry to all national parks, national forest trailheads, national monuments, and more for 12 months. 

It costs $80, which means it pays off with three national park visits (or some combination of national parks, forests, and monuments). 

On this trip, you’re going to be visiting several national parks, which means it’s probably worth buying an America the Beautiful Pass before your trip. 

Crowds in the Utah National Parks

If you’re visiting the Utah national parks in the summer (or a weekend in the spring or fall), you’re going to experience crowds. 

There are a couple of things we’d say about crowds and how to avoid them as much as possible. 

First, get an early start, and plan on staying out late . Peak time is from about 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, which makes the hours from 7:00 am to 10:00 am and 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm some of the best times to be out and about in the park. Plus, the rising/setting sun means the light will be better for pictures!

If You Want to Camp, Book Your Site Well in Advance

Camping inside the national parks is super competitive . For reservable sites, people book months and months in advance, and when there are first-come-first-served sites, they are snatched up immediately in peak season. 

The good news? There are tons of camping options outside of the parks that are affordable and accessible, and you’ll find some recommendations in the where to stay section for each park.

This is a Good Route to Test Out Van Life

If you’re not into sleeping in a tent, consider an RV or Campervan rental . It’s a good way to save money on accommodations by staying at campgrounds or RV Parks instead of hotels. For what it’s worth, we did this entire trip living in a Honda Odyssey. 

Think of it as a middle ground between camping and staying in hotels and vacation rentals. 

Escape Campervans is a good choice, and they have options for the exact route (Salt Lake City to Vegas) that the itinerary below has you on.

Book Your Accommodations Well in Advance

If you’re planning on staying in hotels and lodges, book several months in advance between May and October . That’s peak season, and things fill up FAST. 

Even outside of those months, you’ll still find that some places are full a few months in advance. You’ll find some hotel recommendations in each section to help you find the best place to base yourself to make the most of your time in each park. 

The Perfect 10 Day Utah National Parks Road Trip Itinerary

Now, on to the itinerary itself! 

Below, you’ll find a detailed day-by-day itinerary for a 10 day Utah national parks road trip based on our personal experience over the course of multiple trips. We’ll give you our favorite stops, the best hikes, places to stay, and more. 

Grab a cup of coffee and strap in – this is a long one, but it has literally everything we could think of to help you plan an amazing adventure.

Here’s an overview of that road trip, plus a map to help you visualize the route.

Here is the 10 day Utah national parks road trip itinerary that you’ll find – in detail – below: 

• Day 1 : Arrive in Salt Lake City, Drive to Moab
• Day 2 : Arches National Park
• Day 3 : Canyonlands National Park (Island in the Sky)
• Day 4 : Around Moab + Drive to Capitol Reef
• Day 5 : Capitol Reef National Park + Drive to Bryce
• Day 6 : Bryce Canyon National Park
• Day 7 : Bryce Canyon National Park + Drive to Zion National Park
• Day 8 : Zion National Park
• Day 9 : Zion National Park
• Day 10 : Zion National Park + Fly Home from Vegas

If you have a full two weeks in Utah , you’ll be able to get a little bit off the beaten path, exploring places like Kolob Canyons in Zion National Park and the Needles District in Canyonlands National Park that most visitors never even realize exist.

Below the full itinerary, you’ll find our suggestions for extending the 10 day trip. 

With 7 days , rather than trying to fit in the entire Mighty Five Circuit, we’d opt for spending 7 days exploring EITHER Zion, Bryce, and Capitol Reef OR Arches, Canyonlands, and Capitol Reef.

Days 1 & 2: Arches National Park

On your first day, you’ll spend most of the day in transit between Salt Lake City and Moab, which is the jumping off point for this itinerary. 

We spent five full days in Moab , and loved just about every minute of it – minus the hour-long wait to get into Arches National Park to check into our campsite. A good reminder to make sure to enter the parks early (before 9:00 am at the latest!) to avoid long lines and crowds. 

We didn’t realize it before arriving, but there are an astounding number of things to do in Moab .

Between exploring the two national parks that are a stone’s throw away – Arches and Canyonlands – to hikes outside the parks, and more adventurous activities like whitewater rafting and 4WD-ing, there’s plenty to keep you busy even if you had a full week JUST in Moab.

What to Do in Arches National Park

Here are our favorite things to do in Arches National Park. 

Sunset at Delicate Arch

On your first day, you’ll be driving from the airport and you’re probably going to be arriving mid-afternoon depending on what time your flight was (try and get the earliest flight possible!). 

Check into your accommodations for the next few days and head up to Arches National Park for that sweet, sweet golden hour light and sunset at Delicate Arch . 

It’s a 3 mile hike (round trip) that was a little harder than we thought it would be, but that didn’t stop literally a hundred people – ages 5 to 65 – from doing it.

It will probably be crowded if you’re there anytime between April and the end of October, but it’s worth it. You’ll climb up a section of rock, so you’ll want to wear your hiking shoes with plenty of grip. 

There’s one short section of the trail right before you get to the arch that’s narrow with a steep drop off, so keep an eye on your kids. 

If you do that hike at sunset, make sure to bring a headlamp for the way down. It gets dark FAST, and the last thing you want is to be hiking down the slab of rock in the dark. 

The Windows and Double Arch

Start your day off your second day with an early morning at the Windows and Double Arch, which are quite possibly our favorite set of arches in the park. And they’re so close together that you can easily see all of them (there’s four arches here in total) in about an hour or so. 

The Windows are two huge rock formations that are on the southeast side of the parking lot. There’s a nice trail that connects the North and South windows, along with nearby Turret Arch.

Make sure to walk through the North Arch and look back through the window to get a nicely framed picture of Turret Arch. 

Double Arch is on the opposite side of the parking lot, and it’s the tallest arch in the park. There are two separate (huge) arches that you’ll be looking up at.

You can climb around inside the arch and marvel at the two arches sharing the same base structure. It’s about a quarter of a mile from the parking lot on a flat, sandy trail. 

Hike the Devils Garden Trail

The Devils Garden Trail is a must-do hike in Arches National Park . The best part about this hike? You can customize it based on your experience and fitness level. 

If you do the entire loop, including the fun primitive trail on the way back, it’s going to be just under seven miles, with 1,000 feet of elevation gain. Along the way, you’ll see seven different arches, and you’ll do some light scrambling and trail finding on the primitive trail, which we thought was a lot of fun. 

You’ll want solid hiking shoes or hiking boots (Alysha loves her Columbia Newton Ridge boots , an excellent first hiking boot) with good traction for the scrambling sections, which have you making some steep climbs on rock that necessitate good footing. It’s nothing too crazy though if you’re an experienced hiker. 

If you’re not up for 7 miles in the desert, do the 2 mile hike to Landscape Arch or the 4 mile (ish) hike to Landscape, Navajo, and Partition Arches , which takes you a bit further than most of the hikers go. 

Whatever you choose, it’s going to be hot. Drink plenty of water, eat plenty of snacks, and wear sun protection. Sun exposure is no joke, particularly in the summer. 

Broken Arch and Skyline Arch

Stop for a quick picnic lunch near the Devils Garden trail (there’s a picnic area just south of the campground and trailhead), then do the short hikes out to Broken Arch and Skyline Arch. 

You can park in Devils Garden Campground ( here ) to start the hike out to Broken Arch . 

It’s a cool hike, which is why it’s on this list duh, and you’ll pass through a couple of cool canyons on the way back from Broken Arch. It’s about 1.8 miles round trip, and is basically flat. This is a good sunset hike too if you’re staying at Devils Garden Campground since you can leave from camp without driving anywhere. 

Skyline Arch is also worth seeing. You get there via a pull off just south of the campground, and it’s a short, easy hike out there. 

Where to Stay in Moab near Arches National Park (and Canyonlands)

You’re going to stay in Moab for the first three nights of this itinerary. You should try to stay in one place for all three nights UNLESS you’re camping, in which case we’d try to find a site in Arches for the first night. 

Pssst ! Make sure to read our guide to the best places to stay in Moab to find the perfect home base for exploring this incredible area.

Hotels in Moab

We were planning on staying in a hotel in Moab for a night to shower and take a break from the weeks of sleeping in our van, but later decided to stay at a campground for an extra night instead. 

There were exactly three places on our list of hotels that we wanted to stay in. 

• The first is Moab Springs Ranch , which has a range of rooms from bungalows to more lodge-style rooms, and has a great coffee shop onsite (Horsethief Coffee). Unfortunately, they were sold out for our dates (book early, people!), but we would have chosen to stay there given the opportunity.
• The second, which is a place we booked then later canceled, is the Expedition Lodge . It’s in a great location along the main drag in Moab, and it looks nice. It’s motel style, which was what we were looking for during the summer of 2020, and it has some nice retro touches like the mint green mini fridges in the rooms. They also have some unique room configurations, like two queen bunk beds, which are nice for a traveling family (nobody likes sleeping on the cot on a hotel room floor). Oh, and there’s a pool, which is always a bonus.
• The last option was Moab Under Canvas , which is less a hotel, more glamping, but still fits here. This is your chance to stay under the stars while still maintaining some semblance of the comforts of a hotel. It looks incredible.

Camping In and Around Moab

If you’re looking to camp, you’ve actually got a fair number of options both inside Arches and Canyonlands, and just outside the national parks. 

• Inside Arches, there’s only one campground – Devils Garden . It’s reservable in advance ( learn more here ), and it’s a really nice campground. We stayed there for three nights, and it’s a great base for exploring Arches for a couple of reasons. First, it’s at the trailhead for Devils Garden, so you can get an early start to beat the crowds and heat (staying outside the park means a 45 minute drive to the trailhead). Second, being inside the park means you’ll avoid the crazy lines at the entrance to the park. We waited an hour to get in one day because we had to leave the park to get ice for our cooler.
• Inside Canyonlands , you have only one option in the Island in the Sky District (which is the part of the park you want) – Willow Flat Campground . It’s first-come-first-served, and only has 12 sites. Unless you show up early AND get lucky, you’re probably out of luck. You could also camp at Dead Horse Point State Park , which is close to the entrance of Canyonlands, and is worth a visit in its own right, particularly for a spectacular sunset over the canyons. 

Outside the park, there are a surprising number of campgrounds on BLM land that are all first-come-first-served. There are two major areas where you’ll find them. 

• The first group are along Highway 128 northeast of Moab on the Colorado River, and they are competitive and you’ll need to show up relatively early for the first few campgrounds. They’re in an incredible location along the river and deep inside a gorgeous red rock canyon. Goose Island, Grandstaff, and Big Bend are the nicest based on our drive through the canyon.
• The other area is along Highway 279 northwest of Moab – check out Gold Bar Campground , which is near the trailhead for Corona Arch. 

Day 3: Canyonlands National Park

On your third day in Moab, head out to Canyonlands National Park , which is a very different experience than Arches. 

While Arches is about feeling small standing under the towering rock formations littered around the park, Canyonlands is about feeling miniscule while looking out over the deep fissures in the earth created over thousands (millions?) of years of tectonic plate action. 

There are three sections of Canyonlands: Island in the Sky (closest to Moab, most accessible), the Needles District, and the Maze (technically I think there’s a fourth called the Rivers, but I’m not quite sure about that one).

With just one day, you should focus on Island in the Sky , which is the most accessible part of the park coming from Moab. However, if you have more time, a trip down to the Needles District is worth your time. 

What Not to Miss in Canyonlands National Park

Here are some that we enjoyed in the Island in the Sky part of Canyonlands National Park. 

Early Morning at Mesa Arch

Start your morning at Mesa Arch just after sunrise. It’s a really short hike out to a low arch, through which you get a nice glimpse of the vastness of Canyonlands. 

Why just after sunrise, you ask? Because at sunrise, there will be hundreds – yes, hundreds – of photographers vying for the best position to take that picture-perfect shot of the natural bridge with the sunstar on the bottom. I bet you’ve seen it before – it looks like this: 

I took that around sunrise at Mesa Arch, where we’d arrived an hour before sunrise and still didn’t get a spot. Instead of jostling for position, we took a seat on a rock overlooking the arch and watched the sun rise, then I ventured down when the crowds started to thin. 

Here’s the behind the scenes view of the sea of photographers that you don’t see in the pictures on Instagram. 

The point is that going after sunrise is a much more pleasant experience. 

Hiking in Canyonlands

After experiencing Mesa Arch, head out on a hike in Canyonlands’ Island in the Sky District. 

Here are three options for various levels of hiking experience and fitness. If you’re up for it, you could totally do a couple of the shorter ones together as part of a little circuit along Canyonlands’ main thoroughfare. 

Aztec Butte (1.7 miles / 250 ft. elevation gain): This is a cool hike that has two distinct parts that form a “Y” shape. First, take the right fork to climb to a nice viewpoint over Canyonlands. Then on the way back, take the left fork and check out the ancestral Puebloan structures, which are pretty cool. DON’T TOUCH THE STRUCTURES – leave them be. 

White Rim Overlook (2 miles / 200 ft. elevation gain): A short and sweet hike to an incredible overlook that really illustrates the scale of Canyonlands. It’s a short, well-marked hike out to a little “peninsula” (for lack of a better word – there’s no water, but it’s a peninsula shaped part of the canyon rim). Follow the rock piles, known as cairns. 

The Gooseberry Trail (5 miles / 1,500 ft. elevation gain): This hike is no joke. You basically climb straight down the wall of the canyon to get to the lower plateau, which takes you to a nice overlook of the canyon forged by the mighty Colorado River. Just remember, the first part of the hike is a descent…which means what goes down must come back up. Try to get an early start so that you’re not out there in the heat of the day. 

Grand View Point Overlook

Next, head out to Grand View Point , which is another short stroll along the rim of the canyon that we DEFINITELY think you should do, no matter what. It’s mostly flat, with a little bit of up and down, but the end viewpoint is going to be well worth the small effort to get there. 

The Scenic Drive

Grand View Point is at the end of the road, which means you can make the drive back towards the visitor center a scenic drive by stopping at all the viewpoints along the way. 

The first stop, if you didn’t already tackle it, is the White Rim Overlook . We loved this short hike, and it’s worth mentioning again. 

Make sure to also stop at the Buck Canyon Overlook and, our favorite viewpoint on the drive, the Shafer Canyon Overlook , which has amazing views of the canyon, and of the steep switchbacks of Shafer Canyon Road, which descend from the rim down to the plateau via tight switchbacks that I would be too terrified to drive myself. 

It’s also worth venturing out on the road that leads to Upheaval Dome, aptly named Upheaval Dome Road . 

The turnoff is a little ways south of Shafer Canyon Overlook. Willow Flat Campground, the main campground in this part of Canyonlands, is out there, but stay on Upheaval Dome Road to get to Upheaval Dome, Whale Rock, and Aztec Butte – three great short hikes just off the road. 

Day 4: Exploring Around Moab

Spend the morning and afternoon around Moab, exploring what we think are two of the best hikes in the area – neither of which are inside a national park – and then make your way over to Capitol Reef National Park. 

Things Not to Miss Around Moab

Here are some things we really enjoyed near Moab (that aren’t within national park boundaries).

Corona Arch

We did the hike out to Corona Arch at sunrise, and sat on a rock watching the light creep down, illuminating the arch about an hour after sunrise. Because of the rock walls here, we actually think the best time to be here is just after sunrise. 

It’s only 2.5 miles long (round trip), but there are some sections of scrambling along slickrock, and a ladder that you have to climb. As long as you’re prepared with sturdy footwear, you should be fine, but you should know what you’re getting into before you leave the parking lot. 

The arch itself is enormous, and is one of the more impressive arches we saw in Moab, including the ones in Arches (Delicate Arch and Double Arch might be the only two ahead of it). 

The trailhead is along highway 279, just a twenty minute drive northwest of Moab.  

Just down the road from Corona Arch is another amazing hike that most people probably skip since it’s not inside one of the nearby national parks – and that’s Jeep Arch .

You’ll park in the small dirt parking lot along the road. We were there mid-morning after our hike to Corona Arch, and we were only the second car in the parking area. 

This hike is a bit longer at 3.6 miles (1,000 ft. of elevation gain), and it is COMPLETELY exposed. No shade to speak of, except right at the base of the arch. 

You’ll start by hiking up through the water pipe, which we didn’t realize on our way out and ended up hiking up to the railroad tracks, crossing the tracks, and then scrambling down the other side. Only to look through the other end of the pipe and say “ah, that’s the way you’re supposed to go.”

From there, you’ll follow a trail that is somewhat well marked by cairns across the rocky landscape, surrounded by the towering red rock walls of the canyon. It’s a loop, and after doing it both directions, we really don’t think it makes a huge difference which direction you go. 

We will say that the arch will sneak up on you. We were very worried that we were going the wrong way because the map showed the arch just ahead of us, and we couldn’t quite see it yet.

It’s carved into the towering canyon wall, and if you squint, it looks a little bit like a jeep, hence the name (Matt’s not convinced). 

Sunset at Dead Horse Point State Park

After a day of exploring Moab, head out to nearby Dead Horse Point State Park for sunset. Dead Horse Point is on the way back to Moab, which makes it a perfect last stop of the day before retiring to your hotel or campground for the night. 

You’ll need to pay the entrance fee, since it is a Utah State Park and is not covered by your America the Beautiful Pass. It’s $20 a vehicle as of 2021 – double check the up-to-date fees here . 

If you’re up for it and have some extra time before sunset, it’s worth doing one of the short hikes along the west rim. Our pick would be to park at the main parking lot and hike out to the Rim Overlook, and back along the rim to the parking lot, with a short detour to the Shafer Canyon and Meander overlooks along the way.

It’s about 2.5 miles there and back, and it’s flat. 

After that, pick your spot, plop down, and watch the sunset over the canyon. 

Day 5: Capitol Reef National Park

Be honest – before you started researching for this trip, had you ever heard of Capitol Reef National Park?

We hadn’t either. 

But I understand why. Sandwiched between Arches and Canyonlands to the east, and Bryce and Zion to the west, it is the runt of the litter. Not that it isn’t a great stop and well worth your time, it’s just that the rest of the national parks in Utah are spectacular. 

The most unique part of Capitol Reef in my book is the amount of green you’ll see. Coming from Moab, it’s pretty surprising to drive around a corner with red rocks towering above you and see… an orchard? Several orchards, actually.

And you can freely walk through them and eat the fruit in the late summer too! You have to pay if you want to take it to eat later though. 

What Not to Miss in Capitol Reef National Park

Here are some things not to miss in Capitol Reef National Park. 

Capitol Reef Scenic Drive

Stop at the visitor center to grab a map and a hiking guide, then it’s time to tackle the 10 mile scenic drive out to Capitol Gorge . 

Take your time on the drive – it’s a gorgeous road through the red rock formations that are Capitol Reef’s specialty. 

Eventually, you’ll arrive at the end of the paved road, where there’s a small parking lot and picnic area. If you continue on the dirt road, you’ll end up at the trailhead for Capitol Gorge , which is the beginning of a short one mile stroll through the towering canyon along the original path into the Fruita Valley. 

Be careful with weather in the summer – afternoon thunderstorms and rain showers can cause flash floods, and you definitely don’t want to be stuck in the gorge during a flash flood. 

Head back the way you came, making a right onto the dirt road that will take you to the Grand Wash Trailhead. 

Cassidy Arch

Head to the Grand Wash trailhead, which includes a short drive on a well-maintained dirt road, to hike to Cassidy Arch . 

In high season, you might have to wait a few minutes to get a parking space, since the lot is small and the dirt road makes it hard if not impossible to park on the side of the road. The wait will be worth it – you’ll climb the wall of the valley to an arch that you can actually walk on! 

It’s a steep climb up some stairs for the first bit of the trail, but it mellows out as you wind between the cairns (those are the little rock piles that mark a lot of the trails) up to the arch.

It’s a pretty stunning hike, as you’ll get views of the surrounding valley and beyond as you make the ascent. All in all, it’s a three mile hike with 660 feet of elevation gain. 

You should know that it will be hot in the afternoon, so bring tons of water, snacks, sunscreen, and a hat for sun protection. 

Hike Hickman Bridge + Rim Overlook Trail

We really enjoyed the hike to Hickman Bridge , which is another natural bridge (which is similar to an arch, but slightly different). It’s a short one mile hike up, and it’s another spot where the trail actually takes you up and through the arch, which is pretty cool. 

From the Hickman Bridge, it’s another 2 miles to the Rim Overlook , which is an incredible hike that takes you to a high point on the canyon walls and looks over the entire valley. It was one of our favorite spots not only in Capitol Reef, but on our entire Utah road trip. Well worth the effort. 

All-in, if you go all the way up to the Rim Overlook, it’s going to be between 5 and 6 miles, with a moderate elevation gain of about 1,000 feet. 

Fruita and the Barn

Post-hike, head to Fruita and hit the Gifford House for a fresh baked fruit pie as a reward for finishing the morning hike. They don’t have gluten free options, so we ended up skipping the actual pies, but the historic Gifford House is worth a stop regardless. 

It’s a good representation of the original Mormon Settlement in Fruita Valley, though it has definitely been updated and renovated since it was built in 1908. Grab a mini pie and take it out to the picnic area outside. 

Don’t miss walking up the road towards the campsite to get a picture of the Fruita Barn with the red rocks in the background – I love the contrast between the dry red rock canyon, and the lush field (with horses, if you’re lucky) where the barn stands. Super unique. 

Sunset Point for… Sunset

A little over an hour before sunset, head out to Sunset Point / the Goosenecks for the second most breathtaking panorama in the park (don’t worry, you’ll tackle the best viewpoint tomorrow morning). 

The Goosenecks are an okay view of the river winding through the valley below, and they’re basically at the parking lot. 

But the star of the show is Sunset Point , which has a view across the Fruita Valley with all sorts of interesting terrain as far as the eye can see.

It’s spectacular about a half hour before sunset, when the golden light brings out all the different colors in the surrounding landscape, particularly the red in the canyon walls. Here are a few pictures for you from our trip, if you’re not convinced. 

Where to Stay at Capitol Reef National Park

There are really not many options near Capitol Reef – you can either camp inside the park, or stay in the nearby town of Torrey, Utah. 

Camping in Capitol Reef

The best option, by far, is Fruita Campground , which is the only place to stay inside the park that you can reserve in advance. It’s a super nice campground, set in between red rocks and orchards.

We were discussing whether it was the nicest campground we’d stayed in on our four month road trip, and it’s definitely in the top five. Check availability here .

You could also stay at Cathedral Valley Campground , which is near the Temple of the Sun and Temple of the Moon, but it’s a journey to get there and it’s super remote with no amenities.

That being said, it’s free, so there’s that. Make sure you have a 4WD, high clearance vehicle or you’re going to have a bad time.

Hotels near Capitol Reef

You’ll have to head to nearby Torrey to find a place to stay that isn’t camping. It’s only about a 15 minute drive to the park entrance, so it’s a perfect stopover before heading onwards to your next stop, Bryce Canyon National Park.

As far as hotels and resorts go, the leaders of the pack are Capitol Reef Resort – which is also the closest place to stay near the park (and their two bedroom cottages have a kitchen) – and Red Sands Hotel .

Vacation Rentals near Capitol Reef

If you want a vacation rental with more space and access to a kitchen, there are a couple of good options around Torrey . 

For couples, we like this cozy house .  

For families and groups who need a bit more space, look at this modern two bedroom flat .

Days 6 & 7: Bryce Canyon National Park

We spent two and a half days in Bryce Canyon, and I didn’t quite realize just how compact this national park is. Unlike places like Yellowstone and Yosemite, where you can literally drive for hours and still not leave the park, there’s essentially one 19 mile road that makes up the entirety of Bryce Canyon National Park. 

Bryce Canyon really isn’t that big, so we think that a day and a half is enough to see the highlights.

For that reason, if you’re time constrained and only have ten days, I’d only spend one day in Bryce Canyon National Park , plus a portion of the next morning before driving to Zion.

If you’ve got more than 10 days, this is the first place I’d add time (an extra day would be perfect). 

One thing you should know for Bryce that I didn’t know before my trip: the best light for photos is in the morning . 

In the afternoon, the sun is on the opposite side of the canyon from most of the interesting stuff, which leads to long shadows that really mess with your pictures because of the extremes of light and dark in the photo. 

In the morning, the sun lights up the hoodoos and other formations, making them that much more spectacular.

The Best Things to Do in Bryce Canyon National Park

Here are five things not to miss in Bryce Canyon National Park. 

Sunrise at … Sunrise Point

Start your time in Bryce Canyon with sunrise at Sunrise Point . This is a popular spot, so get there early. 

You’ll have views of the hoodoos to your right, which is the direction you want to be facing, and the horizon on the left, which is where the sun will come up.

Again, it bears repeating, make sure to watch the rising sun light up the hoodoos – most people will be looking at the horizon to watch the sunrise, which would be a mistake!

As the sun comes up, it brings out all the different hues of the hoodoos, making for some spectacular photos.

Sunset Point and Thor’s Hammer

Next, walk along the rim to Sunset Point , which is another good viewpoint to see the hoodoos from a slightly different angle.

Hike down a little ways to get a good view of Thor’s Hammer , a unique rock formation that looks like the Marvel hero’s signature hammer.

Hike the “Figure 8” Loop

After you’ve taken ALL the photos, you should embark on our favorite hike in Bryce Canyon – the Queen’s Garden / Navajo / Peek-a-boo Loop, which we’ll call the “Figure 8” loop because it sounds cooler and is less of a mouthful. 

It’s a six mile hike with 1,500 feet of elevation gain. You’ll start at Sunset Point and end along the rim near Sunrise Point. 

Make sure you’re fueled up with coffee and breakfast before heading out. To really take in the beauty and scale of Bryce Canyon, you HAVE to get below the rim. This hike takes you through canyons, between hoodoos, and to viewpoints with sweeping views of the magnificence of this park. 

You’ll start by descending Wall Street – a set of (very photogenic) steep switchbacks that take you down, down, down into the canyon. Try to get started early, because this spot gets very, very congested. 

You’ll wander through the canyon for a bit before you reach a junction – veer right to tackle the peek-a-boo loop, ending back at the exact point you veered right. From there, you’ll climb back up to the rim of the canyon via the Queens Garden trail, which is not an easy hike, especially if it’s hot, but it’s totally doable for most people. 

After the hike, take a break from being in the sun and eat some lunch to refuel, either a picnic lunch, or at the Bryce Canyon Lodge are your best options. 

The Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive

One thing you definitely shouldn’t miss in Bryce Canyon is the scenic drive along the 19-mile road that runs from one end of the park to the other. It’s a good afternoon activity, and it will only take you about an hour or so. 

Make sure to check out Natural Bridge and Bryce Point , our two favorite stops, and stop at any viewpoints along the way that catch your eye.

You’ll want to start this drive at least two hours before sunset, before the sun drops behind the canyon wall and takes all the color out of the hoodoos for the night.

Where to Stay Near Bryce Canyon National Park

There’s exactly one place to stay in the park (plus two campgrounds – scroll down to read about those) – the Bryce Canyon Lodge . The location is great, but it’s going to be expensive and it’s a little dated. That being said, it’s a solid choice if you want to stay in the park and aren’t on board for camping. 

Staying Outside the Park

If you’re looking for more options, you’ll need to look outside the park to the towns of Bryce and Tropic . 

The best place to stay to be close to the park is in the town of Bryce . It’s as close as it gets to the entrance of the park, and you’ve got a few options. Unfortunately, the selection isn’t great. 

The Best Western Plus Canyon Grand is, by far, the best place to stay. I know what you’re thinking – “really Matt? Best Western? That doesn’t seem like you.” I hear you, believe me. I had the same reaction. But this is a NICE Best Western.  

Tropic, Utah is another place you could stay, and it’s about 15-20 minutes outside the park entrance, which means it’s about 30 minutes from Sunrise Point, which is where you’ll start the next morning. Generally, Tropic is going to be the cheaper option between the two, but also the less convenient option. 

Camping in and Around Bryce Canyon

There are two campgrounds inside the park. 

Sunset Campground is the bigger of the two campgrounds inside the park. You’ll need to book well in advance, or be prepared to check the availability daily for a cancellation, which is how we ended up getting a spot for a night.

The location is great, right across from Sunset Point, which will mean you can walk over and skip dealing with the parking nightmare that is that parking lot in the morning. Oh yeah, and the bathrooms are heated, which I’ve never encountered before at a campground. 

North Campground is basically right on the rim of the amphitheater, which also means that you will be able to leave the car at camp and walk to the two best hikes in the Bryce Canyon National Park (more on that in a second). There are 99 sites, and for 2023 (May through October) you’ll need to reserve in advance. 

The best option for camping (and RV sites) outside the park is Ruby’s RV Park and Campground , which is where we stayed for the rest of our time in Bryce Canyon because we couldn’t get a reservation in the park. 

Days 8 – 10: Zion National Park

Zion is the park I’ve spent the most time in on road trips growing up, and finally we made it back in the spring to marvel at both the canyon itself, and the ingenuity that went into constructing the Mt. Carmel – Zion tunnel, and the trail up to Angels Landing. 

Both were built during the Great Depression by the Civilian Conservation Corps , and are amazing feats of engineering, especially when you consider they were made almost a century ago. 

Zion is one of the best national parks in the country, let alone Utah, so you’re ending your trip on a high note. 

There’s tons to do and see, and two days in Zion is not nearly enough time to see all there is to see, but you can get a great taste of the park that will leave you hungry to return and spend more time exploring the canyons, rivers, and hanging gardens that make Zion a special place.

The best thing to do in Zion National Park, by far, is hiking. And there are two iconic hikes in the park that you should tackle – one on each day. 

They are the Narrows and Angels Landing – you’ll do Angels Landing on Day 1, then the equally-iconic Narrows of the Virgin River on Day 2. In between, there are some great shorter hikes to tackle. 

A note here for RVs and trailers: if your vehicle is higher than 11’ 4” or wider than 7’ 10”, you’ll have to pay a $15 “escort fee” to pass through the Zion-Mt Carmel tunnel (which you’ll have to do to get into the park from the east) which basically means that a ranger will stop traffic in the tunnel and make it one-way so that you can pass through to avoid accidents. More information can be found here .

The Best Things to Do in Zion National Park

Here are some of our favorite things to do in Zion National Park. 

Hike Angels Landing

Get an early start on your first day in Zion to make your way out to Angels Landing (shuttle stop is the Grotto ). It is, along with the Narrows, one of the best and most unique hikes in Utah if not the entire western United States.

It’s only 5.4 miles long, but it’s a steady climb of over 1,500 feet, which is going to feel like A LOT at this elevation and temperature. Seriously, the trail starts flat for about a quarter of a mile, but then it starts climbing steadily for the rest of the hike up to Angels Landing. 

You need to pack plenty of water (more than two liters per person), sunscreen, and a hat. If you’re afraid of heights, the tail end of this hike is going to test your willpower. You’ll need to do some scrambling and climbing with the help of chains, but the sweeping views at the top will make it all worth it. 

However, you should know that we stopped before the serious part of the chains started. There are essentially two sections of chains – one that traverses the side of a ridge, and another that makes the ascent to the summit. We did the first section, and turned around before the second section. 

It had rained the day before, which created a fine sand that coated every rock surface on the hike. We weren’t super comfortable with our footing as we were traversing the first set of chains, and the unbearable crowds didn’t help with the anxiety. Know that it is perfectly okay to stop and turn around if you’re not feeling comfortable. We did, and we regret absolutely nothing. 

I mean it when I say to start early. It gets hot in Zion, and the last thing you want is to be stuck at one of the sections with chains waiting for a slow group to go up or down while you, quite literally, roast in the desert sun. 

It’s going to take you most of the morning and part of the afternoon to do this hike. Afterwards, head to the Zion Lodge to eat lunch – either a pre-packed picnic, or a meal at the lodge’s cafe – and relax before tackling some other short hikes in the afternoon. 

Note : in 2023, you need an advance reservation to hike to Angels Landing. It’s meant to control crowds, which we experienced and literally said to each other on the way down “they should really permit this hike.”

Sunset at the Watchman

This was one of our favorite hikes in Zion, though we did it at sunrise, when the light wasn’t at its best thanks to the towering rock wall behind you that blocks the sun from lighting up the Watchman. 

That’s why we have it here, at sunset instead.

It leaves from the visitor center, and climbs pretty gently to a mesa that is directly across the valley from the Watchman, one of the most famous rock formations in the park. It’s a good spot to pack a picnic and a couple of beers after a long day of exploring. 

Hike The Narrows

Today, hop on the shuttle early and head up the canyon to the Temple of Sinawava stop to do the ten mile hike (roundtrip) to the Narrows. 

This hike is through a canyon and river, which means it is CRUCIAL that you check with the rangers about conditions and flash flood warnings before you start the hike . In the spring, heavy water flow from snow runoff might mean that this trail is closed. 

Seriously, flash floods in canyons are no joke. Stop by the visitors center to make sure you’re good to go. 

Don’t let that scare you – the hike through the Narrows is the #1 Zion experience that I think you should have on your trip.

The hike follows the Riverside Walk for the first bit, then continues on when that trail ends. You’ll pass through narrow canyons, deal with knee-high water, and do some bouldering en route to Big Springs, where the hike ends and you’ll turn around to head back the way you came.

It’s going to take you five to six hours, maybe more. To make it as smooth as possible, bring plenty of water, tons of snacks, proper footwear (not flip flops – either hiking sandals like Chacos , or real hiking shoes), a dry bag , and a pair of trekking poles for stability.

After that, recharge for a second and catch your breath. Maybe take a nap. It has been a whirlwind of a couple of days!

East Zion Scenic Drive

The eastern side of Zion National Park is one of the more unique landscapes in the country. Checkerboard Mesa, in particular, is pretty impressive. It’s a huge, textured cone-like formation that has checkerboard textures all over its surface.

The drive through the eastern side of the park, from the East Entrance to the tunnel, is spectacular. You should do it in the late afternoon if you can, so that you’re well-positioned to do the Canyon Overlook Trail at sunset. 

The Canyon Overlook Trail

Parking for this one is a bit of a pain due to all the people vying for a very limited number of spots. You’ll need to park along the road and walk to the trailhead. 

The hike itself is short, but a little steep, and takes you up to a spectacular view out over the canyon. Below, you’ll see the road switchbacking its way up to the tunnel, and the iconic, impressive rock formations of Zion Canyon across the valley below. 

Last light on the canyon from the setting sun is amazing, and it’s worth hanging out up here for a bit until after sunset. 

Where to Stay near Zion National Park

Unlike a place like Capitol Reef, where it’s hard to find a place to stay that’s close to the park, Zion has some great options nearby in Springdale, Utah . 

Whether you’re looking for a campground or you want a comfortable hotel, there are plenty of great places to stay near Zion.  

Inside the park, your options are splurging on a lodge room or private cabin at the iconic Zion Lodge , or snagging a campground at either Watchman Campground (we stayed here and it’s great) or South Campground .

Both are walkable to the visitor center, which is where you’ll need to catch the shuttle if you’re here between March and November. 

In Springdale , which is immediately outside the entrance to the park, you’ve got a wide range of options, from budget to bougie. Here are some picks based on what you’re looking for. 

• On a budget : I have stayed at the Holiday Inn Express , and it’s nicer than most Holiday Inns, and there’s a shuttle that will take you to the park entrance right outside the front door. The Best Western is another option, and it’s slightly closer to the park  entrance.
• Mid-Range : I love the cottages at the Red Rock Inn Cottages , and that’s where we would have stayed if we weren’t camping. Flanigan’s Inn is an eco-friendly hotel with nice rooms, a beautiful property, and a great onsite restaurant. The Desert Pearl Inn is a good choice if you need a kitchen (and the rooms all have nice patios overlooking the pool).
• Best of the Best : The Cable Mountain Lodge is the best place to stay near Zion thanks to its location RIGHT OUTSIDE the park entrance. It’s a nice boutique hotel, so it’s not the cheapest, but it’s worth every penny for the location alone. In the same complex, there’s a small grocery store, a coffee shop, a brewery, and an outfitter that rents bikes and gear for the Narrows if you need it. 

You could also stay in a vacation rental in Springdale , which there are plenty of. That’ll give you more space to spread out and relax, which is particularly helpful if you’re traveling with a group. Nobody wants to cram four people in a small hotel room with two queen beds. 

For a once-in-a-lifetime glamping experience, stay at Zion Under Canvas . It’s a little further out – 45 minutes from the South Entrance – but it’ll make up for the distant location with the superb facilities.

They have a range of options – from simple “safari tents” that are basically a bed with a shared bathroom (they’re single-occupancy and nice, though) to “Stargazer” (private bathroom and deck!) and Suites. Some even come with a separate kids tent – perfect for families.

Psst ! We have a whole guide dedicated to helping you find the perfect place to stay at Zion National Park – you can read it here . 

What to Do with More Time in Utah

Here are three things to add to your Utah itinerary if you are lucky enough to have some extra time. 

Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument

Time required : 1 full day

Before heading to Bryce, it’s well worth a stop in Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument , home of some of the best slot canyons in Utah that don’t require a permit lottery to access.

The best way to do it is to tackle one or two of the hikes (if you’re ambitious) on the way to Bryce Canyon, staying overnight either in nearby Boulder, Utah, or completing the hikes and heading into Bryce at the end of the day. 

There are at least three hikes that are worth your time in this area, and which ones you choose basically depends on your ability to navigate a long dirt road with some questionable spots for passenger vehicles and your willingness to navigate tight spots in slot canyons. 

The road to get to the trailhead for Peek-a-Boo and Spooky Canyons is a 26-mile long dirt road called “Hole-in-the-Rock Road”. It’s passable in a passenger vehicle, but you’ll need to take it slow and it’s going to take you about an hour. I’d recommend a 4WD, high clearance vehicle to get to the second two hikes on the list. 

We skipped them all because Homer, our Honda Odyssey, was sick of unpaved roads after some misadventures in the Pacific Northwest. 

Here are those three hikes, with a short description of each. 

• Lower Calf Creek Falls (6 miles roundtrip): This is right along Scenic Byway 12, which means you don’t have to survive a dirt road to get to the trailhead. It’s a lovely hike through a surprisingly green canyon to a 126 foot waterfall, Lower Calf Creek Falls, which is in a grotto-like setting. Bring a swimsuit on a warm summer day to take a dip in the pool underneath the falls.
• Zebra Slot Canyon : This trail is not always accessible, since the entry point fills with water after storms. But if it hasn’t rained in a while, it’s a worthy five mile trip. I haven’t personally done it, but I’ve seen plenty of pictures on Instagram of the wave-like textures in the Zebra slot.
• Peek-a-Boo and Spooky Slot Canyons : This hike includes a 15 foot climb on rock walls, and a 20 foot descent with assistance from a rope, along with some very tight spots (12-18 inches wide) through a slot canyon. We didn’t make it here because the 26 mile long dirt road scared us and our minivan off, but I’ve heard from family members and friends who have done it that it’s amazing. The reward is two of the best slot canyons in Utah, which means it’s a busy trail. Be careful in slot canyons if there’s an incoming rainstorm – flash flooding is no joke.

If you’re looking for an awesome overnight backpacking trip, look no further than the 11.5 mile journey to Coyote Gulch . It has quite a bit of elevation gain, which makes it a little much for a day hike. But the destination is pretty epic. Permit information here . 

If you’re not up for the 26 mile drive on a dirt road, do the hike to Lower Calf Creek Falls on the drive from Capitol Reef, then head to Bryce Canyon National Park that night. 

Add a Detour into Arizona

Time required : 3-4 days

If you’ve got two weeks and you’re looking for a great addition to your Utah road trip adventure, a mini Arizona road trip would be a great option. 

Zion is just two hours away from Page, Arizona, which is home to two amazing natural wonders – Horseshoe Bend (you’ve probably seen it on Instagram) and Antelope Canyon . 

Horseshoe Bend is a giant picture-perfect bend in the Colorado River that makes for an amazing sunset location, while Antelope Canyon is one of the most picturesque slot canyons in the Southwest, but is only accessible by guided tour (check out this company , which is Navajo-owned). 

On the way to Page, make a stop at Paria Canyon to hike to Buckskin Gulch. The Wave is also here, in Vermillion Cliffs National Monument, but you’ll need to apply in advance to get a permit to hike it. More information here .

After Page, continue on to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, and spend two days at the Grand Canyon in constant awe over the natural beauty and scale on display. Make sure to drive Desert View Road at sunset , hike the South Kaibab Trail , and catch sunset at Hopi Point along Hermit Road while you’re there.

From the Grand Canyon, it’s a four hour drive west to Las Vegas. You’ll pass by Hoover Dam along the way, which is worth a stop for the sheer scale of the dam. 

Cedar Breaks National Monument

Sitting just north of Zion (an hour and a half drive) is Cedar Breaks National Monument. It’s even higher than Bryce Canyon at 10,000 feet above sea level, which means the ecosystem is very different from most of the places you’ve seen so far in Utah. It’s most similar to Bryce Canyon, with its orange-tinted rocks and ponderosa pine forests. 

It’s also shaped kind of like Bryce, forming an amphitheater, but unlike Bryce you can’t hike below the rim because it’s steep and dangerous. As a result, there aren’t a whole lot of long hikes here, so a half day is probably enough time. 

Similar to Bryce, morning is the best time to be here for the light since the sun sets behind the canyon and mid-afternoon it’s shrouded in darkness. While you’re there, make sure to hike both  the South Rim Trail and the Alpine Pond Trail . Both are short and relatively easy. 

How to Plan a Shorter Utah National Parks Itinerary

If you have less time in Utah, like we mentioned above, rather than trying to fit in the entire Mighty Five Circuit, we’d opt for spending 7 days exploring EITHER Zion and Bryce OR Arches, Canyonlands, and Capitol Reef.

The first itinerary might look something like this (you’ll want to fly in and out of Las Vegas for this one).  

• Day 1 : Arrive in Las Vegas, drive to Zion
• Day 2 : Zion National Park
• Day 3 : Zion National Park
• Day 4 : Bryce Canyon National Park
• Day 5 : Bryce Canyon National Park
• Day 6 : Day trip to Grand Staircase-Escalante (Calf Creek Falls)
• Day 7 : Drive Back to Las Vegas

If you’re more interested in spending your time in and around Moab (which is where you’ll find Arches and Canyonlands), here’s what it might look like. 

• Day 1 : Arrive in Salt Lake City / Moab
• Day 3 : Arches National Park
• Day 4 : Canyonlands National Park
• Day 5 : Around Moab
• Day 6 : Capitol Reef National Park
• Day 7 : Drive Back to Salt Lake City / Moab

The Best Time to Visit the Utah National Parks

In general, we think fall and spring are the most pleasant times to be in Utah (we were there in October and April, and it was lovely). 

Visiting in the Fall and Spring (March – May / September – October)

Fall and spring in southern Utah, which is where the national parks are, are fairly similar. We’ve been in both October and April over the past year, and both were very pleasant times to be there. However, the weather is certainly more unpredictable than the summer – it was 80 degrees and sunny one day, and then snowed the next day on our trip in April. 

On our road trip to the Mighty Five in the fall (October), we found temperatures in the 70’s and 80’s during the day, and between 50 and 60 degrees at night. This varies by park – Bryce Canyon is at 8,000 feet above sea level, and is much cooler than Arches and Canyonlands, for example. 

The parks are still busy, so you’ll need to reserve things early – it’s actually still considered high season.

Visiting in the Summer (June – August)

Summer is crowded and blazing hot. In the United States, a lot of families plan summer vacations because that’s when the kids are out of school. The result? Parks are packed, camping reservations are few and far between, and good luck getting a parking spot at the most popular trailheads in the park. 

Usually, the weather is the most predictable in the summer, where it’s often warmer and drier than other times of year. There’s also going to be afternoon thunderstorms, which are a phenomenon that we’ve run into multiple times in the southwest and in Colorado. 

Summer isn’t the best time to visit Utah’s Mighty Five national parks. You’ll find unbearable temperatures in the heat of the day, often reaching over 100 degrees, which basically means you can’t do much during the middle of the day. You’ll need to plan on being out early in the morning and late in the afternoon and drink plenty of water. 

That being said, I’ve been on two separate versions of a Utah road trip in the summer growing up, and I’m still here. It’s doable, but not preferable. 

Visiting in the Winter (November – February)

In the winter , the parks are basically empty, but it’s going to be freezing cold. You might even get a little bit of snow, which is a particularly beautiful way to see the Mighty Five in Utah. Pack a warm jacket (we basically wore this jacket every night on our road trip) and some long underwear and you’ll be fine. 

It’ll be in the 30’s and 40’s during the day, and drop below freezing at night. You might even get treated to a nice dusting of snow covering the parks, which is stunning. If you’re planning on visiting in the winter, I’d avoid camping (although we’ve camped in Yellowstone when it was below 20 degrees before) and plan on staying in hotels and vacation rentals along the way. 

The best part? You won’t have to brave the crowds – you’ll have the major sights virtually all to yourself. The worst part? Some roads and hikes might be closed due to snow and ice, so you might miss out on an experience or two. 

Matt is the founder and main writer behind Wheatless Wanderlust, which he started back in 2018 as a way to share his gluten free travel guides with his fellow Celiac travelers.

Since then, Matt and his wife Alysha have visited 18 national parks, spent three months in Europe and six weeks in Colombia, and have explored every corner of the Pacific Northwest, which is where Matt grew up.

He writes super detailed guides to the places they visit, bringing together personal experience and historical context to help YOU plan an amazing trip.

This has been by far the most imformative review I have ever had the pleasure of reading on any vacation. Awesome, Thank you so much for the detailed description and personal tips. This is helping us plan for our trip next summer, I’m taking some of your advice and hope for a great trip with out teenage boys. Thanks again

Hey Paul, thanks for the kind words! Glad you found it helpful – we plan (and pay for) all of our own trips, so we do our best to include all of those important tidbits that come from personal experience on a route. You’re going to have an amazing trip next summer. Cheers!

Hello Matt and Alysha – this site is amazing and full of info. My hubby and I and another couple are thinking of visiting Utah from Wisconsin. Our plan is to drive from home so no flying. We are all retired. If we visit in April are hotel/motel reservations still necessary? My thoughts are traveling ‘on the fly’ so to speak and when we are tired we stop and get a hotel room. Possible? Thanks.

Hey Pam! April is actually high season for the Utah parks, so yes you will probably want to reserve in advance. With the huge rise in number of visitors at national parks over the past couple of years, it’s really tough to do it “on the fly” these days between hotel reservations and park entrance permits (those haven’t quite hit the Utah parks yet, but I imagine they’re coming at some point!). Enjoy!

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The Ultimate 10-Day Utah Road Trip Itinerary | Best Utah National Parks Road Trip (2024)

• Last Updated: February 4, 2024

Plan the ultimate Utah road trip with our 10-day itinerary that will take you through all 5 Utah National Parks and leave you ready to return for another adventure!

There’s an inescapable allure to the open road, and nowhere does it beckon more enchantingly than the dusty trails and expansive landscapes of Utah’s five extraordinary National Parks, better known as the “Mighty Five.”

Welcome to an odyssey filled with towering red-rock monoliths, deep winding canyons, and the symphony of the winds dancing around ancient stone arches.

As you buckle up and hit the road, expect to be humbled by the grandeur of Arches, awed by the wild backcountry of Canyonlands, enamored by the lush woodland haven of Capitol Reef, entranced by the unique geological wonders of Bryce Canyon, and blown away by the raw magnificence of Zion.

Each park is a world unto itself, unique in its geological formations, yet united in their haunting beauty.

Get ready to wear yourself out hiking, enjoying the warm sun on your skin and the occasional rush of cool canyon breezes.

This is a journey of discovery, exploration, and most importantly, immense fun. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride – our Utah National Parks road trip starts now!

READ MORE: Check out our full guide to the best things to do in Salt Lake City !

Table of Contents

Beginning in Las Vegas

Beginning in salt lake city, how much time is needed to see the utah national parks, when is the best time of year to visit utah’s national parks, rving through the 5 utah national parks, book (everything) in advance, america the beautiful national park pass, pack in layers, start early, nearby hotels – springdale, rv campgrounds in zion national park, what to see and do in zion national park, if you have more time in zion national park, nearby hotels, rv campgrounds in bryce canyon national park, what to see and do in bryce canyon national park, if you have more time in bryce canyon national park, nearby hotels – torrey, rv campgrounds in capitol reef national park, what to see and do in capitol reef national park, if you have more time in capitol reef national park, nearby hotels – moab, rv campgrounds in arches national park, what to see and do in arches national park, if you have more time in arches national park, what to see and do in canyonlands national park, if you have more time in canyonlands national park, rv campgrounds in canyonlands national park, returning to salt lake city, returning to las vegas, continuing on your road trip, southern utah, central and northern utah, wrapping up your utah national parks itinerary, the ultimate utah national parks road trip.

Utah is an outdoor enthusiast’s dream. And whether you plan to stay for each of our recommended ten days or want to extend the road trip, know that you are in for one of the most hyper-scenic experiences in America.

We’ll cover all of the best places to visit and things to do in each of the 5 national parks.

But even the drive between national parks merits time of its own to enjoy the scenery along the way.

The Best Route Through the Utah National Parks

Although you can begin and end this Utah National Parks road trip on either end of our suggested itinerary, we recommend that you begin in Zion National Park and end at either Canyonlands National Park or Arches National Park, both located just outside of Moab.

To reach Zion National Park you can begin at either Las Vegas with all its crazy things to do, or Salt Lake City.

The best place to begin this epic Utah road trip is by starting in Las Vegas. This will give you the shortest distance to reach Zion National Park, at just over 2 hours of driving along Interstate 15.

Traveling from Las Vegas will also give you plenty of opportunities to take some side trips to amazing places like Lake Mead National Recreational Area, Valley of Fire State Park and the open country of Northern Arizona and Southern Utah where you could even add on a stop at the Grand Canyon National Park.

However, if you have your return trip planned out of Las Vegas, know that it will take nearly 8 hours to drive from Moab, where you’ll finish this itinerary at either Arches National Park or Canyonlands National Park, back to Las Vegas.

So if you have a roundtrip in and out of Las Vegas, you should consider adding a few extra days to this Utah road trip itinerary and consider stops at Monument Valley in Southern Utah and Grand Canyon National Park, Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon in Northern Arizona as you loop back toward Las Vegas.

Of course, if you are on a long road trip that extends beyond these few days in Utah’s national parks, then you can continue on from Moab into Colorado or carry on further north to explore the more remote and less-visited beauty of Northern Utah, such as Goblin Valley State Park and Dinosaur National Monument.

Have extra time in Las Vegas? Check out our top day trips from the city!

If you want to make a roundtrip road trip through Utah, consider beginning and ending your adventure in Salt Lake City.

Although you’ll have to backtrack south along Interstate 15 for around 4 hours, beginning in Salt Lake City will give you the chance to take your time visiting all the national parks while working your way back toward Salt Lake City.

Salt Lake City has a lot of great things to do in itself. So you could add a few days to this Utah road trip itinerary to spend in Salt Lake City itself.

But if you plan to make the most of this 10-day Utah national parks road trip then you’ll want to hit the road immediately upon arriving in Salt Lake City and head south to begin in Zion National Park.

Of course, you can also follow this road trip itinerary in reverse from Salt Lake City as it is approximately the same driving time from Salt Lake City to Moab, where you can begin your adventure at either Arches National Park or Canyonlands National Park.

Related: Consider heading north into Wyoming to spend time exploring Jackson Hole .

To truly immerse yourself in the grandeur of Utah’s five National Parks, it’s recommended to set aside at least 10-14 days for your road trip.

This timeframe gives you about two to three days in each park, allowing you to savor the park’s iconic spots and venture a bit off the beaten path.

Don’t forget to factor in drive time between parks, ranging from 1.5 to 3 hours, and occasional rest days. This leisurely pace gives you plenty of opportunities to not only appreciate the majestic scenery and diverse ecosystems, but also to try out various activities such as hiking, biking, or stargazing.

However, if you’re pressed for time and simply want to soak in the iconic sights, a minimum of 7-10 days can provide a taste of each park’s unique beauty. Allocate a day or two for each park, with a focus on hitting the main highlights.

While this doesn’t allow as much time for long hikes or exploring the more remote corners, you’ll still witness some of the most breathtaking landscapes the American Southwest has to offer.

We have built this road trip itinerary to span 10 days and consider this the barebones minimum to truly enjoy every scenic drive and all of the great hiking trails you will find along the way.

Ultimately, the best itinerary is the one that aligns with your interests, travel style, and the time you have available. Regardless of how much time you spend, a road trip through Utah’s National Parks is an unforgettable journey of discovery and awe.

It is no longer a secret that Utah houses extraordinary scenery all throughout it. As such, trying to time your road trip around the crowds will be a challenge even if you’re not interested in visiting national parks for more than a day or two.

The best time to visit Utah’s National Parks largely depends on what you’re looking for in your journey. If mild weather, fewer crowds, and a vibrant explosion of colors sound appealing, then spring (April to June) and fall (September to October) are your best bet.

In spring, the parks are painted with wildflowers, and the weather is usually comfortable for exploring. Similarly, in the fall, the parks showcase a dramatic play of autumn hues, and the daytime temperatures are perfect for hiking.

Summer (July to August) in Utah can be intensely hot, with temperatures often reaching over 100°F (38°C) in the daytime. Despite the heat, this is the busiest time at the parks due to the school holidays.

If you plan a summer visit, aim for early morning and late afternoon activities when temperatures are cooler, and be sure to stay hydrated. Summer also brings the advantage of longer daylight hours, giving you more time to explore.

Winter (November to March) presents a different kind of beauty in Utah’s National Parks. While some areas may be closed due to snow, the ones that remain open are truly enchanting, with dustings of snow adding a magical touch to the red rock landscapes. The parks are quiet and peaceful, and lodging can be much cheaper.

If you don’t mind the cold and are adequately prepared, winter can be a unique and serene time to experience Utah’s natural wonders. Whether you’re seeking the vibrant colors of spring, the quiet serenity of winter, or anything in between, Utah’s National Parks are a spectacular destination year-round.

Embarking on an RV journey through Utah’s five magnificent National Parks – Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Arches, and Canyonlands – is an experience like no other. It allows you to carry the comforts of home while you traverse through mesmerizing landscapes filled with soaring cliffs, fascinating rock formations, sweeping vistas, and brilliant night skies.

The versatility of RV travel offers an all-in-one transportation, dining, and accommodation solution, freeing you from the constraints of hotel check-in times, restaurant reservations, and packing or unpacking at each location.

But do remember that you will still need to book your campground reservations far in advance as this Utah national parks road trip is just as popular with RVers.

But there’s a unique freedom and flexibility that comes with RVing. Instead of rushing to make it to a hotel before nightfall, you can stay out late for stargazing, knowing your comfortable bed is just a few steps away. Early morning hikes become much more accessible when your starting point is in or near the park.

Moreover, an RV’s kitchen facilities mean you have the option to cook your meals, catering to dietary preferences or restrictions and saving you money on dining out.

If you don’t own an RV, fear not, there are numerous rental options available that cater to different needs and budgets. You can conveniently pick up an RV in major cities like Las Vegas or Salt Lake City, both excellent starting points for your Utah National Parks road trip.

Our favorite RV rental company, RVShare , offers a variety of RVs, from compact camper vans perfect for couples to larger motorhomes suitable for families or groups.

Opting for an RV, whether owned or rented, provides an immersive way to experience the captivating beauty of Utah’s National Parks while enjoying the convenience and comfort of having your accommodations on wheels.

Related: Don’t forget to spend some extra time in the adventurous town of Moab !

Tips For Planning A Utah Road Trip

You won’t be the only one planning your epic Utah national parks road trip. But if you plan it right, you can make the most of your time there. These are our best tips for helping you to enjoy your road trip.

Planning a road trip through Utah’s five National Parks is an exciting endeavor, but it’s crucial to book your travel arrangements well in advance. These parks are immensely popular and accommodations, whether you’re opting for campgrounds, RV parks, or nearby hotels, tend to fill up quickly, especially during peak seasons.

The same applies to guided tours , which can offer invaluable insights into the parks’ geology, history, and ecosystems. By booking ahead, you not only secure a place to rest after a day of exploration, but you also avoid the stress of last-minute planning.

Additionally, some parks require advanced permits for specific hikes or activities, so early planning ensures you won’t miss out on these unique experiences. Remember, a well-planned journey paves the way for a relaxed and fulfilling adventure amidst Utah’s stunning landscapes.

If your travel itinerary includes the spectacular quintet of Utah’s National Parks, purchasing the America the Beautiful National Park Pass is not only cost-effective but also convenient. Each individual park has an entrance fee, ranging from $20 to $35.

The American the Beautiful Pass, priced at $80, covers entrance fees at national parks and national wildlife refuges, as well as day-use fees at national forests and grasslands. This means that if you’re visiting three or more parks, the pass quickly pays for itself.

Plus, it eliminates the need to deal with payment at each park entrance, allowing for smoother transitions between your destinations. Keep in mind, the pass is valid for a full year, so any other national parks you decide to visit within that time are essentially free entries.

The America The Beautiful national park pass is an excellent investment for explorers setting their sights on America’s wealth of natural beauty.

Read More: Check out our list of the best day trips from Salt Lake City !

One of the key aspects of a successful trip to Utah’s National Parks is packing and dressing in layers. The state’s desert climate means there can be significant temperature fluctuations between day and night, sometimes exceeding 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

In the peak of summer, days can be scorching hot, while evenings bring a refreshing coolness. On the other hand, winter can see sunny, mild afternoons followed by crisp, chilly nights.

Layering your clothing allows you to easily adjust to these changes and maintain comfort throughout the day. Start with a moisture-wicking base layer to keep you dry, add an insulating middle layer for warmth, and top with water and a wind-resistant outer layer.

Remember, a comfortable explorer is a happy explorer, and the right clothing is essential in making the most out of your Utah National Parks adventure.

Check out our list of hiking tips for more ideas about what to pack and how to plan your adventures!

Starting your activities early when visiting Utah’s National Parks offers several advantages, and it’s a strategy veteran park visitors swear by.

First, you’ll avoid the peak daytime temperatures that can make strenuous activities like hiking not only challenging but potentially dangerous, especially in the summer months.

Second, many popular spots in the parks can get crowded as the day progresses. An early start allows you to beat the crowds, secure parking spaces, and enjoy the tranquil beauty of these natural landscapes at a leisurely pace.

Additionally, the soft morning light provides exceptional opportunities for photography. Lastly, many of Utah’s wildlife are most active during the cooler morning hours, offering a chance to spot and appreciate these creatures in their natural habitat.

So rise before the sun, soak up the serene morning vibes, and get a head start on your day of adventure in Utah’s stunning National Parks.

Utah National Parks Itinerary – Visiting The “Mighty 5”

Utah is hyperscenic. And following our itinerary below will give you the best chance to see and experience a taste of Utah’s national parks that will leave you ready to return to explore more of your favorite places.

We’re beginning this Utah national parks road trip in Las Vegas. But remember, you can swap out Day 1 with a start from Salt Lake City if you find that is better for your overall plans.

Day 1: Las Vegas to Zion National Park

As you leave the neon glow of Las Vegas behind and hit the road toward Zion National Park, prepare for a journey that’s as much about the drive as it is about the destination.

The roughly three-hour drive will take you through an array of landscapes, from the stark beauty of the Mojave Desert to the pastel-colored cliffs of Virgin River Gorge in Arizona.

If you have the time, make sure to stop at the Valley of Fire State Park, an hour’s drive from Las Vegas, which gets its name from the red sandstone formations that look as if they’re on fire when reflecting the sun’s rays.

Here, you can hike, explore ancient petroglyphs, and take stunning photographs of the landscape.

Upon reaching Zion National Park, you’ll find an array of activities to keep you entertained.

You can start with the Scenic Drive, which provides an excellent overview of the park’s main attractions, and the park shuttle makes it easy to hop on and off at different points.

We don’t recommend that you do too much on this first day as you will have plenty of time to explore Zion National Park the following day.

But simply driving through Zion National Park will give you an overview of the splendor and beauty of the area and set you up for what to expect from the other Utah national parks.

If you’re staying in the park, be sure to arrive at your accommodations early on this first night. This will give you time to set up and enjoy an incredible star-filled night .

But perhaps even more importantly, it will allow you to get a good night’s sleep so that you can plan for a very early start the next day.

Remember, although this is the first national park on your national parks road trip, you are not the only one with the idea to visit Utah national parks.

Get your sleep and be ready for an action-filled day as you explore Zion National Park from one end to the other!

Where to Stay Near Zion National Park

Unless you’ve made arrangements to stay in Zion National Park, the town of Springdale is about as close as you can get to the park. Here are a few great options:

• Pioneer Lodge – This rustic-style lodge offers a range of amenities including a restaurant, an outdoor pool, and easy access to the park, making it a convenient base for visitors eager to explore the stunning landscapes of Zion.
• Holiday Inn Express – Nestled in the majestic red rock cliffs of Zion Canyon, the Holiday Inn Express in Springdale, Utah offers modern amenities and comfortable accommodations. With its outdoor pool, fitness center, complimentary breakfast, and breathtaking views, it serves as a comfortable and convenient hub for travelers exploring the marvels of Zion National Park.

There are a few RV campgrounds in Zion National Park. But these will fill up quickly. So be sure to book as far in advance as possible to ensure that you have a campsite:

• Watchman Campground
• South Campground

Check out this National Park site for information on booking your campsite.

Day 2: Zion National Park

Welcome to Zion National Park, a nature lover’s paradise nestled in the southwestern corner of Utah.

Revered for its impressive sandstone cliffs radiating hues of cream, pink, and red, Zion is a place where landscape meets the sky creating an awe-inspiring backdrop like no other.

The Virgin River, the architect of the park, has carved its way through the rock, sculpting the canyon over millions of years, and creating an oasis of sorts in the desert where diverse plant and animal life thrive.

Zion National Park isn’t just about breathtaking vistas; it’s an invitation for adventures.

With over 200 square miles of exploration, the park offers rugged hiking trails, such as the iconic Angel’s Landing and the narrows of the Virgin River.

It’s a land of discovery, where every corner turned unfolds a scene of stark beauty, a land where one can truly grasp the magnificence of the natural world.

Whether you’re an avid hiker, a wildlife enthusiast, or a casual traveler seeking the serenity that comes with immense natural beauty, Zion is a world-class destination that promises to captivate your spirit.

As a brief overview, here are the top things to see and do in Zion National Park. We’re not telling you where to begin or end.

And some activities may not be suitable for everyone. And you really can’t truly see the park without including at least one Zion National Park Hike.

However, when deciding what to do in Zion National Park, this is our list of the absolute best things to do!

• Angels Landing Hike : This famous hike is not for the faint of heart due to its steep and narrow path, but it provides some of the most breathtaking panoramic views of Zion National Park.
• The Narrows : This unique hike takes you through the narrowest section of Zion Canyon in the Virgin River itself, so be prepared to get a little wet!
• Emerald Pools : This trail leads to a series of picturesque pools and waterfalls. There are both lower and upper trails depending on your preference for difficulty and distance.
• Zion Canyon Scenic Drive : This drive provides stunning views of the park. You can access the park’s shuttle system which stops at multiple points along the route for easy exploration.
• Canyoneering : Zion is known for its excellent canyoneering routes. This adventure sport combines route finding, rappelling, problem-solving, swimming, and hiking.
• Watchman Trail : A relatively easy trail offering impressive views of Zion Canyon, Springdale, and the Watchman Spire.
• Weeping Rock : A short hike that leads you to a rock alcove where water seeps out of the rock, providing a cool respite during hotter months.
• Kolob Canyons : Located in the northwestern section of the park, this area provides a quieter experience with equally stunning canyon views. Don’t miss the Taylor Creek trail.
• Wildlife Watching : Keep an eye out for the park’s abundant wildlife, including mule deer, wild turkeys, and the rare sighting of a bighorn sheep.
• Stargazing : With limited light pollution, the park offers fantastic opportunities for stargazing . Zion regularly offers ranger-led stargazing programs as well.

While most of the activities in Zion National Park involve getting out on the hiking trails, there are also some great viewpoints of the national park and a great visitor center where you could spend hours learning about the rock formations that gave rise to such a spectacular place.

Although visitor centers are typically great places to start, unless you stopped by on your first day traveling to Zion National Park, you won’t want to spend too much of your time there as this will eat into your less-busy time exploring the park itself.

If you have additional time in Zion National Park, consider exploring some of the less-trafficked areas of the park.

The Kolob Canyons, a lesser-visited section of the park, provides quieter trails and equally magnificent scenery.

Here, the Taylor Creek Trail is a delightful hike leading to the Double Arch Alcove.

If you’re up for a challenge, try the trail to The Subway, a unique tunnel-shaped canyon and geological marvel, though do note that this requires a permit. Also consider a horseback riding tour of White Mountain for a unique experience!

Alternatively, explore the Zion Human History Museum to learn more about the park’s cultural history or simply find a peaceful spot by the Virgin River and enjoy the serene beauty around you.

If you’re there in the right season, you might even partake in a peaceful bird-watching session, as Zion is home to over 290 species of birds.

Day 3: Zion to Bryce Canyon National Park

Don’t rush away from Zion National Park! Take your time and get one last hike or scenic drive in before heading north toward Bryce Canyon National Park.

The drive to Bryce Canyon National Park from Zion National Park will take a little less than 2 hours… unless you find yourself stopping to take in some of the incredible views along the way.

Taking Highway 9 out of Zion National Park, you’ll travel a few miles east before turning north onto Highway 89, arguably one of the most beautiful stretches of highway in America.

These 43 miles will lead you between the mountains that separate Zion National Park from Bryce Canyon National Park and there are places you may want to pull over to take in views of both.

Depending on how early you arrive in the area, you may want to check into your accommodations and grab a hearty meal to prepare you for a full day of exploring Bryce Canyon National Park.

To reach the park itself, you will turn off Highway 89 and go through a small stretch of hotels , restaurants and tourist shops and attractions in the small towns of Bryce and Bryce Canyon.

If you have time, you can park and take a shuttle through the national park or give yourself a quick self-guided driving tour . Be on the lookout for wildlife in the evening hours.

Remember, while Bryce Canyon National Park is not as popular as Zion National Park or Arches National Park, it is sure to be crowded the next day.

So head to bed early and get your rest so you can wake up early ready to spend a full day exploring the best that the national park has to offer!

Where To Stay Near Bryce Canyon National Park

Most of the accommodations near Bryce Canyon National Park are located in either Bryce, Bryce Canyon City or the town of Tropic.

While Tropic has more hotel offerings, it will require you to backtrack a little to return to the national park the following day.

ere are a few great options for where to stay near Bryce Canyon National Park:

• Best Western PLUS Ruby’s Inn (Bryce Canyon City) – Best Western PLUS Ruby’s Inn, situated just a mile from the entrance of Bryce Canyon National Park, offers cozy accommodations complemented by rustic decor reminiscent of the region’s pioneer heritage. It features a range of amenities including an indoor pool, on-site dining, a general store, and even horse riding activities.
• Bryce Pioneer Village (Tropic, Utah) – Bryce Pioneer Village, located in Tropic, Utah, offers a charming and rustic lodging experience just a short drive from the park. With options for motel rooms or individual cabins set in beautiful gardens, along with amenities like an outdoor pool and an on-site restaurant, it provides a comfortable base for visitors to unwind after a day of exploration.

There are a few RV campgrounds in Bryce Canyon National Park. But these will fill up quickly. So be sure to book as far in advance as possible to ensure that you have a campsite:

• North Campground
• Sunset Campground

Read next: The Ultimate 3 Days In Las Vegas Itinerary

Day 4: Bryce Canyon National Park

Bryce Canyon National Park is a geological wonderland located in southwestern Utah. Not quite a canyon in the traditional sense, Bryce is rather a spectacular series of natural amphitheaters filled with a maze of spire-shaped rock formations called hoodoos.

These towering limestone sculptures, painted in shades of pink, orange, and white, stand tall against a crisp blue sky, creating a whimsical landscape that appears to be more fantasy than reality.

The magic of Bryce Canyon extends beyond its otherworldly daytime views. Designated as a Dark Sky Park, Bryce offers one of the best celestial displays in the country once the sun sets.

Trails for every level, from the relatively easy Navajo Loop to the more strenuous Peekaboo Loop, lead visitors into the heart of the hoodoos, promising an intimate encounter with the park’s unique geology.

Whether you’re there to watch the sun cast its first light on the hoodoos or to gaze upon the star-studded sky, Bryce Canyon National Park is a place that both humbles and inspires with its majestic natural beauty.

As a brief overview, here are the top things to see and do in Bryce Canyon National Park. As with other Utah national parks, we’re not telling you where to begin or end.

And some activities may not be suitable for everyone. However, when deciding what to do in Bryce Canyon National Park, this is our list of the absolute best things to do!

• Sunrise/Sunset Point : Witness the breathtaking sight of the hoodoos glowing in the soft light of sunrise or sunset at this viewpoint.
• Hiking the Navajo Loop Trail : This popular trail descends from Sunset Point through the slot canyon of Wall Street and the Silent City formations.
• Bryce Point : Famous for its extraordinary sunrises, panoramic views of the Bryce Amphitheater can be seen from this point.
• Ride the Scenic Drive : A 38-mile round trip drive with over a dozen viewpoints to pull over and admire the park’s stunning landscapes. Or explore by ATV for an adventurous twist!
• Hike the Rim Trail : This relatively easy trail offers some of the best views of the park and can be hiked in sections.
• Peek-A-Boo Loop : A longer and more strenuous hike that offers stunning views of the park’s iconic hoodoos.
• Visit Mossy Cave : A less-visited part of the park where you can see a waterfall, a mossy overhang that’s cool even in summer, and hoodoos up close.
• Stargazing : Bryce Canyon has some of the darkest night skies in North America, making it an excellent place for stargazing.
• Horseback Riding : Experience the park’s trails from a new perspective with a guided horseback riding tour .
• Winter Sports : In the winter, the park offers cross-country skiing and snowshoeing for a different view of Bryce’s spectacular hoodoos.

If you find yourself with some extra time in Bryce Canyon National Park, consider venturing into the lesser-visited areas of the park. The Fairyland Loop Trail is a longer and less crowded trail that offers fantastic views of the hoodoos, towers, and walls for which Bryce Canyon is famous.

You could also explore the Bristlecone Loop that takes you to Yovimpa Point and Rainbow Point, the highest points in the park, with views extending over 100 miles on clear days.

Another option is to spend a leisurely afternoon horseback riding through the park’s canyon trails, soaking up the unique geological wonders around you.

And, if your visit falls during a new moon, don’t miss one of the ranger-led Full Moon Hikes or a guided astronomy program, as Bryce Canyon is renowned for its clear, dark skies, perfect for stargazing.

Day 5: Bryce Canyon to Capitol Reef National Park

Don’t rush away from Bryce Canyon National Park! Take your time and get one last hike or scenic drive in before heading north toward Capitol Reef National Park.

The scenic drive to Capitol Reef National Park will take approximately 3 hours. But with the cute little town of Escalante positioned right in the middle of the road trip, plus all of the beauty around, you may want to give it more time.

There are some great slot canyons to hike just north of Escalante if you enjoy finding yourself wedged between sandstone layers of rock that stretch upwards toward the sky.

Take a side trip down the dirt road (sometimes graded) on Hole In The Rock Road to visit Zebra Slot Canyon and Peekaboo Slot Canyon.

Both offer the opportunity to enjoy some open-country hiking that leads into the narrow slot canyons.

Depending on the time of day and season, you may find yourself slogging through water in either canyon and the opportunity always exists to do a little amateur rock climbing as you work your way further back into each canyon.

Zebra Slot Canyon doesn’t require any technical climbing skills. But to see the famed “zebra stripes” in the canyon you’ll want to do some scuttling up and through some very narrow slots.

Be sure to arrive at your accommodations with plenty of time to enjoy the evening. Pick up food in Escalante, or give yourself enough time to cook a meal in your RV if you’re traveling in one.

Then catch some great shut-eye before heading out into Capitol Reef National Park for a full day of adventure the next morning.

If you’re a night owl, you may consider stepping outside after sunset to take in the many stars that blanket the sky.

It’s likely that you’ll be able to very clearly see the Milky Way Galaxy with your bare eyes, depending on the season and timing.

Where To Stay Near Capitol Reef National Park

Your options for staying near Capitol Reef National Park are limited with most of the accommodation options being in the small town of Torrey, Utah, just a 15-minute drive to the national park entrance.

There are other options that lie further west away from the park. So we’d recommend considering the following options when it comes to where to stay near Capitol Reef National Park.

Both are highly rated and we think you’ll appreciate all they have to offer in addition to their proximity to the national park.

• Broken Spur Inn and Steakhouse – Located in the heart of Torrey, Utah, the Broken Spur Inn and Steakhouse offers comfortable lodging and an on-site steakhouse, ensuring guests enjoy not only scenic views of Capitol Reef National Park but also satisfying meals before or after a day of exploration.
• Skyview Hotel – Skyview Hotel in Torrey, Utah, pairs modern comforts with breathtaking views of the red cliffs and canyons of Capitol Reef National Park. Enjoy the pleasant charm and nice amenities such as a heated outdoor pool and a spacious picnic area.

In Capitol Reef National Park there is only one campground and it is likely to fill up quickly due to the remote nature of the campsite. Be sure to book far in advance to ensure that you have a campsite:

• Fruita Campground

Day 6: Capitol Reef National Park

Welcome to Capitol Reef National Park, an enchanting realm nestled in the heart of Utah’s red rock country.

Named for its white domes of Navajo Sandstone that resemble the U.S. Capitol building, and the water pocket fold, a ‘reef’-like geologic wrinkle extending nearly 100 miles, Capitol Reef is a dazzling display of colorful cliffs, massive domes, soaring spires, and twisting canyons.

The park’s unique geologic features tell a story of ancient environments, from lush tropical forests to arid deserts, that existed here millions of years ago.

Venturing into Capitol Reef is like stepping back in time. The park is home to the historic Fruita Rural Historic District, where lush orchards and rustic buildings offer a glimpse of the area’s pioneer heritage.

The rich human history, dating back to the ancient Fremont people, is inscribed on the sandstone cliffs in the form of petroglyphs, a silent testament to the park’s past inhabitants.

Whether you’re exploring its scenic byways, hiking through its dramatic landscapes, or picking fresh fruit in one of the maintained orchards, Capitol Reef National Park offers an unforgettable journey into a lesser-known, but equally captivating, corner of Utah’s impressive national park system.

As a brief overview, here are the top things to see and do in Capitol Reef National Park. As with other Utah national parks, we’re not telling you where to begin or end.

And some activities may not be suitable for everyone. However, when deciding what to do in Capitol Reef National Park, this is our list of the absolute best things to do!

• Scenic Drive : A 25-mile round trip that takes you through the heart of the park’s Waterpocket Fold, offering magnificent views of cliffs, canyons, domes, and bridges.
• Hickman Bridge Trail : This moderate trail leads to the impressive Hickman Natural Bridge, one of the largest in the park.
• Fruita Historic District : Explore this old Mormon settlement with its charming orchards where you can pick fruit in season, a historic schoolhouse, and the Gifford Homestead which sells locally made pies and breads.
• Cassidy Arch : A strenuous hike leading to a large, spectacular natural arch named after the famous outlaw Butch Cassidy.
• Petroglyphs : Just east of the Fruita oasis, view petroglyphs inscribed in sandstone by Native Americans of the Fremont Culture.
• Cathedral Valley : A remote, less visited area of the park, featuring stunning monolithic sandstone formations.
• Sulphur Creek Route : A water hike through a narrow canyon, featuring three waterfalls to bypass. Best done in warmer weather.
• Chimney Rock Loop : A moderately difficult trail offering panoramic views of the Waterpocket Fold and the surrounding area.
• Goosenecks Overlook : A short walk to a viewpoint where you can see the deep, dramatic meanders of Sulphur Creek.
• Stargazing : Like many of Utah’s national parks, Capitol Reef offers incredible stargazing due to its status as an International Dark Sky Park.

With some extra time at Capitol Reef National Park, diving deeper into its hidden treasures can make your visit even more unforgettable. A great way to start is by exploring the Cathedral Valley, a less frequented but equally breathtaking region of the park, known for its monolithic formations.

If you’re an avid hiker, consider the strenuous but rewarding Upper Muley Twist Canyon trail, which offers some of the most spectacular panoramic views in the park.

Take a step back in time by visiting the old Fruita Schoolhouse, a one-room building that served the small community from the 1890s to the 1940s.

If you’re visiting during the right season, don’t miss the chance to pick some fruit in the historic Fruita orchards, a unique experience that harks back to the area’s pioneer past.

Looking for more epic road trips? Check out our guide to driving from Las Vegas to Los Angeles !

Day 7: Drive to Moab for Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park

Next you’ll be heading north toward Moab, where you’ll encounter the spectacular Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park.

Moab itself merits a little extra time if you have it. From a quaint downtown area that offers all sorts of places to eat and shop to some side trips to places like Corona Arch just outside of town, the area around Moab is worth the time if you have it.

From Capitol Reef National Park, you’ll drive just under 3 hours to reach Moab. Unfortunately, the backroads of this epic Utah national parks road trip ends for a brief stint on Interstate 70 straddling Green River, Utah before ducking back down on Highway 191.

Arches National Park is just as popular, if not more, than Zion National Park so it’s unlikely that you can enjoy too much with the late afternoon arrival into the area. Instead, use this time to head out toward Corona Arch and enjoy that afternoon or early evening hike instead.

Be sure to check in with your accommodations as soon as you can and get settled in for a quiet night. You’ll want to be ready to wake up early to hit Arches National Park before droves of other people do.

But if you are truly committed, consider waking up well before sunrise to head into the park and hike out to Delicate Arch for sunrise, arguably the most iconic arch in the entire national park.

Where to Stay Near Arches National Park

Almost all accommodations for visiting both Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park will be in and around the small town of Moab. Because Arches National Park is arguably just as busy, if not busier than Zion National Park, the town of Moab has grown up to support a massive influx of visitors and there are ample options for accommodations in the area.

Here are a few of the best options:

• Archway Inn – Complete with an outdoor pool, hot tub, spacious rooms, and a fitness center, this lovely hotel furnished with classy sandstone architecture is a top-rated place to stay near the park.
• Hotel Moab Downtown – Located in the heart of Moab with incredible mountain scenery, this full-service hotel is surrounded by the best restaurants and shops in town. The gorgeous hotel interior doesn’t hurt either!

In Arches National Park there is only one campground and it is likely to fill up quickly due to the popularity of the national park. Be sure to book far in advance to ensure that you have a campsite:

• Devil’s Garden Campground

Day 8: Arches National Park

Arches National Park is a captivating world of stone located in eastern Utah. As the name implies, Arches is a testament to nature’s power and creativity, hosting over 2,000 natural stone arches, the greatest concentration in the world.

These striking formations, along with an array of colossal pinnacles, balanced rocks, and expansive fins, are artfully carved from a vibrant red sandstone landscape, creating a visually stunning panorama that ignites the imagination.

Arches National Park invites visitors to delve into a world where the surreal becomes tangible.

Trails of varying lengths lead you up close to the park’s star attractions, like the Delicate Arch, one of Utah’s most famous icons, or the Landscape Arch, one of the world’s longest.

Whether bathed in the fiery glow of sunrise or sunset, shimmering under the midday sun, or glowing in the soft light of the moon, the arches offer an ever-changing, always mesmerizing spectacle.

Arches National Park is not just a place to see, but a place to savor and experience through adventures like mountain biking , backpacking, ATV driving, and more.

As a brief overview, here are the top things to see and do in Arches National Park. As with other Utah national parks, we’re not telling you where to begin or end.

And this park is PACKED year round, so you may not be able to fully enjoy every experience we have listed.

However, when deciding what to do in Arches National Park, this is our list of the absolute best things to do!

• Delicate Arch Hike : A moderately difficult hike to the park’s most iconic and most photographed natural arch.
• Devils Garden : A network of trails leading to several arches including the Landscape Arch, the longest natural arch in North America.
• Fiery Furnace : A labyrinth of narrow sandstone canyons requiring a permit or a ranger-led tour to explore, to ensure minimal impact on the environment.
• Windows Section : Easy trails that lead to some of the largest arches in the park, including the North and South Window Arches and Turret Arch.
• Park Avenue Trail : This trail provides views of towering sandstone monoliths reminiscent of skyscrapers on a big city street.
• Balanced Rock : One of the park’s most popular features, a massive boulder balanced on a slender pedestal.
• Courthouse Towers : A collection of tall stone columns that showcase the park’s unique geology.
• Double Arch : Two impressive natural arches that share a common end. The trail to reach them is relatively short and easy.
• Sunset at Delicate Arch : A popular activity is to hike to Delicate Arch at sunset to witness the stunning transformation of colors on the rock formations.
• Stargazing : Arches National Park is recognized as an International Dark Sky Park, making it an excellent place for stargazing due to minimal light pollution.

If you’ve budgeted some extra time for exploring Arches National Park, consider delving deeper into its off-the-beaten-path wonders.

The Fiery Furnace, a labyrinth of narrow sandstone canyons, offers a more challenging but rewarding experience – just remember to either join a ranger-led tour or get a permit if you plan to navigate it yourself.

If you’re up for a longer hike, the seven-mile Primitive Loop at Devil’s Garden will reward you with views of some of the park’s less-visited arches.

Consider also a visit to the petroglyphs at Wolfe Ranch to appreciate the history and culture of the park’s earlier inhabitants. Or go stand-up paddleboarding or white-water rafting on the Colorado River if you’re looking for a break from land-based activities!

Day 9: Canyonlands National Park

Welcome to Canyonlands National Park, a captivating wonderland located in the heart of southeastern Utah.

Spanning over 337,000 acres, Canyonlands is a vast desert ecosystem sculpted by the Colorado River and its tributaries into a rugged panorama of mesas, canyons, and remarkable rock formations.

The park’s unique geology unfolds millions of years of Earth’s history, with layers of sedimentary rock that document time like pages in a book.

Yet, Canyonlands is more than just a geological showcase; it’s a place where the sheer scale of the landscape and the silence of the desert can create a profoundly stunning experience.

The park’s expanse is divided into four districts – Island in the Sky, The Needles, The Maze, and the rivers themselves – each boasting its own distinctive character and array of outdoor adventures.

Whether you’re standing on the edge of a towering mesa overlooking the winding river canyons, exploring the cryptic messages left by ancient Native American civilizations, or star-gazing in the crystal-clear night skies, Canyonlands offers an exploration into a beautifully rugged and untamed corner of the world.

Canyonlands National Park is a vast wilderness of stark yet breathtaking beauty characterized by its dramatic desert landscapes.

Featuring a diverse array of towering mesas, deep canyons, and the converging Colorado and Green Rivers, the park provides an awe-inspiring panorama that reveals millions of years of geologic history.

Here are a few of the best things to see and do in Canyonlands National Park:

• Island in the Sky : This is the easiest district of the park to access and offers breathtaking views from numerous overlooks along the paved scenic drive.
• Mesa Arch : A short hike leads to this poetically named natural arch, a popular spot for photographers, especially at sunrise.
• White Rim Road : A 100-mile dirt road loops around and below the Island in the Sky mesa, providing spectacular views for those up for a 4WD adventure.
• The Needles : This district offers extensive hiking trails through a landscape punctuated by colorful sandstone spires.
• Horseshoe Canyon : This detached unit of the park is home to the famous Great Gallery, one of the best examples of prehistoric pictographs (rock art) in America.
• Upheaval Dome : Visit this unique geologic feature and decide for yourself whether it was created by a salt dome or a meteor impact.
• Green River Overlook : A popular spot that provides panoramic views of the Green River in the Island in the Sky district.
• Rafting on the Colorado River : Experience the thrill of rafting through the park’s spectacular canyons.
• Elephant Hill Trail : This challenging 4WD trail in the Needles district leads to some of the most remote and beautiful places in the park.
• Stargazing : Canyonlands National Park has been designated a Gold-Tier International Dark Sky Park, making it an exceptional place to stargaze and contemplate the mysteries of the universe.

With additional time at Canyonlands National Park, your adventures can extend beyond the iconic Island in the Sky district.

Consider exploring the more remote Needles district, where colorful sandstone spires tower above extensive hiking trails and large, park-like clearings.

If you’re equipped with a 4WD vehicle, a journey along the White Rim Road will present stunning, up-close views of the park’s complex geology.

Another remarkable but less-visited area is the park’s Maze district, one of the most remote areas in the United States, offering solitude and a maze-like network of canyons to explore.

If you’re keen on prehistoric culture, the Horseshoe Canyon contains some of the most significant rock art in North America, including the breathtaking Great Gallery panel. Just remember, some of these activities require permits, so plan accordingly!

There are a few RV campgrounds in Canyonlands National Park. But these will fill up quickly. So be sure to book as far in advance as possible to ensure that you have a campsite:

• Islands In The Sky (Willow Flat) Campground
• The Needles Campground

Day 10: Return trip

On the final day of your Utah road trip, you will spend a good portion of it driving back to either Las Vegas or Salt Lake City, depending on your final destination.

Both of these drives can be road trips on their own, with plenty of other stops along the way.

The drive from Moab to Salt Lake City will take approximately 4 hours. This will be mostly along backroad highways that continue to offer the kind of beauty that makes anyone want to visit utah.

Here are a few points of interest along the drive back to Salt Lake City:

• Price Canyon Recreation Area : This is a great spot to stretch your legs and take in the stunning views of the surrounding canyons and plateaus.
• Nine Mile Canyon : Known as the world’s longest art gallery, this canyon contains extensive petroglyphs and pictographs from ancient Native American cultures. It’s a slight detour off the main route, but well worth the extra time for history and archaeology enthusiasts.
• Helper, Utah : This quaint mining town has a charming Main Street with historic buildings, antique shops, and the Western Mining & Railroad Museum.
• Provo River Falls : Nestled in the Uinta National Forest, the Provo River tumbles over a series of scenic waterfalls. There are plenty of spots to picnic and trails to explore.
• Soldier Hollow : This venue was home to cross-country skiing and biathlon events during the 2002 Winter Olympics and now offers year-round outdoor activities. Take a break here to appreciate the beautiful mountain views, and if you’re passing through in winter, enjoy some snow sports.

Driving to Las Vegas from Moab will take around 7 hours and will be primarily along the interstate. You’ll spend much of the time on Interstate 70 until it meets Interstate 15.

If you head along this route and want to split the drive into two days, here are a few points of interest along the way:

• San Rafael Swell : Located near Green River, Utah, this is a large geologic feature known for its scenic sandstone formations, deep canyons, and expansive panoramas.
• Fishlake National Forest : Close to Richfield, Utah, this national forest is home to the Pando, an enormous grove of quaking aspen which is considered the heaviest known living organism.
• Cove Fort : Near Beaver, Utah, this historic site is a well-preserved pioneer-era fort. Guided tours offer insight into life in the 19th century American West.
• Cedar Breaks National Monument : Just off Interstate 15 near Cedar City, Utah, this park offers breathtaking views of a naturally formed amphitheater canyon filled with colorful hoodoos and rock formations.
• Valley of Fire State Park : Nevada’s oldest and largest state park, known for its vibrant red sandstone formations, petrified wood, and ancient petroglyphs. It’s about an hour off the route, but its otherworldly landscapes make it worth the detour.

If you want to take a more scenic route, you can head south out of Moab and follow highway 191 in Utah through Monument Valley and into northern Arizona. This will lead you to Page, Arizona where you can take a detour to visit Grand Canyon National Park, which is worth the detour in our opinion!

From Page you can also see famous landmarks and national monuments such as Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon.

Carry on toward Kanab and take a little detour to hiks some great slot canyons or connect back to Zion National Park for a second visit before returning to Interstate 15 for the short drive back to Las Vegas.

Plan to explore more of Arizona? Check out our list of the best things to do in Tucscon !

If you are continuing on your road trip from Moab, you can easily cross into Colorado and enjoy all that the Centennial State has to offer.

A short 2 hour drive east along Interstate 70 will take you to Grand Junction, where you can decide which direction you want to go to enjoy the beauty of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains.

Of course, road trips in Colorado are a whole other opportunity and the state is well worth exploring over the course of several weeks.

And although not as close as Colorado, you could continue your Utah road trip north and enter remote areas of Wyoming where you’ll come across vast stretches of land that seem to stretch on forever.

This route will put you in Rock Springs, Wyoming and in a direct route toward Grand Teton National Park and the adjoining Yellowstone National Park.

Other Utah Road Trip Destinations

Visiting Utah national parks is a bucket list item of its own. However, if you feel like tacking on a few extra days (or weeks!) on your Utah road trip, then there are some other great destinations nearby that offer great alternatives to Utah’s parks.

Two regions that deserve your attention and do not require too much deviation from this core Utah national parks road trip are in southern utah and northeastern Utah.

If you aren’t in a rush and/or are making your way back to Las Vegas along the scenic Southern Utah route, consider spending a few extra days taking in all of the beauty of this region. Here are a few top places to stop along the way:

• Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park : This iconic landscape, featuring stunning red sandstone buttes, is located within the Navajo Nation on the border of Utah and Arizona.
• Antelope Canyon : Near Page, Arizona, this mesmerizing slot canyon is renowned for its swirling sandstone walls and ethereal light beams.
• Lake Powell : A reservoir on the Colorado River, straddling the border between Utah and Arizona, this is a prime spot for boating, fishing, and exploring numerous sandstone canyons.
• Glen Canyon National Recreation Area : Encompassing over 1.25 million acres from Arizona to southern Utah, this area offers opportunities for water-based and backcountry activities.
• Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park : Located in Utah, this park features a stunning expanse of reddish-pink sand dunes that you can explore on foot or with off-road vehicles.
• Horseshoe Bend : Just outside Page, Arizona, this iconic bend in the Colorado River is famous for its dramatic views from the cliff edge.
• Grand Canyon National Park – North Rim : While most visitors head to the South Rim, the North Rim offers a quieter and equally stunning view of this iconic landscape in Arizona.
• Vermilion Cliffs National Monument : Located in Arizona, this area is known for its colorful, undulating rock formations, including the renowned Wave formation in the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness. Remember, visiting The Wave requires a permit obtained through a lottery system.

Read next: 21 Best Things To Do In Phoenix, Arizona

If your Utah road trip continues north from Moab there are some great places that will seem even more remote than any you have seen amonth the Utah national parks itinerary.

Here are a few of those places that can extend your utah road trip a few extra days:

• Dinosaur National Monument : While technically designated a national monument, this area in northeastern Utah is famous for its wealth of dinosaur fossils. The quarry exhibits a wall with over 1,500 dinosaur bones still encased in rock.
• Goblin Valley State Park: Renowned for its thousands of whimsical and eerie sandstone formations, often referred to as goblins, which create a surreal, Goblin Valley State Park offers Mars-like landscape that’s perfect for hiking and exploration.
• Little Wild Horse Canyon: Located near Goblin Valley State Park in Utah, the area is a popular non-technical slot canyon that offers a stunning, family-friendly hike through sculpted sandstone walls where you can day hike or continue on multi-day treks.
• Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area : This beautiful area, featuring a massive dam and reservoir, offers boating, fishing, camping, and plenty of trails with panoramic vistas.
• Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest : The Mirror Lake Scenic Byway runs through this forest, offering stunning views, hiking trails, fishing spots, and campgrounds.
• Steinaker State Park : Located near Vernal, this state park has a reservoir for boating and fishing, along with camping facilities and picnicking spots.
• Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum : Also located in Vernal, this museum offers exhibits about the area’s geology and prehistory, including dinosaur fossils.
• Red Fleet State Park : This park offers a reservoir for water activities, hiking trails with dinosaur tracks, and camping facilities.
• Fantasy Canyon : This unique area features one-of-a-kind, small-scale sandstone formations that have been eroded into fantastical shapes, creating an almost otherworldly landscape. It’s off the beaten path but well worth the visit for photography or geology enthusiasts.

Wrapping up our expansive Utah road trip, it’s clear to see why this state’s stunning landscapes have captivated the hearts of travelers worldwide.

From the grandeur of the Mighty 5 national parks, each with their unique charm and attractions, to the countless additional points of interest along our journey – including state parks, monuments, and charming towns – Utah offers an abundance of natural beauty and history that makes it a premier destination for road trippers.

Whether you’re an adventurer seeking the thrill of hiking rugged terrains, a history enthusiast keen on immersing yourself in cultural and geological tales from millennia past, or simply a nature lover wanting to bask in some of the most awe-inspiring landscapes on earth, Utah’s diverse terrain has something for everyone.

Remember, this itinerary is just a guide – take your time, explore off the beaten path, and make your own discoveries. After all, that’s the beauty of a road trip: the journey is just as important as the destination. Safe travels, and enjoy your Utah exploration!

DISCLAIMER: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links, which means if you book accommodation, tours or buy a product, we will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. These commissions help us keep creating more free travel content to help people plan their holidays and adventures. We only recommend the best accommodations, tours and products that ourselves or our fantastic editorial team have personally experienced, and regularly review these. Thanks for your support, kind friend!

Alesha and Jarryd

Hi, We’re Alesha and Jarryd!

We’ve been traveling the world together since 2008, searching for the planet’s best destinations and adventures.

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9-Day Utah National Parks Road Trip Itinerary Through the Mighty 5

Explore Utah National Parks in this road trip itinerary with the best hikes, camping and more in Zion, Bryce, Capitol Reef, Arches & Canyonlands.

Southern Utah’s National Parks are what first drew me to Utah and are ultimately the reason I ended up moving to Salt Lake City. There’s literally nowhere else on the planet like Bryce Canyon or Zion!

Otherwise known as the Mighty 5, these public lands offer stunning red rock scenery, twisting slot canyons, and incredible hiking. They can also be connected to create an epic Utah National Parks road trip, which is an unforgettable trip for any outdoor adventurer.

Because there’s so much to see and do in Utah’s National Parks, I recommend having at least two weeks available if you plan on visiting all five. Alternatively, you can focus on 2-3 parks if you only have a week.

In this 9-day Utah National Parks road trip itinerary, I share my favorite hikes, the best spots to stop along the route, and travel tips for maximizing your time in Southern Utah.

This post may contain affiliate links.

What are the Mighty 5?

The Mighty 5 are the five National Parks in southern Utah. They include:

• Zion National Park
• Bryce Canyon National Park
• Capitol Reef National Park
• Canyonlands National Park
• Arches National Park

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The Best Times to Visit Utah’s National Parks

Utah’s National Parks are open year-round and each park’s diverse landscapes and offerings can change based on the weather and season you are visiting. Below is a quick summary of seasons in southern Utan. For more information check out posts on the best time to visit Utah’s National Parks and the best time to visit Bryce Canyon National Park .

Spring and Fall

The most popular (and busiest) times to visit are Spring (April-May) and Fall (September-October). During these milder seasons, the daytime temperatures can range from 60-80 degrees with lows averaging 40-60 degrees. It’s the most comfortable time of year for a Utah National Parks road trip , but with that, you need to be prepared to deal with large crowds.

If you choose to visit any of these Utah National Parks in the summer months, expect daytime temperatures to reach over 100 degrees. Personally, I don’t recommend planning a Mighty 5 road trip during the summer. The parks are still quite busy and you’ll need to do all of your hiking very early or very late in the day to avoid the mid-day heat and scorching summer sun.

If you do decide to do this trip in the summer, be sure to check out our guide on sun protection for hikers and make sure you have a day pack that can carry at least 3L of water.

Similarly, if you plan to road trip during the winter months, you need to be prepared for temperatures ranging from 30 to 50 degrees during the day and then dropping to well below freezing overnight.

That being said, winter is a beautiful time to visit the parks because you’ll get to enjoy these stunning desert landscapes, perhaps dusted with snow, while avoiding the National Park crowds .

Just be prepared with winter clothing and check conditions before heading out. You’ll likely want to book rooms in hotels as opposed to camping if you visit in winter.

Where to Start and End your Mighty 5 Road Trip

Utah’s National Parks are spread across the southern half of the state. If you’re flying into Utah to start your trip, the best airports to fly into are:

• Las Vegas, Nevada (2.5 hours to Zion National Park)
• Salt Lake City, Utah (3.5 hours to Arches National Park)

If you only have one week, I recommend focusing on the east or west side of the state rather than trying to visit all of the parks. I can’t stress enough that visiting all five parks in one week would be A LOT.

Helpful Tip

Book a one-way car rental.

A great way to save time is to book a one-way car or campervan rental . You can fly into either Las Vegas or Salt Lake City, enjoy your Utah National Parks road trip, and then drop your rental off at the opposite airport. There will probably be an additional fee, but it might be worth it so you can spend more time exploring the Parks.

Utah National Parks Road Trip at a Glance

Ready to start planning? I’ve listed my Might 5 road trip itinerary traveling from West to East starting in Zion and ending in Arches. But, you could quickly reverse the itinerary to move East to West.

Where you will visit

• DAY 1: Zion National Park
• DAY 2: Zion National Park
• DAY 3: Bryce Canyon National Park
• DAY 4: Bryce or Escalante-Grand Staircase National Monument
• DAY 5: Capitol Reef National Park
• DAY 6: Arches National Park
• DAY 7: Adventure day!
• DAY 8: Canyonlands National Park
• DAY 9: Return home

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Day 1: Drive to Zion National Park & Hike Angel’s Landing

Day 1 overview.

• DRIVING DISTANCE – 308 miles (from SLC), 160 miles (from Las Vegas)
• DRIVE TIME – 2.5 hours to 4+ hours
• CAMPING OPTION – Zion National Park Campground
• LODGING OPTIONS – Zion National Park Lodge or hotels in Springdale

Zion was Utah’s first National Park, and you’ll see why. The park features high plateaus, a maze of sandstone canyons, and incredible trails with easy access. If you have time, I recommend checking out the Visitor Center and Human History Museum to learn more about the park.

Hike Angel’s Landing

Arriving post-lunch or early afternoon, head straight through the south entrance parking area and hop on a shuttle to Angel’s Landing (the shuttle is free and stops right at the trailhead).

Climbing Angel’s Landing (5 miles round trip) is a bucket list item for most Zion visitors but it is not for the faint of heart. It’s a strenuous trail with almost 2,000 feet of elevation gain. But your hard work is paid off with spectacular 360 views of the entire canyon from high above. However, it’s important to note that there is extreme exposure on Angel’s Landing that some people might find too scary .

Be sure to bring your daypack filled with plenty of water and your hiking essentials .

Day 2 – Explore the Narrows & Drive to Bryce Canyon

Day 2 overview.

• DRIVING DISTANCE – 72 miles from Zion
• DRIVE TIME – 1 hour 30 minutes
• CAMPING OPTION – Bryce Canyon Campgrounds
• LODGING OPTIONS – The Lodge at Bryce Canyon, hotels nearby

Spend your second day in Zion exploring The Narrows , one of the top highlights of Zion National Park, especially if you visit in the warmer months. The Narrows is a slot canyon that was formed over centuries from the Virgin River and is still continuously changing today.

This is a great hike to keep you cool since much of the hike requires wading through a river. If you want to hike the entire Narrows from the top-down as a long single-day hike or as an overnight, you’ll need a permit. Alternatively, if you want to explore at your leisure from the bottom-up, no permit is needed. Check out our Narrows hiking guide  for more information.

Updated February 2024: There is a toxic cyanobacteria bloom in the Virgin River (where The Narrows is located) so you should not submerge your head or filter drinking water here. Check current updates for Zion National Park before heading out here .

Post-hike, pack up the car and head through the 1.1-mile Zion-Mt. Carmel Tunnel and continue driving towards Bryce Canyon National Park which is 1.5 hours away.

If you can get to Bryce by sunset we recommend heading straight to Sunset Point!

Have more time to spend in Zion?

If you are staying another day or you’ve previously visited Zion and done the things we’ve mentioned, I recommend trying to get a permit to hike The Subway or backpacking the West Rim Trail .

For The Subway top-down route, you’ll need some canyoneering skills, as it requires route finding, rappelling, and swimming skills. The bottom-up route, which leads to a series of beautiful turquoise pools, is non-technical. You will need a permit for both of them.

Check out our Zion Travel Guide for more things to do in the park.

Days 3-4: Bryce Canyon National Park

Days 3-4 overview.

• DRIVING DISTANCE – NA
• DRIVE TIME – NA

Prepare yourself for Bryce Canyon: it is like nothing you’ve ever seen before! Bryce Canyon is famous for its hoodoos – sandstone columns each uniquely shaped by erosion – and it has more hoodoos than anywhere else in the world.

Hike Fairyland Loop Trail

Whether you arrived in Bryce Canyon National Park last night for sunset at Sunset Point or you are arriving this morning we recommend you start the day by heading to the visitor’s center . The park has only one visitor’s center which features a must-see film showcasing Bryce in the winter.

Then skip the crowds and head for adventure on the  Fairyland Loop Trail . This trail is an 8-mile route in the northern area of the park, away from the crowds that will guide you past incredible hoodoos and scenery similar to the more crowded Queen’s Trail. If you want to do a slightly shorter loop, the Peek-a-Boo Loop is a similarly spectacular 5-mile loop.

Sunset Point to Sunrise Point Trail

If you’re looking for a more relaxed visit, we recommend the wheelchair-accessible, paved 1-mile Sunset Point to Sunrise Point Trail.  This is also the only trail in the park where leashed pets are allowed. Be prepared, though, as this paved path is often VERY crowded.

Navajo Trail

If you have the time and energy we recommend the Navajo Trail for a quick 1.3-mile walk. The trail begins at Sunset Point, goes down into the Bryce Amphitheater, and meanders alongside large Douglas Fir trees. You could also combine it with Queens Garden Trail for a 3-mile loop .

If Bryce Canyon’s Wall Street is on your list, you can climb it via the end of the Navajo Loop Trail.

Have more time to spend in Bryce?

There is no shortage of things to see and do in Bryce Canyon National Park. If you have more time to explore, head over to our post on the Best Things to do in Bryce Canyon for ideas on how to extend your visit.

You can also check out our top picks for the Best Hikes in Bryce Canyon National Park .

Bonus Option: Escalante National Monument

Day 4 alternative.

• DRIVING DISTANCE – 49 miles from Bryce
• DRIVE TIME – 55 minutes
• CAMPING OPTION – Escalante-Grand Staircase National Monument campgrounds or dispersed camping
• LODGING OPTIONS – Hotels in Escalante

If you’re completely captivated by Bryce Canyon you can always spend the day exploring more, but I recommend heading to Escalante National Monument for a visit.

While not a National Park, it is an incredible place to visit with amazing hikes and fewer crowds.

Escalante is also halfway to Capitol Reef – your next National Park – so it’s a great hiking pit stop. Make sure you drive UT-12 E vs. Johns Valley Road/UT-24 E so you pass the town of Escalante.

Hike Lower Calf Creek Falls

The 6.7-mile Lower Calf Creek Falls is one of our favorite (and easily accessible) hikes that is right off the highway. It ends at a beautiful waterfall where you can take a dip if you’re brave (the water is freezing!) or enjoy a picnic lunch.

If you have a high-clearance vehicle and an appetite for a little more adventure, head down Hole-In-The-Rock Road to Peekabo and Spooky Slot Canyon .

For other options and trail details, check out five of our favorite hikes in Escalante .

Day 5: Capitol Reef National Park

Day 5 overview.

• DRIVING DISTANCE – 112 miles (from Bryce), 57 miles (from Escalante)
• DRIVE TIME – 1.5 – 2 hours+
• CAMPING OPTION – Capitol Reef National Park campground or Moab camping if you want to continue your drive
• LODGING OPTIONS – Hotels in Torrey or hotels in Moab

Capitol Reef is known for its remote and sprawling backcountry. The park is set up nicely so you can easily drive through it while continuing on to Moab . If you have ample time to explore, there are numerous hikes in Capitol Reef that lead you through gorges and slot canyons to incredible viewpoints.

If you plan to camp in Capitol Reef be sure to pick up a free backcountry camping permit at the visitor’s center.

Drive through Capitol Reef National Park

Capitol Reef National Park has a paved scenic drive as well as two unpaved loops. There is a free online guide  that includes information about the 11 stops along the paved drive. The scenic drives are especially nice if you are road-tripping during the hotter months or just want to drive through the park and sightsee from the car. 

If you have a high-clearance vehicle, I highly recommend the dirt road drive to the Temple of the Sun and Moon if you have time (or do an overnight bikepacking trip through this remote area!).

Hike to Hickman Bridge

To stretch your legs, hike the Hickman Bridge Trail (2-mile roundtrip) to a 133-foot natural bridge. This is a nice hike for cooling down as it runs along the Fremont River.

Have more time to spend in Capitol Reef?

If you decide to camp in Capitol Reef and are looking for a full-day hike, the Rim Overlook Trail to Navajo Knobs is a great 9+ mile route that offers 360 panoramic views of the Fruita and Waterpocket Fold area.

Another cool opportunity is to head out to Moonscape Overlook , which is about 40 minutes from Capitol Reef. It does require a high-clearance 4×4 vehicle to get out there, though.

Day 6: Drive to Arches National Park & Hike to the Arches

Day 6 overview.

• DRIVING DISTANCE – 132 miles from Capitol Reef
• DRIVE TIME – 2 hours
• CAMPING OPTION – Arches National Park
• LODGING OPTIONS – Hotels in Moab

Arches National Park is a beautiful and easy National Park to visit. The entrance to Arches is stunning as you’ll climb 1,000 feet and then descend into an almost “Mars-like” world. Navigation is easy also here. There is one visitor’s center right next to the only park entrance on the main park road.

Important Note: During peak season (usually April through October), visitors will need to obtain a timed entry reservation to visit Arches National Park between the hours of 7am-4pm. A limited number of next-day tickets will be available at 6pm the night before. Reservations cost $2 and you will still need a park pass or annual pass to enter.

Explore the Arches

There are some great hikes in Arches for all levels. If temperatures aren’t too hot and you have a full day, the hike to Landscape Arch & Devils Garden (7.8-mile loop) is a must.

If you arrive in the late afternoon, head straight to Delicate Arch (3 miles roundtrip) for a sunset hike you’ll never forget. Or, if this is your second visit to Arches or you’re looking for something off the beaten path, try to grab a permit to explore the Fiery Furnace .

Day 7 – Whitewater Rafting!

Day 7 overview.

• CAMPING OPTION – Arches National Park or Dead Horse State Park

Today, we recommend switching it up so you really get a sense of what southern Utah has to offer. Whitewater rafting on the Colorado River, which flows between Moab, UT and Arches National Park through deep red rock canyons, is an unforgettable and unique experience. Numerous rafting outfitters in town offer half-day, full-day, and multi-day rafting trips on the river.

If hopping on the water doesn’t sound exciting, and you’ve seen all of Arches that you’d like to experience, then head for Dead Horse State Park which is on the way to Canyonlands National Park. Dead Horse State Park even has yurts if you are looking to skip tent set-up for the evening.

Day 8: Canyonlands National Park

Day 8 overview.

• DRIVING DISTANCE – 30 miles from Arches
• DRIVE TIME – 35 minutes
• CAMPING OPTION – Canyonlands National Park

The last on the list of our Utah National Park road trip itinerary is Canyonlands National Park. Canyonlands was made famous by the movie 127 Hours, in which Aron Ralston becomes injured and survives in the backcountry for five days. It’s an extreme park, especially the remote area where Ralston was exploring, known as The Maze.

As you enter Canyonlands, you can drive around and check out the overlooks or you can pick a hike on our Best Hikes in Canyonlands National Park list.

Canyonlands National Park is huge, so to help you get your bearings, here are the four main sections of the park:

• The Island in the Sky area is excellent for those looking for a day hike. Driving time is roughly 40 minutes from Moab. I recommend visiting Island in the Sky if you are short on time.
• The Maze area is very remote and isn’t easily accessible from Moab. Most people who visit the Maze are experienced in the backcountry and have excellent off-road driving skills. If you’re considering heading to the Maze area, I recommend reviewing information & trails on Canyonland National Park’s hiking website .
• The Needles area offers great overnight beginner backpacking options as well as a few short day hikes. The Needles area is about 40 miles south of Moab.
• The Colorado and Green Rivers , as well as numerous tributaries, are considered a separate 4th area of the park. Beginner and relaxed casual float trips through the canyon are available on either river, including Labyrinth Canyon . Downstream of The Confluence, where the Colorado and Green Rivers meet, there is whitewater for adventure seekers.

Both the Island in the Sky and Needles areas have Visitor Centers where you can learn more about what to do in these areas of Canyonlands National Park.

Hike the Island of the Sky area

When you leave Moab, head to the Island in the Sky area of Canyonlands. Peek in at the Visitor’s Center for your first stop and then head to the Grand View Point trailhead and hike to  Grand View Point.  It is an easy 2-mile walk along the canyon edge to the mesa with incredible panoramic views.

Afterward, challenge yourself on the Aztec Butte Trail,  which includes a steep climb that takes you to ancestral Puebloan granaries.

Post-hike, pitch your tent and get ready for an incredible last evening of stargazing . Canyonlands National Park is an International Dark-Sky Park meaning its isolation from city lights makes conditions for viewing the night sky excellent.

This is true for all Utah National Parks, but there is no better way to spend your last Utah National Parks road trip evening than stargazing. During spring & fall, there are frequent stargazing events led by park rangers. Inquire at the visitor center for more information.

Day 9 – Mesa Arch and Return Home

Day 9 overview.

• DRIVING DISTANCE – 244 miles (to SLC), 468 miles (to Las Vegas)
• DRIVE TIME – 3 hours 45 minutes to 6.5 hours

Make the most of your final day! Wake up super early and make an early morning sunrise hike out to Mesa Arch (trust me, it’s worth it).

Then, it’s time to pack up and return home after (hopefully) an unforgettable Mighty 5 road trip!

Have more time to spend in Canyonlands?

lf you enjoy biking, plan ahead and bring mountain bikes for an awesome backcountry road exploration. My first overnight mountain biking experience was a supported trip in Canyonlands National Park on the White Rim Trail . Biking the White Rim Trail requires a permit and campsite reservations can be competitive, so you’ll need to plan ahead.

What to Pack for Your Utah National Parks Road Trip

Your packing list will vary depending on whether you plan to stay in hotels, you want to car camp, or even backpack through some of the parks .

However you decide to explore the Might 5, here are some packing lists to help you gear up for your adventure:

• Car Camping Packing Checklist
• Road Trip Essentials Packing Checklist
• 3 Day Backpacking Checklist
• What To Wear Hiking in the Desert

I also recommend picking up these two resources to help you navigate on your Utah National Parks road trip:

• Utah Benchmark Road and Recreation Atlas : A lot of areas in Southern Utah are void of cell service, so I recommend carrying a paper atlas on your road trip. This atlas shows all of the dirt roads and points of interest.
• Wow – Hiking Utah Canyon Country : This is an excellent hiking book that has helped me discover the best hikes in Southern Utah. Again, with gaps in cell service, a hiking book means you’ll be able to plan on the fly.

Want to explore outside the National Parks in Utah? Check out some of these adventures:

• Best Things to do in Kanab, Utah
• Plan an Overnight Float Through the Ruby-Horsethief Canyon
• Paria Canyon Backpacking Guide
• Packrafting the Escalante River
• Coyote Gulch Backpacking Guide

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Have you done a Utah National Parks road trip? What are your favorite things to do and see in the Mighty 5? Share your experience in the comments below!

With two decades of hiking and seven years of van life under her belt, Kristen has dedicated her life to helping people experience the positive effects of nature. As a pioneer in the outdoor blogging space, she founded Bearfoot Theory in 2014 and has since authored more than 350 blog posts about outdoor travel, hiking, camping, and van life. Her work has been featured in National Geographic, Outside Magazine, and Backpacker, and when she’s not on the road, she lives in Park City, Utah with her partner Ryan, their son, and two adventure pups.

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35 Comments

Great list! Zion and Canyonlands are my favorite, Zion for the hiking and climbing, Canyonlands for the far-reaching vistas and solitude. What dramatic scenery! Thanks for the info.

Great timing!! I am planning a trip for this spring and will be hiking in these areas. Thanks for the info and helping with the planning. You have a great site!

This is an absolutely great post. Thank you for including such information which can really help our beloved adventurers who wants to wander the wonders of Utah. Hiking and camping on any of these sites can be the best option too.

I actually did this trip almost exactly 4 years ago. It was the best thing I’ve ever done. The scenery and hiking are amazing. I suggest flying out of Grand Junction, CO airport, however. It is less than a 2 hour drive.

Thanks, Lynn! So neat to hear about your trip. Thanks for the rec! Hope you have some great upcoming adventures planned.

We just finished this trip plus Grand Canyon and Sedona (12 days)- unfortunately I just now came across this while dreaming of our next adventure! We traveled with two adventurous kids (age 10 and 12) so I’ll add what we enjoyed the most. Zion- swap out Angel’s Landing for a more kid friendly hike and we followed this. LOVED the Narrows (rented neoprene socks and shoes- very glad we did), and Observation Point. Bryce- we did a 3 hour horseback ride in the park- amazing! Capitol Reef- Cassidy Arch trail! It was incredible and you can walk out onto the arch- definitely the highlight of this park. Arches- Delicate Arch hike was awesome. The Windows area is a great stop to see 4 popular arches with little hiking. Canyonlands- we did both Island in the Sky and Needles (not in same day)- we’d skip Needles next time. Lots of great short hikes at Island though. We also stopped at Dead Horse. If we go again we’ll raft in Moab but instead we headed to Arizona for a few days. Did Page-GCNP-Sedona- flew out of Phoenix.

Suzanne, what time of year did you take this trip? BearFoot Theory – how are the crowds in midApril? Is Zion a park that should be done midweek and not on a weekend? Moab parks are they ok to do Jeep Week or will the crowds be unbearable? Thanks in advance! In early stages of planning.

I’m planning to visit in the Christmas this year! Going to keep all these things in mind while I travel. Thank you very much for sharing..:)

Hello, thanks a lot for a great blog! I am planning this trip for next year. When do you think is the best time to visit and, any suggestions for additional places to visit if we have about 3 week? Thanks Yana

Hi Yana, that is awesome to hear you are planning to visit the parks. The best time of year is late Spring or in the Fall. So I would plan for April/May or September/October. You will want to check the weather to make sure it isn’t too cold but try to avoid the crowded and busy summer season. You can easily add on the Grand Canyon to a Utah NP Roadtrip. Arizona also has the Wave and some other great hiking places.

Thanks so much for this post. It makes planning our Utah NP trip so much easier! We’re looking at visiting for 7-8 days at the beginning of March 2019. Any thoughts on what type of weather we can expect? I’ve looked at a bunch of weather websites, but first hand knowledge would be great. We’re hoping to camper van. Thanks so much for the helpful post.

Hey Sherry! We’re glad it helps! The beginning of March can still be pretty cold and potentially a little bit rainy. It’s hard to say this far out but global warming might be on your side to help it not be too cold. Definitely want to make sure you have plenty of layers, beanies and warm blankets if you’re going to camp.

Very well written, thanks for the info. Don’t Forget about Brian Head. Enjoy the off-road trails for ATVs and snow mobiles, Skiing, and much more. Don’t forget to rent a cabin while exploring Brain Head, Utah.

Absolutely AMAZING blog! Thank you to the beautiful Tara for sharing it with me! 😉 I have a question that I’m hoping you can answer! When it comes to hygiene, are there shower areas in any of the camping sites that you could see?

Hi Josh, thanks for dropping us a comment. I don’t recall necessarily seeing any shower areas in the camping sites BUT there are definitely shower facilities in the area. For example, in Zion there are NOT any showers but in Springdale, which is just outside of the park there are pay showers. You can do a simple search on Google for each park to find shower facilities that are nearby.

We have 10 days for a Utah adventure coming up in May. We fly in and out of Las Vegas. I’m considering pretty much your exact itinerary OR, simply exchanging Arches for several days on a houseboat on Lake Powell. What are your thoughts on that?

Hi Maureen, thanks for reaching out! Lake Powell and Arches are both equally incredible–could you split the time & do both? It really depends on what your interested are. You’re going to have an incredible trip no matter what–Utah in May can be absolutely lovely.

hi there,we`re planning our very first american roadtrip next year and this blog is a godsend!! Just amazing!! one question-are the views while you`re driving between the parks better when you start from a particular direction ( if we were to reverse the suggested intinerary and finish in zion )? Or is it good both ways? Thank you for any advice.P.

How exciting! I don’t think you can go wrong, the views all around are fabulous. Make sure to stop at the designated viewpoints to take it all in too. Enjoy your trip 🙂

This is beyond helpful! Thanks for the info. I was hoping to make the trip mid/end Feb and ring in a 40th birthday. Any thoughts on road conditions or accessibility? My map shows some minor route closures in winter. (Won’t be camping).

It really depends on the year and whether storms are passing through. Check the weather and forecast before you head out! That being said, Utah’s National Parks are beautiful in snow 🙂

I was going in circles trying to plan a family hiking trip to southern Utah until I found your advice. I plan to follow it precisely. Thank you so much for your guidance. The extra advise on lodgings and restaurants and driving times is terrific for someone is blindly trying to fit in all five national parks.

Glad you found it helpful, Elizabeth. Have a great trip!

Hi, I’m planning a trip to all of the Parks listed in September. I camped and hiked in all of them as a 20 year old. I want to go back, as a 67 year old! Physically, I’m in good shape but there will be a difference from 40 years ago. Any thoughts on trails. We hike hilly 5-8 mile trails now. We want to walk and take great pictures. Thoughts?

Many of the hikes we listed in this post are great for easy-to-moderate hiking. If you want more suggestions, we have detailed guides on many of the Utah National Parks with additional hiking options.

How crowded and how hot is it to visit all the National Parks in early June? We probably wouldn’t do much hiking- mainly explore with our car.

It really depends on which National Parks you plan on visiting. Most National Parks can get pretty busy during the summer months and temperatures fluctuate greatly depending on the location of the Park.

Thank you so much for all of this valuable information! We plan to pretty closely follow this itinerary this July. My 15 yo son really wants to be able to bike at some of the places. My husband, myself, and kids (ages 15 and 17) would like to do some (easy) mountain biking during the trip. Could you please offer some insight as to which parks we could do this at and perhaps places we could rent bikes? We will be traveling in an RV. Thank you!!!

Hi Amy – mountain biking isn’t allowed in National Parks, but Utah has great mountain biking outside the parks. Hurricane and St. George are popular areas outside Zion (Over The Edge Sports in Hurricane rents bikes) and Moab outside of Aches is also an amazing place to mountain bike with plenty of places for bike rentals.

I really like your itinerary. Do you think it is worth it to add Antelope Canyon? We are thinking of doing that as a loop back to Las Vegas instead of driving up to SLC.

Antelope Canyon is currently closed with no date for reopening as of now. If it does open before your trip, it’s definitely worth checking out.

Hello Kristen Great information! Very helpful! We hope to follow it almost exactly. We have two questions: One is about time in Zion and other is more delicate 🙂 First question: We plan to do Angel Trial, Narrows and Observation Point and then try to make Bryce sunset point to watch sunset. Question is should we plan on 3 days at Zion–a day each for the three things or can we do in 2 days — and leave for bryce. Second Question: We are in our early 70’s and sometime nature calls unexpectedly….are bathrooms frequent along the trials…??

Angels Landing should definitely be one day. Depending on how much time you spend at the Narrows (hiking from the bottom up), you could combine that with the 8-mile Observation Point hike. For bathrooms, there’s usually always a bathroom at the trailhead. There’s one near the top of Angel’s Landing as well.

Planning a trip much like you have here 9-10 days late April- early May. You mention crowds, how crowded is what you call crowded??? like a tourist trap town, dodging people every few steps? or is there room to move without running into someone and waiting for them to move so we can view what they are blocking?

Hi Dennis, it really depends on the park and what hike(s) you plan on doing. The most popular spots will likely be very crowded (lines to take photos at Delicate Arch, for example) but there are always areas where you can find fewer people and more solitude – especially if you go on weekdays or at sunrise. Also, something to keep in mind – Arches National Park is requiring timed entry permits starting April 2nd, which should help with overcrowding. I hope this helps & enjoy your trip!

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The ULTIMATE Utah National Parks Road Trip Itinerary (10 days)

Last updated on June 16th, 2024

Hoping to explore Utah’s national parks? In this guide we’re sharing a detailed itinerary for a 10 day Utah national parks road trip! With red rocks, canyons, rivers, hoodoos, arches, and so many other mind blowing natural features, Southern Utah is a GEM in the United States. You could spend a lifetime in just the southern part of Utah alone and still not explore everything there is to see and do! When deciding where to spend a couple months in our van this past spring (mid-March until early May), we quickly set our sights on Southern Utah. Not only did it offer tons of free camping and mild spring weather, but it is also home to FIVE national parks! FIVE! 

On our quest to visit all of the US National Parks, we were still missing three of the five Utah national parks, and with the five parks being within a half day’s drive from each other, combining them into one big Utah national parks road trip was a no brainer for us.  So we left Texas, where we had been spending time with family, and headed west to Utah. We spent two months driving all around the southern part of the state. We visited the national parks on our days off of work. As well as other spots outside of the park and had the BEST time! 

Watch our experience at all five of Utah’s national parks, including hikes, local eats, and so much more!

In this guide we’re sharing all that we learned and experienced during our Utah national parks road trip. We want to help you plan your own! We’ve adapted our own route and itinerary to fit into 10 adventurous and beautiful days. And have also included info about the parks. There’s tons of tips and important things to know, some suggestions of where to stay, and more! We hope this guide helps you experience the beauty of these parks, prioritize your time at them, and have a blast! WARNING: This is a long guide, but we hope it provides everything you need to know to plan your own epic Utah national parks road trip! We have a table of contents feature below if you’d like to skip ahead to any section. Looking for even more detail? We’ve written detailed guides for each Utah national park, which you can find here !

Want an ad-free, downloadable version of this guide that you can save to any device or print? Check out our  10 Day Utah National Parks Road Trip Itinerary eBook !

Want to explore outside of the national parks too? Check Out Our Other Southern Utah Guides:

• Things to do in Kanab, Utah
• Visiting the Toadstool Hoodoos in Kanab
• 1 Day in Page, Arizona Itinerary
• Exploring the Peek-a-boo and Spooky Slot Canyons
• Hiking to Lower Calf Creek Falls
• How to hike to Kanarra Falls near Zion National Park
• How to hike the Corona Arch Trail in Moab
• Best things to do in Moab
• Hiking Wire Pass to Buckskin Gulch
• Visiting the Great Salt Lake
• All of our Utah Vlogs
• All of our Utah Guides

Before embarking on your adventure, please review the  Leave No Trace principles  to ensure you leave every place better than you found it, so that others can enjoy these beautiful places for many years to come! These seven principles include planning ahead and preparing, hiking and camping on durable surfaces, disposing of waste properly (pack out what you pack in!), understanding campfire rules and always fully extinguishing your fires, respecting wildlife, and being considerate of other visitors. 

About Utah’s National Parks

Utah national parks road trip route options.

• How much time is needed to visit Utah’s National Parks?
• When to visit the Utah National Parks

Where to stay for your Utah National Parks Road Trip

• How to get around the Utah National Parks

Things to know before your Utah National Parks Road Trip

What to bring on your utah national parks road trip, some things to know about this utah national parks road trip itinerary, 10 day utah national parks road trip itinerary.

Utah’s five national parks, known as the Mighty Five, include Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands, and Arches National Parks. These parks are all located in the southern portion of Utah. With each park being between 35 minutes to 3 hours from the next closest one. This close proximity makes it the perfect Utah national parks road trip! Here’s a quick rundown of each park and what it has to offer!

Zion National Park

Zion National Park is the 4th most visited National Park in the United States. It is home to steep orange and red cliffs, slot canyons, and the Virgin River, which winds through the park. It’s the most popular park of the Utah national parks road trip. The park is split into five main hiking areas : Zion Canyon (the most popular area and what we will focus on the most), Kolob Canyons, Kolob Terrace, East Rim, and Southwest Desert. Each area has a different vibe, but all offer incredible views of the canyon, peaks, and surrounding area. Some of the most notable sights in this park are Angels Landing. This requires chains in one section and is said to not be for those who are afraid of heights. And The Narrows, which takes you through a river and slot canyon (you will get wet!). But from our experience, you cannot go wrong with any hike in the park, every inch of it is stunning!

Check out our full Zion National Park Guide where we share a more detailed overview of the park, things to do, where to stay, and more! Plus, how to get a permit for Angels Landing (new for 2022!)

Bryce Canyon National Park

Bryce Canyon National Park is famous for having the world’s largest collection of hoodoos. They are rock columns that form over millions of years due to erosion from ice and rain. It became a national park in 1928 and was named after Ebenezer Bryce, a Mormon settler that lived near the park. He built a logging road into the canyon and locals began calling it “Bryce’s canyon.” But back in 1200 AD, well before European Americans and Mormons explored the area, it was occupied by Paiute Indians. And despite its name, Bryce Canyon is not actually a canyon. But rather a collection of natural amphitheaters, which sit along the eastern slope of the Paunsaugunt Plateau. It’s another necessary stop on your Utah national parks road trip!

Check out our full Bryce Canyon National Parks Guide where we share a more detailed overview of the park, things to do, where to stay, and more!

Capitol Reef National Park

Another stop along the Utah national parks road trip is Capitol Reef National Park. This park is named after the white Navajo Sandstone dome formations. They look similar to domes found on capitol buildings. And because the reef of mountains that proved to be a barrier of travel for pioneers. Capitol Reef National Park is approximately 368 square miles in size and is made up of 3 areas to explore. Fruita, Waterpocket (South), and Cathedral Valley (North). Each area is home to great hikes, scenic drives, and views. With the Fruita area being the easiest to access and most popular. This park was the biggest surprise during our time in Southern Utah. We knew the least about it beforehand and were blown away by its beauty and things to do, see, and EAT (they have PIE!!!). Don’t sleep on Capitol Reef!

Learn more about the park, plus see more itinerary options than we will include in this guide in our Capitol Reef National Park guide!

Canyonlands National Park

Canyonlands National Park preserves 337,598 acres of amazing Utah desert scenery. You’ll see colorful canyons, mesas, buttes, fins, arches, and spires all over these gorgeous lands.  The park is made up of four districts, the three land districts of Island in the Sky, The Maze, The Needles, and then the two rivers, the Green and the Colorado, that divide the park.  These districts may look close on the map, but there are no roads directly connecting them. Traveling between them requires 2-6 hours. Each district offers its own unique character to experience and adventures to be had. Make sure to visit this unique park on your Utah national parks road trip.

Check out our Canyonlands guides ( Island in the Sky and The Needles ) for even more information on this park! 

Arches National Park

With over 2,000 arches in the park, including the iconic Delicate Arch, Landscape Arch (one of the longest arch spans in the world), and the gorgeous Double Arch, Arches is the world’s largest concentration of natural arches.  Every arch in the park is unique from the others, making seeing each one a different experience. And what made our time in the park extra special was knowing that someday not all of these arches would still be standing. This gave us an extra appreciation for being able to witness this snapshot in time. Not that you needed another reason to make Arches a stop on the Utah national parks road trip!

For more details and everything you need to know before visiting the park check out our Arches National Park guide, including how to get a timed entry reservation !

Map of the Utah National Parks Road Trip

To experience all five of Utah’s national parks, our suggested route is:

Fly into Las Vegas -> Zion National Park -> Bryce Canyon National Park -> Capitol Reef National Park -> Canyonlands National Park -> Arches National Park -> Fly out of Salt Lake City

Note: you could do this route in reverse, but for this guide we will be listing it in the order above, as it’s the closest to our route. The driving time between each of these stops is:

• Las Vegas to Zion: 3 hours
• Zion National Park to Bryce Canyon: 2 hours
• Bryce Canyon to Capitol Reef (Fruita): 2.5 hours
• Capitol Reef (Fruita) to Canyonlands (Island in the Sky): 2.5 hours
• Canyonlands (Island in the Sky) to Arches: 35 minutes 
• Arches to Salt Lake City: 3.5 hours

A few things to know about this Utah national parks road trip route and your options

One way vs. loop: This Utah national parks road trip route is about 14 hours of driving and while you could do this route as a loop, starting and ending in the same city, it will add on a couple extra hours of driving. If you were to do a loop, the shortest option is to fly in and out of Salt Lake City (SLC). Close to 16 hours of driving. Whereas flying in and out of Las Vegas (LAS) is 17 hours of driving.  Moab area parks: You can switch Canyonlands and Arches National Parks. These parks are right by each other in Moab. So you can do them in whichever order you’d like without it adding on extra time! Other airport options: While Las Vegas (LAS) is the closest major airport to Zion National Park at about 3 hours away, St. George (SGU) does have an airport you can fly into, which is about an hour from Zion National Park. It has flights from Denver, Salt Lake City, Phoenix, and Dallas. So if you live in one of those cities, or don’t mind a layover, it may be a good choice! Moab also has an airport called Canyonlands Field Airport (CNY), which is only 20 minutes from Moab. This airport has flights from Salt Lake City and Denver. But it will be harder to get flights than if you flew into Salt Lake City.

How much time is needed for a Utah National Parks Road Trip?

This itinerary is for 10 days. But you could cut it down to 7 or 8 and spend one day at each park. Plus two days for travel. We’d recommend 10 days if you are able to, as getting between the parks can take some time and each one offers so much to see and do!  While we did this Utah national parks road trip over two months, the majority of those two months were spent working and we had a handful of days spent in non-national park areas as well. So even though we did not spend 10 days back to back exploring the national parks, this itinerary is still almost identical to ours, but with modifications to ensure you have enough time for what we suggest and enough time to drive between the parks. If you have extra time, we suggest adding on some other spots outside of the national parks along the way. We will include some suggestions under the appropriate day of the itinerary!

When to visit the Utah National Parks Road Trip

While the Utah national parks are open year round, there are a few things to consider when choosing when to go on your Utah national parks road trip, including weather, holidays, and crowd levels. Here’s a quick rundown of what each season brings to the parks! 

We did the Utah national parks road trip in the spring and the weather was pretty perfect! With cool mornings, warm afternoons, and lots of sunshine, weather-wise it’s one of the best times in the park! However, the crowds can be pretty high in the spring. Especially with spring break in March and April all across the US. As well as Memorial Day at the end of May. We did notice pretty large crowds in the parks, but if you start early, you’ll have some solitude.

The summers in Southern Utah are VERY hot, with 100 degrees being pretty common. We’d suggest avoiding the parks in the summer. The heat is brutal, the crowds can be high due to summer vacation, and afternoon thunderstorms can be common. This can cause flooding and make specific hikes dangerous. However, if you do plan to visit in the summer, we suggest starting very early to beat the heat. Be sure to take lots of water on hikes. And if you can, stay somewhere with a pool so you can cool off in the middle of the day.

Similar to the spring, the fall brings more mild temperatures. This makes the parks more enjoyable. With kids back in school and less holidays during this time, the fall would be a slightly less busy time to visit.

It is possible to visit the parks in the winter. But snow and ice can cause closures to trails and roads. It may possibly limit you on your trip. But, if you’re comfortable with the conditions and taking a little bit of a risk with weather impacting what you can do, you’ll be rewarded with less crowds and maybe some magical snowy views. One thing to keep in mind is that some of the towns near the park have less restaurants open in the winter. (We found many restaurants are only open from March-October or November). Also the parks tend to have more limited services during this time. 

TIME OF DAY

We’ve said it many times and we’ll say it again, our biggest tip for visiting just about any hike, national park, or popular place, GO EARLY! This tip has never failed us and oftentimes the sunrise light can be the best for photography.

You’ll need to stay in different areas most nights of your trip. This will cut down driving and give you more time to explore. We will include our advice on what area to stay in during your Utah national parks road trip. Plus a few suggestions of where to stay under each day of the itinerary. But for a longer list of lodging options, check out our individual Utah national park guides ! Suggestion : Southern Utah is the perfect place to travel in a van or RV. There’s tons of free camping options, which is why we “lived” there for two months! We have included dispersed camping options under each day. But to find more free camping options, we love Campendium and freecampsites.net !

Want to find campsites all over the US? Try the Dyrt PRO for FREE for one month! The Dyrt is the #1 camping app in the US! Sign up for a FREE 30 day trial of their PRO version using our code AplusK ! The Dyrt PRO offers many incredible features to make finding campsites even easier (+ cheaper). Some of our favorite features are: -Offline maps, so you can find campsites without cell service -Map layers to find free camping areas (+ cell phone service map layers) -Discounts from PRO partners and on campground bookings (up to 40%!)

How to get around on YOUR Utah National Parks Road Trip

Whether you fly to visit the Utah national parks and rent a car or if you drive from a nearby area, you will need to have a vehicle to properly explore the parks. We designed this Utah national parks road trip guide to be doable for any type of car . But if you want to have a bit more freedom and explore areas not on our main itinerary (like Cathedral Valley), we’d suggest getting a 4×4 vehicle if possible so you have the ultimate freedom to explore. Important reminder: If you do this route as planned, remember to make your rental car pick up and drop off locations different, as you’ll be flying in and out of different airports. If the fee to do this is too high, we’d suggest flying in and out of one airport instead. As the extra mileage isn’t too bad and you could see more scenery!

Rent a van!

As we mentioned above, Southern Utah is perfect for van life! If you want to rent a van, we suggest looking into Outdoorsy , which is like Airbnb for campervans!

Park Shuttles + Vehicle Restrictions

Both Zion and Bryce Canyon have free park shuttles that you can utilize. But the other three parks do not and you will need to drive yourself around. However, there are some things to be aware of when it comes to driving and taking the shuttle in Zion and Bryce Canyon.

Zion shuttle system

Zion has two free park shuttle options that run from March through November. The first shuttle takes you from the town of Springdale into the park. The other takes you onto the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive. The Springdale Shuttle, also known as the town shuttle, makes stops at 9 different stops in town. And it drops you off at the bike/pedestrian entrance to the park. This is a good option if you cannot find parking in the park. Or if you just want to shuttle into the park from your hotel or Airbnb. The other shuttle option takes you down Zion Canyon Scenic Drive. During the shuttle months it is NOT accessible by private vehicle unless you’re staying at the lodge inside the park. This means you are required to take the shuttle to go down this road. The Zion Canyon Shuttle runs from the visitor center up Zion Canyon Scenic Drive to many popular spots. This includes the trailheads for Angels Landing and the Narrows. The lines can get pretty long for the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive shuttle. Arrive early and be prepared to wait. Also, make sure not to miss the last shuttle of the day. It is a long walk back to the visitor center (8+ miles).  You can find more information and see the exact shuttle schedule on the park website . 

Zion Mt. Carmel Tunnel Restrictions

Driving a large vehicle on the Utah national parks road trip? Anything over 11’4″ (3.4m) tall or 7’10” (2.4 m) wide must get a $15 tunnel permit to go through the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel, which connects the eastern and western entrances of the park. This is because you will have to drive in the middle of the tunnel, taking up both lanes. They’ll have to shut down one way so you can get through. There are also specific times you can access the tunnel if you’re an oversized vehicle, which varies by month.

Bryce Canyon shuttle + length restrictions

Bryce Canyon also has a free shuttle that will take you to the popular areas of the park. We didn’t have any issues getting parking. So we recommend parking at the park, assuming you arrive early. However, between April and October, any vehicle over 20 ft long (like our van!) cannot drive in the main amphitheater area during shuttle hours. You will need to park in an oversized lot and take the shuttle in. We avoided this by visiting in March, when we were allowed to freely drive around. You can learn more about the shuttle hours, stops, and oversize parking here !

Tips for planning a Utah National Parks Road Trip

Here are a few important things to know before hitting the road on your Utah national parks road trip!

Get the America the Beautiful Pass

Each national park costs between $20-$35 per car for a 7 day pass. This pass will only get you into that specific park, not all five of the national parks. We suggest buying the America the Beautiful pass . It costs $80/year and will get you into all of the national parks for free!

Book in advance

The Utah national parks are very popular between the spring and fall. So if you plan to book hotels, Airbnbs, and campgrounds, make sure to book early! This is especially key for Arches National Park, which now requires a timed entry permit!

Arches National Park now has timed entry reservations

Similar to Rocky Mountain National Park , Arches National Park is implementing a timed entry reservation system. This is to help manage crowds and also maintain the park’s landscape. This will allow people to enjoy it for years to come. These reservations will be required between April 1 to October 31 to enter the park between 7 AM-4 PM. However, you can enter the park without a reservation outside of those times. We HIGHLY recommend that anyways so you can beat crowds and see the sunrise and/or sunset in the park. Reservations will open up three months in advance for the entire month. For example, on February 1st, the entire month of May will open for reservations. There will also be a select number of reservations available at 6 PM MDT the day before you plan to visit. You can learn more about the process here !

Angels Landing at Zion now requires a permit

Angels Landing now has a lottery permit system due to the increased usage of the hike. It costs $6 (nonrefundable) to enter the lottery. And if you are lucky enough to get a permit, it also costs $3 per person for the permit. There are a couple ways to enter the lottery, both in advance and the day before. You can find out more about this permit system here .

Pets are (mostly) not allowed

Pets are typically not allowed on any Utah national park trails and are only allowed in developed areas, such as parking lots, and campgrounds, so please leave your furry friend at home or in a safe, cool spot! 

Learn how we travel with a dog and what we do with Kona when she cannot join us at the national parks.

Cell Service is limited

There were many times, both in the national parks, as well as driving between them, where we had zero cell service. We highly recommend downloading offline AllTrails Maps and offline Google Maps. This way you can navigate without cell phone service and don’t get lost! 

Want to get 30% off an AllTrails+ membership ? Use our code aplusk30 (you must redeem this code on the website, not the app)! We use AllTrails+ on every single hike and it is the most helpful hiking tool out there! Some of the features we love are offline maps (so we can navigate even without cell service), wrong-turn alerts, and its 3D maps feature, so we can get a feel for trails before we hike.

Amenities can be limited

Some parks are close to decent sized towns (like Zion, Canyonlands, and Arches). While others are more remote (Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef). Make sure to fill up on gas and have lots of snacks and water with you!

Check the weather conditions before you go on a Utah national parks road trip

Always check the weather conditions the day or two before you visit a specific park. Especially before driving down the Utah backcountry roads or entering slot canyons. Slot canyons can be extremely dangerous and flash flood quickly when there is rain. Even if it is raining miles away. Never ever enter a slot canyon if there is rain forecasted in the area!

A common question we get when sharing our adventures is what we bring with us. We have almost all of our gear listed here . But here are some items we especially recommend bringing to Southern Utah for a Utah national parks road trip!

TEN ESSENTIALS

As always, we recommend having the 10 essentials on you when doing any hike. While most national park trails are very maintained and easy to follow, accidents can happen anywhere and it’s good to be prepared!

HIKING SHOES

Hiking along canyon rims, on sandstone, and in canyons require a sturdy shoe. So you’ll want to wear proper hiking shoes. We almost always wear our Lowa Renegades (Kathryn) and Altra Superiors (Adam), but also love our Chacos . These are great hiking sandals for the warmer months and for sandy and smooth rock terrain.

Despite being more of desert climates, the parks range in elevation. If you go in the spring or fall, temperatures in the high desert can swing up to 40 degrees in one day! We visited in March and April and typically started our days in the spring with jackets or pullovers on. Then ended in t-shirts or tank tops.

SUN PROTECTION

Almost all of the hikes at these parks are very exposed. We’d suggest bringing sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat to stay protected. We have been using Bare Republic , which is a “better for you” sunscreen. Although it may give you a nice white, vampire-esque sheen. 

Water is a must in the desert! We love our Camelbak bladder for hikes because it stores a ton of water. And it’s easy to drink from while moving. 

Make sure to bring along some snacks for your hikes and on the Utah national parks road trip! We love the meals and bars from Wild Zora (if you use our link you’ll get 15% off your purchase) and some of our other favorite snacks are trail mix, lunch meat, carrots and hummus, apples, chicharones, and pistachios. 

ALLTRAILS MAPS

We’d highly recommend downloading the AllTrails maps for all hikes you plan to do before you go. While the trails are mostly easy to follow, we like to use the map to track our progress along the trail. You will need an AllTrails+ membership to download maps, which is $35.99 a year and so worth it!

Before we jump into all of the best things to do on the Utah National Parks road trip, here are some notes we wanted to make about this itinerary.

• As we mentioned above, you can shorten it to fit your trip length. If you have any questions or want any tips on what to prioritize, send us an email at [email protected] . We’d be happy to help!  
• We love jam packed adventures and typically need a vacation from our vacation. This guide is loaded with hikes and activities, with many early wake up calls. So it may not be super relaxing, but you will beat some crowds this way.  
• On a similar note, we have included both easier and harder hikes on this guide This is to make it doable for different activity levels and to give you options to choose from.  

Now that you know a bit more about the parks, what to bring, and when to visit, it’s time to start planning! This Utah national parks road trip itinerary will mostly be based around our actual time in the parks and what we did. There’s a large focus on hiking and free activities (vs. paid tours). We have a suggested itinerary for each day. It can of course be adjusted to what you want to do, how much you want to do in a day, and how much time you have.  To keep this itinerary easier to follow and not too overwhelming, we’re keeping it a bit more brief than our individual guides. To find more information about the parks, ideas of things to do, where to eat and drink coffee, and more options of where to stay each night, check out the individual guides we have for the Utah national parks. 

• Zion and Bryce Canyon National Park 
• Capitol Reef National Park 
• Canyonlands National Park- Island in the Sky 
• Canyonlands National Park- The Needles 
• Arches National Park 

Day 1: Land in Las Vegas

• Welcome to Las Vegas! After landing at the airport, depending on how early you arrive and how much time you have, you can either spend a couple hours exploring Sin City (we have some of our favorite things to do in Vegas here !) or hit the road to Zion National Park.  
• If you are hungry, we highly recommend grabbing tacos in Vegas at one of our favorite taco spots ever , Tacos El Gordo . We also loved La Cocina Mexican Street Food in St. George, Utah!  
• Once arriving near Zion National Park, get some rest so you’re ready for 8 nonstop days of exploring the Utah national parks road trip! 

Where to stay:

For day 1, staying at Zion National Park will be the best option. You can start bright and early the next morning! Zion is located right by Springdale, which has many accommodation options, such as campgrounds in the park, hotels, and vacation rentals.

Campgrounds: South Campground & Watchman Campground Dispersed Camping: Old Highway 89 (Kanab) & Hurricane Cliffs  Hotels: Zion Lodge (located in the National Park), Desert Pearl Inn , Springhill Suites , Holiday Inn Express , La Quinta Inn & Suites Vacation Rentals: Springdale Townhome , Tiny Cabin at Zion , Luxury Suite

Curious how we get FREE flights and hotels? Check out our list of our favorite travel cards that have saved us thousands of dollars!

Day 2: Zion National Park

Read our Zion National Park guide for a much more in-depth look at the park, as well as where to eat, more places to stay, and more things to do!

• Start the Utah national parks road trip with sunrise on the Canyon Overlook Trail . It is one of the BEST views in the park in our opinion, especially for how easy it is! The trail is only 1 mile round trip and has 163 ft elevation gain. And despite having a couple narrow spots, it’s easy to navigate in the dark. We suggest getting there 15-30 minutes before sunrise so you can watch the canyon start to light up!  
• After sunrise, grab coffee and breakfast at Deep Creek Coffee Co. , which is one of our favorite spots in Springdale. Their food and coffee is amazing and the views are top notch!  
• Observation Point via East Mesa (6.7 miles, 695 ft elevation gain): While Angels Landing gets all the hype, we think this hike is even better, as it is less crowded, less scary, and has higher views than Angels Landing. The original trail has been closed due to rock slides. But if you hike via East Mesa, you still get to the epic view at the end! Even though it isn’t as scenic along the way. Check out our guide to hiking to Observation Point to learn more about this trail and where to park. Note: This will require a bit of a drive from Springdale.  
• Angel’s Landing (5 miles, 1,630 ft elevation gain): This is one of, if not the most popular hikes in the park. It is known for its chains section. A narrow section with drop offs on one side and chains to hold onto. This hike can get very crowded (there is sometimes an hour wait to get to the top). And if you’re afraid of heights this hike may not be for you. NOTE : There is now a lottery permit system starting April 1, 2022. This means only those who get lucky and win a permit will be able to hike. You can learn more about this permit process here .  
• Watchman Trail (3.1 miles, 646 ft elevation gain): This hike starts right in the visitor center parking lot. It takes you to a great view of a peak called the Watchman, as well as the park and Springdale. For only 3.1 miles, the scenery is pretty amazing!
• Grab dinner at Oscar’s Cafe , a delicious spot with AMAZING burritos and enchiladas!  
• Enjoy sunset on the Pa’rus Trail . An easy, flat pathway that has great views at the Canyon Junction bridge for sunset.

You will still want to stay near Zion National Park so you can have one final adventure tomorrow.

Day 3: Zion National Park

• For your final day at Zion National Park, grab a quick coffee and bite to eat at Perks! . It opens at 6 AM and is perfect if you want to get an early start.  
• If you want an alternative to the Narrows, we suggest hiking to Kanarra Falls . It is a mini version of the Narrows. This hike requires a permit, so it is less crowded, but is still an incredible experience. Plus has some unique features, like a ladder and waterfalls!  
• Drive to Bryce Canyon National Park for your second stop on the Utah national parks road trip. It is about a 2 hour drive from Zion National Park. Note: There aren’t a ton of good dining options near Bryce Canyon. So we suggest picking up food at the store in Springdale before you hit the road. This way you can cook some of your own meals. Two restaurant options are Bryce Canyon Pines Restaurant and Stone Hearth Grille .  
• If you’re up for an activity when you arrive, head to Bryce Point for sunset! While most overlooks in the park face east, this one faces north. You’ll be able to see some nice sun flares as the sun tucks behind the Bryce Canyon amphitheater. 

OptionAL Utah national parks road trip Add On: Other areas of Zion

If you have extra time between Zion and Bryce Canyon, we highly recommend visiting Kolob Canyons and Kolob Terrace, which are much less visited areas of Zion National Park and SO beautiful! Kolob Canyons : Hike the Middle Fork Taylor Creek Trail (4.9 miles), Timber Creek Overlook (1.1 miles), and Kolob Arch (13.7 miles) Kolob Terrace : Hike the Northgate Peaks trail (6.0 miles), which is an easy hike with an awesome payoff at the end.

We suggest staying at Bryce Canyon for the night so you can start before sunrise the next morning.  Campgrounds: Sunset Campground (closed in winters), North Campground (open year round) Dispersed Camping: Tom’s Best Spring   Hotels: The Lodge at Bryce Canyon (located in the National Park), Best Western Plus Ruby’s Inn , Best Western Plus Bryce Canyon Grand Hotel Vacation Rentals : Farriers Quarters Studio , Ranch Hands Bunkhouse , Quaint and spacious cabin , King Tent , Deluxe Private Yurt , Affordable Family Fun

Want to get 15% off a Harvest Hosts membership? Click this link and then use the code HHFRIENDS15 ! Harvest Hosts is a network of destinations across the US and Canada that allow RVers (or Van Lifers like us!) to stay overnight for free with the membership! These destinations include wineries, breweries & distilleries, farms, golf courses and more! The annual membership gives you unlimited access to spend the night at any of the Host‘s locations for the year. There are 7,000+ super unique places to choose from and they are located all over the country. We even stayed at an alpaca farm once!

Day 4: Bryce Canyon National Park

Read our Bryce Canyon National Park guide for a much more in-depth look at the park, as well as where to eat, more places to stay, and more things to do!

• The #1 suggestion we have for Bryce Canyon National Park is to watch the sunrise! . We know this is so hard to do on vacation, especially a busy Utah national parks road trip like this. But it’s so worth it. The major overlooks in the park face east and seeing the hoodoos light up is magical! Sunset Point , which despite its name, is said to be a great spot for sunrise. But we have always enjoyed just finding a random spot on the rim. Somewhere between Sunset Point and Sunrise Point to watch the sunrise.  
• Navajo Loop & Queens Garden Trail (3.5 miles, 662 ft elevation gain): This hike gets you up close and personal with the hoodoos in the park and is a MUST do! If you only have time for one hike, this is a great one to choose.  
• Fairyland Loop (7.9 miles, 1,545 ft elevation gain): This hike is pretty challenging, but way less crowded and you get great views of the park! You can either start at the Fairyland Loop trailhead or at Sunrise Point. If you start at Sunrise Point, we suggest going clockwise. And if you start at the Fairyland Loop trailhead, we suggest going counter clockwise. This way, you get the “boring” part out of the way first. To learn more about the Fairyland Trail, read our guide to the hike !  
• Figure Eight Trail (6.3 miles, 1,499 ft elevation gain): This hike combines the Navajo and Queens Garden Loop from above, plus Wall Street and Peekaboo Loop into one gorgeous hike through the hoodoos!  
• Finish the day with a drive down the Bryce Canyon scenic drive (38 miles roundtrip) and enjoy the views from the Rainbow Point, Natural Bridge, Inspiration Point, and Bryce Point overlooks. If you have enough time, you can also stop by Mossy Cave , which is located outside of the main park area, to see a waterfall and a cool mossy cave.

Optional Utah national parks road trip Add On: Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument

If you have an extra day between Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef, we suggest spending a day or two in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. Two of our favorite activities were Lower Calf Creek Falls and Peek-a-Boo and Spooky Slot Canyons !

We’d suggest staying at Bryce Canyon again since you’ll have had a long day and the drive to Capitol Reef is 2.5 hours. But if you decide to go to Capitol Reef after exploring Bryce Canyon, we’ll share some places to stay under Day 5.

Day 5: Capitol Reef National Park

Read our Capitol Reef National Park guide for a much more in-depth look at the park, as well as where to eat, more places to stay, and more things to do!

• If you stayed at Bryce Canyon National Park last night, make the 2.5 hour drive to the Capitol Reef’s Fruita Historic District . This is the most accessible area in the park. This drive is beautiful and we suggest leaving as early as you can to get to Fruita early enough for a very special treat.  
• First up, get PIE at the Gifford Homestead ! The Gifford Homestead is a historic homestead that has been home to many families over the years. And between March 14 (Pi Day) to October 31, the Gifford Homestead sells locally made fruit pies. They are amazing , as well as homemade ice cream. We tried the strawberry rhubarb and apple and loved them both! The pies do sell out, so arriving early to the park is key to ensure you have your pick of flavors! The Gifford Homestead also sells delicious cinnamon rolls (so we hear), but these sell out almost instantly.  
• While in the Fruita Historic District, walk around the orchards ! These orchards were planted in the 1880s by Mormon settlers. They are maintained by the park staff using the original irrigation canals dug by the pioneers and heritage techniques. You can pick the fruit during the prime picking season which is mid-June through the end of October. It sounds like such a fun and unique national park activity! The type of fruit you can pick varies on the month you visit. You can see the harvesting schedule here !  
• While in the Fruita area we also suggest visiting the Fruita schoolhouse . A one room schoolhouse that was built by residents in 1896. It also served as a church, community meeting house for dances, elections, town meetings, and more! It has been restored to what it looked like in the 1930s. During certain hours you can walk inside and take a look!  
• Another great hike to check out in the Fruita area is Cohab Canyon (3 miles, 793 feet of elevation gain). This hike starts right by the Gifford Homestead and will give you amazing views of the Fruita Historic District, as well as the surrounding area.  
• For your final hike of the day, hike to Hickman Bridge (1.7 miles, 416 feet of elevation gain), which is a short, fun hike that takes you to a huge sandstone natural bridge that spans 130 feet and is 125 feet high, which you can walk under! You could also continue on to the Rim Overlook (this will add on 3.7 miles and has a total of 1,053 feet of elevation gain), which shares the beginning of the trail with Hickman Bridge. This is a tough hike, but the views of the park, especially the Fruita Historic District, are amazing! We found the crowds to be less busy here too! Tip: we’d suggest choosing the Rim Overlook or Cohab Canyon. Doing both would be a lot in one day and they have somewhat similar views of the Fruita area.  
• Enjoy dinner in the town of Torrey! We suggest checking out Capitol Burger or Chak Balam ! 

For Day 5 of the Utah national parks road trip, we suggest staying near Capitol Reef. This way you can explore a few more spots in the morning before driving to your next national park! Campgrounds: Fruita Campground (inside the park)  Dispersed Camping: Beas Lewis Flat Campground & Capitol Reef Overflow Dispersed Camping Hotels: Capitol Reef Resort & Red Sands Hotel Vacation Rentals: Torrey Pines Cozy Cabin , Sandcreek Cottage

Day 6: Capitol Reef National Park

• Start the morning early and hike to Cassidy Arch (3.1 miles, 666 feet of elevation gain) for sunrise. While you could wait until the sun is up to do this hike, we LOVED hiking to the arch in the dark and getting to witness a magical sunrise along the trail and having the arch ALL to ourselves! The arch gets its name after the outlaw Butch Cassidy, who apparently had a hideout in Grand Wash. And what is amazing about this arch is that you can walk onto it! It may look sketchy to walk on from afar, but it’s very wide and we felt totally safe. Even if you don’t want to do this hike for sunrise, make sure to start early! The parking lot isn’t huge and it gets very busy.  
• After finishing your hike to Cassidy Arch, continue on through part of the Grand Wash , which shares a trailhead with Cassidy Arch. This trail has multiple trailheads and you could hike to the other one, but we suggest making it to the Narrows (1.5 miles in) and then turning around. This hike is flat and easy, but takes you through some very tall canyon walls, which make you feel tiny!  
• Continue down the scenic drive to Capitol Gorge, which requires driving on a dirt road for the last 2 miles, and if you’re up for it hike part of the Capitol Gorge trail (4.5 miles, 374 feet of elevation gain)! We tried to do a portion of this hike, but the parking lot was jam packed by the time we made it there (early afternoon), with no room to park our large van, so we were unable to stay unfortunately. And while this hike has some mixed reviews (some say it’s not as impressive as the Grand Wash), it does have a Pioneer Register, which is a wall that pioneers wrote their name and date on when passing through the area many years ago, which we think sounds worth checking out. You could just go to this portion of the hike and then turn around.  
• Start your 2.5 drive to Moab to visit your final two national parks on the Utah national parks road trip! If you get hungry on the drive, we highly recommend Tacos la Pasadita in Green River. We LOVED their vampiros, which are kind of like quesadillas with meat.  
• Settle into your lodging in Moab and get ready for another day of adventuring!

Optional Utah national parks road trip Add Ons: Navajo Knobs, Cathedral Valley, & Goblin Valley

If you have an extra day between Capitol Reef and Moab, or you just want to cut your time in the Fruita area of Capitol Reef short, we suggest adding on either Navajo Knobs, Cathedral Valley (if you have the right vehicle), or Goblin Valley State Park. Navajo Knobs is a 9.1 mile hike that shares part of a trail with the Hickman Bridge and Rim Overlook. So if you choose to do this hike, we’d suggest combining it with those. This was our favorite hike in Capitol Reef, but it was tough , so if you’re looking for a butt-kicking hike, with epic views, Navajo Knobs is the hike for you!  The views on this hike were amazing the entire way as you climb high up, skirting the canyon rim, scrambling over some boulders, and getting views of the Fruita area, crazy rock domes, and really unique rock formations like the Castle.  Cathedral Valley is north of the Fruita region of Capitol Reef and has a 60 mile driving loop , which consists of unpaved roads and takes about 6-8 hours to complete. There are many side trips and hiking opportunities along the way and some of the park’s most iconic sites, like Temples of the Sun and Moon, are located here. But you really need a 4×4 vehicle to do this driving loop, as it can be sandy and if you get stuck, it may be very hard to get help. Goblin Valley State Park (costs $20 per car to enter) is about 1 hour and 15 minutes from Capitol Reef National Park, on the way to Moab, and is home to tons of hoodoos, which resemble goblins. But one of the coolest things about Goblin Valley is that it’s basically a giant playground! While there are some “trails” here, it’s mostly a choose your own adventure type experience, where you can walk all through the hoodoos. We recommend just walking around and exploring and if you decide to skip Capitol Gorge at Capitol Reef, you could likely squeeze in Goblin Valley, which only requires a few hours, on your way to Moab!

We suggest staying in Moab after Day 6 of the Utah national parks road trip so you can be ready for a big day at Canyonlands tomorrow! This is where you’ll be staying for the remainder of the guide as well. Campgrounds: Devils Garden (Arches), Willow Flat Campground (Canyonlands), Kayenta Campground (Dead Horse Point State Park), Wingate Campground (Dead Horse Point State Park), Horse Thief Campground (Moab) Dispersed Camping: BLM 144 Dispersed , Willow Springs Trail Dispersed , & Klondike Bluff Hotels: Best Western Plus Canyonlands Inn , Hyatt Place Moab , Element Moab , & Fairfield Inn & Suites Moab   Vacation Rentals : Moab Flats , Casa Moab Casita , Stylish Beauty , Wisteria Cottage

Day 7: Canyonlands National Park (Island in the Sky)

Read our Canyonlands National Park (Island in the Sky) guide for a much more in-depth look at the park, as well as where to eat, more places to stay, and more things to do!

Note: for the rest of this guide you could rearrange the days, as everything is pretty close to Moab.

• Start the day with sunrise at Mesa Arch (0.7 miles, 88 feet of elevation gain). This is the most iconic spot in this area of the park and we arrived about an hour before the sunrise to snag a spot since we heard it could get busy with photographers. If you’re not trying to get the famous shot, you could arrive closer to sunrise to still see its beauty, but without a front row spot.  
• Next up, hike Upheaval Dome (1.3 miles, 226 feet of elevation gain), which is about as far east as you can go by car in Island in the Sky. This unique crater reminded us of something we’d see in Hawaii…it was unlike anything else in the park! We loved doing this second because it was still early and we were able to beat the crowds to this hike.  
• If you’re up for a bit of an adventure, check out the False Kiva trail (1.9 miles, 426 feet of elevation gain), which is an unmarked trail (not on park maps or in AllTrails) that leads you to a kiva, which is a room used by Puebloans for rites and political meetings. However, they call this kiva a “false” kiva because its origins are unknown and they aren’t 100% sure if it was used as a kiva. To get to this hike, you’ll want to park at the Alcove Spring Trailhead , which is just down the road from the start of the trail. You’ll turn left out of the parking lot and walk the road until you see some wooden fencing and a path behind it. The trail starts out pretty easy and has cairns to guide the way. But once you get to a more open area with canyon views, it gets tricky. You have to do a bit of scrambling to get to the kiva and after attempting some of it, we didn’t feel comfortable continuing, so we turned around. Plus, the kiva was blocked off due to vandalism (grrr), so you couldn’t get as close to it as before. While we did not fully complete this hike, we loved what we got to see and highly recommend just hiking to the area right before where you’d climb up to see the kiva. The views are amazing and we didn’t see anyone else the entire time!  
• Visit the Green River Overlook , which was one of our favorites of the day! Seeing the canyon and river together was breathtaking and isn’t a view you get to see from every overlook in the park.  
• Head back towards the park entrance and stop at the Shafer Trail Viewpoint to watch Jeeps and other vehicles go on the crazy steep, cliffside switchbacks of the famous Shafer Trail. It is wild to see!  
• If you’re doing well on time and want to stay in the park for sunset, we suggest taking a little break and leaving the park for lunch. We highly recommend Antica Forma for some delicious Neapolitan style pizza or Quesadilla Mobilla for quesadillas! You could also stay in the park and enjoy a picnic if you don’t want to make the trek back to Moab.  
• Buck Canyon Overlook
• Grand View Point Overlook + Trail : You can admire the views from the overlook right by the parking lot or continue onto the 1.8 mile (round trip) trail, which is pretty flat and gives you even more views of the canyon, plus the Needles District of Canyonlands.
• White Rim Overlook Trail : This 1.8 mile (round trip) trail takes you out to the White Rim Overlook, which is only accessible by this hike. We found this spot to be pretty empty and loved the expansive views!   
• If you still have some energy left from a long day, watch the sunset at Candlestick Tower Overlook , which is a non-marked overlook, so most people do not know to stop here, but it’s right off the main road and has room for 4 or so cars to park and is PERFECT for sunset!

Extra time in Moab? Hike the Corona Arch Trail in Moab !

We recommend staying in Moab for the remainder of the Utah national parks road trip. We’ve included some suggested spots under Day 6!

Day 8: Arches National Park 

Read our Arches National Park guide for a much more in-depth look at the park, as well as where to eat, more places to stay, and more things to do!

Arches is a park where you could see it all in one day, but it would be a very busy day. We’d suggest allowing 1.5-2 days of your Utah national parks road trip to have a bit more of a relaxed time. Below is our suggested itinerary if you only have one day, but under Day 9, we will share how you could split it up into two days if you choose.

• Start with a sunrise hike to the park’s most iconic arch, Delicate Arch (3.2 miles, 629 feet of elevation gain), which is the largest freestanding arch in the park. Because of its popularity, this arch gets mega crowded and you’ll likely never have it to yourself, but when we went for sunrise, the crowds were not that bad, plus we were able to see the arch light up as the sun rose. It was gorgeous!  
• After seeing the park’s most iconic arch, hike the Devils Garden Loop Trail (7.9 miles, 1,085 feet of elevation gain), which includes 7 different arches, including the famous Landscape Arch! This hike takes around 4-5 hours, so starting right after sunrise will be key to beat some of the heat and the crowds. The first part of the hike is very easy, but after the Landscape Arch, it becomes more primitive and you have to do a little bit of scrambling, walk on some more narrow ledges, and the trail is a bit harder to navigate. If you do not feel comfortable with this or just want to hike less, you can turn around at Landscape Arch (1.9 miles round trip). You can do this loop either clockwise or counterclockwise. We heard pros and cons to both ways, but we did it clockwise, as it allowed us to see the popular arches first and then end with the primitive portion. We include much more detail on this hike and the major sights along the way in this guide . If you do end up doing this hike on this day, be prepared to possible skip some spots below to ensure you have enough time.  
• Hike the Sand Dune, Broken Arch, and Tapestry Arch Loop (2.8 miles, 321 feet of elevation gain) to see three more impressive arches. This hike was such a pleasant surprise for us!  
• Make a quick stop at Balanced Rock , which is a 3,600 ton boulder perched precariously on a rock pedestal. You can see it from an overlook off the main park road and also go on the short walkway around the base of the rock.  
• Walk among the tall rock walls on the Park Avenue trail (1.8 miles, 298 feet of elevation gain), which is a trail without arches, but instead takes you through a canyon, surrounded by tall rock walls and formations. The trail gets its name because it almost feels like you’re walking among skyscrapers on Park Avenue and we totally agree!  
• Head to the Windows and Turret Arch (1.2 miles, 154 feet of elevation gain) and hike the loop trail where you can get a better look at the North and South Windows, which are large openings, as well as the Turret Arch, which is our favorite of the three. You can also get a cool photo of the Turret Arch framed within the North Window from the backside of the window.  
• End the day at Double Arch close to sunset. This is a super short (0.6 mile) trail that leads to our favorite arch in the park! The arch gets its name because it consists of two arches, whose legs share the same stone foundation. Besides being two arches in one, this arch is also unique because it was formed by downward water erosion instead of side-to-side water erosion. We loved seeing the golden light on this arch!  
• If you’re hungry after exploring, we recommend grabbing dinner at either Antica Forma for some delicious Neapolitan style pizza or Thai Bella for Thai food! We love their Panang Curry and Khao Soi! (Only open for dinner & closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays)

Day 9: Arches National Park OR Canyonlands National Park (Needles District)

For your final adventure day on your Utah national parks road trip, you have a couple options. You could either spend another day at Arches (and reduce how much you do the day before) OR you can head to the Needles District of Canyonlands, which we LOVED! 

If you choose Arches National Park

If you decide to split Arches National Park into two days, we’d suggest following the itinerary on Day 8 of the Utah national parks road trip, but skip the Devils Garden Loop Trail and do it this day instead! This would give you more time to enjoy this hike at a more leisurely pace and start earlier since you wouldn’t have a hike beforehand.

If you choose Canyonlands National Park’s Needle District

In our opinion, the Needles District is best explored by one of its long trails, so if you do not want to do a ton of hiking, you may want to skip this park, as it is a 1.5 hour drive from Moab. But if you want to hike, we highly recommend hiking the Druid Arch to Chesler Park Loop (11.2 miles, 2,162 feet of elevation gain). While this hike is long and has a good amount of elevation gain, the diversity on the trail keeps things interesting! Along the hike you’ll walk on top of exposed slickrock, go through narrow rock walls, walk in washes, climb a ladder, see a super cool arch, lots of the needle formations, and even get to see a really neat cave.  For slightly less miles (10.4 miles each) you could just hike to Druid Arch or the Chesler Park Loop Trail , but being able to see both of these is worth the extra mile or so!

Read our Canyonlands National Park (Needles) guide for a much more in-depth look at the park, as well as where to eat, more places to stay, and more things to do!

For either option, we recommend staying in Moab. We’ve included some suggested spots under Day 6!

Day 10: Drive to Salt Lake City

Your final day in Utah will be spent driving to Salt Lake City (or whichever airport you chose) to head back home! However, if you have additional time to spend, we highly recommend spending a couple days in Moab to explore outside of the national parks. We have a Moab guide with suggestions of things to do in Moab, including some dog friendly hikes! We hope that this Utah national parks road trip itinerary helps make planning your own adventure to visit the Mighty Five easier, so you can spend more time enjoying the trip and less time planning it! If you have any questions about the itinerary or Southern Utah, please let us know!

Frequently Asked Questions about a Utah National Parks Road Trip

While this road trip would be amazing any time of year, we recommend Spring or Fall for the best weather and slightly smaller crowds.

We recommend 10 days to fully experience each park. It can be done in less, and more days is always welcome!

The name “Mighty Five” refers to the five national parks in Southern Utah.

The Mighty Five National Parks are between 35 minutes and 2.5 hours from each other.

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Utah National Parks Road Trip Itinerary: Your 2024 Guide

Utah’s National Parks are simply stunning. And planning a Utah National Parks road trip is the best way to see and enjoy them.

From lush green valleys and sandstone formations in every shade of orange to deep canyons and expansive panoramas stretching as far as the eye can see, Utah’s National Parks will take your breath away, transport you to another planet, and inspire your inner sense of adventure all in one fell swoop.

You could spend an endless number of days exploring Utah’s National Parks and still leave hoping for a return visit. But if you’ve got a week (or even a bit longer), you can experience Utah’s unbelievable beauty on an unforgettable road trip.

In this in-depth Utah National Parks trip guide, find detailed and travel-tested itinerary planning advice and tips based on my own experiences from traveling throughout Utah and the American Southwest . This includes maps, important driving information, where to stay, and the best things to do in each National Park.

Plus, you’ll find several Utah National Park itinerary ideas so you can plan your ideal trip!

How to Plan a Utah National Parks Road Trip Itinerary

This Utah National Parks road trip guide is a true labor of love. I’ve traveled throughout Utah and the southwest, as well as to National Parks in nearby states like Colorado and Arizona. There’s no part of the United States like this corner of the country!

Quite simply, the natural beauty is jaw-dropping and the landscape offers an endless number of outdoor adventures to enjoy, from hiking and ATVing to wildlife watching and scenic drives.

Of course, the Utah National Parks steal the show, but it’s important to understand there are many State Parks and National Monuments that are equally worth seeing. If you’re like me, the problem isn’t necessarily planning a Utah road trip but having enough time to visit all the places on my list!

So, in this Utah National Parks trip guide you’ll find a few different ideas for how to plan your itinerary. Just remember, these parks are vast. If you want to do several hikes in a particular park or there are a bunch of activities that you’d like to do in a certain area, go for it!

Your Utah National Park itinerary can be about seeing Utah’s Mighty 5 or it can be about dividing your time among a couple of National Parks and the nearby State Parks and Monuments. Either way, you’ll want to return for sure! So, focus on the goal of just enjoying whatever places you add to your itinerary. You can’t go wrong!

Where to Start Your Utah National Parks Road Trip

Salt Lake City and Las Vegas are the best places to start and/or end your trip to the Utah National Parks. These 2 cities have major airports with plenty of flights in and out each day. Most major U.S. airlines fly in and out of these airports but it’s good to remember that Delta has a lot of flights to and from Salt Lake City while Southwest Airlines is very active at the airport in Las Vegas.

It’s great to have both options because you can  search for cheap flights  with some flexibility. The same is true if you’re using miles and points to book an award flight as there may be available seats in one starting point but not the other.

I recommend flying into one of these airports and out of the other, especially if you have just 1 week for your Utah National Parks trip. Generally, airlines don’t charge more for multi-city bookings, although you should always do your homework. You likely can fly into Las Vegas and out of Salt Lake City, for example, for roughly the same price as a classic round trip.

As for rental cars and pesky one-way rental fees, they do exist. However, they’re not universal and they are applied or not according to a range of factors. So, I recommend pricing it out because you could find there is no one-way fee for your travel dates or that it’s nominal and worth saving the time driving back to your original airport.

I started my very first Utah National Parks road trip in Salt Lake City and Moab and would gladly do so again.

Renting a Car for Your Utah National Parks Road Trip

Whichever airport you fly into, you’ll need to rent a car. Both Salt Lake City and Las Vegas are major airports with plenty of car rental options.

For all my road trips, I use  Kayak  to search rental car costs because it compares prices on many sites all at once.

Consider the time of year of your trip. Some of the parks have steep and narrow roads. If you want to do any off-roading, definitely rent a vehicle with 4-wheel drive and preferably one with some clearance underneath. That being said, my first Utah road trip was in the spring and I rented a basic sedan-style car and had no problems.

ProTip: Unless your road trip is coming up right away and you’re renting a car last minute, never pre-pay for your rental. Instead, book a pay-at-the-counter rate and then hopefully save money with this car rental hack.

Alternatively, if you’re planning to drive to Utah from where you are, be sure your car (and everyone in it) is ready and prepared with this  travel-tested road trip packing list .

How Many Days Do You Need for a Utah National Parks Trip?

Your Utah road trip should be at least 7 days. One full week gives you the chance to see all 5 Utah National Parks or a combination of National Parks and other places like Monument Valley or Grand Staircase- Escalante National Monument.

If you can spare a few more days for a 10-day itinerary for the Utah National Parks, you’ll have time to see all 5 National Parks plus make a couple of more stops to more fully take advantage of the incredible natural beauty in the area.

I would be leaving something major out by not pointing out how close you are to the Grand Canyon when you’re in southern Utah. From Grand Staircase, the Grand Canyon’s south rim entrance (and the rim with the best views) is just under 3 hours by car. From Zion National Park, it’s about a 4 1/2 hour drive.

How to Save Money on Utah National Parks Admission

Buy the  America the Beautiful Pass  before your trip to get entry to any National Park for 1 year.

The pass is also valid at all places managed by the Forest Service, National Park Service, including National Monuments, the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the Army Corps of Engineers.

After visiting just a few National Parks, the pass will pay for itself. Not to mention, many National Parks have separate lines for Pass holders and visitors needing to buy an entry pass. Needless to say, the lines to buy entry passes tend to move slower than those for pass holders no matter where you are.

The Pass admits a car-load of people which includes a driver and all passengers in a personal vehicle at places that charge by the vehicle. For sites that charge for each person, a total of 4 adults can enter with the pass. Kids 15 & under are free at National Parks and other related sites.

Keep in mind, the America the Beautiful Pass pays only for admission. If you need things like a campsite or an RV hookup, you’ll still need to pay the fees for these things.

Alternatively, you can find out before your trip if you qualify for another way to save money on  National Park entrance fees .   

1-Week Utah National Parks Road Trip Itinerary

With a 7-day itinerary for the Utah National Parks, you’ll be moving at an energetic, but totally doable, pace. You want to be efficient and maximize your time. The Utah National Parks road trip map above shows you how to do just this by limiting, or removing altogether, any backtracking between parks and streamlining where you start and end your Utah trip.

It also means arriving in Salt Lake City and departing from Las Vegas. You’ll save nearly 2 hours of driving by NOT returning to Salt Lake City to fly home. In my opinion, these hours are worth saving.

Imagine a scenario where you depart from the airport in Las Vegas at around midday. Making the drive from Zion National Park makes it possible to stay in or near the park the night before your return home to fully enjoy that day. Whereas a longer drive could mean cutting the previous day short to position yourself for your flight. Not to mention the hassle of needing a hotel near the airport for a night.

From a more dramatic standpoint, starting with the 2 National Parks in and near Moab, Arches, and Canyonlands, is an awe-inspiring start. While ending with Zion is like the magnificent grand finale of the best fireworks display you’ve ever seen.

This itinerary does not allow time for stopping at National Monuments or State Parks. Nor does it include time in Monument Valley or the Grand Canyon. You could absolutely tailor the itinerary to include 1 or more of these places but with 7 days, you’ll have to eliminate at least 1 Utah National Park.

With all that said, here’s a day-by-day look at this Utah National Parks itinerary.

Day 1- Fly into Salt Lake City –> Drive to Moab

Driving time: 3 hours 44 minutes / 239 miles.

Once you’ve picked up your rental car at the airport, head southeast for just under 4 hours from Salt Lake City to Moab, Utah.

Your rental car should have a full tank of gas but, if it doesn’t, fill up at one within the first 2 hours of the drive. Likewise, stop for snacks or something to drink for the drive within this timeframe. After that, you won’t find many rest stops or exits with services until you get closer to Moab.

Once you’re in Moab, you’ll find everything you need from food to gas to lodging. If you’ve arrived with some daylight still in the sky, you’ll get your first unbelievable glimpse at the red rock landscape towering along the town’s fringes.

Use what’s left in the day to settle into your accommodations and get ready for a fresh start in the morning!

ProTip: You could also fly into Las Vegas and do this road trip in reverse, as mentioned above. It’s part of the beauty of this road trip route compared to others I’ve taken like this Oregon Coast road trip itinerary that must be done from north to south.

Where to Stay in Moab:

Stay in moab for 2 nights..

Of all the times I stayed in Moab, I enjoyed staying at the Hyatt Place Moab the best. It’s on the main road through town, close to 2 National Parks, and comes with a free breakfast. Perfect when you’re planning a day of hiking and outdoor fun!

If you’re a miles and points enthusiast like me, it’s also one of several loyalty program hotels in Moab. You can use Hyatt points to book the Hyatt Place.

Whichever Moab hotel you choose, book it for 2 nights.

Day 2- Arches National Park

Important Info About Arches

** IMPORTANT! From April 1-October 31, you need a timed-entry reservation to enter Arches. Do this as soon as you can once the booking window for your travel dates opens. ** The park’s entrance is 5-10 minutes by car from the main road in Moab. ** Admission is $30 per private vehicle with up to 15 passengers. ** Check the official Arches National Park website for info and alerts.

If you arrived in Moab after dark, prepare yourself! The morning light reveals the orange and red rock formations surrounding the city. What’s more, it’s just a glimpse of the stunning red rock landscape and sandstone arches that await in the National Park.

Before heading to the park, pack water and lunch/snacks for the day. Moab has plenty of places to stock up. Arches heats up even in the spring and fall. The rocky desert landscape has no cover from the sun and only a couple of spots to drink from a water fountain. You want to enter the park prepared.

Be on time and arrive at Arches National Park for your timed entry slot. Luckily, the National Park is just 5-10 minutes from downtown Moab so it’s easy to reach from Moab’s main road.

Arches National Park Highlights

Arches National Park is appropriately named for its 2,000+ arches! Combined with balancing rocks, ridges, slopes, and towering rock faces, the park absolutely dazzles. One gorgeous vista is replaced by the next whether you’re driving along the park’s main road or hiking one of the many trails.

The park has so many things to do, it’s not possible to hike every trail in 1 day. But, with a morning start, it’s possible to see a lot and hike some of Arches’ most famous trails.

Don’t miss these top things to do in Arches National Park.

Moab Travel Tips

For a detailed arches national park guide, check out:.

How to Plan 1 Awesome Day at Arches National Park

Day 3- Canyonlands National Park –>Head to Capitol Reef Area

Driving time moab to canyonlands: 35 minutes / 31.5 miles driving time canyonlands to capitol reef area: 2 hours 50 minutes / 167 miles.

Important Info About Canyonlands

** No timed-entry reservation is needed for Canyonlands. ** Admission is $30 per private vehicle with up to 15 passengers. ** Check the official Canyonlands National Park website for info and alerts.

This morning, you’ll check out of your hotel in Moab and drive to Canyonlands National Park. It’s less than an hour from Moab, leaving you a good amount of time to enjoy a day in the park.

Before leaving town, gas up and make sure you have anything you need for lunch, snacks, and drinks so you’re set for the day because you won’t find service at Canyonlands other than a water station at the visitor’s center.

Canyonlands National Park is divided into 3 land districts. The Island in the Sky section of the park is by far the most visited area and the one you’ll be heading to today. I’ve also spent time in this part of the park. The Maze and Needles Districts are more rugged and better suited for backcountry pursuits and those who are experienced in that type of terrain.

Just before reaching Canyonlands entrance and visitor’s center, take a detour into Dead Horse Point State Park.  The lookout at Dead Horse Point Overlook is a must-see! 

After this brief stop, return to the main road and on to the entrance of Canyonlands National Park.

Canyonlands National Park Highlights

Canyonlands sits in the high desert. Its canyons, arches, mesas, and rock formations were painstakingly shaped by water, gravity, and the elements over millions of years. Compared to Arches National Park, Canyonlands is much more rugged and wild.

Whereas arches like Delicate Arch or Double Arch look as if they were shaped by the hand of a skilled sculptor, the rock formations and desert landscape at Canyonlands has a harsher, rougher feel.

Canyonlands Island in the Sky District can be visited and enjoyed in 1 day. The park has some of the best off-roading anywhere and numerous challenging hikes but fortunately those of us who stay on top of the Island in the Sky mesa don’t miss out on anything.

Aside from hikes or short walks, Canyonlands has one beautiful scenic overlook after another. No need to rush. Simply enjoy your time in the park today.

Here are some of the best things to do at Canyonlands National Park.

Canyonlands also has off-roading but you need to have the right vehicle and potentially a permit as is the case with White Rim Road. But if you’re looking for a thrill and you have an SUV or a vehicle with high clearance, you could take a drive below the rim of the mesa along Shafer Canyon Road. It’ll take a couple of hours and doesn’t require a permit.

Canyonlands Travel Tips

For a guide about 1 day at canyonlands, check out:.

How to Spend an Inspiring Day at Canyonlands National Park

Where to Stay Tonight:

Stay near capitol reef national park for 1 night..

By late afternoon, say goodbye to Canyonlands and begin the drive to the Capitol Reef National Park area. The drive is just under 3 hours. The park’s visitor center is in the tiny town of Torrey.

There, you’ll find hotels and places to have some dinner before calling it a (fantastic) day.

I recommend the Skyridge Inn because the rooms are cozy and a hearty breakfast is included in your stay. And sitting just 7 miles from the Capitol Reef, you’ll get to the park easily in the morning. Not to mention, the property views are gorgeous!

Torrey has accommodation options for all budgets so compare hotel prices to see which matches your budget.

Where to Stay Tonight Alternative- Monument Valley

Stay in monument valley for 1 night..

As you plan your Utah National Parks road trip, it’s hard to decide what to see and do especially if you have just 7 days. This area of southern Utah and into northern Arizona is jam-packed with incredible sights.

I’ve followed the route above going to each of Utah’s “Mighty 5” National Parks and I’ve also gone from Canyonlands to Monument Valley. The drive is just 3 hours and 15 minutes to Monument Valley and brings you to one of the most iconic natural landmarks in the entire United States.

If you’d rather see Monument Valley, it’s an easy switch. Instead of driving from Canyonlands to Capitol Reef, head south on Route 191 to Monument Valley. (Be sure to have a full tank of gas and snacks as rest stops are far and few between.)

When you arrive in Monument Valley, you’ll have only a couple of hotel options. I highly recommend  The View Hotel  in the Navajo Nation or the  Goulding’s Lodge  just 2 minutes away. These hotels are directly in Monument Valley so it’s very convenient for exploring Monument Valley the next morning.

Plan to stay 1 night at either hotel. You can compare prices and availability here .

ProTip: On the way from Canyonlands to Monument Valley, stop to see Mexican Hat Rock and Forrest Gump Point if you have the time. They’re both along the way and don’t require a detour. If it’s already late, you see them tomorrow.

Day 4- Capitol Reef National Park –>Drive to Bryce Canyon

Driving time capitol reef to bryce canyon: 2 hours 13 minutes / 117 miles.

Important Info About Capitol Reef

** No timed-entry reservation is needed for Capitol Reef. ** Admission is $20 per private vehicle with up to 15 passengers. ** Check the official Capitol Reef National Park website for info and alerts.

Capitol Reef sits along a “wrinkle” in the Earth’s crust. Officially, it’s called a monocline which is a waterpocket fold and in this case, runs for 100 miles. The National Park itself is 60 miles long but only 6 miles wide

When the fault lines in the Earth shifted millions of years ago, the sides weren’t equally lifted. In Capitol Reef’s case, the crust on the west side ended up higher than on the east side. As a result, water sits in the fold and wears away the layers of rock and things like domes, canyons, and even fossils come to light.

It’s hard to imagine how all of this geology happens. But it’s actually when you visit Capitol Reef and try to put this scientific knowledge in context as you stare at the gorgeous landscape in front of you.

For me, it was even more mind-blowing to realize that a canyon, dome, or arch was only in plain sight because of the layers that had been worn away all because of the uneven shifting in the Earth’s crust!

Capitol Reef Highlights

Capitol Reef has fantastic hikes and scenic landscapes as you drive along the part of the park along Highway 24. The rock formations together with the desert panorama create some of the most striking views among Utah’s Mighty 5. And in many areas of the park, you’ll find trails that feel light years away from the crowds at Arches National Park.

The main part of Capitol Reef also has a historic settlement called the Fruita District. It was here where the first Mormon pioneer settlers came. In 1 day or part of a day, you can see some of these natural and historic highlights.

Here are some of the best things to do at Capitol Reef.

Capitol Reef Travel Tips

Day 4 alternative- monument valley –> drive to bryce canyon, driving time monument valley to bryce canyon: 4 hours 33 minutes / 274 miles.

Tumbleweed blows across the open valley. Iconic sandstone monuments dot the landscape. You’ll feel as if you’ve stepped into a scene from an old Western with a bunch of cowboys chasing down a group of thieves! (Or perhaps you’d like to take your perfect Forrest Gump shot.)

The most popular mesas, buttes, and spires are along a 17-mile loop within the Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park. You can join a guided tour or drive yourself.

I drove my small rental car with no problem. Yes, the road is rough and bumpy, but if you drive slowly and carefully, you’ll be fine. Choosing the self-driving option also allowed me to enjoy the views at my own pace.

However, the upside to a tour with a Navajo guide is you can access more of the tribal park. Some areas are closed to visitors and can only be visited with a guide. Plus, you’ll get more context of what the rock formations in Monument Valley symbolize in the Navajo culture.

Here are the best things to do in Monument Valley.

For a detailed Monument Valley Guide, check out:

Everything You Need to Know for an Epic Visit to Monument Valley

Where to Stay Tonight- Bryce Canyon

Stay in bryce canyon for 1 night..

ProTip: Your hotel in Bryce Canyon should be among the first things you book for your Utah National Park road trip. There are only a few hotel options in Bryce. Once they sell out, there aren’t really any other options in the immediate surrounding area.

No matter what you choose to do for Day 4 of your Utah National Park itinerary, you’ll stay the night in Bryce Canyon to position yourself for tomorrow’s visit.

If you’re driving from Capitol Reef, the drive is straightforward. You can comfortably enjoy the day at the National Park and later in the afternoon start the drive to Bryce.

If you’re driving from Monument Valley, you’ll be heading west and then north to Bryce. Along the way, look out for Page, Arizona, home to the famous Horseshoe Bend.  

If you can manage a quick stop, you’ll have gotten a bonus and checked off a fantastic spot that’s a must for every Arizona road trip . Plus, it comes at about the halfway point in the drive, so it’s a perfect time to stretch your legs and find bathrooms. A short hike (1.4 miles round trip on a flat, paved path) at Horseshoe Bend leads to the popular scenic overlook.

Afterward, continue to your hotel in Bryce Canyon. Depending on what time it gets dark when you visit, you may even make it to Bryce Canyon to see the hoodoos lit up at sunset.

Bryce is a tiny town right at the edge of the National Park entrance. I stayed at the  Best Western Plus Ruby’s Inn and had a comfortable stay. I’ve also looked at the Best Western Plus Bryce Canyon Grand just across the street but the availability didn’t fit what I needed.

Whichever you choose, book a room for 1 night.

Day 5- Bryce Canyon National Park –> Zion National Park

Driving time bryce canyon to zion: 1 hour 45 minutes / 82 miles.

Important Info About Bryce Canyon

** No timed-entry reservation is needed for Bryce Canyon National Park. ** Admission is $35 per private vehicle with up to 15 passengers. ** Check the official Bryce Canyon National Park website for info and alerts.

Bryce Canyon National Park is like descending into a fairytale land where sandstone hoodoos stare up at you from a natural amphitheater and show off their brilliant shades of orange, pink, and red.

If you’ve never heard of a hoodoo before, it’s the geological name for irregular columns of rock. And Bryce Canyon has more hoodoos grouped together than any other place on the planet.

No matter how many National Parks you’ve visited, once you visit Bryce you’ll understand what I mean when I say, this National Park is like no other. Bryce Canyon and its hoodoo amphitheater are beyond impressive!

Bryce Canyon Highlights

The National Park’s main road sits up on a plateau and runs for 18 miles from north to south with the Hoodoo amphitheater visible from a series of viewpoints and overlooks. Some of these pull-offs and parking areas also have trailheads. Some hiking trails wind along the rim of the canyon. Others lead down into the canyon.

The best part of this layout is that everyone can enjoy the jaw-dropping beauty of Bryce Canyon, either by hopping from overlook to overlook in a car, hiking along the park’s trails, or a combination of both.

Depending on how early you start your day and how much (if any) hiking you’re planning in Bryce Canyon, you can spend half a day here or more. Even with 1 of the hikes below, you still have plenty of time to see the amphitheater from several viewpoints and leave by early afternoon.

That being said, you can also spend the full day in Bryce Canyon National Park. There are plenty of trails and photography opportunities to enjoy.

I would also factor in whether your trip to the Utah National Parks ends on Day 7 or you can fly home on Day 8. Ultimately, you want to make sure you have enough time for magnificent Zion National Park.

Here are the best things to do in Bryce Canyon National Park.

Bryce Canyon Travel Tips

For more bryce canyon inspiration and tips, check out this guide..

25 Photos to Make You Want to Visit Bryce Canyon National Park

Where to Stay Tonight- Springdale, Zion National Park

Stay in springdale canyon for 2-3 nights depending on when you fly home..

Make your way from Bryce Canyon to Springdale Utah. Be sure to use the Mount Carmel Highway and Tunnel to enter Zion and the town. It’s an engineering marvel but the views before and after the tunnel are incredible.

Springdale, Utah is the park’s gateway town . You’ll find everything you need from lodging and food to tour and gear shops. Not to mention, it’s a cute little town that has everything you’d want after a day spent in the National Park.

I highly recommend the  Holiday Inn Express  in Springdale. Not only was it the nicest Holiday Inn Express I’ve stayed in, it had a pool, free breakfast, and the free town shuttle bus to Zion stopped just outside.

Outside of the winter months, cars aren’t allowed to drive into Zion. Instead, visitors take the Zion’s shuttles to enter and move around the park. The town shuttle bus outside the Holiday Inn Express brings you to these Zion shuttles which is a logistical life-saver. There’s absolutely nowhere to park near Zion’s entrance so it’s smarter to keep your car parked at the hotel and make use of the shuttles.

The town shuttle makes stops along the main road through Springdale. You can compare prices at hotels along this road to find the best option for your travel dates.

Days 6 & 7- Zion National Park

Important Info About Zion

** No timed-entry reservation is needed to enter Zion National Park. **You DO need a permit to hike Angels Landing to the Canyon overlook. ** Admission is $35 per private vehicle with up to 15 passengers. ** Check the official Zion National Park website for info and alerts. **Since you won’t be in your car, remember to bring your America the Beautiful Pass if you have one to enter the park.

Zion National Park grabs you by the senses and overwhelms you with its magnificence. You’ll understand how special Zion truly is from the moment you drive along the Mount Carmel Scenic Highway with its towering mountains on all sides.

Despite all the red rock landscapes you’ve seen up to this point on your Utah National Parks road trip, Zion will leave you in awe. The towering walls of rock with the Virgin River flowing and the greenery complementing the backdrop combine for absolute natural perfection.

Zion Canyon was shaped over millions of years. The landscape that we see today is home to all different types of plants and animals. I saw more animals in Zion than at any other Utah National Park, including lots of babies on my spring visit! So when you’re driving the Mount Carmel Scenic Highway or out on the hiking trail be mindful and respectful.

Zion National Park Highlights

Zion offers an endless number of activities for every type of adventurer across its 230 square miles of outdoor heaven. Hike, horseback ride, mountain climb, and spot wildlife to your heart’s content. There are also guided excursions into Zion’s slot canyons and The Narrows .

Zion National Park’s most famous hike is to Angels Landing. This strenuous and steep hike takes you to the lookout over Zion Canyon. As mentioned above, you must get a permit for Angels Landing as the park works to limit the number of people on the narrow and rocky climb to the top. Apply for a permit as soon as you’re able to get the date and time you want.

If you’re physically fit and not afraid of heights, I highly recommend giving Angels a try! It’s a tough climb and you absolutely have to be careful. But, the view and the accomplishment are worthwhile rewards.

To enter the park, catch the Zion National Park Shuttle from the entrance in Springdale to different points within the park. Shuttles run continuously to pick up and drop off park visitors at popular sights and trails throughout the park.

Here are the best things to do in Zion National Park.

Zion National Park Travel Tips

For a complete zion national park guide, check out:.

What You Need to Know for a Successful Zion National Park Visit  

8 Spectacular Things to Do at Zion National Park

Climbing Angels Landing Hike at Zion National Park

Day 7-8 Zion National Park –> Las Vegas Airport

Driving time zion to las vegas airport: 2 hours 35 minutes / 170 miles.

If you’re like me sitting on top of Angels Landing at the end of my time in Zion, you won’t want to leave! But unfortunately, it’s time to check out of your hotel in Springdale and end your Utah road trip.

Depending on when you need to fly home, you could plan to depart on the evening of Day 7 so that you can still possibly have a couple of morning hours in Zion before heading to the airport.

If you can, head home on the morning of Day 8 so you can enjoy all of Day 7 at Zion.

Tearfully, say goodbye to Zion and make the 2.5-hour drive to Las Vegas. Plan to return your rental car at the airport. Then, head for home with unforgettable memories from your fantastic Utah National Parks road trip!

Planning a longer Utah National Parks Trip?

Lucky you! There’s so much more to see and do at each National Park than what you’ll be able to cover with just the week itinerary above. And the area around the National Parks in Utah and Arizona has so many iconic natural icons.

So while you could simply plan to spend more time in one or more of the above National Parks, you could also look to expand on your Utah itinerary. The ideas below give you an idea of how to do this.

Utah’s Mighty 5 + Monument Valley & the Grand Canyon

Day1: Fly into Las Vegas Day 2: Zion Day 3: Zion Day 4: Bryce Day 5: Capitol Reef Day 6: Arches Day 7: Canyonlands Island in the Sky Day 8: Monument Valley Day 9: Grand Canyon South Rim Day 10: Grand Canyon South Rim Day 11: Fly out of Las Vegas or Phoenix

Utah’s National Parks + Monument Valley & Page, AZ

Day1: Fly into Salt Lake City Day 2: Arches Day 3: Canyonlands Island in the Sky Day 4: Capitol Reef Day 5: Monument Valley Day 6: Page, AZ: Horseshoe Bend & Antelope Canyon Day 7: Bryce Day 8: Zion Day 9: Zion Day 10: Fly out of Las Vegas

Zion, Bryce, Natural Landmarks, Monument Valley, & Grand Canyon

Day1: Fly into Las Vegas Day 2: Zion Day 3: Zion Day 4: Bryce Day 5: Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Day 6: Page, AZ: Horseshoe Bend & Antelope Canyon Day 7: Monument Valley Day 8: Grand Canyon South Rim Day 9: Grand Canyon South Rim Day 10: Fly out of Las Vegas or Phoenix

More Ideas to Plan Your Road Trip to Utah & Beyond

Plenty of visitors add a few days to their trip to see  Flagstaff  and the  Grand Canyon . You could include these places along with Monument Valley and/or Zion National Park, and more Utah National Parks depending on how much time you have.

Antelope Canyon  is a natural wonder between Monument Valley and Bryce and Zion National Parks. Why not plan extra time in the area to take a  guided tour ? You could also visit Horseshoe Bend!

Arizona and Utah are great road trip partners! Why not do part of an Arizona road trip  along with seeing some of Utah’s National Parks? You could even head south towards  Tempe  and Tuscon.

Spend 1-2 days in Las Vegas. After a week of outdoor fun in Utah’s National Parks, a posh Las Vegas hotel, fine food, and some nightlife might be the perfect way to end your vacation.

Looking to do an extended road trip out west? You could easily start with a Colorado road trip and then cross the border to reach Moab to begin your Utah road trip itinerary. You could fly into Denver and out of Salt Lake City, for example, while seeing National Parks like Rocky Mountain, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Mesa Verde, Canyonlands, and Arches plus Monument Valley.

When is the Best Time to Do a Utah National Parks Road Trip?

Spring and Fall are the best times to do a Utah National Park road trip. The temperatures are more pleasant and most snow (in spring) will be melted, clearing the way for hikers and park visitors to once again use most trails.

That being said, you should try your best to plan a spring or fall Utah trip outside of school holiday weeks, long weekends, and free National Park Days. The parks have large crowds around this time. And with higher demand comes higher prices for everything from flights to hotels to rental cars.

Also, keep in mind that spring snowmelt can create elevated water levels and stronger currents and rivers and streams. So popular hikes like The Narrows in Zion National Park could be closed if the conditions are unsafe.

What about Visiting the Utah National Parks in the Summer?

Both of these seasons have their pros and cons. But I’ll cut right to the point and say that given the choice, I’d visit in winter over summer. Here’s why.

The summer months come with extremely high temperatures like 95+ degrees. This doesn’t factor in the real feel temperature that comes from the strong sun exposure. Because of the terrain, most areas of the Utah National Parks get full sun with few areas to find shade. This can make the midday hours unbearable for hiking and other outdoor activities.

Summers are also quite busy given that families take vacations while students are off from school. As mentioned above, Arches National Park requires a timed-entry reservation to help manage the number of visitors.

What about Visiting the Utah National Parks in Winter?

On the other hand, winters come with no crowds and don’t require reservations. You’ll feel like you have the parks to yourself! Less demand also means it’s a much more affordable time to visit. You’ll find the best prices for hotels, especially, during the winter.

Of course, the truth that we can’t overlook is the temperatures that hover from the 30s-50s in December, January, and February. Snow is possible, although days tend to be sunny and dry. More likely, you’ll see a possible lighter dusting of snow in higher elevations while much of the red rock terrain and iconic arches are just as beautiful as any other time of year.

The one exception here is Zion, which tends to be wet during the winter. This could lead to snow or ice accumulating on the trails, forcing the park to close them until they are safe again.

I’d much rather layer up and hike on cooler sunny days. With the right hiking clothes and a combination of body heat, the temperatures are more ideal than those in summer.

If you decide to visit Utah’s Mighty 5 in winter, check the conditions in each park before your visit to know, too, if any roads or trails are closed because of snow or ice.

Is It Possible to Do 2 National Parks in 1 Day?

While it might be logistically possible, like with Arches and Canyonlands or Zion and Bryce, because of their proximity to each other. However, I would not recommend this at all.

Not only would you miss seeing and doing many things in each National Park, but you’d also likely feel very rushed and quite unsatisfied. At this pace, you’d never get a feel for any place you were in or truly be able to enjoy the beauty of a National Parks road trip…to be outdoors and connect with nature.

Utah National Parks Road Trip Bottom Line

Planning a Utah trip is an absolute bucket list experience! You get to see and enjoy some of the most iconic National Parks, natural places, landmarks, and monuments in the United States.

Whether you have a week, 10 days, or more, there is an endless number of Utah itineraries that you can plan. Having traveled extensively through this part of the country, I can assure you that you can’t go wrong no matter what your Utah road trip looks like! So, let’s get planning!

What are you planning to see and do on your Utah National Parks road trip itinerary? 

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128 thoughts on “utah national parks road trip itinerary: your 2024 guide”.

I don’t know when Utah will happen in my life. You have triggered my travel pangs to the place. The itinerary is well detailed but at the same time I could not choose one over the other.

Luckily, Indrani, you can see and explore these parks with just a week. Plenty of time to visit other places in the USA, too.

What a remarkable landscape. Utah National Parks is one of the prime reasons I want to visit USA for. This post makes it look very do-able…thanks for this.

Thanks for reading, Punita.The Utah National Parks would have to be up there in the top 5 or 10 USA experiences to have.

We briefly ventured in to Utah when we lived in Arizona and did visit Monument Valley, which is gorgeous. But we’d love to go back and Arches NP, Canyonlands NP and Moab are all on our Utah bucket list. Thanks for this itinerary. We’ll keep it in mind when we get around to finally planning our Utah trip.

Hope you can plan it soon, Jennifer! Arches and Canyonlands are great! 🙂

Sounds like a very busy week. There are so many amazing National Parks in Utah I am always torn between the epic road trip and a deep dive explore of one or two parks. Sounds like you put together a trip that you get to see everything and perhaps, make a choice what to come back to and explore later.

It was busy but so much fun, Jen. If I had to pick one to go back to for a deeper dive, I’d go with Zion. It’s so majestic. Truly a one of kind National Park.

This is awesome and a must save because I would love to see many if not all of these places.

You’d love a Utah road trip, Holly! Gorgeous part of the USA.

What a beautiful place! More I see photos such as this and read articles on Utah more I want to go now. I once was browsing thru a book on all the national parks of US. It is just truly amazing.

Thanks, Nisha. Yes, the U.S. has so much open space to explore in its National Parks. There are so many gorgeous spots to explore. Hope you make it soon!

Such great tips! We love Utah but have quite a few parks to check out still. We’ve only made it to Arches and Zion, but I’d love to explore them all sometime, especially Canyonlands! Your photos are great and make me want to plan another road trip out there again soon!

Thanks, Jenna. 🙂 Canyonlands, I think, is a hidden gem. You hear so much about the other parks, but then Canyonlands just quietly captivates and overwhelms you. Hope you can make out west again soon.

I love Utah’s National Parks! Fabulous itinerary, thanks for putting each of these parks into an itinerary we can do in a week 🙂 We were in Utah two years ago now though didn’t have nearlly enough time to properly explore the state. We hit up a couple of State Parks which were in our area, and then did Arches, but Bryce, Zion and Monument Valley are still on the list. Going for at least a full week next time!

Aren’t they so great, Meg?! Everyone really needs to spend some time out there and even with a week can have a great experience. Hope you make it back in the near future!

Totally just what I need! This roadtrip is on my bucketlist. I really hope I can do it this 2017. Saving this and thanks for sharing. Can you also share with me the car rental cost? I am not sure I can use my friends car for the whole week so I might rent.

You’ll love this road trip, Carla. It’s really fantastic. So my car rental cost was a bit different because we rented one in NYC and drove across country first. But, I recommend making a car rental reservation with any site (Kayak, Car Rentals, etc), then tracking your reservation with Autoslash. Autoslash is my secret weapon for saving money on car rentals . They’ll search for a better price continuously and let you know when they find one. As long as it’s not a last minute reservation, I all but guarantee they’ll find you a better price. I’ve done better every single time, as have my readers, family, and friends. Good luck!

This kind of trip has been on my bucket list forever now. You’ve given me so many great ideas! I’ve always wanted to go to Bryce, but there’s so much more!

Utah is a treasure trove, Lauren. Bryce is just the beginning! Hope you can take a road trip soon!

Thanks for the great write up. I’ll have a couple days to spare. Did you feel that any of these parks were rushed at all? Would you stay at any other than Zion for an extra day?

Hi Matt, Thanks for reading and great question! I absolutely would have spent more time at Zion to do a bit more hiking. It’s such a beautiful park, though, it’s hard to leave no matter how many days you’re there. Enjoy!!! 🙂

I’m so much into going but how can I find travel mates? I am not looking for dating just people whom I can trust to travel with. where can I find them and plan the trip together? One woman would be just fine

THanks so much for reading. I’d look for Facebook groups with like-minded travelers looking for travel buddies and go from there. 🙂 Don’t underestimate solo travel, though. It’s such an opportunity for personal growth.

This is exactly what I needed! I am taking my mom and one of her friends (in their 70s) and my 12 yr old son on this trip in May. Your itinerary and tips are really going to help. Do you have any suggestions for hikes for seniors? They are both in good shape, but they don’t need to do anything too rocky.

Thanks for reading, Dana! How exciting to be planning a Utah National Parks trip. So, I loved this trip so much that my mom and several older relatives did this trip after me following my itinerary. They were all in their 60s-70s and were able to hike on most trails I talk about in the posts on each individual park, with the exception of the last bit of Angel’s Landing in Zion. I’d say more than trail difficulty (which is clearly marked by the National Parks Service), the key was starting early. The heat was more of a concern, with much of the parks’ landscape being dry, with few trees to take cover. Hope that helps and you have a fantastic trip! 🙂

Thank you so much!

I do have another question- I saw that you would have stayed longer in Zion if you could….you would pick an extra day in Zion over Arches? Just checking before I decide..

Hi Dana, I’m so glad you’re finding the guides helpful. 🙂 I would absolutely spend the extra day in Zion over Arches. There’s so much about Zion to take in. The more time there the better. Let me know if you have more questions. Happy to help. Jackie

Am thrilled to find your blog! Your week-long tips for traveling through the Utah canyons has been so helpful. We just booked and will explore these canyons this coming June! I am a teacher as well and won’t retire for 6 more years. My husband and I LOVE to travel, but are starting to worry about spending money on traveling rather than saving for retirement. We have never used miles and points b/c we don’t travel that often, but I’m wondering if we should start. I know nothing about it.

Thanks so much for reading! I love to have fellow teachers following along. 🙂 I’m glad the Utah tips are helpful. The National Parks out in Utah are just incredible. My whole approach to miles and points is making the money you’re already spending on bills and everyday life work harder by giving a return in the form of travel rewards. If you’re interested in learning a bit more, check out my free basics course at theglobetrottingteacher.teachable.com/p/travel-hacking-basics There’s no obligation of anything and it’ll give you the basics. Whether you take 1 trip a year or many, miles and points can help you save money on travel costs. Enjoy Utah!!

I’m trying to plan a trip for my family to Utah in March and this itinerary is perfect and saves me a lot of time! It got me so excited. Thank you!! With one day at each park would you say it’s sort of rushed or is that definitely enough time to see what you’d like at each place?

Hi Leah, Thanks so much for reading and glad the itinerary is helpful for you! It depends on how much you want to go off-the-beaten-path or not? I was definitely glad to stay in Zion for a couple days. Arches and Canyonlands were fine for the day. For Bryce Canyon, I did a day and a half. I was glad to do the drive through the park on the afternoon of my arrival for the sightseeing. The next day was for hiking and was fine for my April visit. (Keep in mind for a March visit (like mine in April), Bryce may still have snow in spots closing off some of the hiking trails.) Hope that helps and you have an amazing trip!

HI- We are planning a trip this summer ( I too am a teacher) and I was wondering about the rental car. We have been told that it is more expensive to return it to another airport. We could fly into Vegas or SLC but we thought we had to do a loop because of the rental car. Did you run into this? Thanks

Hi Robbi, Thanks so much for reading. I love chatting with fellow teachers about their travel plans. 🙂 To be honest, we drove back and forth across the country as part of our adventure. However, I have rented a car and returned it to another location. It depends on the location and time of year so fees vary. I use a website called Autoslash to track my car rental reservations. Make a reservation with any website. Then enter the details at Autoslash. They’ll let you know if they find a cheaper price. I’ve always saved money with them. Hope that helps! Have a great trip!

We weren’t able to fit Moab and canyonlands into our Great Southwest Adventure instead opting for a round trip out of Vegas and doing the north and south rims of the Grand Canyon. My biggest tips would be to stay IN the parks if you can to be right in the middle of the action (but you can’t use points) and if you’re going to hike The Narrows rent the water boots and poles from the adventure shop in Springdale. Water sandals weren’t sufficient. Makes me want to go back!

Thanks for reading and for the tips, Angie! Sounds like you had a great trip. 🙂 Hope you can make it back to visit Moab someday.

Great write up, thanks for sharing. We are planning a trip this fall maybe October, coming from Vermont, and are looking forward to hit the road again. We did the Big Sur, and route 66 a couple of years ago, great time. One question, did you have to make any lodging reservations on your trip? And if not, did you have any problems finding lodging close to where you were exploring and hiking? D

Thanks so much for reading, Don. I did make lodging reservations, but they were all fairly last minute. So for example, we were in Moab/Arches NP already when I booked the hotel for Bryce NP. So, we didn’t just show up but it was spontaneous. We also traveled during spring break time so I was more mindful that just arriving with nowhere to stay could be problematic because of the busier time of year. As for the drive across country to get to Utah, we just found places along the way. Hope that helps and happy travels! 🙂

Wow. What a great resource for planning this trip. What is a better time? Late April or Late September. Thanks for the article.

Thanks for reading, Steve. Honestly, they’d both be great times to go. Weather-wise, it should be more moderate compared to the high temps in summer. Crowd-wise, both times are during the regular school calendar. If I had to choose, maybe late September. Maybe you’ll see the leaves starting to turn a little in Zion NP and it’s probably more comfortable hiking the Narrows in Zion if that’s on your list. Have a great trip! 🙂

Great itinerary and sounds great even with teenage kids, which is my plan. Would this trip work for roundtrip from Salt Lake City? How far is Zion, last stop, back to SLC? I am flying in and the car isn’t my concern but roundtrip tickets from same airport tend to be cheaper.

Thanks for reading, Lizzie. It’s a great trip for teenagers! Zion to SLC is about 4 1/2 hours by car. Not bad, but still may be worth it to search multi-city itineraries flying into SLC and out of Las Vegas, for example. 🙂

Hi! Thanks for the info! I enjoyed this post. I live in Las Vegas and we are getting ready for a 6 day Utah trip: Zion, Coral Pink Sand Dunes, Monument Valley, Natural Bridges, Capitol Reef, and Bryce. We decided to skip Arches/Canyonlands on this trip so we wouldn’t be rushed.

Thanks for reading. So glad the guide was helpful. Enjoy your trip! 🙂

Hello Jackie,

Wonderful, wonderful post. Thank you so much. So glad you included Monument Valley.

We are a family of 5 (kids 16/14/12) and I am putting together my itinerary for 9 actual days + 2 flying days, flying in and out of Salt Lake City. Where would you spent the extra two days? We would like to go down to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon which looks like it is a 2.5 hour journey from either Bryce hotels or Zion Hotels. So North Rim would likely be an extra day and then if we add an extra day to Zion, and finally a day in Salt Lake City at the end to recover and see Antelope Island, then we have the three additional days. Thoughts?

1) Since we arrive late into SLC, we will stay night 1 there and drive to Moab early the next morning which would be Day 2. 2) Seems that it makes sense to either drive down to the North Rim after leaving Page AZ. Or from lodging in Springdale AZ. I think from Zion makes sense. 3) One of our friend families went on a family ‘canyoneering’ adventure at Zion for a day. Is such a thing worth it for a half or whole day? 4) How long should we plan for at the North rim? 5) I hear that Route 12 from Torrey to Bryce is one of the most scenic drives. How would you incorporate this into one of the days?

Tips you may want to add. Friends tell me there is a ‘ghost town’ /cemetary on the way out of Zion called Grafton Cemetary. Driving back to SLC, Mona Utah has a Lavender Farm that could be a nice stop.

Thank you so much for any detailed comments. I realize I have asked several questions.

Your blog is very much appreciated.

Further as I look at things, it may make sense to stay overnight in Page AZ when coming from Monument Valley, check out the Antelope Valley area there, then the next morning go to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. After that go to Zion and spend two days. Then last go to Bryce, why because then when done at Bryce, we could drive Route 12 through Escalante toward Torrey and then back to SLC so there would be no backtracking. Thoughts?

Have a fantastic day!!

Thanks so much for reading, Mike. Glad the post is helpful. 🙂 You have so many great ideas for your trip! You asked where I would have spent more time and I can easily say Zion. The Grand Canyon was tempting for us, as well, but it just felt too big to do it any justice with just a day. But I can easily see adding it because we almost did. Since you’re flying in and out of SLC, I’d stay as much as you can in Zion (yes, canyoneering is worth it!) and route back via through Escalante. I hope you have a great family vacation!! -Jackie

Thank you Jackie. Can I ask another question on logistics and your leanings having been there?

So I am using your rough order of things–after Monument Valley and staying in Lake Powell, Day 5 will be the North Rim and drive back to stay over night in Springdale. Then I have 5 days left for the best! So how to divide…. I think Day 1 Fly and arrive evening Day 2 Arches (3 hr drive in morning then to park) Day 3 Canyonlands (as you suggest drive to The View) Day 4 Monument Valley (as suggest & stay in Lake Powell) Day 5 North Rim (2.5 to, hike, 2.5 hour to Springdale) Day 6 Zion — recover and hiking etc Day 7 Zion — Canyoneering 9-4pm Day 8 Bryce hiking and enjoy Day 9 Bryce for another half day, then drive through to torrey then on to night in Richfield 4 hours plus stops (6 hrs) Day 10 Drive 3 hours to Antelope Island for 4-6 hours. We would have time to stop at the Lavendar farm. Day 11 Fly very early

The question remains, is Antelope Island worth half a day? Or should we stay a third day at Zion or two full days at Bryce?

Any comments appreciated.

I wish you a fantastic day!!!!

Jackie one more. Wow, I have read some more in other forums and your advice to spend more time at Zion is right on. I think I will adjust to stay at Zion 3 days, and one day at Bryce. If we one day at Bryce, then do we clip the day at Bryce by driving the Torrey route at the end of that day, or dedicate the entire day, and make the next day long doing Torrey route back to SLC and optionally see Antelope Island…..Or Bryce for 2/3 of the day and then Torrey route and night in Richfield UT (free hotel night there).

So many questions but you have a great itinerary that you have shared.

Thank you!!!

Hi Mike, 3 days in Zion will be amazing. You’ll have a day for canyoneering. But, then 2 other days to hike, explore, do the park’s scenic drive, etc. (Angel’s Landing is a challenge but worth it! The Narrows is on my list when I return. It was closed when I was there.) I wouldn’t clip Bryce. The park’s scenic drive and stop-offs are already a few hours. Not to mention doing a hike down into the hoodoos! If anything, because Zion and Bryce are relatively close. You could do 3 full days in Zion but sleep that 3rd night in Bryce. The sunrise over the hoodoos the following morning is gorgeous. -Jackie

Thank you again Jackie. Great comments.

I have all my hotels booked but having trouble with availability now in Bryce on June 12 for one night. We may need to stay in Tropic or out at Panguich but some reviews of hotels are scary.

The ones you recommended are full at this point.

Wish I could help there, Mike, but I don’t know anything about hotels in those towns. But Good luck! I’m sure something will work out. Have a good one!

I’d like to suggest the Muley Inn Bed and Breakfast outside of Bryce in Teasdale ?

Thanks for that tip! 🙂

Roughly how much did this trip coast you?

Hi Michelle, thanks for reading. Unfortunately, I don’t have that number. We didn’t fly. We drove and need a car rental. We booked hotels as we went and made use of some cash back rewards on a credit card to erase some of the charges. The America the Beautiful Pass got us into all the National Parks and it cost $80. Hotels and food were really the biggest expense. Sorry I couldn’t be more accurate in my estimating.

This is an amazing post – Kudos! I am planning to do a solo trip to Utah over the July 4th week, but I am going to take your advice of flying into Vegas and doing the whole thing in a reverse order. Any tips/recommendations for a solo traveler?

Best, Dev C

Thanks so much for reading, Dev. I would check each Park’s website for any alerts and pay careful attention to wildlife warnings and/or areas where it’s recommended you go as a few people together versus solo. And, definitely be prepared with plenty of water, food, a charged cell phone, and a basic first aid kit. While I haven’t hiked solo in Utah, I have in Patagonia and the Canadian Rockies. It can be awesome but I always take these precautions, plus let people know my plans. Have so much fun!!

Jackie – I just had the most amazing week in Utah, all thanks to your post. Bryce and Zion were truly astonishing, almost other worldly!! Thank you so much for this blog, you did an awesome job! Take care!

Aww, Dev! I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for checking in and sharing about your amazing trip. 🙂

Hey, Jackie, wanted to say I just started my search for info on southern Utah and this is fantastic. I’m going to read your post again and then all the comments for additional guidance. I’d really like to see the Grand Staircase and I’m thinking maybe doing that instead of Monument Valley. (I couldn’t figure out from Google Maps how to get in there). Do you know anything about weather in late October/early November there? I’m in between going in September, which may be more crowded, or going later in the fall. One more question: I’d like to do the Angel’s Landing hike at Zion but my husband is not that much of a hiker (he’s doing some of the smaller hikes). 1) is it safe for a woman to hike it alone, and 2) are there enough things to do in town so he won’t be bored? I’m going to start reading some of your other posts about other places to go. Amazing set of details. Thank you, Jan

Thanks for reading, Jan. So glad the guide is helpful. Grand Staircase is just about a half hour from Bryce and a little longer from Zion. You could easily get there from either of those parks. I don’t have any direct knowledge of the weather in October/November other than the average highs and lows for that time shown on weather websites. Personally, I think hiking when the temps are in the 60s, even 50s, is ideal. As for Angel’s Landing, I hiked it solo and felt totally comfortable. I was there in April so not peak summer season and there were plenty of people around. Springdale is a cute town with some shops and places to eat. The main street is certainly walkable but also accessible by a free town shuttle. Even our Holiday Inn Express had a pool which was great for my hubby who was a little under the weather to relax by while I went off hiking. Hope you have a great trip!!

I appreciate your additional info in your reply to my note. We are going last week in September! I’m checking out your site for other vacation ideas.

Fantastic, Jan! Have a great trip. 🙂

Hi Jackie, this is just what I was looking for. My mother-n-law highly recommended this trip. Do you think I should plan this trip in mid July or is it to hot that time of year? Do you approach a trip like this differently that time of year? This is the only time we have open.

Thanks for reading, Mike. It most certainly will be hot. I’d say hotter in Arches and Canyonlands because there aren’t as many places to find shade. It’s wide open, rocky, desert-like terrain. Zion and Bryce will be hot but there are ways to escape constant direct sun either from the trees or the hoodoos when down among them. I don’t necessarily plan differently, but I am more cognizant of starting my days early and, if need be, taking a break for the hottest midday hours before fitting more in as the sun lowers in the sky. I hope you have a great trip!!

Hello!! So happy to stumble upon this site written by a fellow teacher! 🙂 I am a 4th grade teacher in Ohio and will be heading to Utah in a couple weeks. I have set a goal to visit all 50 states before I’m 50 and Utah will be state number 44! 🙂

We are flying into Las Vegas and would love to do Zion NP, Bryce Canyon, and Arches. We have also heard from others that the Grand Canyon is just a 2-3 hour drive from Zion and we should include this… Neither of us have been there and it, too, is on our bucket list. Advice?!?! What MUST we do? We are open to other locations as well…but knew these were great spots that all seemed able to be driven within our time frame.

We will be there from a Wednesday to Wednesday. We arrive late on the first Wednesday, however. Any and all advice from anyone is welcome!! THANK you so much from one teacher to another!! 🙂

Thanks so much for reading, Jenni. It’s always nice to meet a fellow teacher and one who has a fantastic travel goal! 🙂 That’s such a tough choice! Zion and Bryce are musts. Are you also flying out of Las Vegas? If yes, then I might actually stick to Southern Utah and make a visit to the Grand Canyon. If your intention is to drive toward Arches and then fly out of Salt Lake or continue to drive back home from there, I’d say don’t rush to squeeze in the Grand Canyon. In my opinion, the Grand Canyon is a destination all to itself, even though I know plenty of people visit for the day. Grand Escalante, Monument Valley, and even Dead Horse State Park Point (near Canyonlands and Arches and even looks a bit like the Grand Canyon) have so many things to offer in addition to the National Parks on your trip without making the drive to the Grand Canyon. But I know how tempting it is because we almost did it too with the itinerary, but in the end felt we needed more days. I hope that helps and enjoy your trip!! 🙂

Thank you so much for the advice! We are going to hold off on the Grand Canyon and do that with Flagstaff in the future. ?? Planning to head from LV to the Moab area to see Arches/Canyonlands and others. Then back down to Bryce and back to Zion for 2-2.5 days. Yes, we are flying out of LV as well, so this plan seemed to make sense to make the most of the area. Really looking forward to it!! Thanks again for posting your awesome travel experiences and tips for all of us. ??⛰

I think that’s a great choice, Jenni. Utah has so much to see and do. Thanks again for reading and enjoy your summer travels! 🙂

Any chance you can post a map that shows the trip on it, just to show an overview of where each night is spent?

Also we are wondering if there is time to stop at the Antelope canyons near Page, and if it’s worth it.

Thanks for reading, Scott. Yes, I will add a map in the coming days. I definitely think it’s worth it to see Antelope Canyon. But, I’d add a day to the overall trip. Antelope Canyon will take a half a day and you wouldn’t want to shave off time at Bryce or Zion to make it work. 🙂

My wife and I decided to make a trip to Utah in September, and your suggested itinerary sounds great for us – Thanks. Two questions: Do you know if September is a busy month there for tourists? And I love touring through the mountains in a convertible, so any reason not to ? (high temps appear to be around 90.)

Thanks for reading, Richard. Glad the itinerary will come in handy for you and your wife. September is still likely to be busy, but not nearly as busy as the months of June, July, and August. If your visit coincides with weekdays instead of weekends even better. Convertibles are so fun! Besides the sun, I’d think about having a car with 4 wheel drive. Not that you need an SUV or anything, but depending on where you’re driving in Utah, 4 wheel drive could come in handy. Hope you have a great trip! 🙂

Traveling from SLC 5 -6 days to see parks then heading to Mesa verde, Durango , telluride to Denver for 4 days. Should we drive from SLC straight to Zion, then Bryce, Capitol Reef then onto Arches and Moab? Can we fit that all in? Any suggestions would be helpful before booking our stays. Coming in October. Thanks

Thanks for reading, Michele. If you have 6 days, you could do it. Luckily, Zion and Bryce are close to each other. And, Canyonlands and Arches can be accessed from Moab so you don’t have to move hotels. If possible, I’d arrive in SLC, do the drive to Zion (4ish hours) and then have the 6-day visit start the following day. Depending on what hikes/activities you want to do, I’d stay in Zion for 2 days, Bryce 1-1 1/2, Canyonlands 1, Arches 1, give or take + you have to factor in travel time. Looks like an amazing itinerary continuing into Colorado. I’d love for you to check back in and let us know how it goes. 🙂

This is such a helpful resource–thank you so much! I’ll definitely be returning for more travel tips.

Question: We’re planning to make this trip in mid to late March (unfortunately, our dates aren’t flexible because of spring break dates). What do you think of that time for this area? Do you think the roads will be closed, icy, or safe? As for hiking, if a few hikes are closed because of snow, that’s fine, but if all of them were closed, that would be a bummer. So any tips on that time of year would be great (or if you think this itinerary wouldn’t work for those dates, do you have another suggestion?)

Thanks for reading, Sam. So exciting to be planning a trip to Utah. I was there right about the same time in early April. Arches and Canyonlands were ideal with comfy temps (60s) and sunny. Bryce was the chilliest because of the elevation. Some of the hoodoos still had a dusting of snow but the majority of it had melted. One trail was partially closed due to ice. Zion was warm with afternoon temps in the 80s. The Narrows, though, was closed because of snow and ice melt making the river higher than at other times of the year. Hope that helps and feel free to come back with any other questions. 🙂

Any trouble renting a car in Utah and returning in Nevada? I’ve been socked for extra fees before.

Thanks for reading, Jane. One-way fees depend on location, time of year, and even whether or not the car rental company needs cars in a specific place. A one-way fee can be just a few bucks or several hundred. Whenever I make a car rental reservation, I always take all the reservation info and input it into Autoslash’s reservation tracker. They’ll search for a cheaper price for you up until the time of the rental. While it might not eliminate drop fees, I often save 20-25% overall with Autoslash. Hope that helps! 🙂

Hi jackie what an excellent blog here , i was hoping you can help me with some things biulding my Interniary this april 3rd week i have my wife with me with 9 and 4 yr old , driving a rental from PHX to sacramento in 7 days any helpful suggestion with this

day 1 Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Grand Canyon National Park

day 2 Antelope Canyon, Arizona 86040 lake powell

day 3 Bryce Canyon National Park

day 4 Zion National Park

day 5 Las Vegas, Nevada

day 6 and 7 going home to sacramento which is about 8 hrs drive

———- i wanna go to monument valley but i think it is too far it will add about 2.5 hrs of driving or 3 , im confused about this ,

Thanks so much for reading, John. Monument Valley is a bit out of the way and I’d focus on what you already have in your itinerary. I’d want to wake up in the places I’d end up for the day, especially with Bryce and Zion. So that would mean seeing Antelope Canyon/Lake Powell and driving to Bryce at night so you have the full day in Bryce. You can easily drive after a day at Bryce to Zion and check in to your hotel that night so you have the whole day at Zion. Depending on what time your flight arrives into PHX, I might build in a little more time to start. Flagstaff is just 2 hours from Phoenix and 90 minutes from the Grand Canyon South Rim. There’s some really cool stuff to do in Flagstaff , but it also could be a way to get settled and ready for the next day at the Grand Canyon without feeling rushed. Have a great trip! You have so many great things awaiting on this itinerary! Enjoy!

This is a great iteniary! My husband and I took a week road trip 3 years ago that ended up lasting over 3 months and spent a good deal of time visiting all of these besides Zion (who wouldn’t allow our dog, lol)! We were in love the minute we camped in Moab and continued North. We did this in a frugal budget and more amazing scenery and landscape than I could have ever imagined. Camping, a new passion and stargazing! Take the next left while finding some off the map beauty that we loved! Ashley National Forest is a must, Sheep’s Head Pass is incredible! Fishlake National Park has the most scenic foliage of the alpine trees in fall I have seen! We moved to Utah and there are too many to list! Well done and thanks for sharing with others!

Thanks so much for reading, Chris. Appreciate all your expert tips! Utah is just gorgeous with so much to see and do. The stargazing is amazing!

Utah’s National Parks seems to be the eighth wonder! Yes; I could spot you under the massive arch. thank you for writing such a detailed article on the park.

Thanks for reading, George. I had a good laugh that you spotted me under that massive arch! 😉 The Utah NPs are a wonder, for sure. Hope you enjoy your visit.

Jackie: Love your trip. How would this trip be in March ? Would weather be a problem ?

Thanks for reading, Steve. Temperature wise I think you’ll find it comfortable for hiking and being outdoors. (Utah can get pretty hot in summer!) One thing to keep in mind is Zion and Bryce may still have snow on some trails or on the hoodoos. I was there in early April and Zion was actually really warm with no sign of snow. Although, the Narrows was closed because of snowmelt making the river current too strong. Bryce was a bit chillier because of elevation and there was 1 trail that was partially closed due to ice and snow still in a few spots. Otherwise, I had no issues. Hope that helps and you enjoy your trip! 🙂

We’re older, yet active. We walk ALOT! Hiking? Is there time for that? That being said, no climbing .Weather wise , end of May beginning of June? My husband would do all the driving, i’d Want him to enjoy the drive.

Thanks for reading, J. There’s absolutely time for hiking. We hiked Delicate Arch and a few other trails on our visit to Arches. We hiked along the canyon rim in Canyonlands. At Bryce, we did a partial rim trail and Navajo Loop trail hike, while at Zion we hiked Angel’s Landing and a few of the shorter hikes off the main stops of the park shuttle. A May trip should be warm and sunny. Hope you enjoy this gorgeous part of the U.S!

Four ‘retired’ adults planning to head to the big 5 in mid May. Starting from Vegas. Very loose itinerary. Main concern is overnight accommodations availability. Am I overthinking this?

Thanks for reading, Joe. It’s hard to say, but I think you should be ok. The one exception is in Bryce. The town is small and has few places to stay just outside the park. I did this trip in April around school break time and booked many of the hotels in a similar way as you’re planning to do and it worked out. I have to imagine my April week was busier than May because school is still in session. However, I’d definitely book ahead if any of your dates coincide with Memorial Day weekend. Enjoy Utah! It’s such a beautiful state!

I’ve planned a trip based to Utah starting this weekend, based on this blog post. I’m excited! I’ll let you know how it went!

Thanks for reading, Aseem! So excited to hear about your trip to Utah! Happy travels and hope you enjoy the itinerary. 🙂

Thank you so much for his article! I really appreciate your advice and your encouraging attitude. I am hoping to take this road trip with my 10 year old daughter soon. We live in Albuquerque.

Thank you, Noelle!

Appreciate the kind words and I hope you guys make the trip soon!

Thanks for this post as it provided us an informative start on planning- just did the trip in early August. We opted to go to Capitol Reef NP instead of Monument Valley- it was more direct and turned out to be one of my favorites. MV is a bit out of the way, with few lodging options and restrictions on what you can do there compared to Capitol Reef.. Again, thanks so much for this post as it really inspired me.

Thanks for reading, Sean. So glad you loved Capitol Reef and so glad the post inspired you! 🙂

Hi. Thanks a ton for sharing and the detailed layout of your trip. This information is great, as we plan our visit to these National parks.

We will be flying into Denver, and then driving down passing through Mesa Verde. Once we get into Utah, the plan is to follow your lead from Arches National Park on. If there is one thing we get from your post (and descriptions), it seems this road trip of ours will be an experience of a life time, for which we are super excited. You have been a great help!

Cheers! – Naz & Faz!

Thanks for reading, Naz and Faz. You will certainly have an amazing trip! The Utah National Parks are just gorgeous. Enjoy! 🙂

Jackie, Thank you very much for this website. I am flying into Salt Lake City in October and meeting a friend – we are going to visit a National Park in Utah. Would it be possible for me to correspond with you directly?

Thanks, Travis Matthews

Thanks for reading, Travis. I’m happy to answer your Utah NP question. You can post it here or contact me through the blog’s contact form. 🙂

I actually have some fans on a facebook page related to this stuff. I’ll share your post with them and see what they have to say. I’m sure they’ll love it though.

Thanks for reading and sharing, Matthew.

Thank you so much for your tips. We’ll definitely follow your itinerary during our trip in May 2020. One thing I wonder, isn’t it better to fly to Moab when planning to go to Zion and Bryce, so we save a few hours driving? We are flying from Minneapolis and our trip will be for a week. We’d like to use our time and see as much as possible of Utah.

Thanks again!

Thanks for reading, Elena. Not sure I completely understand your question. There’s a small airport about 20 miles from Moab that services flights on a United/Sky West from Denver. No other commercial airlines fly in or out. Also consider, Zion and Bryce are roughly 2 1/2 hours from Las Vegas which has a much larger airport. Moab is nearly 5 hours from Zion and Salt Lake City is 4 1/2 hours. If you’re only doing Zion and Bryce, I might fly into Las Vegas instead and drive to the parks from there. Hope that helps! 🙂

Hi, Jackie Me and my husband in Utah at the moment and tried to add Antelope Canyon driving from Monument Valley to Bryce Canyon, but unfortunately all tours were sold out. I love colored stones, do you know any Canyon similar to Antelope Canyon? Also have you visited Wave? Is Wave even better than lower Antelope Canyon? These weren’t included in your tour, so you don’t think Antelope Canyon is as good as other ones in Utah? We think we missed out big deal not be able to go

Thanks for reading, Abby. Sorry to hear you missed the chance to see Antelope Canyon. I didn’t include it my week itinerary only because we didn’t have enough time. If you can, take a look at Horseshoe Bend Slot Canyon. It’s similar to Antelope Canyon but not as crowded/well-known. Good luck!!

Love this! Planning to take the train in February from Chicago and get off at Grand Junction. Shall I do the trip as you set it out and then have a long day of driving back to Grand Junction to get back on the train, heading to CA? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks much. Shelley

Thanks for reading, Shelley. You could add one last thing to your itinerary to make it more of a loop. Start in Moab and do Arches and Canyonlands area. Head south to do Monument Valley, Bryce, Zion area. Then loop back north to do Capitol Reef National Park before head back to Grand Junction. Good luck on your drive! So many great things to see in that area! 🙂

My girlfriend and i are from Melbourne Australia and travelling to Utah in April 2020. I really like the itinerary that you have created and was wondering if you thought it would be possible to add in Capitol reef as well? I really want to drive there on highway 12 from Bryce canyon. We would only have the same number of days as your itinerary but was thinking of skipping Canyonlands to hopefully accommodate Capitol reef? What do you think?

Thanks so much for reading, Al. You could absolutely do that, swap out Canyonlands for Capitol Reef. You could also leave out Monument Valley and get in all 5 National Parks instead. Once you’re in Moab for Arches, Canyonlands is so close from there. And it sounds like you’re thinking Zion, Bryce, Capitol Reef and if so, Monument Valley might be going out of your way. Just depends what are your must-see places…Hope that helps and you have a great road trip! 🙂

As I have researched for our trip at end of March 2020, this is is the most helpful article out there in my opinion! Thank you so much! One question. If you had to shorten it by one day (we only have 7 days) what would you do differently. We are travelling with our 16 yo and 21 yo boys and we are all very active hikers.

Thanks for reading and for your kind words, Kara. If you had to skip something, I’d say leave out Monument Valley. Focus on the National Parks and hiking to your hearts’ content. Hope you have a great trip!

Good Morning. Your website was so helpful when I went out with a friend to Utah in October – we saw Arches and Canyonlands and just had a blast. I am planning a trip for late April or early May as we speak. I was planning the trip with my friend Jon, but he has just pulled out (we had not yet booked hotel rooms or plane tickets). Jon is married with 2 kids and I know trips like that are not easy for him. I am single (47) and I wondered if you knew of any travel groups that might be heading out to Utah? I could go by myself, but when you are single, you spend more time alone and it is nice to take trips with people. Any suggestions?

Thanks so much for reading and so glad to hear the website was helpful for your last trip. I don’t know of any travel groups heading out to Utah. But, what I do when I travel solo is to join in a few day tours. At the very least, you can enjoy the experience with others. But sometimes, you even end up with a friend that’ll join you for dinner or even another activity at some point on the trip. I use Get Your Guide to book day tours and they have a few good ones in Utah like the chance to explore Arches by 4×4 or ATV. You might also look at the website Meetups. They have groups that meet regularly for hiking and other activities in Utah. Maybe your dates will align. Hope that helps and you decide to make the trip! 🙂

Our family is planning a Utah trip this summer, flying into SLC and out of Phoenix. I am trying to map out our days using a portion of your itinerary as well as some of the previous comment’s suggestions. We have a total of 9 days/ 8 nights. Is what I have mapped out accurate? Day 1 – Leave SLC at lunch time and drive to Moab Day 2 – Canyonland/Dead Horse Point Day 3 – Arches Day 4 – Drive to Bryce via Hwy 12 and hit Capital Reef NP along the way Day 5- Bryce Canyon NP; drive to Springdale Day 6 – Zion Day 7 – Drive to Grand Canyon area with stops in Page, AZ Day 8 – Grand Canyon Day 9 – Drive to Phoenix and fly home

Is there a different way you would work this timeline/stops. I love these kind of trips, but mapping it all out is a nightmare for me! Our flights and rental car are booked, but I have yet to book lodging. I appreciate any advice you may have!

Thanks so much for reading, Bekah. Your itinerary looks great! In addition to this itinerary, I’ve done the Grand Canyon and then drove to Phoenix to fly home. We loved the Holiday Inn Express in Springdale for Zion NP. When I was in the Grand Canyon, I stayed in Flagstaff, which is a great town all on its own. In Moab, we stayed in the Holiday Inn Express as well and liked it. Its location is convenient to the town but just near the entrance of Arches. Hope that helps but reach out with more questions if you have them! 🙂

Thank you for all of these tips, Jackie. My family and I are planning a road trip this summer to stay at a dude ranch in Utah that’s actually right near Bryce Canyon and I’m so excited to see the sunrise over the hoodoos. Do you have any recommendations on hikes in the area? Already considering planning another trip because all of your suggestions sound so fun.

Thanks for reading, Jamie. I can only suggest hikes within Bryce. The Navajo Loop Trail and the Queens Garden Trails are good ones!

My cousin has been thinking about going on a trip to the Zion national park to have some fun hiking with her kids. She would really like to get some help from a professional to be more effective, and have more fun. I liked what you said about how she should try to climb angels because it is a touch climb but should be really rewarding.

Thanks for reading, Adam. Angel’s Landing is tough but definitely an accomplishment…with great views. 🙂

I really like your website. Can you recommend a shuttle service from the Las Vegas Airport to Bryce Canon City?

Thanks for reading and for your kind words, Travis. I don’t know of a specific shuttle service but there are very small group tours that operate from Las Vegas to Bryce. Not sure if that will help but I’ve linked to it just in case.

Hello, thanks so much for detailing out this 1 week trip! I just booked it exactly as you suggested as a high school graduation gift/family trip for my son in August. Used all suggestions and hotels. THANK YOU!

Thanks so much for reading, Jen! That’s so awesome! I’m sure you’ll have a great time. The Utah National Parks are amazing. Enjoy. 🙂

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The Ultimate Utah National Parks Road Trip Itinerary

With its otherworldly landscapes, Mighty Five national parks, fascinating slot canyons, and its seemingly endless number of state parks and other beautiful natural spots, Utah is, without a doubt, one of the most unique states in the USA–and nothing puts that uniqueness on display quite as well as a Utah national parks road trip.

Utah was made for road tripping: there is no shortage of dirt roads to meander down, quiet corners to explore, stargazing to enjoy, and iconic landscapes to seek out.

We’ve taken several road trips in Utah at this point, and every time we visit, we end up even more enchanted with a state whose landscapes encompass the word “otherworldly” so perfectly that I will no doubt overuse it in this blog post.

Planning your first (or third) Utah Mighty Five road trip and want to make sure you make the most of your time in southern Utah?

We have you covered: t his Utah national parks road trip itinerary covers all of Utah’s Mighty Five national parks, along with several state parks, small towns, and interesting side trips.

Here’s how to structure the ultimate road trip through Utah’s national parks!

Table of Contents

How We Structured This Utah Road Trip Itinerary

Getting around during your utah national parks road trip, getting to utah’s mighty five (where to fly into + out of), other places to add to your utah national parks road trip, essential tips for a utah mighty five road trip, southern utah road trip itinerary map, what to pack for a utah road trip.

Some links in this post may be affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Please see our disclosure policy for more detail.

We structured this Utah road trip itinerary not as a loop, but as a trip with different starting and ending points.

Since this Utah national parks road trip takes place in primarily very rural areas, you’ll need to get yourself to the starting point of Moab if you fly into the region–we’ll cover more on how to do that later–and back to the airport (or a different airport) from Zion National Park after your trip is over.

Later, we’ll also cover possible additions to this road trip, including in neighboring states, if you’d like to consider turning your trip into a Utah and Arizona road trip or even a general southwest road trip .

This blog post is quite long, so feel free to use the table of contents above in order to navigate through different sections!

We also have many, many more blog posts about exploring Utah’s national parks and the southwest in general here on Our Escape Clause.

While we’ll link them throughout the post, you can also use the search bar in the top right of the screen (on desktop) or on the pop-out menu (on mobile) to search for blog posts about various parks and topics!

If you’re planning to rent a car for your Utah road trip, the best company to rent from will likely vary dramatically depending on exactly when you’re traveling.

Sometimes large international carriers offer the best prices, sometimes local outfits.

Sometimes one company has an excellent base price, but terrible rental requirements.

The best way to find your rental car is to search through  Discover Cars , which will sift through dozens of companies to find the best combination of low prices and reasonable rental terms for your road trip.

We’ve taken several road trips in the southwest over the years, and have never used or needed a 4-wheel drive–but if you want to get far off the (literally) beaten path, you may want to consider renting one!

Check rates & book your rental car for your Utah Mighty 5 road trip!

We have offered suggestions for the best hotels in each place but if you are doing this as a true road trip it is really cool to do it in an RV. You can rent incredible RVs and camper vans from Outdoorsy, book here for your next road trip!

The Utah national parks road trip outlined here takes place over 9 days.

In other words, it takes just enough time to take one week off of work and make a trip through the southern part of the state at breakneck speed, which is similar to what we did on our very first Utah road trip back in the day (no regrets).

However, any of Utah’s Mighty Five national parks could easily soak up more time, so if you have more days to work with, you’ll definitely find plenty to do!

Day 1: Kick off your Utah National Parks road trip in Moab.

Moab is the perfect starting place for your Utah road trip itinerary!

This small, outdoorsy town in southeastern Utah is perfectly positioned to access not one, but two of Utah’s Mighty Five national parks, as well as state parks and other highlights!

If you get into town early enough, consider spending the afternoon and evening kicking off your explorations of Arches National Park, which is located just outside of town!

Where to Stay in Moab

Moab has plenty of hotels and motels to choose from, but fair warning–it’s one of the priciest destinations covered during this road trip, so don’t expect to nab a great deal during high season!

Red Stone Inn — Centrally located in Moab, the Red Stone Inn feels like a callback to another era of American road trips.

If you’re looking for an inexpensive slice of Americana, the Red Stone Inn is a great option–and the swimming pool and laundry services located on-site are a selling point, too.

Check rates & book your stay at the Red Stone Inn!

Comfort Suites Moab — We stayed here during a recent visit to Moab, and couldn’t have been happier with the comfortable rooms, exceptional customer service, and great location in town.

Check rates & book your stay at Comfort Suites Moab!

Hyatt Place Moab — Moab isn’t exactly a destination that lends itself to luxury, but those looking for some great creature comforts during their trip will find them at the new, swanky Hyatt Place Moab, which is just a few years old!

In addition to its swimming pool, included breakfast, and great rooms, Hyatt Place Moab also boasts an exceptional location on the edge of Moab, just minutes from the entrance to Arches National Park.

Check rates & book your stay at Hyatt Place Moab!

Vacation rental.

My Place Hotel  — Need access to a kitchen while exploring the best activities in Moab? Consider the studios at the brand-new My Place Hotel!

We stayed here on our most recent trip to Moab and loved the kitchen access (though be warned, it’s not stocked, so bring your own plates/pans), the view, the extreme cleanliness, and beyond all, the location.

My Place Hotel is located on the edge of town, a short drive from Arches National Park, making it an ideal place to stay for hikers.

It’s also pet-friendly, a must for Ranger!

Check rates & book your stay at My Place Hotel!

Day 2: Explore Arches National Park.

On day 2 of your national parks road trip in Utah, head (back) to Arches to knock off at least one of its iconic hikes.

We have a full post detailing the best hikes in Arches here , so I’ll try not to repeat myself much, but the Delicate Arch trail and the full Devils Garden trail are among our favorites.

Even if you’d rather not go more than, say, a mile along a trail, though, Arches still has plenty to offer!

In the evening, head back to town to enjoy dinner at one of the great restaurants in Moab .

Day 3: Check out Canyonlands + watch the sunset at Dead Horse Point State Park.

Canyonlands National Park is enormous, and it is divided into three distinct sections: Island in the Sky , the Maze, and the Needles.

This Utah road trip itinerary includes a visit to Island in the Sky, both because it is the easiest section to access from Moab and because it is the district that is most accessible in general.

Be sure not to miss the iconic (and short) hike to Mesa Arch: it’s popular at sunrise for a reason, but even if you’re not willing to get up well before dawn, it’s still worth visiting at any time of day.

You’ll want to pack a picnic lunch for this part of your Utah road trip because after spending the bulk of the day on the Island in the Sky, we recommend stopping by Dead Horse Point State Park on your way back to Moab to enjoy the sunset from one of Utah’s best sunset spots.

If you’re on a strict budget, you may want to skip Dead Horse Point State Park as it’s an additional $20 fee per car to enter–but the sunsets are magical enough that we have visited more than once.

Day 4: Drive to Capitol Reef National Park + stop at Goblin Valley State Park.

Today, it’s time to leave behind popular Moab and head off to the least-visited of the Mighty Five national parks in Utah: Capitol Reef National Park. 

We recommend traveling along beautiful Highway 24–the scenic drive is worthy of being considered a tourist attraction itself!

Along the way, consider making a detour to Goblin Valley State Park .

This valley is populated by a unique set of hoodoos that look remarkably like goblins! 

A stop here doesn’t necessarily need to be longer than a couple of hours to be worth the effort, but be sure to come prepared for lots of heat and sun exposure: the valley floor is mercilessly hot and exposed.

Once you finish checking out the goblins, head to Capitol Reef to finish your day with some absolutely stunning views.

Where to Stay Near Capitol Reef National Park

Capitol Reef National Park is located in a very rural area, but there are a decent number of nearby hotels to consider, particularly in Torrey.

We personally went for a more unique stay when we visited and stayed in a covered wagon!

If you’re looking for unique accommodation, Capitol Reef is a great place to look. Yurts, glamping tents, covered wagons, and beyond are fairly easy to come by!

Broken Spur Inn & Steakhouse — We stayed at the Broken Spur during our time at Capitol Reef National Park and loved the novelty of sleeping in a covered wagon!

For those looking for a well-located property close to the national park with a few more creature comforts, though, the inn does also have more typical rooms available in the main building.

Check rates & book your stay at Broken Spur Inn & Steakhouse!

Austin’s Chuckwagon Motel — With great reviews and plenty of southwestern curb appeal, Austin’s Chuckwagon Motel is a convenient and reliable place to stay near Capitol Reef National Park–and the views from the property aren’t bad, either!

Check rates & book your stay at Austin’s Chuckwagon Motel!

Capitol Reef Resort — Set on a beautiful property and boasting amenities like a luxurious pool with a view and a fitness center, Capitol Reef Resort is a choose-your-own-adventure style accommodation.

Whether you’d like to glamp in a tent, indulge in a memorable night’s stay in a covered wagon, or simply stay in one of the resort’s more traditional rooms, Capitol Reef Resort has an option for you!

Check rates & book your stay at Capitol Reef Resort!

Day 5: Enjoy Capitol Reef National Park.

Many Utah road trips skip past or barely touch Capitol Reef National Park, partially because it’s small and partially because it’s a bit out of the way, but that’s a mistake.

In our opinion, Capitol Reef is incredibly beautiful, and also has the benefit of being less crowded than parks like Arches and Zion!

The scenic drives through the park are stunning, and there are several cool hikes worth checking out, including the popular Hickman Bridge and the Cassidy Arch Trail, so named because it is said that Butch Cassidy once hid out there.

Be sure to also spend some time in the Fruita Historic District: this small village was built by 19th-century Mormon settlers, and the fruit trees there produce some truly remarkable things to eat.

Head to the Gifford House, now a small shop, where you can pick up homemade jams, pies, baked goods, and other desserts that are made from the fruit grown on-site.

The triple-berry pie is one of the best pies we’ve ever had in our lives, and it makes a delicious post-hike snack!

Day 6: Drive to Bryce Canyon National Park via Highway 12 + start exploring.

The scenic route from Capitol Reef National Park to Bryce Canyon National Park along Highway 12 will see you spending most of your driving time in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.

In other words, the views are pretty incredible, and you may want to stop a few times along the way!

Once you reach Bryce Canyon, head directly into the park and start exploring: scenic viewpoints like Inspiration Point and Bryce Point are the perfect way to start exploring the park.

For sunset, head to the aptly-named Sunset Point to watch the hoodoos of Bryce Canyon shift color as the sun goes down.

Where to Stay Near Bryce Canyon National Park

Bryce Canyon City is located right outside Bryce Canyon National Park and is the best place to stay when visiting.

Here are a couple of great places to consider!

Bryce Canyon Pines — For basic, comfortable accommodation with a wildly popular restaurant on-site, Bryce Canyon Pines is an excellent option!

We stayed here during our most recent trip to Bryce Canyon and found it to be exactly as advertised: basic but decent enough for a quick stay.

Check rates & book your stay at Bryce Canyon Pines!

Mid-range/Luxury

Best Western Plus Bryce Grand Canyon Hotel — After staying in literally hundreds of hotels over the last several years, we still count this as one of our most memorable stays–in part because of the hotel’s absolutely phenomenal breakfast, and in part because of the excellent location and customer service.

This is our #1 choice of where to stay near Bryce Canyon, and we will always check if it’s available before booking anywhere else when we return to the park!

Check rates & book your stay at the Best Western Plus Bryce Grand Canyon Hotel!

Day 7: Spend the morning at Bryce Canyon before driving to Zion National Park.

This morning, we recommend hiking a combination of Bryce Canyon’s most popular trails: Navajo Loop to the Queen’s Garden Trail (via Wall Street if it’s open). 

If you get a prompt start, you can easily finish before lunch and be ready to head onto Zion, while still getting to see what are arguably the best views in Bryce Canyon first!

Once you reach Zion, if you have the energy for a second hike, consider knocking a short one off of your wish list–but be sure to leave enough energy for tomorrow, when you’ll tackle one of the most unique hikes in Utah!

Where to Stay Near Zion National Park

Springdale is the closest town to Zion National Park and the ideal place to stay when visiting–however, like Moab, it is popular and therefore pricey.

If you’re on a strict budget, you can also consider looking a bit further out in towns like La Verkin.

However, be prepared for a 30+ minute drive into the park each morning if you stay further out!

La Quinta Springdale — Located just a few miles from Zion National Park, La Quinta Springdale has comfortable rooms, great reviews, and a beautiful pool to cool off in to go along with its prime location.

Check rates & book your stay at La Quinta Springdale!

Best Western Plus Zion Canyon Inn & Suites — With fantastic reviews, great amenities, and a prime location in the heart of Springdale, this hotel is a reliable and comfortable option for visiting Zion National Park!

Check rates & book your stay at Best Western Plus Zion Canyon Inn & Suites!

Holiday Inn Express Springdale — With beautiful lodge-style architecture and phenomenal reviews, Holiday Inn Express Springdale is located less than 2 miles from Zion National Park and is the perfect place to cool off after a long day of hiking.

Check rates & book your stay at Holiday Inn Express Springdale!

Day 8: Go hiking in Zion National Park.

On your full day in Zion National Park , we recommend tackling one of Zion’s two most famous and incredible hikes: Angel’s Landing (which requires a permit as of April 2022) or the Narrows.

Angels Landing is a bit terrifying for people like me who are scared of heights, but ends in a positively stunning view of Zion Canyon, and it ranks among the best hikes in the USA for a reason!

The Narrows, in contrast to the soaring heights of Angel’s Landing, involves hiking directly in the Virgin River as you descend deeper and deeper into the canyon.

Both are utterly unforgettable, and while you can technically attempt both in the same day, that’s really only suitable for very athletic and determined hikers.

Other hikes to consider include the West Rim Trail (if you’re up for a big challenge), or if you’re lucky enough to nab a permit, the Subway.

Unfortunately, a few popular hikes in Zion, including Observation Point and the Weeping Rock Trail, are closed for the foreseeable future due to large rock falls.

Check here for updates before visiting.

Also, keep in mind that from March to October, you can’t drive your private vehicle onto Zion’s Scenic Drive–you’ll need to catch the shuttle instead!

Day 9: Say goodbye to Utah’s Mighty Five + head home (or to wherever is next).

On the final day of your Utah national parks road trip, say goodbye to Zion National Park and head home–or to wherever is next!

If you have time for one more quick hike before leaving Zion, we highly recommend the Canyon Overlook Trail for something fast and easy with a great pay-off at the end (and unlike most hikes in Zion, you can drive your own vehicle to the trailhead year-round).

As fantastic and rewarding as a Utah Mighty Five road trip is, this road trip does take a bit of effort to actually start, as there are no major airports in the direct vicinity of Moab.

That being said, it is slightly more convenient to get to/from Zion National Park at the end of the trip.

Of course, there’s no rule stating you need to follow this Utah national parks road trip itinerary exactly.

D epending on your flight schedule and what airport you choose, you may prefer to reverse this trip (though personally, I am partial to starting in Moab if you can).

Assuming you’re flying into the region for your trip, there are several cities that would work as a starting point–h ere are some that we recommend checking flight prices and times for.

Depending on exactly when you’re visiting and what your priorities are, the best (and most affordable) airport will vary, but that being said, Las Vegas is a very popular option.

In addition to those listed here, if you plan to extend your Utah road trip into a larger Utah and Arizona road trip and/or southwest road trip, you may want to check prices for Albuquerque and Phoenix as well.

For sheer convenience alone, St. George is arguably the best airport to fly into for this Utah national parks itinerary.

St George is about an hour from Zion National Park, and a little under 5 hours from Moab.

Las Vegas is often the cheapest and most convenient option when flying into the US southwest.

Flights are plentiful and typically affordable from a wide variety of initial destinations, and Las Vegas is about 6.5 hours from Moab and less than 3 hours from Zion National Park.

Salt Lake City

Utah’s capital city makes a solid starting point and is located under 4 hours from Moab and under 5 hours from Zion National Park.

If you want to extend your itinerary to include northern Utah, SLC is the clear choice for you!

At more than 5 hours from Moab and 4 hours from Zion National Park, Flagstaff isn’t the most convenient airport for this Utah road trip–but it is ideal if you’d like to add a stop at the Grand Canyon to your trip!

Have more time to spend on your road trip in the southwest?

The first thing we would recommend is adding additional time to your favorite national parks–Zion and Arches, in particular, could each use more time, especially for enthusiastic hikers.

Adventurous travelers with access to 4-wheel drive may want to visit other sections of Canyonlands and Capitol Reef, as well.

In addition to extending your time, though, here are a few other places to consider adding to your Utah road trip itinerary!

Within Utah

Grand staircase-escalante national monument.

This Utah national parks road trip already takes you right through Grand Staircase-Escalante–you’ll drive through it on Highway 12 between Capitol Reef and Bryce–but it’s well worth spending some time in if you have a chance to spend longer in Utah!

There is plenty of diverse hiking in Grand Staircase-Escalante, but these days it’s known for its incredible slot canyons. 

Some of the most popular include Zebra Canyon, Peekaboo Canyon, and Spooky Canyon, where we took this photo:

Coral Sand Dunes State Park

Want to see some rolling sand dunes without leaving Utah?

At Coral Sand Dunes State Park, you can–and depending on the light that day, the dunes can indeed look a bit pink.

There are also several other fun things to do in Kanab that are worth checking out after your visit!

Monument Valley Tribal Park

Situated in Navajo Nation right along the Utah/Arizona border, Monument Valley is known for its soaring rock formations and its status as a popular place to film movies–including, perhaps most famously, Forrest Gump!

Natural Bridges National Monument

Home to 3 stunning natural bridges, those who fell in love with Arches National Park will also enjoy Natural Bridges National Monument!

Beyond Utah

Located just over the border in Arizona, the Wave is not easy to access–its permit system limits access to just 20 people/day.

If you manage to nab one of the elusive Wave permits , though, it’s worth rearranging your road trip itinerary to make it happen!

Valley of Fire State Park

If you fly into or out of Las Vegas, Nevada’s beautiful Valley of Fire State Park makes for an excellent stop along the way–even half a day is long enough to see some of the coolest spots in this park.

Horseshoe Bend + Antelope Canyon

Hop over the Utah/Arizona border, and you’ll immediately find Page , the small, unassuming town that is home to two of Arizona’s most popular attractions: Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon.

While Horseshoe Bend can be accessed spontaneously (it’s $10 per vehicle to park and visit), visiting Antelope Canyon requires some advance planning and a tour guide. 

The canyon is located on Navajo land, and you can check the availability of tours here , on the Navajo Nation’s national parks website.

Grand Canyon

Of course, no discussion of places to visit near Utah’s Mighty Five could skip over the Grand Canyon in northern Arizona, which is one of the most famous national parks on the planet!

Just be aware of the distance involved: the Grand Canyon may look close on the map, but in order to reach the popular South Rim from Utah, you’ll need to drive around most of the canyon!

Check to see if you need a reservation.

Starting in April 2022, Arches National Park is piloting  a reservation system  to enter the park between 6:00 AM and 5:00 PM.

This applies daily between April 3 and October 3, so be sure to book your dates as soon as you can!

Other national parks have also been introducing reservation systems for hikes and even access in the last couple of years (such as Angel’s Landing in Zion or the timed access requirements for Rocky Mountain National Park), so it’s best to double-check to see what the latest requirements are as you plan your Utah road trip.

Grab an America the Beautiful Pass before getting started.

The America the Beautiful Pass is the USA’s annual national parks pass and is priced at $80/year for most travelers (there are discounts available for seniors and military personnel).

The $80/year covers daily use fees for all lands that the National Park Service controls.

And, considering that each of Utah’s Mighty Five costs between $20-35/car to enter, you’ll absolutely save money on this trip alone by having one!

Grab your America the Beautiful pass today!

Book your accommodation early!

If you’re traveling during high season, and especially on the weekends, it’s imperative to book your hotel stays ASAP.

Hotels do fill up, especially in places like Bryce Canyon where there are relatively few choices, and you don’t want to be stuck with a less-than-ideal place to stay or an extra-long drive to your park of choice!

We book all our lodging for Utah road trips on Booking.com .

Be prepared for a few dirt roads. 

You don’t need a 4-wheel drive vehicle for this Utah national parks road trip (though it would help you reach a few more spots, including Cathedral Valley in Capitol Reef), but you very well might end up down a dirt road or two!

Check on permits if you have your heart set on exclusive hikes.

Some hikes you could potentially complete during your southern Utah road trip do require permits, including the Subway in Zion National Park, the Fiery Furnace in Arches National Park, and the Wave (technically in northern Arizona, but very close to the border).

If you have your heart set on anything in particular, be sure to do a bit of research on how to make it happen before you go.

You’ll probably want to do laundry along the way.

This isn’t difficult–most towns along this route, including Moab, have laundromats available, but to make life easier, you may want to bring quarters along with you instead of needing to track down cash during your trip!

Watch the weather carefully during your Utah national parks road trip.

The brutal heat of the desert summer, the snowstorms of the winter, and the potential flash floods throughout the year all mean that watching the weather during your Utah road trip is imperative.

Be sure to bring plenty of season-specific supplies when hiking in Utah, and as always, make sure to put safety first during this Utah national parks trip.

Take This Map With You! Click each highlight to pull up the name of the destination. To save this map to “Your Places” on Google Maps, click the star to the right of the title. You’ll then be able to find it under the Maps tab of your Google Maps account! To open the map in a new window, click the button on the top right of the map.

America the Beautiful Pass — I mentioned this above, but it bears repeating: a national park pass is a must on a Utah national parks road trip!

If you don’t have one before leaving, each of the Mighty Five does sell the in-person.

Travel Insurance (For You) — We don’t ever suggest traveling without travel insurance–anything can happen, and an epic road trip is definitely a case of better safe than sorry. Check travel insurance policy inclusions and prices for your trip here .

Sunscreen  — Keep your skin safe from sun exposure both in and out of the car by adding sunscreen to your road trip packing list!

Proof of Insurance (For the Car)  — If you’re driving a rental car, this may or may not be covered by either your rental company, your credit card, or your travel insurance–but you’ll definitely want to know exactly what the expectations are before leaving!

Rental Contract (If Applicable)  — If you’re renting a car for your road trip, be sure to keep your rental contract handy–we generally keep ours in the glove compartment.

Roadside Emergency Kit  — If you’re taking your own car on your road trip, hopefully you already have one of these packed and ready to go–but if not, now is the time to buy one!

Basic roadside emergency kits are extremely useful, very affordable, and a great way to stay safe on the road.

Windshield Shade — During the hot summer months, you’ll no doubt come back from a sweltering hike during your Utah road trip to find your car practically boiling.

Windshield shades aren’t practical for flying with, but if you’re driving your own vehicle to visit Utah’s Mighty Five, you’ll be glad you picked one up before setting off!

Downloaded Maps — You will undoubtedly lose cell signal at some point during this Utah national parks road trip, so make sure to download your essential maps before heading off!

Reusable Water Bottle(s)  — Cut down on plastic waste, save money, and make sure you don’t have to stop for water constantly: a reusable water bottle has lots of benefits on a road trip.

We personally love and use  these , and love both the look and the functional design!

Extra  USB Cables  and/or Phone Charging Cables  — Whether it’s to charge your phone, your camera, or even your portable USB charger, odds are that you’ll be glad to have a few extra cables lying around.

Hands-Free Phone Mount  — This is especially important if you don’t have a reliable co-pilot: the last thing you want to do is be fumbling with the GPS on your phone during your road trip.

Pack a cell phone holder to attach to the car and you’ll be able to drive much more safely!

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About Kate Storm

In May 2016, I left my suburban life in the USA and became a full-time traveler. Since then, I have visited 50+ countries on 5 continents and lived in Portugal, developing a special love of traveling in Europe (especially Italy) along the way. Today, along with my husband Jeremy and dog Ranger, I’m working toward my eventual goal of splitting my life between Europe and the USA.

5 thoughts on “The Ultimate Utah National Parks Road Trip Itinerary”

That sounds like a pretty kickass itinerary. I love the wild outdoors, and national parks are the one of the best ways to experience native natural history. Love this post wish I living in America right about now, only so I could take this on! lol

Thank you, it was a great trip!

Our National Park system is one of, if not the, top reason to visit the USA in my opinion–we have some incredible (and diverse!) landscapes.

• Pingback: The Great American Bucket List

how many days should we alot for this kind of a trip to UTAH? We were just going to Bryce and Zion but I would want to do the waves. From Utah we were going to Las vegas for a meeting so what would be the most logical place as a last stop in Utah? Thank you for this escape memoir

The core itinerary outlined here takes place over 9 days, but the reality is that a southern Utah road trip can take up as much or as little time as you have!

As I’m sure you know, hiking the Wave requires winning the lottery, so to speak, so you’ll want to base yourself in/around Kanab for as long as possible to give yourselves the best chance of getting to go. Luckily there is lots to see in the area, including the Vermillion Cliffs, Coral Sand Dunes State Park, etc. It is a bit out the way if you’re focusing on Zion/Bryce though!

Driving from Zion to Las Vegas, you could stop around St. George before leaving Utah, or explore Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada.

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10 Amazing Utah Road Trips: Unique Itineraries + Maps

by Mark and Kristen Morgan

Published: July 16, 2020

UPDATED: June 22, 2024

Utah is one of our favorite places to road trip in the US. The Beehive State has so many unique route options through national parks, state parks and even off-road adventures. We’ve spent a lot of time driving around Utah, and we can’t get enough of its spectacular red rock landscapes, adventurous hikes and beautiful photo spots.

In this guide we show you 10 original and personally tested Utah road trips based entirely on our own experiences.

Our Experience

We’ve driven two incredible Utah road trips; first in the fall of 2019 and again in the winter of 2021. As hikers and travel photographers, we’re huge admirers of the southern Utah region, which we consider to be one of the very best road trips in the US .

Throughout our time in Utah, we’ve hiked the most iconic trails, explored the major parks and photographed the unmissable sunrise and sunset spots. So you can rest assured that every Utah road trip itinerary in this guide has been created from our first hand knowledge and experiences. Read more about us .

With so many amazing US road trips available for your next adventure, why would you choose to road trip through Utah?

Here’s what makes Utah such a popular place to visit:

• Five remarkable national parks
• Countless other special natural landscapes
• Year round accessibility
• Several of the best hikes in the US are in Utah
• Diverse and adventurous attractions
• Excellent weather for most of the year
• Easy logistics with Las Vegas and Salt Lake City airports

Other popular road trip routes in the US have the ocean, big cities, rainforests or rugged mountains. Utah offers dramatic canyons, extraordinary sandstone formations and bucket list hikes.

Choosing Where To Visit

Utah is home to a diverse range of topography including canyons, sand dunes, mountains and salt flats. The Mighty 5 national parks are the most heavily visited places in Utah, but there are so many other fun and underrated places to see.

So where should you visit on your Utah road trip?

Well, the answer depends on factors like your travel style, how much time you have and how many times you have visited Utah in the past.

• Are you a hiker? You should prioritize hikes in Zion National Park above all else.
• Are you a photographer? You should prioritize Arches, Canyonlands and Bryce Canyon.
• First time in Utah or short on time? You should start with Zion and Bryce Canyon.
• Already seen the national parks? You should head to the adventure town of Kanab.

We think Utah is a state you can return to time and time again because there’s just so much to do. Even after 2 extensive trips to Utah, our bucket list is still only half full!

Further Reading: The 20 best places to visit in Utah

About Our Itineraries

Next, we’re going to show you our 10 favorite Utah road trip routes. You’ll find route statistics, a description and a map for each itinerary.

You can click into the interactive maps associated with each itinerary listed below. Simply touch or click the map to activate, then you can move around or zoom in and out.

We’ve tried to be as inclusive as possible in order to accommodate every traveler who wants to see the very best of Utah. Please feel free to leave us a comment at the end of the guide if we haven’t quite covered exactly what you are looking for.

Let’s get into the first itinerary!

1. Utah Mighty 5 National Parks Road Trip

• Distance : 389 miles
• Time : 7 hours 20 minutes
• Days : 6-8 days
• Attractions : Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef , Canyonlands, Arches

The Mighty 5 national parks road trip is the ultimate Utah experience. This famous route consists of many of the best US national parks with stops at Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Arches and Canyonlands.

After driving the Mighty 5 we can confidently say that it’s the all-in-one scenic Utah ticket featuring the best hikes, photo spots and landmarks. If you’ve never been to Utah and you want to see all the major highlights, this is the road trip for you.

Utah Mighty 5 Road Trip Map

The Mighty 5 is most commonly driven as an out-and-back loop route from Las Vegas (here are the best things to do in Las Vegas ). Use the map above to see how the route begins in Zion, moves to Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef before stopping near Moab for both Arches and Canyonlands.

Returning to Las Vegas from Moab, you have several amazing options for places to stop including Monument Valley, Page AZ, Grand Canyon North Rim and the adventure attractions around Kanab.

Road Trip Tip : Drive UT-12 from Bryce Canyon to Capitol Reef. The route through Escalante is slightly longer but it’s incredibly scenic and shouldn’t be missed.

2. Utah State Parks Road Trip

• Distance : 476 miles
• Time : 9 hours 40 minutes
• Days : 3-5 days
• Attractions : Gunlock, Snow Canyon, Sand Hollow, Coral Pink Sand Dunes , Kodachrome Basin, Escalante Petrified Forest, Goblin Valley, Dead Horse Point

We’ve created this original Utah road trip itinerary for return visitors to Utah or those who prefer to avoid heavy crowds. It follows the same route as the Mighty 5 but only stops at state parks and avoids national parks altogether.

We think Utah is overflowing with incredible state parks that are completely overshadowed by the national parks. There’s so much more to see, hike and photograph in Utah outside of the national parks. And the best part is that they’re always quiet.

Utah State Parks Road Trip Map

Our Utah state parks road trip is best driven in a loop from Las Vegas. Similarly to the Mighty 5 route, you can easily throw in plenty of extras stops along the way, which could even include one or two national parks if you don’t want to miss out.

Road Trip Tip : If state parks are your thing, do not miss the amazing Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada either on the way in or out of Utah from Las Vegas, which we have included in the route map above.

3. Zion To Bryce Canyon Road Trip

• Distance : 86 miles
• Time : 1 hour 55 minutes
• Days : 2-4 days
• Attractions : Zion, Bryce Canyon

Zion to Bryce Canyon is our top Utah road trips pick for visitors with just 2 or 3 days available. It’s a hugely popular and well established route which works perfectly with the nearby Las Vegas airport as a transport hub.

Both Zion and Bryce Canyon are amazing places, but they’re surprisingly different considering how close they are to one another. We love both parks and think this double header offers the perfect balance between ticking off some of the best Utah hikes and photo spots in a short trip.

Zion To Bryce Canyon Road Trip Map

The Zion to Bryce Canyon road trip route is easy to plan. You simply fly into Las Vegas, drive to Zion, then drive to Bryce Canyon and eventually return to Las Vegas the same way. Here are 5 very different ways you can spend one day in Zion National Park .

Road Trip Tip : Serious hikers should spend more time in Zion, whereas photographers and sightseers should spend more time in Bryce Canyon.

4. Arches And Canyonlands Road Trip

• Distance : 78 miles
• Time : 2 hours 5 minutes
• Days : 1-2 days
• Attractions : Canyonlands, Arches

Arches and Canyonlands is one of the best bang for your buck road trips in Utah. We loved the photo spots in these two parks and can’t wait to go back for more landscape shoots. It’s possible to see the highlights of both parks in one day by starting in Canyonlands and ending in Arches.

However, 2 full days would allow you to relax and visit more natural attractions by spending a day in each park. You can tick off the best hikes in Arches and end with sunset from Delicate Arch on the first day, before spending the next day in Canyonlands which begins with an incredible sunrise at Mesa Arch.

Arches To Canyonlands Road Trip Map

Many visitors to Moab only have time to do Arches and Canyonlands in one day . Our route map above shows you exactly how to see both parks in a day from sunrise to sunset.

With more time you can do one day in each of Arches and Canyonlands. Start the second day in Canyonlands Island in the Sky district before visiting the further away districts called The Needles, The Maze and The Rivers.

Road Trip Tip : Start with Mesa Arch at sunrise and end with Delicate Arch at sunset for one of the most amazing days in Utah.

5. Kanab HQ Road Trip

• Distance : 320 miles
• Time : 6 hours 55 minutes
• Days : 3-4 days
• Attractions : Belly of the Dragon , Coral Pink Sand Dunes, Buckskin Gulch, The Wave, Toadstool Hoodoos , Grand Canyon North Rim

Our Kanab headquarters road trip is unique because you will use one tiny town as a base and the driving aspect is essentially fanning out in all directions around Kanab to visit attractions. Don’t be put off by what sounds like a boring road trip, trust us, it really isn’t!

We spent a few days ticking off hikes, landscapes, caves and sand dunes around Kanab during our second road trip through Utah and we were blown away by the area so much that we included it in our list of the 50 best US vacation spots .

Kanab is one of the most underrated places we’ve visited in America. Not only are there countless awesome things to do in Kanab , but the town also has affordable hotels, excellent restaurants and a chilled vibe.

Kanab HQ Road Trip Map

The route map above shows driving routes from Kanab to each of the most prominent attractions and hikes nearby. Visiting Grand Canyon North Rim is totally optional but it does make for a fantastic experience.

By using Kanab as a base, you can see the likes of Coral Pink Sand Dunes, Belly of the Dragon, Toadstool Hoodoos, Buckskin Gulch and The Wave. It’s also close to slot canyons and a bunch of fun adventure tours going out into the harder to reach areas of Utah like Peek-a-boo canyon.

Road Trip Tip : For the ultimate Kanab experience you should apply for the online lottery to win a permit for The Wave .

6. Kanab To Moab Road Trip

• Distance : 423 miles
• Time : 8 hours 45 minutes
• Days : 4-6 days
• Attractions : Kanab, The Wave or Grand Canyon North Rim, Horseshoe Bend, Antelope Canyon, Monument Valley, Arches, Canyonlands

Moving into custom Utah road trips territory, we think our Kanab to Moab road trip itinerary could be among the very best in this list. It’s perfect if you want to get off the beaten path and do something a bit different.

You’ll start with the best of Kanab, which could include hiking The Wave if you win a permit, before moving to Page AZ for Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon ( book your Antelope Canyon tour in advance). Next is Monument Valley and eventually you reach Moab for Arches and Canyonlands.

Kanab To Moab Road Trip Map

This route can be driven from Las Vegas to Salt Lake City or Denver with plenty of stops available on the back end after leaving Moab. It works perfectly for anyone who plans to spend time in Colorado either before or after Utah. Remember, Rocky Mountain National Park isn’t too far from Moab.

Do you want to visit Grand Canyon South Rim during your Utah road trip? You could leave Kanab and arrive into Page, then drive down to South Rim before re-joining the itinerary to Moab.

Road Trip Tip : You can see most of Monument Valley without actually going into the paid area.

7. Utah Hiking Road Trip

• Distance : 932 miles
• Time : 18 hours 20 minutes
• Days : 6-10 days
• Attractions : Fire Wave, The Subway , Angels Landing , The Narrows , Queen’s Garden , Hickman Bridge, Mesa Arch, Devil’s Garden, Delicate Arch, Buckskin Gulch , The Wave

We’ve created this custom road trip through Utah specifically for hikers and we think it’s pretty awesome! Utah’s unique landscapes are a paradise for hikers but the iconic trails are time consuming, so this is the longest itinerary in our list.

The route effectively follows the Mighty 5 path but it only consists of the best hikes. There are no photography stops, sunrises, sunsets or stops at other attractions. It’s a case of getting your permits in advance, driving from hike to hike and enjoying the trails.

Utah Hiking Road Trip Map

The map for our hikers Utah road trip route is created as though you have acquired permits for every necessary trail. Adapt the route if you are unable to obtain any permit, otherwise sit back and soak up what is going to be an incredible hiking trip!

Are you considering the Grand Canyon? Here’s our popular guide on the best hikes in Grand Canyon South Rim .

Road Trip Tip : In Utah you need permits to hike The Subway, Angels Landing, Buckskin Gulch and The Wave.

8. Utah Photography Road Trip

• Distance : 1,019 miles
• Time : 20 hours 15 minutes
• Attractions : Fire Wave , Zion Canyon Overlook , Cedar Breaks, Bryce Canyon Amphitheater , Fruita Barn, Mesa Arch , Delicate Arch , Monument Valley, Horseshoe Bend , Grand Canyon

Our next custom Utah road trip itinerary is designed for photographers. Utah is not just for hikers, it’s also a prime location for landscape photography. Some of our favorite photo spots are in Utah. Think Mesa Arch, Delicate Arch and the Bryce Canyon amphitheater and you’ll get the idea!

The major issue with a photography itinerary is that you often need to be out for sunrise or sunset, so we’ve crafted this Utah road trip mainly around the most prominent locations at the best times of day. It’s a longer itinerary to accommodate for being in the right place at the right time.

Utah Photography Road Trip Map

Our photography route is one of our favorite Utah road trips because it leads to nothing but stunning landscapes. Use our itinerary as a starting point but be sure to include any other photo spots you know along the way (there are so many more!)

Follow the map above to see how you can drive around southern Utah and place yourself at the best photo spots every day. There are several ways you could plan this trip based on how much time you have and how important each stop is to you.

Road Trip Tip : The more time you allow for this road trip, the more sunrises and sunsets you can include. Dawn and dusk really are the most amazing times of day in Utah.

9. 4×4 Adventure Utah Road Trip

• Distance : 745 miles
• Time : 17 hours 30 minutes
• Attractions : Sand Mountain, Coral Pink Sand Dunes, Red Canyon Slot, Willis Creek Slot, Kodachrome Basin, Zebra Slot, Natural Bridges, Valley of the Gods, White Pocket

Our custom 4×4 Utah road trip would be an entirely different experience to the typical routes. You can either hire a Jeep and drive yourself or take tours into the scorched wilderness. This adventure filled itinerary leads into countless slot canyons, washes and totally off the beaten path spots.

A lot of this itinerary is based around Vermilion Cliffs National Monument and Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument but you could also include Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. These are the places nobody else goes in Utah so you really get that lost world feel.

Utah 4×4 Road Trip Map

The map above shows a basic 4×4 off-road adventure itinerary that we would follow if we were to take on this awesome road trip through Utah. Adapt, remove and include as you see fit based on any other spots you have pegged to visit.

This is the only itinerary in this list that deserves a cautionary warning up front. It’s vital that you are experienced with these types of terrains and situations, as well as being proficient in vehicle fixes and knowing what to do in emergency situations.

Road Trip Tip : With more time you can take your Jeep way off the beaten path. Study the roads in Grand Staircase Escalante in particular to plan the perfect off-road adventure.

10. Salt Lake City To Yellowstone Road Trip

• Distance : 832 miles
• Time : 16 hours 10 minutes
• Days : 7-10 days
• Attractions : SLC, Bonneville Salt Flats, Antelope Island, Park City, Uinta Wasatch Cache National Forest, Bear Lake, Jackson, Grand Teton National Park , Yellowstone National Park

Our last Utah road trip is an extension of our extremely popular 7 days Salt Lake City to Yellowstone road trip itinerary . You can create a fantastic 10 day itinerary with Yellowstone and Grand Teton simply by including 3 days ticking off the top attractions around Salt Lake City.

Uinta Wasatch Cache is home to some seriously amazing hikes, Bonneville Salt Flats and Antelope Island are perfect for photographers, Park City is a famous skiing destination and downtown SLC is lovely to walk around.

SLC To Yellowstone Route Map

The map above shows an extended version of our classic 7 day SLC to Yellowstone road trip route with several spur trips near Salt Lake City creating a 10 day itinerary.

After leaving the Salt Lake City area, the route continues through Jackson to Grand Teton and Yellowstone before ending in Gardiner, MT. You can either fly home from Bozeman or return to SLC airport.

Road Trip Tip : Allow at least one full day in Grand Teton and two full days in Yellowstone at a minimum. In an ideal world you will have six full days to see both parks. Here’s our 4 days Yellowstone itinerary .

Planning Tools

So you know the routes and you’re excited to get started with planning. But what about logistics and the important things you need to know?

Here are the tools we use and the key information you should be aware of:

When searching for flights to Las Vegas or Salt Lake City, we recommend checking prices on both Skyscanner and Google Flights as the two best flight search engines.

Tips to save on flights to Las Vegas or SLC:

• Shop around and compare prices on several days of the week
• Use incognito or private browser and clear your cache
• Use several devices such as your laptop and smartphone
• Read our guide on how to book cheap flights

You should have no issues booking accommodation for any of the Utah road trips covered in this guide with the exception of Zion National Park hotels during the peak season.

We always use and recommend using Booking.com to book hotels in the US. You might want to compare prices with Hotels.com to see if you can find a better deal.

Tips for booking hotels:

• Book your hotels in advance
• Sign up for a free membership account with Booking or Expedia
• Arrive at Zion during the week to avoid expensive weekend prices
• Read our popular guide on how to book cheap hotels

Resource : Our sister site Best Hotels Anywhere can help you find the best hotels in Las Vegas, Moab, Kanab, Page, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef and Grand Canyon South Rim.

3. Hire Car

If you’re not driving your own car to Utah, you’ll need to hire a car when you land at Salt Lake City or Las Vegas airport.

Our top recommendation is to find prices with Rental Cars and compare costs against Discover Cars . Input Salt Lake City airport or Las Vegas airport and your travel dates to see your options.

They’re our go to car hire platforms and we always choose whichever has the better vehicle at the right price point.

Tips for hiring a car:

• Book in advance for a better selection of cars
• Small cars are better for parking in tight spots at the national parks
• You’ll need a 4WD high clearance vehicle to go off road in Utah

4. National Parks

It’s important to stay up to date with live conditions such as roads, weather, hiking trails and lodging when you visit any of the national parks in Utah.

One of the unsung positives to visiting Utah is that natural disasters, wildfires, flooding and other problematic conditions are rare. Just look at Yellowstone and Yosemite in 2022 and 2023.

With that said, we still recommend keeping on top of the following current status reports:

• Arches – Live conditions
• Bryce Canyon – Live conditions
• Canyonlands – Live conditions
• Capitol Reef – Live conditions
• Zion – Live conditions

What To Pack For Utah Road Trips

Packing for a road trip in Utah will depend on what you plan to do and what time of year you decide to visit.

Our two trips to Utah have been in the months of October and December. Both times we packed for cold mornings and cold evenings but warmer days, especially when hiking.

If you plan your Utah road trip for summer you can expect hot days so your packing list will look very different. Take plenty of shorts, t-shirts and socks in case you need to wear more than one per day.

Are you planning to visit the Mighty 5? The number one thing you should buy and pack is an America the Beautiful Pass to save money on national park entry costs.

Here is a basic road trip packing list to get you started:

• America the Beautiful Pass – REI
• Car emergency kit – First Secure
• In case of snow – Snow Brush
• Hiking shoes – Men | Women
• Day hiking backpack – Best day bags
• Down Jacket – Men | Women

Further Reading: The essential road trip packing list

Where To Stay On Your Utah Road Trip

Let’s take a summarized look at the top rated hotels in the most popular Utah road trip destinations to help get you organized. Don’t forget you can click the links below to read complete hotel guides on our sister site Best Hotels Anywhere.

Each hotel listed below is a hotel we have either stayed at or would stay at because they have excellent ratings.

Springdale (Zion)

• Cable Mountain Lodge
• Red Rock Inn
• Watchman Villas

Further Reading: The best hotels in Springdale UT

Bryce Canyon City and Tropic (Bryce Canyon)

• Best Western Plus Bryce Canyon Grand Hotel
• Bryce Canyon Log Cabins
• Best Western Plus Ruby’s Inn Bryce Canyon

Further Reading: Where to stay near Bryce Canyon National Park

Torrey (Capitol Reef)

• Capitol Reef Resort
• Broken Spur Inn
• Red Sands Hotel

Further Reading: Best places to stay near Capitol Reef National Park

Moab (Arches and Canyonlands)

• Aarchway Inn Moab Utah
• My Place Hotel Moab Utah
• Hoodoo Moab Utah

Further Reading: Where to stay in Moab Utah

• La Quinta Kanab Utah
• Kanab Suites In Kanab Utah
• Canyons Boutique Hotel Kanab Utah

Further Reading: Best places to stay in Kanab UT

Camping Special

Are you planning to camp during your Utah road trip?

We’ve teamed up with The Dyrt to offer our readers an exclusive no strings attached 30 day free trial with The Dyrt PRO .

This is our favorite camping app because it helps you find the best campgrounds along your specific driving route with benefits including no booking fees and free camping spots.

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In Conclusion

Utah is home to some of the most scenic and exciting road trip routes in the US. Unique rock formations, dramatic canyons and adventurous hiking trails make Utah the perfect road trip destination for hikers, photographers and lovers of nature. It’s great for solo travelers, couples, groups and families alike.

After exploring most of the US, we can confidently say that Utah is one of our favorite states to visit. Hiking and landscape photography are our two favorite things to do when we travel, and Utah has both in abundance!

More Road Trips

• Las Vegas to Death Valley day trip
• Kancamagus Highway fall road trip
• Mt Rushmore to Yellowstone road trip
• New England fall road trip
• San Francisco to San Diego road trip
• Salt Lake City to Yellowstone road trip
• South Dakota road trip
• Best road trips in the USA
• Zion to Bryce Canyon road trip

Want more Utah content?  Head over to our Utah Travel Guides to explore the Mighty Five national parks and beyond.

We hope our Utah road trips guide helps with planning your visit to the Beehive State!

Please let us know if you have any questions about any of the routes in the comments below.

Happy Travels ,

Mark and Kristen

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Mark and Kristen Morgan are travel, hiking and photography experts. Over the last 6 years traveling full time, they have explored more than 40 countries and 30 US states.

Where Are Those Morgans has been featured in USA Today, Gestalten, Get Your Guide, CityPASS and Condé Nast Traveler along with various other publications. Read more about us .

13 thoughts on “10 Amazing Utah Road Trips: Unique Itineraries + Maps”

Dear Mark and Kristen, my boyfriend and I are thinking of having a 3-week vacation (we are coming all the way from Europe so less doesn’t really make sense for us) doing the classic national parks road trip in Utah and Arizona at the end of May. We are planning 2 days in each park (1 in Capitol Reef), and around 4 days in Kanab and Page each, trying to see and do as much as possible as most likely we will never come back to that part of the world again. We love hiking and active holidays, but we are not extreme hikers and we are not going to do the most challenging (even if they are the most famous) trails such as Angels Landing, the Narrows, or the Wave. I extensively used your website picking out the best trails and things to do and trying to estimate how much time is needed for each 🙂 The rough plan is this:

Day 1 – travel from Europe, arrive in Las Vegas the evening Day 2 – Valley of Fire, evening drive to Springdale Day 3 – Zion main canyon (Emerald pools & Kayenta trails, Watchman trail, Riverside walk, Zion Canyon overlook) Day 4 – Zion Colob canyons, evening drive to Kanab Day 5-7 – Kanab guided day tours to 1) Grand Canyon North Rim Toroweap Viewpoint, 2) White Pocket, 3) Peekaboo Slot Canyon, The White Wave, Coral Pink Sand Dunes, 4) Grand Staircase Escalante Day 8 – Kanab guided day tour (see above), evening drive to Bryce Canyon city Day 9 – Bryce canyon (Scenic drive viewpoints, Fairyland loop trail, Queen’s garden & Navajo loop trails) Day 10 – Bryce canyon (see above), afternoon/evening drive to Torrey Day 11 – Capitol reef, afternoon/evening drive to Moab Day 12-14 – Arches (Delicate Arch trail, Devil’s garden trail, Balanced Rock, Park Avenue trails, The Windows trail & Double arch) and Canyonlands (Island in the sky, Mesa Arch, Grand View point, Green river overlook, Needles/Chesler Park loop trail) Day 15 – Arches/Canyonlands (see above), afternoon/evening drive to Mexican hat/Monument valley Day 16 – Monument and Mystery valley full day Navajo guided tour OR Monument valley half-day guided tour and Natural Bridges national monument, evening drive to Page Day 17-19 – Page (Upper & Lower Antelope canyons guided tours, Secret Antelope Canyon guided tour & Horseshoe bend outlook, Antelope Canyon X guided tour, Navajo canyon boat tour, Horseshoe bend rafting tour, Paria Rimrocks Toadstool Hoodoos) Day 20 – Page (see above), afternoon/evening drive to Grand Canyon village Day 21-22 – Grand Canyon South Rim (all viewpoints, beginning of Bright Angel trail, South Rim trail, Shoshone point trail) Day 23 – morning drive to Las Vegas Day 24 – Las Vegas Day 25 – morning travel back to Europe

As you can see, the ideal plan is a bit longer than 3 weeks and we will have only 22 days (including traveling to/from Europe, which uses up 2 whole days). So we will have to cut 3 days our of our plan, and we are not sure what to sacrifice. I’m thinking the following: – 1 day in Valley of Fire → instead combine as day trip from Las Vegas on day 24 – 1 day in Kanab → which of the 4 tours do you think is the least interesting? – 1 day in Page → scrap Navajo canyon boat tour and Horseshoe bend rafting tour? Is there anything else you would suggest?

In addition, I wanted to ask if it’s worth visiting Natural Bridges national monument compared to all the other sites, and if a full day Navajo guided tour of Monument and Mystery valleys is worth it?

We will appreciate any advice that you can give us!

Hi Petia, thanks for getting in touch and we are more than happy to help. This sounds like an amazing travel plan but let’s trim it a bit so you can make it work.

To answer you final questions first:

1. Valley of Fire – If you don’t mind losing that last day in Vegas, then you can definitely do Valley of Fire as a day trip on your last day. But if you want the day in Vegas, you should still include Valley of Fire early in your itinerary because it is unique. We recommend trying to arrive at Fire Wave Trail as early as possible because sunrise here is the park’s top highlight. 2. Kanab – They all sound great, but we would skip Grand Staircase because the others have the best balance. Kanab is a nice little town. 3. Page – It sounds like you are more interested in the canyons, so yes skip the rafting and boat tour. It doesn’t take long to see Horseshoe Bend from the overlook. You will end up with a lot of spare time in Page because the canyon tours don’t take long. Maybe look around Lake Powell or hike a portion of Buckskin Gulch. 4. We haven’t been to Natural Bridges yet. It looks great but you can get a similar theme at all the national parks in Utah, so we would skip it. We have been to Monument Valley and we drove the self guided tour, which was cool but again we would skip this if we were doing your trip. You can see Monument Valley from the main road you will drive anyway. Tip – Monument Valley is best seen early in the day if driving from Moab to Page which you are.

That is 3 full days saved already (or 4 if you decide to combine VoF into your last day in Vegas). Here are our other tips:

1. By skipping the 4th tour in Kanab, you can travel to Bryce Canyon on the morning of Day 8, spend the day hiking and driving the scenic roads, watch sunset, stay over and then watch sunrise in the morning. There’s not much else to do and Bryce is small so you can leave early on Day 9, spend 6-8 hours in Capitol Reef and drive to Moab. It would be a long day but it would also save another full day on your itinerary. 2. You have loads of time for Arches and Canyonlands. If you wanted to, you could probably save a day at Arches by doing Devils Garden Trail, Windows, Park Avenue and Delicate Arch in one day. That’s Arches done. Canyonlands isn’t as easy because it is split into regions but unless you plan to go hiking long distances, you won’t need much time there either, you can do Mesa Arch, Green River and Grand View in a few hours. So overall for Moab you could save a day. Probably skip Dead Horse State Park because it is another $20 and is similar to Canyonlands. 3. Two days is more than enough time for Grand Canyon South Rim if you don’t intend on hiking down into the canyon. You can see the viewpoints on both Desert View Drive as you enter Grand Canyon and Hermit Road in one day. So again, you could save time here if necessary.

If you haven’t already got one, definitely buy an America the Beautiful Pass for $80 which will get you into all National Parks on your trip.

There are plenty of places you can cut or save, but it will depend on exactly what you both want to do. You will also need some downtime because this is a full on adventure! The driving and hiking gets tiring after a few weeks, so you might end up needing a half day to relax and take it easy.

Hope this helps but if you have any more questions send us an email which you can find on our Contact Page. Have a great trip!

Thank you so much for the feedback, we will definitely consider your advice! I find it very difficult to estimate how much time is needed for each park, probably they could be done in shorter time as you said, but we also need downtime between intense days as you said 🙂

Hello. If you had to choose between taking a Utah road trip in the spring months of April or May vs the end of October, which would you choose? We would like to see Zion, Bryce Canyon, Arches, and go on into Arizona for the Grand Canyon. Thanks for your help!

Hi Jane, both Spring and Fall are the best times to visit the Utah/Arizona parks so either time will be great. We personally prefer traveling the US southwest in Autumn, through September and October. However, if you are only able to do the very end of October, you may run a risk of temperatures cooling significantly in the morning and at night as you approach November (sunrise / sunset photography, long day hikes). If you are able to go in April or early – mid May, you are more likely to see more comfortable conditions for hiking (late May onward can be challenging for hiking with heat). Late October would also mean you may just about miss Utah’s considerable fall colors. With that said, hotels in Springdale, Moab and Grand Canyon will likely be more affordable in late Oct than in May. Finally, it’s impossible to avoid crowds in these parks, but late October will likely be slightly less busy than April / May. The balance between crowds, cost and weather is similar at either time. If you can make it slightly earlier in Oct, we’d say go for that, otherwise the beginning of May. April can have extreme weather in the US Southwest, which is something else to consider. Have a fantastic time whichever season you choose!

We’re planning a trip round trip Vegas through southwest Utah national parks to Grand Teton and Yellowstone. We’ve got two weeks. How would you split the time and what are the best roads to take. We’d like to see Bryce, Hoseshoe Bend, Arches, Canyonlands, up through Salt Lake City to Grand Tetons and Yellowstone. We don’t hike as we’re seniors but love photography. Any assistance would be appreciated. It’s feels so overwhelming! Btw….your website is fabulous!

Hi Marie – sounds like a fantastic trip and we know how overwhelming it can be with so many amazing places to see in just two weeks. You’re right to avoid Zion, it is a wonderful place but is more of an adventure hiking park. When visiting Horseshoe Bend in Page, you might want to try nearby Antelope Canyon if you can book a slot for a photography tour. If you’re planning sunrise photography – Bryce Canyon amphitheater, Mesa Arch in Canyonlands and Mormon Row / Schwabacher Landing in Grand Teton are our top 3 recommendations for your trip. Grand Teton is extremely photogenic and we’re sure your cameras will get a serious workout here! You’ll have an action packed driving itinerary here but this is roughly how we would do it:

D1 – Bryce, D2 – Bryce sunrise, drive to Page and HS Bend, D3 – Antelope Canyon, Monument Valley and arrive in Moab, D4 – Arches, D5 – Canyonlands, D6 – Drive to Salt Lake City, D7 – Morning in SLC and Drive to Jackson, D8 and D9 – Grand Teton, D10, 11, 12 – Yellowstone, D13 and D14 – Long drive back to Vegas, maybe break it up in SLC.

Roads – 89, 163 Monument Valley, 191, 6, 89 through Afton, 191 again through Yellowstone, then 20 and I-15 back to Vegas.

Hope this helps but let us know if you need any more info and have the best trip!

Hi! Could you please share your itinirerary from google maps? It isn’t loading anymore! Thanks!

Hi Agnes, thanks for getting in touch and sorry to hear you can’t load the map. Just checked and I can load all maps on both mobile and desktop on my end. I’ll shoot you an email to see if we can get the map working for you!

Thank you so much! It works for me now. We are planning to do the mighty 5 and do a big counter clockwise loop, and was wondering what you think the best order/road is. We are planning to start from the Grand Canyon and to finish with Zion and drive back to LA from there.

Perfect, glad it’s working. Sure, from Grand Canyon, drive to Page, AZ and do Horseshoe Bend / Antelope Canyon, then onto Monument Valley. Head up to Moab for Arches and Canyonlands, from Moab take UT-24 down into Capitol Reef, then drive the stunning UT-12 through Escalante to Bryce Canyon (don’t miss this one). Down US-89 to Zion / Springdale and maybe end with a night in Vegas?!! Have a great trip!

Omg Utah is now definatley on my bucket list to visit now.

That’s what we like to hear! Utah is an awesome US road trip destination Graham!

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Utah national parks road trip – 14 epic days.

Are you excited to be planning the best trip of your life?! Utah is home to 5 beautiful National parks and so much incredible scenery. I can’t wait for you to be blown away time and time again on this 14 day Utah National Parks road trip itinerary!!

I was born and raised in Las Vegas, so the southwest USA is my backyard. I have visited these national parks multiple times and crafted the best things to do in each park. In this incredibly detailed itinerary, you will be seeing all 5 of Utah’s Big Five national parks, tons of state parks, driving tips, restaurant recommendations, expert photography inspiration, and even a free map to download for later. 

After explaining Campervans v. Hotels in each spot, I am jumping straight into the Utah road trip itinerary. At the bottom of the guide, you can see some commons questions and answers to help you plan every detail of your trip!

I can’t wait, I am so excited for you!

1,000+ miles!

18+ hours total driving!

6 National Parks!

Countless State Parks, National Monuments, and Navajo Lands!

All 5 of Utah’s Mighty 5!

Planning a trip to the Southwest? Here are some guides I think you would love!

• One Day in Bryce Canyon
• Hiking the Navajo Loop Trail in Bryce Canyon
• One Day in Arches National Park
• Things to do in Page, Arizona!
• Kayaking Antelope Canyon from Lake Powel
• One Day in Zion National Park
• Fun & Unique Things to do in Kanab, Utah!
• Jam-Packed Sedona Itinerary
• ALL LAS VEGAS ITINERARIES!

There’s a chance this free guide contains affiliate links. This means that if you make a purchase through one of these links, I might make a small commission (at no extra cost to you) that goes towards little Rosie’s dog treats!

Utah National Parks Road Trip Itinerary Overview

• Day 1: Fly into Las Vegas & Explore Some of Vegas’s best sites!
• Day 2: Drive to Zion National Park, stopping at my FAVORITE State park on the way!
• Day 3: Full Day Exploring Zion National Park – two best hikes in the park!
• Day 4: Short Drive to Bryce Canyon, Explore Bryce Canyon!
• Day 5: Sunrise over Bryce Canyon & Drive to Capitol Reef National Park!
• Day 6: Capitol Reef Scenic Drive & Slot Canyon Hike!
• Day 7: Drive to Moab with an incredible Hidden Gem on the way!
• Day 8: Full Day Exploring Arches National Park – Seeing all the best arches!
• Day 9: Canyonlands National Park – Best Sunrise & Sunset Locations!
• Day 10: Drive to Monument Valley + Famous Tribal Park Loop!
• Day 11: Drive to Page to see Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, and Lake Powel!
• Day 12: Kayak Lake Powel to a hidden slot canyon along the lake!
• Day 13: Stop in Kanab for Pink Sand Dunes, Hidden Caves, Slot Canyons, and an adorable western town!
• Day 14: Drive back to Las Vegas!

Campervans v. Hotel

Campervans are easily drivable with any regular license, the size of  a mini van, user friendly, and have a great set up for one or two people! If you are starting and ending your Utah National Parks road trip in Las Vegas, then there are many Campervan companies to choose from:

• Escape Campervans
• Native Campervans
• Travelers AutoBarn

Camping and campervans are obviously very popular around National Parks, so there are always a bunch of camp sites to choose from. If you are on the road and are looking for camp sites, my favorite apps are Allstays & Campendium ! When in doubt, you can always try to hunt down a Walmart parking lot to camp in!

If money is not a concern and you would rather do this Utah road trip comfortably, then there are tons of hotel options in each location. 

I solely use Booking.com for searching for hotels. If you create a log in, you can rack up points and use the points for discounts on your future stays. Plus, they show the best photos, real customer reviews, and a really easy-to-use map feature! 🙂

Utah National Parks Road Trip Itinerary

Day 1: One Day in Las Vegas

Las Vegas is the perfect hub as an adventure lover, because you are driving distance to endless sites, national parks, state parks, lakes, and natural wonders. I was born and raised in Las Vegas, so even though I’m a bit biased, I think it’s the best city in the world! 🙂

Not only is Las Vegas a perfect hub for seeing Utah National Parks, but it’s a bustling city with tons to do and a big international airport!

I would recommend spending your time in Las Vegas preparing for your road trip, hitting some good food spots (the good food spots will get sparse on this trip) , and enjoying a bustling city life before heading out into the “peacefulness” of the outdoors!

Being a local, I have TONS of guides on visiting Las Vegas! Feel free to check them out for some inspiration:

• Things to do in Vegas for Couples!
• Vegas Packing List – For Ladies!
• BEST Instagram Spots in Las Vegas
• Best Things to do in Vegas Besides Gambling!
• 10 BIG Mistakes to Avoid in Las Vegas!
• Best Bars in Downtown Las Vegas
• 15 Best Day Trips from Las Vegas
• 40 FREE Things to do in Las Vegas
• Girls Guide to Las Vegas
• How to spend your 21st Birthday in Las Vegas

Instagram: @MyPerfectItinerary

Day 2: Drive From Las Vegas to Zion, Stopping in Valley Of Fire

It’s time to head to Zion National Park , one of the closest National Parks to Las Vegas! The drive from Las Vegas to Zion is roughly 2.5 hours, but I would recommend making a really awesome pit stop on the way..

Valley of Fire State park is only 45 minutes outside of Las Vegas and has incredible hiking and scenery! Even if you just do the scenic drive, I think it is worth the stop. This state park got it’s name for being incredibly hot in the summertime and having bright red rock formations, more red than any of the parks you will see on this road trip!

Some notable, short hikes that are worth checking out:

• Fire Wave Trail
• White Domes Trail
• Petroglyph Canyon

Once you arrive at Zion National Park, I would recommend catching a short hike and sunset at Canyon Junction Bridge!

Starting at the Zion Visitor’s center, you can take the beautiful stroll along the Pa’rus Trail to see the sunset at Canyon Junction Bridge ! From the Visitor center to the bridge, it is a 2 mile walk each way. You might be exhausted after seeing Valley of Fire State park and driving, but this is a spot you won’t want to miss! It is by far the best (and most popular) sunset location in the park.

If you want to enjoy the sunset at this spot, plan to begin your hike about an hour before sunset! 🙂

TIP: If you don’t feel like walking all that way, there is a VERY small parking lot at the Canyon Junction Bridge that fills up very quickly around sunset. GOOD LUCK 😉

Pa’rus Trail Walk Specs

2 miles each way (~1 hour round trip)

Flat and scenic trail that takes you to a beautiful viewing platform!

Day 3: Zion Exploring

Zion is an incredible National Park with so much to see! If you are only stopping by for a day or two, I would recommend seeing some of the highlights. 

I have an extremely detailed One Day Zion Itinerary if you want to check that out, but here is a quick overview of what I would recommend..

Canyon Overlook Trail

Wake up early and drive to Canyon Overlook Trail ! Keep in mind that this trail is in the east side of Zion National Park, meaning the shuttle does not go here. You are able to drive right to the trailhead and park instead of having to deal with the shuttle system. 

The parking lot is extremely small and fills up very fast, which is the main reason I recommended this hike for early morning. If you pull up and the parking lot is full, just circle around a few times until you see someone come hiking back!

Canyon Overlook Hike Specs

1 mile out and back (30min – 1hr)

187 ft Elevation Gain

Rated Moderate

Can’t be afraid of heights 😉

Canyon Overlook Summit

After your legs are warmed up and you’re ready for the big event of the day, head to the visitor’s center (or Springdale) to load onto the shuttles. Shuttles are REQUIRED in the high season to get around the main portion of the park. The shuttle system is quite confusing, but I explain it in loads of detail on my One Day in Zion itinerary !

The shuttle will take you to the most famous hike in the park, the Zion Narrows , where you will hike through a river in between a slot canyon. It is such a unique hike that is on everyone’s hiking bucket list!

TIP: Order a “ Narrows Package ” from the visitor center so you don’t have to worry about wet socks, hiking sticks, or hiking boots! I would also highly recommend buying a dry bag off Amazon to store your belongings during the hike. 

Zion Narrows

I would plan to just relax after the narrows because you never know how long you are going to spend on this hike. There is not really an “end point,” so you just hike until you are ready to turn around. Plus, it’s an exhausting hike, so plan to relax afterwards!

I would grab some food and drinks at a restaurant near your hotel or campsite and catch a beautiful desert sunset! I stayed at the Zion Wildflower Glamping Resort near the park, and it was perfect!!

 Zion Wildflower Resort

Day 4: Drive to Bryce Canyon

The drive from Zion to Bryce Canyon is less than 1.5 hours, so if you leave fairly early you can have a full day in Bryce Canyon!

Bryce Canyon also has a shuttle system that is free for its visitors, but it is not required like the Zion shuttle is. If you have your own car, I would save yourself some time to drive to the viewpoints yourself!

Recommended Read: One Perfect Day in Bryce Canyon National Park!

MORNING / AFTERNOON:

Start your day in Bryce Canyon with the scenic drive seeing some of the famous points in the park! Something I was very shocked about with Bryce Canyon is that is surrounded by forest. Such an incredible desert landscape I would think would be surrounded by more desert, but it is surrounded by so much greenery!

Here are the stops that I stopped at and would recommend. Working your way from the back of the park, back to the visitors center:

• Natural Bridge – Farthest viewpoint from the entrance, roughly 20 minutes to get there!
• Bryce Point
• Inspiration Point

AFTERNOON / EVENING:

The Navajo Loop trail  is easily the most popular hike in Bryce Canyon. I would assume at high times of the day, this trail would be absolutely packed. Even though it’s a busier trail, I definitely think it’s worth it because this hike is gorgeous and SO unique! 

Only 1.3 miles in length, you start at Sunset Point and hike down into the canyon and then back up. After you pass sunset point, you will be greeted with a fork in the road making you decide which way you would rather take up or down. 

I did this hike about 1.5 hours before sunset (took be 1 hour to complete with many photo stops and taking breaks on the way up). Around this time, the number of people on the hike were minimal and when I completed the hike, it was time to enjoy sunset at sunset point (the end point of the hike)!

BONUS: If you are interested in hiking the best hike in Bryce Canyon,  don’t miss my full guide on the Navajo Loop Trail !

Navajo Loop Specs

1.5 miles (1hr – 1.5hrs)

515 ft Elevation Gain **a bit steep!

Day 5: Bryce in the morning, drive to Capitol Reef in the Afternoon

If you want to see a bit more of Bryce Canyon, here are some quick activities to do in the morning:

• Watch the sunrise at Sunrise Point
• Horseback Riding Tour through Bryce Canyon
• Learn the history and get some souvenirs at the Visitor Center

The drive from Bryce Canyon to Capitol Reef is a little over 2 hours. Many people skip over Capitol Reef because it is one of the less popular “Utah’s Mighty 5,” but I believe this park will surprise you!

Capitol Reef National Park is broken into three “districts.” Fruita (the heart of the park, most popular, easily accessible), Cathedral Valley (most scenic, need high clearance 4×4 vehicles), and Waterpocket Fold (least scenic, farthest, and least touristy). For this short itinerary, you will be exploring the Fruita district !

Once you arrive, head to Hickman’s bridge for a short and moderate hike. This is the perfect hike to do on a driving day because it is right by the entrance of the park. There is nothing worse than driving hours to arrive to a destination and then have to drive even more to get to your hike!

Hickman’s Bridge

1.7 mile out and back (1hr – 1.5hr)

416 ft Elevation Gain

After you complete your scenic hike, you can stop by to check out the petroglyphs that are only a one minute drive from Hickman’s Bridge trailhead before heading to your sunset spot of the day!

I always find it funny that every national park has a designated sunset location that they all uniquely name it, “Sunset Point.” 

Creative, right?

Well.. guess where you are heading for sunset in Capitol Reef National Park.. Sunset Point !

Day 6: Capitol Reef

On your day where you don’t have to drive to another destination, you will be spending it… driving ! 😉

They call it a Utah National Parks Road Trip , don’t they?!

One of the best things to do in the Fruita district is the Capitol Reef scenic drive ! This 7.9 mile stretch has some of the most beautiful scenery and tons of pullout spots to explore. Here is a quick overview of what you will be doing:

• Grand Wash Trail – Located at the end point of the scenic drive. This 5 mile out and back trail is completely flat, where you hike through a wide slot canyon. Think Zion narrows without the river! I would budget around 2 hours to complete this.
• **Optional Hike at Cassidy Arch – This hike is very steep and rated moderate/difficult. To be honest, I would save your energy on this one, especially because your next stop on this Utah Road Trip Itinerary is Arches National Park!
• Lunch & Pie at Gifford House – This historic house has been turned into a bakery serving yummy pastries and famous pie for travelers! Stop in to learn about the history of the area and seen the beautiful farmhouse scenery!

Day 7: Drive to Moab

Time to explore the best area of the road trip! Arches, Canyonlands and Monument Valley are my favorite areas of Utah. And once you visit, you will quickly see why!

This area has incredible desert landscapes with slot canyons, the largest natural arches in the world, miles and miles of insane desert scenery, and so many sites in such a small area.

On your drive to Moab, you can make an optional stop to a hidden gem that looks like you landed on Mars! I haven’t made it out to this area yet (keyword here is yet ) , but a lot of my friends have and said it was incredible!

Located just outside of Hanksville , there is a Mars Research Station that has many hiking trails connected to it. You can not go in the Mars research station itself, but the area surrounding it is something out of this world (pun intended!) .

Click here to check out images on Google – they are insane!!

The drive from Capitol Reef National Park to Moab is a little over two hours. Spend some time exploring this surprisingly cute town, doing some souvenir shopping, and grab some food!

Moab was  town that completely surprised me. Usually small towns near national parks lack cute boutiques, food options, and hotel stays, but Moab lacked none of those things. It was a bustling little town that had nightlife, great restaurants, an adorable downtown area, and even an airport!

While you are out exploring, make sure to stop at a convenient store or camping store to pick up some camping chairs! There are a lot of amazing viewpoints in this area that don’t require much hiking, so why not be comfortable at the viewpoint?!

For sunset, you will be breaking in those camping chairs at Park Avenue Trail in Arches National Park . This viewpoint is located at the beginning of the park, only a 15 minute drive from downtown Moab. There is no hiking required to look at the viewpoint, but an optional hike if you are feeling up to it!

Park Avenue Trail

Day 8: Arches National Park

Time for your full day exploring Arches National Park. If you want a super detailed itinerary on this amazing National Park, be sure to read my One Day in Arches National Park Itinerary !

This park gets CROWDED, let me tell ya! I would highly recommend starting your day as early as possible to beat the crowds. I entered the park at around 10am one of the days I visited and it took over an hour just to get past the check in point. 

Start your day bright and early with a beautiful sunrise at North Window Arch and Double Arch . These two arches are in the same parking area, so you can easily see both of them in a short period of time.

I would recommend starting with North Window Arch, since this is the best arch for actual sunrise / just after sunrise! There will be a small crowd of photographers waiting to get “the shot,” but the arch is plenty big for everyone!

After you watch the sky light up with a beautiful desert sunrise, walk over to Double Arch… and get ready to be WOWED!

Double Arch was my favorite arch in all of Arches National Park! It was massive, picturesque, and not as crowded as some of the other arches. I got there right after sunrise on a Saturday and had the arch all to myself for almost an hour.

Both of these arches are not really “hikes,” but more a short walk to from the parking lot. 

Follow Along On Instagram: @MyPerfectItinerary!

After your legs are warmed up by your super easy sunrise “hike,” it’s time to head over to Landscape Arch with a really fun stop on the way! 🙂

The drive from Double Arch to Landscape Arch is roughly 20 minutes of beautiful scenery! You’ll be so thankful you started your day early because this park gets crazy crowded and crazy hot! I always recommend starting early, taking a nice long lunch break and then hitting a last hike around sunset.. a far more enjoyable day!

Your pit stop on the way to Landscape arch is going to be a seriously underrated arch that was actually one of my favorites… Sand Dune Arch! I went to this arch in the middle of the day on a weekend during peak season and had the arch all to myself! I think so many visitors skip the smaller and lesser known arches, but I think this one is 100% worth the visit.

If you are doing this Utah National Park Road Trip with kids, this arch is a must-do!

Sand Dune Arch Specs

0.3 Miles Round Trip (~15 Minutes round trip)

Flat and scenic trail that takes you through a small slot canyon, soft sand dunes, and an impressive arch!

After you spend a little time exploring Sand Dune Arch, it’s time to head to Devil’s Garden Trailhead to begin your hike to Landscape Arch.

I think that Landscape arch should be a must-see on everyone’s Arches National Park itinerary because this arch will likely not be around much longer! The long and narrow look to the arch shows signs that it is at the end of it’s lifecycle. If you want to see the largest natural arch in the world while it is still there, you need to go sooner rather than later!!

Landscape Arch Specs

1.9 Miles Round Trip (~45 Minutes round trip)

Rated Easy / Flat

Starting at Devil’s Garden Trailhead, you can take the trail that shows you 3 arches, including Landscape Arch!

If you do these recommended hikes fairly early in the morning, you can have some time for a mid-day nap (a must after a sunrise hike), a big lunch, and some souvenir shopping!

There are so many great lunch spots in Moab, here are some of my recommendations:

• The Spoke on Center
• Milt’s Stop & Eat
• Singha Thai
• Quesadilla Mobila

After you got some grub and relaxed a bit, it’s time to head back into the park to do the most famous hike in the Arches National Park!

NOTE: Your park pass is good for 7 days from purchase, so you can enter and re-enter as often as you would like!

Delicate Arch is probably the most photographed and famous arch in the park. It is a 52ft, freestanding arch that is the recognized symbol of the state of Utah!

I felt this hike was pretty steep, but definitely doable if you are in moderate shape. There were times in the hike were my friends and I kept calling ourselves “Billy goats” because we felt we were scaling the rocks, haha!

Once you reach the summit, there is a large viewing area to sit and enjoy the view. We brought our camping chairs here and sat and enjoyed the view for about an hour! The line the get your picture under the arch wasn’t too bad, especially for a Saturday night at sunset.

Delicate Arch Specs

3.2 Miles Round Trip (2 Hours Round Trip)

629 Ft Elevation Gain

Rated Moderate – Difficult

Day 9: Canyon Lands National Park

Start your day off with an early morning with sunrise at the most famous spot in the area, Mesa Arch . Even at sunrise this place will be crowded and filled with photographers! If photos are not a huge priority for you, I think you would be fine skipping this spot or going later in the morning (supposedly right after sunrise the crowds get very sparse!) .

Mesa Arch Specs

0.7 Miles Round Trip (15 – 30 Minutes)

88 Ft Elevation Gain

Canyonlands National Park is split into 5 different districts, similar to Capitol Reef National Park. Because you only have one day in Canyonlands, you will be going to the most accessible district: Island in the Sky !

After your sunrise or early morning stop at Mesa Arch, head south down Grand View Point Road to check out some amazing viewpoints! Here are a few that I would recommend that are along this road:

• Buck Canyon Overlook – Just a viewpoint!
• White Rim Overlook Walking Trail  – Very short and flat walking trail. 
• Green River Overlook – This is a must-see viewpoint with a gorgeous view of Canyonlands!

TIP: Canyonlands is a bit far from Moab, so I would avoid driving back into town for lunch, especially because you have an amazing spot for sunset you will not want to miss! Try to stop by a store and pack up some waters and sandwiches. You can eat them at one of the viewpoints listed above!

After you’ve had some lunch and relaxed a bit, you will want to head to the best sunset spot in the park: Dead Horse Point State Park ! I would plan to get here about an hour or two before sunset to sit and watch the sun go down over the enormous canyon.

TIP: My friends and I got camping chairs at a general store during our time in Moab and brought them to all the viewpoints. I can truly say this is my #1 travel tip for our time in Moab, haha!! Don’t forget some drinks and snacks too!

Day 10: Drive to Monument Valley + Tribal Park Loop

The drive from Moab to Monument Valley is roughly 2.5-3 hours of wide open roads! Be sure to stop in Moab to get any drinks or snacks for the road, because there is pretty much nothing until you get to Monument Valley (and honestly.. not much after you get there either) . 

Once you arrive in Monument Valley, grab some lunch and then head out to explore the Navajo Tribal Park!

Tribal Park Loop (stems right from the visitor center) is the main thing to do in the park and something you can do without a tour guide. It is just a 17 mile scenic drive that takes you through all the famous buttes and viewpoints.

TIP: DO NOT GO IF IT’S RAINING OR JUST RAINED! This road is a dirt road that will get muddy and you can get stuck. This is not a 4×4 road on a dry and sunny day, but will be if the roads are wet.

On your loop, make a point to get out at the most famous viewpoint in the area: John Ford’s Point ! This is an iconic viewpoint with monument valley in the background. If you want to take your picture with a horse, there is a guy who parks his horse there all day and charges $5 for a photo, haha! 🙂

For your sunset location, you will be going to the most photographed spot in Monument Valley, which I am sure you have seen all over Instagram! Forrest Gump Point is located just 20 minutes from visitor’s center. While this is not a viewpoint, trail, or hike, it is a famous road that is featured in the Forrest Gump Movie!

Some really important things to note:

• I would not have your heart set on getting your photo here unless you come for sunrise. The road can be quite busy (it is a highway after all), there might be tons of Instagramers or photographers there, and it might be too time consuming to try to get a good photo!
• This photo is taken from the middle of the highway. People have died trying to get their photos taken here, so don’t be dumb! Make sure you are looking out for cars and giving yourself plenty of window to run out into the street.
• Be respectful of cars driving and locals heading home, do not expect traffic to stop for you!

TIP: I would aim to stay at The View Hotel because it is one of the only restaurants in the area and they keep it exclusive for hotel guests only. 

**Optional Extra Day in Monument Valley** (This would put you at 15 days total if you extend one day in Monument Valley)

This day is completely optional, and if you would prefer to move on from Monument Valley, this would be the day I would recommend cutting out.

Monument Valley has incredible desert scenery, that is still pretty untouched from tourism. There isn’t a huge town, souvenir shops everywhere, or endless tours to pick from. You still get the authentic experience of wide open, peaceful, desert scenery!

The downside to that of course is there are hardly any restaurants or hotel options to choose from.. so if that’s not for you, then I would plan to head out of Monument Valley on this day!

If you did want to use this day exploring more of Monument Valley, I would give yourself a break from the driving & the hiking and do a fun horseback riding or desert jeep tour! Monument Valley is a bit far from the other stops on this itinerary, so it’s nice to give yourself a break from driving for the day.

Here are some fun tours I would recommend:

• 2 Hour Horseback Riding Tour with a local guide
• Kayaking down the San Juan River
• Photography Tour (They offer sunrise, sunset, or night photography)

Day 11: Drive to Page & Checking off the Best Sites in Page

The drive from Monument Valley to Page is a little over 2 hours. Page, AZ is a bigger and more touristy area of the southwest, so you will find tons of restaurants, hotel options, events, tours, and golf courses!

I have actually been to this area twice since I live so close in Las Vegas, and it’s crazy how much growth happened between the first time I went in 2017 and second time in 2020. I think that by the time my readers go, it will grow even more!

And yes.. Page is not a Utah destination, but you are literally driving right through this city and it is right on the Utah boarder. I think you would be a fool to miss out on all these amazing spots if you are driving right through it! 😉

Right when you arrive in Page, you will be heading out on an Antelope Canyon Walking Tour ! This is by far the most famous thing to do in the area and definitely worth the hype.

Things to note about visiting Antelope Canyon:

• You MUST sign up a for a tour to visit the most scenic area of Antelope Canyon. There are many tour companies to choose from that all different lengths and the option between Upper & Lower antelope canyon.
• If you want more scenery and the chance to see the picturesque light beams shining into the canyon, then choose lower! If you feel claustrophobic easily and have a difficult time climbing up and down stairs, then choose the upper canyon.
• The meeting place for the tours is very close to the town of page, only about a 10 minute drive!
• If you want the best chance to see the light beams, you will want to go on a sunny day, when the sun is at the highest point (that varies depending on the season).
• The time in the canyon is roughly 1 hour, make sure you use the restroom before hand!
• The middle-of-the-day time slots book up fast! If you are planning this road trip, I would book your Antelope Canyon tickets ASAP.

When I did my Antelope Canyon walking tour, I went with the #1 tour company in the area: Ken’s Tours!

Upper Antelope Canyon

Lower Antelope Canyon

After you explored the #1 site in the area, it’s time to catch sunset at the #2 site in the area… Horseshoe Bend !

Horseshoe bend is located just 10 minutes outside of Page and is a very easy walk to the viewing area. I would recommend grabbing a blanket to bring with you so you can enjoy the incredible view for sunset.

Even though this spot gets BUSY, the canyon rim is extremely big and you should have no problem getting a spot to take in the amazing scenery.

Horseshoe Bend Specs

1.5 Miles Round Trip (30 Minutes)

137 Ft Elevation Gain

Rated Easy – Paved Walking Trail

Sunset at Horseshoe Bend (Instagram: @MyPerfectItinerary)

Day 12: Kayak Antelope Canyon – A Hidden Gem!

For your second day in Page, you will be seeing Antelope Canyon in a unique way! 

Did you know that you can reach a part of Antelope Canyon from Lake Powel and see it without a guide?! Yes, most people don’t know that!

If you head over to Lake Powel and rent either kayaks, paddle boards, jet skis, or a small boat, you can reach a portion of Antelope Canyon. This is a complete hidden gem that SO many people do not know about!

Click here to read a detailed guide on Kayaking Antelope Canyon.

If you still have some energy after your day on Lake Powel, you can explore a few more hidden gems near Page, Arizona!

Like I said before, I live in Las Vegas so I have gotten the opportunity to explore Page a few times. If you want a complete list of the best things to do in Page, AZ… Click here!

Day 13: Drive to Kanab and Explore this Hidden Gem Town

Are you wondering what the most underrated city in Utah is?! 

Kanab is one of the most scenic, non-touristy and adventure packed cities I’ve traveled to.  This town has hidden caves, slot canyons, pink sand dunes, an adorable western town, and so much to discover!!

A few must-see sites in Kanab, Utah:

Coral Pink Sand Dunes

Moqui Caverns

• Belly of the Dragon Cave
• Buckskin Gulch
• Peek-A-Boo Slot Canyon

Here is a tour that combines Sand Boarding in Coral Pink Sand Dunes & a guided hike through the famous Peek-A-Boo Slot Canyon!

Recommended Read: Ultimate List of Things to do in Kanab, Utah !

Belly of the Dragon

Day 14: Head back to Las Vegas!

The worst part of the trip… your epic Utah National Parks Road Trip has come to an end!

To drive back to Las Vegas, it will take you roughly 3 hours from Kanab. Be very careful of speeding because the highway goes through small western towns that drop the speed to 25-35 miles per hour. I got a speeding ticket once because I didn’t realize the highway ended and the small town began 🙂

Like I mentioned before, I am a Las Vegas local who was born and raised! I have TONS of free guides on Las Vegas if you plan to stay awhile!

Be Sure to Follow Along on Instagram: @MyPerfectItinerary!

Common Q&A’s

What time of year is best.

Majority of the locations on this itinerary will see a HOT summer and a pretty cold winter. You ideally will want to avoid both the height of summer and the height of winter. I think aiming for late fall and early spring would be best for weather. 

Plus, National parks are known to be 10x busier during the summer months when families travel with their kids being out of school!

How many days do you need for a Utah National Parks Road Trip?

Personally, I think 14 days is needed to fully see and explore all of the best of Utah! There is a decent amount of driving between each park, so you will want to give yourself some time in each area to explore. In this 14 day Utah road trip itinerary, you see all of Utah’s Big 5, a ton of hidden gems, state parks, and even some famous Arizona sites that are right along the Utah / Arizona border.

What is the prettiest park in Utah?

It’s SO hard to say because they all offer such different landscapes. I think the weather and the crowds always play a huge roll in your experience in each park as well. After seeing all of Utah’s Big Five, I would say Arches National Park was the most unique and impressive of them all!

What is the least visited National Park in Utah?

Canyonlands, surprisingly, is the least visited. Why? I am not sure since it is so close to Arches! If you are going to Arches National Park, then you MUST make a stop to see some of Canyonlands National Park.

Are Utah National Parks Crowded?

Oh my YES! With beauty and popularity comes lots of crowds!! Since this is a longer itinerary, you will be getting to explore a lot of the national parks during weekdays. 

My must-do tip for visiting national parks is to bite the bullet and wake up for sunrise! You can get a lot of sight seeing done before the park starts to get crowded, and then you can head back to your hotel for a nap at the peak of the day.

Okay, that’s a wrap! I hope this Utah National Parks Road Trip was borderline TOO informative! 😉

In all seriousness though.. this guide is long, detailed, and seriously jam-packed with information. I created a map that is organized by location & day of the itinerary to help you plan your trip even more. Just fill out your information below and I will send you a link to the map & the guide to refer back to!

Even though this is a Las Vegas to Utah road trip, you could base your trip out of one of the other major, nearby airports like Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Denver, and more! I just always recommend Las Vegas because who doesn’t want to spend a day or two exploring that amazing city?! 🙂

Thanks so much for stopping by! 🙂

Like this guide pin it here.

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Destinations , Vacations , West Coast · June 18, 2021

The Ultimate 7-Day Southern Utah Road Trip Itinerary: Zion, Bryce, Escalante

Southern Utah is full of stunning scenery. It makes for memorable hikes, lookouts that make your jaw drop, and long, beautiful drives that seem much quicker than they really are. One of the top destinations in the United States, a southern Utah road trip will not disappoint.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links that earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Who Should Go on a Southern Utah Road Trip?

Everyone! Take a solo trip. Make it a girl’s trip. Head out for a getaway with your significant other. Take the whole family! There is something for everyone that will make it impossible to regret.

If you’re a hiker, you definitely don’t want to miss out. If exploration for you means scenic drives, you will love it just as much!

As long as you love beautiful places and getting outside, you’re all set.

Note: the itinerary provided below will resonate most with those who want to do a lot of hiking mixed with grabbing drinks and eating good food. While hikes range from moderate to difficult, there are no 16-mile days or backpacking excursions! But you will get out and move every day!

When is the Best Time to Take a Southern Utah Road Trip?

The sweet spot for visiting Utah is in the spring and the fall when crowds dwindle (somewhat) and the weather is a comfortable temperature. Summer months definitely get crazy with both people and hot weather. And the winter months, though unique and beautiful in their own right, obviously come with snow and cold temperatures!

Keep in mind, besides the dead of winter, these places are busy all of the time. Go when it works for you, and be prepared for crowds.

Where Does This Southern Utah Road Trip Itinerary Take Me?

Many Utah itineraries you find are going to be based around the “Mighty 5,” which includes Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, and Capitol Reef National Park.

In my opinion, to do “The Mighty 5” right, your trip should be two weeks total—10 days at the very least. Anything under that and you will be doing a lot more driving than exploring.

Since this trip is only one week (including travel days), it’s two national parks and a national monument.

There are notes and tips about substituting different places on certain days so, obviously, you are not locked in. That said, it is a place to start and I highly recommend this itinerary for a week that includes a range of experiences!

How Can I Spend 7 Days in Utah?

• Travel Day : Arrive in Southern Utah with options to stop along the way
• Start with 1 Day in Zion National Park (East Side—aka the “secret side”)
• 1 Day in Bryce Canyon National Park
• 1 Day at Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
• 2 Days back at Zion National Park (South End)
• Travel Day : Back home on Day 7

The trip includes three different places to stay, so while you do hotel-hop (Airbnb), it’s not a daily switch. All of the details on that are below.

The Best Southern Utah Road Trip Itinerary: One Week

A southern Utah road trip takes a little more pre-planning than a lot of vacations, but the adventures are totally worth it. Let’s get started!

Before Your Southern Utah Road Trip

Do your research.

Google. Read blogs. Browse Instagram. Ask your friends. Whatever you need to do, soak up as much information as possible! Everyone’s experience is different but I guarantee a better time if you have a plan together and a good idea about what you’re getting into!

Additional, HIGHLY-DETAILED blog posts of mine are linked throughout the post so make sure to visit those for even more tips.

I highly recommend a quality SUV for this trip. You spend a lot of time in the car, one day involves dirt roads, there are switchbacks through Zion, and you will need enough space for all of your passengers and luggage. My group went with a Chevy Equinox and it was perfect.

Annual Park Pass

If you are planning to visit more than three national parks in the next 12 months, grab an America the Beautiful Pass for $79.99 . It’s $35 at each park (for 7 consecutive days) so you make up your money in just three NP visits.

This pass twice is used twice on this trip so if you have another national park planned (or find it likely—you’ll only be out $10 if you don’t) then definitely grab one of these! If you don’t want to go that route, you can grab week-long passes at the entrances.

What to Pack for a Southern Utah Road Trip

Water Bottle: You need a big one that keeps liquids cold. This 32 oz. water bottle is my absolute favorite (still had ice in it after a day at Zion in 80+ degrees!) It has an easy-to-carry handle and I love the mouthpiece.

Hiking Shoes: Don’t forget your hiking shoes! If you don’t have a pair, invest in some. A few of these hikes will be difficult without them. The REI Outlet is a great place if you want to keep things affordable.

Layers: A few mornings you will get started early and temperatures are much, much cooler than they will be in the day. Make sure to have a jacket, long sleeves, leggings, and shorts, as well as a warm hat if you are going between late September-May.

Snacks: Between long hikes and busy areas with restaurant wait times, you will want snacks! My favorite are these Chomps Beef Sticks (all clean ingredients and lots of protein), and Trader Joe’s Simply the Best Nuts (individually packaged which makes everything easy). They easily fit in a suitcase and can be in your carry-on.

Sunscreen: No matter what time of year! If you are on the hunt for a clean product, the best out there is Cocokind . It’s not a weird texture or sticky on your face. I love it, plus it’s a great size for travel.

And with that, let’s get into the official southern Utah road trip itinerary!

Day 1: Travel Day

Where do i fly into for a southern utah road trip.

McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada , is the closest airport to southern Utah. It’s 170 miles away from Springdale, Utah (Zion National Park), and is a major hub where you can typically find cheap flights.  This itinerary will start in Sin City!

Note: Salt Lake City International Airport is the next closest and is 311 miles from the park. This is a good option if you prefer to road trip through Utah from north to south.

Pick Up Your Rental Car

Grab your rental and be on your way! Your first day of travel will have you on a scenic drive as you make your way from Vegas, through Arizona, and finally, into Utah. It’s a fairly easy drive that will find you on curvy stretches every now and then and takes a total of 160 miles (2 hours, 35 minutes.)

KEEP IN MIND: there is a time change between Las Vegas (PDT) and Utah (MT)! Your clocks will move ahead one hour.

Places to Stop between Las Vegas and Springdale

• Valley of the Fire State Park : this can be your first stop if you’d like to do a short hike and check it off your list! Located under an hour from Vegas and still in Nevada, is beautiful desert land and red sandstone formations.
• St. George : is a city a couple of miles north of the Arizona and Nevada border in the very southwestern corner of Utah. It’s one of the bigger towns on your drive and perfect for a gas and food stop.
• Other than that, it’s mountains, small towns, and jackalopes! Lol

Depending on what time you arrive, check in to your place, explore Springdale, Utah, or better yet, just relax! You have a big week ahead. (Note: there are a few Springdale restaurant recommendations later in the post.)

Where to Stay in Springdale, Utah

Best western plus (night 1/1).

Springdale, Utah accommodations are not cheap given the high demand! One of the more affordable places is the Best Western PLUS , located right downtown and near a shuttle stop—more on that below.

The rooms are very spacious, clean, and complete with a view. Plus, they offer an (actually delicious) continental breakfast that is the perfect pre-hike meal. And lessens the blow of the bill.

Options: There are plenty more places to choose from in Springdale, Utah including the Zion Lodge inside the park (need to book early), camping, and additional hotels and Airbnb’s. Check out How to Spend Two Days at Zion National Park: What You Need to Know for more options.

Day 2: Zion National Park (East)

Hike: observation point via east mesa trail.

Observation Point is one of the most beautiful spots in Zion and you will want this hike on your list. More specifically, the version of this hike that is done via the East Mesa Trail. The more popular version of the hike to Observation Point is from the south end of the park—bottom-up. This requires a shuttle bus and there are an endless amount of people.

Luckily, there is an alternative route if you drive to the east side of Zion—top-out. Bonus: the scenic drive there (via UT-9) is one to remember!

Note: the popular, south-end version of the hike to Observation Point is currently closed due to rockfall. (That said, I’d still choose East Mesa Trail, even when it’s reopened.)

The East Mesa Trail hike is not one you need an early start for which makes it a good option after a travel day. Wake up, grab breakfast, and be on your way at a leisurely pace. Plan to leave Springdale between 11:00-12:00 PM.

Plug “East Mesa Trailhead/Observation Point Trailhead” into your Google Maps and you will be all set for a 52-minute journey. It’s only 23 miles, but given the switchbacks and drive through the mountains and tunnels (awesome!), it takes longer. There is a bathroom as you approach the east-side entrance. And a few miles from the trailhead, you hit a dirt road which is where your SUV comes in handy.

Note: you will not return to Springdale tonight and this is bringing you in the right direction once your hike is over.

Park at the trailhead (we arrived at 1:00 PM and found parking, no problem) and you will find where the 6.8 miles, out-and-back trail begins. 

* This Hike Takes 3-4 Hours *

You are led through a woodsy setting with mountains in the distance and amazing views once you make it to your destination. The best in the park, in fact! Though the hike is a bit longer, it’s not strenuous in terms of incline. A less than a mile or so stretch on your way back will be the toughest part on your booty!

Your destination (Observation Point) gives you not only a great hike but one of Utah’s best views . It includes a birds-eye view of both Angels Landing and The Narrows. Tip: it’s very windy at the top!

After your hike, you will make your way to Hatch, Utah (54 miles—1 hour, 10 minutes) which is very well-positioned between both Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park. Tomorrow, you’ll tackle Bryce. But don’t worry, you will return to Zion in a couple of days!

Survive on snacks until you arrive. There is an awesome (and a bit unassuming) place to eat called Outlaw Saloon – Western Bar and Steakhouse . PRO TIP: Get the ribs. The meat falls off at the touch of a knife.

Where to Stay in Hatch, Utah

Mountain ridge cabins and lodging (night 1/3).

Mountains Ridge Cabins and Lodging is the perfect place to stay in Hatch, Utah. They are adorable and affordable with a restaurant/bar, convenience store, and coffee shop right nearby. The cabins are very clean (with daily housekeeping available) and include a shower, TV, and free drip coffees at the coffee shop.

Day 3: Bryce Canyon National Park

Hike: the figure 8.

All right, people. Get ready. Because this is going to be a day to remember. Everybody raves about Zion National Park (which, of course, is beautiful) but the real winner in my book is Bryce Canyon National Park. The rock formations, known as hoodoos, will take your breath away!

Day 3 is going to require an earlier start. Leave Hatch, Utah absolutely no later than 8:30 AM ; I would recommend between 7:30-8:15 AM and potentially earlier in peak season.

Sip your coffee on the 30-minute drive over and park in the Sunset Point parking lot after showing (or purchasing) your pass at the park entrance. Note: we got one of the very last spots in the lot at 9:02 AM. And if it’s summer, it will fill up earlier than that.

Sunset Point parking lot will connect you to Rim Trail and one of the most beautiful overlooks at the top of the canyon. You will be hiking down into it—and back up! And trust me, the views will be worth it.

Hike the Figure 8 Hike

The best and most rewarding 6-7 mile hike (depending which route you choose) in Bryce Canyon National Park consists of three hikes looped together into a Figure 8. Always remember, STAY RIGHT.

*This Hike Takes 3-4 Hours*

• Wall Street : a series of switchbacks that lead you down onto the canyon floor. (Left side image once I reached the bottom.)
• Peekaboo Loop Trail : an up and down 3-mile loop inside the canyon that offers the most INCREDIBLE non-stop views of the rock formations.
• Navajo Loop Trail OR Queens Garden : The way back up to the parking lot which is a tough, but worth it, journey! Navajo is shorter yet steeper and brings you to Sunset Point. (Right side image. Phew!) And Queens Garden takes some extra time but is less of an incline and brings you to Sunrise Point parking lot.

You can find EVERY SINGLE DETAIL on this hike here: The Best Day in Bryce Canyon National Park . You will have the BEST time!

After the Figure 8 hike, which I cannot recommend enough, you still have an entire afternoon ahead of you. Choose one of these great options:

• Walk Rim Trail and check out all of the viewpoints. This brings you along the edge and does not get down into the canyon. You can park at Sunset Point OR Sunrise Point. There are no inclines so it can be a very casual walk while getting some great pictures.
• Drive the Scenic Byway known as Route 63 . If you’d rather drive, this will bring you to a TON of great views. (You can easily make this a full day as well.)

It has been a DAY! Find a restaurant in Bryce or make your way back to Hatch and hit Outlaw Saloon – Western Bar and Steakhouse again. This time, get the steak. It melts in your mouth!

Where to Stay: Hatch, Utah (Night 2/3)

Return to your little cabin for another night’s stay! Option: if you’d like to stay inside the park, Bryce Canyon Lodge is the only option and must be booked far in advance!

Day 4: Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument

Hike: peekaboo gulch & spooky gulch slot canyons.

Ready for a mini road trip from Hatch to Escalante, Utah? If slot canyons are on your list, then your going to love this day! It’s such a fun experience.

67 miles (1 hour, 15 minutes) east of Hatch, and through Bryce, is Escalante, Utah. It is in the heart of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument on Scenic Byway 12 and home to a few different slot canyon hikes that will blow your mind!

Use this as a day to sleep in a bit (this is by far the least populated area of your trip so you won’t need to worry so much about crowds) and leave Hatch, Utah by about 10:30 AM. This will put you in the town of Escalante by around NOON assuming you stop once. Once you get there, check out the little town, grab some coffee if need be, and be on your way.

Hike Peekaboo Gulch + Spooky Gulch

The plan is to hike Peekaboo Gulch and Spooky Gulch which are located about 40 minutes down a dirt road from Escalante. I know, more driving. But it’s all an adventure and the beautiful drives make them seem quick! Make sure you have an SUV for this trip.

*This Hike Takes 2-3 Hours*

This 3.5-mile lollipop loop hike will have you start at the trailhead, walk around the rim and down into the lower desert, and arrive at Peekaboo Gulch, the first of two slot canyons. From here you have a couple of options:

• Climb into Peekaboo Gulch (that’s the toughest part), and hike through the narrow canyon walls about .25 miles. This one is really fun and a pretty easy hike to maneuver. And the afternoon sun hits the walls perfectly for pictures.
• When you come out the other side, you can hike over to Spooky Gulch, which is only about half a mile or so. Or go back through Peekaboo the way you came. Spooky Gulch is much more narrow (like 10 inches in some spots.) If you had a tough time with Peekaboo or are just nervous to give it a go, turn around. If you’re ready and excited (and just a little nervous), do Spooky! It’s really a unique experience.
• If you end up doing Spooky Gulch, you’ll loop right back around to Peekaboo once you come out of the slot canyon (this one is also about .25 miles) and stay right.
• Of course, you can always reverse it and start with Spooky Gulch and make your way over to Peekaboo second. This is said to be tougher.

This hike is outlined in FULL details (including the drive) over on The Best Grand Staircase-Escalante, Utah Slot Canyons to Hike . Definitely read the details if you are headed that way!

Once you finish your hike and make your way back to the small town of Escalante via the dirt roads, it will be about 5:00-6:00 PM which makes it the perfect time for a beer! Stop for just that and a bite to eat at one of the restaurants/bars. I recommend:

Circle D Eatery

Right off the main road is a great hiking reward!  Circle D Eatery  is a part of an independently-run motel and serves some delicious food and drinks in a casual environment. There is plenty of space inside, as well as an outdoor seating area. I recommend the  Jalapeno Cream Ale  beer that I am still thinking about. And the BBQ Brisket Nachos.

After you eat, it’s time get some rest! Or just keep drinking 🙂 You’ve earned it!

Where to Stay: Hatch, Utah (Night 3/3)

It’s your last night in the tiny cabin! I recommend making your way back just because it gets you much closer to Zion National Park, where you will make your way back to tomorrow. But…

Options: There are actually quite a few places to stay in Escalante, Utah. Click for  all of the lodging choices , including motels and camping if you’d rather not drive more. There are also plenty of places to stay in Bryce, Utah which you drive through and puts you closer to Zion for the morning.

Day 5: Zion National Park (South)

Hike: rest day or your choice.

Sidenote: Zion National Park requires a LOT of details. Please don’t miss How to Spend Two Days at Zion National Park: What You Need to Know where nearly every single detail is outlined. This post will give you a lot of great high-level information, but we really go in-depth over there.

Back to Zion, it is! I like the idea of starting with Zion and looping back around to end with it to give you a shorter distance to and from the airport.

At this point, you will want to check off one (or two!) more hikes in the next two days. Depending on how you feel, you might need a rest day, which Day 5 is perfect for. Zion National Park is crazy busy and in order to have the best experience, you need to wake up EARLY. Being that you’ll wake up in Hatch, Utah, that will be difficult. A few options:

• Rest Day: Go at a leisurely pace today, explore Springdale, Utah and get ready for a big day tomorrow. This is the choice this itinerary covers!
• Hike Watchman Trail or Canyon Overlook Trail: these hikes don’t require the shuttle which makes it way easier to work into the day. Watchman is 3 miles from inside the south entrance and Canyon Overlook is 1 mile and off of UT-9.
• Hike Angel’s Landing: this is the most popular hike at Zion National Park and a later-in-the-day start might not be the best experience. That said, it’s your vacation!

Grab a delicious breakfast at Hatch Station. They have omelets that will hit the spot! Plan to take off and make your way back to Springdale (60 miles—1 hour, 20 minutes, and a beautiful drive) by about 11:00 AM.

Make a road trip stop at Belly of the Dragon. It’s right off UT-89 and is a quick, fun, and unique stop through a cave. There aren’t a lot of people and it’s perfect for kids—or just a couple of cool pictures! Plus, a chance to get out and walk around.

This is your chance to explore the town of Springdale, Utah! You might not be able to check into your hotel or Airbnb (my recommendation below!) until late afternoon so just find a parking spot and meander around the town. Recommendations:

• Go Shopping: This tourist town is, of course, full of shops that line the block towards Zion National Park. Souvenirs, crystals, sweet treats, boutique-style clothes, and gifts.
• Coffee/Drinks: FeelLove Coffee Zion is the cutest place and it is not just coffee, there are dinner and cocktail menus as well.
• Beer: Definitely plan to have a beer or five at  Zion Brew Pub where there is both indoor seating as well as an awesome outdoor beer garden. It’s right near the entrance to Zion National Park.
• Eat: Whiptail Grill , a converted gas station, is a great place for lunch! Grab anything from steak tacos to chicken sandwiches on their Mexican fusion cuisine menu. They do have beer and wine.
• Visitor Center: go talk to park rangers and grab maps for tomorrow.

After your day of exploring, it’s time to grab dinner and then call it a night. (Note: if you are doing The Narrows hike tomorrow, grab your gear from Zion Outfitters . More information below.)

Zion Pizza & Noodle Co

Dine-in (there’s a beer garden) at  Zion Pizza & Noodle Co . or order your food from the counter and bring it to your hotel or Airbnb.  The European Trail  was a delicious pizza option.

Townhouse Airbnb (Night 1/2)

I stayed in the  most perfect townhouse  in the heart of Springdale and it was perfect! Very clean, modern, and has two bedrooms plus comfy living space, laundry machines, and a TV.  And the outdoor patio space (pictured below) makes it worth every penny.

You are only a short walk from the Springdale Shuttle that will bring you to the park (more on that below.) And there is a marketplace across the street that’s perfect for grabbing meals to prep at the place and snacks for your hikes. We stayed two nights and weren’t quite ready to leave! Highly recommend.

Options: Visit How to Spend 2 Days at Zion National Park for more places to stay.

Day 6: Zion National Park (South)

Hike: the narrows.

Today is a big day and a check-off of the Bucket List! If you didn’t get a major hike done yesterday, you’ll need to pick between The Narrows and Angels Landing—two of the most popular hikes.

This itinerary will walk you through The Narrows , a fun and unique experience that isn’t quite as close to death as Angels Landing. (LOL I’m kidding. Sort of…)

Note: if neither of these sounds appealing, check out the list of other popular Zion National Park hikes .

Early. Start early. It cannot be stressed enough. As I mentioned, Zion is a very popular place. And between the number of people and the shuttle bus(es) requirement, it’s best to get going. We’re talking like, be in line for the Zion Canyon Shuttle at 6:00 AM. EEK! Don’t worry, it’s worth it. First things first:

Zion Shuttle Buses

The most popular hikes in Zion National Park REQUIRE taking the Zion Canyon Shuttle Bus. There are TWO separate shuttles in the area.

• The Springdale Shuttle : connects the town of Springdale (stops near your hotel or Airbnb) to the South Entrance of the park where you catch the Zion Canyon Shuttle. Note: this runs April-October. This is not required, you can also walk.
• Zion Canyon Shuttle : This gives you access from inside the park to the upper canyon (most popular hikes) since  private vehicles are prohibited along Zion Canyon Scenic Drive between March and November. It is first-come, first-serve. Don’t forget your park pass or purchase at the entrance.

Hike The Narrows

Shuttle bus stop 9: temple of sinawava.

One of the most unique hiking experiences in the United States  is through the Virgin River inside one of Zion’s canyons. After taking the Zion Canyon Shuttle to the last stop (#9) and making a mile or so hike on the Riverside Walk paved trail, you’ll enter the river with high canyon walls on either side.

*This Hike Takes as Long as You’d Like! Likely at least 4 hours*

Once you enter the water, you can go as far as 8 miles, but you can turn around and come back whenever you choose.  The scenery doesn’t change a ton, so we went about 1.5 hours or so before we made the trek back.

As far as gear, I recommend the boots, neoprene socks, and a walking stick from Zion Outfitters . You can find WAY more details in this post . Note: this is not required!

• Pick another shorter hike inside Zion National Park such as Emerald Pools or Weeping Rock.
• Head back out to Springdale to drink beer and eat; you’ve done enough hiking for one day!

Townhouse Airbnb (Night 2/2)

Back to the perfect townhouse in Springdale where you can enjoy your outdoor patio, maybe do some laundry before you head out, and relax!

Day 7: Travel Day

That’s it! You have reached Day 7 of your southern Utah road trip experience and it’s time to make you way back to the airport. You are 2 hours and 40 minutes from Las Vegas so depending on when you flight is, make sure you are packed and ready to roll!

Mix-and-Match + Additions

When you only have one week, including travel days, there is simply too many places to squeeze in on a southern Utah road trip. Here are other destinations in the area that you can replace in your itinerary, or add extra days for:

• Capitol Reef National Park: if you’re focused solely on national parks, you could potentially swap “Day 4: Escalante Slot Canyons” with this park which is also east of Bryce. It is more driving and you’ll likely need to stay the night.
• Canyonlands National Park: even farther east than Capitol Reef, you will probably need more days to work this in.
• Arches National Park: a tad more east from Canyonlands, these three national parks are pretty close in proximity. As I said, 10-14 days for “The Mighty Five” is what you’ll need. I plan to do these 3 as a separate trip.
• Dead Horse Point State Park: one of Utah’s state parks with views of the Colorado River. It’s near the three national parks above and the city of Moab, Utah.
• Cedar City + Cedar Breaks National Monument: a town north of Zion. You could choose to loop from Zion to Cedar City to Bryce and back around.
• Northern Arizona: PACKED with places to check out, this can easily be a vacation on its own! The Grand Canyon, Antelope Canyon (popular slot canyons that are currently closed), and Horseshoe Bend are all highlights.

One Last Thought…

It’s tough to come by in Utah! Lol. Here’s the skinny: You can get 5% or less at gas stations, marketplaces, etc. Anything percentage above that, and you have to go to a liquor store. The kicker? There aren’t many liquor stores! Ha. Definitely scope it out during your travels and figure out your option to stop and grab some booze.

As far as restaurants, many (not all) only have beer and wine. And many (not all) places don’t have an actual bar to sit at.

This was my least favorite part of Utah and thought you should know! Lol.

You will LOVE this trip! And you will come out of it with so many amazing pictures and incredible memories. Comment your favorite spot on this trip! Or one I may have missed.

Happy travel! 🙂

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25 Most Beautiful Places in Utah You Didn't Know Existed But Should Visit Right Now

K nown as the land of Mormons and the Big 5 national parks, Utah is a state full of surprises when it comes to otherworldly landscapes. From my two years living in a van and of nearly 40 states I’ve been in the US, Utah is one of my absolute favorites.

While many people are familiar with popular destinations like Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon, I’ve roamed around the state long enough to have uncovered some lesser-known gems that are sure to make you fall in love with Utah even more.

I’ll still include the must-visits, but I will also include the strangest rock formations and hidden hot springs. Here are 25 of the most beautiful places in Utah you may not have heard of before but should definitely add to your travel bucket list.

My Favorite Hidden Gems in Utah

1. valley of the gods.

The Valley of the Gods is like a natural sculpture park with its towering rock formations and wide-open spaces. Imagine 12 miles of scenic dirt roads leading you past sandstone monoliths that stand up to 450 feet tall!

It’s a haven for anyone who loves a good road trip and some off-the-beaten-path adventure. While there are very few guided paths, you can just go off on your own and get lost in the buttes.

  Read Also: 8 American National Parks That Keep Showing Up in Your Favorite Films

2. Bonneville Salt Flats

The Bonneville Salt Flats stretch over 30,000 acres of a seemingly endless expanse of white salt crust. This surreal landscape is almost as amazing as the super famous one in Bolivia called Uyuni Salt Flats. If you’re lucky and it just rained, the flats can create a mirror-like effect with the right amount of water, which is incredible at sunrise and sunset.

It’s not just a pretty sight; the perfectly flat surface makes it ideal for racing. Every year, it hosts Speed Week, where drivers attempt to set land speed records.

  Read Also: 11 American Places So Surreal, You’ll Think They’re Photoshopped

3. Bear Lake

Bear Lake is often called the “Caribbean of the Rockies” because of its glimmering turquoise waters. Spanning over 109 square miles, this lake is perfect for all kinds of water sports—boating, fishing, jet skiing, you name it.

If you’re more of a landlubber, there are many places to hike and bike and, of course, lounge on the sandy beaches.

Don’t miss this local treat! Raspberry shakes here are legendary, thanks to the local raspberry farms.

  Read Also: 11 Unbelievably Beautiful Lakes in the US That Feel Like Paradise

4. Bentonite Hills

The Bentonite Hills look like something straight out of a sci-fi movie. The hills are vividly colored due to the mineral bentonite clay, creating stripes of red, orange, purple, and green. Although you’ll need a drone to see the full extent of the rainbow palette.

Hiking through this area feels like you’ve stepped onto another planet. The best part? You’ll often have it all to yourself as it’s extremely remote.

5. Buckskin Gulch

Buckskin Gulch is known as one of the longest slot canyons in the world, stretching for 13 miles. The canyon’s winding paths and patterns etched into the rock by centuries of water flow create a labyrinth.

Walking through the narrow passageways, which can be as tight as a few feet across, is a thrilling experience, with wall towers hundreds of feet above you. Be prepared. Sometimes, you may need to do some wading through water and scrambling over rocks.

  Read Also: 7 Heart-Stopping Canyons in the US, And Why They Beat the Grand Canyon

6. Coyote Gulch

Coyote Gulch offers a mix of everything that makes the Utah wilderness special: arches, waterfalls, and tall canyon walls. This hike is about 26 miles round trip and brings you face-to-face with natural wonders like Jacob Hamblin Arch and Coyote Natural Bridge.

It’s considered one of the most beautiful areas in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.

7. Fifth Water Hot Springs

Fifth Water Hot Springs, also known as Diamond Fork Hot Springs, is a hidden gem around Salt Lake City and possibly the best natural hot spring I’ve ever been to. Scattered along a creek, these natural hot springs feature several different colored pools with varying temperatures.

The trail to get there is about 2.5 miles each way, but with road closures, it is much longer in the winter. The turquoise water is inviting, and even though it’s popular amongst locals, there are so many pools that everyone can have their own.

8. Reflection Canyon

Reflection Canyon is a remote, beautiful arm of Lake Powell, which is an incredible Utah destination itself. This spot gained notoriety after a photograph by National Geographic photographer Michael Melford.

Getting there requires a challenging 14-mile round-trip hike, but the payoff is worth it. The view of the winding canyon and its reflection in the still water is not something you will forget.

9. Kanarra Creek Falls

Kanarra Creek Falls combines the thrill of a slot canyon with the beauty of cascading waterfalls. It’s a mini-narrows alternative to Zion National Park with way fewer people. The hike is about 4 miles round trip and involves crossing the creek multiple times, so prepare to get wet!

One of the highlights is climbing a ladder next to a waterfall. The cool water and red rock formations make it a perfect summer hike, but we went in early spring and it was slightly too cold.

  Read Also: 14 Must-See Waterfalls in West US You Didn’t Know About

10. Peek-A-Boo Slot Canyon (Red Canyon)

Peekaboo Canyon Kana, also known as Red Canyon, is one of the most legendary Kanab area slot canyon hikes. In the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, this slot canyon is famous for its tight squeezes and beautiful rock formations. The hike is about 3 miles round trip, and you’ll need to scramble up and down rocks.

Wind and water beautifully sculpt the canyon walls, creating a maze-like experience. Some people even call Peek-A-Boo the uncrowded Antelope Canyon. With two sections to explore, make sure you reach the end.

Travel Tip! Deep sand terrain makes arriving at the trailhead tricky. You will need a 4×4 or to join a tour.

11. Alstrom Point

Pretty difficult to get to, it’s better to have a high clearance 4×4 and a great offline map to get here. But once you make it, Alstrom Point is my favorite view of Lake Powell’s vivid blue waters and the surrounding canyons. It’s quiet and peaceful, with only a handful of other visitors at any given time.

The best thing is that the entire area is BLM land, which means you can spend the night camping here and wake up to epic sunrises from the canyon.

Amazing State Parks in Utah

12. antelope island state park.

Antelope Island State Park, the largest island in the Great Salt Lake, is just north of Utah’s capital city. It’s home to free-roaming bison herds that can reach up to 700 animals. The island also teems with other wildlife, and the landscape ranges from expansive grasslands to sandy beaches.

Hike up Frary Peak to the island’s highest point at 6,596 feet, or you can see the historic Fielding Garr Ranch House, established by Mormon pioneers in 1848.

13. Dead Horse Point State Park

Although small, the park’s namesake overlook sits 2,000 feet above the Colorado River, giving a panoramic view of the meandering river and surrounding canyons. Right outside of Moab, Dead Horse Point State Park is a great quick stop on your day trip to Canyonlands or Arches itinerary.

Legend has it that the name comes from cowboys who once used this point as a natural corral for wild mustangs.

14. Goblin Valley State Park

Goblin Valley State Park is a unique landscape filled with mushroom-shaped rock formations known as hoodoos. These “goblins,” as they’re called, were formed through centuries of erosion and weathering. The park spans 3,654 acres, and its eerie yet fascinating terrain is perfect for wandering through the maze of rock shapes.

15. Snow Canyon State Park

I’ve heard it said that if Snow Canyon State Park wasn’t right next to Zion, it would be a national park in its own right. It’s filled with a striking contrast of red and white Navajo sandstone cliffs, black lava flows, and sand dunes. The park’s canyon is named after early Utah leaders Erastus and Lorenzo Snow, not because of snow itself.

Spread across 7,400 acres, there are more than 38 miles of hiking trails, plus cycling and horseback riding opportunities. You’ll find lava tubes to explore, petrified sand dunes to climb, and plenty of wildlife to spot.

  Read Also: 14 Western US State Parks That Rival Any National Park

Coral Pink Sand Dunes state Park

If you come in the early mornings, the miles of rolling sand dunes at Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park glow with a pinkish-orange hue. As the sun rises, the sand becomes more normal, but sunset brings back the unique hue.

The dunes, formed from the erosion of Navajo Sandstone, are constantly changing shape due to the wind. It’s a popular spot for sandboarding and ATV riding with dunes that reach up to 700 feet above the valley floor.

  Read Also: 10 National Parks That May Be Too Hot to Handle This Summer

The Best National Areas & Monuments in Utah

17. cedar breaks national monument.

Cedar Breaks National Monument is a natural amphitheater that plunges 2,000 feet deep and stretches three miles across. Covered in brilliant colors, the rock formations here resemble a smaller, yet no less impressive, version of Bryce Canyon.

At over 10,000 feet elevation, the park offers cool respite in summer and becomes snowy in winter. Hiking trails like the Spectra Point and Ramparts Overlook Trail give spectacular views of the amphitheater and surrounding forests. It’s also a designated Dark Sky Park, perfect for stargazing.

Read Also: 7 Darkest US National Parks for Stargazing to See the Milky Way Perfectly

18. Dinosaur National Monument

Dinosaur National Monument straddles the Utah-Colorado border and has incredibly well-preserved dinosaur fossils. The Quarry Exhibit Hall displays over 1,500 bones embedded in the rock.

The monument covers 210,844 acres, and the Green and Yampa Rivers carve through rugged canyons, which is great for rafting and fishing. Petroglyphs and pictographs left by ancient cultures add a historical dimension to your visit.

19. Natural Bridges National Monument

Natural Bridges National Monument is known for its three massive natural bridges: Sipapu, Kachina, and Owachomo. These sandstone formations, created by water erosion, are some of the largest in the world.

Several hiking trails provide different perspectives of the bridges, and a scenic loop drive provides easy access to overlooks and trailheads. The night skies are incredibly clear!

20. Rainbow Bridge National Monument

Rainbow Bridge National Monument is home to one of the world’s largest natural bridges, spanning 275 feet across and standing 290 feet tall. Accessible primarily by boat on Lake Powell or via a tough hike, it’s a sacred site for Native American tribes in a really remote location.

The bridge’s symmetrical arch is an impressive sight against the backdrop of rugged canyon walls.

All the National Parks in Utah

21. zion national park.

Zion is one of the most visited national parks in the country, and people come from all over the world to see its red rock monoliths and deep canyons.

The iconic Angels Landing trail is one of the toughest hikes in the country , with heart-stopping views from its 1,488-foot summit. The Narrows, where you wade through the Virgin River between towering canyon walls, is another must-do.

For more advanced hikers who can get a very difficult-to-get permit, Subway Hike is a very strenuous hike that will require rappelling and climbing skills.

  Read Also: One Day in Zion National Park Itinerary for Adventurers

22. Bryce Canyon National Park

Bryce Canyon National Park is famed for its otherworldly landscape of hoodoos—tall, thin rock spires that create a labyrinth of color and shape.

The park’s amphitheater is the main attraction, best viewed from Sunrise, Sunset, Inspiration, and Bryce Points. The Navajo Loop and Queen’s Garden are the best trails to take you through the red rock formations.

At an elevation of 8,000 to 9,000 feet, the park has cooler temperatures and clearer air. Due to the low light pollution, stargazing is phenomenal here.

  Read Also: Perfect One Day in Bryce Canyon Itinerary For First-Timers

23. Arches National Park

Arches National Park is like a giant natural playground with over 2,000 stone arches. The park’s star attraction is Delicate Arch, a free-standing arch 46 feet tall in a sandstone bowl.

Don’t miss the Windows Section, where you can explore Double Arch and other impressive formations. The Devil’s Garden Trail is another highlight, where you can see Landscape Arch, one of the world’s longest natural spans.

  Read Also: Perfect One Day in Arches National Park Itinerary for First-Timers

24. Canyonlands National Park

Canyonlands National Park is a vast, rugged landscape divided into five distinct districts: Island in the Sky, The Needles, The Maze, Horseshoe Canyon, and the Green and Colorado Rivers.

Island in the Sky is the most accessible and popular with dramatic overlooks, like Grand View Point and seeing the sunrises from Mesa Arch. The Needles district features colorful spires of rock and challenging trails like Chesler Park Loop. For the truly adventurous, The Maze is a remote labyrinthine experience, while you can go white water rafting on the Colorado or Green Rivers.

  Read Also: Perfect One Day in Canyonlands Itinerary for First-Timers

25. Capitol Reef National Park

Capitol Reef National Park is the least visited of Utah’s national parks. Known for its Waterpocket Fold, a nearly 100-mile-long wrinkle in the Earth’s crust., the park is a mix of scenic drives, hikes, and historical sites.

The Capitol Gorge Trail takes you through narrows and past ancient petroglyphs left by the Fremont people. Pick fruits at the orchards in the Fruita Historic District, which were planted by early Mormon settlers. Don’t miss the Cassidy Arch if you haven’t had enough arches!

  Read Also: The Best Way to Tour Capitol Reef National Park in a Day

Final Thoughts: Most Beautiful Places in Utah

Utah is a state blessed with incredible beauty, and it really made me fall in love with America. Although its national parks are the most well-known, they are just a small representation of the diverse landscapes and incredible outdoor adventures here. You may just need to drive a bit further and get a bit dustier for the others.

Before you Close That Tab…Where to Next in Utah?

Utah may very well be one of the most underrated, beautiful places in the world. I’ve traveled all through this great state, snowboarding down some of the best resorts and hiking through godly monoliths. If you’re heading elsewhere in Utah, check out these posts.

• One Day in Zion National Park Itinerary for Adventurers
• One Day in Arches National Park Itinerary for First-Timers
• Perfect One Day in Canyonlands Itinerary for First-Timers
• Perfect One Day In Salt Lake City Itinerary For First Timers 
• Perfect One Day In Bryce Canyon Itinerary For First-Timers

• Plan Your Trip
• Travel Guides & Maps

Official Utah Travel Guide

Downloadable PDF with travel tips, recommendations and maps

The Utah Travel Guide is filled with information for those who want to visit The Mighty 5® national parks, ski resorts, the urban Wasatch Front, and all the scenic drives and towns in between. You can download a digital version or order a printed guide by mail using the form below.

Download the Utah Travel Guide

Request a Free Travel Guide & Map by Mail

Have a shipping address in the United States or Canada? If so, you can order a free printed version of our Utah travel guide, highway map and national parks brochure.

Other Utah Guides & Maps

Utah Highway Map

Downloadable PDF of official Utah highway map

Utah Scenic Byways Guide

Downloadable PDF with information and maps of Utah's Scenic Byways

Dark Skies Exploration: A Beginner's Guide

A complete guide to enjoying the majesty of Utah's dark skies

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Northern Utah: National Monuments & Recreation Areas

Downloadable PDF of Northern Utah National Monuments and Recreation Areas

Southeast Utah: National Parks, Monuments & Recreation Areas

Downloadable PDF of Southeast Utah National Parks, Monuments, and Recreation Areas

Southwest Utah: National Parks, Monuments & Recreation Areas

Downloadable PDF of Southwest Utah National Parks, Monuments, and Recreation Areas

East Yellowstone Loop Itinerary

Downloadable PDF with a full eastern route and itinerary for exploring East Yellowstone National Park

West Yellowstone Loop Itinerary

Downloadable PDF with a full western route and itinerary for exploring Yellowstone National Park

Utah State Parks Field Guide

Downloadable PDF with a comprehensive list of Utah State Parks and Recreation Areas

Salt Lake Visitor's Guide

Downloadable PDF with travel tips, regional info, maps, dining, and attractions around Salt Lake.

Utah Travel Guides for International Visitors

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"Utah’s location at the crossroads of the western United States means travelers enjoy easy access to The Greatest Snow on Earth®, The Mighty Five® national parks and everything in between. Without a several-week road trip, it’s hard to experience it all, so pick a region and itinerary to start with, then come back again and again."

Salt Lake City

Photo: Douglas Pulsipher/Visit Salt Lake

Deer Valley Ski Resort

Photo: Martha Howe/Ski Utah

Bryce Canyon National Park

Photo: Alison Vagnini

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The Hollywood Skull, Pluto, and 42 Telescopes: Dissecting Deep Time On Location in Utah Armchair Explorer

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Dinosaurs and dark skies have a lot more in common than you'd think...and Utah happens to be one of the best places in the world to experience both of them firsthand. In this episode, join host Aaron Millar as he explores Utah through both time and space. From coming face to face with a wall of dinosaur bones to stepping onto a top-secret active dinosaur dig site and behind the scenes at the fossil preparation lab, you'll learn about how dinosaurs lived in the past -- and still exist today -- firsthand from the experts. Then, dive into dark skies with NASA-strength telescopes and some of the world's most prominent Dark Sky activists, who'll help us to not only see the stars...but to see the planets too. Yes, even Pluto. Thank you to everyone who featured in this episode: Ranger Dan Johnson from Dinosaur National Monument Tylor Birthisel, Dr. Jason Cryan, and Dr. Randy Irmis of the Natural History Museum of Utah Dr. Alan Titus of the Bureau of Land Management Volunteers Dr. Randy Johnson, Dr. Sue Beardmore, Andy Moleski, and Alex Politch with the Natural History Museum of Utah Dr. Anil Seth of the University of Utah Kevin Poe of the Dark Rangers in Bryce   PLAN YOUR UTAH TRIP If you want to learn more about experiencing the sights and attractions featured in this episode, go to VisitUtah.com or follow along on social media @VisitUtah. International listeners can also book this itinerary directly as a package, with lots of other bonus experiences too -- just visit AmericanSky.co.uk/Utah-Holidays or learn more about all the incredible destinations around the state at VisitTheUSA.com or on social media @VisitTheUSA. CREDITS This show was produced by Armchair Productions, the audio experts for the travel industry. Brian Thacker managed pre-production. Jenny Allison was the in-field producer and wrote the episode. Jason Paton did the recording, mix and sound design. Aaron Millar hosted and served as executive producer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Airlines offer midnight sun flights, thanks to rising celestial tourism in the US

Saturday, 29 Jun 2024

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A picture taken on May 10 of a pink night sky in Wendover, Utah in the US. Celestial tourism is booming this year thanks to a geomagnetic storm that reached Earth. — BLAKE BENARD/Getty Images/AFP

The sky is calling. With the total solar eclipse in North America, geomagnetic storms making the northern lights visible in unexpected locations in United States from Alabama to California, plus an aurora borealis that’s predicted to be at its most active now until 2026, travellers are increasingly taking inspiration from what feel like once-in-a-lifetime natural phenomena.

Some are seeking cooler European summers, too.

That’s all promising for Finnair Oyj, Finland’s flag carrier, as it taps into these growing trends to draw more tourists this summer.

From now through Aug 12, Finnair will take passengers five times a week from Finland’s capital city of Helsinki to the northern seaside town of Bodo in Norway. The airline expects the two-and-a-half-hour route to soar in popularity as travellers plan quests to see the midnight sun. (Flights land in Bodo by 6pm, so you can watch the sky ... not darken at dinnertime.)

The phenomenon occurs during the summer months in countries north of the Arctic Circle or south of the Antarctic, with the sun remaining visible into the horizon 24 hours a day. You can see it in other destinations as well, including Alaska (in the US), Canada, Denmark and Iceland.

This is the most extensive flight schedule to Bodo in Finnair’s history. A small, nature-filled hub that sits north of the Arctic Circle, the town last summer saw the debut of thrice-weekly service from the airline.

“With demand for travel to the Nordics continuing to rise exponentially, we are excited to be relaunching our direct flights between Helsinki and Bodo,” Pasi Kuusisto, Finnair’s general manager for North America, said in a press release.

Bodo is a destination in its own right: Think camping, cycling and glacier-climbing just outside city limits, plus a restaurant-filled waterfront with modern architecture. And this year it’s hosting a slew of concerts and art exhibits, as a designated 2024 European Capital of Culture.

But the flights themselves are part of the experience. Some of them will be in full daylight, well after departing at 8pm. Daytime itineraries, by contrast, will offer views of the Svartisen glacier, Norway’s second-largest, and the Saltstraumen, a tidal current that forms giant natural whirlpools-two remote destinations that are well worth seeing.

Other airlines that regularly offer midnight sun flights and access to cooler summertime destinations include Icelandair, with routes from Reykjavíc north to Greenland and the Arctic region (Iceland’s midnight sun also runs from May through August). Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA offers daily flights from Oslo to Bodo during the summer-the last flight of the day departs at 9.35pm and gets you there at 11.05pm, with the sun still shining just outside. — Bloomberg

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Tags / Keywords: Bodo , Finnair Oyj , Northern Lights , Arctic Circle , Norway , Solar Eclipse , Saltstraumen , Alabama , Canada , Denmark , Iceland , US , Celestial tourism , tourism , aurora borealis

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