Welcome to Utah and the perfect itinerary for your Utah National Parks road trip. Utah is otherworldly, to say the least, and I think this blog post will convince you of that. Living about 5 hours from the Colorado/Utah border has given me easy access to this desertscape, within the last two months I’ve spent a collective three weeks exploring its canyons, cliffs and (seemingly) endless valleys.
In this Utah National Parks road trip guide I share my exact itinerary, tips for sightseeing these epic locations, and some logistics to consider on your own Utah road trip.
Utah Road Trip Route
My point of origin was Colorado, for you it might be a little different but that’s okay (I make a couple of route recommendations at the end of this blog post)! This is a massive loop around the lower part of the state and can be started from anywhere depending on where your point of origin is. Salt Lake City and Las Vegas are great points of origin too! Because I came from Colorado, I started the road trip in Moab as its only 5 hours away.
Here’s a map to help you plan:
Things to Consider
It’s important to note a couple of things before setting off on your road trip through Utah:
- Cell Service: First, it’s likely you won’t have service on much of your adventure – especially I the national and state parks. For hikes, I always make sure to download the trail map offline through AllTrails. And when it comes to driving directions, I always screenshot the detailed directions in case the map stops working.
- Fuel: For the most part, gas stations were a plenty. As a rule of thumb, I always fuel up before entering a national park or BLM land (Bureau of Land Management).
- Vehicle: A 4×4 vehicle is not required to explore any of the places in this blog post! There are many dirt roads but most are well maintained and can be accessed by any type of vehicle.
- Park Capacity: The time of year significantly impacts the experience you’ll have when visiting Utah. I visited in early spring so the temperatures were mild and the crowds were smaller in comparison to the summer months. If you plan to visit in late spring/summer, pack lots of water, sunscreen and plan to explore early. With COVID restrictions many national parks, across the country, are capping capacity. So your best bet would be to arrive early, like sunrise early, to avoid crowds, ensure entry, and explore in the most mild temperatures of the day.
- Leave No Trace: This should go without saying, but please leave no trace in these beautiful locations. You can read up on Leave No Trace Principles here and through this blog post.
Where to camp on a Utah Road Trip
Aside from the obvious KOAs and privately owned campgrounds, there are free campsites too! Typically, these sites don’t have showers or toilets but they are usually scenic – all part of the adventure, right?
Two apps I love using to find free campsites are:
- iOverlander – it’s free and available on iOS and Android
- The Dyrt – it’s free and available on iOS and Android
Utah National Parks Road Trip Itinerary
I’ve visited Utah on two separate occasions. Both trips were a little different but both began in Moab. Depending on what you want to see and how much time (realistically) you can allot for your desert frolic, I recommend 12 days. That’s two travel days, one at the beginning and end, and 10 full days of exploring. If you don’t have that much time to explore – that’s okay too! The beauty of a Utah National Parks road trip is that you can pick and choose what you want to see!
Moab
It’s popularity has increased 10 fold in the last few years, and for good reason. There are two national parks, a state park and countless acres of BLM land in and around Moab- perfect for hiking, mountain biking, off roading, dirt biking and so much more.
Best things to do Arches National Park
The great thing about this national park is that there are a lot of iconic places that can be easily accessed. I’d say the most popular thing to do is hike Delicate Arch. At about 3.5 miles round trip this hike is moderate and part of the hike is on slickrock, at an incline. I recommend going for sunrise to beat the crowds (and the heat). Don’t forget to check out the petroglyphs to the right of you on the way down.
The Windows is another popular spot due to its ease of access and the opportunity see some pretty incredible arches! This is where you’ll find the very popular, Double Arch! A can’t miss. Sand Dune Arch Trail is another one worth the .3 mile sandy walk from the parking lot. And finally, Park Ave (1.2 miles). While there are no arches on this trail, you hike through the canyon alongside towering walls and eventually reaching the Courthouse Towers.
Canyonlands
Just 40 minutes from Arches National Park is Canyonlands National Park’s Island in the Sky section of the park. It’s important to note, there are a few different parts to this park, with Island in the Sky being the most popular and most visited section. The Colorado and Green Rivers separate the park into three districts: The Maze district, Needles District, and Island in the Sky. There are no roads within the park that link these districts together, even though they look close the drives between the districts are between 2-6 hours! Plan accordingly if there is another part of the park you want to explore!
The section of the park I visited was Island in the Sky. And while it might sound limiting, there’s so much to see in this district! I opted to drive to the very end of the park road and make my way back toward the entrance. I drove to Grand View Point Overlook which is at the very end of the Island in the Sky road. From there, I drove that same road in the direction I came from stopping at Green River Overlook, Mesa Arch and Shafer Canyon Overlook along the way. Mesa Arch is a .7 mile trail and is very popular – especially at sunrise – but a must see! Shafer Canyon overlook is another cool spot. From above, you take in views of Shafer Canyon and those brave enough to off road on this winding road! The entire drive, with stops, took about 3 hours.
Stops Nearby Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park
When you’re in the area, Dead Horse Point State Park is a must! It’s located off the same road as Canyonlands so it’s easily accessed when you’re planning to visit that national park. In my opinion, even if you’re not planning to visit Canyonlands, Dead Horse Point State Park is a must – especially at sunrise. The main overlook, Dead Horse Point has sweeping views of the canyon and the Colorado River. I recommend exploring both sides of the overlook. When you get to the parking lot and facing the canyon, to the left there are stunning views of buttes and cliffs and to the right is the iconic view of the Colorado River snaking around a butte.
Where to stay near Moab
There are so many camping options when visiting Moab! But, oftentimes, campsites book far in advance. Within Arches National Park, there’s the Devil’s Garden Campground, which can be hard to secure a reservation. I stayed at Up the Creek; it’ two blocks from Main St. so it’s a little more urban and you can hear cars but with its close proximity to Arches, Main St. and its very clean bathrooms/showers – I was satisfied!
Stops on your way to Zion National Park via Moab
There is a big stretch of land to cover between Moab and Zion National Park on your Utah National Parks road trip. That said, there’s also a lot worth stopping for! Here are my recommendations.
From Moab, head south toward Oljato- Monument Valley. While this is Arizona, it’s a must when exploring the Southwest. The iconic Forrest Gump Point is a must! Before visiting, be sure to check the most up to date COVID-19 restrictions.
From there, make your way to Page, Arizona. This is a great halfway point between Moab and Zion National Park to rest for a night or two. And while you’re there, be sure to head to Horseshoe Bend! If you have the time, book a jeep tour with Big Orange Jeeps. I can’t recommend this experience enough! You’ll off-road through epic landscapes, learn about the history of the land and what once roamed, and make unforgettable memories.
From Page, you’ll head west towards Zion National Park. Some stops along the way are the Toadstool Hoodoos and Coral Pink Sand Dunes. The trail to the Toadstool Hoodoos is 1.8 miles with very little elevation gain. The trail is rated as easy, but with the heat it can be more difficult so be sure to pack water and sunscreen – there is no shade on the trail! From there, head to Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park. Walking on the towering hills of sand is an otherworldly experience. The coral-y hue is unlike any other dune experience, too!
Zion National Park
You’ve made it to my second favorite national park in the entire country! The sheer beauty and magnitude of this place will blow you away. From the moment you enter the park, the towering cliffs will simply take your breath away and as you venture deeper into the park your infatuation will only increase. Just sayin’. One thing to note about this park, because there is so much to see and do you will need to be strategic about your time here. I only spent one day here but packed in so much! Let’s get to it.
Best things to do in Zion National Park
If you have limited time, here’s what I recommend! Angel’s Landing (4.4 miles) is an iconic hike, but not for the faint of heart. Sunrise is the best time to hike this trail because there won’t be as many people and the heat won’t be as intense as mid- morning. I consider myself a very experienced hiker, but Angel’s Landing threw me for a loop. For me, it was all mental. I’d never experienced a trail quite like it before in terms of its exposure. The trail starts out easy with very little elevation gain in the canyon. As you begin to ascend and leave the valley floor, you’ll hike a series of switchbacks coined ‘Walter’s Wiggles.’ After the series of switchbacks, you’ll hike through another canyon between two towering rock walls and begin another series of switchbacks. After this, you’ll reach a wide, flat area- this is a good spot to rest before continuing on. So, if you need a break, take it here! Beyond this spot it gets technical and the exposure begins. When I say this trail is on the side of a cliff, I truly mean it is on the side of a cliff. There are no guardrails protecting you from the cliffs edge, only chains. Be respectful of others while hiking this trail. It gets increasingly busy as the day progresses and personally, this was the scariest part: an overcrowded trail. But let me tell you, the payoff was worth the effort!
If you’re looking to do something a little more low key, Zion Canyon Overlook is a great option! It’s a 1-mile trail with 187 feet of elevation gain and once to the end of the trail, you get similar canyon views as Angel’s Landing. The Pa’rus Trail is a paved path through the canyon and is a great option if you have a pup as they are allowed on this trail but must be kept on a leash!
If you have a bit more time, hike The Narrows! I have yet to do this but I would love to. It’s an iconic Zion hike as you navigate through the gorge with walls towering a thousand feet above you and the Virgin River around you. Another option is walking The Narrows Riverwalk, a one-mile paved path along the Virgin River and The Narrows.
Shuttle Service Through Zion National Park
The shuttle through Zion National Park runs seasonally due to an increase in visitors per year! Traffic became so heavy, the park had to implement a shuttle service for visitors. When I visited (in March) the shuttle service wasn’t running because it was considered low season. You can find all of the information you need about the shuttle service through Zion National Park here.
Where to stay near Zion National Park
Within the park, you can stay at Zion Lodge, it has motel style rooms, suites and cabins. This is a great option for special occasions! Within the park, there are also 3 campgrounds: Watchman, South, and Lava Point. Head here for more information.
Outside of Zion, Springdale is the closest town it is small but has all of the essentials and a handful of hotels for every budget. Also, worth looking into are Rockville, Mt. Carmel Junction, Hurricane, St. George and Kanab. I stayed about an hour from Zion on my Utah National Parks road trip in this cozy little cabin.
Bryce Canyon National Park
Next up on this Utah National Parks road trip, Bryce Canyon National Park! What’s great about this park is: you don’t need a lot of time to explore here! While it wasn’t my favorite of the trip, it’s definitely worth seeing!
What to do in Bryce Canyon National Park
While driving through Bryce Canyon National Park, there are so many pull off points and lookouts – that’s what makes it easy to see this national park in one day! Rainbow Viewpoint, Natural Bridge, Paria View, and Bryce Point were my favorites on the scenic drive.
Hiking wise, you can’t miss Navajo Loop Trail and Queen’s Garden Trail. Better yet, connect the two making it a 3 mile loop! You’ll begin the trail at Sunrise Point (appropriately named) and hike through a stunning canyon passing hoodoos, arches and towering stone walls.
Peekaboo Loop Trail is another option for a longer day hike at 5.5 miles! The great thing about these trails is that they can all be connected! Be sure to download the hiking map offline through AllTrails and bring a paper map from the visitor center just to be safe! Service is next to non-existent throughout the park! There’s also very little shade along these trails so pack water, sunscreen, a sun hat and snacks!
Stops near Bryce Canyon
When you’re in this part of Utah, one of the most popular spots to see is Mystic Hot Springs. This is both a campground and hot spring soak experience. You don’t need to camp here, but I recommend it as it’s a good spot between Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef. If you’re just here to soak, you must make a reservation ahead of time. When booking, look for the earliest spot available so that you can experience it during its most quiet hours.
Also nearby is Meadow Hot Springs. This is located down a 5 mile dirt road in the town of Fillmore, Utah. The springs are located on private property but are still accessible to the public. It’s simply requested to follow the rules on the signage and to pack out what you pack in! The pools rest around 100 degrees Fahrenheit and are quite deep – I never went below the surface as I figured you’d lost visibility, quick.
Capitol Reef National Park
I will be honest, I wanted to visit this national park for Cathedral Valley, more specifically the Temples of the Sun and Moon. And really, that was the only reason. In order to visit, high clearance is recommended as the road is quite bumpy and there are a lot of bigger rocks. You can always call the park ahead of time to check road conditions, too! Call 435-425-3791, press 1 for more information, and 4 for road conditions. The iconic freestanding rock formations are composed of pink Entrada Sandstone, deposited 160 million years ago. Similar to the arches in Arches National Park.
Also within the Cathedral Valley portion of Capitol Reef is Bentonite Hills. These are outside of the national park boundary and on BLM land (Bureau of Land Management). The colorfully banded hills formed in the Jurassic period and depending on the time of day you’ll see hues of brown, red, purple, gray, and green. Because the surface of these formations is so malleable and greatly affected by moisture, be sure to only walk on previously disturbed areas and wash bottoms.
Within the park boundary, Hickman Bridge is a great hike to see many of the park’s natural bridges. It’s just under 2 miles and has an elevation gain of 442 feet. Another option within Capitol Reef National Park is the Cassidy Arch Trail. When driving through be sure to stop at the Fremont Culture Petroglyphs! It’s a super easy walk right off Route 24 (it is marked). Follow the wooden boardwalks and see petroglyphs depicting big horn sheep and other animals, geometric shapes and humans. They date back to the Common Era, 300-1300 CE!
Where to stay when visiting Capitol Reef National Park
There is no lodging in Capitol Reef like you’ll find in Zion, but there is the Fruita Campground along with primitive campsites. Nearby towns like Hanksville and Torrey offer a few more options. I stayed in Torrey, at Thousand Lakes RV Park. The tent spots are on dirt and are pretty close together, separated by small fencing. The upside, its close to the park entrance, in town (you must get coffee at Dark Sky Coffee), and the bathrooms were super clean.
Stops near Capitol Reef
Nearby Capitol Reef National Park is Goblin Valley State Park! Known for its hoodoos and infamous yurts. Goblin Overlook Point allows direct access to the hoodoos, please remember not to climb on them as the sandstone is malleable and quite fragile. For a chance to stay in one of the yurts, park rangers recommend booking at least 6 months in advance because they’re just that popular!
Proposed Itinerary
I began this road trip by way of Colorado, therefore starting in Moab! But another popular option is flying into Las Vegas and beginning from there. Here are two proposed itineraries for your Utah National Parks road trip.
Via Colorado
- Day One: Moab, Utah
- Arches National Park
- Day Two
- Sunrise at Dead Horse Point
- Drive through Canyonlands National Park, Mesa Arch
- Sunset at Oljato-Monument Valley and Forrest Gump Hill
- Arrive in Page, Arizona
- Day Three: Explore Page
- Sunrise at Horseshoe Bend
- Jeep tour with Big Orange Jeeps
- Day Four: Drive to Springdale, Utah
- Toadstool Hoodoos
- Coral Pink Sand Dunes
- Day Five: Zion National Park
- Angel’s Landing for sunrise
- Breakfast outside of the park (permitting the shuttle schedule) at Café Soleil
- Hike Zion Canyon Overlook
- Walk the Narrows Riverwalk
- Golden hour on Pa’rus Trail
- Day Six: Bryce Canyon National Park
- Take the scenic drive stopping at: Rainbow Point, Natural Bridge, Paria View
- Hike Navajo Loop Trail and Queen’s Garden Trail
- Drive to Mystic Hot Springs & camp
- Day Seven: Capitol Reef National Park
- Early morning soak at Mystic Hot Springs soak
- Drive to Capitol Reef National Park
- Visit the Fremont Culture Petroglyphs and Hickman Bridge
- Camp at Fruita Campground
- Day Eight: Capitol Reef National Park
- Sunrise at Temple of the Sun and Moon
- Early morning light at Bentonite Hills
- Visit the Gifford House Store in Capitol Reef National Park
- Explore the Factory Butte area
- Camp in Hanksville
- Day Nine: Goblin Valley State Park
- Explore Goblin Point Overlook
- Stay in one of the yurts
- Day Ten: Head home!
Via Las Vegas
- Day One: Bryce Canyon National Park
- Take the scenic drive stopping at: Rainbow Point, Natural Bridge, Paria View
- Hike Navajo Loop Trail and Queen’s Garden Trail
- Drive to Mystic Hot Springs & camp
- Day Two: Capitol Reef National Park
- Early morning soak at Mystic Hot Springs soak
- Drive to Capitol Reef National Park
- Visit the Fremont Culture Petroglyphs and Hickman Bridge
- Camp at Fruita Campground
- Day Three: Capitol Reef National Park
- Sunrise at Temple of the Sun and Moon
- Early morning light at Bentonite Hills
- Visit the Gifford House Store in Capitol Reef National Park
- Explore the Factory Butte area
- Camp in Hanksville
- Day Four: Goblin Valley State Park
- Explore Goblin Point Overlook
- Stay in one of the yurts
- Day Five: Moab, Utah
- Arches National Park
- Day Six
- Sunrise at Dead Horse Point
- Drive through Canyonlands National Park, Mesa Arch
- Sunset at Oljato-Monument Valley and Forrest Gump Hill
- Arrive in Page, Arizona
- Day Seven: Explore Page
- Sunrise at Horseshoe Bend
- Jeep tour with Big Orange Jeeps
- Day Eight: Drive to Springdale, Utah
- Toadstool Hoodoos
- Coral Pink Sand Dunes
- Day Nine: Zion National Park
- Angel’s Landing for sunrise
- Breakfast outside of the park (permitting the shuttle schedule) at Café Soleil
- Hike Zion Canyon Overlook
- Walk the Narrows Riverwalk
- Golden hour on Pa’rus Trail
- Day Ten: Head home!
- Stop at Valley of Fire before hitting the airport
Final thoughts on this Utah National Parks Road Trip
Whew! There you have it. A complete itinerary for the perfect Utah national parks road trip. A reminder that this outlined itinerary is just a recommendation and what worked for me by way of Colorado. Please remember to Leave No Trace and read up on some more principles through blog post. Happy trails!
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