Utah offers some of the most incredible scenery in the United States…and the best way to explore it is by road trip!
The Mighty 5
When planning a trip to Utah, one of the first terms you’re likely to come across is the “Mighty 5.” This refers to the five National Parks located in the state: Arches National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Capital Reef National Park, and Zion National Park.
Other Incredible Parks
But you aren’t just limited to National Parks! Utah and the surrounding states are full of other amazing places to visit including state parks, national monuments, tribal parks, recreation areas, and more! This website highlights just a few of the most popular sites in Utah.
Venturing into Other States
Depending on what route you choose and how long you have for your trip, areas of Nevada, Arizona, and Colorado are easily added to your itinerary.
Consider How Much Time You Have
One of the most important things to consider is how much time you have to spend on your trip. You’ll need to factor in driving time between locations…ideally all during daylight hours (livestock and wildlife can be hard to see on the remote roads after dark!). Plus hiking, heat, and elevation can all be exhausting!
Be realistic about how much you can get done in the time you have available.
Unless you have several weeks to spend in the area, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to ‘see it all.’ Consider that an invitation to come back at a later date!
Which Airport?
While visiting the Utah parks is a road trip at it’s heart, the reality is that many visitors will need to fly into a nearby airport and rent a car for their adventure. Las Vegas and Salt Lake City are probably the most convenient and popular choices. Depending on your itinerary, options such as Phoenix (especially when including Sedona) or Denver (especially when including parks in north/central Colorado) may be valid as well.
Note that rental cars are the least expensive when you pick them up and return them to the same location—necessitating a ‘loop’ route. A one-way rental (such as picking the car up in Las Vegas…and returning it in Salt Lake City) can incur significant additional charges.
Routes
Three suggested routes through the Utah parks include a Southern Route, an Eastern Route, and one which includes Scenic Highway 12. These routes do overlap which makes it easy to combine them into a longer trip if desired.
I’ve mapped out a few of the main stops below. You should consider these routes only rough guidelines for building your own! The locations listed are only a few of the amazing places to explore along the way and you should tailor your itinerary to fit your particular interests.
Southern Route: A southern route focuses on the parks in southern Utah and northern Arizona. Easy inclusions in a southernly route could include historic Route 66, the Grand Canyon, Antelope Canyon, Monument Valley, Page, areas around Kanab, Bryce Canyon, and Zion National Park. Las Vegas is the most convenient airport for a southern route, though Phoenix could be a potential option depending on your plans.
Eastern Route: An eastern route focuses on the parks in eastern Utah and western Colorado. Easy inclusions in a easternly route could include Dinosaur National Monument, Arches National Park, areas around Moab, Canyonlands National Park, Dead Horse Point State Park, Monument Valley, Mesa Verde, and Canyonlands of the Ancients. Salt Lake City is the most convenient airport for an eastern route, though Denver could be a potential option depending on your plans.
Hwy 12 Route: A route including highway 12 cuts diagonally across the southern half of the state. Easy inclusions in a route featuring Scenic Highway 12 include Valley of Fire, areas around St. George, Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, Scenic Highway 12, Grand Staircase-Escalante, Capital Reef, and Moab. Las Vegas is the most convenient airport for this route, though Salt Lake City could be a potential option depending on your plans.
Combining Routes?
All three routes are easily combined into a full loop, though this would require an extended amount of time to explore the area!
How Long to Stay
How long to stay in a particular area depends on your interests and what activities you plan on doing while there. However here are a some minimum suggestions for a few popular locations:
- Bryce Canyon: 1 night (for stargazing and seeing sunrise/sunset)
- Grand Canyon: 1 night
- Mesa Verde: 1-2 nights
- Moab: 2-3 nights
- Monument Valley: 1 night (for stargazing and seeing sunrise/sunset)
- Page: 1 night (2 nights if planning on a float trip)
- Zion: 2 nights
You may find that you need more or less time at locations. Ideally you should research what you are interested in doing at each stop in your itinerary and use that to help guide you in deciding how long you might need to stay in the area. Don’t forget to factor in some rest time!
