Southern Utah Roadtrip Itinerary
Woohoo my first post! As I prepared for my 6-month journey around the world, I had a long list of to-do items:
- Sell/pack all my belongings
- Move out of my home
- Take a Leave of Absence/Quit my jobs
- Take my pets to their temporary homes
The latter is how I found myself planning a roadtrip to Utah in the last month I’d be spending in the US. My sister graciously volunteered to watch my cat, Derek, during my international travels. That meant I’d have to drive Derek and all her toys to Salt Lake City, Utah. I figured if I’m going to travel all that way, I might as well visit some of the National Parks while I’m out there.
Below is my 10-day, round-trip itinerary starting in Las Vegas, along with some tips and tricks I learned along the way. This itinerary included 3 days spent in Salt Lake City, although if you are looking for a shorter trip or aren’t particularly interested in visiting the city, it can easily be adapted to a 7 day itinerary. We covered a lot of ground, but we tried to limit the amount of time in the car to 4 hours per day.
Day 1: Drive from Las Vegas to Zion National Park
Zion National Park turned out to be my favorite park out of the whole trip. The drive from Las Vegas is only about 2.5 hours but you do jump an hour ahead after driving into the mountain time zone region. This worked out well for me, as it allowed me to check in to our hotel, My Place Hotel - Hurricane UT, and get Derek set up and comfortable before heading over to the park. As in all national parks, pets are only allowed in paved areas and certain trails. That and the fact that it was about 95 degrees meant it would be a cat-free adventure in to the park.
During the summer, Zion National Park has two shuttle lines included in your admission. One runs from the Visitor’s Center in to the park, stopping at the major viewpoints and trailheads. While you can drive into the park, the major road to the popular trailheads is closed to personal vehicles and only accessible by this shuttle a majority of the year. The second shuttle line connects the park’s visitors center to the small town right outside the park. If you’re staying at accommodation right outside the park or are visiting on a busy day, this shuttle is a great option for you. There is ample, clearly marked parking dedicated to visitor’s utilizing this shuttle line. I noticed that many of these parking lots were full as I was driving in so I was worried the park would be busy. But when I arrived there was plenty of parking available at the visitor’s center, so it may be worthwhile to visit the visitor’s center first before deciding to park out in town.
I arrived around 4:00 PM and took the park shuttle to the northernmost stop, Riverside Walk trail. This easy, 2.2 mile trail is paved the entire way and runs alongside the Virgin River. There are lots of small clearings and picnic areas along the way. It rests in the bottom of the valley, so it was cool and shaded when I went and made for a great stroll. Additionally, this trail brings you to the start of The Narrows, a popular hike through the shallow portions of the Virgin River. I walked up The Narrows a bit, but had to turn around when the water got past my knees. I didn’t realize The Narrows would be so easily accessible, so I didn’t bring my dry bag with me to store my camera.
Picnic area along the River Walk trail
I would highly recommend bringing waterproof shoes or sandals and a walking stick if you want to hike The Narrows. The water was chilly, but it was refreshing compared to the summer heat when I went. Always check the conditions before you go, as the area is prone to flash floods and may require specialized gear depending on the time of the season. There are outfitters in town that will rent you all the gear you need. You do not need a permit to hike The Narrows.
After completing my hike and taking the shuttle back to the Visitor’s Center, I drove along the only road in the park where personal vehicles are allowed. It was definitely worth the drive for the viewpoints alone. But the best part was the Zion-Mt Carmel tunnel. It is a surprisingly long tunnel through the mountain itself and is a truly special experience.
Days 2-5: Salt Lake City
It is a 4.5 hour drive from Zion to Salt Lake City. I think it’s worth a visit for a day or two. But if your priority is to see national parks, it may be better to skip this spot and drive straight to Moab or spend an extra day in Zion.
During my time here, I mostly visited with family. However there are still many beautiful sites to see such as the Capitol Building and Park City. SLC has a thriving dance community and there are swing dance socials multiple times a week. Everyone was very friendly and helped teach me the moves even though I have zero rhythm.
Park City is perfect for a day trip. This quaint mountain town has a lovely Main Street filled with cafes, restaurants, and shops you can wander around for hours. It was also home to the 2000 Winter Olympics. You can visit the Olympic center, which is now a museum and training facility. The day we visited, children were practicing ski jumps into a practice pool. It was fun to watch these future olympians train!
Day 6: Drive to Moab and visit Arches NP
The most important thing to know about Arches is that it requires reservations from 7am-4pm. They sell out months in advance, but you can log on to the park reservation site at 7:00 PM the day before you arrive to snag one of their last minute reservations.
With that being said, it is brutal during the reservation period in the summer heat. The temperature was in the high 90s and there is very little shade in the desert. There are a few short trails that are doable such as Balanced Rock and Double Arch. But anything longer than 20 minutes, be sure to take your time and drink plenty of water. I visited Delicate Arch viewpoints and zoomed in to take a photo. When I saw the people who had chosen the 3 hour hike to the base of the arch through my viewfinder, they looked defeated and only stayed at the base of the arch for a few minutes before turning around and starting the walk back.
If you’re there when it’s hot, I recommend visiting Sand Dune Arch. It wasn’t very busy when I visited. Plus this arch is tucked in between taller rocks, keeping the trail shaded and significantly cooler.
I went back to the park after 4:00 PM, when reservations aren’t required. Since it was starting to cool down, it made hiking much more enjoyable. I watched sunset from the Window Arches and even stayed for some stargazing.
One of the Window Arches, accessible by a short hike.
I camped overnight at one of the campgrounds in Moab and got dinner at the food truck plaza. It had a ton of options and they were all tasty. Then I checked out the Moonflower Co-op store. It was fun to walk around and check out some of the locally produced items. They had a lot of unique ingredients/food items too. I wish I could have purchased some of them but since I won’t have a kitchen for the next 6 months, it just means I’ll have to go back. :)
Day 7: Canyonlands NP and Dead Horse Point State Park
After having breakfast at one of the cafes in Moab, I drove out to Canyonlands NP. I had no idea just how large this national park was. Once I got a map, I realized we were in the Island in the Sky portion of the park. There were other areas to explore, but required an additional two hour drive! If I had known in advance, I probably would have planned on spending an extra day or two here just to explore all that the park had to offer. In any case, I still had a great time exploring this small portion of the park and it gave me enough time to check out the state park near by.
Once you’re at the Canyonlands Visitor’s Center, make sure you check out the short trail across the street. Not a lot of people had noticed there was a walking trail, but it was probably one of the most scenic viewpoints in the entire park. Further in to the park there is an easy hike to Mesa Arch, which is another great look out spot to take photos.
On the way back to Moab from Canyonlands, keep an eye out for the turn to Dead Horse Point State Park. It is located just a few miles from Canyonlands, but is significantly less crowded. They have a small cafe on site and gift shop. The main attraction is the breathtaking view of the Colorado River cutting through the canyon. Take the easy loop trail around the rim of the Canyon so you can truly take in the beauty of the park.
Overlook at Dead Horse State Park, located just a few miles from Canyonlands National Park.
Day 8: Drive to Capitol Reef and Explore
The drive from Moab to Capitol Reef is about two hours. Although the Visitor’s Center is on the western side of the park, there is a small shack when entering from the East where you can pay the entrance fee. Since there are no entrance booths at this park, it seems to mostly rely on the honor system. I’m sure the park rangers come by every once in a while to check to see if the cars parked at the trailheads have their paid entrance receipts on display. However, while we were there no rangers came by.
As you’re driving in from the east, stop by the Wash Basin Trail. It’s an easy hike along the bottom of the canyon and has a narrows system it passes through. Further along the road you’ll find a trail that takes you to a “natural bridge” that is really an arch. There is also a pull-out area where you can see petroglyphs along the canyon walls. It’s a short boardwalk that you can walk and try to find all the carvings. Here’s a hint: while most are on the canyon walls, be sure to check the fallen portions of rock at the base.
One of the canyons along the Wash Basin Trail in Capitol Reef NP
This national park is also home to several orchards. When in season, visitors are free to explore them and enjoy the fruits while in the area. If you want to take some home with you, there is just a small fee. Be sure to ask the rangers at the Visitor Center which orchards are open when you visit. Unfortunately, none of the orchards had any fruit yet when I visited.
I camped at the Thousand Lakes RV Campground located just west of the park. For dinner I stopped at Curry Pizza after seeing a billboard for it on the way to my campsite. I had a tasty Chicken Tikka Masala pizza for dinner and watched the sunset along the red rocks behind the campground.
Day 9: Drive to and explore Bryce Canyon NP
The drive from Capitol Reef to Bryce Canyon is about 2.5 hours. Like Zion, Bryce Canyon has a shuttle system. However, the trailheads and viewpoints are still accessible by personal vehicle. I still recommend parking at the visitor center and taking the shuttle to get around to avoid having to look for parking in the busy season.
I took the shuttle to the Bryce Point stop. After taking photos at the viewpoint, there will be a small unpaved trail to your right as you leave the viewing platform. This is part of the rim trail. I recommend taking this trail all the way to Sunrise point, as it will take you along all the major view points and allow you to see the park without the crowds.
Although I started the hike when it was 85 degrees and sunny, clouds rolled in after hiking for about 1.5 miles. I could see lightning and thunder in the distance, but enjoyed that the storm brought in a nice breeze that made the hike much more enjoyable. I got lucky, as the storm didn’t reach me until I was approaching Sunset Point. By the time it started to downpour, I was able to duck in to the bathroom area and wait out the storm.
At the Sunrise Point lookout, one of the lookouts along the rim trail.
After it passed I continued the short, paved walk to Sunrise Point and caught the shuttle back to the visitor’s center.
Day 10: Drive back to Vegas
The drive from Bryce Canyon to Vegas is about 3.5 hours. If time allowed, I would have loved to spend more time in Bryce Canyon in the morning before driving back.
Take Aways:
If I were to do this trip over again I would make the following changes:
- Make the trip in late fall to have more comfortable hiking weather and hopefully the orchards at Capitol Reef will be in season.
- If purely going to see National Parks, skip Salt Lake City and spend extra time in Moab.
- Reserve campsites early.
- Rent a 4WD vehicle if possible. There are additional roads and trails you can access if you have a 4WD vehicle with high clearance at several of the parks.
TLDR: The Best 10-Day Southern Utah National Park Roadtrip (RT from Vegas)
Day 1: Drive From Vegas to Zion (~2 hours). Explore and hike in the park in the afternoon/evening.
Day 2: Hike and explore Zion NP.
Day 3: Drive from Zion NP to Moab (~5 hours).
Day 4-6: Visit Arches NP, Canyonlands NP, and Dead Horse Point SP.
Day 7: Drive from Moab to Capitol Reef NP (~2 hours) and hike Wash Basin trail. Pick fruit in the orchards if they are in season.
Day 8: Hike natural bridge trail in Capitol Reef NP. Drive to Bryce Canyon in the afternoon/evening (~2.5 hours)
Day 9: Visit Bryce Canyon NP. Hike the Rim Trail from Bryce Point to Sunrise Point.
Day 10: Drive from Bryce Canyon NP back to Vegas (~3.5 hours)