The Ultimate Utah National Park Road Trip Is Right Here – And You’ll Want To Do It

Utah has five national parks and seven national monuments. This road trip includes all the national parks and two of our most popular monuments. It would be the perfect 3-4 day trip – you’ll want to allow plenty of time to explore along the way.

In my opinion, this is the BEST time to visit Utah’s national parks. The weather is mild (but usually warmer than Northern Utah), the air is fresh and clean (no inversion!) and the tourists are scarce. I’ve included the link to the Google road map so you can follow along!

We’re aware that these uncertain times are limiting many aspects of life as we all practice social and physical distancing. While we’re continuing to feature destinations that make our state wonderful, we don’t expect or encourage you to go check them out immediately. We believe that supporting local attractions is important now more than ever and we hope our articles inspire your future adventures! And on that note, please nominate your favorite local business that could use some love right now: https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/nominate/

1. Arches National Park Edwin Poon/flickr Arches National Park is just a few miles from Moab, which is a great place to start your road trip. It’s home to Delicate Arch - and about 1,999 other natural stone arches. Check out the La Sal Mountains Viewpoint, Balanced Rock, Delicate Arch, The Windows and Devil’s Garden. 2. Canyonlands National Park Faungg's Photos/flickr Drive 40 minutes from Moab and arrive at Canyonlands National Park. Island in the Sky, the most accessible district at the park, affords stunning views 1,000 feet above the canyon floor. You can take the scenic drive and stop along the way to hike on several different trails. 3. Natural Bridges National Monument Regina Rioux/flickr Stop at Natural Bridges National Monument to visit its three natural bridges: "Kachina," "Owachomo" and "Sipapu.” This monument was the world’s first “International Dark Sky Park,” which means that the stargazing opportunities are amazing. 4, Capitol Reef National Park Esther Lee/flickr Capitol Reef National Park includes a 100-mile-long monocline (a wrinkle in the earth’s crust), domes, bridges and cliffs. Visit the Fruita District, where you’ll find the Gifford House Store and Museum, and don’t miss Chimney Rock (pictured here). 5. Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument James Marvin Phelps/flickr Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument protects 1,888,461 acres. See the toadstool hoodoos near Paria (pictured here). Witness the many-colored cliffs (grey, white, vermillion, chocolate and pink), go mountain biking, hiking and climbing, and visit Calf Creek Falls and Coyote Gulch. 6. Bryce Canyon National Park Don Graham/flickr You’ll find some of Utah’s most scenic vistas at Bryce Canyon National Park. Tons of hoodoos, carved out by years of wind and ice make the canyons rich with color and dimension. There are plenty of hiking opportunities at Bryce - and some great photography, too. 7. Zion National Park Diana Robinson/flickr Zion National Park is Utah’s most visited park, and for good reason. Splash through the river, surrounded by slot canyons, climb to the lofty peak of Angel’s Landing and go on a bike or horseback tour. Plan in advance to hike The Narrows or The Subway.

Do you have any upcoming plans to visit Utah’s national parks?