I spent one week road tripping through southern Utah's national parks, The Mighty 5. First off, what a be-UTAH-ful state?! It was such a dream to immerse myself in such magical places.
The Mighty 5 is on many people's bucket-lists, but it can be a daunting task to plan such a trip. In this post, I will be sharing my itinerary and some of the must-see and must-dos to help you plan the perfect UTAH road trip.
First and foremost, purchase the America The Beautiful Annual Pass!!! This one trip alone visits 5 national parks, which add up to be $175 in total for entrance into the parks, whereas the annual pass is only $80. I usually buy the annual pass, intending on going to multiple national parks and/or federal recreational lands. This includes national lakeshores, such as Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Cape Cod National Seashore, and all the national monuments!
I chose to fly roundtrip in and out of Las Vegas (LAS) because I wanted to make a detour through Valley of Fire State Park in Overton, Nevada. You can opt to fly into LAS one-way and fly out of Salt Lake City (SLC) from Moab (~4 hour drive), as opposed to driving back to Las Vegas from Moab (~7 hour drive). Note that this option will incur an additional charge on your car rental since you will be returning the vehicle to a different location, but it is a great way to save time if that's more important to you. I had previously booked the rental through Dollar Car Rental online. It is smart to check multiple rental agencies to compare prices. The link below takes you to their site with all the different car rental companies offered at the airport.
**NOTE** Most of Zion National Park's popular trailheads and viewpoints are on the Scenic Drive, which is only accessible by shuttle bus or on foot/bike (not recommended). The shuttle system was put into place due to the rise in number of visitors and traffic/congestion. You need to reserve your shuttle ticket in advance. If you're a morning person, I also recommend reserving your shuttle ticket for boarding in the morning before 9am to ensure you get a parking spot inside the park's visitor center, otherwise, you'll have to pay to park outside of the park and take a separate shuttle in.
Day 1: Fly into LAS & Drive to Utah
Fly into LAS and take the shuttle to the McCarran Car Rental Center to pick up car reservation.
**Optional: On the way to Utah, we took a detour onto Valley of Fire Hwy to visit the Valley of Fire State Park. The park is a little less than an hour from Las Vegas and features bright red Aztec sandstone outcrops dating back to the Jurassic period. The hikes are fairly short but can be brutal on days with high temperatures. Bring enough water or fill up at the visitor center. You can skip this to get an extra day in Zion NP instead. I have been to Zion before so this was a stop I added in for fun. ☺️
I chose to stay in Orderville, a small town between Zion National Park (~40 mins) and Bryce Canyon National Park (~1 hr). If it is your first time visiting Zion, I recommend staying in Springdale right outside of the West entrance into Zion, at least for the first night or two. Springdale has more options for food, shopping, and tourist-friendly activities as opposed to the remote countryside of Orderville.
Stop at Sol Foods Supermarket in Springdale to pick up groceries and items for breakfasts and lunches. We ate out or picked up carry-out for dinner and when we didn’t want to eat sandwiches. For simplicity, we packed peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, bananas, granola bars, and beef jerky for the trails. Ziploc bags from the sandwiches can be used as mini trash bags. Always remember to leave no trace! “Pack it in, pack it out” is the principle.
We stayed in the most adorable treehouse at East Zion Resort featuring a rooftop window for stargazing in the dark Southern Utah countryside night sky. They also have yurts, tiny houses, and glamping tents!
Photos by East Zion Resort.
Day 2: Zion | Angel's Landing & Pa'rus Trail
Drive into Zion and park in the visitor center parking lot. Prior to getting in line for the shuttle bus, a park ranger will scan your shuttle reservation (I recommend taking a screenshot of it on your phone or print it out due to limited cellphone service in the park).
Take shuttle to The Grottos stop and cross the street to the West Rim Trailhead and follow signs for Angel's Landing.
(**Note: Angel's Landing is a strenuous 5.4mi roundtrip hike with long drop-offs. It is not suitable for young children or anyone afraid of heights. The last section is a route along a steep, narrow ridge to the summit).
Grab lunch at either the Zion Lodge (located at the Grotto shuttle stop) or take the shuttle back to the visitor center and walk out to Springdale for more lunch options. I highly recommend Zion Canyon Brew Pub for some good food and brews with views. (You will want to carry your park pass out with you to get back into the park later).
**Optional: After lunch, head back into the park for an easy, relatively flat, 3.5mi roundtrip hike on the Pa'rus trail, a paved trail that follows the Virgin River from the South Campground to Canyon Junction.
Day 3: Bryce Canyon | Rim Trail → Zion | Watchman Trail
Due to a recent snow storm, most of the scenic drive in Bryce Canyon NP was closed. We were still able to enjoy the outstanding views of hoodoos from above onto Rim trail. The trail is paved and fairly level between Sunset and Sunrise Points. The panoramic views from above is perfect for photos.
Drive back to Zion and hike the Watchman trail, a moderate 2.7mi hike with minor drop offs. The trail ends at a viewpoint of the Towers of the Virgin, lower Zion Canyon, and Springdale.
Day 4: Capitol Reef | Hickman Bridge
Early morning departure from Orderville (or Springdale) to Capitol Reef.
Make a stop at the Gifford House, open March 14 (Pi day) through the end of October, in the Fruita Historic District, for their famous locally baked fruit pies and handmade items by local artists.
Drive to the Hickman Bridge trailhead for a moderate hike (2mi roundtrip) to the Hickman Bridge, a 133-foot natural bridge, and beautiful canyon views.
On the way out of the park, Panorama Point, Goosenecks Overlook, and Sunset Point Trail (1/3mi one-way) are great spots for seeing the sunset or just panoramic views anytime of the day!
Stay the night at Capitol Reef Resort and have dinner at The Pioneer Kitchen, located within the resort.
Day 5: Arches | Double O Arch & Delicate Arch
Before hitting the road and heading straight to Arches National Park, we ate breakfast and fueled up on coffee at The Pioneer Kitchen again because we knew we wouldn't be stopping in Moab for food until later in the day.
Arches experiences heavy visitation and traffic spring-fall, especially during peak hours from 9am - 2pm. Be prepared for long lines and packed parking lots. If the park becomes too congested, park rangers may turn you away and have you come back later.
Drive to the Devils Garden Trailhead. Hike an easy 1.9mi roundtrip to Landscape Arch (longest arch in North America) or challenge yourself and continue on for a more difficult trail to Double O Arch, involving a steep climb up and on the sandstone fins. This trail involves rocky footing and narrow ledges with steep drop-offs. Hikers must use their hands and feet, at times, to scramble and climb. Though strenuous, the out-and-back hike to Double O Arch (4.1 mi roundtrip) offers incredible views.
Leave park to check into hotel and grab dinner before heading back into the park for a sunset hike to Delicate Arch. This is a very popular spot for sunset lovers and photographers. For this hike, I highly recommend and suggest packing a headlamp or flashlight because the trail leading back to the trailhead parking lot will be dark and can be very dangerous. The trail goes up open slickrock with no shade. The first half mile is a well defined trail but further along, there are cairns (rock piles) that mark where to go. Just before you get to Delicate Arch, the trail traverses a narrow rock ledge.
Stay in Moab for the next 2 nights. We had a wonderful stay with Hyatt Place Moab, but for a more budget friendly option, you can try Moab Valley Inn.
There are many restaurants and shops in Moab. For a nicer restaurant with a great sunset view, Sunset Grill is a best in town. They also offer free shuttle service from any local hotel or campground to and from the restaurant. For more budget friendly dinner options, try Moab Diner. Arches Thai and Thai Bella are great if you're a fan of Thai food.
Day 6: Canyonlands - Island in the Sky | Mesa Arch
Early 4am wakeup call to catch the sunrise at Mesa Arch. This is a popular spot for tourists and photographers, and you'll know why when you for yourself!
Drive to Canyonlands National Park. Note that this park is divided into four districts through the river system, Island in the Sky, The Needles, The Maze, and the rivers themselves. Mesa Arch is located in Island in the Sky, the most popular and closest in proximity to Moab. Upon entering the park, continue driving past the visitor center for about 6 miles. You will see the Mesa Arch trailhead parking lot to your left. It is a small lot and can fill up quick, so it would be a good idea to get there earlier if possible and wait for the sunrise. The hike itself is fairly easy (0.5mi roundtrip) but comes with rewarding views.
Depending on your energy level after multiple days of hiking, you can decide if you want to do more hikes or drive through the park and stop at lookouts and viewpoints. You can also make the drive to The Needles (~70mi) to explore a less crowded part of Canyonlands. The Maze, a more remote and untamed district, is the least accessible and requires 4-wheel-drive vehicles with high clearance to navigate the rugged roads and trails.
We decided to skip The Needles because we were pretty exhausted. We stayed in the Island in the Sky district and hiked Grand View Point, an easy trail (2mi roundtrip) that follows along the canyon edge and showcases spectacular panoramic views. The rest of the day was spent exploring downtown Moab and relaxing before the drive back to Vegas!
Day 7: Drive to Las Vegas
Today is a BIG driving day! The 7 hour drive back to Las Vegas can be gruesome after all that hiking. I recommend getting an early start to allow for more stops and bathroom breaks along the way. If you make good time, you can stop in Valley of Fire or spend time on the Las Vegas Strip!
Stay in Las Vegas. If you don’t feel like spending big bucks to stay on the Las Vegas Strip, Courtyard by Marriott Las Vegas is a clean and affordable stay close to the airport but not far from food and downtown.
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