A trip to Utah has been on my list for a very long time. I had the guide books. Already had a loose itinerary. I’ve “almost” traveled to Utah at least three times. Seeing all 5 Utah national parks seems like a no brainer trip for an adventurer. So why did I wait so long? The truth is, it’s not the cheapest trip in the world and it takes at least a week to do it right. The past decade or so I honestly just kept finding better deals to tropical destinations and Europe, so Utah took a back seat. Was it worth the wait? Yes, yes and yes.
Get the whole story, below. Or scroll to the end for a quick itinerary.
Here’s the whole story (well, at least as much as I’m willing to tell!) …
I haven’t spent a lot of time in deserts, but they’ve always interested me. You might wonder why I would choose such a desolate place in the middle of a pandemic. Didn’t I have enough “alone” time at my home? Deserts have a reputation for being lonely. Somewhere you go to get away, contemplate – maybe even runaway. Be tempted. Go to die? Catch a spaceship to another land, if you believe in that sort of thing. They have kind of a bad rap, actually.
The truth is, the introvert in me found the desert oddly comforting. The vastness and isolation actually felt more alive than some big cities I’ve visited. Out in the desert things have to struggle to survive. Learn to do more with less. The things that live in the desert are tough. They thrive and survive because they fight. I found that intoxicating during my short stay there. (It’s hard to understand unless you’ve experienced it.)
But enough philosophizing! Here’s what I saw and did. Hope it inspires you to put the great state of Utah and its 5 national parks on your must-see list.
Day 1: Salt Lake City, Utah
I chose Salt Lake City as my entry point from St. Louis. Just one night in Salt Lake before heading south to Moab. I don’t feel like I can accurately review SLC because of COVID. Things were closed. Streets were mostly empty. What I did see, I enjoyed. I landed about 6 p.m. and had dinner at a nice Mexican restaurant downtown, Taqueria 27, on the recommendation of one of my coworkers. Then I made my obligatory stop at Walmart. (Any time I travel somewhere I’m going to do a lot of hiking I stop at Walmart to buy a case of water. Since I was visiting the desert in height of summer, I bought two cases. Spoiler alert – I drank every bottle by the end of my trip!)
Next stop was a drive through Big Cottonwood Canyon. I really wanted to do Antelope Island but there just wasn’t enough time. For the couple of hours that I had, Big Cottonwood Canyon was nice. I drove up and snuck in a quick walk around Silver Lake before sunset. I forgot how cold it gets when the sun goes down in the mountains. It reminded me of the brief time I lived in Colorado.
Day 2: Moab, Utah
The next day I made the four or so hour drive to Moab, after trying a local donut shop. My travels always include a stop for donuts and just outside of Salt Lake I found just the shop – Donut Boy. Very interesting flavors – banana cream, blueberry cheesecake, toasted coconut – to name a few.
The drive to Moab was pretty, but not breathtaking. I spent most of it listening to podcasts. It was the most driving I’d do during the trip and it’s why I flew into Salt Lake rather than Las Vegas. I wanted to get the least interesting drive out of the way. Just outside of Moab, I saw the turnoff for Canyonlands and Dead Horse State Park. I decided to wait to check into my Moab hotel and hit the parks instead. Eager to start exploring!
First stop was Dead Horse State Park. What a beautiful view. I spent a bit of time walking around the edge and taking in the vastness. It wouldn’t be the last time. This area of Utah feels like it goes on forever. The park had some really super bright blue pools. I learned they were actually dyed. The dye is there to slow down the evaporation of the water. I didn’t see any wildlife except for a bunch of chipmunks. And boy were they the skinniest chipmunks I’ve ever seen. The only hiking I did was around the rim. Just enough to get pictures in and see the view. I was itching to get to Canyonlands.
Canyonlands is just a bit further down the main road. They call the road, “Island in the Sky.” Heading into the park I stopped to get my obligatory photo of the national park welcome sign. Then, off to the visitor’s center. There wasn’t much to see at the center. COVID shut down a lot of exhibits at all of the parks. So, I didn’t linger long. The park is so huge, I knew I’d need time to drive to my first destination: Murphy’s Point.
Murphy’s Point was a dusty, fairly flat trail straight to the edge of the cliffs with magnificent views of the canyons. A perfect first stop. When you’re hiking in Canyonlands, you’re exposed to the elements. No tall trees and zero shade. You definitely need to bring a hat lots of water. The temperature hovered right around 100 but wasn’t intolerable. Absolutely worth it for the views at the end. It was also a pretty desolate hike. I saw one young couple on my way in and a man and his small boy on the way out. That was it.
The next area of Canyonlands I explored was Grand View Point. Once again, I was struck by the canyons that seemed to go on forever.
Tired and hungry, I decided to finally head into Moab to check into my hotel, passing Arches National Park on the way and wishing I had more energy to stop.
That night I rewarded myself with a steak at Moab Brewery. As much as I like to try out local donuts when I travel, I also like to take in local beer. The brewery was right across the street from my hotel. Since I was traveling alone, and things were more spaced out due to COVID, I sat at the bar. Sitting at the bar was something I learned to do on solo trips.
1. It makes you feel less awkward than eating alone, particularly at a nicer restaurant.
2. You often get to talk to the bartender and learn about the town – their favorite spots that maybe aren’t in the tour guides.
3. You sometimes get to meet other travelers or locals. Sitting at a regular table, unless it’s community style, which doesn’t happen during COVID, doesn’t let you do any of those things.
I was just starting my meal when a man who looked like a dusty, hippie version of Santa Claus walked up to the bar and pointed to the bar stool next to me that was holding my backpack. “Anyone sitting here,” he asked. I froze. In the few seconds that passed my mind raced. I put my bag on that stool to distance myself because … pandemic. Technically, no one was sitting there but my backpack was. I looked helplessly at the bartender for help. He offered none. The man asked again and I managed to stutter out a “no” and removed my backpack from the stool. He looked as though he had been out in the sun and dust all day. He probably needed the seat more than my backpack but I was still annoyed because … pandemic.
After I’d finished my steak and drank another beer, he started talking to me. He had a gruff tone at first, probably because I hesitated to give him the seat and put my backpack’s welfare over his. As we talked on, however, he warmed up quite a bit and I spent the next hour or so chatting with him about places to visit in the area, his family drama and my dreams of being a tour director. Turns out he was one. A tour director. As a profession! I couldn’t have picked a better person to sit next to and I almost shooed him away. Life is funny like that. He gave me his card and directions to some petroglyphs he told me I had to see on my way to Capitol Reef. He also recommended a great book to read about the area, Desert Solitude by Edward Abbey. It was such an enjoyable evening and a great end to my first day in Canyonlands/Arches.
The next day I woke up early, had a quick breakfast at the hotel (bagged breakfast instead of buffet because of COVID). I was eager to get to Arches. Fortunately, it’s just a short drive from my hotel and just outside of Moab.
Day 3: Arches National Park
The entrance, which I was told by the tour guide the night before was actually the “new” entrance, was unbelievably impressive. You spiral up a switchback on a cliff, turn a corner and the desert playground opens up before you, sprawling and magical. I literally gasped, I was so moved. There’s something about the vastness, the colors – even the air – that make it such a distinct place. I’ve heard it compared to Mars. I haven’t been to Mars (yet!) but it did feel otherworldly for sure. From that moment on, I knew it was going to be a great day.
I resisted the temptation to stop at every lookout on my way to my first hike. The guide books said to do the hike early, before the heat of the day. Any delay would be another uptick on the thermometer. My destination was the trailhead for the Delicate Arch hike. The parking lot was packed. I was almost afraid I’d have to leave and come back later when a spot opened up. In normal, non-pandemic times I was later told, the park was actually quite empty. To me it was pretty crowded.
The hike wasn’t easy but it also wasn’t hard either, though I’ll admit it took me a lot longer than I planned due to the heat and the altitude. There’s also a steep climb up a sea of slick rock with no shade that pretty challenging. But it’s all worth it once you finally reach the top and see Delicate Arch, perched on the edge of a big bowl of rock. People were waiting in line to have their picture taken with the arch. I settled for an awkward selfie from afar. (The downside of traveling alone and not wanting a potentially COVID infected person handling my phone.) The hike down was much faster and easier. I was eager to get back to the car and get my fill of water. They say to bring a lot with you when you hike. I drink a ton of water anyway. In 100-degree heat, I tripled my normal amount. This is where the soft-shell mini cooler I packed and filled with hotel ice came in handy. I kept six bottles chilled at all times. When I removed one, I replenished the cooler with a warm bottle from the trunk of the rental car. I went through two cases of water, 48 bottles, during my weeklong trip.
Next up on the agenda was a shorter, easier hike in Devil’s Garden to Landscape Arch. My original plan for the day was to hike the Fiery Furnace. It’s a guided hike with a park ranger. I booked it in advance but, because of COVID, they canceled it. Reason to return to Arches at a later date, I guess!
Landscape Arch looked more like a “delicate” arch to me. It’s fairly thin in the middle. Looks as if it could break with just the slightest push. It is beautiful, though. I crammed myself into a tiny spot in the shade to enjoy it before starting the scorching walk back.
Let me be clear – I love the heat. I think I may have been part lizard in my past life. When normal people complain about “how hot it is,” I am usually cold. I prefer it 85 degrees and above. But I quickly learned in Utah that there’s heat and there’s July daytime desert heat. Oh, a dry heat, you may be thinking. Sure, it’s dry. But that doesn’t make it any less hot or sometimes intolerable. How you keep it tolerable is by drinking a lot of water. A lot. Like six bottles a day. The other way you tolerate 100+ degree temperatures is by taking it easy. Take a lot of breaks in the shade. That’s how you hike an average of seven miles a day and wake up the next day ready for more. All that said, after two hikes in the heat, I was ready to take a break so I went into Moab to have lunch and do a bit of shopping. Despite COVID, a lot of the shops were open and I did my best to infuse cash into the Moab economy. Unlike many tourist towns, I found the shops to be very reasonable.
After about an hour of shopping, I felt refreshed enough to head back to the park. I spent the rest of the afternoon explorzing other areas of Arches, starting with balanced rock. Balanced rock is as advertised. It’s a large rock balanced on another rock. Sounds pretty basic and boring, but in reality, it’s captivating. I spent more time circling and photographing that rock than I ever imagined. There’s a very short “trail” that surrounds it. I recommend walking around it. It looks completely different from every angle. Mesmerizing.
The next stop was double arch. Again, the description matches reality. It’s two arches, but instead of what you might think – two arches side by side or one stacked inside another – it’s actually two intersecting arches that form a huge cavern=like structure. Makes for some amazing photos and a nice shady spot to rest. It’s really hard to describe the feeling you get from the rocks. They aren’t just inanimate objects. They “breathe.” Not in the traditional sense, of course, but they do truly seem alive. You really have to sit still, turn off your phone and listen to them. I know at this point I sound like a crazy person, but if you’ve spent a lot of time in nature being still, you might understand what I mean.
That night I decided to skip dinner and head to Canyonlands to watch the sunset and maybe catch a glimpse of the Milky Way. I drove out to Green Point and set up my iPhone on my tripod and started the time lapse video. I quickly learned that when you have an almost unending, expansive view of the sky the sun takes a lot longer to set. It was a nice show though and after dark the park is an entirely different place. The stars were bright, as promised, but I didn’t see the Milky Way. I think 9:30 may have still been too early and too light out. While driving back through the park to head to my hotel in Moab I did see a bit of wildlife though. Mule deer, a coyote and a bunch of bats and rabbits.
Day 4: Drive to Capitol Reef with stops at Sego Valley and Goblin Valley State Park.
The next day I took the tour guide who I met at Moab Brewery’s advice and drove out to a Sego Valley to see three different eras of petroglyphs. As a woman traveling alone, I was a bit apprehensive of the dusty, deserted road to the petroglyphs. I was alone out there and didn’t stay long, but it was worth the bit of discomfort to see the carvings.
My next stop was Goblin Valley State Park. This part wasn’t originally on my itinerary, but was recommended to me by a family member and I’m glad I took the quick side trip to see it. The “goblins” aren’t like anything I’ve ever seen and they only occur in a few spots in the world. I spent about a half hour walking amongst them and taking photos. The day was hot and there’s very little shade in the park. It’s a smaller park. Something you could easily explore in an hour or two.
It was just after lunchtime at this point and I was eager to see my next national park: Capitol Reef. It’s not as famous as the other Utah national parks and after visiting it I kind of understand why. It’s a beautiful and interesting place for sure. But it lacks the cohesiveness and structure of a typical national park. I realize this is coming from a person who lives next to a national park that is truly just a monument (the Gateway Arch national park), but even that park has a central focal point. Capitol Reef does not. It has some arches. It has canyons. It has trees and cliffs and streams. It even has petroglyphs. All the fixings for a good park are there. But it lacks one jaw-dropping, key feature. I did hike two pretty nice trails during my afternoon in the park. Hickman Bridge, which isn’t a bridge at all – it’s an arch. (I learned that some arches are called bridges.) It should’ve been an easy hike, but once again the heat, lack of shade and altitude made it more challenging than I expected.
After a brief break to check out the visitor’s center, I hiked Capitol Gorge to the “tanks.” The hike is in the gorge so it was nicely shaded late in the day. It was also very flat. A nice breather after climbing in the sun. I was a little nervous hiking this trail alone. It seemed so desolate. Not like your typical crowded national park. It was also early evening and I worried that mountain lions, bears and other carnivores might be heading out for a meal. I only saw one other person the entire hike. I should mention that the drive to Capitol Gorge is a little challenging on a compact car. I might have hesitated to take my personal car there, but having a rental car, I risked it. The road isn’t paved. It’s only wide enough for one car, is very curvy and I found that jeeps like to take those turns really fast, particularly when they’re coming at you head-on! It’s only a two-mile drive on the unpaved section, but it took me about 15 minutes. Did I mention there are also many potholes? Still, #worth it.
On my way out of the park and on to Torrey (just a few miles down the road), I stopped for one last look over the park from the main scenic overlook. The “castle” rock formation is particularly impressive from that vantage point.
I spent the night at the Broken Spur Inn in Torrey, one of maybe two hotels in the area. It’s a small, but friendly motel. Drive up to the room. Western décor. Very comfortable. They also had covered wagons you could rent for the night. I was happy I chose the motel, though, since it cooled off quite a bit that night. I treated myself to another steak dinner. Seemed like the thing to do in Utah and it filled my steak quota for the year. That steak was the best I’ve had in probably 10 year. Amazing.
Day 5: Scenic Byway 12. Bryce Canyon National Park.
The next morning, I ate the free breakfast at Broken Spur, figuring it would be grab-and-go like the other hotels, but to my surprise it was a full buffet spread, complete with bacon, eggs and pancakes. Once again, I was thrilled with the quality of food and excellent service I received. If I’m ever out that way again, I’ll definitely stay at the Broken Spur.
Continuing on my trek south, I took the Scenic Byway 12 to Bryce Canyon. Scenic definitely describes it. The variety of scenery was what really impressed me, though. Hills, valleys, mountains, streams, rock formations, canyons. The drive has it all. For the first time in a while, I saw heavily forested areas. Just when I got used to those, more rocky hills and mountains. I was stopping the car literally every few minutes. One of the highlights of the drive was that I got to see an actual real-life cowboy crossing the road with his cattle. It was like something out of a movie. I could see myself settling into life in Utah.
Bryce Canyon National Park
After stopping for lunch in Tropic, I entered the Bryce Canyon area and what I like to call the Vegas of Utah, Ruby’s Inn. Ruby’s Inn is one of a handful of places you can stay near Bryce, if you’re determined to stay in a hotel, which I was. Plus, it’s a great location. Just outside the park entrance. However, with flashing lights, a virtual city of old West shops and ice cream parlors and restaurants it offers up such a stark contrast to the natural beauty of the area. Even during COVID the place was booming (everyone wore masks and social distanced, though, of course). Despite the cheesiness of the place, the room was comfortable. The service in the restaurants, gift shop and check-in were a little lacking, but that could be due to being short staffed because of the pandemic. After check-in I quickly left the complex to get in a couple of afternoon hikes before sundown.
Bryce was about as opposite from Capitol Reef as you could get. Very organized. Very civilized. And very crowded. It was a bit of a shock after the other three national parks. Despite the people and the lack of parking, it turned out to be one of my two favorite parks in Utah. What makes Bryce so special isn’t just the hoodoos, or rock formations. It’s not the giant amphitheaters of rocks contrasted against deep green pine trees. It isn’t the massive vistas or the cooler temperatures (compared to Arches). It’s the feeling you get when you descend the long switchbacks into the floor of the park and are suddenly transformed into another world. You feel small, yet not insignificant, as you take your place among the trees and sandy trails, walking between the hoodoos. I hiked two trails that afternoon – Navajo Loop and back up, then Queen’s garden down and up. If I had paid more attention to the map, I would’ve realized that the two trails meet up. Instead, I hiked them separately. Don’t make my mistake! I recommend hiking down the Navajo Loop, going to Queen’s Garden, then heading back up to Sunset Point using the Queen’s Garden trail. Unfortunately, the hike starts up and ends up, so the hardest part is at the end, whichever path you take, but once again – it’s worth it.
After my double loop hike and a quick drive around the park to see all the scenic overlooks, I wanted to squeeze in one more quick hike before dark. I hopped in the car and drove to Mossy Cave and Waterfall. Though it was a very short hike, it’s one of my favorite spots in Bryce. You can’t enter the cave. It’s fairly small and protected by a fence, but you can get close enough to see the water dripping from the mossy roof. The waterfall is the real attraction. You can hear the crashing water all along the hike and can even climb to its source if you’d like. There were many people playing in the water and enjoying the sunset. I stayed until people started leaving and the sun began to set.
Day 6: Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park.
The next morning, I had booked a horseback ride to the edge of the canyon. It had been years since I rode a horse. I forgot how sore you get afterwards! The trip was slow and easy. It was the beginner course. I’m glad I did it, though. It seemed very fitting to be on horseback at least once while out West.
Sad to leave Bryce, but excited for what everyone told me would be my favorite park, I headed out toward Zion. When visiting Zion, if you want to stay in a hotel, you have a choice of two major towns – St. George and Springdale. Springdale is right at the entrance to the park, so of course that’s the town I chose.
Springdale, Utah
I expected Springdale to be a bit like Moab. Small town, outside a national park. It couldn’t have been more different. Moab had a gritty feel to it. Both in personality and actual grit from the sand and wind of the terrain. Sure, it had its pricey art shops, but it also had a weathered, authentic feel to it. Springdale on the other hand is like one of those quaint mountain towns you see in the movies. Scrubbed clean and shiny. A vegan restaurant on every block, right next to the art gallery, across from the breakfast café with the line out the door every morning because it’s the only place you can get a decent cup of coffee. If the towns were people, Moab would be a scruffy old cowboy and Springdale would be a dreadlocked 20-something with a gluten allergy on vacation paid for by his parents. I love both towns as a I would my children, if I had any, but I definitely had a favorite.
Another advantage to staying in Springdale, despite its proximity to the park (you can literally walk to the entrance) is that it has a free bus system. You can hop on the bus from many spots throughout the town and ride to the entrance of Zion, where you’ll hop on another bus – the park’s bus system – to get into the park. I hadn’t ridden on so many buses since I was in grade school. The park bus system is to cut down on the environmental disaster of thousands of cars flooding the park each year. They also help with the parking situation, because there isn’t much in the park. Just know that if you plan to visit Zion, you’ll need to budget time for the bus ride to some of the trailheads.
Zion National Park
If Bryce was crowded, Zion was mobbed. I don’t know if it’s its proximity to California or Vegas, or if it’s just more popular than the other parks, but it was the most congested national park I visited in Utah.
True to form, I decided my first hike in the park would be the most challenging. Part of my reasoning was that, at some point, I would fall. It happens on every trip. Not a big fall, but enough to sprain my ankle or scrape my knee. I had to make sure I finished the most challenging hike before that happened. In Zion, outside of the Narrows, the most challenging hike is Angel’s Landing. Once again, I chose to start this hike in early afternoon, as known as, “the hottest part of the day.”
When the guidebooks tell you the hike is challenging, believe them. When the park map tells you that the hike is a level 4, the level assigned to the most challenging hikes in the park, believe it. The hike is no joke, particularly in the hottest part of the day, during the hottest month of the summer. My advice, is start early, take lots of water and pace yourself.
I’ve never seen switchbacks like the ones on the Angel’s Landing hike. It wasn’t just a section of switchbacks, it was switchbacks upon switchbacks, a slight break, then more switchbacks. I’m a regular hiker, though not used to altitude hiking since I left Colorado. I work out regularly and I love the heat. But this hike challenged me. I knew I was in trouble when the outwardly looking in-shape young’uns I started out next to but slowly passed never caught up to me. (I didn’t see them when I came down either!) Many people, I learned, start this hike but don’t finish. I paced myself against a young guy who was also hiking alone. Like me, he took frequent breaks in the shade and drank plenty of water. There is one spot, about two thirds of the way through the hike where you go through a cooler section that is shaded and wooded. It’s a nice respite, but a brief one. Then more switchbacks. The view from the top is nice, but if I have to be honest, it’s not the reason to do the hike. It’s more of an endurance challenge. One of those “enjoy the journey not the destination” hikes. I was disappointed to find that the chain to the tip top (just 20 feet or so from the landing) was closed due to COVID. No one was policing it so I suppose I could’ve climbed it, but it was quite steep and I hadn’t fallen yet that day so I didn’t risk it. (No one else was climbing it either.)
That night I stayed at the LaQuinta Inn and sampled some local brews at the Zion Brew Pub. I ordered a flight and learned that Utah law doesn’t allow a person to have more than two alcoholic beverages in front of them at any time. So, they brought me two of my four samples at a time.
Day 7: Zion.
The next day, my last full day in Utah, I started my day with a hike to the upper and lower emerald pools in Zion. It was a beautiful spot and much cooler than the hike to Angel’s Landing.
Next up was the riverside walk to the Narrows. I didn’t hike the Narrows, though. It was really hard to pass on that adventure, but there was a deadly algae in the water and knowing my lack of balance, I’d trip and ingest it. That didn’t stop many others, young and old, from partaking in the experience. It was a tough decision for me. The Narrows is a hike up a river. What we call creek walking in Missouri. The park ranger I spoke with said it’s like walking on a bunch of bowling balls with water rushing over them. I have a hard enough time walking on flat surfaces without falling. She also told me that the algae would be harmful if ingested or if it got into any hole – your eyes, ears, a cut on your knee, etc. Plus, I’d have to rent gear and that meant taking a bus back to the entrance. (The gear you rent is water boots and a walking stick.) If I’d had more time and had a partner with me, I would’ve done it, but I didn’t want to chance it. Maybe my adventurer card should be revoked for passing. Or maybe it’s just an opportunity to return some day and complete it.
One thing I have to comment on about the short hike (one mile) to the start of the Narrows is that the squirrels are the fattest I’ve ever seen. Apparently, it’s a real problem the park struggles with. People feed them. Too much. I witnessed this and almost turned the woman in, I was so angry.
The other interesting thing about the walk to the Narrows is that some people were wearing their masks along the hike. Rightly protecting themselves from COVID. However, some of those same people were perfectly fine getting into potentially life-threatening bacteria water. The disconnect puzzled me.
My last hike of the day was a short one and one you drive to since it’s not on the main park road. It’s called Canyon Overlook Trail. I believe it’s only about two miles round trip, but not to be missed. The overlook is breathtaking. A great view of the canyons and you get to pass through a small cave along the way. Pretty easy hike. Of course, this is the hike where I fell. I was about 20 feet from my car, crossing some slick rock on my way to the stairs down the side of the hill when I slipped. Scraped up my knees pretty bad, but that’s all. The worst part is I fell right in front of two other hikers, one of whom was just telling her boyfriend she was a little afraid of the hike. At least I chose the last day for my fall.
That night I had a wonderful dinner at the Whip Tail Grill. Goat cheese and spaghetti squash enchiladas on a nice outdoor patio with misters gently spraying from above. A great way to end my last full day in Utah.
Day 8: Kolob Canyons and flight home from Vegas.
The next morning, I decided to squeeze in one more quick glimpse of Zion. Kolob Canyons, north of where I stayed in Springdale, had just opened back up and I couldn’t miss the opportunity to see it. I drove the scenic drive, stopping along the way for photos.
All in all, Zion is a beautiful park, but not my favorite of the five. That spot is shared by Arches and Bryce.
My flight from Vegas to St. Louis was at 3:55 p.m., giving me enough time for a quick stop in St. George. To be honest, there was not a whole lot to see there. I was glad I chose to stay in Springdale as my Zion instead.
Final Thoughts
Utah is an amazing state. I think if I had to choose just one place to return to though it would be Moab. Zion may be most people’s favorite, but as far as location goes, Moab gives you the most bang for your buck – close to two national parks, plus great state parks, petroglyphs, etc.
If Utah’s been on your list, don’t wait as long as I did. You won’t be sorry you explored this magnificent state and its 5 national parks.
My 8-day Utah itinerary
Day 1: Arrived in Utah at 5 p.m. Big Cottonwood Canyon. Walked around Silver Lake at dusk.
Day 2: Drove to Moab. Saw Dead Horse Point State Park, hiked in Canyonlands National Park.
Day 3: Hiked at Arches National Park during the day. Sunset at Canyonlands.
Day 4: Sego Valley. Goblin Valley State Park. Capitol Reef National Park. Night in Torrey.
Day 5: Scenic Byway 12. Bryce Canyon National Park. Night at Ruby’s Inn.
Day 6: Horseback riding in Bryce. Drive to Zion National Park. Hiking in Zion. Night in Springdale.
Day 7: Hiking in Zion.
Day 8: Kolob Canyons in Zion. Drive to Vegas and fly home.