We’ve all seen pictures and movies of the American southwest, so you know that there are places on places to explore. The wild west is filled with state parks, national parks, overlooks and so much more! But to anyone planning their Arizona Utah road trip for the first time, it can be daunting.
How long do I need at this National Park? Is it worth going here? What are the best spots? Etc. Etc.
Fret not. I’ve compiled a comprehensive guide to sort through the madness and point you in the direction of some of the most beautiful places in America. So beautiful, that I can’t believe it took me 30 years to come out west (30 years exactly–I spent my birthday here!).
Before your trip:
Before leaving on your epic Arizona Utah road trip, you’ll need to iron out a few details. There are some trips I like to plan for and some trips I don’t. This trip needed the planning in my opinion. We weren’t familiar with Utah and weren’t sure how long we needed in the different parks and had no idea which hikes to do.
Once we got there, I was glad to have known that information beforehand so we had a rough idea of what to do. Plus, our phones didn’t have the greatest service out there so it would have been hard to google in the car.
How much time do I need?
The first thing you’ll need to do is determine how long you have for your road trip. You can spend a lot of time here but two weeks is a great amount of time for your first trip. You can, of course, go for a shorter time and see less or longer to do more at each stop.
My husband and I traveled for 2 weeks and were able to see the Big 5 National Parks in Utah, 2 state parks, the Grand Canyon and a few other must-see stops. Now, that’s a lot to see in 2 weeks–some people spend 2 weeks exploring just the Grand Canyon. But if you want to see as much as possible, 2 weeks gives you plenty of time to hit the highlights, go on some fantastic hikes and take in some breathtaking scenery!
We’ve since returned to go to some lesser visited places, explore a little more off the grid and see some things we didn’t see on this first trip.
Where should I start?
We flew into Las Vegas and started our road trip from there. The first national park in Utah is a little over 2.5 hours from Vegas and it’s a good starting point to loop around the southern part of Utah and back along the border of Utah and Arizona.
It doesn’t matter if you go through Arizona or Utah first. You can take this itinerary and flip it around to start in Arizona–totally up to you! We chose to start in Utah because we wanted to do most of our hiking first and have some relaxing days around Lake Powell towards the end.
There are a lot of car rental places in Vegas because of the international airport and plenty of stores around to stock up on supplies. The first time out west, we had a regular car with no 4X4 capabilities. For most of the itinerary below, it’s fine and you’ll be able to go everywhere you want. If you want to do some off-roading in Moab or access some more remote places, you’ll need to make sure you rent the right car!
*Pro Tip: The America the Beautiful Pass is $80 and will save you a LOT of money if you plan on going to more than 2 National Parks in a year. (Entrance fees per park are around $35/car) One pass is good for the entire car and can be bought at any entrance gate. Your pass is also good for one year from the purchase date.
Arizona + Utah Road Trip Stops:
As I said before, Las Vegas is a great spot to use as a base. It’s just outside both states and whether you go through Utah or Arizona first, you’ll be heading into a major park right away. And it’s just a great starting place to do a loop route.
From Las Vegas, head northeast on I-15 towards Zion National Park, your first stop!
Zion National Park
(2 days. Strenuous hiking)
Must do Hikes: Angel’s Landing and The Narrows
Zion National Park is a little over 2.5 hours away and Zion is a hiking place. There are 9 stops along the shuttle route and if you want to go to all 9, you will definitely need several days at Zion.
The two most popular hikes are Angel’s Landing and The Narrows. Both hikes are considered to be ‘strenuous’ and are several miles long. Although, I actually felt like The Narrows was fairly easy, aside from the occasional surprise rock in the water. Angel’s Landing has spectacular views of Jurassic Park-like landscape and The Narrows is a hike through a water-filled canyon. Zion is beautiful and definitely a must-see park.
Bryce Canyon National Park
(1 day. Moderate Hiking)
Must do: Hike around the hoodoos!
From Zion, your next stop is less than an hour and a half away: Bryce Canyon National Park.
Bryce Canyon is unlike any other with its rock formations called hoodoos. The great thing about this national park is that you can hike around the formations. The most popular trail, The Queen’s Garden Trail, is a moderate hike that takes you down into the hoodoos, giving you a different perspective of the landforms. It took just under 2 hours and you can walk around for the remainder of the day or choose another hike.
From Bryce Canyon, take the:
Million Dollar Highway
(40 min Scenic Drive from Escalante to Boulder)
*Technically you’ll be driving from Bryce to Capitol Reef which is 2.5 hours and the Million Dollar Highway is along that route.
Instead of going up and over from Bryce Canyon, you can opt to take the ‘Million Dollar Highway’, also known as the Scenic Byway 12. The nickname comes from the views you get while driving through. I was pretty excited to take this drive and had high expectations for it. However, I was a little let down, but mostly because I thought the Million Dollar Highway was from Bryce to Capital Reef. It’s actually only from Escalante to Boulder.
The drive is a little boring until you get to Escalante. From there, you will get some great views of the rocky, pretty and unique landscape. It’s a great part of the drive. There’s also a beautiful hike in the Escalante area called Lower Calf Creek Falls.
Once you pass Boulder, you drive through Dixie National Forest, which is just….trees. The forest went on and on and seemed to never end.
The route takes about 2.5 hours and is a little bit longer than the alternative (which is just over two hours). Worth it? I think so. We’ve driven through twice now and opted to take it on the 2nd time also sooo.
The good part about it, is that the road takes you right to:
Capitol Reef National Park
(Drive through with stops or 1-2 days)
Capitol Reef is one of the least visited National Parks in the area probably because there isn’t really a main entrance from Highway 24. Hwy 24 runs right through the middle of the park and there are lots of stops along the highway that you can pull off to explore without ever having to pay an entrance fee.
To explore further, you’ll want to spend a few days doing some of the hikes and exploring Cathedral Valley for some beautiful Utah landscape.
Surrounding Capitol Reef are colorful rocky mountains. They are purple and reddish from a distance and there are many places to see them. But…you need to do some exploring.
Fun Fact: As you drive out of the park, the rocks become lighter until eventually you come to this completely gray area. There were large gray dunes and these strange gray and white rock formations. At the time, I thought about how strange this landscape looked but FOR SOME REASON, we kept driving through. Later on, I discovered that that area is actually used as a NASA training ground for Mars because the terrain is the closest resemblance!
Extended Trip: If you have more time, you can explore outside of Capitol Reef a little more! It’s a great off-roading area with lots of otherworldly landscape nearby. We ended up returning here later on so we could check out the towering mesas and a moonscape viewpoint.
Goblin Valley State Park (and Little Wild Horse Canyon)
(A few hours, Easy Hiking)
Goblin Valley State Park is only an hour away from Capitol Reef and is on the route towards your next national park. People usually pair Goblin Valley and Little Wild Horse Canyon together because they are so close.
Goblin Valley is a really cool park with lots of ‘goblins’, or unusual rock formations. This is another place that looks otherworldly and is very fun to explore. There are several trails marked but there aren’t really paths to follow once you’re in the valley. Instead, you are free to roam around the formations. We enjoyed going here because it was unlike anything else we had seen.
Little Wild Horse Canyon is off the beaten path and a nice slot canyon to explore. Would I recommend this canyon? Maybe, maybe not. If you have the time, it’s fun to explore, but it was not a must-do item for us.
Next, head on down the road for another hour and a half to Moab:
Moab, Utah
Moab is a great centralized location to stay for a few nights while you explore the parks around the area. Plus, it’s a hugely popular area to do some off-roading. The town has many restaurants, places to stay or camp and shops to replenish your supplies.
While you’re here, you can visit Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park and Dead Horse Point State Park.
Arches National Park
(1 day, Easy viewpoints to walk up to)
Must-do Hikes: Delicate Arch and the Landscape Arch
Arches National Park is a great, easy place to explore. You can drive around to the different viewpoints, get out and snap a few photos, and be on your way to the next one. It has fantastic landscape and really makes you feel like you are out west. This park can be covered in a half day if you don’t go to all the viewpoints.
We did a couple shorter hikes and were ok with not doing any longer ones. The arches start to blur together after the first several and we were exploring in the middle of the day/heat.
Canyonlands National Park
(1-3 days, Easy viewpoints to walk up to)
Must-see: The Mesa Arch, Shafer Canyon Overlook and Grandview Point
Canyonlands National Park is within 30 minutes from Arches. It has 3 districts: Island in the Sky, the Needles and the Maze. Island in the Sky is the most accessible and, like Arches, is very easy to explore. It has several viewpoints that you can drive to (and then walk out to) for incredible views.
The Needles section and The Maze are places that are a little more off the grid and harder to get to. For the Maze, you will definitely need a 4×4, preparations and supplies.
Canyonlands, in my opinion, has some of the most stunning landscape around. Island in the Sky can be covered easily in 1 day, especially if you get there early. If you wish to explore the others, you’ll need to add on some more time, especially for the Maze section.
Dead Horse Point State Park
(Less than 1 Hour, Overlook)
Dead Horse Point is right next to Canyonlands (about 15 min. away) and is a large canyon overlook that you can walk up to. It’s a bit of a mix between Horseshoe Bend and the Grand Canyon. It’s a great canyon but a little underwhelming after visiting Canyonlands.
We spent maybe 15 minutes here before deciding to continue on. It is also a State Park and not covered with your National Park Pass. Entrance fee is $15.
From here, drive South to:
Monument Valley
(1-2 hours, Scenic drive)
Monument Valley is on the way down south and an iconic western landscape. It’s about 2.5 to 3 hours from Moab to Monument Valley. This area is an Indian Reservation and there are many tours available to explore the area. There are also campsites and lodges if you wish to stay in the area. We mostly took our time driving through and camped in the area.
Next you’ll be heading to Page, Arizona.
Page, Arizona
Another great town to stay in or around is Page, Arizona. It’s a central location for several area attractions such as Lake Powell, Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend.
Lake Powell
(2 days, Recreation)
Lake Powell is is a great place to recuperate for a few days. The lake has lots of recreational activities to do and canyons in the area to explore. If you want to do something really cool, rent a paddle board and paddle through Antelope Canyon near Page. You could spend several days here out on the water and exploring the lake.
You might want some good water shoes as some of the areas to swim have a rocky slope to get into the water.
Antelope Canyon
(1-2 hours, tour)
Antelope Canyon is one of the most gorgeous places out west. The slot canyons are a swirl of oranges that are a highlight to see. The canyons are so uniquely beautiful that you must try to get a tour here. You can choose the Upper or Lower Canyon and tours are roughly an hour long and right next to Page, AZ.
Pro Tip: Reserve your tour in advance! This is not a place you can explore on your own–you must be a part of a tour. Tickets can sell out well in advance so make sure you plan on scheduling this one!
Horseshoe Bend
(1 hour, Overlook)
Horseshoe Bend is another famous location and must-see spot. It’s easy to get to from Lake Powell or Page, and you can take a fairly quick walk up to it for pictures. The walk to it is mostly flat and is about 1.5 miles roundtrip. At the time we visited, there were no guide rails or barriers to the edge–just a straight walk to the cliff edge!
They’ve since built a viewing platform which is the safer option to see it. You can still climb on the rocks around it if you want a different angle but at least there’s a barrier for those with kids or those who feel more comfortable with something between them and a drop off.
There’s also a $10 fee now to park/visit.
The Wave
(Permits Only)
Somewhere between Page and the Grand Canyon is The Wave. The Wave is a photographer lover’s dream and I would have LOVED to go here. However, access to it is VERY limited (we’re talking 20 people per day. 10 online permits and 10 in person) and you have to apply for a permit months in advance and win the lottery to go see it. I’m not joking…there is a lottery process. It’s not an easy place to see but would be worth a try!
Find out how you can win the lottery here —> The Wave
Grand Canyon National Park
(1 day-1 week, Viewpoints, Easy-Strenuous Hiking)
From Page, you’ll then drive for two hours towards the Grand Canyon. The Grand Canyon is…Grand. Your trip here can be whatever you want it to be because there are so many options. You can: stay in a lodge and ride the shuttle to the viewpoints, hike down into the canyon or get a permit to go backcountry hiking and camping. There are lots of possibilities for your trip here and different kinds of Grand Canyon lodging.
The viewpoints are easy to access via shuttle or there’s a scenic drive you can do on your own. If you plan on going into the canyon and possibly seeing Havasu Falls, you’ll need to plan that in advance.
After two weeks out west, we had just about reached our limit of camping and hiking. Since we hadn’t planned on hiking into the Grand Canyon, we were a little ‘over and done’ once we hit the main viewpoints (we had been camping for two weeks by this point and were craving a proper bed). We ended up leaving the Grand Canyon a day early.
The drive back to Las Vegas is a longer one and takes a little over 4 hours.
*If you are heading back to Las Vegas from the Grand Canyon, you can go north back the way you came, or you can go through Arizona and another stop: the Hoover Dam.
Seven Magic Mountains
(< 30 minutes)
We ended up going through Arizona and got to see one more stop just before reaching Las Vegas. About 30 minutes outside of the city is where you’ll find the Seven Magic Mountains, an art exhibit with seven towers of stacked, colorful boulders.
You’ll see the installation in the distance from the road and it’s an easy stop to make before you get back into the city. There’s no entrance fee to see them, just a colorful art installation in the desert.
What should I bring?
If you plan on flying into Las Vegas or another nearby city, you’ll be a little limited on what you can bring (if you’re camping that is). For our very first trip to Utah (which was this one!), we bought all our camping supplies in Las Vegas. To keep costs low, we went to Walmart and got a tent, two chairs, portable stove, cooking supplies, fire starters, flashlights, a blow up mattress, etc.
Next, we went to the dollar store to stock up on some food such as noodles, chips, pasta sauce, etc. We also got some things like soap and sponges to clean our dishes with. We spent a couple hundred dollars on supplies and that was our biggest expense for the entire trip. Even if you aren’t camping, it’s a good idea to stock up on snacks, sunscreen and water before you start!
Fun fact: we ended up flying all our supplies back with us by using a flight bag and paying for a checked bag. On our 3rd trip back to Utah, we flew it all out there with us again!
Supply list:
- Water. More water. Water bottle.
- A camel pack to put water in
- Sunscreen
- Flashlight
- Camera
- Car charger
- Sunglasses
- Salty snacks
- Good hiking shoes
- First Aid Kit
- Park maps + National Park pass
Where should I stay?
Now, this is coming from a non-camping person who had never even been before this trip…but it just didn’t feel right to travel through the wild west and NOT camp. So, we camped. And it was amazing. There was no better way to take it all in than to be surrounded by the scenery while camping. And I’d just like to add that I lasted for 12 days straight. (We caved on night 13 and got a hotel and then camped again on our last night.)
The campgrounds are ideally located (many of them being in the National Parks themselves) and offer great views, sometimes a shower and sometimes a hot tub! Camping can be a challenge but it makes the experience. I’ve listed several options + where we stayed when we were camping in Utah + Arizona.
If you are absolutely not into camping, then there are plenty of lodges or hotels in the nearby towns. Whether you are staying in hotels, lodges or campgrounds with amenities, make sure to make reservations beforehand. If you’re primitive camping (out in the wilderness), you won’t need to.
And there you have it. My guide to an epic Arizona Utah road trip. There are so many places out west that it’s impossible to see them all. There’s lots of variations and add-ons if you plan on making a longer road trip. But this is a great place to start and will take you to some great highlights!
PIN IT FOR LATER
If you plan on camping in the parks, you’ll need to reserve 6 months in advance. There are places to boondock, but you sacrifice bathrooms and water.
Capitol Reef is amazing, and so underrated.
Yes, definitely. The campgrounds inside the parks can fill up very quickly. We got lucky with some places that were outside the parks and did some primitive camping as well.
It’s too bad you did not explore Capital Reef more….was an AMAZING national park…almost as good as Zion. There is so little advertised about this park, but it is a jewel!
Agreed–I had a hard time finding out what to do there before going on our trip! I’ll definitely have to go back and explore more.
This is SO helpful! I’ll be going on a similar trip in a few months, so I’ll have to remember this. Can’t wait!
That’s awesome! We had so much fun. There are so many great things to see. I’ll be putting out a few more guides in the next few weeks on the different parks and camping!