Trip at a Glance
Recommended Route
Map Layers
🟠 Bryce Canyon NP
4 stops
🟡 Capitol Reef NP
3 stops
— Road Trip Route
~500 mi
The Parks
🔴 Zion National Park
Towering Navajo Sandstone cliffs and lush canyon floors. Home to Angels Landing and the famous Narrows slot canyon hike.
Gateway: Springdale, UT
~148,000 acres
🟠 Bryce Canyon National Park
World's greatest concentration of hoodoos — spire-shaped rock formations that glow orange and red at sunrise. Magical for stargazing.
Gateway: Bryce Canyon City, UT
~35,000 acres
🟡 Capitol Reef National Park
Utah's hidden gem. A 100-mile wrinkle in the Earth's crust called the Waterpocket Fold, with dome-shaped rock caps and pioneer fruit orchards.
Gateway: Torrey, UT
~241,000 acres
🟢 Canyonlands National Park
Utah's largest park — vast mesa-and-canyon wilderness carved by the Colorado and Green Rivers. Island in the Sky district has jaw-dropping overlooks.
Gateway: Moab, UT
~337,000 acres
🔵 Arches National Park
Over 2,000 natural sandstone arches — the highest concentration on Earth. Iconic Delicate Arch is a Utah symbol. No reservation required as of 2026.
Gateway: Moab, UT
~76,000 acres
Planning Tips
- 🗓️ Best months: March–May and September–October. Summer is hot (100°F+) in canyon floors.
- 💳 America the Beautiful pass (~$80) covers all 5 parks for a full year.
- 🚌 Zion requires a free shuttle in peak season (no private cars on Zion Canyon Scenic Drive).
- ⛺ Book campsites 6 months ahead. Reservations fill quickly for Zion and Arches.
- 💧 Carry at least 1 liter per hour of hiking. Desert dehydration is a real risk.
- 🌟 Bryce Canyon is a Dark Sky park — incredible for stargazing with no light pollution.