Utah’s National Parks are downright unbelievable. Each one is so diverse but they are all within a few hours drive of each other. Here is the quickest way to see all 5 National Parks in Utah plus see all the major highlights.
Day 1: The Needles District of Canyonlands
Windshield Time: Depends on your Origin
Regardless of where your driving from, you’ll want to get an early start to make it to Canyonlands National Park before dark. Canyonlands has great sunsets that you won’t want to miss out on. Once you set up camp, drive to the lookouts that don’t require any hiking, like the Wooden Shoe Overlook and Big Spring Canyon. Check out our Canyonlands National Park Itinerary for more suggestions.
Day 2: Hiking in Canyonlands & Arches National Park
Windshield Time: 1.5 Hours
Rise and shine! Get another early start and cross off some short hikes in Canyonlands during the cool morning weather. We recommend checking out Pothole Point and the Cave Springs Trail. After stretching your legs on the trail it is time to move on and head to Arches National Park. Most of Arches natural attractions are drive-ups, where you park, get out, take some pictures and return. This makes it easy to see a majority of Arches National Park in a half-day. There is one main road that goes through the park. Take this road all the way to the back of the park and work your way back to the park entrance, you will avoid a lot of the traffic this way. Get more intimate with the arches by leaving your vehicle behind at one of the viewpoints and head out on one of the many trails to the base of these famous rock formations. For hikes and must-see sights in Arches click here. There are no campgrounds within the park so look for places to stay or camp in the city of Moab.
Day 3: Capitol Reef National Park
Windshield Time: 2 Hours
You can catch up on some beauty sleep or enjoy a nice breakfast this morning. After a breakfast sandwich and a cup of a coffee drive to Capitol Reef National Park. After arriving at the park, set up camp and grab a map from the visitors center. We suggest starting off by hiking Hickman Bridge. This will take a decent part of the day but it is one of the best hikes in Capitol Reef. Check out our Capitol Reef Itinerary for things to do after the hike. Capitol Reef is also a designated night sky park, which means it is one of the few areas in the world where no artificial light obstructs your view of the stars. So if it is a clear night and the moon is not visible stay up late and catch a glimpse of the milky way galaxy.
Day 4: Bryce Canyon
Windshield Time: 2 Hours
In my opinion, Bryce Canyon is the best of the 5 National Parks in Utah. It is only a two-hour drive from Capitol Reef but there is a lot to see and do in Bryce Canyon. There are a lot of hikes to choose from but when you get to the park do the Sunrise to Sunset hike first. This trail explores some of the best areas of the park. In the afternoon cool down and dip your toes in the water on the Mossy Cave Trail. For more things to do in Bryce Canyon check out our Day Guide. There are plenty of places to camp in Bryce Canyon so you shouldn’t have any issues staying the night here.
Day 5: Zion National Park & Angels Landing
Windshield Time: 1 Hour
It’s time to cross off the final park on the list, Zion National Park. This is the shortest drive of your journey with only an hour separating Bryce and Zion. If you missed anything in Bryce Canyon yesterday, feel free to get to it this morning then head to Zion. If you love hiking and aren’t afraid of heights, your day should be spent hiking Angel’s Landing. I promise this will be one of the most memorable hikes you will ever do. You should be exhausted after the hike so you may want to save Zion’s other famous hike for tomorrow.
Day 6: The Narrows and Las Vegas
Windshield Time: 2.5 Hours
Your legs will probably be sore after Angel’s Landing so what better way to recover than to go hiking in the icy water of the Narrows. This slot canyon hike is what comes to mind when most people think of Zion. Start early to avoid crowds. For more tips on hiking the narrows check out our trail guide.
You did it! You have successfully seen all of the 5 National Parks in Utah! If you have been camping this entire trip you are probably ready for a hot shower and comfy bed. Celebrate your accomplishment by heading to the Vegas Strip.
Day 7: Drive or Fly Home
Hopefully, you didn’t party too hard last night. Long car rides are no fun when you don’t feel good and don’t even get me started on flying hungover.
Road Map to All 5 National Parks in Utah
Thoughts on Visiting All 5 National Parks in Utah
I did this trip last September and I can honestly say it was one the greatest road trips I have ever done. The weather was still a little toasty but we were still able to power through the hot afternoon hikes.
Although you could take a week to explore each individual park, seeing the highlights of all of them in one week is doable. By the end, your legs will be sore from all the hiking and you’re probably going to smell a little but you’ll smile the entire time.
Chad can be summed up by his idea of a perfect day: Waking up early to watch the sunrise over the mountains, warm cup of coffee in hand then grabbing his camera and fly rod, hitting the trail to explore some uncharted territory followed by cold beers and campfire steaks. Chad is often joined on his adventures by his wife, Tori, and their dog, Kona.
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