I’ve been to Utah twice with my husband, first in October 2019 as part of our Arizona trip, and then again in September 2021 as a dedicated trip. With numerous incredible national parks (AKA the Mighty Five) and surreal scenery, Utah is the perfect road trip destination. Here are my favorite places to visit across both trips:
1. Arches National Park (Moab)
Why Visit:
Home to over 2,000 natural sandstone arches, glowing red rock formations, and some of the most photogenic landscapes in the US.
Highlights:
- Delicate Arch → a moderate 3 mile (4.8 km) round trip leading to the park’s most famous landmark (and the one on Utah’s license plates!).
- Windows Section → a collection of massive, side-by-side arches you can see with minimal hiking. We watched sunset here and it was magical to see the sun disappear among the arches!
- Corona Arch → technically outside the park, but the trailhead for this 3-mile (4.8 km) round-trip hike is only about 15 minutes away. You’ll get incredible red-rock scenery and a massive natural arch without the crowds or timed-entry restrictions.
How to Go:
You’ll need to reserve a timed entry online. There are no hotels inside the park, so we stayed in Moab and drove to the park (~15 minutes). We used our National Park Pass to enter the park, but you can also buy tickets at the entrance.
2. Bryce Canyon National Park (Tropic)
Why Visit:
Bryce Canyon National Park is one of the most otherworldly places in the US, famous for its orange-red hoodoos (tall spire-shaped rock formations).
Highlights:
- Navajo Loop & Queen’s Garden Trail → the park’s most popular hike, a 2.9 mile / 4.9 km moderate loop that takes you down among the hoodoos for a unique perspective.
How to Go:
There are limited lodging options inside the park, so we stayed in Tropic and drove to the park (~10 minutes). We used our National Park Pass to enter the park, but you can also buy tickets at the entrance (cashless options only).
3. Zion National Park (Springdale)
Why Visit:
Towering cliffs, lush canyons, and iconic trails that make it a hiker’s paradise.
Highlights:
- Angel’s Landing → one of the most famous (and thrilling) hikes in the world. It’s 5.4 miles (8.7 km) round trip and the final section involves climbing with chains!
- The Narrows → an iconic hike where you trek in the river through towering canyon walls. You can hike bottom up as far as you like (no permit needed), or do the full 16 mile (26 km) trek (permit required). We skipped this one because I didn’t want to get wet.
How to Go:
For Angel’s Landing, you’ll need to apply for a permit via the NPS lottery. For The Narrows there are different permit options, but regardless you’ll want to rent or bring waterproof boots and a hiking pole. There are limited lodging options inside the park, so we stayed in Springdale (right outside the park). We used our National Park Pass to enter the park, but you can also buy tickets at the entrance (cashless options only).
4. Bonneville Salt Flats (Salt Lake City)
Why Visit:
A vast crust of salt stretching over 30,000 acres. Because it’s so perfectly flat, the Bonneville Speedway here is where racers go to break land speed records.
Highlights:
- Take photos of the huge white landscape that transforms into a mirror during wet season (November – April). We unfortunately didn’t get to see the reflections since we visited in dry season, but it was still cool to see the endless, blindingly white (sunglasses required!) surface.
How to Go:
We drove to the salt flats from Salt Lake City (1.5 hours).
5. Canyonlands (Moab)
Why Visit:
Dramatic desert landscape carved by the Colorado River.
Highlights:
- Mesa Arch → the park’s most iconic arch that frames views of the canyon far below. It’s a short 0.6 mile (1 km) round trip.
- Grand View Point → panoramic views over the canyons, 1.8 mile (2.9 km) round trip.
How to Go:
There are no hotels inside the park, so we stayed in Moab and drove to the park (~40 minutes). We used our National Park Pass to enter the park, but you can also buy tickets at the entrance (cashless options only).
Planning a trip to Utah? Check out my top 5 tips to help you make the most of your adventure!