Hart of Travel

Utah is a land of wonder. The red rocks, vast canyons, endless mesas, and spectacular mountains make it prime destination for outdoor enthusiasts.

Utah is home to 5 national parks – Zion NP, Arches NP, Canyonlands NP, Bryce Canyon NP, and Capitol Reef NP. In this post, I will share the itinerary we used to see Zion, Bryce Canyon, Arches, and Canyonlands national parks in just 5 days. We could have squeezed Capitol Reef into this itinerary, but we wanted to enjoy longer times in the other parks. With that being said, this itinerary is definitely flexible and you could change it depending on how much time you want to spend in each park.

One big takeaway from this trip was that I knew we just scratched the surface on what these parks had to offer. We learned of a lot more things to do at each location, so at the end of each section I have extra activities to do if you have more time. I can’t wait to go back someday to see more!

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Table of Contents

• When to go
• Overview
• Day 1 – Travel Day
• Day 2 – Zion
• Day 3 – Bryce Canyon
• Day 4 – Arches
• Day 5 – Canyonlands

Looking for a playlist to listen to when you’re in Utah? Check out this playlist on Spotify!

When to go

We went at the very beginning of March and we loved it! There was a mixture of warmer and cooler days with some snow at Bryce Canyon, but it was very pleasant for hiking. The crowds weren’t too big yet (we even felt like we had Bryce Canyon and Canyonlands almost to ourselves), as crowds are usually something I try to avoid if I can. I would recommend shoulder season – either Spring or Fall.

Summer (June, July, and August) – Average temperature ranges from 55F-90F

Fall (September, October, and November) – Average temperature ranges from 30F-80F

Winter (December, January, and February) – Average temperature ranges from 20F-55F

Spring (March, April, and May) – Average temperature ranges from 30F-75F

Overview

Fly into Las Vegas – Zion – Bryce Canyon – Arches – Canyonlands – Fly out of Salt Lake City

This trip involved a lot of driving, but it’s all very doable and the drives are really beautiful!

Drive times

Las Vegas – Zion = about 3 hours

Zion – Bryce Canyon = about 2 hours

(optional add-on: Bryce Canyon – Capitol Reef = about 2.5 hours + 2 hours to Arches)

Bryce Canyon – Arches = about 4 hours

Arches – Canyonlands = about 30 minutes

Canyonlands – Salt Lake City = about 4 hours

You can customize the itinerary based on where you live/whether you’re driving, etc.

Day 1 – Travel Day

Arrive at Las Vegas airport. Pick up rental car, grab some grub, and get on the road! Drive the 3 hours to Springdale.

Stay in Springdale, right outside Zion. Depending on the time of day, head into the park for a quick hike or to watch the sunset.

Day 2 – Zion National Park

(Disclaimer: All of the hikes shown here are short and easy hikes. This is becuase we only had a short amount of time here before we had to hit the road again. Some of the best things to do at Zion are longer hikes that are included at the end of the section.)

Wake up early to beat the crowds. Depending on what time of year you’re here, you may have to take the Zion shuttle system to get around the park. I’ll be talking more about that in my Zion post – just make sure you check the park website before arriving.

Emerald Pools Trail

• 3 mile loop
• 620 ft. elevation gain
• Trail info here.

Drive the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway up through the canyon and through the tunnel. Right after the tunnel is the trailhead for the Canyon Overlook Trail.

Canyon Overlook Trail

• 1 mile out and back
• 187 ft. elevation gain
• Trail info here.

What to do if you have more time

• Hike The Narrows
• Hike Angels Landing (or just to Scout Lookout if heights aren’t your thing)
• Hike The Watchman Trail
• Hike The Subway Trail
• Link to all trails here.

Drive 2 hours to Bryce Canyon. If time allows, go see the sunset at Bryce Canyon amphitheater.

Day 3 – Bryce Canyon & Arches

Wake up for the sunrise at Bryce Canyon amphitheater.

Walk the Rim Trail

• 1.1 mile out and back
• 82 ft. elevation gain
• Trail info here.

Day 4 – Arches

Watch the sunrise at The Windows

• 1.2 mile loop
• 154 ft. elevation gain
• Trail info here.

Hike to Delicate Arch

• 3.2 mile out and back
• 629 ft. elevation gain
• Trail info here.

Beat the crowds and get here before 8am!

Hike to Double Arch

• 0.6 mile out and back
• 95 ft. elevation gain
• Trail info here.

Hike to Sand Dune Arch

• 0.3 mile out and back
• 108 ft. elevation gain
• Trail info here.

Hike to Landscape Arch OR hike the whole Devil’s Garden Loop

• Just to Landscape Arch is 1.9 miles
• Devil’s Garden loop is 7.9 miles
• 1,085 ft. elevation gain
• Trail info is here.

By this time of day, we were a bit tired of hiking, so we opted to hang out by the pool at our hotel and grab some happy hour beers at Moab Brewery instead of doing the whole Devil’s Garden Loop. However, we’ve heard from many people that this is one of the best hikes in the park, so if you have more time definitely check it out!

Stargaze!

Once it gets dark enough, head back into the park to see the most unbelievable starry sky. We parked at Panorama Point and it was a great spot. It’s true what the park service says – half the park is after dark.

Read more about our time in Arches here!

What to do if you have more time

• Hike the whole Devil’s Garden Loop
• Hike the Fiery Furnace
• Link to all trails here.

Day 5 – Canyonlands

Watch the sunrise at Mesa Arch

• 0.7 mile loop
• 88 ft. elevation gain
• Trail info here.

Check out some of the pullout stops on Grand Viewpoint Road

This park is unlike the others we’ve covered in that you don’t have to hike in Canyonlands to get an amazing view. There are a bunch of places you can stop, walk a short distance, and be amazed.

What to do if you have more time

• Hike White Rim Overlook Trail
• Hike Chesler Park Loop Trail
• Hike Aztec Butte Trail
• Link to all trails here.

Read more about our time in Canyonlands NP here.

At this point, we had to head over to Salt Lake City to catch our flight home. Like I said, we really only scratched the surface. This trip definitely left us wanting to see more and now we have a whole list of things to do once we go back. Utah is really one of a kind as are all of it’s national parks.

• 12 Things You Can’t Miss in Grand Teton National Park
• How to Spend Two Days in Arches National Park
• Canyonlands National Park in One Day
• Bryce Canyon National Park in One Day
• Ultimate Guide to St. John, USVI