Utah Parks and Grand Canyon Loop Road Trip
Angels Landing in Zion National Park
Grant Ordelheide
Trip Overview
Incredible outdoor adventures, six national parks and ancient ruins combine to make this a trip of a lifetime.
Start in Salt Lake City where you may be surprised by the craft brewing scene and how easy it is to get around this city framed by the Great Salt Lake and Wasatch mountains.
Head south to Moab, home to Canyonlands and Arches national parks. From there stop in the Four Corners area towns of Blanding, Bluff and Monticello where ancient ruins, pioneer history and rafting await.
Then point your wheels toward Grand Canyon National Park where you can choose to visit the popular South Rim and/or the less-visited North Rim.
Cool off in Page, Ariz., by exploring Lake Powell by kayak, motor boat or stand-up paddleboard. Don't miss the 710-foot-high Glen Canyon Dam that created Lake Powell.
Then explore the historic town of Kanab, home to artists, ranchers and hundreds of film shoots. It's an easy drive to nearby Bryce, Zion and Capitol Reef national parks where spectacular red sandstone hoodoos, spires, canyons and slickrock await. What follows are some of the best things to do and see along the way.
TIP: Utah, California and the Navajo nation observe daylight saving time, while Arizona does not.
Road Trip Itinerary
Start: Salt Lake City, Utah
Snowbird Tram.
Photo by Adam Barker courtesy of Visit Salt Lake
Dispelling 6 Salt Lake City Myths
So you think you know Salt Lake City? We bet you don't know about it's thriving beer scene and five more surprises.
Read more.
Moab, Utah
Delicate Arch in Arches National Park
Adobe Stock
Moab is the gateway to Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park, as well as Dead Horse Point State Park, and the cool waters of the Colorado River.
Moab's Top 7 Things to Do
With so many things to do in Moab, choose among our favorite seven things to do with family including a boat tour with Canyonlands by Night & Day, seeing life-sized dinosaurs at Moab Giants, and five more.
Read more.
Four Corners Region
Stars and Smores program at the Four Corners School of Outdoor Education.
Courtesy Four Corner School of Outdoor Education
Monticello's Canyon Country Discovery Center
If you could take the entire sensory experience of the Four Corners region and squeeze it into a building, it would look like the state-of-the-art Canyon Country Discovery Center. The center also offers outdoor trips in the Colorado Plateau.
Read more.
Blanding's Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum
Get a true sense of the ancient peoples who inhabited ancient ruins in the four corners region of Utah.
Read more about Edge of Cedars and 6 other Utah State Parks.
3 Things to Do in Bluff. This small outpost is home to incredible family-friendly river trips, a great museum and one of the most-photographed attractions in the Southwest.
Read more.
Grand Canyon National Park - South Rim
Sunset at Desert View Point in Grand Canyon National Park
Open 365 days a year, the South Rim offers plenty of activities, restaurants and, of course, gorgeous views.
Read more on our Grand Canyon website.
Page, Tuba City and Lake Powell
Stand-up paddleboarding on Lake Powell
Visit Page Lake Powell
Life is Better on the Lake
With its turquoise waters and lively boating scene on Lake Powell, Page, Ariz. is your oasis in the desert. Don't miss these three attractions nearby.
Read more on our Grand Canyon website.
More: Set off on an outdoor adventure on a houseboat on Lake Powell with the comforts of home at hand and explore 2,000 miles of shoreline with incredible scenery at your own pace.
Read more on our Grand Canyon website.
Experience Hopi and Moenkopi Legacy Inn
People have been living in Old Oraibi for nearly 1,000 years. Tour this ancient village as well as other significant Hopi sites, and conveniently stay at the Moenkopi Legacy Inn.
Read more on our Grand Canyon website.
Kanab, Utah
The slot canyon known as "The Wave" in Coyote Buttes North.
Courtesy Kane County Office of Tourism
Kanab offers easy access to Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.
Kanab's Fab Four Things to Do
Avoid the crowds, enjoy fantastic food and discover the hidden gems along the way to three of the Southwest’s most popular national parks.
Read more.
More: Most travelers have heard of “The Wave” but are unaware of the surrounding canyons that are just as jaw-dropping such as White Pocket.
Read more.
Bryce Canyon City
Panorama of Bryce Canyon National Park.
Deposit Photos
Bryce Canyon City is Ruby's Inn and Adventures, at the entrance to Bryce Canyon National Park. Stay at two hotels, an RV park, tipis, cabins, or the campground.
Read more about Ruby's Inn.
Go on a Bryce Canyon adventure on a bike, ATV, or horse.
More: Give back to Bryce with Ruby's Inn Dollar Check-Off Program
Capitol Reef National Park
The Hickman Natural Bridge in Capitol Reef National Park
Deposit Photos
A diversity of landscape like no other in Utah, Capitol Reef National Park and surrounding area has red rock formations, arches, plateaus, meadows, forests, lush green valleys and astounding deserts.
