How To Explore Utah’s Mighty 5 National Parks

Zion means “kingdom of heaven,” and it’s pretty easy to see why Mormon pioneers gave it this name. A flourishing valley lies at the base of 2,000-foot (609-meter) red rock walls. Just zigzagging into the park via the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway is worth any visitor’s time.

If you’re here in summer, the park will be busy. Unless you’ve nabbed in-park accommodations, your vehicle is only allowed just past the entrance. From there, you can rely on the park shuttle, which runs every 10 or 15 minutes and can take you anywhere in the frontcountry, including wonders like The Narrows and the Emerald Pools, plus Zion National Park Lodge. If packing into crowded shuttles doesn’t appeal to you, book a tour instead. Hike the famous Angel’s Landing or UTV through a slot canyon. Or, just visit in winter, when the red rocks get a cloak of white.

Arches National Park is unlike anywhere else in the world, home to 2,000 natural stone arches, all in one massive place (that’s roughly the size of Dublin). Most people come here to drive the length of the park and stretch their legs on a few trails, like in The Windows section or Devils Garden (take a private, guided hike if you’re concerned about setting off on your own). But the most famous hike is the one on the Utah license plate: Delicate Arch, a 3-mile (4.8-kilometer) roundtrip sojourn to the most photographed arch in the world. It’s out in the open sun, so pack that sunscreen.

From April through October, the park requires timed reservations, which you can purchase online. That’s because the park only has one entrance in Moab, and traffic gets backed up. Skip the crowds by exploring with a guide, heading out into the backcountry—maybe on a 4x4.

Technically, Bryce Canyon isn’t a canyon because it doesn’t have a river. It’s an amphitheater of red-rock hoodoos, towers, spires, and fins. One minute, you’ll be driving along the rim, wondering what all the fuss is about, when suddenly, you’re peering down into a geological wonder, the highest concentration of hoodoos on the planet.

While you could experience Bryce Canyon via scenic drive—the 18-mile (29-kilometer) road through the park leads to scores of viewpoints—you should plan to experience it from above and below. Don’t miss overlooks like Sunset Point and Inspiration Point, but pair them with a trek down to the canyon floor via the Navajo Loop if your knees can handle switchbacks (bring hiking poles). Alternatively, hike with a naturalist to better understand the dynamics of this wild place, or take to the rocks via horseback.

Canyonlands National Park gets under a million visitors every year, but it’s not for lack of attractions. The park is further off the highway, and much of it is backcountry—if you’re into solitude in Mother Nature, this is the Utah park for you. Picture red rock towers and waves, sandstone arches, dino tracks, and the Green River and Colorado River running through it all.

The park has four districts, but because of the lack of roads and the sheer size of the park, most visitors will only visit one, so choose yours wisely. While Islands in the Sky is the most accessible and most popular, if you’re into backcountry exploring, The Needles is ideal for its quiet, hoodoo-filled landscapes and colorful spires. You could also skip the choosing entirely and experience this wild landscape via a flightseeing tour. When nature is this good, there’s no wrong way to explore.

You know A Wrinkle in Time—but you may not have yet seen a wrinkle on earth—a 100-mile (161-kilometer) one. The Waterpocket Fold, a literal warped, earthen fold, is just one of Capitol Reef National Park’s dazzling landscapes. The park is also full of sandstone cliffs, canyons, domes, and natural bridges. Unlike Arches or Zion, it doesn’t have just one standout geological feature, so it’s difficult to categorize. It’s like all of Utah’s parks in one.

Avid hikers can take to the trails through the remote Cathedral Valley, which looks like the film-famous Monument Valley in Arizona. Most, though, will stay in the Fruita District, where you can scout out the overlooks, look for Fremont-culture petroglyphs (around 1,000 years old), and take advantage of the valley orchards by fruit-picking or tucking into pie. For something between hoofing it on foot and chowing down on dessert, try exploring the park via horseback or Jeep tour.