Seven Days, Five Parks: The Utah Southwest Loop

How 7 days in National Parks split up

This is the most iconic national park road trip in the country: Utah's Mighty 5 plus Moab, a red rock loop that strings together Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon, and Zion across some of the most dramatic desert landscapes on earth. You start in Moab, the adventure hub of the Colorado Plateau, and loop west, trading delicate arches and canyon overlooks for hoodoos and slot canyons as you go.

Arrive in Moab & first light in Arches

Fly into Salt Lake City (SLC) and make the roughly 3.5- to 4-hour drive south to Moab, or shorten the trip by flying into Moab (CNY) or Grand Junction (GJT) just across the Colorado line. Moab is the basecamp for this whole leg, a red rock adventure town wedged between Arches and Canyonlands on the banks of the Colorado River.

⠿Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.

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   Drive from where are you driving from?~3.5–4 hr · fuel up & stock water · Drive

   Fly into Salt Lake City (SLC) and drive about 3.5 to 4 hours south to Moab, or shorten the trip by flying into Moab (CNY) or Grand Junction (GJT) just across the Colorado line. Moab is the basecamp for this whole leg, a red rock adventure town between Arches and Canyonlands on the Colorado River.

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   The Windows & Balanced RockEasy walks · big arches up close · Viewpoint

   Spend your first evening in Arches National Park, minutes from town. In peak season you need a timed-entry reservation to drive in during the day, booked ahead on recreation.gov, but early mornings and evenings often fall outside the window. Start with The Windows and Balanced Rock for an easy first taste as the light goes gold.

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   Stay in MoabAdventure hub · books up fast · lodge

   Base in Moab, the adventure hub of the Colorado Plateau, wedged between Arches and Canyonlands on the banks of the Colorado River. It is your basecamp for the first four nights, with restaurants, outfitters, gas, and water all in one place. Book early, because Moab fills fast on weekends.

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Arches in depth · Delicate Arch & Devils Garden

Spend a full day in Arches. The signature hike is to Delicate Arch (about 3 miles round trip, moderate, no shade), the freestanding arch on Utah's license plate. The climb up the slickrock is exposed and hot, so go at sunrise or in the late afternoon and carry plenty of water. Sunset at the arch is one of the great experiences in the park, but the lot fills early.

⠿Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.

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   Delicate Arch Trail~3 mi RT · moderate · no shade · Hike

   The signature hike in Arches is to Delicate Arch (about 3 miles round trip, moderate, no shade), the freestanding arch on Utah's license plate. The slickrock climb is exposed and hot, so go at sunrise or late afternoon and carry plenty of water. Sunset at the arch is unforgettable, but the lot fills early.

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   Devils Garden & Landscape ArchTrail network through the fins · Hike

   In the cooler part of the day, explore the Devils Garden at the end of the scenic road, home to Landscape Arch and a network of trails through the fins. Landscape Arch is an easy walk; the full loop is longer and more rugged. Start early, because by midday the desert heat and the crowds both peak.

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   Second night in MoabStay put for dawn trailheads · lodge

   Stay a second night in Moab so you can hit the Arches and Canyonlands trailheads at dawn, before the lots fill and the heat builds. Keeping the same base means no packing up between back-to-back park days.

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Canyonlands · Mesa Arch sunrise & Island in the Sky

Wake before dawn and drive about 40 minutes to the Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands National Park, a high mesa that floats above a vast maze of canyons carved by the Colorado and Green Rivers. The classic photographer's stop is Mesa Arch at sunrise (about a 0.5-mile round-trip walk), where the rising sun lights the underside of the arch in fiery orange over the canyon below.

⠿Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.

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   Mesa Arch at sunrise~0.5 mi RT · glows orange at dawn · Hike

   Wake before dawn and drive about 40 minutes to the Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands. The classic stop is Mesa Arch at sunrise (about a 0.5-mile round-trip walk), where the rising sun lights the underside of the arch in fiery orange over the canyon below. Arrive 30 to 45 minutes early to claim a spot at the railing.

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   Grand View PointEnd-of-road panorama · biggest view · Viewpoint

   Spend the morning chasing overlooks along the mesa rim. Grand View Point at the end of the road has the biggest panorama in the park, with the canyons of the Colorado and Green Rivers dropping away in every direction. Add the short walk to Green River Overlook before driving back toward Moab in the heat of the day.

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3. ⠿↑↓3Famartin / CC BY-SA 3.0
   Third night in MoabLast night before the loop west · lodge

   Spend a third night in Moab before the river day and the loop west to Capitol Reef. Island in the Sky has no water and no gas, so refuel and restock back in town. Tonight, rest up for a slower day on the Colorado River tomorrow.

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Moab · the Colorado River & mountain biking

Slow down for a day in Moab, the adventure capital of the Colorado Plateau. The town sits on the Colorado River, and the best way to feel the scale of the canyons is from the water. Book a guided raft or kayak trip with Wild West Voyages for a half-day float between red rock walls, an easy, scenic way to cool off in the desert heat.

⠿Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.

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   Colorado River raft / kayak · Wild West VoyagesGuided float · book ahead · activity

   Book a guided raft or kayak trip on the Colorado River with Wild West Voyages, a Moab outfitter, for a half-day float between red rock walls. It is an easy, scenic way to feel the scale of the canyons and cool off in the desert heat. Reserve ahead, especially on weekends, and aim for a morning slot.

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2. ⠿↑↓2Ken Lund from Reno, Ne / CC BY-SA 2.0
   Colorado River scenic byway (Hwy 128)River-hugging drive northeast of town · Drive

   Prefer to stay on four wheels, or have a free afternoon? Drive the Colorado River scenic byway (Highway 128) northeast out of town, a stunning stretch of pavement that hugs the river beneath towering canyon walls. Moab is also one of the world's great mountain biking towns if you want to ride instead.

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3. ⠿↑↓3Steven Baltakatei Sand / CC BY-SA 4.0
   Last night in MoabFuel up before the drive to Capitol Reef · lodge

   Your last night in Moab before the loop west. Fill the gas tank and restock water before you leave, because the drive to Capitol Reef crosses long, empty desert with few services. Tomorrow the trip trades arches for the Waterpocket Fold.

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Capitol Reef · the Waterpocket Fold & scenic drive

Leave Moab and drive west about 2.5 hours to Capitol Reef National Park, the quietest and most underrated of Utah's Mighty 5. The park protects the Waterpocket Fold, a 100-mile wrinkle in the earth's crust, along with the green historic orchards of Fruita, where in season you can pick apples, pears, and peaches in the shadow of red cliffs.

⠿Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.

1. ⠿↑↓1bobistraveling / CC BY 2.0
   Drive Moab to Capitol Reef~2.5 hr west · empty desert · Drive

   Leave Moab and drive west about 2.5 hours to Capitol Reef National Park, the quietest of Utah's Mighty 5. The route crosses long, empty desert with few services, so fuel up and grab snacks and water before you go. The park protects the Waterpocket Fold, a 100-mile wrinkle in the earth's crust.

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   Scenic Drive & Fruita orchardsTowering walls · pick fruit in season · Viewpoint

   Drive the Capitol Reef Scenic Drive south past towering canyon walls, and stop at the green historic orchards of Fruita, where in season you can pick apples, pears, and peaches in the shadow of red cliffs. It is a peaceful, underrated stop between the bigger-name parks.

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   Hickman Bridge Trail~1.8 mi RT · natural bridge · Hike

   Hike up to Hickman Bridge (about 1.8 miles round trip), a natural bridge above the Fremont River, or walk into the Capitol Gorge between the canyon walls. Like everywhere on this trip, hike it early before the midday heat builds.

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4. ⠿↑↓4Ken Lund from Reno, Ne / CC BY-SA 2.0
   Stay in TorreyGateway town just west of the park · lodge

   Base for the night in Torrey, the small gateway town just west of Capitol Reef. It sets you up for the drive to Bryce in the morning, with a handful of lodges and restaurants. Fuel up here before the next desert leg.

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Bryce Canyon · the hoodoo amphitheater

Drive about 2.5 hours southwest to Bryce Canyon National Park, where thousands of orange-and-pink stone spires called hoodoos fill a series of natural amphitheaters carved into the edge of a high plateau. At over 8,000 feet, Bryce is much cooler than the desert parks, so pack a layer even in summer.

⠿Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.

1. ⠿↑↓1CGP Grey from London, / CC BY 2.0
   Drive Capitol Reef to Bryce Canyon~2.5 hr · climbs to over 8,000 ft · Drive

   Drive about 2.5 hours southwest to Bryce Canyon National Park, climbing onto a high plateau over 8,000 feet. Bryce is much cooler than the desert parks, so pack a layer even in summer. Thousands of orange-and-pink hoodoos fill a series of natural amphitheaters carved into the plateau edge.

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2. ⠿↑↓2Famartin / CC BY-SA 3.0
   Sunrise & Sunset Point rim walkClassic amphitheater overview · Viewpoint

   Walk the rim between Sunrise Point and Sunset Point for the classic overview of the hoodoo amphitheater. Both are stunning at their namesake hours, when low-angle light sets the whole amphitheater glowing orange. Time your visit around sunrise or sunset for the best of it.

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3. ⠿↑↓3Ken Lund from Reno, Ne / CC BY-SA 2.0
   Queens Garden & Navajo Loop~3 mi · down into the hoodoos · Hike

   Drop down into the hoodoos on the combined Queens Garden and Navajo Loop (about 3 miles), widely rated the best short hike in the park. Go down the Queens Garden trail and back up the Navajo switchbacks for the best of the route among the spires.

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4. ⠿↑↓4Ken Lund from Reno, Ne / CC BY-SA 2.0
   Stay near Bryce CanyonBryce Canyon City · cooler nights · lodge

   Stay near the park in Bryce Canyon City or a nearby town. At over 8,000 feet the nights are cool even in summer, so this is a welcome break from the desert heat. Fuel up here before the drive to Zion in the morning.

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Zion · towering walls & the drive home

Finish big at Zion National Park, about 1.5 hours southwest of Bryce, where the road plunges into a deep canyon between 2,000-foot sandstone walls. Most of Zion Canyon is car-free, so park and ride the shuttle up the canyon, hopping off at the overlooks, the Emerald Pools, and the Riverside Walk to the mouth of the Narrows.

⠿Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.

1. ⠿↑↓1CGP Grey / CC BY 2.0
   Drive Bryce to Zion~1.5 hr southwest · Drive

   Drive about 1.5 hours southwest to Zion National Park, where the road plunges into a deep canyon between 2,000-foot sandstone walls. Most of Zion Canyon is car-free in the busy season, so park in Springdale or at the visitor center and ride the free shuttle up the canyon.

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2. ⠿↑↓2Tyler Lee / CC BY-SA 4.0
   Zion Canyon shuttle & overlooksEmerald Pools · Riverside Walk · Viewpoint

   Ride the shuttle up the car-free canyon, hopping off at the overlooks, the Emerald Pools, and the Riverside Walk to the mouth of the Narrows. With energy and a head for heights, the classic adventures are the Narrows, a wade up the Virgin River, and Angels Landing, a chain-assisted scramble that needs a permit booked ahead on recreation.gov.

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3. ⠿↑↓3Andrey Zharkikh from S / CC BY 2.0
   Stay in SpringdaleRight outside the Zion gate · lodge

   Base in Springdale right outside the Zion gate, a walkable town of lodges and restaurants with a shuttle straight into the park. It is the ideal end-of-trip base if you want a full day in Zion before the airport run.

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   Getting home: Las Vegas or Salt Lake CityLAS ~2.5–3 hr · SLC ~4.5 hr · Drive

   From Zion it is about 2.5 to 3 hours southwest to Las Vegas (LAS) or about 4.5 hours north back to Salt Lake City (SLC). Fuel up in Springdale and start the drive out with daylight to spare. Las Vegas is the natural finish for a one-way loop from Salt Lake City.

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What we actually learned on the road.