Things to do in  Utah

The Colorado River winds through red-rock canyons and desert landscapes, offering some of the Southwest’s best opportunities for outdoor adventures. Kayak through calm waters, soak in riverside hot springs, or take a rafting trip through dramatic scenery and past geological wonders. Whether visiting from Las Vegas or venturing deeper into canyon country, the Colorado River delivers a refreshing change of pace, surrounded by spectacular natural scenes.

Carved over time by the Virgin River, Zion National Park is a remarkable 148,000-acre (59,900-hectare) stretch of white, pink, and red rock formations in southern Utah’s canyon country. The state’s first national park draws hikers, birders, and nature lovers with its slot canyon walls and diversity of wildlife.

The second-largest manmade reservoir in the United States, Lake Powell is situated in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area on the border of Arizona and Utah. Known for its sandy beaches and red-rock landscapes, this vacation spot features the Glen Canyon Dam (in Arizona) and Rainbow Bridge National Monument, one of the world’s longest natural bridges (in Utah).

Hiking trails, scenic drives, horseback rides, and overlooks take in the eroded red-rock wonderland of Arches National Park in southeastern Utah, which contains more than 2,000 natural stone arches. Geological marvels abound—here, you will find hundreds of soaring pinnacles, the iconic Delicate Arch, and Landscape Arch, one of the largest natural arches in the world at 290 feet (88 meters) across.

Protecting cliffs, canyons, bridges, and domes (like the US Capitol, get it?), Capitol Reef National Park offers a deep dive into outdoor adventure, geology, human history, and more. Beyond those rock formations, you’ll find Indigenous petroglyphs, Mormon orchards, and plenty of fabulous scenery. Moreover, you’ll also find a fraction of the crowds compared to nearby Arches or Zion.

Encompassing nearly 1.87 million acres (757,000 hectares), Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in southern Utah is known for its red and gold rock formations, slot canyons, and panoramic views. There are numerous outdoor activities to do here, including hiking, camping, and 4-wheel driving. The majority of visitors head for the Escalante Canyons area, the most-visited section of the monument, though the Grand Staircase region and the Kaiparowits Plateau are also worth checking out.

Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park has appeared in Forrest Gump,2001: A Space Odyssey, and multiple John Ford westerns—but seeing its red-rock landscapes onscreen simply doesn’t compare to admiring them in person. Otherworldly sandstone formations, such as the West and East Mitten Buttes and Three Sisters, soar up to 1,000 feet (305 meters) above the desert’s endless stretches of shrubs and copper sand, creating picture-perfect views that have come to symbolize the American West.

Experience one of nature’s roller coaster rides, Hell’s Revenge Trail. Set in a desert canyon outside of Moab, the off-roading track crawls over slick rocks, along cliff faces, and up and down near-vertical terrain. Between rock-crawling adventures, stop to take in views stretching from Arches National Park to La Sal Mountains.

Bryce Canyon National Park is an active traveler’s playground, featuring the red rock canyons and rugged horizon-stretching vistas that make Utah famous. Among its otherworldly geological formations are pinnacles, spires, and eroded-rock formations—called hoodoos—that reveal layers of red, orange, and white. Park highlights include the hoodoo-filled Bryce Amphitheater and the Rim Trail, which offers spectacular views.

The swooping view of the Colorado River from Dead Horse Point is iconic, but there’s much more to this desert park than a single overlook. A network of trails here ranges from intermediate mountain biking to wheelchair-accessible pavement, with scenic overlooks, shade shelters, and interpretive signs throughout.

Deep craters, towering rock spires, white cliffs, and majestic buttes dominate the sprawling landscape of Canyonlands National Park, the largest of Utah’s national parks. Scenic driving routes, viewpoints, and hundreds of miles of hiking trails offer countless ways to explore the spectacular desert landscape here, whether you’re seeking backcountry adventure or hitting the road for the ultimate Utah road trip.

The walls of the Zion gorge narrow to just 20 feet (6 meters) wide at the Narrows, a hiking route that follows the Virgin River between Chamberlain's Ranch and the Temple of Sinawava. It’s not a trail—hikers walk right in the riverbed, which means wet feet and knee-deep crossings when water levels are high. Along the way, pass awe-inspiring red rock formations that are among the most recognizable sights of the American Southwest.

When Mormon pioneers arrived in the Salt Lake Valley in 1847, Brigham Young, founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), proclaimed, “Here we will build a temple to our God.” That place eventually became known as Temple Square, the centerpiece of which is the Salt Lake Temple—the largest Mormon temple in the world.

The neoclassical Utah State Capitol Building opened in 1916 and is home to the offices and chambers of the state Legislature, governor, and other government officials. The building is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places and features artwork, historical items, and monuments both inside and around the grounds.

These rosy fingers of sandstone jut skyward from the Utah desert, drawing crowds of photographers, hikers, and expert rock climbers. The Colorado River rushes through scenic Castle Valley, where the spires are located, and the Fisher Tower section of the river is a popular destination for white-water rafting.