How To Explore Utah’s Mighty 5 National Parks

Zion National Park is one of the most visited parks in Utah. Plenty of people dedicate a few days to exploring its landscapes, but Zion can easily be done as a day trip from Las Vegas, and while extreme sports, such as ATV adventuring and rock climbing, are big draws for many visitors, Zion is best known as a hiking destination.

Angels Landing is among the most popular hikes in the park, but it’s not for the faint of heart: It’s a 5,790-foot (1,765-meter) ascent up to the top, and you’ll need to hold onto chains for dear life during a section of the hike. Because of its popularity, permits are required, so plan ahead.

Alternatively, if you don't do well with heights, consider hiking The Narrows or Emerald Pools instead. And if hiking really isn’t your thing, but you still want to experience the beauty of the park, you can see a lot of Zion’s prettiest scenery from the comfort of a vehicle on the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive.

Insider tip: Plenty of hiking tours include permits for Angels Landing, and going with a guide is considered a safer way to ascend.

Less than a 2-hour drive from Zion, Bryce Canyon National Park is a high-altitude park that's best known for its “hoodoos”—aka otherworldly limestone pillars in hues of orange and salmon that stretch into the sky. Most visitors spend at least some of their time in the park exploring Bryce Amphitheater, the main section of the park, which is best viewed from four main viewpoints: Bryce Point, Inspiration Point, Sunset Point, and Sunrise Point, all of which connect to the park's main Rim Trail. For a closer look at the massive formations, consider a hike along Peekabooo Loop, a 5.5-mile (8.9-kilometer) trail that starts around a 10-minute drive from the visitor center.

For an option that's easier on the legs, consider Bristlecone Loop, a relatively flat, 1-mile (1.6-kilometer) loop that offers views for miles. While hiking is a main draw, Bryce Canyon also offers stunning stargazing, and its Dark Sky Park status makes it a hit among amateur astronomers, while helicopter tours are a must for photographers.

Did you know?: While most people come during the spring or fall seasons when the weather is ideal for outdoor exploration, the park is a year-round attraction, offering ample opportunities for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing during the winter months.

A 2.5-hour drive northeast of Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef National Park protects a large expanse of natural features and offers excellent opportunities for outdoor adventure with fewer crowds than Bryce or Zion. Thanks to its large variety of geological formations and epic slot canyons, Capitol Reef is a great place for rock climbing and canyoneering, though you can also explore on foot (perhaps with a companion llama in tow) or on horseback.

Of course, you don’t have to be a hardcore outdoorsperson to appreciate what this vast park has to offer. Unlike other national and state parks in Utah, many of Capitol Reef’s highlights are right off the 8-mile (12.8-kilometer) Scenic Drive; audio tours make it easy to find out where to stop without having to take your eyes off the road. (However, photographers looking for the perfect shots may prefer to head out with a photographer guide on a specialized photography tour.)

Finally, for an unusual treat, head to Fruita, an aptly named orchard community just a short drive from the Capitol Reef National Park Visitor Center. Depending on the season, you may even be able to pick your own fruit to take home.

Another 2.5 hours by car from Capitol Reef and just outside Moab, Arches National Park draws in the crowds with its 2,000-odd sandstone arches and its wide range of things to do, from guided hikes to stargazing excursions.

The park’s most famous hike leads to Delicate Arch, which features on the majority of Arches brochures and postcards. While the route is only around 3 miles (4.8 kilometers) round-trip, it's considered strenuous and is best avoided during the heat of the day. For an easier alternative, head to one of two major viewpoints instead—Lower Delicate Arch Viewpoint is just off the road, while getting to Upper Delicate Arch Viewpoint requires taking a moderate half-mile (0.8-kilometer) round-trip hike.

While many people visit Arches as part of a larger Utah road trip, sightseeing tours from Moab mean that you don’t actually need a car to visit. You can see the highlights on a half-day tour or challenge your nerves with a self-drive ATV or UTV adventure. For the best views, consider a flightseeing tour from Moab, most of which soar over both Arches and nearby Canyonland National Park.

A short drive from Arches, Canyonlands National Park offers exceptional landscapes with fewer crowds than its nearby neighbor. This is partially due to its sheer size: Canyonlands is the largest national park in Utah. It’s so big, in fact, that it’s divided into three distinct administrative regions: The Needles, Island in the Sky, and The Maze.

Many visitors stick to Island in the Sky as it's home to the park’s key attraction, the oft-photographed Mesa Arch, while others venture out into more remote areas for off-grid backpacking adventures. And while you can tackle Canyonlands on your own, you may prefer to head out into the vast expanse on a sightseeing tour, especially to hit up the highlights without worrying about your car breaking down.

Backcountry Jeep excursions from Moab are particularly popular and make it easy to access parts of the park that can be a challenge to get to with a regular car, while multi-night tours that also visit nearby Arches National Park frequently depart from Salt Lake City.