Days 1–2

Start in Moab, the recreation hub of southeast Utah. This small town is also the most convenient base for visiting both Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. You can tour Arches in half a day if you take only short hikes to viewpoints; if you want to visit all of the sites along the park road and hike to famed Delicate Arch, you’ll spend most of a day in the park.

Devote Day 2 to exploring Canyonlands’ Island in the Sky District, taking in the astonishing vista points (particularly Grand View Point) and saving time for a hike to the cliff edge. In the evenings, check out Moab’s vibrant nightlife.

Day 3

From Moab, get an early start and drive south on U.S. 191. This day will require quite a bit of driving—roughly 200 miles. Pull off U.S. 191 40 miles south of Moab and drive toward the Needles District of Canyonlands. If you’re short on time, you probably won’t make the trip west to the park itself (it’s 38 miles to the park gate), but at least follow the park access road for 10 miles to Newspaper Rock Historical Monument, one of the finest and most accessible petroglyph sites in Utah.

Return to U.S. 191 and continue south 78 miles, passing the ranching towns of Monticello and Blanding before turning west on Hwy. 95 to reach Natural Bridges National Monument. Often overlooked, this small park is a gem, with three massive rock bridges and an Anasazi cliff dwelling.

Back on Hwy. 95, continue eight miles to the junction of Hwy. 276, then follow this route 40 miles to Halls Crossing Marina on Lake Powell, which offers car-ferry service across the lake. After a half-hour crossing, you’ll reach Bullfrog Marina on the west side of the lake, with accommodations in the Defiance House Lodge.

Day 4

From Bullfrog, you can follow the well-maintained Notom-Bullfrog backcountry road to Hwy. 24 and the entrance to Capitol Reef National Park (80 miles), or you can follow paved Hwys. 276 and 95 to Hanksville and enter the park along Hwy. 24 (117 miles). Either way, you’ll end up in Capitol Reef.

You’ll want to explore the old pioneer town of Fruita, hike to see petroglyphs, and drive the scenic park road. Add a hike up the Chimney Rock Trail or along Capitol Wash.

Torrey, a small town just west of the park, has a profusion of hotels and is the best base for exploring the Capitol Reef area.

Day 5

From Torrey, follow scenic Hwy. 12 south through the Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument. The 61-mile trip between Torrey and Escalante is one of the most scenic routes in all of Utah—don’t plan to drive this in an hour! Take in all the scenery and sights, including a visit to the prehistoric ruins at Anasazi State Park and a hike up dramatic Lower Calf Creek Falls Trail.

Spend the night at a motel in the town of Escalante or at the Escalante Petrified Forest State Park campground.

Day 6

Explore more of the Escalante River canyons. Drive 12.5 miles south from Hwy. 12 and turn onto Hole-in-the-Rock Road to traipse around Devil’s Garden. You can also visit the canyons of Dry Fork of Coyote Gulch, 26 miles south of Hwy. 12. Return to Escalante for the night.

Day 7

From Escalante, continue west 42 miles on Hwy. 12 to Bryce Canyon. Leave the car and spend the day riding the park shuttle to vista points and exploring hoodoos from trailheads along the road.

Camp in the park or stay at the historic park lodge or one of the motels just outside the park entrance.

Days 8–9

Get up in time to see the rising sun light up the hoodoos, then drive west on Hwy. 12 to U.S. 89, and south from there to Hwy. 9. At Hwy. 9, turn west and enter Zion via the dramatic Zion–Mt. Carmel Highway (Bryce to Zion is 84 miles), then find a campsite or check into the lodge or a motel in Springdale. Ride the park shuttle for a quick overview of Zion Canyon.

Spend a second day exploring the canyon and its many enchanting hikes, including the Riverside Walk and the Emerald Pools trails.

© W.C. McRae and Judy Jewell from Moon Utah, 8th Edition