Have you heard of the Utah Mighty 5? This name is used to define a collection of America’s National Parks that all reside within the state borders of Utah. Some of them even make the list of the most visited National Parks in the USA.
What makes them special, besides their obvious natural beauty, is that you can experience all these five national parks in one glorious Utah road trip.
Trust us, it’s an extraordinary experience that should be on everyone’s bucket list.
We spent one month traversing the state of Utah from St George to Moab. We visited several towns, state parks, and national monuments across the state, including the mighty 5 National Parks.
If you’re not sure where to start, you’ve come to the right place. This guide makes planning your road trip easy and we share plenty of valuable information about the Utah Mighty 5.
Don’t leave home without your own: Lonely Planet USA’s National Parks (Travel Guide)
Utah Mighty 5 Road Trip Guide
What are the Mighty 5 in Utah?
Stretching across central and southern Utah, the Mighty 5 refers to five national Parks. This collective also happens to include some of the most visited and impressive parks in the National Park system.
- Zion National Park, Springdale, UT
- Capitol Reef National Park, Torrey, UT
- Canyonlands National Park, Moab, UT
- Bryce Canyon National Park, Bryce, UT
- Arches National Park, Moab, UT
Looking for more National Parks to explore? Read Ultimate USA National Park Bucket List (All 63 parks by state).
What is the Mighty 5 Utah road trip?
The Utah Mighty 5 road trip is an exciting adventure that covers all of the state’s 5 national parks. Most people fly to either Las Vegas or Salt Lake City to start this epic journey. Then, they drive to Zion National Park and end the road trip in Arches National Park.
You can also start the Mighty 5 road trip from Arches National Park and finish it in Zion National Park.
The route depends on your preference and schedule.
Are you planning a road trip? We’ve put together everything you need to know when planning a road trip adventure.
When is the best time to visit the Utah Mighty 5?
The best time to visit the Utah Mighty 5 is during spring (April to May) or fall (September to October). The skies are incredibly blue, and the temperatures are fairly mild during these months.
Winter can be a great time to visit the Utah National Parks too, with snow blanketing the region’s trademark red rock landscapes. Some sections of the parks, however, are closed during this season.
Try to avoid summer. Since school is out, the crowds will be more intense. Not to mention the scorching summer heat which will make hiking more difficult.
If you are going to take away just one thing from this guide is that you should book everything way in advance!
How long does the Utah National Parks road trip take?
You should spend at least seven days exploring the Utah Mighty 5. There’s plenty of driving involved on this road trip, covering around 1,000 miles. On average, you need to drive for a total of 19 hours to complete the entire route.
If you have a flexible schedule, you may want to add a few extra days. Some people even spend a couple of weeks.
We ended up spending an entire month road-tripping around Utah! Our trip included all of the National Parks, along with several National Monuments and State Parks.
Utah’s Mighty 5 National Parks
Zion National Park
Zion is, arguably, the best and most popular national park in Utah. Famous for its red canyons and towering mountains, this national park is a photographer’s dream. What’s more, it features thrilling scenic hikes, including The Narrows, Emerald Pools, and Angels Landing.
Fees
- $35 for each private vehicle
- $20 for every person (if you’re entering the park via shuttle, bike or on foot)
How to Get Around
You drive along the Mount Carmel Highway to get around this national park. There’s also a free shuttle service for park visitors between March and October.
Just park your car in Springdale or at the visitor’s center, and use the free shuttle to get to several lookouts and trailheads.
Did you know? Zion National Park is a great place to visit all year long, it’s true but each month is as different as the next. Here’s a detailed travel guide to the best time to go to Zion National Park.
Top Attractions
- Zion Canyon Scenic Drive
- Observation Point
- The Narrows
Looking for more to do in Zion National park? The Best Things to Do in Zion National Park
Top Hikes
- Angels Landing
- Emerald Pools Trail
- Pa’rus Trail
Accommodations near the Park Entrance
Where to eat near Zion National Park
Another popular city that we stayed in before exploring Zion National Park was St George, Utah and it did not disappoint!
Bryce Canyon National Park
There’s a fascinating and stunning view wherever you turn in Bryce Canyon National Park. From horseshoe-shaped canyons to otherworldly amphitheaters, this park overflows with wonders. It is one of the most unique places you can visit in the world.
Fee
- $35 for every vehicle
How to Get Around
In summer, there’s a free shuttle service that takes park visitors to all of the top attractions in Bryce and, unlike Zion, you don’t have to go on long hikes to visit them. You can also drive around Bryce and drop by all the popular viewpoints.
Top Attractions
- Inspiration Point
- Scenic Drive
- Sunrise Point
Don’t miss anything in Bryce Canyon National Park: Here’s what to do in Bryce Canyon National Park (Top lookouts, trails & drives you should not miss!)
Top Hikes
- Navajo Loop Trail & Queens Garden Trail
- Peekaboo Loop Bryce Point
- Bryce Amphitheater Traverse Bryce Point
If you are into hiking you need to check out our hiking guide to 15 amazing trails in Bryce Canyon.
Accommodations near the park
- Best Western
- Bryce Canyon Lodge (located inside the park)
Where to eat near Bryce National Park
Capitol Reef National Park
Capitol Reef National Park is the most underrated and overlooked park in the Utah Mighty 5 lineup. As you venture into this park, you’ll be rewarded with sweeping views of seemingly endless, twisted landscapes. It is truly a gem, and the crowds generally pass it up in favor of the more famous parks.
That said, we spent 3 days in this park and were busy every day. There is plenty of hiking and history to discover, so it’s worth some time.
Fee
- $20 for every vehicle
How to Get Around
Driving is the only way to get around this park. If you drive along UT-24, you’ll easily spot some of the most notable rock formations in the park for free. To truly see the park, though, take the picturesque drive within the fee area of Capitol Reef.
Top Attractions
- The Wash
- Petroglyphs
- Cassidy Arch
Top Hikes
- Brimhall Natural Bridge
- Cassidy Arch Trail
- Burro Wash
Accommodations near the park
Where to eat near Capitol Reef National Park
Canyonlands National Park
From sublime remote stretches to renowned landmarks, Canyonlands National Park offers a range of travel experiences. It’s also home to the most photographed attraction in the Utah Mighty 5 – Mesa Arch.
This is the type of park that drops your jaw around every corner. Give it the time it deserves, which is more than the one day most allots for their visit. Many viewpoints and trails will offer up some unique vantage points. You’ll also discover petroglyphs.
Fee
- $30 for every vehicle
How to Get Around
Canyonlands is best explored by car and foot. There are no shuttle options.
Top Attractions
- Grand View Point
- Mesa Arch
- Green River Overlook
Top Hikes
- Murphy Loop
- Alcove Spring
- Upheaval Dome
Accommodations near the park
Where to eat near Canyonlands National Park
Arches National Park
They don’t call Arches National Park one of America’s top national parks for nothing. After all, it’s a 73,234-acre park with endless opportunities for adventure. Even better, it has over 1,800 natural stone arches and features balanced rocks, cliffs, and pinnacles.
Everything within the park is also very accessible, meaning many of the sites are a short walk from the parking areas.
Fee
- $30 for every vehicle
How to Get Around
There’s no shuttle service in this national park, meaning you’ll need a car to explore its 18-mile-long picture-perfect road. Pack your hiking boots too, because some of the best parts of the park require some hiking.
Top Attractions
- Landscape Arch
- Balanced Rock
- Windows Section
- Delicate Arch
Top Hikes
- Double Arch and Windows Loop
- Devil’s Garden
- Broken Arch
- Delicate Arch Trail
Accommodations near the park
Where to eat near Arches National Park
Utah Road Trip Itinerary Ideas
Need a little help creating an itinerary for your Utah road trip? Why not check out these suggestions and options?
8-day Itinerary from Las Vegas, Nevada
- Day 1: Arrive in Las Vegas, NV and drive to Zion National Park
- Day 2: Zion National Park
- Day 3: Travel to and explore Bryce Canyon National Park
- Day 4: Travel to and explore Capitol Reef National Park
- Day 5: Capitol Reef National Park
- Day 6: Travel to and explore Arches National Park
- Day 7: Canyonlands National Park
- Day 8: Moab, UT to Las Vegas, NV or Salt Lake City, UT
7-day Itinerary from Salt Lake City, Utah
- Day 1: Arrive in Salt Lake City, UT, and drive to Moab, UT
- Day 2: Arches National Park
- Day 3: Canyonlands National Park and drive to Capitol Reef National Park
- Day 4: Capitol Reef National Park
- Day 5: Travel to and explore Bryce National Park
- Day 6: Travel to and explore Zion National Park
- Day 7: Travel to Salt Lake City, UT or Las Vegas, NV
14-day Itinerary from Salt Lake City, Utah to Las Vegas, Nevada
If you have plenty of time on your hands and want to see other nearby parks, try this trip plan:
- Day 1: Arrive in Salt Lake City, UT, and drive to Moab, UT
- Day 2: Arches National Park
- Day 3: Canyonlands National Park & Dead Horse Point State Park
- Day 4: Travel to Capitol Reef National Park
- Day 5: Capitol Reef National Park and travel to Monument Valley, UT
- Day 6: Monument Valley and travel to Page, Arizona
- Day 7: Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon
- Day 8: Travel to Bryce Canyon National Park
- Day 9: Bryce Canyon National Park
- Day 10: Travel to Zion National Park
- Day 11: Zion National Park
- Day 12: Travel to South Rim of the Grand Canyon
- Day 13: South Rim of the Grand Canyon
- Day 14: Travel to Las Vegas, NV
Not happy with the photos you took on your last adventure? Here’s everything we use to capture our award-winning photos.
Utah National Parks Road Trip Tips
Can’t wait to go on a Utah road trip? Before you start packing your bags, make sure to take note of these pointers.
Protect Your Utah Road Trip
Lastly, taking a vacation of any kind is an investment of your hard-earned money and the last thing you want is to risk a disruption or cancellation that ends with you losing that investment. This is one of the reasons we never leave home without travel insurance.
There are a lot of options out there for insurance, but we use and stand by Allianz Travel Insurance.
That said, we’ve been purchasing plans through them for the past 7 years and they have never let us down. Canceled flights, delayed flights, lost luggage, rental car damage, and a global pandemic, they’ve been there for us.
We always renew their AllTrips Premier annual plan that covers all our trips over 12 months. For single trips, we recommend looking at their OneTrip Prime or OneTrip Premier plans.
This article is sponsored by Allianz Travel Insurance. As ambassadors we receive financial compensation. However, all opinions, stories, advice, and love for road trips in Utah are 100% ours, as always.
Hats, layers, and sunscreen
The shade is limited, and the sun is pretty intense in these national parks. So, don’t forget to apply sunscreen throughout the day as you hike the scenic trails of the Utah Mighty 5. A hat, sunnies, and light layers will come in handy on your Utah road trip as well.
We don’t go anywhere without a few buffs in our backpacks or on us. They are simply amazing for protecting us from all of the elements.
Make sure you pack a good jacket since it’s cold in the mornings and at night. Besides a good jacket, we lived in our down vests also.
Carry a lot of water
Never underestimate the desert. Even on shorter and easier trails, you still need to pack a lot of water. A person should carry a minimum of 1 gallon of water per day. We suggest that you bring a reusable water bottle and fill it up at the visitor’s centers and trailhead water stations. Here are the best travel water bottles on the market and how to choose the right one for you.
Do you have a good travel day pack to carry everything in? Here’s our advice on how to choose the best travel daypack.
Get an America the Beautiful Pass
To save money on admission fees, purchase an America the Beautiful Pass. For only $80, this pass will give you year-round access to all the national parks in the US. Plus, it gives you access to more than 1,500 recreational sites across the country.
Wear a good pair of hiking shoes & socks
Flip flops are fine if you’re just taking the scenic drives within the Utah Mighty 5. But, for longer and more challenging hikes, you need to wear the right pair of shoes. And, we’re not talking about your trendy pair of Nike, Converse, or Skechers.
To avoid slipping over the sandstones, you need to wear a decent pair of hiking shoes or boots with good traction.
Socks are probably the most overlooked thing! Make sure you have a few good pairs with you.
Other tidbits of advice
We strongly suggest if you plan on doing any hikes in the National Parks that you are prepared with a remote GPS unit, cell phones don’t work in most of them.
If you are someone who loves watching wildlife as we do. You should carry a good pair of binoculars.
Every traveler should carry a good headlamp, even if you don’t plan on being out in the dark.
Do you have the right hiking gear? We have put together 40 Hiking Essentials that every hiker should have when out on the trails.
You might also like:
- 13 Best Stops on the Denver to Las Vegas Drive
- What to Do in Kanab, Utah
- 6 Adventurous Things to Do in Park City, Utah
- 15 Best Day Trips from Las Vegas
- Las Vegas to Grand Canyon: The Best Tour Options
