American West Road Trip Itinerary: Southern Utah, 6 National Parks
Southern Utah Itinerary
Start / End
Las Vegas, Nevada
States Covered
UT
AZ
NV
National parks
Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Moab, Monument Valley, Grand Canyon & Zion
Total Distance
1,200 Miles (1,900 KM)
Suggested Days
At least 12-16 days
Suggested Seasons
All seasons, but Spring & Fall are the best
#ThisIsMyRoute
Overview
The route that we have chosen for this American west road trip is a loop that leaves from and arrives back in Las Vegas, Nevada. It takes you to six national parks and multiple national monuments. This trip is ideal for people visiting the US for the first time, families with children, hardcore adventurers or honeymooners. There’s really no perfect itinerary–just follow the general route and make it your own! It can be adjusted to fit any need that your group is looking for.
Preparation
While you could technically take this American West road trip at any time of the year, spring and fall seasons have the most moderate weather, but larger crowds. If you choose to visit in the quieter summer or winter, just be prepared to deal with the heat or possibly the snow, and make sure you’ve brought appropriate clothing and gear. That being said, the desert looks incredibly beautiful when it snows!
Ideally, you would give yourself at least 14 days for this trip. There’s not a ton of driving, so it could be done in less than 14, but you might regret quickly passing through many of the stops.
Itinerary
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA
ST. GEORGE
2 HOURS – 118 MILES/303 KM
St. George isn’t just known for its close proximity to Zion National Park. In fact, we suggest that you save Zion for the end of the trip when you stay in Springdale. St. George is a beautiful city nestled between red rocks in the heart of Greater Zion and there’s plenty of outdoor activities to burn your energy from that your flight and drive. There are over 668 mountain biking trails and the annual Red Bull Rampage, which is basically the Super Bowl of mountain biking. If you didn’t bring your bike, there are plenty of bike shops in town that rent them for a day rate.
Most unique hike:
ELEPHANT ARCH
Best experience for the whole family:
HORSEBACK RIDING AT SNOW CANYON STATE PARK
Most unique adventure:
SPELUNKING AT BLOOMINGTON CAVE
CEDAR CITY
1 HOUR – 53 MILES/85 KM
Cedar City is a beautiful stop for photographers, hikers, mountain bikers and skiers. It’s only a 30 minute drive from Cedar Breaks National Monument, a vibrantly red natural colosseum. Cedar City is also home to Utah’s two highest ski resorts–Brian Head and Eagle Point.
For history buffs and Shakespeare fans, Cedar City is a good place to take a break from the outdoor adventures and experience some indoor culture, such as the annual Utah Shakespeare Festival.
Best short hike in Cedar Break NM:
THE RAMPARTS OVERLOOK
Best long hike in Cedar Breaks NM:
RATTLESNAKE CREEK TRAIL
PANGUITCH & BRYCE CANYON
1 HOUR – 66 MILES/106 KM
Finally, here’s where you’ll visit your first national park on the trip: Bryce Canyon. A 3-day itinerary for Bryce Canyon Country might be enough for you, but check out all the activities to decide how many days you’d like to stay. For an authentic western adventure, go horseback riding and then go out for a chuckwagon dinner.
Don’t miss this place:
GRAND STAIRCASE ESCALANTE NATIONAL MONUMENT
Most popular hike in Bryce Canyon:
QUEEN’S/NAVAJO COMBINATION LOOP
Best place to ride a horse:
PANGUITCH LAKE HORSEBACK TRAIL
Point of interest:
ROCKIN R’ COWBOY & DUDE RANCH
CAPITOL REEF
2 HOURS – 118 MILES/190 KM
Next, you’ll drive to Fruita and visit Capitol Reef National Park. This park is unique because of its rich history, one-of-a-kind geology, and the Fremont River, which supports plant and animal life that aren’t often seen in the desert. If you’re in Capitol Reef Country between April and October, definitely go fruit picking in the orchards that were planted by early Mormon settlers: cherries, peaches, pears, apples, and more. Also be sure to stop in Caineville and Hanksville on your way to Moab to get a taste of what an authentic western small town is like.
Best place to go fruit picking:
THE FRUITA ORCHARDS
Point of interest:
HICKMAN BRIDGE IN CAPITOL REEF
MOAB
2.5 HOURS – 144 MILES/232 KM
Ready to knock two more national parks off your list? Great, because you’ll want to spend a few days here in order to visit Arches NP and Canyonlands NP. Arches is known as being the park with more than 2,000 delicate, red-sandstone natural arches, while Canyonlands is known for its dramatic, expansive landscape that was carved by the Colorado River and includes rock pinnacles, remote canyons, and Native American rock paintings.
Best place to see indigenous rock paintings:
HORSESHOE CANYON
Most popular activity:
MOUNTAIN BIKING
SAN JUAN COUNTY
1 HOUR – 55 MILES/88 KM
As you drive through the Four Corners area, you might be wondering what you can do next that isn’t hiking or mountain biking, as there’s a lot of that in Utah. The answer is rafting! Take a family-friendly three-day rafting trip on the San Juan River. There are three wonderful towns on along your route: Monticello, Blanding and Bluff, where you can grab food and set up base camp to explore the surrounding parks like Bears Ears National Monument. If you’re a climber, or someone who just loves desert towers, you won’t want to miss Indian Creek!
Best place for photographs:
GOOSENECKS STATE PARK
Well-known rafting outfitters:
OARS RAFTING GUIDES
Best activity for all ages:
EDGE OF THE CEDARS STATE PARK
Most classic spot to grab a bite to eat:
SHAKE SHACK IN MONTICELLO
MONUMENT VALLEY
1.75 HOURS – 93 MILES/150 KM
You can’t do an American west road trip without visiting Monument Valley–it’s iconic. Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park is quite possibly one of the most iconic destinations of the American wild West, located on the Navajo Nation and the border of Utah and Arizona. We recommend staying at least one night here to experience stars above the towers at night and hopefully wake up to wild horses roaming in the morning. There’s a lot of history to learn about this area of the country and much more to explore in Monument Valley than just what you’ve seen from Hollywood.
For the campers:
THE VIEW CAMPGROUND, EL CAPITAN VALLEY CAMPGROUND, MUSTANG VALLEY CAMPGROUND
For the hotel-stayers:
THE VIEW HOTEL
For those in between:
MONUMENT VALLEY TIPI VILLAGE OR THUNDER BIRD TIPI
A must-do activity:
HORSEBACK RIDING
KANAB
3.25 HOURS – 197 MILES/317 KM
The drive to Kanab will be your longest yet, but it also has some amazing stops along the way to break it up. About an hour outside of Kanab you’ll drive through Page, Arizona, where you can access Lake Powell, a large reservoir with slot canyons on the Colorado River. Although Kanab is a small town, seemingly in the middle of nowhere, it’s been featured in hundreds of Western movies and was given the title “Little Hollywood” in the 1940s. You can visit the museum, attend their chuckwagon dinner, and view old movie sets. Another state park to check off your list: Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park. Sounds amazing, right? It is.
Must-see landmark along the way:
HORSESHOE BEND
Don’t want to miss:
TAKE A GUIDED TOUR OF GLEN CANYON DAM
A worthy hiking/backpacking stop:
PARIA CANYON-VERMILLION CLIFFS WILDERNESS AREA
Family-friendly roadside attraction:
TOADSTOOLS HOODOOS
GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK
1.5 HOURS – 80 MILES/130 KM
Want to visit the Grand Canyon National Park without all of the crowds or the heat of the summer? Drive to the north rim of the canyon and back, which is doable in a day if you’re staying in Kanab. There’s a visitor’s center, a scenic drive, and many hikes available to you. This entry point is closed during the winter months due to snow.
Best hike into the canyon:
BRIGHT ANGEL POINT TRAIL
SPRINGDALE & ZION NATIONAL PARK
2.5 HOURS – 121 MILES/195 KM
It’s your last and final stop before you head back to Las Vegas. Springdale, which is just outside the entrance to Zion National Park, is the perfect basecamp if you’re planning on spending a few days exploring Zion. The park is one of the busier ones, so be prepared with an itinerary before you become overwhelmed with options and people.
Best place to learn about history:
ZION HUMAN HISTORY MUSEUM
From Springdale, Utah, it’s about a 2 hour and 45 minute drive back to Las Vegas, where you’ll catch your flight home after a long and adventurous road trip through the desert. Make sure you shake off all that red dirt before hopping on the plane!
