The Utah Mighty 5 National Parks
Utah is an absolutely amazing state. The “Mighty 5” National Parks – Zion, Bryce, Capitol Reef, Arches, and Canyonlands – are an incredible road trip. And many people also combine some or all of the Utah parks with the Grand Canyon, Antelope Canyon, or several incredible parks in the area. There are limitless ways to create an epic Southwest itinerary.
My son and I just completed the Utah Mighty 5 for spring break, and I will say, it’s VERY easy to overpack your itinerary and cram too much in. The Mighty 5 in 8 days is aggressive.
Was it jam-packed? Yes.
Would I do it again? Yes.
Would I recommend it to most people? The Mighty 5 – absolutely. In 8 days – Probably not.
But the great thing is, there are so many ways to design an itinerary depending on your pace and travel schedule, and the season. There are options for upscale glamping, like Under Canvas, or even luxury, transparent domes where you can have some of the best
stargazing in these certified dark skies from the comfort of your own very comfortable bed. Cable Mountain Lodge or the Cliffrose in Springdale, Utah, are beautiful properties with epic red rock mountain views from your balcony. Whether you love hiking or would rather do short walks, scenic drives, and jeep rides, there’s a way to structure the Mighty 5 for any activity level. My son quickly declared it
“so much better than Disney.”
Zion National Park
Zion is probably most famous for the Narrows. You literally hike in the Virgin River with cliff walls towering thousands of feet above you on both sides. The best part is you can go as little or as far as you like, so it doesn’t have to be as exhausting as it may sound.
I’ve seen fairly young kids absolutely loving this. And if hiking in water doesn’t sound like your thing, you can do the easy, paved trail to the entrance of the Narrows, where the scenery is still stunning. In the Spring, the water is cold, so most people rent dry
bibs, which work amazingly well. In the summer, I’d definitely recommend the specialized shoes and hiking stick. Beyond the Narrows, Canyon Overlook, and Emerald Pools offer short hiking options, and just driving through the park is an amazing experience. There are also jeep and canyoneering tours catering to every adventure level.
Bryce National Park
I personally think Bryce is one of the most underrated gems of our national park system. My son was absolutely in awe looking at the hoodoos. What impressed him the most was that this wasn’t a hike or drive to see a certain lookout; you are literally surrounded
by these unique views everywhere in the park.
You can stick to the flat rim trail and the look-out points for an easy experience. If you don’t mind climbing down and up, you can walk in and around the hoodoos (with options from 2 to 6+ miles) and have 360-degree views at almost every step.
Capitol Reef National Park
Capitol Reef sits in the middle of the Mighty 5. Highway 12 between Bryce and Capitol Reef is often considered one of the most beautiful drives in America. Capitol Reef has a little bit of everything that the Mighty 5 is known for – towering cliff walls, slot canyons,
arches, and hoodoos. Unique to Capitol Reef is the Fruta district, where you can pick your own fruit or stop at the famous Gifford House for amazing pie. The strawberry rhubarb pie was one of the culinary highlights of our trip.
I also had one of the best burgers of my life from a food truck here. Why hasn’t anyone else thought to put Mac and Cheese on top of a burger? My son is still raving about it.
Capitol Reef Resort, right outside the park, offers everything from upscale cabins to teepees and Conestoga wagons for a truly unique stay with amazing views. Between Capitol Reef and Moab, I’d highly recommend a slight detour to Goblin Valley State Park. It’s one of the few places where you are allowed and encouraged to climb on the hoodoos. It’s truly a playground for kids.
Arches National Park
Moab is the gateway town to Arches National Park and the lesser-known Canyonlands National Park, which round out the Mighty 5. There’s a reason that Delicate Arch is on the Utah license plate. It’s truly iconic at sunset. And like most things in the Mighty 5,
you have options depending on your adventure level. You can hike 3 miles round-trip to Delicate Arch or take an easy, 100-yard wheelchair accessible path to a lookout.
The Devil’s Garden area also provides a number of short, easy walks to see a number of Arches.
Moab is also very well known for off-roading adventures. You can mountain bike, rent your own UTV, or take a guided tour of Hell’s Revenge, which is what we did. Letting a very experienced guide do the driving lets you go on the epic obstacles, where it feels
like you are defying gravity. In fact, the first thing our tour guide said to my son was, “Do you know what gravity is? Well, forget what you know.” Despite the sharp angles, it’s surprisingly not scary, and they take kids of all ages. And yes, that picture was staged; my son didn’t drive, but that was a pretty realistic angle for what we did.
Canyonlands National Park
Canyonlands is the least visited of the Mighty 5, and it’s enormous. It’s divided into 3 districts: Island in the Sky, The Needles, and The Maze. Island in the Sky is the most accessible from Moab and the most visited. You can easily cover the highlights, including Mesa Arch and the most famous lookouts, in a half-day or spend days on some epic trails in the less-visited part. The adjoining Dead Horse State Park also has some great views, and is frequently overlooked.
When to Go
Spring and fall are the ideal times for a Southwest trip, but summer absolutely works for part of this. Summer is the perfect time to hike the Narrows and skip the dry bibs. Slot canyons are significantly cooler than the surrounding area, so those types of tours are still great in the summer heat. Bryce National Park is at 6,600 feet of elevation and is very comfortable in the middle of summer with highs in the upper 70s/low 80s. I would definitely avoid Moab in the summer unless you love 100-degree weather.
If you are looking for breathtaking scenery without an international flight, I can’t recommend Utah and the Southwest enough. You can have some truly unique experiences, and it isn’t all about hiking. If you don’t like crowds, Runway Travel has access to “local heroes” to get you truly off the beaten path, and these immersive experiences can be tailored to any activity level.
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