Utah’s five parks, at a human pace
Fourteen days including arrival, transfers, two Moab parks and a weather buffer. Keep a single Moab base for Arches and Canyonlands.
Use this trip →Gateways: Las Vegas arrival / Salt Lake City departure; Springdale, Bryce Canyon City or Tropic, Torrey and Moab bases.
Seasonal planning: Spring and autumn are useful starting points, but Bryce snow and desert heat differ greatly. Check dated entry rules, shuttles and all road conditions; no unpaved backcountry travel is included.
14 days from arrival to departure · 13 nights. Arrival and transfer days are included in the schedule below. Reviewed 2026-10-18.
Travel ranges are editorial estimates before major delays. Confirm the route between your actual overnight addresses. Airport transfers need rental return and airline check-in buffers.
Numbered stops match your list. Overview locations are not entrances; select access points below. No driving route is drawn.
From arrival to departure.
Day 1. Arrive in Springdale
Travel: Las Vegas airport → Springdale: allow 3–4 hours driving before rental pickup and stops; time-zone change applies.
Collect groceries, check shuttle information and settle in. A late arrival may need an airport-area night.
Day 2. Zion Canyon
Travel: Use the canyon shuttle when operating; allow travel and queues.
Follow the Zion canyon field-guide day with Riverside Walk, lunch and an optional short Pa’rus outing.
Day 3. Zion east side
Travel: Allow 1–2 hours local driving before stops.
Use the east-side guide; replace Canyon Overlook with legal pullouts if parking or footing is unsuitable.
Day 4. Transfer to Bryce
Travel: Springdale → Bryce Canyon City: allow 2–3 hours driving before stops via open roads.
Check tunnel and vehicle restrictions. One short viewpoint is optional after settling in.
Day 5. Bryce Amphitheater
Travel: Local driving or seasonal shuttle; parking delays additional.
Choose a short Sunrise–Sunset rim outing if footing is suitable. Below-rim hikes require a separate ability and condition check.
Day 6. Transfer to Capitol Reef
Travel: Bryce Canyon City → Torrey via UT-12: allow 2.5–3.5 hours driving before scenic stops.
Make this a scenic travel day. Check weather and road conditions; skip optional stops if daylight is tight.
Day 7. Capitol Reef’s Fruita district
Travel: Torrey → Fruita: allow 15–25 minutes each way before stops.
Choose visitor exhibits, historic Fruita and a short suitable walk. Scenic Drive and side-road access must be checked; no unpaved backcountry route is assumed.
Day 8. Transfer to Moab
Travel: Torrey → Moab via paved highways: allow 2.5–3.5 hours driving before stops.
Restock and settle in. Use one Moab base for both parks rather than changing hotels.
Day 9. Arches highlights
Travel: Moab → Arches visitor center: allow 10–20 minutes; driving to individual features is additional.
Check entry rules for your year. Choose Windows-area scenery and developed viewpoints; heat and crowds may favor a short early outing.
Day 10. A flexible Arches day
Travel: Choose one district; allow 1–2 hours park driving before queues.
Use this for a longer suitable hike, a weather-delayed visit or a rest morning. Delicate Arch is not assumed appropriate for every group.
Day 11. Island in the Sky
Travel: Moab → Island in the Sky visitor center: allow 40–60 minutes each way before stops.
Choose developed overlooks and a short suitable walk. This plan excludes White Rim Road and other permit / vehicle-dependent backcountry routes.
Day 12. A slower Moab day
Travel: Local outing only; no cross-district drive is required.
Return to a favorite open viewpoint or rest. Do not treat the Needles district as a quick extension of Island in the Sky.
Day 13. Weather and rest buffer
Travel: Keep local travel flexible.
Use this day for a missed park outing, rest, laundry or an optional independently booked activity. Avoid filling every weather buffer in advance.
Day 14. Depart via Salt Lake City
Travel: Moab → Salt Lake City airport: allow 4–5 hours driving before stops, rental return and airport buffer.
Book a late departure or move to the airport area the previous evening. Check one-way rental terms when flying into Las Vegas and out of Salt Lake City.
Have fewer days?
With seven days, choose Zion–Bryce or the Moab parks plus Capitol Reef. With ten days, remove the extra Arches day and Moab rest / weather days, while retaining the transfer days.
The parks along the way.
Zion
3 nights · No separate transfer day · Suggested base: Springdale / nearby gateways
Follow the paths where people have walked for thousands of years. Gaze up at massive sandstone cliffs of cream, pink, and red that soar into a brilliant blue sky. Experience the tall, stretching walls of a narrow slot canyon. Zion’s unique array of plants and animals will enchant you as you absorb the rich history of the past and enjoy the excitement of present-day adventures.
Official park information ↗Seasonal access & reservations
Zion Canyon shuttle access Dates vary
Private vehicle access to Zion Canyon Scenic Drive is restricted while the shuttle operates. Check the published shuttle calendar for your dates; other park roads have different access arrangements.
Before you go: Check shuttle dates and your intended canyon access.
Official guidance ↗ Reviewed 2026-10-18Selected guidance only; separate from climate comfort and current conditions.
Bryce Canyon
2 nights · No separate transfer day · Suggested base: Bryce Canyon City / Tropic
Hoodoos (irregular columns of rock) exist on every continent, but here is the largest concentration found anywhere on Earth. Situated along a high plateau at the top of the Grand Staircase, the park's high elevations include numerous life communities, fantastic dark skies, and geological wonders that defy description.
Official park information ↗Seasonal access & reservations
Winter roads and trails Dates vary
Winter snow closes the Fairyland Point and Paria View spur roads. Some trails close seasonally, and storms can temporarily close the southern scenic drive. Exact dates depend on conditions.
Before you go: Check winter road and trail status.
Official guidance ↗ Reviewed 2026-10-18Selected guidance only; separate from climate comfort and current conditions.
Capitol Reef
2 nights · No separate transfer day · Suggested base: Torrey
Located in south-central Utah in the heart of red rock country, Capitol Reef National Park is a hidden treasure filled with cliffs, canyons, domes, and bridges in the Waterpocket Fold, a geologic monocline (a wrinkle on the earth) extending almost 100 miles.
Official park information ↗Seasonal access & reservations
No reviewed guidance for this selection. Check the park's official planning pages; missing coverage does not establish access.
Selected guidance only; separate from climate comfort and current conditions.
Arches
3 nights · No separate transfer day · Suggested base: Moab
Discover a landscape of contrasting colors, land forms, and textures unlike any other. The park has over 2,000 natural stone arches, hundreds of soaring pinnacles, massive rock fins, and giant balanced rocks. This red-rock wonderland will amaze you with its formations, refresh you with its trails, and inspire you with its sunsets.
Official park information ↗Seasonal access & reservations
2026 entrance reservations Announced · 2026
Advance timed-entry reservations are not required for park entry in 2026. Other activity permits and camping arrangements are separate. This announcement does not establish the policy for later years.
Before you go: Review entry policy and activity-specific permits for your travel year.
Official guidance ↗ Reviewed 2026-10-18Selected guidance only; separate from climate comfort and current conditions.
Canyonlands
3 nights · No separate transfer day · Suggested base: Moab / Monticello
Canyonlands is a wilderness of canyons, buttes, and spires carved by the Colorado River and Green River. The park is divided into four distinct districts; no roads join them together. The districts share similar desert ecosystems, but each one provides unique opportunities for adventure and discovery.
Official park information ↗Seasonal access & reservations
Backcountry road access Dates vary
Rain and snow can change unpaved-road access quickly. Some roads require permits and suitable four-wheel-drive vehicles. Review the district-specific official road report before a backcountry transfer.
Before you go: Check district, vehicle requirements, and road permits.
Official guidance ↗ Reviewed 2026-10-18Selected guidance only; separate from climate comfort and current conditions.