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Big 5 National Parks in Utah | A Utah National Parks Overview
The big 5 national parks in Utah, or Utah’s mighty five, are epic national parks that bring you to some of the craziest scenery in the southwest.
Canyons full of color, red rock formations that leave you wondering, “How on earth”, and towering red walls that you could just sit and stare at for days await you in the big 5 national parks in Utah.
Our first trip through Utah in 2014, we visited each of the national parks in Utah, but did so rather quickly. This quick road trip only left us wanting more, and we’ve since been back to all five of Utah’s national parks, many of them more than once.
Let’s dive into a wee highlight reel of Utah’s Big 5, but first, a map of the Utah national parks, followed by the highlights all with links to more in-depth information about each of the national parks.
Big 5 National Parks in Utah Map
Arches National Park
The National Park in Utah That’s All Over License Plates
Opening Times | year-round
Ticketed Entry | yes, April-October | Find out more about ticketed entry here
Location | Moab, Utah | 38.73308, -109.59251
Top Things to Do in Arches National Park
- Sunset Hike at Delicate Arch
- Check Out The “Window” View
- Marvel Beneath Double Arch
- Drive the Scenic Road
- Star Gaze in the Dark Night Sky
Getting to Arches + Where to Stay
Closest Airports | Grand Junction, Colorado (regional) or Salt Lake City (international)
Where to Stay | Moab, Utah
Where to Camp | We recommend camping within the park, however, reservations are hard to come by. Alternatively, there are some great free campsites around Moab!
Arches National Park is maybe the most famous national park in Utah thanks to Delicate Arch decorating license plates throughout the state. There’s only one road through Arches National Park leading to multiple viewpoints and short hikes to arches and interesting rock formations.
Most hikes in the heart of Arches National Park are relatively short, and you can see a lot of the park’s main attractions just by driving the scenic route through the park.
More on Arches National Park
Our First Trip to Arches National Park | A Great Short Arches Itinerary
Zion National Park
Towering Red Rock Walls
Opening Times | year-round
Ticketed Entry | no
Location | Zion National Park | 37.2982, -113.0263
Top Things to Do in Zion National Park
- Take the Free Shuttle Up Zion Canyon
- Secure a Permit and Hike Angel’s Landing
- Overnight Trek Up The Narrows
- Marvel At the Red Rock Cliffs
- Sunrise at the Canyon Overlook
Getting to Zion National Park + Where to Stay
Closest Airports | St. George (regional) or Las Vegas (international)
Where to Stay | Springdale, Utah
Where to Camp | We recommend camping within the park if you can snag a reservation. Alternatively, there are some great free campsites around Zion!
At Zion National Park, you’re swept away with the towering cliffs all around. The park itself sits at the bottom of the canyon, making the red walls seem larger than life.
A free shuttle takes visitors up the canyon, stopping at the park’s most famous points. While Zion has some pretty extreme hikes, there are also easy strolls along the river and short hikes to waterfalls and viewpoints. And honestly, just riding the shuttle through Zion Canyon will leave you oohing and awing.
Climbers take on the face of Zion’s red rock walls, and extreme hikers trek up a river famed as The Narrows hike, while those without fears of hikes, and lucky enough to secure a hiking permit, can take on Angel’s Landing.
Read More On Zion National Park Here
The Perfect Two Day Itinerary for Zion National Park
Driving From Zion to Bryce Canyon | Duration + Best Stops Along the Way
Canyonlands National Park
Live on the Edge of Life Overlooking a Land of Canyons
Opening Times | year-round
Ticketed Entry | no
Location | Moab, Utah | 38.21357, -109.90253
Top Things to Do in Canyonlands National Park
- Sunrise at Mesa Arch
- Check out the View from Shafer Canyon Overlook
- Hike to Grand View Point
- Drive the Grand View Point Road
- Stand in Awe at the Green River Overlook
Getting to Canyonlands + Where to Stay
Closest Airports | Grand Junction, Colorado (regional) or Salt Lake City (international)
Where to Stay | Moab, Utah
Where to Camp | You can camp within the park. Alternatively, there are some great free campsites just down the road!
Our first time at Canyonlands National Park, we basically just did sunrise at Mesa Arch, then drove to the end of the road through the park and left. We didn’t really see the hype of Canyonlands at all.
Our second time in the park, we really took the park in. We did a couple of hikes and were just blown away with how insane the views are from each of the canyon overlook spots. It truly is something you have to see to believe.
The road leading into Canyonlands National Park is the exact opposite of Zion National Park. Instead of being down in the canyon, the entire easily drivable area of Canyonlands sits on the mesa above the canyons. This is great for views, but not so great for those looking to hike.
If you want to hike at the base of the canyon, most of the trails are pretty long and strenuous. However, hikes on the mesa, like Grand View Point trail offer hiking on top of the canyon with insane views down the canyon ledge.
For visitors with off-roading vehicles, driving White Rim Road or Shafer Trail Road is said to be amazing experiences through the canyons of Canyonlands National Park.
More on Canyonlands
Capitol Reef National Park
The Underdog of the Big 5 National Parks in Utah
Opening Times | year-round, but partially closed when floods are a potential
Ticketed Entry | no
Location | Capitol Reef National Park | 38.08773, -111.13549
Top Things to Do in Capitol Reef National Park
- Find the Petroglyphs and arch on Utah 24
- Drive Utah 24
- Drive Down the Gorge (Scenic Drive)
- Sunset at Sunset Point
- Pick Fruit in Fruita If Season Allows
Getting to Capitol Reef + Where to Stay
Closest Airports | Salt Lake City (international)
Where to Stay | Torrey, Utah
Where to Camp | You can camp within the park. Alternatively, there are some great free campsites just down the road!
Capitol Reef is the least crowded park of Utah’s 5 national parks. While it’s not as insane as the other parks, it’s still super pretty! The main attractions in Capitol Reef are the two scenic drives (listed above).
Scenic Drive, the road that leads down to the gorge is a beautiful drive, however, is impossible to do when heavy rains have been in the area. Our first time to Capitol Reef National Park, we couldn’t do this drive due to potential flash flooding. When we returned to Capitol Reef years later, it was easy to see why.
Multiple spots along Scenic Drive are wash areas. In fact, it’s a bit otherworldly driving down Scenic Drive, knowing how many washes you pass. But it’s worth it. The final bit of the 10-mile drive is through a beautiful gorge, and some of the best hiking in Capitol Reef awaits you.
Utah 24 is the highway cutting through Capitol Reef National Park, and you’ll feel as though you’re in the movie cars. With multiple pullouts, be sure to pull over when you want to take in the views. And don’t miss hiking Gooseneck Trail and Sunset Point off of Highway 24, as both offer killer views!
More on Capitol Reef National Park
Want to rent a car so you can go 4 x 4 ing in Capitol Reef? Check out prices here.
Bryce Canyon National Park
Hoodoos + Insane Orange Spires
Opening Times | year-round, but partially closed due to snow in winter
Ticketed Entry | no
Location | Dixie National Forest | 37.59303, -112.18708
Top Things to Do in Bryce Canyon National Park
- Sunrise at Sunrise Point
- Sunset at Sunset Point
- Drive the Scenic Drive to Rainbow Point
- Hike in the Hoodoos
- Stargaze in the Exceptionally Dark Skies
Getting to Bryce Canyon + Where to Stay
Closest Airports | Cedar City (regional) Salt Lake City (international)
Where to Stay | Bryce Canyon City, Utah
Where to Camp | You can camp within the park, which is what we recommend, as free camping is far away. Find some free campsites in the Dixie National Forest if paying for camping isn’t in your budget.
Bryce Canyon National Park is an amphitheater of hoodoos. What are hoodoos you ask? They’re insane red rock spires, and there are loads of them. While there are other places in the world with hoodoos, Bryce Canyon offers the most concentrated amount we’ve seen!
Hiking in the hoodoos is an absolute must to get up close and personal with the crazy spires. Navajo Loop is an easy trail going through the hoodoos passing by the most famous formations. It’s a steep hike down into the canyon, but once you’re in it, the hike is easy.
Driving to the end of the scenic drive on the top of Bryce Canyon is worth being able to stop at all the viewpoints. We recommend heading to the end first, then stopping at the viewpoints on the way back. In doing this, you won’t have to cross over traffic so many times!
If you’re ever going to wake up for sunrise, make it sunrise over the Bryce Canyon Amphitheater. The morning light offers the most brilliant glow throughout the hoodoos and certainly shouldn’t be missed!
More on Bryce Canyon National Park
A Simple, Yet Packed Bryce Canyon Weekend
13 Simple Yet Epic Ways to Get the BEST Photos in Bryce Canyon
Driving From Bryce Canyon to Zion National Park | don’t miss these stops
The Big 5 National Parks in Utah Ranked
- Zion National Park
- Bryce Canyon National Park
- Arches National Park
- Canyonlands National Park
- Capitol Reef National Park
Yes, we put the underdog last, but we had to! Although, shoot, the fewer crowds at Capitol Reef National Park make us want to bump it up on the list.
All of Utah’s National Parks offer jaw-dropping landscapes and views that will just blow your mind. Utah is one of our favorite states, and the big 5 national parks in Utah play a huge role in making it that.
The Complete Big 5 National Parks in Utah List
This list of Utah’s national parks isn’t a complete to-do list in each one. In fact, most of the parks have second entrance areas that are less visited than the areas we talk about above.
Be sure to read through the extra guides on each park to get a full look into all that these 5 national parks offer.
We’d also recommend purchasing Your Guide to the National Parks by Michael Joseph Oswald. We’ve had ours for ten years, and use it so often it sits in the front door of our van. It’s a great book with maps of each park and most of the hikes and other things to do within each national park too.
Roadtripping Through Utah? Check Out These Posts
Hot Springs in Utah | some are closer to the national parks than you think!
3 Days of Camping Meals | easy to make, little clean up, and perfect for the road
Finding Free Campsites | a list of all the ways we find epic free campsites across the states
Car Camping Checklist | our 10+ years of experience make this the ultimate camping checklist
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