14-day itinerary
Grand Tour of Utah
14-day loop of Utah's five iconic national parks
- Length
- 14 days · 30 sights
- Pace
- Moderate
- Estimated cost
- $1,259 per person
- Based in
- Utah
Day by day
-
Day 1: Arrival in Salt Lake City
Arrive, pick up a car and see the heart of the city.
-
13:00
Arrive and Pick Up Car
Arrive at Salt Lake City International Airport, pick up the rental car and drive 15 minutes to downtown.
About 60 min
-
14:30
Walk the gardens and visitor areas of Temple Square, the headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
About 1.5 hours
-
16:30
Tour the free state capitol on Capitol Hill for its rotunda and the view over the valley.
About 1.5 hours
- Meals:
- Breakfast at En route; Lunch at Downtown Salt Lake City; Dinner at Downtown Salt Lake City
- Where to stay:
- Stay downtown in Salt Lake City.
- Getting around:
- Airport to downtown is about 15 minutes.
-
13:00
-
Day 2: Salt Lake City to Moab
South through Price and Green River to Moab.
-
08:00
Drive to Green River
Drive south on I-15 and US-6 through Spanish Fork Canyon and Price to Green River, about 3 hours.
About 3 hours
-
11:00
John Wesley Powell River History Museum
Learn about Powell's 1869 and 1871 river expeditions on the Green and Colorado rivers. Lunch in Green River after.
About 1.5 hours
-
14:30
Arrive in Moab
Continue about 75 minutes to Moab and settle in.
About 2 hours
- Meals:
- Breakfast at Salt Lake City; Lunch at Green River; Dinner at Moab
- Where to stay:
- Stay in Moab for four nights.
- Getting around:
- About 235 miles, roughly 4 hours of driving.
-
08:00
-
Day 3: Arches National Park
A full day among the arches.
-
07:00
Hike the 3-mile round trip to Delicate Arch early, before the heat. Arches requires a timed-entry reservation for much of the year; check before you go.
About 3.5 hours
-
11:00
Lunch in Moab
Lunch back in town.
About 60 min
-
14:00
Windows Section and Devils Garden
Walk the Windows loop and Double Arch, then Landscape Arch in Devils Garden.
About 3 hours
- Meals:
- Breakfast at Moab; Lunch at Moab; Dinner at Moab
- Where to stay:
- Moab.
- Getting around:
- Arches entrance is 5 minutes north of Moab.
-
07:00
-
Day 4: Canyonlands and Dead Horse Point
Island in the Sky and a state park sunset.
- 06:30
-
08:30
Drive to Grand View Point and Green River Overlook, and walk to the Upheaval Dome viewpoint.
About 3 hours
-
12:30
Picnic Lunch
Picnic in the park; there is no food for sale in Island in the Sky.
About 60 min
-
17:30
Watch the sunset over the Colorado River's gooseneck from Dead Horse Point. Separate state park fee.
About 2 hours
- Meals:
- Breakfast at Moab; Lunch at Picnic; Dinner at Moab
- Where to stay:
- Moab.
- Getting around:
- Island in the Sky is about 40 minutes from Moab.
-
Day 5: Moab Arches and the River Road
Corona Arch and the Colorado River on Scenic Byway 128.
-
08:00
A 3-mile round trip off SR-279 to the 140-foot span of Corona Arch, with a short cable and ladder section.
About 2.5 hours
-
11:00
Lunch in Moab
Lunch in town.
About 60 min
- 13:00
- 14:00
- Meals:
- Breakfast at Moab; Lunch at Moab; Dinner at Moab
- Where to stay:
- Moab.
- Getting around:
- Fisher Towers is about 50 minutes from Moab on SR-128.
-
08:00
-
Day 6: Goblin Valley to Torrey
West through the San Rafael country to Capitol Reef's gateway.
-
08:00
Drive to Goblin Valley
Drive about 2 hours via I-70 and SR-24.
About 2 hours
-
10:00
Wander freely among thousands of mushroom-shaped sandstone hoodoos. Day-use fee.
About 2 hours
-
12:30
Hike into this slot canyon just past Goblin Valley; an out-and-back of a mile or two shows the narrows. Avoid it when rain threatens.
About 3 hours
-
16:30
Drive to Torrey
Drive through Hanksville and along the Fremont River on SR-24 to Torrey.
About 60 min
- Meals:
- Breakfast at Moab; Lunch at Picnic; Dinner at Torrey
- Where to stay:
- Stay in Torrey for two nights.
- Getting around:
- About 4 hours of driving in total.
-
08:00
-
Day 7: Capitol Reef National Park
Orchards, a natural bridge and a canyon walk along the Waterpocket Fold.
-
08:30
A 1.8-mile round trip climbing about 400 feet to a 133-foot natural bridge.
About 2 hours
-
11:00
Pioneer orchards, the Gifford Homestead (famous for its pies) and the petroglyph panel on SR-24.
About 1.5 hours
-
12:30
Picnic in Fruita
Picnic under the orchard trees.
About 60 min
-
14:00
Drive the Scenic Drive to its end and walk into Capitol Gorge past the Pioneer Register.
About 2.5 hours
- Meals:
- Breakfast at Torrey; Lunch at Fruita; Dinner at Torrey
- Where to stay:
- Torrey.
- Getting around:
- Fruita is about 15 minutes east of Torrey.
-
08:30
-
Day 8: Scenic Byway 12 to Escalante
Over Boulder Mountain and along the Hogback.
-
08:30
Boulder Mountain and the Hogback
Drive SR-12 over Boulder Mountain's aspen forest to Boulder, then along the Hogback ridge.
About 2.5 hours
- 11:30
-
16:00
Arrive in Escalante
Check in and dinner in town.
About 60 min
- Meals:
- Breakfast at Torrey; Lunch at Picnic; Dinner at Escalante
- Where to stay:
- Stay in Escalante.
- Getting around:
- Torrey to Escalante is about 65 miles.
-
08:30
-
Day 9: Bryce Canyon
The hoodoo amphitheater from the rim and below it.
-
08:00
Drive to Bryce Canyon
About an hour west on SR-12.
About 60 min
-
09:00
Navajo Loop and Queen's Garden
A 3-mile loop below the rim. Remember the 8,000-foot elevation on the climb out.
About 3 hours
-
12:30
Lunch at Bryce
Lunch in Bryce Canyon City.
About 60 min
-
14:00
Rim Viewpoints and Rainbow Point
Drive to Rainbow Point and stop at overlooks on the way back.
About 2.5 hours
- 18:00
- Meals:
- Breakfast at Escalante; Lunch at Bryce Canyon City; Dinner at Bryce Canyon City
- Where to stay:
- Stay near Bryce Canyon.
- Getting around:
- About 50 miles from Escalante.
-
08:00
-
Day 10: Kanab and the Pink Dunes
South on US-89 to Kanab.
-
09:00
Drive to Kanab
About 80 miles south on US-89 through Long Valley.
About 1.5 hours
-
10:30
Old western film sets and memorabilia from the decades when Kanab hosted Hollywood.
About 1.5 hours
-
12:30
Lunch in Kanab
Lunch in town.
About 60 min
-
14:00
Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park
Climb the pink dunes, formed from eroded Navajo sandstone. Day-use fee.
About 3 hours
- Meals:
- Breakfast at Bryce; Lunch at Kanab; Dinner at Kanab
- Where to stay:
- Stay in Kanab.
- Getting around:
- The dunes are about 30 minutes west of Kanab.
-
09:00
-
Day 11: Into Zion
Zion's east side, then the main canyon.
-
08:30
Drive to Zion
About an hour via Mount Carmel Junction on SR-9.
About 60 min
-
09:30
A 1-mile round trip above the east end of the Zion–Mount Carmel tunnel.
About 1.5 hours
-
12:00
Lunch in Springdale
Lunch in Springdale.
About 60 min
-
13:30
Ride the free park shuttle; the road is closed to private cars for most of the year.
About 2 hours
- 15:45
- Meals:
- Breakfast at Kanab; Lunch at Springdale; Dinner at Springdale
- Where to stay:
- Stay in Springdale for two nights.
- Getting around:
- Large vehicles need a tunnel permit.
-
08:30
-
Day 12: The Narrows
Wading the Virgin River.
-
07:30
From the Temple of Sinawava, follow the Riverside Walk and wade upstream; no permit is needed to Big Spring. Closed when flow is high; check the flash-flood forecast. Angels Landing needs a permit from the lottery if you want it instead.
About 5 hours
-
13:30
Lunch in Springdale
Lunch in Springdale.
About 60 min
- 15:00
- Meals:
- Breakfast at Springdale; Lunch at Springdale; Dinner at Springdale
- Where to stay:
- Springdale.
- Getting around:
- Shuttle to Temple of Sinawava.
-
07:30
-
Day 13: St. George
Southern Utah's warm corner.
-
09:00
Drive to St. George
About an hour southwest via SR-9 and I-15.
About 60 min
-
10:00
Red and white Navajo sandstone with black lava flows; try the Lava Flow or Petrified Dunes trails. Day-use fee.
About 3 hours
-
13:30
Lunch in St. George
Lunch downtown.
About 60 min
-
15:00
St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site
Fossil tracks discovered in 2000, displayed where they were found.
About 1.5 hours
- Meals:
- Breakfast at Springdale; Lunch at St. George; Dinner at St. George
- Where to stay:
- Stay in St. George.
- Getting around:
- St. George to Springdale is about 45 miles.
-
09:00
-
Day 14: Return to Salt Lake City
North on I-15.
-
08:00
Drive to Salt Lake City
About 300 miles and 4.5 hours on I-15, with a break in Cedar City or Beaver. Alternatively, fly out of St. George or drive 2 hours to Las Vegas.
About 5 hours
- Meals:
- Breakfast at St. George; Lunch at Cedar City or Beaver; Dinner at Salt Lake City
- Where to stay:
- Departure.
- Getting around:
- Fuel up before the long stretches.
-
08:00
