Road-trip guide · Southern Utah
The Ultimate Southern Utah Road Trip: A 10–14 Day Grand Circle Itinerary
The full loop — the Mighty 5 plus Kanab, Escalante, Moab, Page, Monument Valley, and Valley of Fire. The most scenic two weeks in America, from Las Vegas or Salt Lake City.
There is no denser concentration of jaw-dropping scenery in America than the red-rock country of southern Utah and its borders — five national parks, a dozen state parks and monuments, slot canyons, arches, hoodoos, and the most famous river bend on Earth, all within one drivable loop. This is the “Grand Circle”: the trip the Mighty 5 belongs to.
Below is the full 10-to-14-day version, looping from Las Vegas or Salt Lake City — the order, the stops at each base, the permits that sell out, and how to fold in Page, Monument Valley, and Valley of Fire. Doing just the five parks in a week? We have a tighter Mighty 5 itinerary too — but if you have the time, this is the one.
- 1Zion National ParkSpringdale, Utah
Start with the blockbuster — the Narrows, Angels Landing (permit), and the shuttle up the canyon. Lowest and hottest, so go early.
- 2Kanab & the Grand StaircaseKanab, Utah
Basecamp for the Wave lottery, Wire Pass, the Coral Pink Sand Dunes, and the Sand Caves — “the greatest Earth on show.”
- 3Bryce Canyon National ParkBryce, Utah
Walk down into the glowing hoodoo amphitheater on the Queen’s Garden–Navajo Loop. High and cool — bring a layer.
- 4EscalanteEscalante, Utah
Lower Calf Creek Falls, the Escalante Natural Bridge, and the slot canyons (Peek-a-Boo, Spooky, Zebra) off the Hole-in-the-Rock Road.
- 5Capitol Reef National ParkTorrey, Utah
The quiet one: the Waterpocket Fold, Hickman Bridge, Cassidy Arch, and pie from the Gifford House orchard.
- 6Moab — ArchesMoab, Utah
Delicate Arch at sunset, the Devils Garden loop, and a timed-entry reservation in peak season. Corona Arch and Dead Horse Point are next door.
- 7Canyonlands National ParkMoab, Utah
Mesa Arch at sunrise and Grand View Point over a canyon country the size of Rhode Island; the White Rim Road for the bold.
- 8Monument ValleyArizona / Utah
The mittens and buttes of the classic Western, on the Navajo Tribal Park loop drive — a worthy detour south.
- 9Page, ArizonaPage, Arizona
Horseshoe Bend, the light-beam slots of Antelope Canyon (Navajo tour), and Lake Powell below Glen Canyon Dam.
- 10Valley of Fire State ParkNevada
The bookend if you fly Vegas: the Fire Wave, the White Domes, and petroglyphs an hour from the Strip.
The loop, and where to start
It’s a circle, so you can start anywhere — but the two airports are Las Vegas and Salt Lake City. From Vegas, run Valley of Fire → Zion → Kanab → Bryce → Escalante → Capitol Reef → Moab, then drop south to Monument Valley and Page on the way back. From Salt Lake, reverse it, Moab first. Plan on 10 days to do it justice, 14 to do it well, and a high-clearance vehicle if you want the dirt-road gems. Everything Utah holds is gathered on our Utah road-trip hub.
Zion & Kanab
Give Zion a day and a half — the Narrows and, if you win the lottery, Angels Landing. Then base in Kanab, the crossroads of the Grand Staircase: the Wave permit lottery (and its no-lottery neighbor, White Pocket), Wire Pass into Buckskin Gulch, the Coral Pink Sand Dunes, and the Sand Caves above US-89. It’s the best-positioned small town in the Southwest.
Bryce & Scenic Byway 12
Bryce sits 4,000 feet higher and a world apart — walk down into the hoodoos rather than just peering from the rim, and don’t skip the short Mossy Cave trail. Then drive Scenic Byway 12 toward Capitol Reef: an All-American Road over Boulder Mountain and through Escalante’s slickrock, with Lower Calf Creek Falls and the Peek-a-Boo and Zebra slots along the way. Budget half a day for the drive itself.
Capitol Reef & the road to Moab
The least-crowded of the five: the Waterpocket Fold, Hickman Bridge, Cassidy Arch, and fruit from the historic Fruita orchards in season. From Torrey it’s a scenic run east to Moab — the redrock capital and basecamp for the trip’s grand finale.
Moab: Arches & Canyonlands
Two parks from one town. Arches wants an early start or an evening for Delicate Arch (and a timed-entry reservation in the busy months), plus the Devils Garden loop. Canyonlands’ Island in the Sky is minutes away — Mesa Arch at sunrise, Grand View Point, and the legendary White Rim Road. Dead Horse Point and Corona Arch round out a packed couple of days.
The southern detour: Monument Valley & Page
On the loop back, dip south to Monument Valley — the Navajo Tribal Park whose buttes defined the movie West — then over to Page, Arizona for the triple crown of Horseshoe Bend, Antelope Canyon (book the Navajo tour well ahead), and Lake Powell beneath Glen Canyon Dam. Muley Point and the Goosenecks of the San Juan are spectacular free stops in between.
Permits & reservations (the part that sells out)
Several of the best stops are gated and book early — check the current year’s rules for Arches timed entry, Zion’s Angels Landing lottery, the Antelope Canyon Navajo tours, and the famously hard Wave permit lottery. The small-town motels (Kanab, Springdale, Torrey, and the Route 66 stops) also fill in spring and fall, so reserve lodging ahead.
When to go
Spring (April–May) and fall (September–October) are ideal: warm days, cool nights, and the desert at its best. Summer bakes the low parks — Zion, Arches, Canyonlands, and the dunes routinely top 100°F — while winter brings snow and closures to high Bryce. Shoulder season is the sweet spot for both weather and crowds.
Short on time? Just the parks
If you only have a week, skip the Page/Monument Valley/Valley of Fire detours and run the five parks as a tighter loop — that’s our Utah Mighty 5 itinerary. The Grand Circle here is the version for travelers who’d rather go deep than fast.
This loop is a logistics puzzle — five parks, big distances, timed permits, and the best stops hiding between the famous names. That’s exactly what Roamward is built for: drop the route in, map the scenic order, save the arches and overlooks and slots that matter to you, and collect every park and state as you cross them. The greatest red-rock road trip in America, fully planned.
Common questions
How many days do you need for a Southern Utah road trip?
Ten days does the full Grand Circle justice; 14 lets you go deep with the Page, Monument Valley, and Valley of Fire detours and the slot canyons. A week is enough for just the five national parks as a tighter loop.
Should you start a Southern Utah loop from Las Vegas or Salt Lake City?
Both work — it’s a loop. Las Vegas is closest to Zion and lets you add Valley of Fire; Salt Lake City is closest to Moab and the Mighty 5’s east end. Fly into one and out of the other if you can, to skip backtracking.
What is the best time of year for a Southern Utah road trip?
Spring (April–May) and fall (September–October): mild days, cool nights, fewer crowds. Avoid mid-summer in the low desert parks (often over 100°F) and deep winter at high-elevation Bryce, which gets snow and closures.
What permits do you need for Southern Utah?
Depending on the year: a timed-entry reservation for Arches in peak season, a lottery permit for Zion’s Angels Landing, guided-tour bookings for Antelope Canyon, and the very competitive lottery for the Wave. Check each one’s current rules and book early.
What are the must-stop towns on a Southern Utah loop?
Springdale (Zion), Kanab (the Grand Staircase crossroads), Bryce/Tropic, Torrey (Capitol Reef), Moab (Arches & Canyonlands), and Page, Arizona (Horseshoe Bend & Antelope Canyon). Book their lodging ahead in spring and fall.