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Road trips · Utah
Utah road trips & hidden gems.
Utah is red-rock overload in the best way — five national parks of arches, hoodoos, and slot canyons, plus the Wasatch peaks above Salt Lake. Spring and fall beat the desert heat. Few places on earth pack this much landscape into one state.
Best time to visitSpring & fall (beat the heat)
Don’t missSunrise at Delicate Arch
Gem Hunt nominees10 candidates
Hikes19 curated
Scenic drives5
Worth-the-detour corridors
Drives through Utah
Ranked city-to-city drives that cross Utah — each with honest +N min detours on the shelf.
Gem Hunt nominees
What locals say you shouldn’t miss.
Community-nominated candidates. Add yours and vote to help choose the first published finalists.
Spiral Jetty
Robert Smithson's 1,500-foot coil of black basalt curls into the pink-tinged shallows of the Great Salt Lake's remote northern shore, reached by a long gravel road past Golden Spike.
Mystic Hot SpringsUp in little Monroe, mineral water bubbles into a row of vintage cast-iron bathtubs perched on a travertine hillside, each one stained orange by decades of soaking — reserve ahead.
Goblin Valley State ParkA whole desert basin of squat, mushroom-shaped sandstone hoodoos that look like a goblin army frozen mid-march, out in the San Rafael badlands near Hanksville, where you can roam off-trail.
Hole N' The RockFifteen miles south of Moab, a 5,000-square-foot, 14-room home one couple spent a dozen years dynamiting out of a solid sandstone cliff, with a kitschy guided tour and a petting zoo out back.
Gilgal Sculpture GardenTucked behind houses in a Salt Lake City neighborhood, a quiet half-acre of one man's stone dreams — a sphinx wearing Joseph Smith's face and boulders engraved with scripture — free and strange.
Carl's Critter GardenA free, gloriously oddball yard of metal critters and dinosaurs welded from old car parts and scrap, on Hanksville's main drag — a perfect leg-stretch between Capitol Reef and Goblin Valley.
The big ones
National parks in Utah.
The bucket-list landscapes — when to go and what not to miss.
Arches
Best: Spring & fall · Don’t miss delicate arch at sunset.
Bryce CanyonBest: Late spring–early fall · Don’t miss sunrise over bryce amphitheater.
CanyonlandsBest: Spring & fall · Don’t miss mesa arch at sunrise.
Capitol ReefBest: Spring & fall · Don’t miss the scenic drive into the cliffs.
ZionBest: Spring & fall · Don’t miss angels landing & the narrows.
Explore by interest
Everything else worth a stop in Utah.
Start with a few highlights, choose one interest, or explicitly open the full state guide.
Showing General guide and Scenic routes highlights. Choose a category or Show all for the full state guide.
Scenic drives
Scenic routes through Utah.
The National Parks Highway (US 89)Flagstaff, AZ → Glacier, MT · ~1,500 miles (with park detours)Route →Utah Scenic Byway 12Bryce Canyon → Torrey, UT · ~124 milesRoute →Zion–Mount Carmel HighwayZion Canyon → east entrance, UT (UT-9) · ~12 milesRoute →Monument Valley (US-163)Mexican Hat, UT → Kayenta, AZ · ~45 milesRoute →The Lincoln Highway (US 30)Times Square, NY → Lincoln Park, San Francisco, CA · ~3,400 milesRoute →
More worth the detour
The general guide to Utah.
Museums, monuments, historic sites, and local-only stops from Roamward's shared place map.
Best Friends Animal Sanctuary
The nation's largest no-kill animal sanctuary in Angel Canyon; free guided tours and a vegan cafe with canyon views.
Brigham Young Winter HomeRestored 1870s winter residence with free guided visits.
Little Hollywood Movie MuseumFree outdoor museum of props and set pieces from Kanab's decades as a Western film location (Gunsmoke, The Outlaw Josey Wales).
Red Cliffs Desert Reserve62,000-acre desert-tortoise reserve ringing St. George; visitor center downtown.
Snow Canyon State ParkRed-and-white sandstone cliffs, petrified dunes, lava flows, and desert trails form a quieter counterpoint to nearby Zion outside St. George.
St. George Dinosaur Discovery SiteIn-situ Early Jurassic dinosaur trackway with skin impressions, enclosed at Johnson Farm.
Boots on
Best hikes in Utah.
From family-easy to bucket-list — trails worth the detour, great for the RV & camping crew.
Angels Landing (Zion)
chains to a knife-edge summit; permit required
Cassidy Arch (Capitol Reef)a wash hike to a walk-on-top arch
Corona Arch (Moab)a giant freestanding arch with a fun slickrock walk
Delicate Arch (Arches)the state’s iconic arch — go at sunset
Devils Garden (Arches)eight arches including Landscape Arch
Escalante Natural Bridgeriver crossings up the Escalante to a 130-ft natural bridge
Beyond the parks
Wild lands in Utah.
National forests, wilderness, and monuments — the big scenic public land between the parks and the gems.
Bears Ears
Red-rock canyons and ancestral cliff dwellings.
Grand Staircase–EscalanteSlot canyons and the great geologic staircase.
DinosaurA cliff of dinosaur bones and wild river canyons.
Cedar BreaksA high-altitude amphitheater of red hoodoos.
Glen Canyon / Lake PowellSlickrock canyons and the maze of Lake Powell.
Wasatch-UintasThe Wasatch above Salt Lake & the High Uintas.
Bucket-list wonders
Scenic landmarks in Utah.
The iconic slot canyons, overlooks, and rock formations — and how you actually get to visit each one.
Goosenecks
Five river miles inside one mile of canyon.
Monument ValleyThe mittens and buttes of the classic Western.
Toadstool HoodoosBalanced-rock hoodoos on an easy desert walk.
Bonneville Salt FlatsA blinding-white salt plain and land-speed mecca.
Spiral JettyRobert Smithson’s 1970 earthwork on the Great Salt Lake.
Coral Pink Sand DunesWind-blown pink dunes between Zion and the Wave.
Where to wake up
Camping in Utah.
The most scenic places to pitch a tent or park the rig — each with how to reserve and how RV-friendly it is.
Watchman
Camp under the Watchman in Zion Canyon.
Devils GardenCamp among the slickrock fins of Arches.
Goblin ValleyA valley of hoodoo “goblins” you can roam.
Dead Horse PointA 2,000-foot overlook of the Colorado’s gooseneck.
Valley of the GodsFree camping among red sandstone monoliths.
Gooseberry MesaFree mesa-top camping & world-class slickrock riding.
Raise a glass
Breweries, distilleries & wineries in Utah.
The trip-worthy taprooms, distilleries, and wine country.
Epic Brewing
a Salt Lake brewery known for its bold, barrel-aged Big Bad Baptist.
High West Distillerya ski-in saloon distillery, the first legal Utah distillery since 1870.
Ogden’s Own Distillerya craft distillery anchoring Ogden’s historic 25th Street.
Squatters Craft Beersa downtown Salt Lake brewpub, one of Utah’s craft-beer originals.
Uinta Brewinga wind-powered Salt Lake brewery with a wide, full-strength lineup.
Wasatch Brewerya tongue-in-cheek Park City brewpub (Polygamy Porter).
Where to eat
Road-trip dining in Utah.
Restaurants, diners, and food halls that fit the drive — curated by town, not scraped from a phone book.
Canyon Smokehouse
Smokehouse plates in Bluff, a stronger meal stop on the US-163 approach to Monument Valley.
Comb Ridge Eat and DrinkA Bluff cafe stop for the east end of the Monument Valley approach, especially good when the drive folds into Bears Ears country.
Twin Rocks CafeA Bluff cafe under twin sandstone towers, well placed for the US-163 and Bears Ears side of the route.
Burr Trail GrillSeasonal roadhouse at the junction of Byway 12 and the Burr Trail, flipping serious burgers and house-made pie. The perfect lunch hinge between Escalante's canyons and Capitol Reef.
Hell's Backbone Grill & FarmJames Beard-nominated farm restaurant run on Buddhist principles in a town of 250 — one of the most celebrated rural restaurants in America. Seasonal (open for 2026, dinner Thu–Mon); book before you commit to the drive.
Sweetwater KitchenFarm-fresh kitchen at Boulder Mountain Lodge pairing seasonal, locally driven plates with sweeping high-desert views near Grand Staircase-Escalante.
Snow season
Best ski resorts in Utah.
Big-mountain steeps, all-mountain variety, and family hills.
Park City
the largest single ski resort in the United States.
Deer Valleyimmaculate grooming and skiers-only luxury.
Snowbirdsteep, deep Little Cottonwood — the "Greatest Snow on Earth".
Altaa skiers-only powder mecca, the soul of Utah skiing.
Brightona no-fuss, locals’ Big Cottonwood favorite with great night skiing.
Solitudequiet, uncrowded Big Cottonwood powder, true to its name.
Knobby tires
Best mountain biking in Utah.
Trail systems, bike parks, and gravel routes.
Slickrock Trail
the world-famous petrified-dune loop, the original test piece of Moab.
The Whole Enchilada7,000 ft of descent from alpine to slickrock, a bucket-list shuttle ride.
Mag 7 (Magnificent 7)a flowy point-to-point linking seven trails above the canyons.
Park City / Deer Valleyan IMBA Gold-level network plus lift-served downhill at Deer Valley.
Gooseberry Mesatech slickrock on a mesa with huge Zion-country views.
Brian Head Bike Parkthe highest lift-served bike park in the West, over 10,000 ft.
Soak it in
Best hot springs in Utah.
Resorts, historic bathhouses, and wild primitive soaks.
Mystic Hot Springs
soak in vintage bathtubs on a travertine hillside.
Homestead Craterswim and even scuba inside a 55-ft-deep limestone dome.
Fifth Water (Diamond Fork)a 4.5-mile hike to turquoise pools and a hot waterfall.
Meadow Hot Springsclear, deep desert pools on private land open to the public.
Crystal Hot Springsa family pool complex with one of the highest mineral contents anywhere.
Chasing water
Best waterfalls in Utah.
From roadside stops to bucket-list hikes — easy ones flagged for the RV & family crew.
Bridal Veil Falls (Provo)
a soaring double cascade right off the road in Provo Canyon.
Stewart Fallsa graceful two-tier fall below Mount Timpanogos.
Lower Calf Creek Fallsa desert oasis fall and green pool in Grand Staircase–Escalante.
Battle Creek Fallsan easy Wasatch-front fall above Utah Valley.
Donut Fallswater pours through a hole in the rock in Big Cottonwood Canyon.
Faux Fallsa surprising man-made desert fall near Moab.
Tee it up
Public golf you can book in Utah.
Hurricane · $$$$ — Top in state
Washington · $$$
St. George · $$$
Hurricane · $$$
Lehi · $$$
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