Southern Utah offers some of the most unique scenery in the world. With red rock twisted into unique shapes, this destination provides multiple things to see and do. I have been planning a road trip to Southern Utah and have put countless hours into the optimal activities to do and sights to see to maximize your time. I planned this 10 day Utah itinerary as a loop so you can begin and end it anywhere along the route.
Sometimes trip planning and reality don’t coexist very well and this was the case for my plan to road trip Southern Utah. Although I wasn’t able to enjoy the trip myself, I thought I would share the results of my days upon days of research into this post, and hopefully, someone else can enjoy the fruits of my labor.
I have researched the best sites to see, day hikes, views, photography spots, camping locations, and exploration in 10 days in Southern Utah. While some of the places I wanted to go are wildly popular, some are off the beaten track, but all of them were thoroughly researched to see if they would be worth my time.
Day 1: Drive to Bryce National Park
Whether you are coming from Los Angeles, Las Vegas, or fly into St. George, give yourself time to get to one of the most interesting spots on the planet. If you can get there before the sun sets, head to sunset point for the best view of the hoodoos in the amphitheater.
Night 1: Camping – Sunset campground or North Campground
Each are walking distance from the amphitheater and provide easy access to make it to sunrise point in time for the (you guessed it) sunrise
Dry camping – there are locations in Dixie National Forest off of Highway 12 just North of the park for options to camp for free!
Hotel: staying in the town of Bryce puts you in close proximity to the park with a few options to choose from on where to stay.
Day 2: Bryce Canyon National Park – Grand Staircase-Escalante Slot Canyon.
This first location is one of the few places on my itinerary that I have been to before. All of Southern Utah is very unique but there isn’t anything quite like Bryce Canyon anywhere else in the world. It is an interesting place that well deserves your attention to visit.
While the amphitheater is certainly worth visiting, the rest of the park is simply complementary and not worth the time to visit in this quick tour. The trail down into the amphitheater is worth the time to hike which can be down on the longer Queen’s Garden Loop, or the shorter Navajo Loop. Visiting during the sunrise makes for a beautiful view as the sun brightens the red rock. Right before you leave for the day, head over to Inspiration Point which is the best vantage point of the Bryce Canyon Amphitheater.
Hopefully you can enjoy Bryce canyon without being rushed but there are so many great things to see! To continue on this road trip, head West on Highway 12 toward Escalante (the town) for an hour and turn right onto BLM 200 or Hole-in-the-rock road. From here, there are some great slot canyons to hike. Slot canyons are an essential aspect of adventure in any Utah trip and make an exciting adventure. Some of the best slot canyons are in Grand Staircase – Escalante National Monument including Peek-A-Boo, Spooky, and Zebra Slot Canyons. Research these three to choose one that best suits you. Based on my preferences of high intrinsic beauty, limited crowds, and sense of adventure, I landed on Peek-A-Boo slot canyon but all of them seem superb options.
Night 2:
Camping: Calf Creek Falls Campground is the nearest campground but I heard it can fill up fast.
Dry Camping: If you want to dry camp within Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument, it is allowed but you will need to obtain a permit at the Cannonville visitor’s center on the way in.
Hotel: the town of Escalante is the nearest town with accommodation options
Day 3: Calf Creek Falls Capitol Reef
Utah certainly isn’t known for waterfalls but the best one in the state is worth a visit. It’s a decent hike to Lower Calf Creek falls coming in at 5.5 miles round trip but the 126 foot falls at the end is the main attraction and can be a great option in the summer amidst the heat of the desert.
As you head North along highway 12, enjoy the scenery as this tops many lists as one of the most scenic drives in the USA. Road trips not only provide the ease and freedom in transportation but also an avenue to enjoy spectacular views in and of themselves.
If you make it to Capitol Reef with time to spare, enjoy the petroglyphs, or the view at Panorama Point or Goosenecks overlook.
Night 3:
Camping: Fruita Campground
Dry camping: if you want the best sunrise view, head down Cathedral Rd and spend the night near Temple of the Sun and Moon for fantastic views.
Hotel: the town of Torrey, at the junction of the 12 and 24 provides a couple accommodation options
Day 4: Capitol Reef – Goblin State Park
If you made it to the Temple of the Sun and Moon to spend the night, get up for the sunrise and enjoy the view! Otherwise it probably isn’t worth driving up just to visit the Temple of the Sun and Moon unless you spend the night. Heading West along the 24 continues your drive curves along colorful rock eventually passing Factory Butte. Though not as famous as Monument Valley or other landmarks in Utah, it is perhaps the oddest location in Utah. If you want to explore Factory Butte and get a closer look you will need 4 wheel drive so venture at your own risk.
Another feature out here is something incredibly curious. Out here in the middle of nowhere on Cow Dung road lies the Mars Desert Research Station which is privately run to simulate life on Mars. Evidently you can drive up and see the facility from the forest service road without trespassing. The bizarre absurdity of it just seems like something fascinating to see. I would love to see some volunteers wandering around the wilderness of Utah in spacesuits!
From there I would head to Goblin State Park which is just another odd feature in the Utah landscape. Although not high on my list of things to see, I don’t think it would take long to take Carmel Canyon Trail and stroll through the oddly shaped rocks.
If you somehow have enough energy or time left in the day, then there is another spectacular slot canyon hike in the Goblin Valley area. Just further down the road is Little Wild Horse Canyon that can be hiked as a loop with Bell canyon. However, I have read that Little Wild Horse is a far better canyon and is probably best done as an out and back hike. The length of the canyon is a 7 mile hike but you could hike as far as you want and then just return back down the way you came.
Night 4:
Camping: Goblin Valley Campground – bonus tip, if it fits in your budget, stay at the Yurt for the coolest glamping experience.
Dry Camping: Off of Wild Horse Road
Hotel: the nearest town is Green River which is further North
If you have the time, you could continue further to Moab.
Day 5-6: Arches National Park.
This small section of Utah has the most arches than anywhere else in the world and also includes the famous Delicate Arch. Other trails include Double Arch, Arches Windows Loop, Broken Arch, Landscape Arch and Devils Garden. This park is high on my list of places to visit so I allotted 2 days to visit many of the arches and hike the trails in this popular National Park.
Night 5-6: Moab or Arches National Park
Camping: There are numerous camping opportunities here whether in Arches NP or along the Colorado River. Stay in Devils Garden Campground in Arches or Grandstaff campground along the Colorado River.
Hotel: Moab is the nearest town with accommodation options.
Day 7: Dead Horse Point State Park, Canyonlands
This is another one of those sights that truly is worth getting up in order to see the sunrise. If you want a great picture, head to Mesa Arch in Canyonlands for a popular sunrise picture. Otherwise, head to Dead Horse Point and enjoy the view!
When you’re ready to move on, continue down the road towards Grand View Point in Canyonlands National Park. This will provide you exceptional views into the Colorado River and Green River Canyons. Take your time at these sights and then make your way to Monument Valley
Night 7: Monument Valley
The View Campground is the only option here at Monument Valley but I’ve heard that waking up to the sunrise as the three buttes light up in the morning rays is an experience not to miss!
Day 8: Monument Valley, Page
Simply enjoy the view or, if you have 4 wheel drive, take the road around the buttes to see them from a different vantage point. Continue on to Page, Arizona for your next stop.
Page is famous for some of the most beautiful slot canyons perhaps in the world. While they are on Indian Reservation land, the prices are more aligned to making a buck as opposed to providing options for anyone to enjoy nature. The price to see some of these canyons is outlandish with no real cheap options. That being said, I believe seeing at least one of these canyons is a must and worth the money. Having researched all the canyons in the area, I still ended up on the most famous canyon in the area, Lower Antelope Canyon. While many others have comparable beauty with fewer crowds, lower antelope still has the best bang for your buck. You can either accept that it will be busy, unless you visit in the off-season, or you can spend triple the money to see another canyon like Secret Canyon which costs $90.
After visiting a slot canyon in the area, I would go next to Horseshoe Bend at sunset. Another option would be to go to Alstrom Point which has the best view of Lake Powell and camp there in in the near vicinity. Alstrom Point is a ways off of the beaten path and will take a couple of hours to reach but the views are unparalleled and certainly worth the journey.
The best view of Lake Powell is Alstrom Point which is well off the beaten path and will take a couple hours to reach but worth the visit.
Night 8:
Camping: Lee’s Ferry Campground seemed to be the best camping option with close proximity to the town of Page. With Indian Reservation land on the South side of the Colorado, they have restricted any camping which reduces your options if you choose to camp.
Dry Camping: Lone Rock Beach Campground allows primitive camping along the shores of Lake Powell North of Page in Utah.
Hotel: Page has numerous accommodation options as a decent sized town
Day 9: The Wave, White Pocket, or Grand Canyon
The Wave is an incredibly popular site but is one of the most difficult places to visit. Permits are required in order to hike the 6.2 mile round trip journey to The Wave with 20 permits handed out a day. In order to gain a permit, you must either enter the online lottery 3 months in advance or go to the walk-up lottery at the BLM office in Kanab. The popularity of the Wave has increased and the probability of winning a permit is minuscule. It is infinitely easier to apply for a permit online as opposed to showing up for the walk-in lottery. That’s why I would recommend going to the BLM office in Kanab to do the in-person lottery which gives you a way higher chance of getting a permit. One complication is that the permits are handed out in the morning for the next day. So, if you are successful and get a permit, you will have a day to kill before you hike to the wave the next day.
Kanab is one hour from Zion National Park and an hour and a half from the Grand Canyon. For the day in between, I would recommend visiting Zion National Park, or, if you don’t have time to visit the Grand Canyon after hiking the Wave, going there.
If you want to stay closer to the area, you could visit Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park or explore the red cliffs on the outskirts of Kanab.
If you don’t get a permit, you can visit White Pocket which lies near the Wave but doesn’t require a permit to reach however you will need 4 wheel drive to get there.
If you don’t have 4 wheel drive or are feeling less adventurous, continue on to the Grand Canyon.
The North Rim of the Grand Canyon is closed in the winter, so if you plan to do this trip during the colder months, ensure that the road to the rim is open or you will need to cut the Grand Canyon out of this trip.
Night 9: Grand Canyon
Camping: North Rim Campground
Hotel: Grand Canyon Lodge -North Rim
Day 10: Grand Canyon, Return Trip
Spend the night at the campgrounds at the North Rim and treat yourself to the sunset and sunrise in the canyon. You can walk out to the Bright Angel Point to really enjoy the scenery of the largest canyon in the world!]
BONUS: Zion National Park
I didn’t add Zion for my own trip because I have gone there recently but it is certainly worth visiting. While the scenery i wouldn’t put as top billing but it has two of the best hikes I have done! If you moderately enjoy hiking you have to do Angel’s Landing and The Narrows. Each are relatively short so are capable to do in a single day. The campgrounds just outside of Zion, Watchman’s and South campground, are in great proximity to the canyon and gets you an easy parking spot as it is required to ride the shuttle into the canyon.
Thus concludes the perfect 10 Day Utah itinerary and I hope my countless hours of research can help you maximize your time to see the best sights and enjoy the coolest hikes as you experience the truly unique Utah scenery!
