How To Fit All Of Utah's "Mighty 5" National Parks In One Trip

Utah has long been a popular destination for those who enjoy adventuring outdoors thanks to its wide-open spaces, stunning landscapes, otherworldly features, and dizzying array of available outdoor activities. There is also unbelievable public access to these outdoor adventure playgrounds, thanks largely to the nearly half dozen national parks found within the state's borders. However, it is not just the sheer volume of parks Utah has to offer, but the fact many of these are on nearly everyone's national park bucket list. Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands, and Arches are collectively known as the Mighty 5. Although each of these parks can command an extended stay on their own, an increasing number of travelers are interested in how to fit all of Utah's Mighty 5 national parks in one trip.

These five national parks run in a nearly perfect diagonal line from Zion in the southwest corner of the state to Arches on the eastern border around the state's latitudinal mid-point. Although not allocating enough time to take in all the available activities is a common mistake people make when visiting national parks, given this trail of parks is around 320 miles end to end, it is certainly possible to take them all in on one trip. If you have an unlimited amount of time you can spend traveling, then there is really no concern. Spend as much time as you please at each park, then move on to the next one. However, given most of us have to fit our vacation plans into a more finite amount of time, it isn't quite that simple. That said, by making a few decisions regarding your travel route and method, as well as the activities you want to partake in, it is possible to fit all of Utah's Mighty 5 national parks into one trip of a week or less.

If you are hoping to travel to each of these five parks in one trip, your only choice once you are on the ground in Utah is to drive. How you get there is another question. If you fly into Salt Lake City and drive down towards the Mighty 5, you'll actually split the route and have to double back in order to see all five. The more direct method of flying is to fly into Las Vegas. From there, you can easily reach the southernmost of the five, Zion National Park, by driving a couple hours to the northeast.

Should you be driving to Utah, you can start at either end of the trail. For the purposes of mapping the route, we'll start on the southwestern end with Zion. Starting at Zion, the drive to Bryce Canyon is just under two hours. Depending on which side of Zion you exit from, you can either take I-15 to Utah 20 and drop down to the park via Utah 12 or go up US-89 to Utah 12. From Bryce Canyon to the next stop, Capitol Reef National Park, the drive is 2 hours if you go via Utah 63 and Utah 22 or 2.5 hours if you take Utah 12 the entire way.

The final two parks take a bit of backtracking to reach. Canyonlands National Park is just over a 2 hour drive from Capitol Reef by taking Utah 24 to US-191S, then taking Utah 313 to the park entrance. If you don't make the turn onto UT-313, you would see the entrance to Arches National Park just a little bit further down US-191S. Given that, you will need to double back on Utah 313 to US-191S to reach Arches. 

Drive time isn't the only factor when it comes to deciding the length of your trip. If you just want to catch a glimpse of each park, you only need a couple days. However, if you are wanting to camp or hike, you'll need to take more time. Planning out which activities you want to do at each park ahead of time will help you set a realistic itinerary.

Hiking is the most popular outdoor activity in Utah. That's certainly a great way to take in the amazing scenery at each of the Mighty 5, as they all offer numerous trails of varying distance and difficulty. You should decide on which trails you want to tackle while planning your trip and keep in mind that some popular trails are often closed due to various reasons. Additionally, given that Utah is home to some of the most dangerous hikes in America and most trails are very remote, it is also a good idea to carry an emergency supply kit like the Brazos First Aid Survival Kit.

Hiking isn't the only activity available in these iconic national parks. Mountain biking, birding, and stargazing are popular pastimes at each. Snowshoeing and cross-country skiing is a big draw during winter at Bryce Canyon. Horseback riding and rock climbing are among the top things to do at both Zion and Capitol Reef. At Canyonlands, you will be able to do all of those things as well as canoeing, kayaking, and whitewater rafting. Driving tours to view and photograph the famous rock formations at Arches National Park are also popular among visitors.