Zion | Bryce | Capitol Reef | Arches | Canyonlands | Grand Canyon 

This is the itinerary we used for a 10 day trip to National Parks in Utah and Arizona. We were able to visit 6 National Parks as well as a few other places throughout this trip. We visited these National Parks in this order: Zion, Bryce, Capitol Reef, Arches, Canyonlands, and The Grand Canyon. This trip makes one giant loop starting and ending in Las Vegas.

Our children were 12 & 14 when we did this trip. Their ages were great for this as we had planned a very hiking intensive trip. You could certainly bring younger kids on this trip, but may need to adjust some of the hikes & mileage that you plan to get in.

This itinerary was planned around our visit during the month of March. We loved going at this time of year because the crowds were very low and the mountains were beautiful with their snowy caps. The temperatures were chilly, but with the right clothes and gear we stayed very comfortable the whole time. Getting to hike on a few icy covered trails made the adventures that much more fun! Plus, we avoided the extreme heat and sun of the summer months.

If you have less than 10 days, you could easily make this a week long trip by cutting out The Grand Canyon and just returning back after your visit to Moab. If you have the extra time, we would definitely recommend going for the entire loop if you can!

Happy hiking, friends!

General Trip Info

• Our travel dates: March 9-18
  • Temperatures in the parks ranged from 20 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Brought crampons (spikes) for our boots that we had to use a couple of times.
  • Shuttles were not yet running in Zion and Bryce this time of year, they were running in Grand Canyon.
• Transportation: Flew into and out of Las Vegas (LAS) and rented a car from there.

Itinerary

Day One (Wednesday)

• We arrived at LAS at about 9am local time and picked up rental car at the airport.
• We ate lunch at a nearby In-N-Out Burger and then picked up some groceries at Target in the same shopping center. 
• We drove to Zion which took 3 hours.
• We checked into Zion Lodge in the park. We definitely enjoyed staying in the park as it gave us direct hiking access right from our door to many trails including Angels Landing.
• We had dinner this evening at the Zion Lodge restaurant.

Day Two (Thursday)

• We hiked Angel’s Landing to Scout’s Outlook first thing in the morning.
  • About 4 miles total out and back that takes about 3 hours with steep elevation changes.
  • We didn’t do the last half mile part on the trail which is more dangerous where you use chains to hike along the ridge. This may or may not be for kids depending on the weather – there was a heavy snowstorm at the top the day we were there so we weren’t able to access the trail any further. 
  • Used our crampons for icy parts near the top.
  • Starting in April 2022, you have to get permits to do this hike so plan ahead if you want to hike this trail.
  • If you stay at the lodge, you can walk to the trail head straight from the lodge via the Grotto Trail. 
• After a little rest and a picnic lunch at our cabin, we hiked the Emerald Pools Trail.
  • About 3 miles and takes about an hour.
  • Easy hike and you get to walk behind a waterfall. 
• Both of these trails were just across the road from our cabin so we were able to hike straight out from our room.
• This evening we drove the short drive into town to pick up our rental gear for our hike the next day. While in town, we had dinner at Whiptail Grill. The food and service were both excellent.

Day Three (Friday)

• We hiked The Narrows first thing in the morning.
  • You want to get to this parking lot as early as possible because it will fill up (we got there at 7:00am).
  • The morning we hiked it was 19 degrees Fahrenheit, but with our dry suits we stayed perfectly comfortable the entire hike.
  • We rented dry suits and hiking poles from Zion Adventure Company. We saw other hikers that only had the dry bibs from Zion Outfitter (the dry bibs look a little easier to get on and off so we might try that next time instead). The suits included a full body suit, socks, and boots.
  • If you are hiking during warm weather you will not need a dry suit. However, we do still recommend renting one of the poles. The poles really help you navigate over rocks especially in deeper water.
  • Be prepared for water as much as waist deep for adults.
  • We hiked bottom up about 3 miles in and then back.
  • We ate a lunch we had packed along the way. We brought waterproof book bags to carry our lunches in. (You can also rent these bags.)
  • The whole hike, including about a 20 minute lunch, took about 4 hours.
  • If you go when it’s cold, we would recommend packing extra gloves in case yours get wet (especially if you have kids as they tend to “accidentally” get their gloves wet often). 
  • After our hike, we drove back into town to return our gear. We visited a shop called Hoodoos to get some ice cream. They also had a small cafe area, so we picked up some pizzas to go and brought them back to our cabin for dinner.
  • The rest of the evening we showered, packed up our bags, and got to bed early for the next day’s travel.

Day Four (Saturday)

• We left Zion at 7:30am and drove to Bryce Canyon NP via highways 9 and 89 which took about 2 hours. We stopped for gas in Mt. Caramel.
• We arrived to the Bryce Visitor Center about 9:30am. We watched an educational movie about the canyon there and left about 10:30am to drive to the Sunset Point trail head to check out the views. We ate a picnic lunch in the car from our groceries. 
• After lunch, we hiked Queen’s Garden Trail and Navajo Loop.
  • We hiked the loop clockwise and it was about 3 miles and took 2 hours.
  • Includes views of Thor’s Hammer formation.
  • The trail was very muddy when we hiked it.
• We drove the entire scenic drive to Rainbow Point and stopped at several outlooks on the drive back.
• We drove into Bryce Canyon City and stopped at Ruby’s Inn General Store for some groceries and souveniers. 
• We drove about 10 miles to the town of Tropic and ate at IDK Barbecue for dinner. 
• We drove back to Bryce Canyon City and checked in at the Best Western. They have a pool and hot tub outdoors. The pool was closed while we were there, but the hot tub was open.
• The lodge inside the park wasn’t open for the season yet while we were there. Staying at a hotel outside the park for this location was easy as the hotel was very close to the park and there were low crowds and plenty of parking for trail heads.

Day Five (Sunday)

• We got up early to watch the sunrise at Sunrise Point in Bryce Canyon NP. We were treated to a herd of mule deer who were there checking out the early morning as well.
• We left Bryce Canyon around 8:30am. We took scenic highway 12 to Capitol Reef. Along the way, we stopped at a little outpost in Boulder for a coffee and bathroom break. It was about 2.5 hours from Bryce to Capitol Reef.
• We picked up Subway sandwiches in the town of Torrey just before Capitol Reef.
• We visited the Capitol Reef visitor center and did the scenic drive to the end of the park. You have to pay for this part (or have a NP park pass) and could skip it unless you want to hike Cassidy’s Arch.
• After the drive, we visited Petroglyph Pullout. We had picked up a petroglyph book at the Zion visitor center and our kids had a good time using the book to figure out what the petroglyph symbols represented. We were glad to have brought our binoculars to be able to see the drawings in more detail.
• We hiked the Hickman’s Bridge trail. It was about 2 miles total out and back and took about an hour. There were fun rock structures to climb over.
• We left Capitol Reef to drive to Moab which took about 2.5 hours.
• We stayed at a Best Western in the town of Moab. There are many lodging options in Moab, but we had a great experience and would recommend the Best Western.
• The hotel had a coin laundry room, so we had the kids help us do laundry this evening (life skills!). We also enjoyed the hotel hot tub and heated pool.
• We had dinner at nearby Glenda’s restaurant which everyone loved.  

Day Six (Monday)

• We left at 8:30am to drive to Arches NP (about 10 minutes from Moab). We would suggest arriving at the park on the earlier side as there was already a very long line of cars to get in (although there was also a bike race in the park the day we were there which probably made traffic worse). 
• We drove to the end of the park to Devil’s Garden trailhead and hiked to Landscape Arch. The hike was about 2 miles total out and back and took about an hour.
• We ate a lunch we had packed in a nearby picnic area.
• After lunch, we hiked Delicate Arch – the highlight of the park and a must do!
  • The hike was about 3.5 miles total out and back and took about 2 hours.
  • If you only do one hike in Arches, we would recommend this one.
  • There is plenty of area near the Delicate Arch to sit and enjoy the view. We stopped here for a while to take photos, have a snack, and watch the chipmunks run around.
• Our kids were tired after this point in the day. We drove back to Moab and I stayed back with the girls while my husband drove back to Arches to explore a few more trails on his own including the Windows Trail. This trail is about a mile and only took 30 minutes.
• In town, the girls and I did a little souvenir shopping around town and had coffee.
• Note: after the visitor center near the park entrance, there is no food or running water in this park. Bring plenty of water (especially if it’s hot), food, and sunscreen with you to the park. There are porta-potty type bathrooms with hand sanitizer at most of the trail heads. 
• In Moab, we walked from our hotel to Fiesta Mexicana restaurant for dinner. It was crowded so expect a little bit of a wait unless you go early.

Day Seven (Tuesday)

• We left the hotel at 8:30am to drive to Canyonlands NP which is about 35 minutes from Moab. I have heard that getting there early to see the sunrise is amazing. Our crew didn’t have the energy for a super early morning rise, but I would definitely try to do that next time.
• We hiked the Mesa Arch Loop which is about a 0.5 mile loop that takes less than 30 minutes. This is the place to see the sunrise if you get there in time.
• We drove to Green River and Grand View Point Overlooks. We ate a packed lunch at a picnic area in the park.
• We hiked Whale Rock which is about 1 mile total out and back and takes about 30 minutes.
• We hiked to both viewpoints at Upheaval Dome which was about 1.5 miles total out and back that took about an hour.
• Note: There is no food or running water in this park. Bring plenty of water (especially if it’s hot), food, and sunscreen. There are porta-potty type bathrooms with hand sanitizer at most of the trail heads. 
• After leaving Canyonlands NP, we went to Dead Horse State Park which is about 20 minutes away on the way back towards Moab.
  • There is a small visitor center here with bathrooms.
  • We went to the Colorado River Overlook (the highlight of this park).
  • You have to pay a $20 entrance fee for the park that isn’t covered by the National Parks pass.
• We drove back to Moab and had dinner at a food truck rodeo area in town. Then we packed up to get ready for travel the next day.

Day Eight (Wednesday)

• We left this morning to drive to Grand Canyon NP.
  • We went via US-163 to drive by Monument Valley and stop at Forrest Gump Point for pics (where Forrest ends his run).
  • Along the way, we ate at Amigo Cafe in Kayenta, AZ where you could eat Navajo food. We had the Navajo Tacos. The food was great, but it took a while here.
  • The trip took about 5.5 hours and we saw a lot of tumbleweeds.
• Upon arriving at the Grand Canyon, we stopped at the first overlook at Watchman Tower after entering the park. 
• We drove to the South Rim Village and checked into Kachina Lodge in the park. We would definitely recommend staying in the park if at all possible. The view from our room overlooked the Grand Canyon and we could walk right out the door to trail heads nearby.
• We ate dinner at Fred Harvey Burger which is just in the next building over from Kachina Lodge.
• Note: if you are eating at one of the dine-in park restaurants, I would go and put your name down early and then they will text you when your table is ready. It was a 1.5 hour wait when we were there. If you eat at Fred Harvey, 1000% get the cookie with ice cream for dessert (it’s huge). There is also a fancier steakhouse restaurant which requires advance reservations (we did not eat here, but plan ahead if you want to have a nicer meal).

Day Nine (Thursday)

• In the morning, we drove to the main visitor center (just a few minutes away). We parked our car here, and then took a shuttle to South Kaibab trailhead. We hiked down to Ooh Aah Point and back. The hike is about 1.8 miles total and takes about one hour. There is a horse stable here and our kids enjoyed seeing the horses after our hike.
• We took the shuttle bus back to our car, and then drove back to our lodge. We had lunch in our room from our groceries.
• In the afternoon, we hiked from the Bright Angel trailhead to the first rest house.
  • The trailhead for this hike is just outside the Kachina Lodge area.
  • We hiked about 3 miles total which took about 2 hours.
  • The trail was very icy, so we used our crampons for most of the trail.
  • We saw a mule train hiking up the trail and also a herd of mountain goats.
  • There is a bathroom on the side of the canyon at mile 1.5.
  • Note: this trailhead was right outside of our lodge, but you would likely need to ride a shuttle bus over to this area if you are not staying inside the park. There are several shops/small museums/historical buildings/restaurants in this area as well. 
• We explored some shops and historical sites had Canyon Crunch ice cream at the fountain after our hike.
• For dinner, we walked over to the Maswik Food Court in the park.
• We packed our bags to prepare for travel the next day.

Day Ten (Friday)

• We left Grand Canyon NP at 9:00am to start the trip back to Las Vegas. The drive back takes about 4.5 hours (not counting stops).
• We stopped in the city of Kingman to eat lunch at In-N-Out Burger.
• Around 2:00, we stopped at the Hoover Dam for about an hour to explore.
  • We walked and drove across the dam.
  • We paid to park on the Nevada side and went to the gift shop.
  • The visitor center has paid tickets you can get to explore further in the dam (we did not do this), but they will stamp NP passport books here. Definitely stop here for a stamp if you have a passport book – you will just have to ask them!
• We arrived in Las Vegas around 3:00pm and drove to the iconic “Welcome to Las Vegas” sign.
  • We had to wait about 30 minutes to get a picture directly in front of the sign. You could kind of go to the side of the sign and take pictures anytime if you didn’t want to wait for an up front spot. There was someone there who would use your camera to take photos for you. They didn’t charge, but a tip is expected. You could also take your own photos if you preferred, but this was a good option if you wanted a whole group photo.
• We had planned to explore a little more in Las Vegas, but by this point in the trip we were all pretty exhausted (in a good way!) and ready to head home. We ended up just driving up and down the famous strip for a while and looking at the sites before heading back to return our rental car.
• We had dinner in the airport while waiting for our flight back home.

General Notes

• We would definitely recommend hiking boots/shoes as opposed to tennis shoes for these hikes. There were a lot of muddy and slick areas (slick may not apply in the summertime) and rocky terrain. 
• We picked up groceries in Las Vegas and then again in Moab so we could pack snacks and picnics for the trail. We had brought a soft sided cooler bag in our luggage that was easy to pack that we could use to keeping groceries during our trip. Pack or buy some ziplock bags to fill with ice for the cooler.
• Most hotels/lodges/visitor centers have good water bottle filling stations, but it’s a good idea to keep an extra jug of water in your car too, especially if it’s going to be really hot. 
• It worked well for us to pack clothes for the first half of the trip, wash all of our laundry in Moab, and then rewear everything for the second half of the trip.
• Moab was a cute little town to explore. They have a lot of options here for more adventures like ATV cars you can rent, bicycles, etc. We would definitely look into some of these adventure options if going in warmer weather.
• As our visit was in March, temps varied so we wore layers everyday and would often be shedding layers hiking uphill and then putting layers back on at other times. Just be sure to check temperatures before you go to pack accordingly. 
• The total miles we drove on this trip was around 1450. 
• Be aware that you will be crossing state lines and the time zones will change several times. It just so happened that Daylight Saving Time also happened during our trip which made it even more complicated. Be sure to check which time zone you will be in each leg of your trip.

Check out my favorite tips for visiting National Parks here!

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.