A Guide to National Parks in Utah

Arches National Park

What makes Arches National Park special

Landscape Arch
, located in the popular
Devils Garden
hiking area, is the longest natural arch in the United States and the fifth-longest in the world, at 290.1 feet!
This 73,000-acre sandstone wonderland is home to countless animals, including kangaroo rats and desert bighorn sheep. 

What to do in Arches National Park

Hiking: Arches’
hiking trails
range from a 20-minute wheelchair-accessible around the base of the gravity-defying Balanced Rock to a nearly 8-mile trek along the Primitive Trail in Devils Garden. 
Stargazing: The arches aren’t the only stunning part of this landscape—the night sky is another major draw. Head into the park on your own, or catch a ranger-led
stargazing event
. 
Junior Ranger Program: Visiting with kids? Be sure to pick up a
Junior Ranger
booklet and an Explorer Pack. 
Scenic drives: Opt for one of the popular
auto touring routes
past Delicate Arch and The Windows—or, if you’ve got a 4WD vehicle with high clearance, strike out on one of the park’s unpaved roads. 

When to visit Arches National Park

Bryce Canyon National Park

What makes Bryce Canyon National Park special

The park has the largest concentration of hoodoos—irregular rock spires—anywhere on earth. 
Bryce Canyon isn’t actually a canyon! It’s named for Mormon homesteader Ebenezer Bryce, who lived in the area in the late 1800s. 

What to do in Bryce Canyon National Park

Backcountry camping: For a $5 fee per person, you can
hike into the forests of the Paunsaugunt Plateau
and camp overnight. 
Horseback riding: Want to ditch your horseless carriage for a slowed-down view of the landscape? Take
a guided horse or mule tour
. 
Bryce Canyon Geology Festival: Rock nerds, take note: Bryce Canyon’s
annual geology festival
takes place in the summer. 
Hiking: “Fairyland Loop” and “Peekaboo Loop” might not sound difficult, but they’re among the park’s
most challenging hikes
.  

When to visit Bryce Canyon National Park

Canyonlands National Park 

What makes Canyonlands National Park special

The Island in the Sky: Named for a mesa that rises 1,000 feet above the desert, this area is the most accessible part of the park. 
The Needles: Look no farther than the sharp sandstone spires in the park’s southeast corner to understand where this rugged district gets its name. 
The Maze: For self-sufficient adventurers, the Maze is Canyonlands’ most remote area. 

What to do in Canyonlands National Park

Hiking and backpacking: In addition to a healthy crop of
hiking trails
for every difficulty level, Canyonlands permits
backpacking
in all three districts. 
Boating: The rivers are what make Canyonlands what it is—and you can explore them up close with
a private permit
. 
Auto touring: Offroading is not permitted, but if you’ve got a 4WD vehicle with high clearance, you can tackle Canyonlands’ hundreds of miles of
unpaved roads.
 

When to visit Canyonlands National Park

Capitol Reef National Park

What makes Capitol Reef National Park special

Capitol Reef Park was originally known as “Wayne Wonderland” for the county where it’s partially located, but it was renamed for a series of white sandstone domes that resemble the US capitol rotunda. 
The word “reef” in the park’s name comes from early European pioneers, who saw the vast barrier of the Fold as a kind of reef on land. 
In
2015
, Capitol Reef Park was officially designated as an International Dark Sky Park. 

What to do in Capitol Reef National Park

Fruita Historic District: From scenic drives, hiking, and camping to ancient petroglyphs and a preserved homestead,
Fruita
truly has everything.  
Remote driving tours: If your vehicle has high clearance, you can take a drive through the beautiful wilderness of
Cathedral Valley
or the
Waterpocket District
—no four-wheel drive required!
Orchards: If you come at the right time of year, you could pick
heirloom fruits from orchards
planted over a hundred years ago by Mormon settlers.  

When to visit Capitol Reef National Park

Zion National Park

What makes Zion National Park special

In 2009, Barack Obama signed a bill designating 124,406 acres of the park as the
Zion Wilderness
. 
Zion’s steep cliffs, along with those of Bryce Canyon National Park, form part of the
Grand Staircase
, a colossal sequence of rock formations stretching south to the Grand Canyon. 

What to do in Zion National Park

Hiking: The park’s
most popular hiking trails
are in Zion Canyon, but you can also find gorgeous and challenging hikes in Kolob Canyons and in the low-lying southwestern desert area. 
Birding: There are
291 distinct bird species
in Zion National Park, from the adorable Mexican Spotted Owl to the critically-endangered California Condor. 
Canyoneering and rock climbing: Get a
Wilderness Permit
or an
Overnight Climbing Permit
to explore the canyon in the most hands-on way possible. 

When to visit Zion National Park

How to prepare to visit Utah’s national parks

Look into an annual
America the Beautiful nationwide pass
if you’re planning to visit more than one park—or if you want to visit more than once. 
If you’re planning on any scenic drives, make sure
your car’s maintenance
is up to date and it meets the clearance requirements of the park. 
Update your car insurance before any major road trip.