A practical 10-day Utah Mighty 5 road trip itinerary from Salt Lake City to Las Vegas: where to stop, how long each park needs, and how to pace all five.
Utah's five national parks, marketed as the Mighty 5, pack more red-rock scenery into one state than almost anywhere on earth. This Utah Mighty 5 road trip itinerary links all five, Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon and Zion, into a single ten-day drive from Salt Lake City to Las Vegas.
The drive runs west in one direction. You start in Salt Lake City, the nearest large airport to the eastern parks, head to Moab for Arches and Canyonlands, cross to Capitol Reef, follow Scenic Byway 12 to Bryce Canyon, and finish in Zion before the short hop to Las Vegas. Flying into one city and out of another avoids a long backtrack and keeps every driving leg under four hours.
This is an active, outdoors-led road trip rather than a city break. It suits travellers who want big landscapes, day hikes and scenic drives, and who are happy to cover real distances between parks. Any rental car handles the paved roads; you do not need a 4x4 for the main sights.
Ten days is the sweet spot. It gives full days in Arches, Canyonlands, Bryce and Zion, with Capitol Reef as a relaxed stop in between. With only a week you can still see all five, but plan to skip some hikes and drive more each day.
Arrive, collect the rental car, and stock up on water and supplies before heading south. Prices and choice drop once you reach the parks.
Moab is the basecamp for two parks. Arches has the densest concentration of natural stone arches in the world, with Delicate Arch its symbol. A short drive away, Canyonlands' Island in the Sky district serves up canyon overlooks and the famous Mesa Arch sunrise. Three nights here lets you hike both without rushing.
The quietest of the five parks makes an easy day. Drive the paved scenic road beneath the cliffs of the Waterpocket Fold, and pick fruit in the historic Fruita orchards when they are in season.
Bryce is famous for its amphitheatre of hoodoos, the slender rock spires best seen at sunrise from Sunrise, Sunset or Inspiration Point. At nearly 8,000 feet it is noticeably cooler than the desert parks, so pack warm layers. Hike the Navajo and Queen's Garden trails to walk among the spires.
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Zion is the grand finale, with sheer sandstone walls rising straight from the Virgin River. In peak season a shuttle carries you up Zion Canyon to trailheads for The Narrows river walk and the exposed Angels Landing climb. Stay in Springdale at the park gate for the best food and lodging on the route.
Make the short drive from Zion to Las Vegas to drop the car and fly home. Add a night here if you want to break the journey before an onward flight.
Spring (April to May) and autumn (September to October) are ideal, with mild temperatures and thinner crowds. Summer is busy and very hot in the lower desert parks around Moab, while winter brings snow and some seasonal closures at higher Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef.
This is a self-drive route on paved roads, so any rental car is fine. Fuel up in the gateway towns of Moab, Torrey, Bryce Canyon City and Springdale, and carry plenty of water. Distances between parks are long, so set off early and avoid driving the remote stretches after dark.
Two parks need planning ahead. Arches uses a timed-entry reservation system from spring through autumn, and Zion's Angels Landing requires a permit issued by lottery. Reserve park-gateway accommodation months in advance for spring and autumn, when rooms in Springdale and Moab sell out.
Ready to map it out? Use our full Utah Mighty 5 route below to see every stop, driving leg and overnight.
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A 10-day self-drive across all five of Utah's national parks, from Salt Lake City to Las Vegas. Red-rock arches at Moab, the Capitol Reef scenic drive, Bryce Canyon's hoodoos and Zion's canyon walls in one continuous desert road trip.
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