Sights and Sounds: Utah and Arizona
Note: Affiliate links may be included. For this trip, we opted to stay in hotels instead of the van expecting snow and freezing weather conditions.
This 10-day multi-state road trip had a full itinerary spanning 3 states and roughly 3000 miles round trip! Coming from California, we explored Utah, Arizona and Nevada visiting 5 national parks, 4 state landmarks and hiked 10 trails.
Utah’s “Big 5” national parks have been on my bucket list for a while. When we took our 30-day road trip on the West Coast this past summer, we briefly passed by Utah but decided to come back when the weather cools off. Vanlife in extreme heat is uncomfortable! So as soon as the cooler weather rolled in, we made no delays! Our timing came with a severe cold front during our visit to Utah. These Californias got snowed on for 2 days! It was both an exhilirating and unpleasant experience! Overall, we had awesome time!
10-Day Utah/Arizona/Nevada Road Trip
California - Utah - Arizona - Nevada - California
Day 1 Sacramento to Bonneville Salt Flats & Salt Lake City
Day 2 Little Sahara Sand Dunes, Salt Wash, Moab
Day 3 Arches National Park
Day 4 Canyonlands National Park, Big Rock Candy Mountain
Day 5 Bryce Canyon National Park
Days 6 & 7 Zion National Park and Springdale
Day 8 Horseshoe Bend, Grand Canyon National Park
Day 9 Las Vegas Strip
Day 10 homeward bound to Sacramento
Here are our top 5 trip highlights:
The Narrows (Zion National Park) - this was a unique experience hiking and wading the Virginia River amidst crevice and canyons.
Angels Landing (Zion National Park) - although we didn’t hike to the narrowest part, the views were still spectacular. My fear of heights got the best of me and I started to feel nauseous around two-thirds through.
Little Sahara Sand Dunes - my only regret is not budgeting an entire day at the sand dunes. The sand quality was very fine and surprisingly cold despite the warm weather during our visit. It would’ve been nice to either get on a buggy or sandboard.
Mesa Arch Trail - I was expecting the Mesa Arch as the main attraction on this trail but was completely surprised with the massive expanse of canyon display behind the arch almost as grand as the Grand Canyon.
Springdale - listed as one of the most beautiful small towns in America. Utah State Route 9 takes you through Zion NP and Springdale with views of the canyons in the background. When visiting Zion, spare some time to explore the beautiful Springdale.
Here are some tips before you go…
If you are planning on visiting at least 2 national parks in the next year, consider getting “America the Beautiful’ annual pass for just $80. It's an unlimited pass to all US national parks and monuments under the National Parks Services. Individual park fees cost between $20 and $45 for a weekly pass.
If you plan on taking on “The Narrows” trail through the Virgin River, consider renting a gear. There are a few companies that offer dry pants package rentals but we rented ours from Zion Outfitter for $41. Having canyoneering boots and neoprene socks helped us stay warm while in the water. Although it didn’t prevent the water from seeping in, it definitely helped us stay warm and not slip.
Weather is a huge factor to consider when planning a Utah road trip. Hiking in the hot summer can be tough for others. It’s also the peak season so be prepared for crowds especially in Zion. Book your hotels and shuttle passes in advance.
Most of the trails in Zion NP can only be accessed by a shuttle. Before making hotel reservations, make sure that you reserve shuttle tickets first. You can reserve the shuttle tickets at Recreation.gov’s website for $1/person. The last thing you want is to be inside the park but can't explore the best trails and attractions.
The Angel’s Landing trail is not for the faint of heart! If you are scared of heights, take caution because some parts of the trail are extremely narrow and steep.
Budget some time to explore Moab (near Arches) and Springdale (near Zion). These 2 towns are beautiful with many excellent restaurants and views.
Utah’s “Big 5 National Parks” are extremely popular, especially in the summer. Start planning and making reservations at least 6 months in advance. Fall is quite beautiful with much cooler weather.
Utah is among our most favorite drives to do in the US. Be prepared to stop and take pictures of its ever-changing landscape. Some rest stops were surprisingly beautiful like Salt Wash.
Day 1 Sacramento to Bonneville Salt Flats & Salt Lake City
We started our trip east early at 5 AM to head to Bonneville Salt Flats where we drove our van through. There is a specific salt flats rest stop but we prefer getting in through the Bonneville Raceway entrance. Yes, you are allowed to drive through the flats and it’s pretty awesome! From here, we drove 2 hours east and spent the night in Salt Lake City.
Vanlife at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah | The Sweet Savory Life
Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah | The Sweet Savory Life
Day 2 Little Sahara Sand Dunes, Salt Wash Rest Area, Moab
On our way to Moab, we made stops at the Little Sahara Sand Dunes and Salt Wash Rest Area. The 2-hour detour to get to Little Sahara Sand Dunes was worth it! I can only wish that we budgeted time for an overnight camping. There is an $18 park fee for day use. During our visit, there were buggies and jeep driving up at Sand Mountain, a 600-foot tall dune. The quality of the sand was pleasantly fine and cool to touch. It was an awesome experience! After Little Sahara, we got back on the road to head to Moab making an unplanned stop at the Salt Wash Overlook. If you have spare time, Salt Wash has some pretty views of the canyons below.
Little Sahara Sand Dunes, Utah | The Sweet Savory Life
Little Sahara Sand Dunes, Utah | The Sweet Savory Life
Traffic Jam as we exit out of Little Sahara Sand Dunes | The Sweet Savory Life
Salt Wash Rest Area, Utah | The Sweet Savory Life
Salt Wash Rest Area, Utah | The Sweet Savory Life
Day 3 Arches National Park
First things first, donut run at Doughbird! My favorite flavor was the cinnamon roll cronut.
We had plans on hiking as many trails as we could for the day but the forecasted rain came in a lot earlier. We were still able to hike a few short trails. Most people spend the whole day visiting both Arches and Canyonland NP. Unfortunately, we knew it was going to rain in the afternoon so we postponed our Canyonlands visit for the following day. If you only have a few hours to spend in Arches, The Windows is an excellent hike as it connects to the Turret Arch trail.
Balanced Rock 0.3 miles
Delicate Arch 3 miles
The Windows 1 mile
Turret Arch Trail 0.3 mile
Double Arch 0.5 mile
The Windows Arch, Arches National Park | The Sweet Savory Life
The Windows Arch, Arches National Park | The Sweet Savory Life
Turret Arch, Arches National Park | The Sweet Savory Life
Arches National Park | The Sweet Savory Life
Day 4 Canyonlands National Park, Big Rock Candy Mountain
Canyonlands National Park is only 35 minutes away from Arches NP, the reason why most people explore them both in one day. Because we have a long drive this day, we only spent about 2 hours exploring the “Island in the Sky” section. We took the short Mesa Arch Trail and stopped by a few overlooks including the stunning Shafer Overlook. Arches NP is the more popular national park between the 2, however, if time permits, I highly recommend stopping by. We planned on stopping by the “Trembling Giants” but decided to skip it on the way as the weather worsen. These Californians were both ecstatic and scared of driving during a snowfall. Along the way was the Big Rock Candy Mountain named after Harry “Haywire Mac” McClintock’s folklore song. It consists of interesting altered volcanic rock in various shades of yellow, orange, red, and white.
Mesa Arch Trail 0.7 miles loop
Mesa Arch, Canyonlands National Park | The Sweet Savory Life
View behind Mesa Arch, Canyonlands National Park | The Sweet Savory Life
Shafer Overlook, Canyonlands National Park | The Sweet Savory Life
Big Rock Candy Mountain, Utah | The Sweet Savory Life
Day 5 Bryce Canyon National Park
A cold front briefly passed by Utah during our trip. We woke up to a snowy sight! It snowed even more as we explored Bryce Canyon. We tried to take a short trail but as unprepared as we were, we’ve had multiple slips in the snow. We were able to visit a few of the viewpoints before deciding to cozy up in our hotel for the rest of the day.
Sunset Point
Sunrise Point
Inspiration Point
Bryce Point
We woke up to a snowfall near Bryce Canyon | The Sweet Savory Life
Sunset Point, Bryce Canyon National Park | The Sweet Savory Life
Inspiration Point, Bryce Canyon National Park | The Sweet Savory Life
Bryce Canyon National Park | The Sweet Savory Life
Day 6 Zion National Park
Zion NP is just 1.5 hours away from Bryce Canyon NP. Our shuttle ticket was for 12 NN and our first stop was the Emerald Pools Trail. Roughly around 2 miles, this trail is relatively easy. A leisurely hike perfect for families with young kids.
From here, we took the shuttle to get to Angel’s Landing Trail. Angel’s Landing has been dubbed the scariest hike in America because the narrowest part of the trail is only supported by chains. This trail is 2.5 miles one-way and strenuous gaining 1500 feet in elevation. I had to stop about 2/3 in because I started to feel dizzy. My fear of heights got the best of me! The view on the way up is spectacular!
Emerald Pools Trail 3 miles
Angel’s Landing 2.5 miles one-way
Lower Emerald Pool, Zion National Park | The Sweet Savory Life
Zion National Park | The Sweet Savory Life
View from Angel’s Landing, Zion National Park | The Sweet Savory Life
Grand view coming from the East Entrance near Mount Carmel Junction | The Sweet Savory Life
Fall in Zion National Park | The Sweet Savory Life
Day 7 Zion National Park
Before heading back inside the national park, we rented our dry pants gear from Zion Outfitter just outside the park in Springdale. The dry pants package included dry pants, neoprene socks, canyoneering boots and a wooden hiking stick for just $41. It made our experience at “The Narrows” easier! Although the socks and boots were not water-proof, our feet weren’t freezing. The canyoneering boots also helped especially when stepping on slippery rocks with the strong current.
There are 2 ways to hike The Narrows trail, bottom-up or top-down. The top-down trail is 17 miles long and requires overnight camping. Most hikers do the bottom-up trail which can be as long as 10 miles. The bottom-up trail begins at the Temple of Sinawawa bus stop followed by a mile hike on the Riverside Trail. At the end of the trail is where you enter the Virgin River to wade The Narrows. I lost track of our miles but in total, we spent 4.5 hours out and back. I estimate between 6 to 7 miles round trip. This was an awesome experience, a must-do while in Zion NP.
During our visit, the deepest we went through was just about waist-deep. The dry pants kept our legs dry though our feet were wet. It can get challenging especially crossing the river against the current. Just be aware that flash floods can happen anytime. There are flash floods forecast at the gear rentals.
We celebrated our last night In Utah with some margaritas in Springdale! If you have time, explore this charming town! The drive through highway 9 is beautiful! Zion has been an amazing experience and two days simply isn’t enough! We made plans on coming back again!
The Narrows, Zion National Park | The Sweet Savory Life
The Narrows, Zion National Park | The Sweet Savory Life
The Narrows, Zion National Park | The Sweet Savory Life
The Narrows, Zion National Park | The Sweet Savory Life
Marlon and I crossing the Virgin River, The Narrows in Zion National Park | The Sweet Savory Life
Day 8 Horseshoe Bend & Grand Canyon
Before heading to Horseshoe Bend, our first planned stop was a visit to The Wave. We tried but the gravel road was really tough for our van so we made a u-turn and made our way to Horseshoe Bend in Page, Arizona just about 2.5 hours away from Zion and almost 3.5 hours away from Grand Canyon. When I was planning our itinerary, Arizona wasn’t included but we made a last-minute change. I’m glad we did!
We visited Horseshoe Bend in 2016 when it was just starting to become popular. Since then, they’ve created a trail, placed safety rails, parking lot, restrooms and charge a $10 entrance fee. Page feels mystical, beautiful! There’s something so serene about the red canyons.
After Horseshoe Bend, we made our way to Grand Canyon National Park. We watched the hues of the canyons changed at sunset in Mather Point. This will be our 3rd visit and each visit we only came to sightsee. I’d really like to get on a few trails and camp in the park next time!
Horseshoe Bend in Page, Arizona | The Sweet Savory Life
Balancing rocks in Horseshoe Bend in Page, Arizona | The Sweet Savory Life
Grand Canyon at Dusk, Arizona | The Sweet Savory Life
Grand Canyon at Dusk, Arizona | The Sweet Savory Life
Grand Canyon at Dusk, Arizona | The Sweet Savory Life
Day 9 Las Vegas
We squeezed in a stop at the Yavapai Museum of Geology before heading out to Las Vegas. Some of the best views of the Grand Canyon can be seen inside the museum! They have some informational displays explaining the formation of the landscape. We also bought a few souvenirs from the gift shop. From here, we drove 4 hours to Las Vegas.
The Las Vegas strip in 2020 was an interesting experience for us! I was surprised to see crowds though not as much as usual. It felt less festive, less drunken people on the street and less partying. Buffets and bars were still closed, which is the main reason why we visit Las Vegas. Already tired from our past week’s excursions, we opted for a nice meal and some gambling with our obligatory oversized pina colada’s.
Yavapai Museum of Geology, Grand Canyon | The Sweet Savory Life
View of the High Roller Ferris Wheel in Las Vegas | The Sweet Savory Life
Finishing up my oversized pina colada at the hotel! Vegas 2020 | The Sweet Savory Life
Day 10 Homeward Bound
We planned on stopping by the Death Valley National Park but canceled. I wanted to spend a few days exploring the Death Valley NP for next time! This trip has been an amazing experience! Our initial itinerary included visiting all of Utah’s “Big 5 National Parks” but sadly skipped on Capitol Reef due to the snow. Instead, we added the Grand Canyon and Horseshoe Bend. This trip has been a dream for me and I’m thankful we got the chance to do it! There is something spiritual about Utah and Arizona! Seeing the vast expansive landscapes is awe-inspiring! A perfect kind of place to reflect!
The advantage of vanlife road trip is we get to take naps everywhere! This was one of the view! | The Sweet Savory Life
Flippie, the adventure van enjoying the canyons display in Zion NP. | The Sweet Savory Life
Shafer Overlook in Canyonlands National Park | The Sweet Savory Life
Snowy Bryce Canyons National Park | The Sweet Savory Life
Thanks for following along! I hope that our itinerary has given you an inspiration for your Utah/ Arizona road trips! Tag me @sweetsavorygrace on Instagram!
Also, read about our Pacific Northwest and Pacific Coast Highway itineraries here!
