The Mighty 5 in Seven Days

Executive summary by darmansjah

Few things are more incredible than Utah’s five national parks-except, of course, visiting all five parks in a single trip. So whet your appetite for adventure with a Mighty 5 itinerary that promises gravity-defying rock formations, rich rainbow of desert colour, and landscape wide-open with possibility.

Zion

Hike The Narrows Enjoy one of the world’s best canyon hikes up the shallow Virgin River. Red-rock canyon walls reach into the sky above as you splash and stroll through the river’s cool waters.

Byrce Canyon

Drive The Scenic Loop Hit the road along the Mt. Carmel Scenic Byway (Hwy89) to Bryce Canyon, then stay in the car a little longer for the 38-miles scenic loop, which is especially brilliant in the hours around sunrise or sunset.

Capitol Reef

Ride Beneath The Hoodoos Saddle up for a guided mule ride to the floor of Bryce Canyon, passing beneath the otherworldly rock formations called ‘hoodoos’ along the way.

Watch a Sunset Like no Other After winding along one of America’s ‘Top 10 Scenic Road’ (Hwy 12), start your Capitol Reef explorations by watching the sky turn from coral to violet at Sunset Point.

Explore Capital Reef-Bike The Historic Burr Trail-Rent Mountain bikes to cover some ground as you roll past ancient petro-glyphs, historic orchards and dramatic slot canyons on this famous trail.

Arches

Tour The Fiery Furnace After a two-hour drive along the Capitol Reef Country Scenic Byway (Hwy 24), stretch your legs in Arches with a tour through this twisting labyrinth of brilliant red-rock fissures and spines so intricate it would be impossible to find your way without a guide.

Hike To Delicate Arch Still got some energy? This 1.5 miles hike is beautiful, but the final view of Utah’s famous landmark is what truly confirms its standing on the bucket lists of adventurers everywhere.

Canyonlands

Raft Cataract Canyon Arches and Canyon-lands are contiguous, so it’s easy to book a guided two-day trip down this legendary section of the Colorado River. You’ll cascade through dozens of whiter water rapids on the splashiest roller-coaster ride of your life.

See more mighty 5 itineraries at VisitUtah.com