Things to do in Utah
44 places worth stopping for and 24 places to stay on a road trip through Utah.
See and do
Walk · Moab
Delicate Arch
A 3-mile round-trip climb to Utah's most famous freestanding arch.
Scenic drive · Springdale
Zion Canyon Scenic Drive
Shuttle-only canyon road to Temple of Sinawava and the Riverside Walk.
Waterfall · Escalante
Lower Calf Creek Falls
A 6-mile round-trip walk to a 126-foot waterfall and swimming pool.
- Viewpoint
Viewpoint · Moab
Dead Horse Point State Park
A sheer overlook 2,000 feet above a gooseneck of the Colorado River.
Walk · Moab
Mesa Arch
Short loop to an arch that glows orange at sunrise, on the Island in the Sky mesa.
Viewpoint · Bryce
Sunset Point, Bryce Canyon
Look into the hoodoo amphitheatre; starting point for Navajo Loop.
- Scenic drive
Scenic drive · Mexican HatHidden gem
Valley of the Gods
A 17-mile gravel loop through sandstone monoliths that feels like Monument Valley without the entry fee.
Walk · MoabHidden gem
Corona Arch
Easy 3-mile walk to a huge arch you can see people dwarfed beneath.
- Viewpoint
Viewpoint · Brian HeadHidden gem
Cedar Breaks National Monument
A smaller, quieter amphitheatre than Bryce with wildflowers and mountain air.
Walk · St. GeorgeHidden gem
Snow Canyon State Park
Red and white sandstone, lava tubes and sand dunes close to St. George.
- Walk
Walk · KanabHidden gem
Wire Pass Trailhead
Short slot canyon walk to the Buckskin Gulch junction, just north of the Arizona line.
Walk · Moab
Windows Section, Arches
Short walks to North and South Window and Turret Arch, good for a quick Arches stop.
Walk · MoabHidden gem
Fisher Towers
Free BLM trail beneath towering red mudstone spires east of Moab along the Colorado River.
- Viewpoint
Viewpoint · Moab
Grand View Point, Canyonlands
Wide mesa-top overlook on the road's end; sprawling canyon country below.
- Viewpoint
Viewpoint · MonticelloHidden gem
Needles Overlook
Free viewpoint over the Needles district and Canyonlands' maze of spires.
- Walk
Walk · HanksvilleHidden gem
Little Wild Horse Canyon
A moderate slot canyon hike near Goblin Valley that kids can do.
- Scenic drive
Scenic drive · BoulderHidden gem
Burr Trail Switchbacks
Gravel switchbacks drop off the Waterpocket Fold; the paved road ends before the descent.
Scenic drive · BoulderHidden gem
Hell's Backbone Bridge
A dirt road crossing a narrow ridge with a drop on both sides.
- Waterfall
Waterfall · Kanarraville
Kanarra Falls
Slot canyon waterfall hike needing a permit and creek walking.
Viewpoint · Mexican Hat
Goosenecks State Park
Rim overlook of the San Juan River's tight, deep meanders.
- Viewpoint
Viewpoint · HanksvilleHidden gem
Factory Butte
Lone grey mesa rising over badlands, great from the highway or on gravel roads nearby.
History · Torrey
Fruita Historic District, Capitol Reef
Old Mormon orchards where you can pick fruit in season and buy fresh pies.
Viewpoint · Mexican HatHidden gem
Muley Point Overlook
Wide free overlook above the San Juan River and distant Monument Valley.
- Walk
Walk · BlandingHidden gem
Natural Bridges National Monument
Three natural stone bridges and some of the darkest skies in the US.
Walk · Springdale
Canyon Overlook Trail, Zion
Short rim walk with a classic view of Zion Canyon, east of the tunnel.
- Geothermal
Geothermal · Midway
Homestead Crater
Swim, snorkel or scuba in a beehive-shaped limestone dome filled with 90F water.
- Swimming hole
Swimming hole · MoabHidden gem
Mill Creek Canyon swimming holes
Clear creek pools and a small waterfall minutes from Moab's main street.
- History
History · MonticelloHidden gem
Newspaper Rock
Rock wall covered in ancient petroglyphs beside the road to the Needles.
- Waterfall
Waterfall · ToquervilleHidden gem
Toquerville Falls
A pretty waterfall and swimming pool reached by a rough dirt road.
- Viewpoint
Viewpoint · BryceHidden gem
Rainbow Point, Bryce Canyon
Highest point in the park with views 100 miles on a clear day.
- Viewpoint
Viewpoint · Cedar CityHidden gem
Kolob Canyons Viewpoint
Zion's quieter northwest corner with red fins and a scenic drive off I-15.
- Lake
Lake · Hurricane
Sand Hollow State Park
Warm reservoir, red sand dunes and a beach to swim from.
- History
History · RockvilleHidden gem
Grafton Ghost Town
Well-kept pioneer ghost town beside the Virgin River near Zion.
Scenic drive · Torrey
Capitol Reef Scenic Drive
A 7.9-mile paved road along the Waterpocket Fold into Capitol Gorge.
- Scenic drive
Scenic drive · Panguitch
Red Canyon Arches
Drive through two red rock arches on Highway 12 before Bryce.
Roadside oddity · Rozel PointHidden gem
Spiral Jetty
A 1970 earthwork of black basalt spiralling into the Great Salt Lake.
- Viewpoint
Viewpoint · Wendover
Bonneville Salt Flats
A blindingly white salt desert where land speed records are set.
- Hot pool
Hot pool · MonroeHidden gem
Mystic Hot Springs
Old-school Utah hot springs with mineral terraces, tubs and a lively music-and-camping scene.
Lake · FremontHidden gem
Fish Lake
A high alpine lake ringed by aspens, with a lodge and campgrounds in the Fishlake region.
- Waterfall
Waterfall · GunlockHidden gem
Gunlock State Park Falls
Seasonal waterfall pools below Gunlock Reservoir when spring flows spill.
- Museum
Museum · Boulder
Anasazi State Park Museum
Village ruins and museum from an ancient Ancestral Puebloan settlement.
- Viewpoint
Viewpoint · Mexican Hat
Forrest Gump Point
Roadside viewpoint of Highway 163 stretching to Monument Valley.
- Roadside oddity
Roadside oddity · MoabHidden gem
Hole N" The Rock
A 5,000-square-foot home carved into a sandstone cliff.
- Lake
Lake · Hurricane
Quail Creek State Park
A warm desert reservoir with red-cliff views, handy for St George heat.
Food stops
- Restaurant
Restaurant · Boulder
Hell's Backbone Grill
Organic farm-to-table restaurant that's a favourite of Scenic Byway 12 drivers.
- Restaurant
Restaurant · Torrey
Cafe Diablo
Southwestern restaurant near Capitol Reef, famous for its dishes.
Bakery · Torrey
Gifford Homestead pies
Dried-fruit hand pies made fresh on site inside the park.
Brewery · Moab
Moab Brewery
Local brewpub for burgers and beer after a day in the parks.
Places to stay
Campground · Capitol Reef
Fruita Campground
Orchard campground below red cliffs, with fruit pies at the old farmhouse.
Campground · FremontHidden gem
Cathedral Valley Campground
Free six-site camp among the monoliths of Cathedral Valley.
Campground · CannonvilleHidden gem
Kodachrome Basin State Park
Red-rock spires and a handy base for Bryce and Grand Staircase.
Campground · Springdale
Watchman Campground
Zion's riverside campground, a walk from the shuttle.
Campground · Green RiverHidden gem
Goblin Valley State Park Campground
Camp near a valley of hoodoos you can scramble through.
Campground · Escalante, Grand StaircaseHidden gem
Calf Creek Campground
Small canyon campground at the trailhead to a big waterfall.
Campground · VirginHidden gem
Lava Point Campground
Six tent sites on a cool, quiet plateau high above Zion Canyon.
- Campground
Campground · MoabHidden gem
Needles Campground
Small camp in red-rock fins at the start of Canyonlands' Needles trails.
- Campground
Campground · MoabHidden gem
Willow Flat Campground
First-come camp on a mesa top, a short drive from Grand View Point.
Campground · Springdale
South Campground, Zion
Riverside sites a short walk from the Zion Canyon shuttle, under big cottonwoods.
- Campground
Campground · JensenHidden gem
Rainbow Park Campground, Dinosaur
Four sites beside the Green River at the head of Split Mountain Canyon.
Campground · Hovenweep National MonumentHidden gem
Hovenweep Campground
Small juniper camp beside the Square Tower ruins, great for stars.
- Campground
Campground · Lake PowellHidden gem
Natural Bridges Campground
Twelve sites with open dark skies at Natural Bridges.
- Campground
Campground · Brian Head
Point Supreme Campground, Cedar Breaks
High camp beside the Cedar Breaks amphitheatre.
- Campground
Campground · Syracuse
Antelope Island State Park campgrounds
Camp on an island in the Great Salt Lake with free-roaming bison.
- Campground
Campground · Big Water
Lone Rock Beach camping
Camp on a sandy Lake Powell beach beside a lone rock island.
Campground · Moab
Devils Garden Campground
The only campground inside Arches, set among fins and arches at the end of the park road.
Campground · Bryce
Bryce Canyon North Campground
Pine forest campground near the amphitheatre at 8,000 feet.
- Campground
Campground · Moab
Kayenta Campground, Dead Horse Point
Rim-top campground with great stars and big views, 30 minutes from Moab.
- Campground
Campground · MoabHidden gem
Sand Flats Recreation Area camping
Cheap campsites near the Slickrock Trail with views of the La Sals.
Motel · Monument Valley
Goulding's Lodge
Historic trading post lodge with views of Monument Valley.
- Campground
Campground · MoabHidden gem
Kane Creek Road riverside camps
Cheap BLM riverside camps just outside Moab along the Colorado.
Campground · Bryce Canyon City
Sunset Campground, Bryce Canyon
Pines-and-hoodoos camp across from Sunset Point.
- Campground
Campground · Duck Creek VillageHidden gem
Navajo Lake Campground
Forest camp on a lava-dammed lake high on the Markagunt Plateau.
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- District of Columbia
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Plan the drive, not just the stops
Roadtrip works out what the drive costs in fuel for your car, splits it into days with the best stops and places to sleep, and finds the cheapest fuel on the way.
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