National Parks in Utah
There are 11 national park sites in Utah. Of the 11, 5 of them are major National Parks, famously known as “The Mighty Five.” After my trip this summer I will have been to all 5 of them!
The Utah parks are also part of the Grand Circle. There are multiple versions of the Grand Circle, some circles include Death Valley out in Vegas, some don’t include Colorado at all, etc. It’s up to you as to what parks are in your Grand Circle! For me, I also considered the Western Colorado parks to be part of it since they are so close to Arches and Canyonlands. So after my trip this June, I will also be done my vision of the Grand Circle!!
Follow the links below to read reviews, tips for planning trips, and the insider scoop for each park. I have visited the parks that are listed in red, but I only linked the parks I’ve reviewed.
- Arches National Park
- Bryce Canyon National Park
- Canyonlands National Park
- Capitol Reef National Park
- Cedar Breaks National Monument
- Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (UT & AZ)
- Golden Spike National Historic Site
- Natural Bridges National Monument
- Rainbow Bridge National Monument
- Timpanogos Cave National Monument
- Zion National Park
Utah State Parks
Some states have state parks that are not worth visiting over the National Parks, but that is NOT true in Utah! Utah has some amazing state parks. I was not able to squeeze any in on my Zion trip, but I am hoping to get to Dead Horse Point State Park in June.
Dead Horse Point – Scenic views, hiking, Dark Sky park
Coral Pink Sand Dunes – Sand sledding, hiking, camping
Goblin Valley – Hiking, Canyoneering, Dark Sky park
Sand Hollow – Boating, fishing, explore sand dunes on an OHV
Snow Canyon – Scenic drive, hiking, petroglyphs
Weekend Trip Ideas in Utah
Springdale
Springdale is the park town for Zion. Obviously if you stay in Springdale, you will probably be visiting Zion. So check out my page on that park for all the hiking details and must-do activities! I stayed at the La Quinta Inn in Springdale purely for the pool. For food – I can’t recommend Oscar’s Cafe or the Zion Brew Company enough. I also went to Hoodoos General store for coffee and snacks a few times and it was fantastic.
Moab
I will be in Moab in about 1.5 months so I can’t truly speak to it yet. However, I will tell you what I have planned! I’m staying at the Bowen Motel and plan to hit up the Moab Brewery, the Moab food truck park, and Moab Coffee Roasters. I will definitely get to more restaurants but still need to do some researching. I am also doing a canyoneering trip with the Moab Adventure Company.
Salt Lake City
I have not been to Salt Lake City and have no idea when I will get there, but I can’t leave it out since it is the capital of Utah and there is so much to do! If I were visiting SLC I would make sure to visit The Tabernacle, Temple Square, the Bonneville Salt Flats, and Timpanogos Cave NM.
Last Updated: June 4, 2023