Our family of four took this 10 day trip, as outlined on the map image above, in August of 2023 when our kids were ages 9 and nearly 7. Since embarking on this trip, we have planned and taken five “fly and drive” style trips and this way of road tripping has become our favorite way to travel and explore. We have learned a lot since 2023 and as I share some thoughts and ideas about planning, I will also share some tips for things I have learned along the way and things I might do differently now. Although we did take this trip several years ago, the information here is current and relevant for travel planning now. Let’s get into some of the details about planning ideas, how to get started, ideas for itineraries, & more…

Getting Started & Planning Tips:

• Start planning as early as you can once you make up your mind to go!
  • National Park travel is generally in high demand. Some parks have lodging that books out up to two years in advanced
  • The more time you have to research, the more prepared you will be
  • Don’t stress if you are a last minute planner. Most places have multiple options and you will likely be able to find something that works for you, even if it wasn’t your *dream* choice that you originally planned.
• Choose the time of year you are going to visit and look up the average temperature and climate during that season.
  • Monsoons in the summer, and winter weather conditions in the colder months are worth considering.
  • Keep school vacations, holidays, and peak tourist season in mind (June – August will be the busiest time of year to visit here)
• Decide how many days your trip will be.
  • For this trip, I would recommend 9-12 days for an optimal amount of time in each park and other stops along the way
• Prioritize what might be most important to your style of travel or if you have “bucket list” items that are must do while visiting
  • Do you need to find a flight on a tight budget? Do you want to stay at any specific accommodations? Is there a tour or excursion that only is available during certain times of year?
• Spend time researching each park and the nearby surrounding town(s).
  • Consider whether you will be driving to scenic views, going hiking or backpacking, whether you might want to rent bikes or other transportation, etc. Have a list of musts, maybes, and backups.
  • Check whether you will need timed-entry reservations or permits for any of the activities you are planning. The National Park Service website is an amazing resource.
• Book the most important item first. It can be overwhelming to manage multiple stays and line up all the plans in sequence.
  • Work around your top priority and then expand your search to look for options that coincide with those plans. Be adaptable!
  • Read cancellation policies carefully and look for accommodations that give you flexibility to cancel or change your dates. You can feel better about booking things that can be modified if something else changes as you get further into planning.
  • If budget is your biggest priority, strategize your timing and look for specials and discounts. Mid-week travel costs are usually lower, airfare prices can be tracked in advance, staying in accommodations with a kitchen saves on dining costs
• Don’t plan everything!
  • Leave room for flexibility and spontaneity in your trip. Most likely you will want to book flights, car rentals, hotels or Airbnb’s, and even sometimes tours, in advanced but try not to plan each day down to the letter.
  • The weather, family dynamics, travel interruptions, needing down time – these are all things that can change the entire tune of a day and your plans.
• Purchase the NPS “America the Beautiful” pass in advanced. Cost is $80 for U.S. residents and this will cover your entrance fee for all five parks.
  • Total cost to visit the parks individually is currently $150. The pass lasts for a full year and can be used at all National Park sites as well as Federal Recreation lands! There are additional pass options for seniors, military, families with a 4th grader.
• Most of all – have patience, ask questions, and try to think of planning as part of the fun!

Which route? North to South / South to North:

We mapped this trip out as a loop, starting in the north, traveling south east to Moab and then cutting back, south west, across the state via Routes 24, 12, and 89 before turning north and taking Highway 15 back to Salt Lake City. The most significant change I would consider making if re-planning this trip would be to fly in or out of Las Vegas instead of circling back to Salt Lake City. You can save around 3 hours of driving time and over 150 miles by doing this. Having had very little travel experience when planning this, I was nervous about navigating different airports and potential issues with returning a rental car to another location. I have since learned both of these things are no big deal!

Regardless of whether you make this trip as a loop or drive it in a zig-zag point A to point B, a lot of factors can go into making the decision on which direction to travel through the parks. Travel costs (flights, car rentals), accommodation availability, PTO restrictions, the season/weather, etc. can make all the difference in how you plan and what route you choose.

We based our loop on our schedule and availability to stay in Zion’s Park Lodge (a priority for us) and priced out flight options around that date in order to establish our itinerary. Based on our experience, starting in Arches and ending in Zion leads you on an epic journey of changing landscapes, follows along with some of the descent of the geological layers of the Grand Staircase, and gives you the opportunity to start somewhere unbelievable, see countless amazing sites along the way, and end in place that is so full of unmatched beauty and magic. For purposes of sharing ideas, I am going to put the information in the order we followed, but you can absolutely do this trip in reverse and it would be just as amazing.

Timeline/Navigating:

Destination	# of Nights	Travel Time*	Along the way
Salt Lake City>> Arches	2	3 hrs 45 min	Stop in Provo for lunch/dinner
Arches>> Canyonlands	0	40 mins	Dead Horse Point State Park
Canyonlands>> Capitol Reef	2	2 hrs 50 min	Goblin Valley State Park
Capitol Reef>> Bryce Canyon	2-3	2 hrs 45 min	Scenic Byway 12 + Escalante
Bryce Canyon>> Zion	2-3	2 hrs	Take Rt89 to enter Zion East
Option 1: Zion >> Salt Lake City	0-1	4 hrs 35 min – 6 hrs 20 min	Kolob Canyon, Cedar Breaks, Timpanogos Cave, Antelope Island
Option 2: Zion>> Las Vegas	0-1	2 hrs 50 min	Valley of Fire State Park

*Travel time is based on the average time stated by Google Maps and does not include breaks, stops along the way, or traffic conditions

Day by Day – A Sample Itinerary

More Details by Park:

If you are interested in more details by park and the stories from our experiences, I am working on a dedicated post for each of the five parks. I will update the link below as they get posted:

Arches National Park

Canyonlands National Park

Capitol Reef National Park

Bryce Canyon National Park

Zion National Park

Considerations:

• Pack light and mindfully
  • Bring layers for a variety of weather conditions including rain coverage, aim for items that you can re-wear, leave dressy items at home unless you have specific plans, no more than two pairs of shoes, try to plan an accommodation with laundry facilities mid-trip.
  • Use packing cubes, consolidate toiletries to one bag, some items can double duty (i.e. your hiking pack can also be your personal carry-on item), don’t forget first aid, electrolytes, sun protection, flashlights, chargers, medication!
  • Optional gear that can be helpful – trekking poles, re-useable water bottles, inflatable travel pillows, small games & deck of cards, a journal, collapsible cooler bag, a kettle (electric or propane)
  • Don’t worry if you forget something. You can probably find something like it along the way.
• Be aware of gas stations and grocery store locations
  • If you are leaving an established town or city, fill up on gas and grab those groceries you need. You may find it is 100 miles to the next service station and you don’t want to find that out too late
• Download offline maps for everywhere you are going to be
  • Cell service is very limited in some locations. Be prepared to read and navigate maps manually. Pick up paper copies of maps at visitor centers as well.
  • Consider purchasing a satellite communicator for emergency preparedness.
• Carry extra water – at least one gallon per person in your party.
• Get up early, stay out late – the busiest time of day in the parks is often 9am – 3pm
  • Managing your schedule will lessen wait times, make finding parking easier, minimize crowds
  • Set time aside to rest and relax in the afternoon or if you have traveled far from your accommodations for the day, plan something low key for a few hours
• Do you have more time? We have barely scratched the surface here. You could likely spend 3-5 days in each of these parks and still find more things to do. Also, depending on the season, you could add the Grand Canyon North Rim, Death Valley National Park, or Great Basin National Park to your itinerary. There are also endless options to explore in Utah and the surrounding area. Moonscape Overlook, Valley of the Gods, Bonneville Salt Flats, Page AZ, Monumental Valley, just to name a few not previously mentioned.

Final Thoughts:

Remember, this is just a guide filled with suggestions, ideas, and tips from someone who is still learning about all the ways to navigate travel too. I find it enormously helpful to read or listen to other travelers stories and tips and that is why I am here now, sharing too. A few more words of, perhaps, “wisdom” before I wrap this up. If you plan a trip like this, be hesitant to think of it as a “vacation,” especially if you are traveling with kiddos. Yes, you are getting away from your everyday grind – work, chores, activities – but you will be very busy and there are still lots of decisions to make along the way. This trip is not designed around relaxing even though I do make it a point to build some of that in and always try to make recommendations for setting time aside to rest. This trip is meant to help you go out and explore the world, to learn about new people and places, become immersed in nature, challenge yourself to go outside your comfort zone, bond with your family as you experience somewhere special and create new memories. I am a bit of a worrier and I feel it is important to mention, you may have a wide array of emotions and feelings – tried, overstimulated, invigorated, sad, peaceful, stunned, confused, euphoric – they are all normal! Things may go wrong, plans may have to change, you may have to think on your feet, and most importantly, you may have the absolutely, most unbelievable experience of your life. Remember that it will be OK and whatever happens can make for some amazing stories when you return home. All of the feelings, experiences, and newness that come with travel are worth it and will make it all the more memorable.

** Disclaimer ** This post is written from the perspective of considering ourselves “somewhere in the middle” travelers, we definitely have a budget in mind and try to follow some tricks and tips to save on costs but by general standards we are not “budget” nor are we “luxury” travelers. We like to stay in hotels and enjoy some meals out, we occasionally buy souvenirs, and might splurge on an exciting activity or opportunity. We fall into the in-between of folks who might be camping and wanting to save their pennies at every turn and those who can afford travel agents, all inclusive type tours, higher end accommodations, etc. Be mindful, in thinking about your travel style that it may be helpful to consider this when looking at sample itinerary plans and guides. I think there is valuable information here for every travel style, but I may not be covering all topics from each viewpoint.