Utah Mighty 5 National Parks: Small Group 5-Day Tour

Day 1 USU Dinosaur Museum, Canyonlands National Park, Dead Horse Point State Park and Moab

1. 1

   2 hours Admission ticket included

   If Salt Lake City is chosen as the pick-up location, we will start the tour at the USU Eastern Prehistoric Museum. At this museum, you can discover what life was like thousands to millions of years ago in Southern Utah. This museum contains over 700,000 archaeological artifacts, ranging from complete sets of dinosaur bones to pictographs left by the Fremont people more than 2,000 years ago. No matter your interests, you are bound to find something you enjoy.

2. 2

   Dead Horse Point State Park

   2 hours Admission ticket included

   Located only a few miles from Canyonlands National Park, Dead Horse Point State Park offers a unique view of the Colorado River 2,000 feet below. While driving around, your tour guide will tell you the unusual story of how this park got its name.

3. 3

   4 hours Admission ticket included

   Canyonlands National Park is made up of three distinct regions: the Island in the Sky, the Needles, and the Maze. We will be touring the Island in the Sky region which is situated far above the Colorado River. From this vantage point, we will see deep into the virtually untouched canyons below, giving us a glimpse into the region's ancient past.

4. 4

   Moab

   2 hours

   Located between Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park, Moab is seen as the gateway to many of Utah’s greatest natural landscapes. You’ll love your stay here just as much as the parks themselves!

Day 2 Arches National Park, Potash Road and Moab Adventure

1. 1

   4 hours Admission ticket included

   With more than 2,000 arches, Arches National Park has the densest concentration of natural sandstone arches in the world! With only a short hike, many world famous arches can be seen up close, including landscape arch, delicate arch, and double arch. This is a national park you won’t want to miss!

2. 2

   Moab

   4 hours

   Moab is an excellent location to have fun! This town offers many different outdoor activities including river rafting, horseback riding, riverboat tours, off-road 4×4 tours, and more! As part of your tour, select one of these activities to participate in!

3. 3

   Potash Road

   2 hours

   Located right outside of Moab, Potash road winds along the Colorado river with water on one side, and a huge rock cliff on the other. Along this road, your tour guide will show you ancient petroglyphs and dinosaur tracks, as well as additional arches that can be accessed by foot.

Day 3 Highway 12, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Goblin Valley State Park and Capitol Reef National Park

1. 1

   Goblin Valley State Park

   2 hours Admission ticket included

   The “goblins” in Goblin Valley get their name from the thousands of unique hoodoos, or columns of weathered stone, that dot its surface. In this State Park, there are no official paths, allowing you to walk up close to the hoodoos and take pictures. If time permits, your tour guide will take you on a hike to Goblins Lair, an incredibly tall cave.

2. 2

   2 hours Admission ticket included

   Capitol Reef National Park has a rich history and a unique geology. Over 1,000 years ago, the Fremont people lived in this region, making pictographs on the cliffs that can still be seen today. We’ll also explore the remnants of Fruita, a small town established in the 1880s.

3. 3

   4 hours

   Route 12 is known as one of the most scenic roads in the US. This 124-mile highway cuts through steep sandstone canyons and narrow winding roads, offering incredible views that are a must see amongst visitors. In addition, multiple national and state parks dot this road, including Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef and Grand Staircase-Escalante.

4. 4

   Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument

   1 hour

   The 1.88 million acres of land that make up Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument is considered some of the most remote in the US. Although we won’t be stopping, you’ll appreciate the vastness and beauty of this region.

Day 4 Bryce Canyon National Park, Horseshoe Bend and Kanab

1. 1

   Bryce Canyon National Park

   4 hours Admission ticket included

   From its beautiful pink and white cliffs to its thousands of hoodoos, Bryce Canyon National Park is sure to leave a powerful impression on you. This park features many incredible, easily accessible viewpoints that provide excellent locations to take photographs. For the more adventurous, your tour guide will take you down into the canyon along the Navajo-Queen’s Garden Trail, passing through breathtaking rock formations that took thousands of years to shape.

2. 2

   Kanab

   2 hours

   The small town of Kanab is a common stopping point for visitors to Southwest Utah. Home to destinations such as The Wave and Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, this is the perfect place to stop after a long day's journey.

3. 3

   Horseshoe Bend

   4 hours Admission ticket included

   Horseshoe Bend is a U-shaped turn of the Colorado River located near Page, Arizona. With only a 0.6-mile hike, you’ll reach a vista overlooking a 1000-foot drop, offering incredible views of this world-famous attraction.

Day 5 Zion National Park and Salt Lake City/Las Vegas

1. 1

   Zion National Park

   4 hours Admission ticket included

   Zion National Park offers gorgeous wind-sculpted canyons and hikes along incredible trails. This park has something for everyone: for those who would rather stay in the car, you will love the intricate patterns found on Checkerboard Mesa and Weeping Rock. For amateur hikers, you’ll enjoy the stunning views from the Canyon Overlook Trail and the Riverside Walk. For experienced hikers, you’ll have the choice to hike to either through the Narrows, or up to Angel's Landing.

2. 2

   Salt Lake City

   20 min

   If you choose to depart from Salt Lake City, your tour guide will drop you off either at the airport or a hotel of your choosing. Settled in 1847 by a group of pioneering Mormons, Salt Lake City has blossomed into the vibrant capital of Utah and gateway to the west. If time permits, your tour guide will take you to see the twin hearts of this city: Temple Square and the Capitol Building.

3. 3

   Las Vegas

   1 hour

   If you choose to depart from Las Vegas, your tour guide will drop you off at either the airport or a hotel in Las Vegas around noon. Following this, your tour guide will drive 6 to 7 hours back to Salt Lake City.