Hello everyone, I’ve been checking out some posts here about national parks and I’m looking for advice on what is doable and what isn’t. Below is a list of parks I want to see (I don’t need to visit them all in one trip but I want to make the most of my time). I will be flying from EWR and renting a car. With my work schedule, I can take a maximum of 5 days off. I’m planning to go sometime between April and June.
Parks
Bryce Canyon
Antelope
Valley of Fire
Arches
Canyonlands
Hoover Dam
Zion
Also, I’m considering flying into Vegas airport, but I saw some itineraries suggesting SLC airport too. Any tips or advice would be appreciated! Thanks!
You can definitely see several parks in your 5 days! But I wouldn’t try to fit in too many visits, as it might feel rushed. The parks in Utah, California, and Arizona are amazing. You could spend a whole day or two at Zion and still discover stunning views. I tried to rush through this part of the country during college with friends and regretted it.
I’ve gone back, and Zion and Arches are my top picks from your list. I’m from the Midwest and Zion blows my mind every time.
@Rylan
I want to see as many as possible since I might not be back in this area for a long time. I understand that you can spend days at each park, but I don’t have enough leave. I’m okay with the drive between Zion and Arches (which is about 4 hours), and I think it’ll be beautiful. Should I fly into SLC or Vegas? What’s a good time to visit? Is April to June a good choice?
@Orin
Check out footloose60’s comment! I agree with them, fly into Vegas, and May would be a great time to visit.
Make sure to share your tips after your trip about how to do a quick visit to the parks. Zion is great because even if you’re short on time, you can take their shuttle and check out a few stops.
@Rylan
Absolutely! I looked for posts from others doing quick visits to national parks but couldn’t find anyone doing the same parks in the same time frame.
Fly into Las Vegas, rent a car, and go in mid to late May. You can visit one park each day and choose one hike to focus on. Make sure to get the Park Pass.
RobertJymo said:
Fly into Las Vegas, rent a car, and go in mid to late May. You can visit one park each day and choose one hike to focus on. Make sure to get the Park Pass.
Thanks. After arriving in Vegas, which parks do you think I should prioritize in my 5 days?
@Orin
You can basically loop around the Grand Canyon. I suggest visiting Red Rocks, Hoover Dam, Grand Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, Antelope Canyon, Grand Staircase, Bryce Canyon, Zion, and Valley of Fire, plus Mount Charleston.
Due to travel distances and time zones, you’ll need two days for travel. So do you only have 3 days left for the parks, or is it 5 days total after travel?
Blair said:
Due to travel distances and time zones, you’ll need two days for travel. So do you only have 3 days left for the parks, or is it 5 days total after travel?
I would be arriving at night. I’ll start my trip the next morning, so I’ll have about 4 full days. I would use the last day to fly back home.
@Orin
So that’s more like 3 and a half to 4 days depending on your arrival time.
I did a similar trip in December. Here’s my suggestion for what it’s worth.
Fly into Vegas on your first night and stay in a hotel in the Northeast part of the city. I found a decent Motel 6 on Speedway.
On the first day, visit Valley of Fire, which is a fantastic spot that many don’t know about. It’s just as stunning as the Utah parks.
For the second day, go to Zion, then drive east on Route 9 to Bryce Canyon. Route 9 itself is a beautiful drive.
From Bryce, take Routes 12 and 24 through Escalante toward Moab. You’ll pass part of Capitol Reef, but you might not have time to fully explore it. If possible, check out the scenic drive.
Spend your last two days at Canyonlands and Arches. At Canyonlands, stick to the Island in the Sky area since it’s the only one you can do in that time. If you have any extra time, stop by Goblin Valley State Park because it’s awesome and only takes a couple of hours to see.
Just a heads up, some parks like Arches require advanced entry reservations. When I went, I had to get to Arches really early since that was the only time slot open.
As of now, it seems like Arches does not require those timed entries anymore, except if you want to hike Angels Landing, then you still need a permit.
Wherever you go, make sure to arrive early, as close to sunrise as you can. This way, you’ll skip the crowds which can be rude sometimes. Plus, you’ll take better photos and find parking more easily. If you plan to hike, an early start makes the experience more enjoyable without lots of people in your pictures.
I highly recommend visiting Arches and Bryce because they are stunning and unique compared to the rest. Besides the parks, Moab is a small town near Arches that’s fun to check out.
Bryce is close to another small town, but it’s less touristy than Moab where you can find a nice diner. Bryce also connects to other parks like Escalante if you have time to explore. That whole area is beautiful.
Also, just so you know, a quick 25-minute stop at Hoover is nice for photos and won’t take up too much time. I can’t remember if they still offer tours.