39.3210° N, 111.0937° W
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW TO HELP YOU PLAN THE ULTIMATE ADVENTURE-FILLED ROAD TRIP THROUGH SOUTHERN UTAH - INCLUDING VISITING ALL 5 NATIONAL PARKS (AKA THE BIG 5).
If you are hoping to plan the perfect road trip through southern Utah - including stopping at each of the states five national parks: Arches, Bryce, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef and Zion National Parks, then you have come to the right spot. This in-depth travel guide outlines everything you need to know about road tripping across the wild and rugged Utah desert; including, just how many days you actually need, the type of vehicle to use, where to start and end your trip, and even where to camp. Plus, we have also added a couple of can't-miss destinations that give even the national parks a run for their money in terms of beauty and adventure.
If you are reading to start planning the perfect southern Utah road trip, then keep reading!
UTAH BIG 5 ROAD TRIP MAP
THE ULTIMATE SOUTHERN UTAH
ROAD TRIP GUIDE
\\ How Many Days Do You Need for this Road Trip
Southern Utah is jam-packed with lots of amazing adventures, so the more time you have the better. We highly suggest putting aside at least 7 days for the road trip - though if you can double that and put aside 14 days that would be better.
One thing to know about road tripping across southern Utah is that, while places might look close on a map, in fact, because of the state’s rugged terrain, there are very few roads that connect the national parks so instead you often have to circumnavigate your way to each destination.
Another thing to note is that the road trip route you take between the five national parks will depend heavily on where you start and where you end (see more below). If you are heading in from the west (the Las Vegas or California area) you will likely start your trip at Zion National Park and end near Arches National Park on the other side of the state. While this would be fine if you were doing the route as part of a larger road trip itinerary, if you are planning to do a loop then you would then have to make the loooong drive back to where you started.
\\ Where to Start and End Your Road Trip
Due to southern Utah's relatively central location in the western half of the USA, you can (somewhat) easily reach the five national parks from four major cities: Las Vegas, Nevada; Phoenix, Arizona; Salt Lake City, Utah and Denver, Colorado.
All four cities are within driving distance of one of the five national parks, with Denver being the farthest away (just over 5 hours). Also, each of the four cities have large enough airports to easily find flights year-round and on any time of the week. The only things to keep in mind when planning where you want to start and end is whether you want to start/end from the same city (cheaper rental car service, but more driving) or if you want to start/end from two different cities (more expensive rental car but likely less driving).
❔ GOOD TO KNOW: the basic driving distance listed is a rough estimate of what the total driving distance for the road trip loop would be. It is likely that the distance will be longer after taking in various stops within the parks or any scenic detours.
LAS VEGAS
Likely the closest big city to southern Utah, Las Vegas, Nevada is a great spot to start your adventure. Plus, there are usually a lot of cheap flights into the city since it is such a popular tourist destination. From Las Vegas, your first stop will likely be Zion National Park which is just over 2.5 hours away.
BASIC DRIVING DISTANCE: 995 miles
EXPLORE MORE | THE BEST LAS VEGAS OUTDOOR ADVENTURES
PHOENIX, ARIZONA
Another option to start and end from is Phoenix, Arizona, which is located a couple of hours south of the Utah border. One great thing about starting and ending in Phoenix is the ability to add a couple of other interesting places to the route. This includes the town of Flagstaff, Grand Canyon National Park and stunning Monument Valley.
BASIC DRIVING DISTANCE: 1,236 miles