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Adventure Road Trip to Utah's Great National Parks

Adventure Road Trip to Utah's Great National Parks

Utah's Mighty Five By 4x4

The American Southwest

Duration: 11 nights

The epic, cinematic and unspoilt natural beauty of Utah is the star attraction on this luxury self-drive vacation, where you’ll explore the state’s most impressive national parks and stay in its most luxurious hotels. Hiking, four-wheel driving, canyoneering and horse-riding your way through this incredible area of the USA, this is an unforgettable adventure for those with a love of desert landscapes and the great outdoors. Beginning in the Mormon capital of Salt Lake City, you’ll continue on to the lunar landscapes of Moab and surrounding southern Utah before finishing up with a shot of urbanity in the madness of Las Vegas.

Perfect forFirst-time visitors to the Southwest looking to experience a classic road trip in style.

In the knowAdding some time in Wyoming’s iconic Yellowstone for an ultimate National Parks adventure.

Best for

Landscapes & Scenery
First-timers
Road Trip
Adventure

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Itinerary details

1 nightSALT LAKE CITY

Your journey begins in the quirky town of Salt Lake City, where you’ll be staying in the impressive Grand America hotel for your first couple of nights. Experience the culture of the city with a walking tour of the downtown area, seeing the historic Temple Square with its Gothic, six-spired Salt Lake Temple, and right beside it, the domed Tabernacle, home to the infamous Mormon Tabernacle Choir – a must-see if it’s in town. Great shopping is on your doorstep at the City Creek Center and dining options are limitless, from local watering holes such as Squatters Brew Pub to tasty steaks at the New Yorker.

3 nightsMOAB

After a night in Salt Lake City, it’s time to hit the road for the mind-blowing red-rock arcs, sky-reaching spires, rugged canyons and Mars-like landscapes of the national parks of Arches and Canyonlands, a four-hour drive away through Utah’s expansive and far-sweeping landscapes. Arches National Park has more than 2,000 burnished sandstone rock arches, over 150 million years old, perched high above the Colorado River. Hike the likes of the Devil Gardens trail to the Dark Angel spire; descend the sheer rock face with a little canyoneering for a healthy dose of adrenalin; or four-wheel drive through the Windows area of the park to check out some of the largest arches on show. We also recommend the hike to Utah’s iconic Delicate Arch. Your home for the next three nights is Sunflower Hill Inn, an upscale B&B in a leafy area of central Moab.

2 nightsTORREY

The next stop on your Southwestern adventure is the tiny, historic town of Torrey, on the fringes of Capitol Reef National Park. As you make the two and a half hour drive from Moab down State Route 24, you’ll pass stunning areas such as Goblin Valley State Park, famed for its thousands of hoodoos. Torrey’s history as a pioneer settlement is evident in the centuries-old log buildings which dot the landscape, and your hotel, the Lodge at Red River Ranch, retains the Old West wood cabin style while updating it to modern standards of comfort and luxury. The star of the show though, is once again the great outdoors. Capitol Reef is named for its white domes of Navajo sandstone, resembling the domes of capitol buildings, and the sheer red cliffs which rise from the ground to form large reef-like barriers. You can hike, bike, climb and horse ride through the park, with road tours also available along the aptly-named Scenic Drive.

3 nightsSPRINGDALE

Departing Torrey, you’ll head south down State Route 22 for around two hours to the stunning Bryce Canyon National Park, a collection of giant natural amphitheatres formed from hoodoos and other rock formations which have to be seen to be believed. Your next stop, a further two hours’ drive away, is the town of Springdale, where you’ll stay at Desert Pearl Inn. A luxurious inn perched on the edge of Zion National Park, this is an excellent base for making the most of the park’s 100 miles of hiking trails and rock formations that date back over 100 million years. One of our favourite ways to see the park is on horseback, clip-clopping through pine-lined ravines, sleepy streams and to the peak of red-sanded limestone knolls for panoramic vistas of Zion.

2 nightsLAS VEGAS

After three nights surrounded by the desert beauty of Zion National Park, you’ll take to the road again, driving around two and a half hours to your final stop, the crazy desert city of Las Vegas. As you travel along Interstate 15, you’ll pass yet more majestic desert landscapes, such as Valley of Fire, Nevada’s biggest and oldest state park. The 24/7, frenetic energy of Vegas is the perfect foil to your time exploring the desert wilderness, and no one visits without some unforgettable experiences to take home – along with some rather hazier memories. You will spend two nights at Encore at The Wynn, a luxurious casino hotel in a fantastic location on the Strip – meaning Sin City’s famous nightspots and casinos are on your doorstep. The Mandarin Bar, XS Nightclub, and Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art are among our highlights, but if you’re pining for yet more unforgettable desert scenery, the Grand Canyon is a couple of hours’ drive away. After two nights in Vegas, your Southwestern adventure reaches its end, and you’ll fly home.