Destination UTAH ROAD TRIP!
“A journey is a person in itself; no two are alike. And all plans, safeguards, policing, and coercion are fruitless. We find after years of struggle that we do not take a trip; a trip takes us.”
– John Steinbeck
For my big road trip of 2021, my wife and I decided to take on the wilds of Utah. I have been through Utah before, and I knew that we would be in for a real treat if it were anything like Goblin Valley or Arches National Park. We decided on three locations: Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon, and Zion. Below is my ten-day itinerary. For more in-depth reviews of the parks and hikes we did, check out the individual park’s blog.
Day 1 – Starting off on the Road Trip
We live reasonably close to Utah in the grand scheme of things. Day one consisted of picking up the rental car and then heading out on our nine-hour drive. This day will vary depending on what part of the world you are coming from, but getting there is all part of the adventure! For our first couple of nights, we stayed at Capitol Reef Resort. This resort is extremely close to the park (You hang a left out of the parking lot and are in the park within 5 minutes. There are numerous fire pits throughout the resort for guests to sit around at night and take in the stars. If you are up for it, the resort also offers stays in stagecoaches. There wasn’t anybody staying in them while we were there. It may be a seasonal thing, so, unfortunately, we didn’t get a peek inside. After getting all settled in, we called it a night for our next big adventure the next day.
Day 2 – Capitol Reef
The original plan for day two consisted of an easy 2-mile round trip hike, but I had a lot of time on the trip over to search and find some other fantastic hikes. We changed the itinerary around and added some other great hikes. We started on Chimney Rock Loop. I had read some great things about this hike, so we decided to check it out. The hike was a quick two-hour hike, and after, we were onto our next adventure. Next on the list was Grand Wash. This one was also thrown into the mix and wasn’t planned, but I’m sure glad we did it.
We came at the wash from the main highway, but there is also access on the opposite end of the wash. The hike was an easy two miles in through reasonably flat ground. At the end of the two miles, we saw a sign saying “Cassidy Arch this way.” It pretty much led straight up the canyon wall, and my wife jokingly said, “Glad we aren’t doing that one.” Well, much to her surprise, I said, “Actually, that is the next one on the list!” I had initially planned this hike for day 3, but I figured what the heck? Let’s get it over with, so up we went… and up… and up… and up. It was only 1.5 miles from the bottom to the arch, but they aren’t taking in half a mile up you climb. Overall I’d say the view of the arch was worth it, and you had some great panoramic views of the surrounding desert. After we both took a snooze under an Ancient Bristlecone Pine, we made our trek back down to the wash and hiked the 2 miles back to the car. In all, we hiked about 14 miles. This hiking was a lot more than the planned 1.5 miles, but it worked out better this way as we had a rest day for day 3. We rounded out the day for a sunset drive along Capitol Reef’s “Scenic Drive” and tucked in for a much-needed snooze.
Day 3 – Capitol Reef + More Road Trip + Bryce Canyon
We planned on getting up early for sunrise, but boy, were we tuckered out from the day before. We hit the snooze on our alarm far too many times. We planned on doing our hike first, back to the hotel before checkout, and then off on our drive. In the end, we chose to sleep and recover. It worked out much better this way. We checked out of the hotel and went back into the park one last time. The hike on the agenda today was Hickman Bridge. This hike was pretty easy compared to the hikes yesterday. The bridge, really just a giant arch, was amazing to see up close. After the hike, we hopped in the car and drove to the “Curry Pizza” restaurant we saw on our drive into the park. The pizza was delicious, and we earned it after our previous couple of days. We got the Bhinda pizza. It was great. We also got a side of cheesy garlic naan bread for the road. After lunch, we hopped in the car and headed for Escalante.
We use Google Maps for navigation. It wants to take you the quickest way possible, but sometimes you want to take the scenic route on a road trip. Our stop for the night was going to be Bryce Canyon. Instead of heading back the same way we came in, we chose to drive through the Dixie National Forrest. We traveled at the beginning of April, and there was still a ton of snow on the ground adding to the drive’s beauty. Once we got through the forest, we dropped down into Escalante National Monument. We started on top of a bluff, with giant canyons dropping down below us on each side coming from Dixie. Eventually, the road drops down into the canyon, with some excellent views. There are plenty of turnouts to take pictures along the way. Finally, after Escalante, we set our sights on Bryce Canyon.
Bryce has always been a place I have wanted to see ever since I was a small child. I’d never really seen pictures, but my dad always said it was one of his favorites. I never looked up many photos through the years, mainly because I wanted to be surprised when I looked over into the canyon. After all these years of waiting, I finally had made it into the park. As we passed the Bryce Canyon National Park sign, I got chills of excitement. As I said in my Arches blog, Arches was the inspiration behind the movie “Cars.” Driving to the first overlook, it was very apparent that Bryce Canyon was the inspiration behind Big Thunder Mountain’s landscape. Giant Red Pillars shot up from the ground all around you. It felt like driving through a Disney ride. We got to the first viewpoint and looked over the edge. It was even better than I could have imagined. We hit every viewpoint. Everyone was immaculate and jaw-dropping. We decided to do all the viewpoints first because we’d be dropping down into the canyon for some fantastic hikes in the next few days. After writing this all down, I now realize why we were so tired. We headed back to the cabin and called it a night at 8 PM.
Day 4 – Bryce Canyon
Today, we would get the most strenuous hike we wanted to do out of the way first. We decided on Fairyland Loop. It was by far one of the best hikes I’ve been on in my life. We made the entire 8-mile loop (See the Bryce Canyon Blog for the full rundown). There was a spot about two miles in, on a narrow ridge, with one of the most amazing views I’ve ever witnessed in my life. If I have anything to say about this hike, you need to reach this point. We managed to do the hike in just under 4 hours, but we took pictures along the way. After this, we stopped by Mossy Cave at the northern end of the park. The Mossy Cave Trail is a short trail leading up to, depending on when you visit, an ice cave or a, well, mossy cave. There was still lots of snow when we went, so it was full of icicles. After the cave, we headed back to the cabin for some dinner and a quick nap. We ended the night by heading back into the park to check out the stars. We went to inspiration point, and the stars were amazing. Bryce is recognized and an international dark sky, so you should stick around after dark!
Day 5 – Bryce Canyon
Another early start to avoid crowds. The original plan was to hike the peek-a-boo loop today, but the usual entrance was closed due to winter conditions. The closure meant we had to improvise. We decided to start at Sunset Point and start the Navajo Loop Trail. We followed this until the turnoff for peek-a-boo. This trail held up to its name; lot’s of little surprises around every corner. We completed the loop and headed back towards Navajo Loop. Even with starting early, this loop was PACKED. The rest of the hike was a steady incline past the queen’s garden and up to Sunrise Point. In all, it was a little over 6 miles and just over three hours. We decided to take it easy the rest of the day, as we have some big hikes coming up in Zion.
Day 6 – Bryce Canyon + Road Trip – ing again + Reaching Zion
This morning since we were leaving Bryce, we decided that there was no better final memory than an early sunrise. We got straight out of bed, drove to Inspiration Point, and watched the sunlight up all the Hoodoos. It was quite an experience, and I recommend seeing the sunrise here at least one time. We said our final farewells to Bryce Canyon, headed back to the cabin, and loaded up the car. The next stop was Zion. We opted for the scenic route and decided to drive through Red Canyon. We got some final views and noticed an aptly named mountain, “Big Thunder Mountain.” The entire time we thought Bryce felt like we were walking through Disneyland, and after seeing this, we were sure of the inspiration. We hit the iconic Utah Highway Route 9. We were on the home stretch now.
The line to get in was LONG. We were, of course, coming in at the busiest time of the day. After finally making our way past the ranger pay station, we were on our way down the iconic canyon. Epic red rock walls jutted up all around us. The enormity of it all truly puts how small we are into perspective. We finally made our way to the iconic tunnel entrance. We were second in line, which meant we were sure to get a good view. You aren’t allowed to stop in the tunnel, and as you go through, you are teased by driving by small tunnel windows, giving you a glimpse at what you are about to see on the other side. Finally, you see the light at the end of the tunnel.
On the other side of the tunnel, you are welcomed to Zion, with some of the most spectacular views of the canyon. We snaked our way down to the bottom, stopping to take photos along the way. We were here. We had made it to Zion. We enjoyed the sunset at the canyon overlook trail. It was a perfect way to start our Zion adventure.
Day 7 – Zion
If you plan any trip to Zion, Shuttle tickets are required to get up into the canyon to do the epic hikes. You must purchase these online, and you must buy them well in advance. The shuttle tickets went extremely fast when I bought them (The weekend we were here sold out in 5 minutes). Today was my wife’s bucket list hike. Today we do “The Narrows.” All our shuttle tickets were for the earliest shuttle to avoid crowds. I believe the best way to appreciate these hikes and to experience them in their proper form, you need to do them in as much solitude as possible. We set out to the Visitor’s Center around 6:30 AM, found a spot, and were first on the shuttle.
We had rented gear the night before (Water was 37°F, and it was cold in the mornings). We took the shuttle to the last stop, “Temple of Sinawava.” We opted not to wear our Narrows rental gear on the shuttle. Our plan worked out as after the hike, we’d have more comfortable clothes to change into afterward. The first part of the trail is a nice little mile walk along the Virgin River. You’ll know you’ve made it to the narrows entrance when you see the stairwell leading down into the river. There are some benches here where you can get changed into your gear and start your hike. 6 Hours later, we made it back. This hike was incredible. Be sure to check out my full thoughts on the hike in my Zion Blog. As with all the hikes in Zion, start as early as possible. We started the hike around 7:30 AM, and there were only four people in front of us the whole way. On the way back, the river was mobbed with people. The kids were screaming. People were blasting music. It was the antithesis of peace.
During the hike, we didn’t feel tired. We got back to the room a little before we were supposed to start our sunset hike. I set the alarm and slept right through it. I wound up sleeping for almost 12 hours. It wore me out!
Day 8 – Zion
Today we were initially planning on hiking Angel’s Landing. However, the National Park Service was doing some repairs on the chain section, so we had to opt for our other hike for the day. Today’s hike was at Observation Point. Typically, this hike starts inside the park, and you climb to an overlook overlooking Angel’s Landing. However, due to a large rockslide, the trail from inside the canyon was closed. There is an alternate trail, however. You can exit the park and start the hike on the east mesa. Going this route makes the hike significantly less strenuous and much shorter. Keep in mind that the road to the observation point trailhead is a dirt road. The road had huge ruts, and I didn’t want to risk getting stuck in the middle of nowhere. There is a large dirt area around 0.6 miles from the trailhead. You can park here and hike to the trailhead. The hike was relatively flat and was more of a walk than anything. The view from the point was jaw-dropping. In the distance, Angel’s Landing looked tiny in comparison. We had a perfect view of the valley and had the point to ourselves for a while until the next group showed up. Again, start the hike early. On our way back, we passed around 20 groups heading to the point. We began at 7:00 AM, and there was only one group in front of us.
The hike was quick, and we headed back to the room to shower and have a lazy day. We ventured out to dinner and then headed back to get ready for our sunset walk. We drove to the visitor center and walked the Pa’rus trail. We walked to the end, to the famous Zion picture spot to get a sunset view of “The Watchman.” As with everything in Zion, arrive well before sunset. Many people showed up right before sunset and missed out on the best picture spots because of all the people. It was a fitting end to our final full day in Zion.
Day 9 – Zion + All Road Trips Must Come To An End
Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. Our car was packed, but the adventure was not quite over yet. For the last time, we headed to the shuttle before sunrise. We rode the shuttle to our stop and looked up, Angel’s Landing towering above us. We’re about to climb this monolith. Up we went. Check out my thoughts on the hike on the Zion Blog. We finished the hike in around 3 hours. We made it back to the hotel in time to shower before our drive home.
We had quite a week. In all, we did over 50+ miles. We burned over 8,000 Calories. We climbed over 10,000 ft (2+ Miles Straight up!). I would do it all over again. If you are looking for an action-packed nine days, this is the itinerary for you. If you’ve been to any of these places, let me know down below in the comments! I can’t wait to hear your stories!
