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A van on a winding road through red-rock country in southern Utah

Sample journey · 13–15 days

The red-rock national parks, unhurried

Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Moab, Monument Valley & the Grand Canyon

Photo: Philip Ho / Unsplash

Illustrative journey ideas — not bookable packages. No prices, dates or accommodation are implied.

The parks of the Southwest lie so close together that two weeks can take in entirely different landscapes: slot canyons walked by wading the river, amphitheatres of orange rock spires, arches carved by the wind, and a canyon whose depth the eye can barely take in. Between them run roads that are part of the journey in their own right.

The most common mistake is trying to see it all in too few days. This sample journey is deliberately slower: two or three nights in each place, so that early mornings are free for hiking, the hottest hours for resting, and sunsets aren't seen through a car window. It suits couples and families with older children alike, and its length, hike difficulty and stays are easy to adjust.

The route

The journey

  1. Las Vegas
  2. Zion
  3. Bryce Canyon
  4. Capitol Reef
  5. Moab
  6. Monument Valley
  7. Grand Canyon
  8. Las Vegas
  1. Towering sandstone walls and autumn trees in the Narrows, Zion National Park, Utah

    01Days 1–3 · Zion

    Up the river between the canyon walls

    After landing in Las Vegas, it's about three hours' drive to Springdale at Zion's gates. A park shuttle runs deep into the canyon, and a morning in the Narrows, wading the Virgin River between walls hundreds of metres high, often becomes the moment of the journey. The next day could be the Canyon Overlook trail or, with a permit, the ridge walk to Angels Landing.

  2. Sunrise over the hoodoos of Bryce Canyon

    02Days 4–5 · Bryce Canyon

    An amphitheatre of spires

    Through the tunnel and the switchbacks, about two hours to Bryce Canyon, much higher and cooler. Sunrise from the rim as thousands of hoodoos turn orange, then a hike down among them on the Navajo Loop and Queen's Garden trails. Nights here are very dark, so an evening for the stars is well spent.

  3. The cliffs of Capitol Reef lit by the evening sun, Utah

    03Days 6–7 · Capitol Reef

    A great scenic road, and orchards in the desert

    Scenic Byway 12, one of America's finest roads, winds across the slickrock of the Escalante country and along the narrow Hogback ridge. Capitol Reef sees fewer visitors: the orchards of Fruita, where in season you can pick fruit, ancient rock art, pie from an old homestead and hikes into the washes. A quiet interlude between better-known parks.

  4. Mesa Arch at sunrise in Canyonlands National Park, near Moab

    04Days 8–10 · Moab

    Arches, mesas and the Colorado

    Three nights in Moab, the base for two parks. In Arches, a hike to Delicate Arch at sunset and the trails of Devils Garden; in Canyonlands' Island in the Sky, Mesa Arch at first light and canyons seen from four hundred metres above. Afternoons might mean a float on the Colorado, or simply the pool when the heat is at its peak.

  5. Buttes and desert floor in Monument Valley, on Navajo Nation land

    05Day 11 · Monument Valley

    Navajo land, with a Navajo guide

    About three hours south, by way of Bluff and the San Juan River. Monument Valley is a Navajo Nation tribal park, and the valley floor is best explored with a local Navajo guide who can share the land, its history and the families who still live among the buttes. A night close by, and a sunrise as the buttes' shadows stretch across the desert.

  6. Evening light on the layered walls of the Grand Canyon, Arizona

    06Days 12–14 · Grand Canyon

    A rim that's hard to walk away from

    By way of the Cameron trading post to the Grand Canyon's South Rim, entering at Desert View. Two nights allow both a sunset and a sunrise, a walk along the Rim Trail and, if you have the legs for it, a short descent into the canyon; the climb back takes twice as long. The last day is about four and a half hours' drive back to Las Vegas.

Experience highlights

  1. 01

    Zion's Narrows

    A hike wading the river between the canyon's highest walls, when water levels and weather allow.

  2. 02

    Scenic Byway 12

    A driving day that is a destination in itself.

  3. 03

    Delicate Arch at sunset

    A climb of about an hour and a half across the slickrock to Utah's most famous arch.

  4. 04

    Monument Valley with a Navajo guide

    The valley floor, and stories you'd never hear from the viewpoint.

First, we listen. Then, we explore what's possible.

Make it your own

  • With children

    Shorter trails, junior ranger programmes, afternoons by the pool and a gentle float on the Colorado.

  • More active

    The full Narrows, Angels Landing, mountain biking around Moab, or a permitted overnight hike to the bottom of the Grand Canyon.

  • More slowly

    Drop Capitol Reef for more time in Moab and at the Grand Canyon, or add Page and Antelope Canyon near the end.

  • Exceptional stays

    A desert retreat facing the rock, a historic lodge on the canyon rim, or a ranch in place of simple motels.

Practical considerations

  • Spring and autumn are usually the best seasons; summer is very hot in Las Vegas, Zion and Moab, while Bryce Canyon and the Grand Canyon rim are much cooler.
  • Some parks and trails may need timed-entry reservations or permits in season (Arches and Angels Landing, for example), so they're worth arranging ahead.
  • The Narrows and other slot canyons close when there's a risk of flash floods; the call is made on the day, based on the forecast and park information.
  • In the desert you need plenty of water and sun protection, and hikes are best started early in the morning.

General guidance only. Seasons, weather and wildlife are never guaranteed, and travel requirements are always worth checking before you go.

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