From a tourist point of view, Utah is the most beautiful state in the United States, with landscapes of no equivalent. Utah is a wonderful playground for anyone who wants to go on a road trip, who loves the great outdoors and the outdoors. Hiking, kayaking, mountain biking (on the sublime Slickrock Trail), quads, fishing, rafting, horseback riding, and climbing. It’s a true sports paradise. Check best time to visit for wonderful trip of Utah.
In addition to this, Utah has no less than 5 national parks on its borders called the “Mighty Five” (the Majestic Five). Five national parks are among the most beautiful American parks, which will amaze you.
1. Arches National Park
Located near the small town of Moab, Arches National Park is the iconic symbol of Utah. Delicate Arch (cover story), this huge, almost supernatural stone arch, is found on state plaques and “boundary signs.” If it’s the most popular of all, it’s not alone.
The park lends itself very well to hiking. Arches National Park is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful national parks in the United States and a must-see in the same way as Yellowstone or the Grand Canyon.
2. Canyonlands National Park
Like Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park is located near the city of Moab, which makes it an excellent stopping point for exploring the surrounding area. It allows you to gain height and offers magnificent views of the plateau that Colorado has carved over the last millennia. This part includes many short, accessible hikes with breathtaking landscapes.
The Narrows sector lives up to its name. The rocky needles streaked with white and red compose a landscape worked by the fragmentation of the rock and the erosion. This sector lends itself well to hiking or cycling. Note that temperatures can be very high in this region of Utah during the summer period.
3. Capitol Reef National Park
This park is often the “great forgotten” of road trips in the west due to its location. However, it offers very beautiful landscapes and a beautiful connection with the Native American history of the region. Indeed, Capitol Reef, in addition to the hikes and tracks that you can take in 4×4, has some areas with petroglyphs. If the part is desert, the river that feeds the small village of Fruits (and the official entrance to the park) has a kind of oasis that allowed the first nations to settle and live there.
4. Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon is famous for its “hoodoos”, which symbolize this magnificent national park in Utah. Although it is not very big, this park offers great activities. First of all, a panoramic road will allow you to enjoy the different points of view on landscapes dominated by these orange sculptures called “hoodoos”. Then, it has several hikes that will enable you to go into the canyon and enjoy the spectacle.
5. Zion National Park
Its beauty, accessibility, and proximity to the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas make it a popular park. But this is not without reason. Zion National Park has two of the most beautiful hikes you can do in the western United States: Angels Landing, which takes you to the top of the park via a spectacular trail, and The Narrows, a hike in a river that will allow you to contemplate from below, gorges with huge cliffs.
As you will have understood, the five national parks of Utah are aptly named “Mighty Five”. They alone deserve a road trip in this exceptional state of the United States. Five national parks with completely different settings will transport you and will certainly offer you one of the most beautiful shows you have seen. But that’s not all. Utah has many other attractions.
Utah is, therefore, a state which alone is worth a trip. Without counting on what there is to do and see in the bordering states (Arizona, Colorado or Nevada). You can easily plan an exceptional road trip from Salt Lake City that will amaze you.