What is the Utah Mighty 5?
If you are not familiar with the term Utah Mighty 5, it refers to the very diverse collection of national parks within the state. These parks range from the stunning arched structures of Arches National Park to the landing only angels can alight in Zion National Park. The other three—Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon, and Canyonlands—offer epic, dramatic hoodoos, and wildlife. Visiting these parks on one epic road trip is a real treat since you will explore landscapes shaped over years of rain, wind, and a little magic from Mother Nature!
This post will give you a visual taste of each park on this magical road trip!
Capitol Reef National Park
Most people don't start their Utah trip with this national park, but I think you should because it's the most overlooked gem in the state. People say it doesn't compare to the big names like Zion or Canyonlands, and I had a similar reaction when I visited after first spending time at Canyonlands and Arches.
If you're planning to visit Capitol Reef first, I'd recommend using Hanksville as your base. I only had a few hours to explore on my visit since I was heading to Bryce next, so I just managed to fit in the Hickman Natural Bridge Hike, a quick 1.7-mile out-and-back with some nice views.
Bryce National Park
I call this park the carrot cake of the national parks, and that’s because when it snows, it looks like frosting on a piece of carrot cake. The Hoodoos formed over millions of years with wind and water, but the Native American (Paiute) legend instead says that the Coyote God turned people into stone, hence the hoodoos. You can read more about this on my post called: “Hoodoo…you do...remind me of a babe…Bryce Canyon Trip.”
My first stop to try to catch the sunrise was Sunrise Point, but I missed the sunrise, so I decided to start my hiking adventures with a strenuous 5.5-mile hike called the Peek-a-Boo Loop trail. This trail had all the most stunning hoodoos like the Wall of the Windows and Three Wise Men. What I remember the most, besides the stunning views, were the vivid red colors of the rocks and the pop of green forests surrounding them, creating a dreamlike world!
Zion
“The Disney Park of the National Park” is a joking nickname for Zion. Over 4 million people visit it every year! Although I have never been to Disney, I agree with the comparison! This park is the top choice for most visitors. This includes the famous Angel Landing, which I missed because of a damn moth! But at least I was able to do the Narrows hike.
Side note: I recommend visiting Zion Outfitters to rent a hiking stick and water shoes if you don’t have any for the Narrows. Make sure there aren’t any storms forecasted, since there is a high risk of flooding while hiking knee-deep to chest-deep in a river.
It's a real treat to reach the section of the Narrows called Wall Street, the famous part of the hike. This is where the canyon walls tower 1,500 feet high, and it’s the narrowest section, with the river only being 22 feet wide. But be cautious when hiking the park because swimming in the river is prohibited due to the toxic Cyanobacteria Bloom. This algae makes inhaling the water dangerous. Even top-of-the-line water filtration can’t remove the algae!
Canyonland
These next two parks are really special to me, and I have visited Utah parks three times! Canyonlands has three separate sections, which I discussed in 'Top 6 Places to Check Out in and around Moab.' These sections are Island in the Sky, Needles, and the rivers themselves.
The Island in the Sky is about 45 minutes from Moab and is just south of Deadhorse State Park. This makes it the most popular section since you can drive the loop around the park and see some truly raw, untamed beauty. With drops of 2,000 feet and winding roads, it’s a great area to explore if you have a day to spend here.
If you want to increase your adventure and cover more miles on your rental, I recommend the Needles. Located about an hour and 20-30 minutes from Moab, this area offers a full day of driving and hiking. I hiked the 5.4-mile round trip to Chesler Park and saw incredible views and scenery; it felt like I could spend days there.
The Colorado and Green Rivers are the two that formed Canyonlands. They carved beautiful, winding canyons that divide the park into the three mentioned regions. My only encounter with the rivers was camping and playing in the Colorado River. On my next visit, I hope to enjoy a paddle boat tour!
Despite being highly populated with thousands of visitors, this park still offers a sense of solitude and wonder due to the deep, vast canyons that meander below and the stunning mesas. Arches used to be my favorite park, but on my last trip there, maybe just maybe, this park overtook it, for now, and until I return!
Arches
Like I mentioned above, until my most recent trip, this was my favorite national park out of the Mighty Five. What made this park so special were the 2,000-plus naturally sculpted stone arches created by wind, water, and weather. This park made me feel like I was on the planet Mars with its sunrise hike to Delicate Arch. It was here that I kind of healed from a broken heart and saw the beauty of Utah, a place I had initially sworn off because I was being petty.
Here you will witness stunning sunrises and sunsets that make all the arches in the park glow vibrantly. Similar to Canyonlands, you can drive the loop and get out or plan to do a bigger hike. Just like any hike in Utah, bring plenty of water and sun protection. I would also suggest slowing down so you can really appreciate how dramatic this landscape is, just like the rest of the parks in Utah!
When I did the Utah 5, I started in Moab and made my way up to Salt Lake since I was flying back to DC. But really, you can start at any point. Most people actually start in Vegas and then work their way up to Moab. There’s really no wrong way to do the Mighty 5, but as I mentioned, don’t be disappointed with Capitol Reef, especially if you’ve already done Zion or Moab.
Tell me in the comments which one you did and why it was your favorite!
