In the summer of 2022, two of my girlfriends and I rented an RV and spent two weeks exploring the northern tip of Nevada and southern Utah. We enjoyed a mix of Utah’s Mighty Five national parks and some very cool state parks. It was an incredible trip that I reflect on often. We hiked almost everyday, kayaked Sand Hollow Reservoir, and boated Lake Powell. We spent hours with our noses in our books, cooked dinner over hot coals, and ate s’mores every. single. night! It was utterly delightful.
In this post, I am going to breakdown the itinerary of our trip and highlight the must see attractions of each. I’ll note any tips I have and which hikes we completed. Even if you aren’t able to take two weeks to enjoy all of these places or for the number of nights that we were able to, I hope you will find this information helpful when planning your trip to this beautiful part of our great nation.
First, some logistics. We flew in to Las Vegas, picked up our RV, s and set some priorities: Food and Beer! Grocery stores are few and far between once you’re out of the cities in the area (Las Vegas, NV and St. George, UT) so you’ll want to be sure to take that into consideration when planning. Plus, if you’re traveling by RV, the fridge is typically pretty small so frequent grocery trips are key. It’s not impossible but does take a little planning. Once we were stocked up on grub and libations, we hit the road!
Stop #1: Valley of Fire State Park
If you dig incredible sunrises and rams, Valley of Fire is the place for you. And yes, you heard that right, I said rams! These rams just wander around the campsites making friends as they go. But as all wildlife enthusiasts recommend, keep your distance as these guys can get a little ornery.
TIPS:
- Wake up in time for sunrise! Listen, I am NOT a morning person. But, there are just some parts of this world where witnessing sunrise is a must; and Valley of Fire State Park is one of those places. The mix of colors in a crisp, clear sky make it well worth the early rise.
ACTIVITIES: Fire Wave, White Domes & Seven Wonders Loop Hike
This was our very first hike of the trip and it did not disappoint. My friend Nicole and I have a thing. We love a hike with multiple types of terrain. Think: wooded, meadows, scrambles and stream hopping all in one hike. But in this case, you get to experience rougher, rocky masses along with sandy, flat bottoms and striped, wavy rocks, all in different sections of the hike.
However, be aware, this trail lacks shade for much of the hike. Be sure to sunscreen up, cover sensitive areas of your body, and stay hydrated! Valley of Fire can be very, very hot in the summer. In fact, there are times that Nevada State Park will close this hike due to heat conditions, according to AllTrails.com.
Stop #2: Snow Canyon State Park
West of St. George. UT sits a beautiful state park known as Snow Canyon. With cliffs providing for beautiful views of layers and layers of sandstone, this part of the Utah dessert is a hikers dream. The campground sits among these towering sandstone cliffs allowing you to wake up to some of the most incredible views all around you.
TIPS:
- If traveling by RV, stay at the campground right in the park. I recommend getting site SC15A or B. This is where we were and we were blown away by the view right outside our RV.
ACTIVITIES:
- Petrified Dunes Trail is only 1.2 miles with your far share of Navajo sandstone. There are outcroppings that allow you to see the layers of sandstone all around you. We were happy with this short hike as we couldn’t just pick one hike while exploring this park.
- Cinder Cone Trail is the other trail we completed while at Snow Canyon. The coolest thing about this hike: you will actually be hiking up and around the rim of a volcano! At only 1.7 miles in length, this hike was pretty quiet and fun to do. In addition to the the whole ‘volcano thing’, the 360 degree views as you circle the volcano are worth the climb.
Stop #3: Sand Hollow State Park
Take a break from the heat and cool off in Sand Hollow Reservoir. Located in Hurricane, UT, this beautiful lake is an oasis in the dessert that provides a relief from the sometimes sweltering heat of southern Utah in summer. But don’t fret, there are many ways to enjoy the reservoir and chill out.
TIPS:
- Stay cool! The temperatures at Sand Hallow can very high in the summer. The thermometer reached 113 degrees Fahrenheit while we were there and our little RV had a hard time keeping cool with it’s single AC unit. Drink lots of water and take advantage of the reservoir to prevent from overheating.
ACTIVITIES:
- Kayak the reservoir. Reserve a kayak rental ahead of time, enjoy this beautiful reservoir, and best of all, stay cool!
Stop #4: Zion National Park
Of the many parks I’ve been to, Zion is one of my absolute favorites. In fact, I have been to Zion four times! What makes Zion the adventurer’s dream is the many different activities to partake in, all while enjoying incredible views.
TIPS:
- Stay in Springdale, if possible. Zion is a huge park which means you’ll either be driving or taking the shuttle a ways into the park to enjoy some of Zion’s features. By staying near the main entrance, you’re going to save yourself some drive time, which means you’ll have more time to experience all this park has to offer.
- Book early!! According to nps.gov, in 2022 alone, 4.6 million people visit. Guys, that’s a lot of people! And there is only so many camping sites, RV spots, hotel rooms, and short-term rentals. If you’re planning to go to Zion during the busy months (pretty much anytime but winter), you are going to want to book as early as possible to make sure you get a spot.
ACTIVITIES:
- Angel’s Landing Trail had been on my bucket list for many, mostly for sentimental reasons. And man, was it worth the wait. The chains section was closed when we went but it was still an incredible view below the chains and one heck of an accomplishment. Highly recommend!
- The Narrows is one of the most unique hikes in the United States simply because who are walking upstream in the Virgin River. Most importantly, as the NPS says, know before you go. The Virgin River is known for experiencing flash floods. So be sure to check the Virgin River Water Gauge before you go.
Stop #5: Bryce Canyon National Park
Being in Bryce National Park feels as though you might be on another planet. The Hoodoos themselves are like nothing I had ever seen before. We stopped at Bryce on our way from Zion National Park to Lake Powell. Our only regret, not spending more time soaking up the strange but spectacular landscape Bryce has to offer.
TIPS:
- Stay a night & enjoy the cooler air. Whether your hitting all the spots noted in this post or just a few, if you’re visiting southern Utah in the summer, you’re going to experience some high temps and blazing sunshine. At 8,000+ feet of elevation, Bryce is a nice break from the Utah heat.
- Visit both Sunrise and Sunset Points. These are both busy areas in the park, but so worth it. Just trust me on this one.
ACTIVITIES:
- Navajo Loop and Queens Garden Trail starts and ends at Sunset Point. AllTrails and NPS recommend doing the trail clockwise but we decided to do it counterclockwise and are glad we did. After you’ve seen the incredible views that Sunset Point has to offer, you’ll then want to drop down into the landscape taking Wall Street, as set of eight switch backs. From here you’ll get to experience what it’s like to be at the base of the hoodoos you had seen not long before. Also at the base of the canyon are several incredibly tall pine trees that along with the hoodoos provide a nice reprieve from the Utah sun. Fromm there you’ll work your way back up through Queens Garden to Sunset Point. This hike was one of our favorites of the trip.
Stop #6: Capital Reef National Park
Capital Reef was another pit-stop we made between Zion and Lake Powell. I’m sure you can spend a number of days exploring Capital Reef, however we were satisfied with the few hours we spent there. The area is beautiful, but not very large.
TIPS:
- Do not spend more that a few hours or at most a day at Capital Reef. This is not to say it’s not worth seeing but more so due to being a smaller park than the others on the itinerary.
ACTIVITIES:
- Hickman Bridge Trail is a short but sweet hike that brings you to a natural bridge. There is plenty of indigenous nature to soak up, both flora and rock formations. Keep in mind that this is one of the most popular hikes in Capital Reef, so don’t expect solitude while trekking this trail.
Stop #7: Lake Powell
Ah, Lake Powell. Where do I even begin? I have been blessed to visit Lake Powell three times in my lifetime – once around 8 years old when my parents rented a motor boat for a day on the lake. Then again when I was about 12 years old when my family joined two other families in renting a houseboat on the lake for a week (truly, a trip of a lifetime!). So, when I saw how closed we’d be to Lake Powell, I knew we had to add it to this trip’s itinerary!
TIPS:
- Stay in Paige, not Bullfrog. One the two trips in my younger years, we stayed in Paige. So, silly me, I thought it would be fun to try something new. Boy, was I wrong. The campground is great, the setting is beautiful, that portion of the lake is stunning…however, Bullfrog is extremely remote and challenging to get to. It’s as simple as that.
ACTIVITIES:
- Rent a boat and get on the water! This lake is likely like no other lake you’ve visited before. The sandstone walls, the clear water, sandy beaches, and incredible depths make this man-made lake irresistible.
Stop #8: Arches & Canyonlands National Parks
When we originally planned this trip, we planned to go to Grand Canyon National Park after Lake powell then make the four-hour trek back to Las Vegas from there. However, while we were soaking in Lake Powell in 100+ degree heat, we were seeing posts of articles noting that hikers shoes were melting at Grand Canyon! Ummmm…no thanks! So we decided to make a detour to Moab and we were so happy that we did!
TIPS:
- Hang out in Moab! Of this trip, this was probably coolest little town we stayed in. Restaurants, Moab Brewery, nice and affordable RV parks, and an overall chill vibe. While driving around Moab and it’s surrounding area, make sure you’re looking up at the cliffs above you. Moab is known for Jeep adventures driving along precarious, steep cliffs. Seriously, makes my knees weak thinking back. A real cliff-hanger, if you will (cheesy, I know)!
- Drive out to Potash Ponds. Be warned, it kind of feels like you’re on a different planet. These colorful ponds are typically a bight, rich blue, but they can also be pink, purple, green or yellow. They are kept gated off, but you can still see the crazy hues that don’t seem natural at first sight.
ACTIVTIES:
- Be sure to visit Balanced Rock while you’re in Arches. This rock sits atop a pedestal and truly looks like it’s going to topple over if the wind blows just right. This is a popular area of the park, but it’s easy to view right from the road.
- Delicate Arch Trail is a pretty popular trail in Arches National Park, but is well worth the crowds you might encounter on the hike. After making a not-too-difficult climb then short hike along a rock wall, you’ll find yourself in an open space where you can easily view this unique geological structure with an incredible backdrop. Fun fact: Delicate Arch is the notable arch featured on Utah’s license plate! There is very little shade on this hike so be sure to bring lots of water and sunscreen.
Summary
Like a said at the top, whether you’re able to spend two weeks or just a week exploring Southern Utah, this itinerary is doable with little drive time between each location. You can simply pass over one or two of these locations to fit it into whatever timeframe you are able to finagle. Whatever you do, be sure to put this trip on your bucket list – Southern Utah is absolutely stunning withing a bonus: five national parks within a few hours of one another – The Mighty Five.