Grand Circle Road Trip

Utah and its surroundings are some of the most beautiful landscapes in the world. From its towering rock formations to its picturesque waterfront scenery, there’s something for everyone who wants to jump in their RV and explore everything this area has to offer.

One route you can take through Utah to get the most out of what makes this great state famous, the big 5 national parks, then pop into the Grand Canyon, and round everything out with some true backcountry experience.

Salt Lake City is the perfect jumping-off point for your grand circle road trip. It’s a central hub of transportation and offers a friendly, laid-back atmosphere to get you into the spirit of RVing.

Before you leave, why not explore the Utah Olympic Park to try your hand at bobsledding or ski jumping? More a fan of sitting back and enjoying a show? The Redwood Drive-in Movie Theatre is perfect for you.

No matter your proclivities, you’ll find something to do in Salt Lake City. From there, it’s a simple matter to rent an RV and get your trip underway.

Stop One: Explore the contrasts of Arches National Park

Arches National Park is a landscape of contrasting landforms, colors, and textures that are unlike anything you will have seen before. The park has over 2,000 naturally-formed stone arches (hence the name) but also plays host to hundreds of massive rock fins, soaring pinnacles, and giant balanced rocks.

The park is crisscrossed with numerous walking and hiking trails, all of various grades. For some of the most spectacular views of the area, be sure to get up before sun up and perch yourself among the rocks for a front-row seat to one of the most beautiful sunrises you’ll ever see.

Whether you’re into hiking or just enjoy a spectacular sunset, this red-rock wonderland will be sure to go down as one of the highlights of your road trip around Utah.

Stop One: Explore the contrasts of Arches National Park

Stop Two: Wonder at the diversity of Canyonlands National Park

Canyonlands National Park is the largest in Utah with a diversity that will stagger your imagination. Made up of different districts, you want to choose which to visit ahead of time as they’re not very accessible once you’re in the park proper.

The easiest district to experience is the Island in the Sky district which is the closest to Moab and offers panoramic views of the park’s spectacular landscape.

Sunrise and sunset are particularly beautiful from the park. Simply perch yourself at one of the many lookouts and let nature put on a show for you. The park also offers multiple hiking trails for those more adventurously minded.

Stop Two: Wonder at the diversity of Canyonlands National Park

Stop Three: Take a trip back in time in Capitol Reef National Park

It’s difficult to rival Capitol Reef National Park’s sense of expanse. A wonderland of broad, sweeping vistas and seemingly endless landscape, it gives you a real sense of what Earth must have been like before life appeared.

The park itself is host to a slew of walking and hiking trails as well as some of the most impressive lookouts in the area. It also holds a number of ancient petroglyphs – engraved etchings into rock walls that date back to 600 - 1300 A.D.

Whether you’re into hiking, taking in a view, or want to delve into the history of the area, Capitol Reef National Park is a great day trip for you and your family.

Stop Three: Take a trip back in time in Capitol Reef National Park

Stop Four: See the hoodoos of Bryce Canyon National Park

Bryce Canyon National Park is a red, orange, and white wonderland that provides spectacular views for park visitors. Smaller than its brother, the nearby Zion National Park, it nevertheless packs a real punch in terms of sights.

The cornerstone of the park is Bryce Canyon, which despite the name, is actually not a canyon. Rather, it’s a collection of massive natural amphitheaters along the east of the Paunsaugunt Plateau. Bryce is distinctive due to geological structures named hoodoos. These structures are formed by steam erosion and frost weathering of the lake bed and river sedimentary rocks.

The park is crisscrossed with numerous walking and hiking trails that lead to various lookout points throughout the area.

Stop Four: See the hoodoos of Bryce Canyon National Park

Stop Five: Zion National Park – the cream of the crop

Utah’s first national park, Zion National Park is a mecca of hiking, backpacking, camping, climbing, and more. Its highlight is an expansive canyon that averages 2,000 feet deep. Offering hiking opportunities along its floor, you can opt to explore The Narrows or a more challenging area known as The Subway.

Other awesome features of Zion National Park include its natural rock arches. Two of the most impressive are the Kolob and the Crawford, each visible from some of the many hiking trails that cross the area.

If you’re traveling in summer then you’ll be excited to know that swimming is permitted within the park areas of the Virgin River.

Stop Five: Zion National Park – the cream of the crop

Stop Six: Cut loose at Lake Powell

Lake Powell is an artificial reservoir on the Colorado River. A major vacation spot, it’s visited by around two million people each year.

Lake Powell starts in northern Arizona and extends up into southern Utah. At 186 miles long, this man-made wonder covers an immense amount of territory across the American West. Home to 96 major canyons, some of which are 15 to 20 miles in length, this reservoir is on the map as a national recreation destination.

With almost 2,000 miles of shoreline, warm water, endless sunshine, and some of the most awesome scenery in the west, Lake Powell is the ultimate outdoor playground. Whether you’re into boating, water skiing, rock climbing, or simply taking in the sights, there’s something for everyone at this national recreation area.

Stop Seven: Explore the backcountry in the Valley of the Gods

Valley of the Gods is a picturesque backcountry area with similar scenery to that of nearby Monument Valley. It offers isolated buttes, massive pinnacles, and wide-open landscapes that seem to go on forever.

While you need a permit to hike the Monument Valley backcountry, the Valley of the Gods offers similar scenery without tribal restrictions. The area is open for hiking, backpacking, and camping.

The Valley of the Gods has no designated campgrounds or trails, just seemingly endless backcountry for you to explore at your leisure.

Stop Seven: Explore the backcountry in the Valley of the Gods