Utah Uncovered13 night self drive tour
Day 1: Salt Lake City
Arrive into Salt Lake City and transfer to your hotel. Settle in and try and stay awake to battle the jetlag.
Day 2: Salt Lake City
Your first stop this morning must be Temple Square, the spiritual centre of the city. Take a free missionary guided tour to learn about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints first-hand, view the exterior of Salt Lake Temple and stroll through the pristine gardens. Head to the mountainside to visit Red Butte Gardens and the Natural History Museum of Utah, the perfect combination with great views over the city. During spring the gardens are full of colour and aromas. Next door the museum displays an incredible selection of dinosaur bones and living creatures of today. Try and coincide your arrival to visit on a Thursday and watch the amazing Tabernacle Choir rehearsing.
2 nights – Salt Lake City
Day 3: To Vernal (173 miles)
Travel the scenic route to Vernal through the Wasatch Mountains that border the city, before heading east to Dinosaur National Monument. Along the way stop off at the natural wonder of Homestead Crater to soak in the geothermal spring, or head to the alpine resort of Park City and grab a drink with a view. At Dinosaur National Monument there are over 1,500 dinosaur fossils in an exposed cliff face inside the Quarry Exhibit Hall. To experience a wild western landscape head to Rainbow Park and Island Park, a less developed area providing acres of open space to roam, and to view the Fremont petroglyphs at McKee Springs.
1 night – Vernal
Day 4: To Moab (228 miles)
Travel south on Highway 191 to Moab, the centre of activity for two of Utah’s five national parks – Arches and Canyonlands. Along the way stop at USU Eastern Prehistoric Museum, where ancient lives are documented back to the Ice Age 14,000 years ago. This route is part of the Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric scenic highway. One of the largest towns in Utah, Moab has a wild-west feel and has good selection of shops and restaurants. With a scenic backdrop of mountain peaks and rolling dunes, Moab is ideal for outdoor enthusiasts who love hiking, biking, rafting and off-road adventures.
Day 5: Arches National Park
Arches National Park is a wonderland of over 2,000 natural stone arches. Have fun spotting smaller hidden arches and admire the scenery which is a photographers’ dream. Delicate Arch is a must see; it frames a backdrop of mesas, canyons and distant mountains. Get up-close and personal by taking the three mile roundtrip hike to it from Wolfe Ranch with some off-trail hiking. Or walk to Double Arch and the North/South Arches in around 40 minutes at The Windows section. Alternatively stay with your vehicle, using the 18 mile main road and stop at the various viewpoints to take in the incredible scenery.
Day 6: Canyonlands National Park
Canyonlands, Utah’s largest National Park has three sections: Island in the Sky (an easy walk is to Mesa Arch, a natural frame to the canyon below); Needles District (strenuous hikes with over 60 miles of interconnecting trails) and The Maze. Numerous viewpoints highlight stops for photograph opportunities. Make sure to stop at Dead Horse Point State Park, located just north of the park which boasts mesmerising views over the Colorado River. Time permitting take in some of the incredible views of the starry night sky on an evening visit to Canyonlands or try stargazing on a ranger led programme at this International Dark Sky Park.
3 nights – Moab
Day 7: To Monument Valley (240 miles)
Head South on Highway 191 and venture west on Highway 95 to visit Natural Bridges National Monument, or head East on Highway 262 to Hovenweep National Monument. Bluff is a popular town to stop for a break or lunch, before heading via Goosenecks State Park on the way to Monument Valley. Get your camera at the ready as you get closer to Monument Valley – the ever-changing colours and different angles are spectacular! One of the USA’s most iconic images and, made famous from countless western movies, Monument Valley has to be seen to be believed!
On arrival in Monument Valley, explore the 17-mile scenic drive on a guided jeep tour, or get up close and personal with this natural wonder by hiking or horse riding through the valley. Half day and full day tours are also on offer, narrated by Navajo guides.
1 night – Monument Valley
Day 8: To Kanab (195 miles)
Head into the ancient Navajo Tribal Park of Monument Valley, the set of so many famous westerns synonymous with John Wayne and the wildwest. If there wasn’t a chance yesterday to see the sunset, catch an awesome sunrise. Or take a trip to Mystery Valley to see the ancient homes, pictographs and petroglyphs. Continue the journey to Kanab through desert landscape before admiring the contrasting sandy shores of Lake Powell. Arrive in Kanab and be sure to visit Little Hollywood Movie Museum for either lunch or dinner to see their ‘How the West Was Lost’ show.
1 night – Kanab
Day 9: To Springdale (66 miles)
Take a short drive to Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, where mountains of red sand can move up to 50 feet per year. Explore on a half-mile walk along the nature trail to the visitor centre, or for some exhilaration try an ATV ride across the dunes. Moqui Cave, a natural history museum on the way to the park, and Best Friends Animal Sanctuary are both great places to pop in to along the way. There are also many tour companies in Kanab offering sightseeing and adventure tours of the stunning surrounding landscapes including Peek-a-Boo slot canyon or the hoodoos and fossils of the Grand Staircase-Escalante. On the way to Springdale catch a taster of Zion National Park through the windows of The Zion Mount Carmel Tunnel showcasing the grandeur of the park.
Day 10: Zion National Park
Today spend a full day in Zion National Park. Explore to the extreme, walking up to the plateaus or down along the river-bed. Walk the Upper Emerald Pools trail, a moderate hike above the waterfalls and the Virgin River below. Alternatively drop in at one of the adventure outfitters in Springdale to hire the equipment you need to hike The Narrows, a slot canyon along the bed of the Virgin River, with cliff walls up to 2,000-ft deep and running for 16 miles. Go as far as you like before heading back. This evening try some star gazing which can be arranged at the park’s visitor centre.
2 nights - Springdale
Day 11: To Bryce Canyon National Park (85 miles)
On the journey to Bryce Canyon National Park take the beautiful Zion Mt Carmel Scenic Byway, part of the Heritage Highway, and drive through the colourful sandstone tunnels of Red Rock Canyon as the road turns onto the All-American Road: Scenic Byway 12. Once inside the national park, stop at the Visitor Centre, to interact with the local guides and watch the exhibits and videos explaining the history of Bryce Canyon. Explore one of the world’s largest collections of hoodoos and spot them at various vantage points within the park. Spot the ancient Bristlecone Pine as the trail descends into the canyon on The Queens Garden trail, then take the Navajo Loop back to Sunset Point. Horse rides are also available on certain trails.
1 night - Bryce Canyon
Day 12: To Torrey (128 miles)
Don’t miss the amazing sunrise over the canyon; the changing of colours and golden hues will be a memory that lasts a lifetime! After breakfast hit the road to enjoy some of Utah’s most spectacular scenery on Scenic Byway 12. A slight detour via Kodachrome Basin State Park which has more than 60 upright chimneys called sand pipes, ranging from six to 170-ft and Powell Overlook can be made before arriving in the town of Escalante. Later, perhaps visit Escalante Petrified Forest State Park, one of Utah’s most accessible displays of petrified wood or join an escorted hike to the Grand Staircase of Escalante, before continuing Scenic Byway 12, through Boulder to the town of Torrey, 3
Day 13: Capitol Reef National Park
Capitol Reef National Park is the most expansive park in Utah. Due to the sheer size of Capitol Reef, it can take a little more time to explore, but the variety of natural bridges and narrow canyons will leave you mesmerised. Drive along the 25-mile Capitol Reef Scenic Drive, it is a great way to soak in the natural beauty. For a moderate hike take the spectacularly scenic trail to Hickman Bridge.
Stop at Fremont Petroglyphs viewing area and use binoculars to view the ancient petroglyphs left by inhabitants of the park around 2,000 years ago. Gooseneck Overlook is a short trek to a dizzying viewpoint over Sulphur Creek and the San Juan River where canyons wind back to back. Capitol Reef is a certified international Dark Sky Park, so make sure you fit in some relaxing stargazing!
2 nights – Torrey
Day 14: To Salt Lake City (247 miles)
Head north today, back to Salt Lake City, time permitting visit the Olympic Legacy Park, in Park City. Take a tour of the site where many of the 2002 Winter Olympic Games’ events took place, ride the world’s steepest zip-line, brave a 70-mph bobsled ride, and watch freestyle aerial displays before heading back to the airport.
