Utah is home to 5 of the best national parks—Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Zion—collectively known as the Mighty Five.
People Also Ask
The Southern Utah national park's beauty lent itself to making the park the second most popular park in the country, with over 5 million visitors per year. According to Travel Lens, Zion easily beat out other Utah national parks, though that is not to say Utah's parks should be slept on.
Both parks are incredibly popular destinations with unique features that draw in visitors from all over. While Zion tends to be busier due to its proximity to Las Vegas, Bryce Canyon offers incredible views of its iconic red-rock hoodoos and stunning natural landscapes.
Is Zion or Arches better for a whole day? This one is tougher but it may depend on if you want to just do a couple of longer hikes or do a lot of short hikes. If you want a couple of long hikes, Zion.If you want a lot of shorter hikes with a couple slightly longer, then Arches.
Explore Arches National ParkOne of the main reasons people come to Moab is to visit one of the most beautiful National Parks of the United States – Arches NP. So if you only have one day in Moab, the best thing to do is to explore Arches National Park.
A Utah roadtrip routeIf you're only doing these two parks then it doesn't matter which you do first. If you're going over to the other Utah national parks (on the east side of the state), then it makes sense to do Zion first, then Bryce and head on east.
Zion to Bryce Canyon 1 Day Itinerary & Map. Yes, it is possible to see both Zion and Bryce Canyon in one day, but it will be one VERY FULL day. A lot depends on where you start and end your trip, of course.
Zion's popularity rests partly on its stunning landscape, including some of the tallest sandstone cliffs in the world, and its tapering wild canyon you can hike through.
Bryce Canyon National Park in Southwestern Utah is famous for the largest collection of hoodoos—the distinctive rock formations at Bryce—in the world. Bryce Canyon is also home to horseshoe-shaped amphitheaters carved from the eastern edge of the Paunsaugunt Plateau, scenic vistas, and the dark night sky.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, NC/TN – 12.9 millionGreat Smoky Mountains is the most popular national park in the country – as it has been for decades! This is because it's one of the national parks closest to major metropolitan areas all along the east coast.
Zion National Park, Utah's first national park, was established in 1919 and ranks as the state's most-visited park today. The park's primary artery, Zion Canyon Scenic Drive (also known as Floor of the Valley Road), opened in 1932.
While the town itself is just a place to base yourself, the Moab area is simply stunning and has a lot to offer. Seeing Arches and Canyonlands National Parks is the main reason to visit Moab, but there are also many other stunning places nearby and a big variety of activities that you can do in the area.
We decided we would drive to Bryce to spend the day after we visit Horseshoe Bend, to discover more incredible rock formations and landscapes. Although we did not spend enough time in Bryce Canyon National Park to visit each of the most important places, even spending half a day was completely worth it.
Two of the most popular National Parks – Zion and Bryce Canyon – can be easily visited together, even if you only have a day or two-three. The drive from Zion to Bryce Canyon is just about 2 hours, so this is one of the best Utah road trips, allowing you to see some of the best scenery and viewpoints in the state.
Can you do Bryce Canyon and the arches in one day? Yes, but barely, and it isn't recommended. It takes roughly 4 hours and 50 minutes to drive from Bryce Canyon National Park to Arches National Park, which would leave you with very little time to explore either park.
You should plan to spend at least 1 to 2 days in Bryce Canyon National Park. While you can see the highlights in just one day, you'll be able to explore the hiking trails more with a full 2 days in Bryce Canyon.