If you’re looking for otherworldly views and dramatic landscapes, there’s no place like the southwest USA. A road trip itinerary through the “grand circle” (aka a loop between Las Vegas, Utah’s five national parks, and the Grand Canyon) is an epic way to see these landscapes firsthand.
I took this road trip with my best friends and it’s still one of my favorite trips to date. The beauty of this area is unparalleled! I guarantee you’ll love it too.
Logistics
Views from the road through Capitol Reef National Park. Are you ready for epic landscapes like this?!
Before we dive into the details of this grand circle road trip itinerary, let’s chat logistics.
I’ll be upfront: this itinerary packs a lot into one week (six national parks, to be exact!). Obviously, you could spend a week at almost every one of these stops. There’s so much to see in this part of the country! However, I’ve designed this road trip itinerary to give you a taste of all the grand circle highlights so you can pack as much into your week vacation as possible! You can always come back and explore your favorite areas on a later trip.
As with all national park trips, I recommend getting the Annual Parks Pass to save on your park entrance fees! It’s also fun to get a national parks passport that you can get stamped at all the park visitors centers.
This part of the country gets very hot in the summers (and also packed with tourists), so I recommend visiting in the shoulder season, like early spring or late fall. I visited in October and it was perfect. Mornings were a bit chilly, but the sunny afternoons quickly warmed things up.
Finally, many parts of this itinerary are in remote areas, so cell phone reception may not be the best. Consider a GPS phone, and at the very least make sure to have your itinerary and directions available offline.
Food, gas, and rest stops may be few and far between, so always make sure you have enough gas to get to the next major city. And, as my grandma always said, never skip a bathroom!
Bags packed and ready to go? Here’s my itinerary for an epic week-long grand circle road trip.
Read more: The Ultimate U.S. National Parks Guide
Grand Circle Road Trip Itinerary: Day 1
Arrive in Las Vegas
4x4s make driving through the off-road section of Capitol Reef National Park a breeze.
The easiest way to start your grand circle road trip is from Las Vegas. There are plenty of flights to this airport (including many budget airlines like Southwest). Make sure to arrive in the morning so you can take full advantage of day one.
It’ll be easy to rent a car directly at the airport. Opt for something with at least all wheel drive (or even four wheel drive), as some parts of this itinerary involve bumpy back roads.
Finally, I recommend packing snacks or stopping at a grocery store on your way out of town. Parts of this itinerary are fairly remote, so you’ll want to have plenty of food and water with you. I packed a reusable water bottle that I filled up at the airport and bought some non perishable snacks (like granola bars, clif bars, jerky, bagels and peanut butter, and canned sparking water) at a Wal-mart not too far outside of Las Vegas.
Visit Zion National Park
Our first park of the trip! Iconic Zion views.
After grabbing groceries and a quick lunch in Vegas, drive 2.75 hours northeast to your first stop: Zion National Park! (Keep in mind that you’ll also lose an hour when you cross into Utah’s mountain time zone.)
Make your first stop at the Zion National Park visitors center. Here you can grab a park map, get your park passport stamped, use the restroom, and fill up on water. The parking lot is fairly small, and this park is very popular, so you may need to circle a few times to find a spot. One thing to keep in mind is that many of the roads in the park are closed during the summer and require you to take park shuttles to trailheads, so make sure to check the park’s website before setting out.
Next, stop at the photogenic Canyon Junction Bridge for some pictures. This spot is about ten minutes from the visitors center and will sneak up on you, so be aware! There are a few nearby pull offs that you can park in while you pop out for your pics. This stop will only take a few minutes but it’s worth it for the scenery.
You’ve got time for one hike in Zion, so pick wisely! We skipped the ever-popular Angel’s Landing and the Narrows (we’ll come back another time for those!) and opted for a slightly less intense hike at Canyon Overlook that still packs in amazing views.
The first of many beautiful sunsets on this trip!
The trailhead is about 15 minutes from the bridge. This is another one that sneaks up on you! This parking lot is VERY small. We had to park along the road shoulder and walk back to the trailhead.
The Canyon Overlook Trail is a one mile out-and-back trail with about 160 feet of elevation gain. While short, consider that you are hiking at elevation which may take longer. Parts of the trail were slippery with sandy rock – don’t skip your hiking boots here!
The end of this trail is a spectacular viewpoint looking over Zion Canyon. You can see little cars winding up the road you just drove. Take a few minutes and enjoy the view, maybe while enjoying one of the snacks you packed! If you time it right, you’ll be getting here around sunset and can watch the sky light up beautifully.
End the first day of your grand circle road trip by staying somewhere between Zion and Bryce Canyon. We opted for a rental property in Hatch, which is another hour north of Zion, and grabbed dinner at a local saloon.
Grand Circle Road Trip Itinerary: Day 2
Sunrise at Bryce Canyon National Park
And the first of many sunrises!
Day two starts with an early wake up call – we left Hatch a little over an hour before sunrise. If you go in October like I did, it will be quite cold. It was even flurrying during our drive! Make sure to make yourself a hot coffee or tea before you leave and pack a warm, lightweight coat.
The drive from Hatch to the Bryce Canyon National Park entrance is about 35 minutes. Once you arrive, park near Sunset Point. There should be plenty of spots. (While there is also a Sunrise Point, I liked Sunset Point as you can see more of the sun on the rocks.)
After parking, take a short walk to the canyon rim and find a quiet spot where you can watch the sunrise peacefully. The views here are all amazing and you don’t need to be packed in at the overlook with the other sunrise photographers. Even before sunset, the views will be breathtaking – the canyon is filled with unique spiraling rocks called hoodoos and is unlike any other place I’ve seen.
As the sun comes up, you’ll be rewarded for the early wake up call with a spectacular show! The sun will peek over the canyon and slowly warm up the hoodoos with golden light. This was one of the best sunrises I’ve ever seen, and I won’t soon forget it.
Bryce Canyon is an absolute dream.
Once the sun is up, time for a hike! I recommend hiking the Navajo Loop Trail paired with the Queens Garden Trail for a 2.9 mile hike with 600 feet of elevation. This trail takes you down into the canyon, past plenty of hoodoos, through a forest, and back up some through some weaving hoodoos. Start at Sunset Point, then connect to Navajo, then Queens Garden, then Sunrise Point, then the Rim trail.
Plan for 2-3 hours for this hike, as there are plenty of beautiful spots along the way to stop and take photos. Plus, this is the highest elevation of the trip, so if you’re like me, you may be a little breathless!
Once you’re done, stop at the visitors center for the usual items. Then, grab lunch near the entrance to the park (there are a few general stores), and head on your way to your next destination!
Off Road at Capitol Reef National Park
Dancing by the Temple of the Sun and Moon. One of the more remote places I’ve been!
Drive the 2.25 hours to the Capitol Reef National Park visitors center. Here, make sure you fill up on gas and water, because this afternoon is going to be remote!
Drive a little past the visitors center until you see a turnoff on your left; this will take you to the Temple of the Sun and Moon, two large rock formations in the remote part of this park. The drive is quite rough and will take almost two hours. Take your time and enjoy the epic views – you’ll likely be the only person for miles!
If you have a four wheel drive car and the river is low, you could also ford the river and drive to the epic Bentonite Hills. You’ve probably seen these on Instagram – these striped hills look like they’re the surface of mars, and at sunset turn amazing shades of blue and red. Unfortunately, the river was too high for us to safely cross (this is something to ask about at the visitors center!), but luckily there were a few similar hills on the way to the Temples of the Sun and Moon.
Bentonite Hills or Mars?
After you’ve seen the Temples, turn around and drive out the way you came. I would try not to do this past sunset, as it will be incredibly dark on the remote road.
Have dinner at one of the restaurants near the park (Pioneer Kitchen, Rim Rock, or Hunt and Gather). Then, rest up at the Capitol Reef Resort for the night.
Grand Circle Road Trip Itinerary: Day 3
Explore More at Capitol Reef National Park
This morning is all about exploring the “on-road” part of Capitol Reef National Park. There is a main road that winds through this part of the park, so I recommend stopping at the various turnouts and hiking around. Some great spots to stop at include Panorama Point, Sunset Point, and Goosenecks Overlook. These all have their own parking lots and short trails you can wander through.
More epic views of Capitol Reef – don’t sleep on this park!
Then, head to the trailhead for the Fremont River Trail for the main hike of the morning. This hike is 2.0 miles roundtrip and 440 feet of elevation gain. You will start with a quiet walk along the river before steeply ascending during the second half of the hike. However, the views from the top are breathtaking! If you keep going past the official trail “end” (you’ll see an unofficial path from others), you’ll get a great view of the canyon below.
Reward yourself for all the hard work with one of the famous homemade pies at the Gifford Homestead. This historic home from the early 1900s serves up some delicious treats. Consider having a picnic lunch here with some of the snacks you bought on day one. Don’t forget to pet the horses!
Motivation for hiking steep trails.
On your way out of Capitol Reef, stop at Petroglyph Panel to see a series of historic drawings from the Native Americans who lived in this area, the Fremont Culture, between 600-1300 AD. There’s a convenient parking lot at the turnoff and a few boardwalks to explore.
In my opinion, this is one of the most underrated parks in the US. Hopefully now that you’ve explored it for yourself, you’ll understand why!
Pit Stop at Goblin Valley State Park
The ~unique~ rocks in Goblin Valley.
Next, drive east for about 1.25 hours until you reach Goblin Valley State Park. This unique area is worth a pit stop (and the entrance fee). The white rock formations are completely different from the red hoodoos in Bryce Canyon. Many of them may resemble a melting *eggplant emoji*, if you catch my drift.
You can free-roam through this canyon, so spend some time stretching your legs before the next leg of the itinerary, which is to drive another 1.75 hours to Moab.
Moab is by far the biggest town so far in this road trip, so there will be plenty of options for accommodation, including hotels and funky vacation rentals!
Grab dinner and drinks at a local restaurant. There’s plenty of good food in Moab! We ate Vietnamese at 98 Center Moab and loved it.
Grand Circle Road Trip Itinerary: Day 4
Sunrise at Canyonlands National Park
Sunrise at Canyonlands – sadly cloudy for us, but still beautiful!
Today’s grand circle itinerary involves another early wake up call (but I promise it’ll be worth it). Wake up at least two hours before sunrise and drive the hour into Canyonlands National Park. Head to the famous Mesa Arch trailhead and hike the easy 0.7 miles to the arch. Consider headlamps so you can see where you’re going in the dark!
There’s plenty of parking at the trailhead, but expect crowds at this famous sunrise spot. Getting there early will ensure you get a good spot to watch (or photograph) the sunrise over the Canyon and reflect off this giant arch.
After sunrise, continue driving along the park’s main road and pull off at some of the turn-offs for more beautiful views. I recommend Buck Canyon Overlook and Green River Overlook.
These landscapes are just unreal.
If you have the time (and energy), hike the White Rim Overlook trail. This 1.8 mile roundtrip hike includes only 159 feet of elevation gain and will get you even closer to some of the canyon overlooks.
Explore Moab
Moab is the largest town we’ve visited so far on this grand circle road trip itinerary, so after a busy morning in nature, spend a little time in the city. There are lots of cute shops selling local artisanal goods. There are also plenty of coffee shops, bars, and restaurants to explore! Don’t miss Love Muffin, our favorite little coffee and breakfast spot.
Sunset at Dead Horse Point State Park
Dead Horse Point State Park – sad name, good views.
There’s so much to do in this area that Dead Horse Point State Park is often overlooked by visitors. Don’t make that mistake! This is an incredible park that is certainly worth a visit. The landscape is similar to the famous Horseshoe Bend, but twice the bends!
There are a few trails you can hike, but we just wandered around the main one along the canyon’s edge. The views are breathtaking, especially at sunset!
This state park is about 45 minutes drive outside of Moab and requires a $10 entrance fee.
Grand Circle Road Trip Itinerary: Day 5
Sunrise at Arches National Park
Delicate Arch is even bigger in person than we imagined!
Another day, another sunrise. Arriving early to the popular (and crowded) Arches National Park will give you plenty of time to explore its unique landscape.
You’ll start your day with a hike up to the famous Delicate Arch. Leave about two hours before sunrise to allow for the 45 minute drive into the park and the beginning of the hike. Again, I suggest bringing a headlamp so you can watch your step on the trail.
This 3.4 mile, 480 foot elevation gain hike is very popular, but also rather challenging. There are parts that are quite steep, as well as close to large drop-offs (including the end of the trail near the arch itself). If you’re afraid of heights, keep this in mind. Seeing this huge, mind-blowing arch in person will be worth the effort, though!
Nature is neat.
Once you’re finished with the Delicate Arch hike, there are a few other arches you can see from fairly near the parking lots. These include Windows Arch, Turret Arch, Double Arch, and Balancing Rock.
Before you leave, head out on one more (less strenuous) hike to Landscape Arch. This arch is long and thin and appears to almost defy physics. This hike is 1.8 miles and only 40 feet of elevation gain, so will be fairly easy compared to the first hike of the day!
Once you’ve finished, it’s time to pack up, fill up on gas and water, and head south for the next part of your epic grand circle road trip itinerary!
Detour Through Monument Valley
Run, Forest, run!
Take a slightly longer route to Page, AZ by driving through Monument Valley. You’ve seen this in countless photos and films (including Forrest Gump), and trust me, the extra driving time is worth it to see this beautiful area! The way the rocks rise up so high from the flat ground is amazing.
Make sure to stop at the aptly named Forrest Gump point along Highway 163 for the famous view of the road with the iconic monument valley rock formations in the background. There’s a pull off on the right side of the road where you can park and snap a photo. The drive from Moab to here will take you about 2.25 hours.
From here, drive another 2.25 hours to Page, AZ, where you’ll spend the night. We treated ourselves to Under Canvas Glamping and are so glad we did – it was such a unique stay. We got the stargazer room so we could see the stars from our bed. Just be warned that it gets a little cold at night so be prepared to stock your fire!
Note that if you do this, Under Canvas Lake Powell is in Utah, a separate time zone from Arizona. This part of Arizona is also a separate time zone from the part you just drove through (due to being on Navajo lands). It can all be a bit confusing so I recommend manually setting your phone to Page time so you don’t miss any tours or events!
Grand Circle Road Trip Itinerary: Day 6
Squeeze Through a Slot Canyon
You could almost feel how mystical these slot canyons are.
Sleep in this morning (you deserve it!) before heading to a slot canyon tour. The most famous slot canyon is Antelope Canyon (specifically lower Antelope Canyon), which is on Navajo land. The canyon is sacred to the Navajo people and they are the only ones who can provide tours of the canyon. You can’t visit on your own, you must book one of these tours.
It can get a bit crowded in Antelope Canyon, but there’s nothing like it so I think it’s worth a visit. The crowds are better in recent years now that they made the canyon one-way walking only. The best time of day to visit is midday so you can see the famous light beams! Sadly in October the sun doesn’t get high enough in the sky for this, but it was beautiful nonetheless.
Abe Lincoln’s chin…can you see it?
Several tour companies offer package tours so you can see other slot canyons. Definitely do this so you get a contrast to Antelope Canyon, both in terms of style and crowds! Being alone in a quiet slot canyon is definitely a majestic moment.
I was worried about the slot canyons being too narrow and getting claustrophobic, but they weren’t too bad. Looking up and seeing the sky really helped!
Relax at Lake Powell
Grab lunch in Page on your way back and spend the afternoon relaxing at Lake Powell. You can rent a boat or kayak and enjoy some time on the water and in the sun!
Sunset at Horseshoe Bend
Famous, but for good reason.
Horseshoe Bend is probably one of the most famous viewpoints in the world, but honestly, it’s for good reason. This spot is just gorgeous!
The viewpoint is a short, 10-minute walk from the parking lot. While there will be large crowds, the bend is quite large and there are plenty of large rocks for you to find a spot that’s a little less busy. Get here early, bring a picnic, and enjoy a beautiful sunset as it reflects off the canyon walls and Colorado river below.
Grand Circle Road Trip Itinerary: Day 7
Explore Grand Canyon National Park
The grandest canyon of them all.
It’s time for one more national park on your last day of the grand circle road trip itinerary! Drive the 2.5 hours south to the south rim of Grand Canyon National Park for epic views of this incredible landscape. This is one of those places where pictures just can’t do it justice!
There’s no real itinerary for this section – just stop at various pull offs along the southern rim and enjoy the views!
Witness History at the Hoover Dam
Hoover Dam!
After leaving the Grand Canyon, drive 3.75 hours west towards Las Vegas. The Hoover Dam is famous for being a depression-era feat of engineering. Conveniently, it’s also right off the highway on your way back, so it’s well worth it to stop! Depending on how much time you have, you can vary how long you spend here. We just parked and took a quick walk across the bridge, but you can definitely stay longer and learn more about the history and engineering of this massive dam.
Return to Las Vegas and Head Home
Unfortunately, it’s finally time to drive the final hour back to Las Vegas, return the rental car, and head home. It’s been an amazing trip!
LGBTQ Considerations
My wife and I went on this trip with another lesbian couple, and we all had an amazing time! While I’m always a little cautious in small towns, generally national parks attract a diverse crowd, which enabled us to relax, explore, and be ourselves.
Read more: Top Safety Tips for Queer Travelers
Overall
I hope you’ve enjoyed this grand circle road trip itinerary as much as I did! This is one of the most beautiful parts of the USA and being able to pack so much into one trip is just incredible.
Tell me, what was your favorite part of the grand circle road trip?
Read more: United States Travel Guide
Hello, I’m planning a Grand Circle road trip and like the itinerary you posted. We will have 7 nights and was wondering where you would spend an extra night?
Great question! I would pick which park sounds most interesting to you and stay there! That being said, this itinerary probably spends the least amount of time in Zion – that park has so much more to offer, so if it were me, I would stay there!