There’s nothing like a great road trip to clear your mind of your daily duties and open you up to the nation’s best landscapes. In the US, there are so many scenic routes scattered throughout the country that choosing which one to embark on can be difficult. But that’s the beauty of the journey, you’re never short of the great adventures that lie ahead. Over the coming year, we’re mapping out some of our favorite itineraries for travelers looking to escape the hustle-and-bustle of life and hit the open road.
For our first trip, a drive from the Salt Lake City to Park City, Utah seemed like the best place to begin. Red Rock country is beautiful no matter what time of year. With its natural bridges, larger-than-life boulders and rolling hills, it’s a nature-lover’s playground. It’s also a solid trip for getting your heart racing with experiences like rock climbing, whitewater rafting and kayaking.
The route hits a number national parks as you wind your way through the state. For this trip, you'll want to pack your hiking boots and equipment as well as plenty of warm clothes for the evenings. Start off in Salt Lake City, Utah and spend a day exploring the city. Book a night at Hotel Monaco before heading out in the morning toward Capitol Reef National Park.
From Salt Lake City, take I-15 S to US-50 W and take exit 188. Follow this to US-50 W to UT-24 E in Torrey. The drive will take a little over three hours. Once in Torrey, it’s another 30 minutes on UT-24 E to Capitol Reef National Park. The Scenic Drive from the Visitor’s Center is a 10-mile paved road with dirt spur roads into Grand Wash and Capitol Gorge. After a picturesque drive, explore the area’s slickrocks, cliffs, canyons, domes and bridges on a hike. There are 15 day hiking trails located along the highway offering a variety of options from easy to strenuous hikes involving steep climbs and uneven terrain. You can journey anywhere from 0.25 miles to 10 miles along the trails.
Once back in your car, head to Boulder Mountain Lodge for the night and head to Bryce Canyon National Park the next day. From Torrey to the park it’s about a two hour drive via UT-24 W, UT-62 S, UT-22 S and ending on UT-63 S. Bryce Canyon is known for having the largest collection of hoodoos (odd-shaped pillars of rock left standing from the forces of erosion) in the world.
During the day, visitors can participate in special programs such as Geology Talks, kids programs and ranger-guided activities. The best way to see the hoodoos is from the canyon floor on the Navajo Loop Trail. If you plan it right, you can join a full moon hike which only happens one to two nights each month. The moon-lit excursions are only about one to two miles long and descend down into the canyon along steep and rocky trails.
Next, venture on to Zion National Park taking UT-63 to UT-12, US-89 S and then UT-9 W before hitting the park. Zion is Utah’s first national park and is a beautiful destination filled with larger-than-life canyon walls. Avid hikers should do the Angel’s Landing and Observation Point trails while those looking for an easier option can explore Lower Emerald Pools and Hidden Canyon.
Stay the night at Zion Back Country Yurts, a luxury camp site within the area. The tent accommodates up to adults but can also be used as a private retreat for single campers. Yurts are located a little over three miles from the east side of the park and sit on the side of a mountain viewing out onto the Narrows hike.
From Zion, it’s a five-hour drive to Canyonlands taking UT-9 E to US-89 N, I-70 E and UT-313 W. Once there, Dead Horse Point is one of Utah's most spectacular destinations with a view that is one of the most-photographed vistas in the world. Spend a half or full day here and drive the scenic route before hitting the trails for a hike or mountain biking (rentals are available). Stay at Moab Under the Canvas for another glamping experience. The camp includes safari-style tents, made-to-order breakfasts and hot showers.
On the last leg of your trip, take the five-hour drive to Park City along I-15 N. Once there, check into the Waldorf Astoria Park City, one of our favorite properties in the area. Be sure to reserve a spa treatment and cheers to a successful road trip.
