Utah's Secrets & Surprises Self Drive

Pick up your car rental and travel just under 3 hours to the east-side of Zion National Park to your base for the next 3 nights at Zion Mountain Ranch. The lodge is surrounded by acres of high mountain meadows and forests where a herd of buffalo graze and roam.

Just over an hour’s drive today will take you to the jaw dropping scenery of Bryce Canyon National Park.  You can visit the expansive Bryce Amphitheatre, known for its crimson-coloured hoodoos which are spire-shaped rock, from here you can hike down into the canyon on the Navajo Loop Trail.

In just under an hour’s drive today you can go west to Springdale, the picturesque town at the entrance of Zion National Park. From here you can take a free shuttle into the park where you can choose from one of the many trailhead options to explore the park at your leisure. Zion has miles of high plateaus, amongst a maze of narrow, deep sandstone canyons.

Stop into the Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park to see the scenic area with dunes of warm, pink sand, before travelling onto Monument Valley, where we recommend you join a guided 4WD drive tour onto the Monument Valley Tribal Park. On your way to Bluff stop at Forest Gump Highway for a photo opportunity from the iconic movie with Tom Hanks. 

Travel to Moab, the adventure centre of Utah, located at the entrance of two national parks. This town is bustling with mountain bikers, river rafters, climbers and canyoners. Here you can go out onto the famous Slick Rock by guide or driving an ATV yourself alongside many other activities available. You can go out an visit one of the national parks at sunset, leading you into the evening for star gazing.

Even if you don’t leave your vehicle today you will be able to see some of the stunning rock formations that Arches and Canyonlands are famous for, but these parks are best experienced on foot as many of the attractions, like Delicate Arch, Mesa Arch and The Windows are by walking or hiking trails. 

On your way out of Moab visit Dead Horse State Park to view the dramatic overlook of the Colorado River and Canyonlands National Park, before continuing back to Zion National Park.

In just under an hour’s drive today you can go west to Springdale, the picturesque town at the entrance of Zion National Park. From here you can take a free shuttle into the park where you can choose from one of the many trailhead options to explore the park at your leisure. Zion has miles of high plateaus, amongst a maze of narrow, deep sandstone canyons. The last drive back to Vegas is under 3 hours, return your hire car back to the airport.