7 Must See Places in Southern Utah
7 must-see places in Southern Utah
If you’re planning a road trip through Southern Utah, here are memorable sights to behold and things to do.
The ideal list would be about 14 places long, but in an attempt to keep the list doable in one road trip, we’ve narrowed it down to 7.
- The Hoodoos at Bryce Canyon National Park
- The Slot Canyons at Zion National Park
- The Delicate Arch in Arches National Park
- The Northern Rim of the Grand Canyon
- Mountain biking in Moab
- Stargazing near Bryce Canyon National Park
- Lake Powell
- The Hoodoos at Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon is home to the most hoodoo formations in the world. Hoodoos are tall reddish-orange formations that resemble cylindrical towers. The National Park Service describes the hoodoo formation process as a “Three-Step Recipe.” 1. Rocks from highlands are deposited in a lower lying area 2. Heat from plate tectonics pushes this newly cemented rock upward 3. Erosion & weathering from ice & rain sculpt hoodoo formations¹.
Likely the most popular lookout spot in Bryce Canyon National Park is Sunset Point pictured below.
You can begin the Navajo Loop Trail from Sunset Point where you walk through the hoodoos below you. Heads up, if you’re looking to walk through “Wall Street” where the massive Douglas Firs reside, it is closed in the winter. Otherwise, the Navajo Loop is 1.4 miles. Venturing down into the hoodoos and walking through them is an experience you won’t soon forget.
- The Slot Canyons at Zion National Park
Slot canyons are narrow openings in a canyon wall created by rushing water. The slot canyons in Zion National Park were formed by the Virgin River. Not surprisingly, Zion is a popular canyoneering spot. Canyoneering can involve a combination of techniques including walking, climbing with ropes, swimming, scouting trails, and jumping. Don’t worry, you can explore Zion’s slot canyons without canyoneering.
The Narrows is one of the more popular hikes in Zion National Park. And true to its name, The Narrows is the most narrow part of Zion. This hike does require getting your feet wet. How wet is dependent on the timing of your hike.
- The Delicate Arch at Arches National Park
Arches National Park is located in South Eastern Utah. It is about 30 miles from the i70.
The Delicate Arch stands 60 feet tall. Its trail is 3 miles. Fun fact: The Delicate Arch is the arch on Utah license plates.
- The Northern Rim of the Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon doesn’t need much of an explanation. You can take a peek of the largest canyon in the United States at the Northern Rim.
- Mountain biking in Moab
Moab, Utah is just a few miles from Arches National Park and is one of the most popular spots to mountain bike. With a variety of trails and levels, it’s an adrenaline rush and a unique way to explore the area. Check out some trails on Poison Spider Bicycles website page. (Slickrock Trail is a popular one.)
- Stargazing near Bryce Canyon National Park
Stay somewhere near Bryce Canyon, (could be miles away, but stay at the same elevation), to see a star performance without even needing to stay up late. Even if you’re an amateur photographer, if you have a DSLR camera, set a long shutter speed and see what you can capture. Here are some shots taken at Bryce Canyon Cabins by guests.
- Lake Powell
Lake Powell is over 254.1 square miles and extends into both Arizona and Southern Utah! Lake Powell is the second largest reservoir and was created by the Glen Canyon Dam. Given its beauty, it’s not surprising that over 2.5 million people vacation at Lake Powell every year.
There you have it folks. And if this doesn’t satisfy your road trip itinerary, throw in Capitol Reef National Park, Kodachrome State Park, Grand Staircase-Escalante, and Canyonlands National Park. Then you’ll be tired but satisfied.
Trying to map this out in your head? We did it for you. Click here.
¹The Three-Step Recipe to Create Bryce Canyon. (2018, October 16). Retrieved from https://www.nps.gov/brca/learn/nature/hoodoos.htm