In this guide
Choose ten to twelve days for five parks, or a coherent shorter pair, with overnight and permit dependencies.
All topics and planning links
Your working day-by-day plan
Twelve calendar days, eleven nights. Three Springdale nights, two near Bryce, two in Torrey and four in Moab. This is the full five-park route; with a week, remove parks rather than compress each day.
12 days · 11 nights · checked 2026-10-09
Local time: Utah: Mountain Time. If arriving via Las Vegas, Nevada uses Pacific Time; check the date-specific local time.
- Springdale · Location source
- Temple of Sinawava · Location source
- Zion National Park · Location source
- Bryce Canyon · Location source
- Torrey · Location source
- Capitol Reef National Park · Location source
- Moab · Location source
- Arches National Park · Location source
- Canyonlands National Park · Location source
Map sources and credits
USGS The National Map: National Boundaries Dataset, 3DEP Elevation Program, Geographic Names Information System, National Hydrography Dataset, National Land Cover Database, National Structures Dataset, and National Transportation Dataset; USGS Global Ecosystems; U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line data; USFS Road data; Natural Earth Data; U.S. Department of State HIU; NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Data refreshed September 4, 2026-v1.2
Original map serviceDay 1 · Springdale
Settle into Springdale, with the canyon ahead
Make Springdale the first base rather than trying to visit a second park on arrival. Pick up groceries, locate the actual route from your room to the visitor center or town shuttle, and leave the evening for dinner beneath the canyon walls. Confirm tomorrow’s transport and the current trail notices before turning in.
- Transfer allowance
- 1–3 h
- Visits and walks
- 0–2 h
- Meals, parking & margin
- 1.5–2 h
- Selected stops
- Springdale
- Overnight
- Springdale
- Confirm first
- Reserve the four overnight bases · Confirm rental, pickup and return
If the plan changes: Keep arrival as recovery if the flight or road journey is late.
Day 2 · Springdale
Zion Canyon and a dry Riverside Walk
Give the main canyon a full day. Use the operating shuttle to Temple of Sinawava for Riverside Walk, with time for queues, the return ride and a pause at a canyon stop. Turning around at the end of the paved walk keeps this a dry outing; entering The Narrows is a separate conditions-and-equipment decision.
- Transfer allowance
- 1.5–3 h
- Visits and walks
- 4–5 h
- Meals, parking & margin
- 1.5–2 h
- Selected stops
- Springdale → Temple of Sinawava
- Overnight
- Springdale
- Confirm first
- Check each park’s entry and activity requirements
If the plan changes: Pa’rus, open viewpoints and the visitor area can make a complete easier day.
Day 3 · Springdale
Choose your second Zion day
Choose one suitable main outing rather than collecting every famous hike. A properly prepared Narrows day depends on flow, weather and advisories; Angels Landing depends on the permit and your group’s suitability. A shorter canyon-and-Springdale day is a complete alternative, with time to enjoy the setting before the route moves on.
- Transfer allowance
- 1.5–3 h
- Visits and walks
- 4–5 h
- Meals, parking & margin
- 1.5–2 h
- Selected stops
- Zion National Park
- Overnight
- Springdale
- Confirm first
- Resolve must-do activity permits
If the plan changes: Keep a dry-land canyon alternative if river, weather or permit conditions remove the first choice.
Day 4 · Bryce Canyon
Cross to Bryce, then meet the amphitheater
Move from Springdale to the Bryce area using the route that current road access permits. After check-in, choose a rim viewpoint for the first look at the hoodoos. Keep a demanding descent for tomorrow: the transfer, parking and higher elevation already change the rhythm of this day.
- Transfer allowance
- 2–3 h
- Visits and walks
- 2–3 h
- Meals, parking & margin
- 1.5–2 h
- Selected stops
- Bryce Canyon
- Overnight
- Bryce area
- Confirm first
- Check each park’s entry and activity requirements
If the plan changes: Use the verified road alternative and shorten the optional afternoon.
Day 5 · Bryce Canyon
A rim view and one suitable Bryce walk
Start with the amphitheater viewpoints, then choose a walk from the park’s current trail list. A rim-based visit and a descent among the hoodoos ask different things of your knees, footwear and time. Keep the afternoon flexible for another overlook or an early return when snow, heat or fatigue changes the plan.
- Transfer allowance
- 0.5–1 h
- Visits and walks
- 4–5 h
- Meals, parking & margin
- 1.5–2 h
- Selected stops
- Bryce Canyon
- Overnight
- Bryce area
If the plan changes: Use open rim viewpoints rather than an unsuitable below-rim walk.
Day 6 · Torrey
The scenic transfer to Torrey
Travel toward Torrey with legal scenic stops along the operating route. A highway overlook and a meal are enough to make the transfer worthwhile; avoid stacking a major trail onto the drive. Reach the base with time to check Capitol Reef conditions and prepare water and food for tomorrow’s outing.
- Transfer allowance
- 2.5–4 h
- Visits and walks
- 1–2 h
- Meals, parking & margin
- 1.5–2 h
- Selected stops
- Torrey
- Overnight
- Torrey
- Confirm first
- Check each park’s entry and activity requirements
If the plan changes: Use the confirmed main-road connection and skip optional detours.
Day 7 · Torrey
Fruita and the Capitol Reef landscape
Use Torrey for a full Capitol Reef day. Begin around the visitor center and Fruita, then choose a suitable Highway 24 walk or the Scenic Drive where access permits. The orchard setting and sandstone cliffs make a useful contrast with Bryce; dirt-road spurs need their own condition and vehicle check.
- Transfer allowance
- 0.5–1.5 h
- Visits and walks
- 4–5 h
- Meals, parking & margin
- 1.5–2 h
- Selected stops
- Torrey → Capitol Reef National Park
- Overnight
- Torrey
- Confirm first
- Check each park’s entry and activity requirements
If the plan changes: Choose an open visitor-area or lower-effort outing.
Day 8 · Moab
Reach Moab and keep the evening local
Move to Moab and settle into the room you will use for several nights. Buy supplies and choose the first Arches or Canyonlands outing against the current entry rules and forecast. Resist adding both parks to the arrival drive: a calm evening gives the next morning a much better start.
- Transfer allowance
- 2.5–3.5 h
- Visits and walks
- 1–2 h
- Meals, parking & margin
- 1.5–2 h
- Selected stops
- Moab
- Overnight
- Moab
If the plan changes: Use the afternoon for rest and supplies after a delayed journey.
Day 9 · Moab
Arches: choose formations, not a mileage target
Build the day around a manageable group of formations, such as Balanced Rock and The Windows, using the park’s current visitor and access information. Delicate Arch’s main trail is a different commitment from its viewpoint. Leave room for parking, exposed walking and water breaks, then return to the same Moab base.
- Transfer allowance
- 1–2 h
- Visits and walks
- 4–5 h
- Meals, parking & margin
- 1.5–2 h
- Selected stops
- Moab → Arches National Park
- Overnight
- Moab
- Confirm first
- Check each park’s entry and activity requirements
If the plan changes: Replace an unsuitable demanding hike with open viewpoints.
Day 10 · Moab
Canyonlands: one day in Island in the Sky
Choose Island in the Sky as this route’s Canyonlands district. Combine selected overlooks with one suitable short walk, using the official map for their positions. Mesa Arch and the broader canyon views can form a coherent day; The Needles is a different approach and should not be treated as an extra stop across the park.
- Transfer allowance
- 1.5–2.5 h
- Visits and walks
- 3–4 h
- Meals, parking & margin
- 1.5–2 h
- Selected stops
- Moab → Canyonlands National Park
- Overnight
- Moab
- Confirm first
- Check each park’s entry and activity requirements
If the plan changes: Choose a shorter open viewpoint circuit.
Day 11 · Moab
Let the spare Moab day earn its place
Use this day for the park visit displaced by weather, or choose Dead Horse Point as a separate overlook outing with its own admission and access check. If the main visits already worked, a slower Moab day can include a meal, supplies and rest. The spare day protects the trip rather than demanding another difficult hike.
- Transfer allowance
- 0.5–1.5 h
- Visits and walks
- 3–5 h
- Meals, parking & margin
- 1.5–2 h
- Selected stops
- Moab
- Overnight
- Moab
If the plan changes: Rest or choose a verified lower-effort option if conditions remain unsuitable.
Day 12 · Moab
Leave Moab for your actual booked gateway
Work backward from the real airport, rental return and check-in requirement. A nearby departure and a long transfer to Salt Lake City or Las Vegas are different days. Stop for food along the verified route, leave scenic detours out of a tight connection, and add an overnight if the booked journey cannot fit comfortably.
- Transfer allowance
- 1–5 h
- Visits and walks
- 0–1 h
- Meals, parking & margin
- 1.5–2 h
- Selected stops
- Moab
- Overnight
- No night included after this day; protect the actual onward connection.
If the plan changes: Extend the accommodation sequence if the booked departure cannot fit this allowance.
What to resolve before paying
- Check each park’s entry and activity requirements
- Reserve the four overnight bases — after step 1
- Resolve must-do activity permits — after step 1
- Confirm rental, pickup and return — after step 2
All time bands are planning estimates, not measured drives, timetables or operator promises. They exclude flight time and overnight sleep. Check live navigation, official access, your group’s needs and the actual booking.
Zion entry and activity checks
Confirm entry, the current shuttle timetable and any separate activity requirement with NPS before travel.NPS currently requires no advance reservation to enter Zion or ride the park shuttle. Named activities have their own requirements; confirm the operating timetable for your dates.Checked 2026-10-07 · Source
Check the current NPS entry products, party eligibility and residency rules. No universal entrance total is quoted here.An entrance fee or eligible pass is separate from a shuttle reservation, lodging or a named activity. Check the entry product, residency rules and any additional fee that applies to your party.Checked 2026-10-07 · Source
Your choices at a glance
| Base | Suggested nights | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Springdale | 3 | Zion Canyon with a weather-flexible day |
| Bryce area | 1–2 | Rim scenery and a suitable walk |
| Torrey | 1–2 | Capitol Reef without an immediate onward drive |
| Moab | 3–4 | Separate Arches and Canyonlands days |
Durations and driving allowances are planning estimates, not live navigation. Check the route, weather and access before travel; add time for stops, queues and traffic.
What each park adds to the journey
Zion is a canyon-floor visit with a shuttle corridor and hikes whose access requirements differ. Bryce is a high-elevation rim and hoodoo landscape. Capitol Reef adds the Fruita area and a quieter change of pace from the two busiest gateways. Around Moab, Arches is a formations-and-trails day; Canyonlands’ Island in the Sky is a mesa-top viewpoints day. Canyonlands’ Needles district is a separate excursion, not an extra stop beside Island in the Sky.
For a first trip, protect three Springdale nights and several Moab nights before deciding how much time Bryce and Torrey need. That gives arrival recovery, more than one Zion outing and separate Arches and Canyonlands days. The twelve-day plan below has eleven included nights; its final Moab day is a departure allowance, not another hotel night. If a distant departure airport cannot fit that allowance, add the night explicitly rather than hiding the transfer in a sightseeing day.
| Park | Distinct reason to go | Base decision |
|---|---|---|
| Zion | Canyon, shuttle corridor and selected walks | Springdale, park lodge or a longer approach |
| Bryce | Hoodoo views and a suitable rim or below-rim walk | Near the rim for an early or late visit |
| Capitol Reef | Fruita, landscape and a slower park day | Torrey rather than a rushed drive through |
| Arches | Arches and formations with heat-sensitive walking | Moab with the entrance approach planned |
| Canyonlands | Island in the Sky viewpoints or a separate district | Do not combine distant districts casually |
The 2026 entry checks that change a rental decision
A reservation for a particular hike, a park entrance fee and a vehicle restriction solve different problems. Arches’ 2026 entry policy does not remove campground or Fiery Furnace requirements. At Zion, the vehicle dimensions can change the route between the canyon and the east side; check the actual rental model before using that road as a connection to Bryce.
Bryce’s elevation, desert heat around Moab and the river conditions in Zion do not share one calendar. Keep a dry Zion alternative, a shorter Arches walk and an unhurried Capitol Reef stop available. Reserve only the activities you genuinely want, then leave the other park days flexible enough to respond to weather and fatigue.
Check the current Arches general-entry rules and separate campground or Fiery Furnace requirements with NPS before travel.NPS removed advance timed-entry reservations for general entry in 2026. An entrance pass is still required; Devils Garden Campground and Fiery Furnace hikes retain separate reservations. Congestion can temporarily restrict access to particular locations.Checked 2026-10-08 · Source
Check the current NPS vehicle dimensions, affected highway section, exceptions and alternative routes before taking an RV or trailer through Zion. No current transit permission is confirmed here.NPS applies vehicle limits between Canyon Junction and the East Entrance. A single vehicle must not exceed 35 ft 9 in long, 7 ft 10 in wide, 11 ft 4 in high or 50,000 lb. Combined vehicles have a 50 ft total-length limit and a 26 ft hitch-to-rear-axle trailer limit, with the same width, height and weight limits. Measurements include mirrors and attachments; read the South Entrance exceptions and alternative routes before booking an RV journey.Checked 2026-10-08 · Source
Seven days from Las Vegas: Zion and Bryce, with six nights
Use three nights in Springdale, two near Bryce and one in Las Vegas before departure. This is an editorial alternative for seven calendar days, not seven full park days. It removes Torrey and Moab from the week so you can keep two Zion days, a Bryce day and a separate return transfer. If your arrival or departure cannot fit those connection days, add time or reduce the plan.
In Zion, Riverside Walk offers a dry canyon outing from the Temple of Sinawava; continuing into the river is a different decision. NPS describes irregular paving and some drop-offs, so paved does not mean every section suits every visitor. At Bryce, the Sunset-to-Sunrise portion of Rim Trail offers a shorter rim choice; verify weather and the actual accessible route before relying on it. A below-rim hike is optional, rather than something every traveler must do to justify the visit.
| Day | One main purpose | Night |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arrival and the transfer to Springdale; adjust for the actual flight | Springdale |
| 2 | Zion Canyon and a suitable dry walk | Springdale |
| 3 | A second chosen Zion outing or a local recovery day | Springdale |
| 4 | Transfer to the Bryce area; a rim visit only if time and conditions fit | Bryce area |
| 5 | A Bryce rim day, with a below-rim walk only when suitable | Bryce area |
| 6 | Return to Las Vegas without another fixed-time park booking | Las Vegas |
| 7 | Departure and rental return | No night included |
Choose a direction and an airport
A Las Vegas–Salt Lake City route can reduce backtracking, but compare one-way rental and flight costs. A Las Vegas loop is possible with more driving. Do not choose the flight first and discover that the last park is a long way from the return airport.
Zion and Moab deserve multiple nights. Bryce and Capitol Reef can be shorter stops, depending on the walks you choose.
Use driving days for fewer stops
The Zion-to-Bryce and Bryce-to-Torrey transfers can be scenic days with a short walk. Do not add a demanding hike simply because the mileage looks small. Allow extra time on winding roads and stop only where parking is legal.
From Torrey to Moab, preserve enough daylight to check in and prepare for the next park day. A late arrival followed by a predawn start is a poor routine for an entire week.
What to plan next
Sources and planning checks
Research-based guidance, with editorial judgments about pace and location. Check the official provider for current access, prices and booking terms.
- Visit Utah: Mighty Five — Regional route framework. Reviewed 2026-10-06.
- Zion planning — Shuttle and activity permits. Reviewed 2026-10-06.
- Arches planning — Current entry arrangements. Reviewed 2026-10-06.
- NPS: Riverside Walk — Location, dry trail versus Narrows and terrain; no current opening guarantee. Reviewed 2026-10-09.
- NPS: Sunset Point Rim Trail access — Sunset-to-Sunrise rim segment and weather-dependent access; the seven-day plan is editorial. Reviewed 2026-10-09.
