Epic 5 Day Road Trip Out West
This is a trip you can easily do in a week. We just returned from our 7-day journey. Because we were coming from Florida; we spent 2-days in air travel and 5 on our actual sightseeing/road trip part of the “epic 5 day road trip out west!” I’ve been wanting to go out west for a long time! You see we live in Florida where everything is green, there are no mountains, and it’s very humid. Please don’t misunderstand, I love Florida and feel very blessed to call The Sunshine State my home, but everyone needs to visit the wild west, right?
What to expect on a road trip out west…
If you’ve never been to the western part of the U.S…. get ready to be wowed! You will NOT be disappointed! It’s absolutely breathtaking, stunning scenery! I think what surprised me the most were the views just driving down an average road not a scenic drive or national park (although they were a whole other level). 360-degree mountain views on all sides, in most of the places we visited! I found myself saying over and over, “people live here and see this every day.” It blew me away.
Don’t take my word for it…
This is how we did it:
Travel day- We flew from Fort Lauderdale to Las Vegas.
Flying into Vegas is your best bet for this trip, it’s only a few hours drive from everything and flights are relatively inexpensive due to the fact that the cost is subsidized by the casinos. Good to know, right?
Note: We flew over the Grand Canyon and probably many other canyons, definitely an advantage of flying during the day… book the window seat! The views are incredible from above!
Easy Car Rental at McCarran Airport:
McCarran Airport has a shuttle that will take you directly to McCarran Rental Car Center. We rented our car from Budget, I signed up for the Fastbreak service, so I skipped the line and went directly to the parking garage to pick up the car. I highly recommend doing this!
Hotel: My Place Hotel-Hurricane Utah
2-hour drive from the airport. 30-minute drive to our destination the next day; Kanarra Falls in Kanarraville, Utah
Lastly, I liked this location because we needed to buy a few things for our stay and this is a nice size city with restaurants, gas stations and a Wal-Mart. You can find my list of essentials for our hiking/road trip here.
Road Trip Day 1: Kanarra Falls, Kanarraville, Utah
Breakfast: Muddy Bees Bakery is an adorable little place 0.3 miles from My Place Hotel. We had delicious pastries, coffee and smoothies while admiring the live beehive inside of the store.
Kanarra Falls
Allow 5 hours
3.5 miles total
Easy until first waterfall, moderate past that point.
Kanarra Falls Hike is about 5 hours round trip. It starts out on a gravel road, as you make your way uphill beautiful views of Kolob Canyons will come into view, the scenery gets prettier as you go. As you get closer to the slot canyons, you’ll have to get into the creek but don’t worry the water is only ankle deep (and VERY cold!!!). Next you’ll follow the creek to the slot canyons.
Inside of a slot canyon…
Get your camera ready! The slot canyons are especially stunning in the morning to mid-morning hours when the sun shines through illuminating the walls in dramatic red and orange colors. Follow the slot canyons to the first waterfall.
Moderate part of the hike…
You’ll need to climb a 15-foot ladder (without handrails) to continue the hike to the second waterfall. On the way to the second waterfall, it will be necessary to scale a large boulder without the help of a ladder or handholds. Another slot canyon will lead to the second and final set of falls.
Note: You need a permit to do this hike, the cost is $12 per person. You can get it here: kanarrafalls.com.
Why you should hike the Kanarra Falls Trail
Bottom Line- I really loved this hike! My family thought it was one of the best things we did on this trip. It did have its challenging points (like the ladder) but it’s totally worth it! The views alone on the hike are fantastic! Plus, you get to walk through a river inside of a slot canyon lit by sunbeams that literally looks like a photo that’s been photoshopped!
Kanarra Falls as an alternative to the Narrows
If you’re considering the Narrows in Zion but don’t want to get into chest deep water this is a great option. You’ll get to experience wading through slot canyons without the pain (and expense of renting gear)! Considering how close this hike is to Zion; if you’re in the area, just do it!
*Probably not good for small children or people with balance issues since you will be walking on rocks in the river. Hiking poles are helpful.
*Orange flags have been placed in the ground to help you stay on the right path in areas where there the trail goes in several different directions. Make sure you look for them!
Do I need waterproof hiking shoes for a hike that goes through water?
If you don’t have hiking shoes specifically for water, tennis shoes that are breathable (to let water drain out) with a hard bottom for walking on rocks will get the job done. Make sure they have tread, so they are not slippery. Good water socks (wool or neoprene) will help to keep the cold and sand out. This is what we did, our shoes dried out overnight, ready for the next day.
Day 2: Zion National Park
First and foremost, not all of Zion is accessible by car. You will need to get shuttle tickets to get to all the destinations throughout the park. You can do this here recreation.gov Tickets sell out quick, set a reminder on your phone for the times that sales open up (twice a month) and go online immediately to get them. They sell out in minutes! (Allow for their time zone.) I was only able to get tickets for one day. Tickets are also sold again at 5pm for the next day. One last thing, there is a $35 fee to enter the park, it’s good for 7 days.
Tips for getting in & around the park…
If you’re not able to get shuttle tickets there are private shuttle companies in Springdale. Another option is to rent a motorized bike. They’re available at multiple outfitters in Springdale, I think they’ll run around $100-150 per day.
Parking
You do need to get to the park early as the parking lot fills up fast. We went at the end of April and got to the park around 9am, the lines weren’t bad and there was still a fair amount of parking available. Utah’s time is 3 hours behind ours so getting up and to the park early was not a problem for us, another thing to consider depending on where you’re from. Also, parking is available on the street in Springdale for around $25 a day.
Using the Zion National Park Shuttle:
Because of COVID seats have been taken out of the shuttles so bear in mind that there may be longer wait times during peak season.
The shuttle has ten stops that lead to different hikes and viewpoints. I suggest riding the shuttle from the first stop to the last just to make sure that you get to see the entire park and then decide where you want to go. You can jump on and off of the shuttle as much as you’d like. We never waited more than a few minutes to catch a shuttle.
What we did:
These are all easy trails except for the Upper Emerald Pools.
Riverside Walk
This is an easy hike along the river. You can either stay on the paved trail or walk along a dirt pathway next to the river in most places. You’ll be surrounded by breathtaking views of orange mountains mixed with contrasting black, the rushing turquoise colored river and lush green forest. This is a peaceful walk with spectacular views! We even spotted several deer along the way!
Allow 1.5 hours
2.2 miles
Emerald Pools (Lower)
Starts off as an easy paved trail that winds its way up to a large opening in the canyon where water falls over the side similar to a waterfall depending on the amount of rainfall they’ve had, I suppose. The vivid orange, pink and red walls provide a beautiful backdrop for photos. The best part of this hike!
Allow 2 hours.
1.5 miles
Upper Emerald Pools
Continue on the trail for a more challenging hike uphill with rough steps and narrow pathways next to drop-offs. The views are amazing on the way up, make sure you stop, turn around and look at them! The pool at the top is like a small pond. We were underwhelmed, but it was a good workout with some dramatic views!
*The Upper Emerald Pools hike had lots of rugged stairs and narrow paths with steep drop-offs. This is considered a “moderate” hike. We contemplated doing Angels Landing originally but after Upper Emerald Pools we nixed that idea. Angels Landing is considered strenuous, yikes!
Allow 4 hours total. 2 hours from Lower Pools.
3 miles total. 1.5 miles from Lower Pools
Pa’arus Trail
Pa’arus Trail is a paved road that starts near the visitor’s center and winds through the park, it has numerous trails branching off where you’re able to access the river. The valley type of view that you get on this trail provides another, unique and beautiful perspective, it makes you daydream about what it would have been like coming through as a pioneer in a covered wagon. This was a nice easy walk after the four-hour Emerald Pools hike. Also, a great place for bikes, dogs, wheelchairs, and strollers.
3.5 miles total
Where should I stay when visiting Zion National Park?
If you really want to be close to Zion, Springdale is your best option, it’s an adorable little town! A benefit of staying in Springdale is you can catch the shuttle that will take you right into Zion National Park so you don’t have to worry about parking, if Zion National Park’s parking lot is full the city charges $25 a day to park your car. (Not the same as the Zion Park Shuttle, this is just a city shuttle)
Airbnb near Zion National Park
We chose to stay in Apple Valley, about 45 minutes from Zion National Park’s entrance in Springdale. I noticed while reading reviews that people said the restaurants had long waits in the evenings and wait times for the shuttles into the park could be lengthy… not appealing to me! Besides that, I’ve been obsessed with staying in a tiny home and after finding this one on Airbnb (link here), I had to do it! It was very worth the drive! By the way, the drive from Hurricane to Apple Valley is a scenic drive in itself, especially at sunrise!
*Hurricane is also a good option if you want to be closer to the park, it’s only a 30-minute drive and has lots of hotels and restaurants.
Day 3: Zion National Park to Red Canyon & Bryce Canyon
The Scenic Byway
This takes you through the park and the Mount Carmel Tunnel toward Bryce Canyon (if that’s a destination for you). You’ll pass the most incredible scenery! It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen! The mountains change with every pass, you should travel this road from each direction, starting from inside of Zion (from Springdale) just past the visitor’s center ending at “The Get Outpost”. This is an adorable little gift shop on Highway 9 not far after you leave the park at the east entrance. It’s also a great place to stop for an ice cream break. :)Turn around and go through again, the views change coming from the opposite direction.
Canyon Overlook Trail
The trailhead is located right after the Mount Carmel Tunnel on Highway 9. Watch closely so that you don’t miss it! Look for lots of parked cars, so many in fact, we could not find parking on the day that we went. If I had to do it over, we would get there early in the morning to make sure that we got this one in! The views are unparalleled!
Red Canyon
1 hour drive from Zion National Park East Entrance
We followed Highway 9 to 89 to Highway 12 toward Bryce Canyon. Since we didn’t get to stop at the Canyon Overlook Trail, we ended up having extra time which worked out perfect for our unplanned visit to Red Canyon. You’ll spot the Red Canyon Visitor’s Center pretty soon after turning onto Highway 12. But first… the beautiful red canyons!
About Red Canyon…
Red Canyon “sets the stage for Bryce Canyon”, as they say. It’s not as large or varied in color as Bryce, it’s mostly red rock with hoodoo formations and pillars that kind of look like totem poles. The vivid red rock is dotted with green Ponderosa Pines and Douglas Firs. The contrast is striking! When we saw the Visitor’s Center we had to stop!
Hoodoo Trail to Pink Ledges Trail
From the visitor’s center there are several short hikes to choose from. We did a loop from the Hoodoo Trail to Pink Ledges Trail ending at the Visitor Center. It’s a little over a mile and pretty easy to do. The views from the high points are beautiful and the scenery is different from Zion and Bryce. You could spend a few hours or days exploring this area. We spent a few hours here and really loved it! I’m so glad we did!
Bryce Canyon
20-minute drive from Red Canyon, 1 hour & 20 minutes from Zion’s East Entrance
Continue on Highway 89 north to Scenic Highway 12 which goes right into Bryce.
There is a $35 entrance fee into Bryce Canyon, it’s also good for 7 days.
How do you get around in Bryce Canyon?
Like Zion National Park, Bryce has a shuttle too, however it’s not necessary to use it like it is in Zion. Bryce Canyon is completely accessible by car. In any case, it’s free to ride the shuttle and you don’t need tickets, hop on and off and let someone else do the driving!
We were told that it can be difficult or impossible to find parking at some of the scenic viewpoints during peak season, this is when the shuttle comes in handy. It takes you to all of the viewpoints and trailheads.
We did not end up using the shuttle, but it sounds great if you’re spending more time here.
Driving in Bryce Canyon
After checking into our hotel in Tropic (Red Ledges Inn) and eating dinner we headed over to Bryce Canyon, since we got there later in the day we took the hotel clerk’s advice and drove through the entire park (18 miles) up the mountains planning to stop at each viewpoint on the way back down since most of them are on the right side of the road (same side).
This is a great way to see all of the scenic viewpoints in one shot. When we got to the top; Rainbow Point (elevation 9115 ft.) There was snow! My kids (18 & 20) got to play in snow for the first time! On April 25th there were still patches of snow on the ground!
It’s freezing at the top of Bryce Canyon! (Don’t forget a jacket!)
It was pretty cold and windy up there, it’s amazing how the temperature changed as we drove up the mountain. We were surrounded by breathtakingly beautiful alpine like scenery with birch trees, evergreens and spots of snow mixed with striking red and white mountain peaks and hoodoos. I felt as though I was in a fairytale wonderland! We spent the rest of the day taking photos at each scenic overlook as we made our way down and out of the park.
Day 4: Bryce Canyon & Glen Canyon Dam
Since we only had half a day to spend in Bryce we really wanted to hike inside of the amphitheater among the hoodoos.
We started out at Sunrise Point and went on to do the Queen’s Garden/Navajo Combination Loop.
Queen’s Garden/Navajo Combination Loop
This trail is wide and paved most of the way which makes it pretty easy, it does have you going up and down quite a bit through the numerous switchbacks… but OMG! It’s kind of like going through a maze where around every corner there’s something crazy cool to see! The path descends into the amphitheater past hoodoos, interesting formations, and arches.
Navajo Loop
The Navajo Loop part of the trail has you walking through a forest, shaded by large pines. We enjoyed the shade and breezes in this area before starting the climb back up to Sunset Point. This entire hike is insanely gorgeous! I highly recommend it!
Allow 2-3 hours
2.9-mile loop
Sunset to Sunrise
A sidewalk allows you to walk along the Rim Trail and enjoy views of the amphitheater below, this is considered the easiest hike in the park. There were many people walking dogs here, also wheelchair accessible. If your time is limited, at least do this one!
Allow 1 hour
1-mile round trip
Page, Arizona- Horseshoe Bend, Glen Canyon Dam
2-hour, 35-minute drive
Head west on Highway 12 to Highway 89 south (150 miles)
Glen Canyon Dam
You’ll go right by the Glen Canyon Dam if you’re entering Page from highway 89. We stopped and took photos, but the visitor’s center was closed, not sure if it was because of COVID. There’s also a large bridge you can walk to view it and an overlook trail. We stayed at the Best Western View of Lake Powell Hotel and had an awesome view of the lake, canyons, and the dam in the distance, plus we watched the sun set right from our room!
Things to do in Page, Arizona
Antelope Canyon is the most popular attraction in Page. You’ll need to book a guided tour to access the canyons. We planned on renting kayaks and kayaking into the canyons, but everything was shut down because of high winds. Antelope Point Marina is the closest outfitter to Antelope Canyons, apparently, you’re allowed access into the pre-slot canyon here. I think this would be a really great experience if you can do it!
Horseshoe Bend is second on the list. You can also kayak to Horseshoe Bend providing the weather allows! Kayak Horseshoe Bend is a company that arranges trips according to your adventure level. Or if you just want to relax you can rent a boat for the day at one of the local marinas.
Day 5: Horseshoe Bend
Horseshoe Bend
There is a $10 fee to enter the park. The hike is about a half-mile from the parking lot to the overlook. It’s a pretty busy place, we went around 10am, probably stayed an hour and a half and the parking lot was almost full when we left. (Late April when we visited is considered off season.) I suggest going early in the morning if you can. You’ll not only beat the crowds, the lighting is so much better for photos!
Don’t go over the overlook!
As you get close to the overlook, you’ll find red rock ledges stacked on top of one another covered with tourists taking photos! The flat rocks are easy to climb, maybe too easy… it’s amazing how close people get to the edge. The drop into the canyon is 1000 feet, it’s hard to grasp the size while standing at the top! It’s an awe-inspiring view! The designated viewing areas actually provide the best viewpoints for a good, centered shot of the horseshoe. These are the only areas fenced off, otherwise you can walk right up to the edge and take photos without people in your shot or only the people you want in the shot!
Grand Canyon East
This is one of the best views of the Colorado River flowing toward the Grand Canyon that you’ll get! Technically Grand Canyon National Park is 5 miles from Horseshoe Bend (often referred to as the east side of the Grand Canyon).
Fit this into your itinerary if you can!
4-hour drive back to Las Vegas for 8am flight home.
More incredible mountain scenery driving from Page to Las Vegas. It just doesn’t get old! The varied landscape never ceased to amaze us throughout the entire trip. We crossed through Nevada, Utah, and Arizona, 3 different time zones and temperatures ranging from the 30’s to the 80’s. It was a wonderful experience you absolutely must do!
Day 7:
Travel from McCarran Airport, Las Vegas to Fort Lauderdale International Airport.
What should I pack for a trip to Utah?
Layers- You’ve probably heard this lots of times but it’s with good reason! When we visited in late April the temperature range was from 37-degrees in the morning to the 80’s in the afternoon. I like to wear work-out leggings under a pair of jeans and just strip the jeans off as th temperature rises, same thing with the long-sleeved shirt over my t-shirt.
Essentials to pack:
- T-Shirts
- Lightweight long-sleeved shirts
- Work-out pants
- Jeans
- Shorts
- Light jacket + puffer jacket
- Hiking Shoes, Old Sneakers for water hiking + neoprene/wool socks for cold water hikes
*Coming Soon… what to bring on a hike + what to shop for once you’ve reached your destination. (Hiking Poles, Water Bottles, etc.)
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