Utah (Las Vegas start) · 10 days
10-Day Utah Parks Travel Plan — The Mighty Five, properly sequenced
Utah's Mighty Five fit a 10-day travel plan almost too well — which is exactly why most generic itineraries get the order wrong. This route sequences the parks for light, crowds, and altitude acclimatization, not just for the map.
Highlights
What this route is built around.
- Zion before Bryce — for altitude and light, not the other way around
- Capitol Reef as a real stop, not a drive-through between parks
- Arches at sunrise for Delicate Arch, not noon
- Canyonlands' Island in the Sky and the Needles, not just one
- A finish that loops back to Vegas without a 9-hour driving day
Day by day
10 days, paced for real driving.
Day 1
Las Vegas → Springdale (Zion gateway)
Land, drive, settle. No park time today — just a relaxed evening in Springdale and an early start tomorrow.
Day 2
Zion — Angels Landing or The Narrows
Full day in Zion with a permit-aware plan for Angels Landing or a wet-day Narrows hike. Shuttle timing strategy included.
Day 3
Zion (lower-key day)
Watchman Trail, Pa'rus, or the Kolob Canyons section that 80% of visitors skip. You earn this slow day.
Day 4
Zion → Bryce Canyon
Short drive. Arrive in time to walk the rim at sunset — Bryce is a sunrise/sunset park, not a midday park.
Day 5
Bryce — sunrise + Navajo Loop
Up before sunrise for Inspiration Point, then down into the hoodoos via the Navajo + Queen's Garden loop.
Day 6
Bryce → Capitol Reef → Torrey
Scenic Byway 12 (one of the best drives in the US). Capitol Reef Scenic Drive in the afternoon, overnight in Torrey.
Day 7
Capitol Reef → Moab
Drive day with a stop in Hanksville. Moab by evening — base for the next two parks.
Day 8
Arches — sunrise Delicate Arch
Pre-dawn start for Delicate Arch (not the 6pm mob). Devils Garden in the cooler late afternoon.
Day 9
Canyonlands — Island in the Sky
Mesa Arch at sunrise, Grand View Point, Shafer Trail overlook. Back to Moab by mid-afternoon for a slow evening.
Day 10
Moab → Las Vegas
The long drive day. Brought forward to day 10 so you don't waste a park day on logistics. Optional stop at the Valley of Fire.
The difference
Automated planning gets close. We make it right.
What automated planning gets wrong
Common mistakes on this route
- — Putting Bryce before Zion — generic AI just goes by the map
- — Listing Arches at midday when half the trails are unbearable in summer
- — Treating Capitol Reef as a drive-through between Bryce and Moab
- — Ignoring the Mighty Five permit and shuttle systems
- — Dropping a 9-hour drive on day 10 with no buffer
What we fix
How the refined version is different
- ✓ Sequencing built around light, altitude, and crowd patterns
- ✓ Permit/shuttle logistics planned in advance, not on the day
- ✓ Two slower days built in — Utah is not a checklist
- ✓ Hotel locations chosen so you start each park day inside or beside it
- ✓ Buffer day built into Moab in case weather closes a trail
FAQ
Common questions.
Do I need permits for Utah's parks?
Angels Landing in Zion requires a permit lottery. The Wave (in Arizona, but often combined) requires a separate lottery. Everything else is first-come — but timing matters for parking. The refined itinerary covers all of this.
Is 10 days enough for the Mighty Five?
Yes — but only if the route is sequenced well. With generic ordering you'd spend 14+ days on the same parks because of backtracking and bad timing.
When should I avoid Utah's parks?
July and August: heat over 100°F, afternoon thunderstorms, peak crowds. Late April to early June and late September to October are ideal.
Can I start somewhere other than Las Vegas?
Yes — Salt Lake City and Phoenix both work. The Custom tier adapts the route to your start and end city.
Ready for the version
that actually works?
Get the full refined itinerary — paced, sequenced, and carefully checked.