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To be totally honest, I had no idea how amazing Utah was until I moved here. So I can understand if you only have a few days to visit, but I promise you, you will want to come back! In order to plan your Southern Utah itinerary, you will first need to decide if you want to see more from the car or if you want to get out and hike. Obviously if you are (mostly) staying in your car, you will make it to more stops and if you are hiking you will experience each area in a completely different way.

This Southern Utah Itinerary will focus on hiking. If you want to drive, check out this series: Southern Utah Day 1, Day 2, & Day 3 or for more of an all-in-one, check out this post.

Getting there

Depending on where you are coming from, you have a few options as far as getting to Southern Utah. Las Vegas is the closest international airport. With so many direct flight options, this is likely your best bet. The Las Vegas Airport is actually located in Henderson, NV which has its own fun set of activities. If you have time at the beginning or end of your trip you can check out this list of things to do in Henderson.

There is an airport in St. George, Utah which would be closer. It currently has flights on Delta through SLC, American through PHX, and United through LAX and DEN. A little bit farther, but an additional option would be flying to SLC.

To learn how to book cheap flights using Google flights, check out this post here. Or if you would rather travel for free, learn more about travel hacking in this post.

Southern Utah Itinerary

Here is a map of the suggested route:

Day 1 – Southern Utah Itinerary – Bryce Canyon

After arriving in Las Vegas, grab your rental car and head for Bryce Canyon National Park. This is a 4 hour drive. Depending on your arrival time in Las Vegas, this will dictate your plans. However, if you get started early in the day, consider doing a horseback ride if going April 1-October 31 (departure times at 8a, 9a, 2p, & 3p).

Alternatively (or in addition), consider hiking either Peakaboo Loop or Navajo/Queens Garden Trails. With more limited time you can hike (or really just walk) from Sunset Point to Sunrise Point.

• Peakaboo Loop – 5.2 miles, 1,453 feet of elevation gain
• Navajo/Queens Garden Trail – 2.6 miles, 623 feet of elevation gain
• Sunset Point to Sunrise Point – 1.1 mile, 82 ft of elevation gain

If you want to do Bryce Canyon National Park as more of a quick visit, then I would suggest you head over to close to Zion National Park to stay the night. However, it has been a long day. So the easier option would be to stay the night in Bryce. To extend your itinerary longer and explore more around the park, check out this Las Vegas to Bryce Canyon 7 Day itinerary.

Day 2 & 3 – Southern Utah Itinerary – Zion National Park

If you stayed last night in Bryce, you will want to drive over to Zion National Park pretty early so you can get started with your day. There are so many amazing hikes to do while in this park. Keep in mind, many of the slot canyons require a permit (The Subway, The Narrows from the top down, Mystery Canyon, etc.), so plan ahead.

Depending on the weather, I would aim for the most iconic Zion National Park hikes while you are here. These would be Angels Landing and The Narrows. While doing the Narrows from the top down requires a permit, starting/finishing at the bottom does not. BE AWARE of the potential for flash floods. This is not a threat to take likely as people die from these. Always check with the park rangers before attempting to hike in water.

• Angel’s Landing – 4.1 miles, 1617 feet of elevation gain – has very narrow dropoffs on each side with chains and cables to help support you
• The Narrows – can be as long as you want it to be as you start and end at the same place so you decide when you turn around, this hike is in/through water – I did it with Keen’s and neoprene socks, regardless of if you purchase alternate hiking apparel or rent it, you want something other than your main hiking shoe as you will be wet and you want don’t want to do any other hikes in wet shoes

For those slightly less adventurous than Angel’s Landing but still wanting that amazing Zion view, check out the Zion Canyon Overlook Trail. This is 1 mile with 442 ft of elevation gain. There is not much parking near this trail so keep that in mind as you plan.

Tips for the west

If you are not originally from the west, welcome to the desert! Because this is potentially new terrain, here are some important tips:

• Drink more water than you normally would. It’s the desert! When hiking, I like to use a hiking pack with a water bladder like this one.
• In addition to water, when you sweat you lose electrolytes, remember to replace these as well.
• Chapstick is your best friend as it is dry.
• Visiting a few national parks? Your best “bang for your buck” might be to buy a national parks pass. It’s good for one year and costs $80. You want to decide this with the very first park you visit to make sure you get the most use out of it.
• Sunscreen is important even in the winter. Utah has DOUBLE the national average of melanoma incidence for a reason. Apply and re-apply.
• No matter what, make sure someone (who isn’t on the hike with you) knows where you are if you are going on a hike. You likely will not hve cell service, so don’t plan on it.
• LEAVE THE TRAIL BETTER THAN YOU FOUND IT – similar to leave no trace, except you can always help make things better. Pick up trash, follow trails (and avoid the “social trails”), and be a good human being.
• Remember that uphill hikers have the right of way
• Dress in layers as the temperature fluctuation is no joke
• Regular sneakers may cut it for many hikes, however consider getting some hiking shoes/boots for better traction.
• Always check in with rangers for latest information on trails, road conditions, etc.
• The “All Trails” app available for both iOS and Android is super helpful for finding hikes. You can also use the routes with your phone on GPS and download trail maps before you leave.

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