The Perfect 7 Day Road Trip through Utah and Arizona’s Parks

You wanted to squeeze Valley of Fire State Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Horseshoe Bend, Antelope Canyon, and Zion National Park all into one road trip? You’ve come to the right place. This road trip through Utah and Arizona was the perfect mix of desert reds, forest greens, and ice cold blue streams. Every landscape is stunning in its own way, and totally unforgettable. You’ll never get bored staring out the car window on the drives between parks.

Here’s how we did it. If you have a week, this is the perfect itinerary for you to drive out from LA or Vegas and road trip through Utah and Arizona.

Day 1: 

Valley of Fire is only a five or six hour drive from LA (longer if you leave on a Friday evening, since you’ll be joining the weekend in Vegas crowd on the freeways).

It’s a state park with a $10 entrance fee, and frankly it doesn’t look like much when you first drive up. Trust me, this place is more than worth it. The drives and the hikes are both out of this world.

Stay at Atlatl Campground.
Drive the Scenic Loop Road and White Domes Road. Both windy and rollercoaster-y and wildly photogenic.
Eat food you brought with you (there’s literally no food here).
Hike the Fire Wave trail.
Climb a bunch of other giant red rocks because, well, it’s just fun.

Day 2: 

Drive to Bryce Canyon (approximately four hours). Make sure to get there before sunset, because sunset light over the canyon is pretty unbeatable.

Stay at Sunset Campground.
Drive to each viewpoint. Walk to the rim. Stand in awe. Take a selfie.
Hike the Navajo Loop & Queen’s Garden Trails (~3 mi down into the canyon and back up)
Watch sunrise at Bryce Point.
Nap in your hammock (because obviously you brought a hammock, right?)

Day 3:

Head to Page, AZ after you’ve finished exploring all of Bryce Canyon’s viewpoints. It’s a quick three hour drive, and you can make it just in time for sunset at Horseshoe Bend!

OK SHHH here’s the secret for Horseshoe Bend: literally every spot is a good one. There’s an entire ridge around the bend and everyone crowds up right in the middle. Walk thirty feet to the left or right, and you’ve got yourself a empty rock to take some incredible photos from.

Hike the one mile uphill to Horseshoe Bend. Don’t do it in the rain. (Trust me.)
Stay in Page, AZ for easy access to Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend.
Eat at River’s End Cafe. They make a mean breakfast sandwich and breakfast burrito.

Day 4:

Book way ahead for Antelope Canyon tours. We took the Adventures Antelope Canyon Photo Tour because they were the only one not booked up last minute, but had a great experience.
Be patient. If you wait for the right moments, even at peak times, you’ll find a moment around a curve for the perfect shot.
Prepare for the crowds at Antelope Canyon.
Prepare to be amazed at the view, despite the crowds.

Once you’re done with the tour, get back on the road to Zion National Park to continue your road trip through Utah!

Day 5 + 6: 

Zion National Park boasts some of the most stunning views in the country. The rugged red rocks covered in surprisingly lush greenery, with the ice cold Virgin River running through the canyon. It is always packed with people, cars, and shuttle busses, but it is well worth it.

Book a campsite early or get ready to arrive before 7AM and wait in line for a couple hours to get a first come, first serve site at South Campground.
Park your car at the campsite or in town (Springdale) and take the shuttle in.
Hike the one mile Canyon Overlook hike at sunset, sunrise, or even at night.
Hike Upper Emerald Pools, Angel’s Landing, The Narrows, or Observation Point if you’re looking for a little bit more of a challenge.
Eat at King’s Landing in Springdale. It is the best meal you’ll have in town, and probably the state, for that matter. Sit on the back patio to see the horses roam in the field.
Dip your toes in the Virgin River (the Pa’rus trail has easy access points to the river)

Day 7:

Spend your last day in Zion National Park taking in the sunrise, making a campfire breakfast, and brewing some strong cowboy coffee. Finish up any last hikes or viewpoints you haven’t seen yet (and keep an eye out for wild deer, mountain goats, and way-too-friendly chipmunks!).

Breathe it all in. Get ready to drive home and plan your next road trip through Utah and Arizona.

Here’s a Google Maps of the drive we did:

Was this helpful? Let me know in the comments if you try this road trip through Utah and Arizona! It’s one of my favorites.

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All photos by Andy Fortson Photography.