Bryce Canyon National Park

Zion National Park in southwestern Utah, about two and a half hours northeast of Las Vegas, protects the sheer-walled canyon of the Virgin River. People come for the hikes: wading up the river into the Narrows, climbing the chained ridge of Angels Landing, or taking the short trails to the Emerald Pools.Almost everything happens in Zion Canyon, which you can only drive from March through November on the free park shuttle. For quieter scenery, head to the Kolob Canyons in the park's northwest corner, which have their own entrance off I-15, or take the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway east.Springdale as your baseThe town of Springdale sits right outside the South Entrance. It has most of the hotels, restaurants and paid parking, and the Springdale shuttle drops you at the pedestrian entrance by the visitor center. Staying in town means you skip the morning hunt for a parking spot inside the park, which is often hopeless by mid-morning in season.Before you goEntrance fee: $35 per private vehicle, good for 7 days. Since January 1, 2026, visitors who aren't U.S. residents pay an extra $100 per person age 16 and up. U.S. residents don't pay the surcharge; rangers may ask for a driver's license. An America the Beautiful pass covers it: $80 for U.S. residents, $250 for nonresidents (the nonresident pass waives the surcharge for everyone in the car).Angels Landing: permit required, drawn by lottery on Recreation.gov. Details under sights.The Narrows: closed when the river runs above 150 cubic feet per second or under a flash flood warning. In spring, snowmelt often keeps it closed for weeks.Water: plan on about a gallon per person per day. Don't drink from the river.

Page is a town of about 7,400 people in far northern Arizona, right on the Utah line and the shore of Lake Powell. It's the base for three stops that top many Southwest road trips: Horseshoe Bend, Antelope Canyon and Lake Powell with Glen Canyon Dam, all less than 15 minutes from town.It's roughly four and a half to five hours from both Las Vegas and Phoenix and about three from the Grand Canyon's South Rim. Plan at least one night: Horseshoe Bend is emptiest at sunrise and best lit in the afternoon, Antelope Canyon glows most around midday, and a boat trip on the lake is worth the time.Book aheadAntelope Canyon: guided tours with a Navajo-owned operator only. In spring and summer, book days or weeks out; Upper Antelope Canyon doesn't sell tickets on-site. Budget around $100 per person for Lower Antelope Canyon, including the Navajo Nation fee.Horseshoe Bend: no reservation, but parking is $10 per car.Time zones: Page stays on Mountain Standard Time year-round, while the Navajo Nation observes daylight saving time. Double-check which time your tour is listed in.The town itself is no-frills, with motels, grocery stores and a modest choice of restaurants, but it works well as a base.

Utah sits between Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, Wyoming, and Idaho. Most visitors come for the five national parks in the south, the "Mighty Five": Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Arches, and Canyonlands. In winter, the draw is the Wasatch Range, with ski resorts less than an hour from Salt Lake City.Salt Lake City hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics and gets the Games again in 2034. Northwest of town lies the Great Salt Lake, a remnant of Ice Age Lake Bonneville. The state's high point is Kings Peak (13,518 ft) in the Uinta Mountains.Down south, the parks sit close together: Zion with the Narrows of the Virgin River, Bryce Canyon and its hoodoos, Capitol Reef along the Waterpocket Fold, and Arches and Canyonlands outside Moab. Monument Valley and Lake Powell are right on the Arizona line.

Grand Canyon National Park in northern Arizona, about 90 minutes' drive north of Flagstaff, protects the gorge of the Colorado River. You come to stand on the South Rim and look up to a mile (6,000 ft) down into the canyon, ideally at sunrise or sunset, or to hike part of the way down the Bright Angel or South Kaibab Trail.The canyon runs 277 miles and is up to 18 miles wide. Nearly everyone visits the South Rim, which is open year-round. The park has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979.The hub of the South Rim is Grand Canyon Village, home to the El Tovar Hotel, which opened in 1905. Hermit Road runs about 7 miles west past a string of overlooks, and Desert View Drive runs about 25 miles east to the Desert View Watchtower, designed by Mary Colter and finished in 1932. Mather Point, Yaki Point and Hopi Point are the best-known sunrise and sunset spots, so expect company.Fees and rules for 2026Entrance fee: $35 per vehicle, $30 per motorcycle, $20 per person on foot or bike, each valid for seven days. Cards only, no cash.Surcharge if you're visiting from abroad: Since 2026, visitors without US residency pay an extra $100 per person age 16 and up. The non-resident America the Beautiful pass ($250 per vehicle) covers it.Reservations: Not needed to enter the park.South Rim: flood damage and water emergency (as of late October 2026)The August 29, 2026, flash flood in Bright Angel Canyon knocked out the Transcanyon Waterline, and the South Rim has been under Stage 4 water restrictions since August 31. What that means for your visit:Lodging: In late August the park shut down overnight stays at all in-park hotels. According to the NPS, Yavapai Lodge and Phantom Ranch remain closed with no reopening date. Check current status before you book inside the park; hotels in Tusayan, just outside the South Entrance, are not affected.Camping: Mather Campground is open for dry camping only. Trailer Village and the showers and laundry at Camper Services are closed.Food: Many restaurants are closed or running short hours, including the El Tovar Dining Room. Bring snacks and lunch.Trails: Bright Angel Trail is open only to Mile-and-a-Half Resthouse and South Kaibab Trail only to Tip-Off, plus the Plateau Point Trail. Routes to the river and Phantom Ranch are closed. Drinking water is available only at the trailheads.Fires: All wood fires are banned at Mather Campground.North Rim in 2026The North Rim, above 8,000 feet, is open for day use only in 2026, through November 30 or the first major snowstorm. The Dragon Bravo Fire in July 2025 destroyed about 70 buildings, including the Grand Canyon Lodge and the visitor center. There's no lodging, no campground and no drinking water inside the park this season, and the gas station has closed for the year. The North Kaibab Trail has been closed since the August flood, as are many rim trails such as Bright Angel Point and the Widforss Trail. Cape Royal Road and Point Imperial Road are closed October 15 through November 3, and vehicles over 22 feet aren't allowed on them at any time.

Island in the Sky is the northern and most accessible district of Utah's Canyonlands National Park, about 32 miles west of Moab. You come for the view: from a mesa top you look roughly 2,200 feet down into the canyons of the Colorado and Green Rivers, and the best overlooks are just minutes from the car.The park splits into three districts that no road inside the park connects. The Needles to the south and the Maze to the west are separate trips; Island in the Sky makes an easy day trip from Moab. One road runs from the visitor center across the mesa to Grand View Point, with a spur to Upheaval Dome.Before you goEntrance fee: $30 per private vehicle. There's no nonresident surcharge here. The $55 Southeast Utah Parks pass also covers Arches.Supplies: no restaurants or gas in the park. Potable water is available at the visitor center only, spring through fall, and there's none on the trails. Fill the tank and pack lunch in Moab.Visitor center: open daily March through December from 9 a.m., with longer summer hours.Combine it: Dead Horse Point State Park is on the way, with its own fee, and its view of the Colorado River's gooseneck is worth the detour.