Top Destinations in Utah
Redefining what the ‘the great outdoors’ really means, Utah is this one giant playground for outdoor adventurers. The variety of terrain in Utah is simply unbelievable. It has world-renowned ski resorts, arid deserts, gorgeous lakes, and beautiful mountain ranges. All of which pays to the fact that Utah is the converging point of three distinct geological regions: The Rocky Mountains, The Great Basin, and the Colorado Plateau.
Read along to find out some of the best destinations you absolutely cannot miss while in Utah.
Zion National Park
Being the third state with the most national parks in the country, there will definitely be a few national parks on the list. Our favorite being the Zion National Park. The red rock cliffs, stunning vistas, and waterfalls are all stunning. Add to the fact that it less than a three-hour drive to and from Las Vegas makes us adore this park even more.
Zion is a wonderland for hikers. It has just about everything: from simple walkable trail walks to literal verticals that may not be for everyone. At least not for those with fear of heights.
Monument Valley Navajo Park
Red orange desert floors paired with red rock buttes, horses, and sunsets — Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park is a scene out of a movie. Of course, it is quite literally a scene out of a film since it has been a favorite shooting spot for plenty of films and commercials.
The stunning and dramatic landscape is certainly worth the drive. Once there, you can experience the landscape by driving through its 17-mile rough road. If you are up for it, you may also hike the wildcat trail that will make you feel like you have traveled back in time to the Wild West.
Canyonlands National Park
Ever dreamt of visiting and seeing the Grand Canyon for yourself? Canyonlands National Park is basically Utah’s Grand Canyon without the crazy crowd. In our opinion, the view is just as spectacular as that of the Grand Canyon, maybe even more unique because of how criminally unpopular the park is.
If you are driving a 4×4, The Needles area is a giant playground to get the most fun out of your truck.
Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park
Coral Pink State Park is exactly what you think it is: it is a mini desert. It boasts of some of the most gorgeous sand dunes. The contrast of the brilliantly colored sand and the blue sky guarantees interesting photographs. Of course, once there, you can climb the soft sand mountains, go sandboarding, or ride an ATV up and down. At the end of the day, you may even opt to the campground that is right at the edge of the dunes.
Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument is 1.9 million acres of rugged terrain, canyons, arches, hills, waterfalls, forests, and scrubland. It is the largest national monument in the United States. While it was only just recently cartographed, the monument has been standing for 275 million years, hence the wealth of scientific knowledge just waiting to be discovered.
Activities here include riding an ATV, good old fashioned hiking, fishing, horseback riding and, of course, camping.
Can’t get enough of Utah? Check out our list of best places to camp in Utah.
