Blonde woman wearing camelbak hydration pack looking out over the mountains and canyons at Zion National Park — Hiking Angel’s Landing in Zion National Park. Click on my photos to pin on Pinterest!

This blog will be all about my time in Southern Utah and its amazing National Parks including Zion National Park, Arches National Park, and Canyonlands National Park! Plus, I added information about my favorite hot spring and the best road trips from Southern Utah. I’ll go over where to stay, best times to visit, what hikes to tackle, and my favorite photography spots around Utah.

Getting to Utah

When we’ve visited Utah, we road tripped from Wisconsin! It’s a great state for road tripping, because there is so much to see. You can also fly into Salt Lake City International Airport and drive down south or fly into the smaller airport of St. George Regional Airport. You’ll want a car to hit all the best spots around Southern Utah. I recommend exploring rental cars here.

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Best Time to Visit Utah

Spring through fall are all wonderful times to visit Southern Utah. Here are a few things to keep in mind when deciding when to plan your trip. Spring time is beautiful with flowers blooming, but it can also bring flash flooding, so keep an eye on the weather if you’re planning to hike. You could also run into snow if you go too early in the spring. During the summer, you’ll have the hottest temperatures and also the most crowds. Since school starts in the fall, you’ll have less crowds and pretty, golden scenery. We’ve visited Southern Utah in each season, and have always had a lovely time.

Where to Stay

If you’re main objective is exploring Zion National Park, I recommend either staying at the Zion National Park Lodge, which is right in the park, or in the nearby towns of Springdale or Hurricane. I linked highly rated hotels in both of those nearby towns, so make sure to check those out.

If Canyonlands and Arches National Parks are your main objective, stay in Moab. Here is a list of highly rated hotels around Moab to check out.

Zion National Park

Zion National Park is one of the most stunning National Parks I’ve ever been to. Driving into the park and looking out the car window, my jaw dropped. The landscape is incredible! You enter into Zion National Park through The Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel and this tunnel itself makes Zion’s views even better. You emerge from the dark and are hit with gorgeous red rock views. Seeing Zion National Park for the first time is amazing.

You can either drive into the park or take the shuttle from Springdale. If you’re driving a personal vehicle, you’ll need to purchase a $35 entrance pass. If you decide to take the shuttle from Springdale, the shuttle is free, but you still have to pay $20 per person for a pass into the park. The shuttle system also runs in the park, so whether you drive and park or take the shuttle in, you can ride the shuttle around the park to the trail heads. It’s pretty handy and I recommend using it in the park.

There are so many incredible hiking trails to explore in Zion National Park. Below, I talk about my favorite trails that I’ve completed. However, these are just a few and I recommend viewing this list of the best hikes in Zion National Park for more options!

Angel’s Landing

One of the most difficult hikes in Zion, and my favorite, is Angel’s Landing. You’ll need to enter a lottery, and secure a permit to hike this trail, as it’s increased in popularity over the years. Everyone wants to conquer this hike! However, if you’re afraid of heights, I don’t recommend it. After a series of switchbacks, you’ll only have a chain to hang onto with steep drop offs on both sides of you. These chains will guide you all the way to the summit. The photo above shows the intense ridge you have to climb up to reach the top. Once you’re at the top, you have the most incredible 360 views. AllTrails rates this hike as hard and it’s a total of 4.3 miles out-and-back.

Zion National Park gets toasty, especially during the summer. Make sure to pack plenty of water and wear sunscreen. There is not a lot of shade on this trail. Packing snacks is also a good idea, so you have enough energy to hike back down safely. We always like to wear CamelBaks, so water is easily accessible and we can pack our snacks with us. As always, make sure you leave no trace. Whatever you pack in, make sure to pack out.

Angel’s Landing hike is one of the best I’ve ever done, so if you get the chance to hike it, take it! It’s definitely a bucket list hike. It was so rewarding making it to the top and the views are unbeatable.

View of Zion Canyon from above where you can see huge mountains and so many pine trees — View of Zion Canyon from Observation Point and Angel’s Landing

Observation Point

If you want an easier hike with a similar view that you’d see from the summit of Angel’s Landing, hike Observation Point. This trail is still rated moderate, as it’s a 7 mile out-and-back hike. However, the elevation is much easier. There’s shade along the trail and rest spots, unlike much of Angel’s Landing. Observation Point Trail is also less crowded and you still get amazingly beautiful views of Zion Canyon. It’s the perfect hike for snapping some wonderful photos without having to obtain a permit.

Emerald Pools

The lovely Emerald Pools hike takes you around little pools and ends at a waterfall up top. There are a total of three emerald pools on this hike. Water falling off the steep cliffs onto the red rocks leads you to the top. This hike is rated moderate and is 3 miles out-and-back. We did this trail after hiking Angel’s Landing for a cool down. It was much easier and the scenery was pretty.

Arches National Park

Arches National Park is in Moab, Utah. It’s full of, you guessed it, a bunch of arched rock formations! It’s crazy to think nature made these. We hiked the Delicate Arch Trail to see this beautiful arch. It’s probably the most recognizable arch in Utah and it makes for an amazing photo. I was even asked to photograph a proposal under the arch while we were there. What a sweet spot!

There are plenty of other great hikes in Arches National Park, all full of unique arches and rock formations. Here is a list of the top trails in Arches National Park.

Make sure to purchase an entrance pass and a timed entry ticket to enter Arches National Park. This ensures the park does not get overcrowded. The timed entry ticket is needed April-October.

Canyonlands National Park

Also near Moab, and only a 30 minute drive from Arches National Park, is Canyonlands National Park. Since these two National Parks are so close to each other, it’s easy to explore both on the same trip. At this time, there are no reservations required to enter this park, but you do need to purchase an entrance pass. Two spots we explored and took photos at in Canyonlands National Park were at Grand View Point and Mesa Arch.

Mountain and canyon view through the Mesa Arch — Mesa Arch at Canyonlands National Park

Grand View Point

At Grand View Point, you can either take it easy and view from the overlook, or you can hike the 1.8 round trip trail. It’s a fairly simple hike with incredible views. You can see the La Sal Mountains and canyons for miles.

Mesa Arch

Mesa Arch is probably the most popular spot at Canyonlands National Park. It’s a super short hike but, you might have to wait in line to get a photo, as everyone wants to see this beautiful arch with the mountains and canyons in the background. The best time to get a photo is during golden hour, when the sunlight is peaking through the arch. We didn’t come during golden hour, but I still love the photo I captured.

Captain Ahab & Slickrock Bike Trail in Moab

If you’re into mountain biking and hiking, you’ll love Moab! There’s plenty of mountain biking and hiking trails outside of the National Parks, like Captain Ahab. This trail is considered hard and the full loop is 8.5 miles. It has a lot of technical climbs as well as rocky descends. Another fun trail is Slickrock Bike Trail, a 10.5 miles loop. Ross had a blast cruising on these trails. Moab is a vibrant city to explore full of adventure!

Bryce Canyon National Park

We didn’t have time to visit Bryce Canyon National Park on our Utah road trips, but it’s on my list to hit! It’s just a little over an hour away from Zion National Park, so we drove by it and saw the beauty from the outside. The park is filled with spiked red rock formations and it looks so cool! If you have time, I recommend checking it out.

Mystic Hot Springs

One of the most magical hot springs I’ve been to is definitely Mystic Hot Springs. Here, you can soak in bathtubs filled with hot mineral water from the earth overlooking beautiful Utah scenery. It’s $25 per adult to get a soaking pass. Make sure to reserve your spot in advance. You can also camp out here, stay in one of their converted buses, or book a little cabin. This spot is such a vibe.

Blonde woman with back to camera soaking in a bathtub filled with mineral water at a natural hot springs — Mystic Hot Springs

Day Trips From Southern Utah

There are so many gorgeous spots only a short drive away from Southern Utah. If you’re down to take a road trip, I definitely recommend checking out these spots!

The Wave-Coyote Buttes

Ross and I really wish we could’ve had the opportunity to explore The Wave-Coyote Buttes on the border of Utah and Arizona. We tried winning the daily lottery twice while in the area, but were unsuccessful. To win this lottery, you’ll need to be physically located in the area and apply 2 days before the permit date. You can read all about the rules here. You can also apply online, but you’ll need to apply 4 months in advance for the time you want to visit. Only 64 people a day are allowed to visit The Wave, to preserve its beauty. Hopefully one day we will get to explore it! If you get the opportunity, definitely try.

Lake Powell

On the boarder of Utah and Arizona is the beautiful Lake Powell. This lake is a manmade reservoir surrounded by stunning red rock. It’s great for kayaking, paddleboarding, boating, jet skiing, you name it. Here is a rental company to check out for your adventure!

Horseshoe Bend

Horseshoe Bend is another must see near Page, Arizona not too far from the Utah border. It’s located in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. The Colorado River makes a horseshoe around a giant rock, and it’s such a beautiful spot. It’s $10 to park a vehicle and then you get to enjoy this stunning viewpoint. Don’t miss visiting Lower Antelope Canyon while you’re in the area.

Lower Antelope Canyon

One of the most breathtakingly beautiful places I’ve been is in Lower Antelope Canyon in Page, Arizona. I recommend to everyone to go on this Lower Antelope Canyon Hiking tour. I loved exploring this slot canyon so much and I’ll always treasure my photos. It was one of the coolest experiences I’ve done! Both Lower Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend are only 2 hours away from Zion National Park. I highly recommend taking a road trip to visit these two spots while you’re in the area.

Monument Valley

Also along the Utah-Arizona border is the famous Monument Valley. I’d love to go here! It’s about 2 hours away from both Page, Arizona and Moab, Utah, so it’s pretty remote. However, the landscape is famous for starring in multiple movies like Forrest Gump, National Lampoon’s Vacation, and old Westerns. It’s pretty picturesque and it’s on my list to visit.

The Grand Canyon

Less than 2 hours away from Zion National Park is Grand Canyon National Park. Why wouldn’t you want to visit one of the Natural Wonders of the World? You’ll be amazed by how grand it truly is. Here, you can hike, bike, and even raft on the Colorado River. You can even spend a night down in the Grand Canyon when you hike rim to rim. Learn more about this incredible hike here.

Las Vegas

You have to visit Las Vegas at least once in your life. This place is crazy, but it has some of the best food, shows, pools, casinos, and all around entertainment! Even if you’re not into gambling or partying all night, there’s plenty to do in Las Vegas. My favorite thing that I’ve done while visiting, is watching an unbelievable Cirque du Soleil show. You can’t go wrong with that. They’re so talented! Trying all the different restaurants is another fun thing to do in Vegas. My family loves Eataly and Din Tai Fung. You get to try a little slice of the world, but in Vegas. If you’d rather relax, there’s a plethora of hotels with pools and spas to check out. Las Vegas is about 2.5 hours from Southern Utah, so it’s not too far of a road trip. I’ll have to write a whole blog about Vegas, because there’s so much to do, so stay tuned for more.

Valley of Fire State Park

Valley of Fire State Park is underrated. It’s so beautiful and very close to Las Vegas, Utah, and Arizona. This state park is a photographer’s paradise. We took photos all around the park, because the scenery was top notch. The colors of the rocks are so unique! They look like melted orange sherbet. Above, I’m walking around what’s known as The Blob. lol! The entrance fee is $10 for Nevada residents and $15 for non-residents. I recommend making a visit if you’re looking for some spectacular photos.

Overall Thoughts on Southern Utah

Overall, Southern Utah’s landscape is beyond gorgeous. It’s full of adventure, unique rock formations, Western Movie vibes, and makes a great vacation spot. Some of my favorite places I’ve ever traveled to are in this area. The neighboring states of Arizona, Nevada, and Colorado are also amazing, making this part of the U.S. so much fun to road trip through.

Camera used to document my travels: Canon EOS 5D Mark III 35mm lens and iPhone