Las Vegas, Zion National Park, Bryce National Park, Monument Valley, Phoenix.
Despite boasting world-class hiking trails, iconic natural wonders and five ‘mighty’ national parks, Utah still manages to preserve a humble, down-to-earth vibe. Driving through south west Utah will leave you gawping at the raw landscapes this state has to offer while feeling as laid back as the locals.
THE ROUTE
There is no bigger juxtaposition than to begin the trip amongst the bright lights of Las Vegas. Although just across the Nevada border, Vegas is the closest hub to the Utah south west national parks and is the best place to pick up a vehicle. Make sure to pick out something that is comfortable to spend a long time in, as the 950 mile journey between Las Vegas and Phoenix will mean spending approximately eighteen hours driving. From here, the first stop, Zion National Park, is approximately two and a half hours away on the I-15S, which takes you across the corner of Arizona and into Utah. It is not long before the landscape becomes barren and rocky, and the cityscape gets left behind.
Zion has become the fourth most visited national park in the country. It has the atmosphere of a Jurassic wilderness; green vegetation lining the base of a steep, barren terracotta canyon. You can sometimes spot golden eagles soaring high above the gushing North Fork Virgin River, the artist responsible for carving this wild landscape. Hiking is a must-do here. There are many trails you can follow, the west rim trail is a great one to explore much of the area, winding fifteen miles deep into the park. If you are looking for something shorter, you can still follow this trail as there are many scenic viewpoints dotted along the route that can provide good turning points back to the entrance. If you are looking for a tougher challenge, then attempt the vertigo-inducing Angel’s Landing. This trail splits directly off from the West Rim Trail after the Walters Wiggles climb. The plateau at the start of this tricky trail gives some of the best views of the park from above so if only part of the group want to attempt the Angel’s Landing, this is a scenic place to wait. The Angel’s Landing itself is an impressive narrow ridge of rock that protrudes from the canyon, allowing you to look down almost vertically onto the floor below. Be aware that at some points the trail is highly exposed to the 500m (1600ft) drop on both sides, and so despite chains available to hold on to, this is not one for young children or the faint-hearted!
It is worth spending a few days in Zion, so base yourself in Springdale at the Best Western Plus Zion Canyon (https://www.bestwestern.com/en_US/book/hotels-in-springdale/best-western-plus-zion-canyon-inn-suites/propertyCode.45093.html). Springdale is a small town less than a mile from Zion National Park, and the ideal place for local lodging and dining. One of the real benefits with staying here is the easy access to Zion without requiring a car, particularly in peak periods, when the car park becomes full and vehicles are no longer allowed access. Entry to the park costs $35 per car to enter, or $20 per person, which is a well worth contribution towards conserving the park. The Springdale shuttle bus run all year around, taking you right into the canyon itself, but why not avoid vehicles completely and rent a bicycle in town? There are some spectacular but easy cycle routes through Zion, just follow the river along the valley floor and you will start to appreciate the canyon from a different angle. On the canyon floor the fertile soil has allowed plants and trees to grow, and the canyon feels full of life here.
The next stage in the road trip is Bryce Canyon. The journey is just under two hours via highways 9, 89 and 12. Highway 9 begins by taking you through Zion National Park, via the scenic Mount Carmel Highway. If you spent most of your time in Zion canyon, this will be a new area of the park to explore and there are many places to pull in and admire the view en-route. You will gain a lot of height along the highway, snaking up the canyon walls and through the Zion Mount Carmel Tunnel. Soon enough the river and canyon will split off and you will be on flat land. At the end of the road you will meet highway 89, which takes you the majority of the way to Bryce Canyon, just off highway 12.
Bryce Canyon is home to the largest group of hoodoos in the world. These incredible rock formations contort upwards in peculiar columns around a natural amphitheatre, creating an almost alien landscape. From afar, the rocks look like a rough textured surface, but get up close and the individual hoodoos have their own personalities. Each one is carved uniquely by ice wedges splitting the rock as they freeze throughout the year. This means the rock formations shrink and change constantly over time, almost appearing as living creatures. Similarly to Zion National Park, entry to Bryce Canyon costs $35 per car or $20 per person. Park at Sunset point and walk the Navajo trail, an hour-long loop that descends 167m (550ft) into the rocky amphitheatre. You can follow the route either way, but if you walk clockwise, then you will have the shade for the ascent back towards the car. This route can get very busy, so try much later in the afternoon. At this time, the golden light plays on the formations and can produce unusual shadows and contrasts along the pathway.
Utah is home to multiple certified dark sky parks, but Bryce Canyon is definitely one of the most unusual spots. The extra-terrestrial appearance of the hoodoos make the night sky even more impressive. If you visit in June you can catch the Bryce Canyon Annual Astronomy Festival (https://www.nps.gov/brca/planyourvisit/astrofest.htm). This is the ultimate way to stargaze, with astronomers from across the world showing off the wonders of the universe through their telescopes. The festival also offers constellation tours, guided rim walks and speakers from the top of the astronomy world. There are a number of hotels around Bryce too, so you can stay late into the night. The Best Western Plus Bryce Canyon Grand Hotel (https://www.bestwestern.co.uk/hotels/best-western-plus-bryce-canyon-grand-hotel-45082) offers everything you will need for a couple of nights.
An hour and a half further north you will find the small town of Boulder, and Boulder Mountain Guest Ranch (https://bouldermountainguestranch.com). This off-grid ranch is an icon for sustainable outdoor living, and takes huge pride in its land and wildlife conservation projects. It is easy to while away time here as the warm afternoons turn into cool starry nights, but that way you wouldn’t be able to make the most of all the activities the ranch has to offer. Guided hikes and yoga sessions are just some of the outdoor adventures available, as well as educational workshops and even a music recording studio to bring out your artistic side. Either way, this is the chance to relax on the trip and take time out for yourself. Accommodation in the form of cabins, yurts and tepees put you right in the heart of it all, focusing on native décor and natural materials. The on-site Sweetwater Kitchen, named after the creek which trickles alongside the ranch, offers a selection of organic neo-American dishes with ingredients sustainably sourced from the kitchen’s own garden.
The next stage of your journey leads you towards the iconic Monument Valley, looping north on highways 12, 24 and 95 around the Henry Mountains. These were the last mountains to be discovered in the USA, not appearing on a map until 1872! The mountains themselves are extremely remote, there are no official trails for hiking or outdoor activities and you may not see anyone for long periods of time while exploring. For the hardcore adventurers, this is your playground. Soon you will head south again and reach highway 261, or the ‘Moki Dugway’, and it’s at this point the drive becomes truly Top Gear worthy. Three miles of narrow hairpin turns stagger down the steep Cedar Mesa cliff face, descending 1,200 feet to the Valley of the Gods below. Before your descent, make sure to visit Muley Point for the best view over the valley. You will get fantastic views of the San Juan River Canyon, or ‘Navajo Tapestry’, nicknamed due to the stripes of different rock, and on a good day can see as far as Monument Valley. Back in the car, be aware that the surface of the Moki Dugway is a dusty dirt track and so caution should be taken, but it is safe and open all year around. There are numerous viewpoints to pull into on the way down and it is one of the most memorable parts of the drive.
Having dropped into the valley, the land soon becomes completely flat. Long dusty roads now slice the barren landscape in perfectly straight lines, allowing you to see the road all the way to the horizon. It is not unusual to spot silver truckers from miles away as they approach, and then see them become a glimmer on the horizon again in the other direction. In the background, momentous golden buttresses stand above the red sand desert. Unlike the canyon landscapes so far on the trip, these individual rock formations are sparsely spread and individually impressive, towering up to 1000 feet tall. Monument Valley has appeared in more Western films than anywhere else in the USA. It is easily considered one of the world’s most impressive panoramas. Monument Valley and the Valley of the Gods have very similar landscapes, and are both open all year around, but Monument Valley has a $20 entrance fee per vehicle (max 4 people) unlike the Valley of the Gods, which is free to enter. You can easily drive around either tribal park, or grab a map and explore on foot.
You would be forgiven if you didn’t spot The View Hotel until you were standing right outside the front door (https://monumentvalleyview.com). Architecturally genius; this reddish, low lying building does everything it can to blend in with its surroundings within Monument Valley, despite being the only man made construction around for miles. The key focus here is the view, and effort has been made to ensure that nothing distracts you from it. Inside, the rooms are modest but comfortable, although you will want to spend most of your time on the balcony. Monument Valley forms part of the Navajo Nation, the largest native American territory in the country. Maintaining close links to this community, The View boasts an impressive selection of locally crafted goods for sale through its ‘Trading Post’ store, including hand-spun rugs directly from the elder weavers, or uniquely chunky turquoise jewellery.
The next stage of the tour will drop you south into Arizona and towards Phoenix. From Monument Valley take highway 160 towards Flagstaff and then head east on the I-40, to the Barringer Crater (https://meteorcrater.com). This remarkable scar was left on the planet by an asteroid impact 50,000 years ago. The crater spans over 1.2km (4,000 feet) but certainly puts into perspective the reality of the active universe. You can walk around the edge of the crater, or alternatively visit one of the observation decks at the museum. The Barringer Space Museum is attached to the site, filled with videos and artefacts encapsulating America’s obsession with outer space. The crater was used by NASA astronauts to recreate a lunar landscape as training for the first moon missions, and in the museum you can see the one of the Apollo capsule trainers that they used.
The historic city of Winslow, just 30mins further east along the I-40, was a busy stop on the iconic Route 66. Sadly, when the I-40 was built, traffic was drawn away from Winslow and the small city became sleepy for decades. Well-rested, Winslow sprung back into life in the 1970s thanks to a seven-piece rock band. Say the words “Winslow, Arizona” to any classic rock music fan, and they will probably come back to you with “Standin’ on the corner in Winslow, Arizona”, a line from the Eagles’ song ‘Take it Easy’. The town has paid tribute to these lyrics with colourful murals and two brass statues of men standing, one with his guitar, on the corner of Route 66 and North Kinsley Avenue. Nowadays, the city has held firmly onto its energy; brightly decorated Route 66 themed shops and diners line the streets, Eagles music pours out from music shops and there is an all-round energetic atmosphere that shows this city has no intentions of falling asleep again.
For the final part of the tour, hop on the 87 south to Phoenix. This is a much more interesting route than backtracking to highway 160 and takes you through the towns of Payson and Fountain Hills. Scottsdale is the gateway to the Phoenix from this direction, and one of the most beautiful districts to visit while in the area. Phoenix itself is a busy desert metropolis best known for its cosmopolitan vibe and manicured resorts. It hosts an international airport and extensive transport links for your onward travel, but if you do have the time I would definitely recommend spending a few days in the ‘Valley of the Sun’ to finish your adventure.
*Some of the above photos were taken by Henry McBrien.
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