Utah's Mighty 5 and More

Travel Season

These parks are all in desert regions, making high summertime temperatures a major consideration, and many are also at high enough elevation that winter access can be limited. Peak seasons for this region are generally fall and spring, with some variation between individual parks. The Grand Canyon North Rim and Cedar Breaks are typically only open from mid-May to mid-October.

   Jan     Feb     Mar     Apr     May     Jun     Jul     Aug     Sep     Oct     Nov     Dec   

Key:     best months       okay months     not advised

Many accommodations and high-demand activity permits fill up quickly during peak seasons. Planning a minimum of 6 months in advance, or in some cases 12 months, increases availability. However, even with shorter time horizons we will work to find options for you and your group.

Most nights on this trip involve lodging in 3-star hotels. Sometimes lodging in or adjacent to national parks may have fewer amenities but is still the preferred choice based on location and historic appeal. Great Basin National Park has very limited options, as the town of Baker has a population of less than 100.

If you would prefer more luxurious lodging, let us know and we can present additional options along with the price difference. If you would prefer to save some money, let us know and we can discuss less expensive options as well. If you are interested in camping, there are campgrounds convenient to some, but not all, of the locations. Talk to our team about camping options in lieu of hotels when making your reservation. This will reduce cost significantly, but also may not always be available as park service campgrounds in particular often fill up quickly. (Note that Wandersaurus does not provide or facilitate rental of camping equipment.)

Most of these parks can be enjoyed with hikes no more than 2-4 miles long, with a handful of exceptions. We typically suggest trails in that category, that can be completed by a reasonably fit person without specific training. In some cases where a longer or more strenuous hike is suggested, we will provide shorter/easier alternatives as well. 

Desert conditions are found throughout the region, and it is key to carry sufficient water and sun protection, especially in warmer months.

For hikes that are more challenging than others in the itinerary, detailed descriptions are provided along with alternative suggestions in case any are not suitable for your group.

Kids: You know your kids better than we do. A 5-year-old with enthusiasm for the outdoors and some hiking experience would not find any of these overly challenging. A 15-year-old with an “indoor cat” personality might struggle. That said, many trails are not stroller-friendly. A couple of individual trails will have notes of caution for kids in your detailed daily itinerary.

One of the unique features of this part of the country is that any given park is within 2-3 hours of another great site. However, a full loop from Great Basin in the NW to Antelope Canyon in the S to Arches in the NE could be well over 1,000 miles, depending on where you stop along the way. Some distances between relatively close parks include:

• Great Basin to Zion: 3 hours

• Zion to North Rim Grand Canyon: 3 hours

• Zion to Bryce Canyon: 2 hours

• Bryce Canyon to Capitol Reef: 2 ½ hours

• Capitol Reef to Moab (Arches/Canyonlands): 2 ½ hours

• Moab to Page (Antelope Canyon etc.): 4 hours

Additionally, from Salt Lake City airport (SLC), Moab is 4 hours, and Capitol Reef are Great Basin are each 3 ½. From Las Vegas, Zion is just 2 ½, with several other listed destinations a bit over 4 hours. 

Other Logistics

There are no unique logistical challenges associated with this trip; the hardest part is just deciding how much time you have and what to leave out. If your trip includes Navajo nation land in northeastern Arizona (such as Antelope Canyon), then you may need to pay attention to changing time zones. Most of Arizona does not observe Daylight Saving Time, but the Navajo nation does, so for much of the year those areas are 1 hour ahead of the rest of the state.

By Air

Any itinerary to southern Utah will use either Salt Lake City or Las Vegas as a starting point. Both airports are served by all major airlines and are relatively affordable to fly into. There are no other major airports in the area. We recommend flying in and out of either of these cities. A morning arrival and afternoon departure is ideal, but if flight times don’t work, we can make changes to activity and/or lodging plans to accommodate. 

By Car

Travelers from nearby states may find it more affordable to drive their own vehicle to Utah rather than fly and rent a car.

• Denver, CO is 5 1/2 hours from Moab (Arches and Canyonlands)

• Phoenix, AZ is 4 hours from Page (Antelope Canyon, etc.)

• Los Angeles is 6 1/2 hours from Zion

If you’ll be driving to Utah let us know the details and we can figure out a route that is as efficient as possible.

Some features of this trip may have seasonal variation, so all package prices are presented as estimated ranges. Contact us for a more precise price estimate for your preferred travel dates. Pricing does NOT include airfare.

Pricing

With no set itinerary in place, we cannot quote a trip overall price. Generally, a budget of around $400/day will cover lodging, transportation, entrance fees, and the occasional guided tour for a party of 2. Families with kids that all share a room won't see significant increases, but adding a second room usually increases total trip costs by at least 50%. Larger group travel is also possible.

Payment Policies

• Payments must be made by credit card. Specific restrictions may exist for certain lodging or activity vendors. 

• 20% deposit due at time of reservation

• Balance due 90 days before trip start date (If booking within 90 days of trip, full balance due at time of reservation)

• Some portion of deposit may be nonrefundable, as some excursions or activity fees (which will have been booked upon confirmation) are nonrefundable. Accommodations and transportation will generally be reserved as refundable.

• Fully refundable until 60 days before trip start, less $100 admin fee and any nonrefundable excursions

• 50% refundable until 14 days before trip start

• If cancelling within 14 days of trip start, no refunds are given

Included In Your Package Price

• Bespoke itinerary - tailored as needed to suit your particular requirements

• Overnight accommodations for all nights

• Rental car

• Maps of all driving routes

• Trail maps and trail descriptions for all recommended hikes

• Restaurant recommendations, at a range of price points, highlighting vegetarian and kid-friendly options

• “America the Beautiful” federal lands pass (grants access to all National Park Service facilities on the trip)

• Tickets to all museums included in trip plan

• Fees for any guided tours mentioned in trip plan

• Expert advice and local information, including packing suggestions

• Updated information on any changing conditions delivered in the weeks before your trip

• Carbon offset credits for the mileage driven along the main route of the itinerary

• Full support during your trip from the Wandersaurus Travel team (9:00 am until 9:00 pm Eastern Time)

Not Included

• Travel to and from your starting/ending points

• Gasoline, parking, and/or any other ground transportation expenses unless specified

• Meals unless specified

• Additional guided tours or excursions beyond those specified

• Tips/gratuities for any guides

• Travel insurance. Note: we recommend purchasing travel insurance via a certified insurance agency