Towering sandstone cliffs provide welcome shade from the late afternoon sun as we stroll along the wash, our boots kicking up dust deep in the desert canyon. We pass by ancient petroglyphs and precarious red rock arches that provide a striking contrast against the unbroken blue sky.
Capitol Reef is the first stop on our Utah National Parks road trip. Though it’s technically possible to see all of the state’s five National Parks in a day, we’ve opted to enjoy three over a week.
We leave Vail at 9 a.m. and drive without stopping to Green River where we stretch our legs and fuel up before continuing south on 24, making a beeline for the three jewels of southern Utah: Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon and Zion.
STOP 1: CAPITOL REEF
Capitol Reef
Capitol Reef is best known for The Waterpocket Fold, a 100-mile geological feature that essentially looks like a massive wrinkle in the earth. There is no ancient coral reef here leftover from some distant age when Utah was an ocean; it was named for the white domes of Navajo Sandstone that resemble those found on state capitol buildings, while “reef” refers to the rocky cliffs which form a barrier to
travel, like those in the ocean.
We arrive at 3 p.m., and the sandstone still radiates a ferocious that’s built up over the course of the day. With plenty of daylight left to explore, we hit the Capitol Gorge Trail to stretch out our legs from the long drive. The trailhead is reached by way of an eight-mile scenic drive, where millenia of geological history reveals itself in complex layers. In minutes, we arrive at ancient messages carved into the rock by historic residents of the area before continuing on to scramble around The Tanks, hollowed out pockets of rock formed by water erosion.
Afterwards, we head to Fruita Campground, the only developed campground in the park and, in the morning, take a more adventurous trek on the Chimney Rock Loop for 360-degree views of the Fold.
STOP 2: BRYCE CANYON
After another night at Capitol Reef, we head south on 12, skirting the edge of the Grand Staircase-Escalante Monument and reaching Bryce Canyon a little less than three hours later.
Bryce Canyon is famous for being home to the world’s largest collection of hoodoos — tall, thin rock spires. For those on a schedule, Bryce lends itself to a shorter day trip, and we do just that, enjoying an easy mile-long saunter from Sunset Point to Sunrise Point and back. The trail meanders along the rim of the Amphitheater, and if you squint your eyes, the view down at the rock formations is almost like gazing down at the remnants of the Roman Forum. These structures, however, are entirely crafted by Mother Nature.
STOP 3: ZION
Camping in Zion
After lunch, it’s time for the main attraction of this trip: Zion National Park. Zion is Utah’s first and most-visited National Park, meaning that the best way to enjoy it these days is to secure permits and reservations in advance.
Only 70 miles from Bryce, the park centers around mesmerizing Zion Canyon, a 15-mile chasm carved by the Virgin River that cuts up to 2,640 feet deep into the earth, leaving sheer sandstone walls and surprising sparkling waterfalls, emerald rock pools and hanging gardens.
We feast on Tex Mex at Oscar’s Café in Springdale before heading to Watchman Campground to set up our home for the next three nights.
On our first full day, we’ve secured permits to hike Angel’s Landing, a 1,488-foot tall rock formation occupying the Big Bend of Zion Canyon that is the park’s most popular and most dangerous hike. A precarious trail to the top takes you up a hair-raising narrow rock fin, gaining 1,500 feet in elevation in only 2.5 miles. The strenuous hike is single file and requires the use of chains in parts, and at the top, we are treated to spectacular views of the Canyon.
On day two, we’d hoped to hike The Narrows from the top down, but we missed out on permits. However, you can explore this narrowest section of the gorge from the bottom up without permits, so we start at the bottom and wade through the frigid currents of the Virgin River, gaping at the striped rock walls that tower over a thousand feet high.
On our final day, we pull on our harnesses and lower ourselves into the Subway, a semi-technical slot canyon. This otherworldly underground canyon involves nearly 10 miles of exhilarating hiking, scrambling, rappelling and swimming. Emerging above ground, grinning like a maniac, I’m convinced of one thing: Utah is the most underrated state in the union.