Outdoor activities and hiking in Utah
Hiking in Utah and its National Parks
Over the past couple of years we have written quite a few blogposts about our USA roadtrip and most of them were about hiking in Utah and the national parks. Since our posts about Utah are some of the most-read ones, I figured I’d gather them all on this page. Now you have a clear overview of all we have written and where to find the best tips and tricks for getting outdoors and hiking in Utah.
Sightseeing and hiking in Zion National Park
Zion is probably the best place to go hiking in Utah. Their trails are amazing and there is something for everyone, whether you are young and active or want to take it easy on the tracks. Our favorite hike here definitely was Angel’s Landing which should not be underestimated, it was well worth the effort though. We have written the following posts about Zion National Park:
– The best hikes in Zion National Park
– Hiking Angel’s Landing: should you do it?
Sightseeing and hiking in Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce is probably the national park that most surprised me. Why? Because of the raw landscape and the big contrast between all the trees (yes, trees!) and the hoodoos. One of the most popular blogposts of the past year was definitely ‘How to spend 24 hours in Bryce Canyon National Park‘ which includes a lot of hiking tips and more information about where to go and see sunrise!
Sightseeing and hiking in Arches National Park
Our first Utah national park to visit was Arches and it made a great impression on us. Although the park is relatively small you will still need all day to properly see it. Some of our favorite hikes were definitely the one to Devil’s Garden and of course the one to the famous Delicate Arch, which is best done in the evening. For further information visit our post about ‘How to spend a day in Arches National Park‘. Arches definitely makes up for some of the finest hiking in Utah and its national parks.
Sightseeing and hiking in Canyonlands National Park
The one place to see sunrise is Canyonlands National Park! If you Google it, the first pictures popping up were those of the Sunrise at Mesa Arch. I actually thought this would be something just for experienced photographers but I was incredibly happy to be able to make some good shots of the sunrise myself. Curious how we did that? Then visit our blog about How to capture the sunrise at Mesa Arch. As for hiking in Canyonlands, two more easy/moderate hikes we did here were the Upheaval Dome (so impressive!) and also the Grand View Point.
Other blogs about outdoor activities and hiking in Utah
Although these were the national parks we visited, you can find various other blogposts about other outdoor activities in Utah on our site. Here they are:
– Hiking the Negro Bill Canyon Trail, a must-do in Moab
– Mountainbiking on the Slick Rock Track
– Travel Tips for Captitol Reef National Park
I hope you found this page useful and you found what you were looking for. In case you want to know more or have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below or send us an email. We loved hiking in Utah and spending a couple of weeks there was well worth our time. I truly hope we can make it back there one day…
Other posts you may find interesting if you’re traveling in the USA:
– How to plan your stay in Yellowstone National Park
– How you can avoid the crowds at the Grand Canyon
– 5 Really cool and cold things to do in Alaska
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Thanks for sharing!
anto
Anto is a 30-something outdoor fan who travels the world about 100 days a year, combined with a full-time office job. She loves to go hiking, enjoys a good class of wine and can usually be found with an iPhone in her hand. Favorite destinations: New Zealand, Patagonia, Austria and Alaska.
22 Comments
Jackie Sills-Dellegrazie
I was just in Utah a couple months ago and did all of these parks! The landscape is just incredible. I’m happy to say I made it to the top (and back down!) from the Angel’s Landing Hike. Loved Zion so much. Did you make it to Dead Horse State Park, too? The views of the canyon were spectacular.
anto
Nope we had to miss that because we wanted to see the early morning sunrise in Canyonlands. Good reason for us to head back one day since we also want to do The Narrows until the end and do a full day canyoning experience. So much still to see and do there … so little time!
Heather
Wow, this is a really comprehensive list! I had been to Zion NP years ago. Hiking to Angel’s Landing and through the Narrows still remains some of my all-time favorite hiking adventures!
Inspired to discover all the other natural beauty you have outlined here. Bookmarking for future reference, thanks!
anto
Ah yes we loved The Narrows, too. Did you get very far?
Curious Claire
These places look awesome! Bryce Canyon looks amazing
anto
Yeah Bryce is a very special place, unlike anywhere else in the world…
Lieurene
I had the opportunity to see Bryce canyon but haven’t had the chance to hike it. I would love to hike through and see how it looks from the bottom. I do have to say that I love Utah and their national parks. My favorite is Moab, there are so many different hiking trails. The next visit I hope to make in Utah is Zion! Can’t wait 🙂
anto
Yeah, Moab is a great adventure hub, we loved hanging out there. Have fun when you are going to Zion and don’t forget to hike Angel’s Landing!
Aileen Adalid
Aaah, Bryce Canyon really looks so breathtaking! I haven’t been to the US yet but once I do, you bet that this will be high on my travel bucket list there 😀
anto
Yeah it is, the hoodoos are just so magical! I hope you can make it to the US one day!
Jenna
We love Utah! There are so many amazing parks throughout the state. We’ve been to Arches and Zion and loved hiking in both, especially Angel’s Landing! Bryce Canyon and Canyonloands are high on my list of National Parks that I want to check out. Thanks for putting all this together in one spot–I’ll have to save it for when we make it back out west!
anto
Yeah Utah is awesome, we really want to go back one day and maybe do some multi-day hikes. There’s just too much to see and do there… shame it’s so far away for us…
Rosemary
Wow, what stunning pictures. Really amazing. Have not been to Utah yet, but have been reading more and more about it. As a hiker, definitively need to check out the different parks. Great resource. Thank you!
anto
Thanks, I hope you can make it there one day!
Veronika
Wow, Utah really seems to be the perfect place for adventurers! I hope I can visit this part of the world soon – there are so many canyons to explore!
anto
Yeah it is, we didn’t really expect that. We also went canyoneering for a morning, such a great adventure!
RaW | Ramble and Wander
I haven’t been to the States yet but I’ve heard of Utah, Salt Lake City & yes, Zion NP as well. Didn’t know there are a few other NP in Utah but from the look of it, and esp based on the photos here alone, they are also worth a visit! It would definitely be hard for me to decide on which states to visit and each for how long for my first trip to the States. Decisions… decisions… *sigh*
anto
We did a grand tour in which we visited 5 states in 4 weeks, including about 10 different national parks. It was a lot but it was definitely the trip of a lifetime!
Christina
Utah is one of my favorite places to visit to be one with nature. I still have to get to Arches NP. This post reminded me that I should plan a trip back soon.
anto
Yes, go back! Arches was awesome, so different than the other parks and way less crowded. Have fun on your trip!
Jessica
I’m currently road tripping in the USA, so this page is really helpful! Thanks a lot Anto 🙂
anto
Enjoy your roadtrip, saw some awesome pics already!