"Road trip heaven" Top 5 Page for this destination Utah by toonsarah

Utah Travel Guide: 5,354 reviews and 13,812 photos

Bryce Canyon NP, Utah

Way back in 1993 we did a driving tour of Arizona and Utah, and it remains one of my favourite holidays ever.

Although we had previously visited California, with majestic Yosemite, and Florida with the fascinating Everglades, it was here that I really came to appreciate the US National Park system. Maybe that’s not so surprising – we visited five National Parks in Utah alone, in addition to those already seen in Arizona, as well as several State Parks and similar facilities.

Monument Valley - West Mitten

Anyone who shares my fondness for desert landscapes, wide open spaces and big, big skies will love Utah. The red rock formations in Bryce Canyon and Arches, the sweeping vistas of Canyonlands and the more intimate spaces of Zion are scenery enough for anyone. Add Monument Valley’s classic Western backdrops, the unreal “desert meets blue water” world of Lake Powell, and some touches of human history both ancient (Anasazi) and more recent (Mormon settlers), and you have a potent mixture that will satisfy any traveller seeking the quintessential US road trip experience.

Arches National Park

As with all the pages I have made from this trip, my memory is a little hazy on some details and my diary notes incomplete in places. I have done my best to research the tips and hope that everything is accurate and that factual information is up-to-date, but I apologise if this is not the case. My main intention here is to record a special holiday and share my impressions of this spectacular state.

Pros and Cons

In a nutshell:Road trip heaven

Last visit to Utah: Jun 1993
Intro Updated Dec 24, 2011
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Reviews (17)

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Comments (8)

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HORSCHECK May 10, 2010 at 1:22 PM

Sarah, outstanding page here. I especially like the brilliant photos of the Bryce Canyon hoodoo and the Grafton Ghost Town. Well done.
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Kuznetsov_Sergey Apr 29, 2010 at 10:16 AM

What a picturesque area with desert landscapes, wide open spaces and big skies! Dream to find myself in Utah one day. Thank you Sarah for the virtual tour!
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richiecdisc Apr 23, 2010 at 10:31 AM

Lake Powell was a lot cooler than we had imagined though we mostly used it as a camping stop. Would have liked to check out Rainbow Bridge, maybe next time! Despite being in Utah for 6 weeks, we missed lots of these gems. Gotta love the NPs of the US.
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MalenaN Apr 16, 2010 at 11:46 PM

Stunning photos and very well written tips Sarah! I haven't seen any of the National Parks or State Parks, in the US. I should absolutly visit one day!
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Bwana_Brown Apr 11, 2010 at 10:49 AM

Sarah, this is a stupendous page that made me want to hop in the car and immediately start driving to Utah! Your photos are excellent and, judging from the quality of your tip information, I'd say you are also still of sound mind!
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Nemorino Apr 10, 2010 at 3:54 PM

Another fine page from your 1993 trip! Following your example, I have started editing some of my old photos -- after my older son went to the trouble of scanning them in for me.
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deecat Apr 10, 2010 at 12:36 PM

Running out of adjectives to describe my reactions to your tips. So complete, extremely helpful, and quite alluring for visitors to the USA. These photographs are brilliant.
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Trekki Apr 5, 2010 at 10:32 PM

(oh, first :-) Ah, thanks for bringing back sweet memories!! I should have visited Grafton as well, when I was in St. George nearby. Wow, you did see more during this trip than I during 5! Love Rainbow Bridge and Hole in the Rock!