Utah Mighty 5 National Parks: 7-Day Small-Group Scenic Tour of Arches, Canyonlands, Zion & Bryce

Salt Lake City•moderate

Difficulty

moderate

Duration

7 days

Fitness Level

Moderate fitness: comfortable walking, some short steep hikes and sustained days in a vehicle.

Overview

Cover the Mighty 5 in seven days on a small-group tour that moves from Arches’ fins to Bryce’s hoodoos, with Monument Valley, the Wave lottery, Horseshoe Bend and Moab’s adventure options along the way. Expect long drives, short hikes, deep geology and cultural stops led by local guides.

Utah Mighty 5 National Parks: 7-Day Small-Group Scenic Tour of Arches, Canyonlands, Zion & Bryce

Bus Tour

Wildlife

Select participants and date

Date

Thu, Oct 30

Travelers

The engine hums before dawn as the minivan slips out of Salt Lake City onto open highway, headlights cut through a chill that the desert will soon shrug off. By midmorning the landscape has changed—pinks and russets bloom against a sky that seems too big for the road. Your guide parks at an overlook; wind carves the silence, hoodoos stand like an audience, and the Colorado River, far below, dares you to peer over its rim.

Adventure Photos

Utah Mighty 5 National Parks: 7-Day Small-Group Scenic Tour of Arches, Canyonlands, Zion & Bryce photo 1

Adventure Tips

Hydrate for long stretches

Carry at least 2–3 liters of water daily; refill opportunities are limited between parks and mid-day heat can spike rapidly.

Plan for early light

Set alarms for sunrise at Bryce or Monument Valley — the colors and crowds shift dramatically with the light.

Footwear matters

Bring sturdy hiking shoes with good tread for loose sand, slickrock and short steep descents.

Prepare for permit variability

Wave permits are lottery-based; have alternate plans (Coyote Buttes, Goosenecks, or extra time in Moab) if lottery fails.

Local Insights

Wildlife

Desert bighorn sheep
Golden eagles

History

This region preserves millennia of human history from Fremont pictographs to Navajo cultural lands and later Mormon pioneer settlements like Fruita in Capitol Reef.

Conservation

Limited permits at sensitive sites (the Wave) and guided access to Navajo lands protect fragile soils and cultural sites; visitors should stay on durable surfaces and pack out all waste.