Looking for the ultimate Utah road trip!? Head down to Arches National Park, Moab, and Canyonlands for an epic road trip with everything from waterfalls to slot canyons.

why this blog? Hi! My name is Maddy and I’ve been working in the outdoor industry both as a guide and writer since 2018! It’s my mission both online and in-person to help travelers and outdoor enthusiasts find the best adventure for them. Thanks for stopping by!

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What to pack for an desert Utah Road Trip:

Arches and Canyonlands make for an incredible road trip! Keep in mind it’s going to be HOT and sunny. Pack more water than you think, to the tune of one liter per hiking hour. Also pack:

• Shorts or loose-fitting long pants: for women looking for a flattering fit and functionality try Kuhl Freeflex or REI Trailmade
• A hiking day pack
• Hiking boots: I like Oboz Bridger Mids for best grip and ankle support, or alternately hiking/paddling sandals like Bedrocks (designed for paddling guides and paddling guide (me) approved)
• A UPF sun hoodie
• A down puffy jacket that packs down small: nights are a lot cooler than you might expect!
• On rugged trails, trekking poles
• An America the Beautiful Pass
• At least 2.5 L of water per day; note that some areas recommend a Liter of water PER HOUR while desert hiking. One water bottle is likely not enough for a day hike.
• A water filter (in case of emergency you may be able to find water to filter)
• Three ways to call for help: Garmin InReach, whistle, signaling mirror
• First aid kit
• Map and compass; a way to navigate without a cell phone
• Sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat, an emergency bivy
• WAG bags: in the desert you need to pack out your poop while hiking! Yes, for real — it won’t biodegrade in the arid climate. Worry not! WAG bags are relatively smell-proof and easy to use. Read more here.

READ: Road Trip Packing and Planning Guide

Ulimate Utah Road Trip: Arches, Canyonlands, and Moab

From family-family fun to adult-sized adventure, check out this guide to a five-day road trip through southeast Utah:

Day One: Arches National Park

First, check out Arches National Park! Arches is home to the highest concentration of natural sandstone arches in the United States. Many of these arches are accessible via short hiking or even a scenic drive.

Arches National Park uses a timed-entry system. In addition to your America the Beautiful Pass, you’ll also need a timed-entry ticket UNLESS you enter the park before seven am or after four pm, in which case you only need your national park pass (same as the America the Beautiful Pass). Sunrise tends to be the most popular time to visit the park for the dramatic lighting and to beat the heat.

While in Arches, check out the short trails to the Windows and to Double Arch. Additionally, check out Delicate Arch and the Ute pictographs along the Delicate Arch Trail. In addition to the hiking in Arches National Park, scenic drives throughout the park are also impressive. Don’t want to drive? Book a guided tour that leaves from Moab to avoid timed-entry and get the highlights of the park with a guide.

There’s a lot to do in Arches National Park, but keep in mind that the park gets HOT in the afternoons. I recommend getting most of your hiking before 11 am or after 3 pm to avoid the peak heat of the day.

NOTE: Remember to stay on designated trails while hiking in the desert! This is important for your safety, but also because of the delicate cryptobiotic soil found in desert environments like this that serve as a nursery for thousands of desert critters! Just one footprint can damage the soil and environment here.

Where to stay near Arches National Park:

Camping can be found at the Devil’s Garden Campground in Arches National Park. There are also a large number of first-come first-serve campgrounds in the area, which I recommend using Google Maps to scout out.

Alternately, stay in a hotel in the nearby town of Moab to make your road trip a little more basecamp-friendly. Check out the Expedition Lodge for a family-friendly and downtown location, or Scenic View Inn for something sleeker.

READ: Desert Hiking Tips (for Beginners)

Day Two: Cayonlands Island in the Sky District

Wake up early on day two of your Utah Road Trip and catch the sunrise at Mesa Arch in Canyonlands National Park! Like in all national parks, you’ll need an America the Beautiful Pass, but no timed-entry pass is required in Canyonlands.

The Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands is on a mesa, or literal island in the sky overlooking canyons, with a number of overlooks of the park of the surrounding canyons. There are number of hikes in Island in the Sky (download a trail map here!) including the short trails of White Rim Overlook, Grand View Point Overlook, and the Green River Overlook. Remember to bring more water than you think you need for hiking in the desert — one liter per person per hour!

What to do near Canyonlands National Park, Island in the Sky:

There’s a lot do do in Canyonlands National Park beyond hiking! Check out a sunset helicopter tour to view the desert landscape from the air at sunset. Island in the Sky can also be experienced by a scenic guided 4×4 tour, which is a great way to get out in the desert in the heat without hiking and have cold water readily available.

Day Three: Basecamp in Moab & local hikes

Spend day three of your Utah road trip exploring Moab. Moab is the town nearest to both Arches and Canyonlands National Park and it’s sort of the ultimate adventure town! Check out full guide to the best things to do in Moab, Utah.

Head over to Moab Garage Co for coffee and breakfast to start your day, then hit the trails! I recommend Ken’s Lake and Faux Falls (below, left) or the Dinosaur Tracks Trail, but there are so many great hiking trails near Moab.

After a morning on the trails, grab a bite to eat at Trailhead eatery, or check out the Moab Food Truck Park.

Things to do near Moab:

While base camping in Moab, check out whitewater rafting and 4×4 tours for a full-day, lunch included trip on the Colorado River through Canyonlands National Park. The trails around Moab are known for their mountain biking, so check out a guided half-day mountain biking tour, or head over to the Slickrock Bike Trail on your own.

For an adventure to write home about, check out a guided half-day canyoneering trip in Goblin Valley State Park.

Day Four: Needles District of Canyonlands National Park

Looking for one of the most underrated destinations in Utah? Spend the second half of your road trip checking out the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park. More remote than Island in the Sky or Arches, the Needles District has dramatic scenery, slot canyons, and everything from challenging hikes to easier short hikes.

Hikes in the Needles District is super rewarding. Shorter hikes include Pothole Point, Slickrock, and Cave Spring. Download a trail map here, and be sure to pack plenty of water — like a gallon per person per day — and prepare for little cell service, challenging trails, and limited chance of rescue.

Where to stay near Needles District of Canyonlands National Park:

To camp near the Needles District, check out Hamburger Rock Campground, Creek Pasture Campground, or the Needles Campground. There aren’t a ton of hotel options near this side of the park, but that’s probably for the best — this entire section of Canyonlands is less developed with rugged and challenging trails. It’s one of those places that is hard to get to and requires a little more work, but is well-worth it.

Because of the nature of the area though, hiking in Needles should be undertaken with a little extra preparation and care. Check out my guide to desert hiking here to begin prepping!

If you’re looking for a unique stay near the Needles District, check out family-owned Glamping Canyonlands. This was one of the highlights of my Utah road trip and it had the BEST vibes. Think rustic desert stay meets just a touch of modern comfort. It’s clean but most definietly still feels like you’re way out in the desert, the glamping tents themselves are pretty much magic, the communal kitchen and bathhouse-like (but still private) set up makes for a friendly, get-to-know your neighbors set up while each tent is also well-spaced from other tents for privacy. Also, there’s a sauna and a few other fun ad-ons to check out.

Day Five: Needles District of Canyonlands National Park

One of the best things to do in the Needles District is hike the Chesler Park Loop with the Joint Trail detour. This 10+ mile difficult hike is like, for real difficult. Sarah from Exlporen Borgen and I backpacked this trail in April 2025 and both of us work in the outdoors and lead or guide trips, and I was for sure a little out of shape for the spring season — but still in decent shape, like I said I work as an outdoors guide — and this trail absolutely slaughtered me.

The Chesler Park loop is probably best done as an overnight backpacking trip, allowing you to explore the network of trails and slot canyons, check out arches, and most importantly do the bulk of your hiking in the morning or evening outside the heat of the day. One thing to note is there are quite literally NO WATER SOURCES along this route. We initially planned to do two nights and backpack Lost Canyon as well, but found that there was just no way we could carry enough water for the difficulty and heat of the route. Also note that this is a WAG bag trail, meaning that you’re going to need to pack out your poop!

READ: Ultimate Guide to Backpacking Needles in Canyonlands

Where to next?

• Head out to west Canyonlands and Hanksville for a guided canyoneering trip of a more remote side of Canyonlands.
• Check out the best things to do in Moab
• Check out the best hiking trails near Las Vegas!
• Going solo? Check out this guide to building out your car and solo road trip planning!

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