Utah Grand Circle - Trip Plan

Last October we did the grand circle loop road trip starting and finishing at Las Vegas airport. We had about 9 full days to explore all the major national/state parks in Utah and Arizona along the loop and was quite fascinated with the unreal view. 

Here is the rough itinerary of the trip we did along with links to all the hotels we stayed. We have received great service on all the hotels at a reasonable cost and will highly recommend them. Also, buying the annual America the Beautiful park pass will save you at least 60USD for all national park entrance.

Day 1 (Zion National Park) - La Quinta Inn & Suites La Verkin

• Take free shuttle to Enterprise car rental from airport
• Drive from Las Vegas to La Quinta hotel (2.5 hours, 151 miles)
• Davis Farmers Market - Grocery (5 min walk from hotel)
• Relax at hotel, swimming

Day 2 (Zion National Park) - La Quinta Inn & Suites La Verkin

• Drive to Springdale visitor centre before Sunrise
• Zion valley and Angels Landing hike 
• Human History Museum 
• Watchman trail- relax by the bank of virgin river (try dipping your feet in the river!)
• Sunset at Canyon overlook trail
• Dinner at SpringDale

Angels Landing Hike

Day 3 (Zion + Bryce) - Bryce Pioneer Village

• Zion Narrows short hike ( 4 hours)
• Weeping Rock at Zion (stopover)
• Leave for Bryce by 1:30 PM (2.2 hours drive - 100 miles)
• Bryce visitor centre - book for night sky watch program
• Navajo loop hike
• Sunset at Sunset point or near thor's hammer. 
• Night sky watch  

                                                                        Narrows - Zion National park

Navajo Loop Hike

Day 4 (Capitol Reef + Goblin Valley) - Bowen Motel

• Sunrise at Inspiration point at Bryce

• Leave for Moab by 9 AM

• To Moab (via Capitol Reef) - Take scenic 12 road.

• Hickman Bridge hike at Capitol Reef

• Petroglyph figures by Hwy 24

• Have Lunch at Torrey around 12:30 

• Goblin valley state park stop over (13 USD entry)

Hickman Bridge Hike

Day 5  (Arches National Park) - Bowen Motel

• Get fiery furnace ticket from Arches visitor Centre 
• Delicate arch hike from Wolferanch 
• Corona Arch, Sand Dune arch
• Double arch hike
• Cliff Palace, Landscape Arch

Delicate Arch

Day 6  (Canyonland National Park) - Bowen Motel

• Sunrise at Dead Horse point State park - Great View of the Colorado river. 
• Mesa arch, Grand View point
• Upheaval Dome hike

Grandview Point at Canyonlands

Day 7 (Monument Valley) - Quality Inn at Lake Powell

• Drive Moab to Page (via Monument Valley) - 5 hours 440 km
• 2 hour stop at  Oljato Monument valley (20 bucks entrance)
• Do the Monument Valley drive
• Lunch at visitor centre
• Horseshoe bend at page

Monument Valley Tribal Park

Day 8 (Antelope Canyon + Horseshoe Bend) - Quality Inn at Lake Powell

• Horseshoe bend 
• Antelope Canyon
• Antelope Marina beach boat ride 

Horseshoe Bend

Day 9 (Grand Canyon) - Yavapai Lodge

• Drive to Grand Canyon (East Entrance)
• Desert View Watchtower
• Bright Angel Hike 4 hours
• Visitor centre - Watch the short film
• Sunset at Yavapi point

Bright Angel Hike

Day 10 (Grand Canyon + Hoover Dam) - Home

• Sunrise at Mather point
• Relaxing day - Stroll around Grand canyon south rim by shuttle
• Drive to Hoover Dam (1 hour stop) 
• Shuttle to Airport from Enterprise (Flight 10 PM)

Hoover Dam