Road Trip Through Southern Utah’s National Parks

I hadn’t been to the Southern Utah National Parks before this. Aside from pictures, I didn’t really know what to expect. And, I think we all know that pictures (and even videos) can be quite misprizing.

The last time I found myself in Utah, I was visiting a couple National Parks that keep you looking for extraterrestrial life around every turn. I was fascinated. I even had the opportunity to visit one of the most recognizable viewpoints in the National Park system.

I told myself that Utah was going to be a place I’d find myself visiting for years to come. This stretch of National Parks throughout Southern Utah only confirmed future visitation.

But First!

I left you all with a little teaser in my last post leaving the photo of the “Loneliest Road in America”. For good reason though! On my way into Southern Utah, I drove more than I wanted on this solitary road. I think any more time on this highway, and I would have been conjuring up my own UFO sighting stories .

Regardless of the nothingness, right at the border of Nevada and Utah lies a pretty well-overlooked park.

Great Basin National Park

Right as I thought that the desert ruins would never end, this national park rises out of nowhere (more than a mile in elevation from the desert floor). It felt good to see something other than the life-less flat lands I was staring at for the past couple hours.

Two features really bring Great Basin National Park to life..

Bristlecone Pines. No, these bad boys are not just some scraggly-looking pine tree that are cool to look at. The Bristlecone Pine is actually one of the oldest living things on earth. Now obviously they aren’t all some ancient sapling, but the little guys might grow up to be just like their ancestors! The oldest living tree (a Bristlecone Pine) is currently 4,470 years old – at the time of writing this.

Yeah, I meant old.

And then there is Lehman Cave. With almost 2 miles of underground pathways, it was hard not to venture off from the mandatory ranger-led tour. But it was nice to stick around; After so many years at the park, the rangers have some tidbits that are quite interesting. For example, apparently this cave has been inhabited for over 12,000 years! And funny enough, although it’s called Lehman Caves, it actually only consists of one cavern. Oh, and the best part.. Absalom Lehman, the modern founder of the cave, is in fact, an Ohioan.

Then it was time to make my way towards some of the places I have been looking forward to for a while, the Southern Utah National Parks.

The visit to this next park was cut short this time (thanks white out), but only left me wanting more.

Capitol Reef National Park

Right off the bat I have to tell you about a neat little piece of this park that I haven’t seen available at another National Park. During the right season, Capitol Reef National Park has public orchards spread throughout it and allow (for a small fee) its park visitors to walk in and pick their own organic fruits! This time around I wasn’t there for harvesting time, but it is still a cool feature I have yet to see anywhere else.

“Okay, so what makes Capitol Reef so interesting?”

This park is actually a waterpocket fold, or a buckle in the earth’s surface. Named Capitol Reef for the dome formations that are similar to the domes on capitol buildings worldwide. Reef is just a barrier (most commonly formed by natural sources). In this case, the reef is formed of these dome-like features and rock uprisings, just as a coral reef is formed of coral and acts as a barrier where land meets sea.

The red rocks and canyons here remind me of those other Utah National Parks. I could probably visit these a thousand times, and still be mesmerized by the red sandstone that fills the landscape. Something about about not being able to fully comprehend how, or why, our earth is such an artist.

Continuing deeper into the Southwest corner of Utah, I was getting antsy. These next two parks were on my list for as long as I could remember. Where black volcanic rocks collide with the red rocks that we all associate with Utah and its national parks.

Bryce Canyon National Park

Some of the most remarkable geological formations fill this park. Thanks to years on end of wind and water erosion, this park is home to one of the most surreal natural features out there… The Hoodoos.

“You’re a Hoodoo, Adam”

Not sure how to take that one…

But check these puppies out! Thanks to repetitive freezing and thawing, and the fracture and collapse of the rocks; We have the opportunity to gaze at a stunning array of pink-orange sandstone pillars that make this park stand out in the crowd.

I spent a fair share of time exploring Bryce Canyon, giving me the opportunity to see the hoodoos in different lightings. I can tell you, from sunrise to sunset, and almost every other hour throughout the day, the hoodoos take on different color tones that each seem more beautiful than the last.

My favorite? It’s hard to say. Throughout the day there are times when different colors are more striking than others contrasts vary, and different degrees of brightness create some stellar dancing shadows among the canyon floors and walls. But if I had to choose… I’d have to go for the sunset. Something about sitting on the trail and looking out.. it got me.

Then it was time.. Probably the most highly anticipated National Park of Southern Utah.

Zion National Park

This park is an outdoor-enthusiast’s playground! Most notable for its narrow canyon, once in a lifetime hikes, and endless opportunities for the adventurous, I was surprised to see that this park’s scenic drive only consisted of 6 miles of paved road. Come to find out, 84% of Zion National Park is left unimpacted (other than some minimally-developed trails).

It was hard not love everything about this park. Lined with towering canyon walls on either side of the Virgin River’s beds that wind back and forth, leading to one jaw-dropping view after the other. Absolutely remarkable.

As for the hiking.. I did a huge amount of hiking here. It was hard to stop when every time a turn was taken, so was your breath. Some phenomenal views are easily accessible for people of all ability, but if you know me, I really like to get off the beaten path of things. This is undeniably easy to do at Zion (remember, it’s 84% wild).

But, there are still two hikes I didn’t do during my first visit to Zion National Park.

Angel’s Landing. A well-recognized hike within the outdoor enthusiast realm, and places you on top of peaks described as “where only angels would land”.

The Narrows. A world-recognized hike that takes you through the narrow slot canyons of the Virgin River while you wade through waters.

Both of which, I decided would be a better overall experience if done when the weather was truly hot outside. Not only that, but I do believe that experiences like those would be incredible to have with another person, or group of people. I am all about the solo traveling, but sometimes, somethings might just be worth the wait. Plus, who doesn’t want a reason and incentive to return?

The Southern Utah National Parks sure gave me a whole different perspective of Utah, and some good insight into what my future holds in terms of adventure. By this point you guys are probably sick of hearing reading it, but I will definitely be returning to this area again in the future. I have adventures to complete!

What’s your favorite National Park in Utah? Let me know in the comments below!

Cheers!