Southern Utah boasts striking landscapes, sweeping vistas, unforgettable national parks, and otherworldly views. Aside from natural wonders, Southern Utah’s appeal lies in towns such as Springdale, Colorado City, and Kanab serving up unforgettable meals paired with local adventures and cozy lodging.
If you have been searching for a Southwest United States travel itinerary that hits all the top spots, you are in luck. I have spent the last 20-plus years exploring the Southern Utah and Northern Arizona areas. Without a doubt, these are some of my favorite areas in the United States. With a countless number of stunning canyons, incredible rock formations, and amazing slot canyons to explore, it is an outdoor adventure wonderland.
However, there are so many incredible things to see that it can be a bit overwhelming to plan a trip. That is where this Southwest United States travel itinerary will come in handy. Not only does it hit all of the top spots to see, but it does it in the most logical way possible. That’s right, this itinerary minimizes your driving so that you have more time to explore.
There are many incredible state parklands in the United States, but Dead Horse Point State Park in Southern Utah might just be the most renowned. The park, which gets its name from a legend that cowboys used the peninsula of rock surrounded by sheer sandstone cliffs to corral wild mustangs.
According to the legend, horses were once left corralled on the waterless point where they died of thirst. If you believe the legend, these dead horses still haunt the park to this day.
While most people who visit Glen Canyon come to spend time on the water or on one of the area’s many beaches, its prettiest viewpoint is located far away from any beach. Nestled on a cape that extends south into Lake Powell from Padre Bay and Warm Creek Bay is where you will find the iconic Alstrom Point viewpoint.
From Alstrom Point, you can see straight across Lake Powell. Looking down on a cross-section of the lake, you have a perfect viewpoint to appreciate all of the lake’s finger-like canyons. As you gaze across the horizon, your eyes will feast on the beauty of the hoodoo rock formations climbing out to rise above the water. And at sunset, you will marvel as the entire landscape seems to glow with the setting sun.
While Southern Utah’s five incredible national parks may get most of the attention from visiting travelers, you would be remiss to discount the region’s many incredible state parks. One of the most popular and most beautiful of these state parks is the amazing Goblin Valley State Park. Renowned for its valley filled with stunning rock formations, Goblin Valley State Park rivals Bryce Canyon National Park in terms of beautiful rock formations. In addition to the beauty of the park, there are also several incredible things for visitors to do within the park as well. In this Goblin Valley State Park guide, I will spotlight the many spectacular viewpoints, trails, and activities that are available to travelers who visit the park.
monuments, state parks, and recreation areas with miles upon miles of incredible trails and challenging climbing routes to explore. Some of the most popular features in the area with outdoor enthusiasts are the many incredible slot canyons. In this Leprechaun Canyon trail guide, I am going to let you know why the Leprechaun Canyon slot is one of my favorite slot canyons in all of Southern Utah. Not only is this slot canyon incredibly beautiful, but it is also one of the lesser-known slot canyons in the area, so it is not nearly as crowded as some of the others. Best of all, the Leprechaun Canyon slot is relatively easy to get to and explore (if you aren’t doing any climbing), so it is a slot canyon that the whole family can enjoy!
There are a number of spectacularly beautiful backcountry hikes that you can take in the Southern Utah area, but my favorite is undoubtedly the hike to Reflection Canyon in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. While it is one of the most breathtaking hikes that you will find in the area, it is also one of the most difficult. There is no marked trail to help you navigate the roughly 15-mile round trip hike thru slot canyons and deep washes, and shelter from the blistering sun is almost non-existent. That’s why I believe this trail earns every bit of the “Difficult” rating that it has been given. The awe-inspiring beauty of Reflection Canyon is definitely something that all backcountry hikers should see in their lifetime, but it is important that you are prepared for this hike before setting out. I have created this Reflection Canyon trail guide to help you with that preparation so that you can complete this hike safely and successfully.
Today has been a day of highs and lows for me, so this post is gonna be kind of all over the place from an emotional standpoint. An unexpected weather front is moving in, so it looks like I am going to have to cancel my Rainbow Bridge National Monument hike.
Today was a very busy day for us. After getting up early, we toured a number of incredible national monuments, state parks, and slot canyons as we made our way South to Arizona.
Today was our first full day back in Southern Utah and we wasted little time in starting to explore. Our first stop was to one of the most incredible state parks in Utah, if not the whole United States. Goblin Valley is renown for its breathtaking rock formations, and the park certainly did not disappoint.
