Zion, Bryce, Grand Canyon, Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Great Basin

14 day driving Itinerary

Bay Area -> Barstow (6 hours)
- Drive
- [Night in Barstow]
Barstow -> Hurricane, UT (7h30m driving with Mojave, 6h without)
- Checkout from Barstow hotel
- Visit Calico Ghost Town
- Mojave National Preserve
  - Explore Kelso Sand Dunes (Good, 4/5)
    - Tough hike in sand – go prepared with good shoes and lots of water
  - Teutonia Peak Trail (3.2miles, 660feet) – this trail was excellent with great concentration of Joshua Trees. BUT this area burnt down in the Dome fire, so this trail is not as good anymore.
- Seven Magic Mountains (Meh, 3/5)
  - Two good things about this: (1) It’s free, (2) It’s on the way to Los Angeles. If you flew to Las Vegas, don’t bother with this place.
- Valley of Fire State Park
  - Atlatl Rock (4/5) – see petroglyphs. Arch rock is lame, skip it
  - Drive scenic drive to White Domes Trailhead
- Drive to Hurricane, UT
- [Night in Hurricane, UT]
Zion National Park
- Checkout from Hurricane hotel.
- Riverside Walk
- Angels Landing Hike
- Lower Emerald Pools Trail
- The Watchman Trail
- Pa’rus Trail
- Canyon Overlook Trail
- Checkerboard Mesa
- [Night in Mount Carmel, UT]
Grand Canyon North Rim
- Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park (GOOD, 4/5)
- Point Imperial. (4/5, GOOD Views)
- Angels Window and Cape Royal (5/5 GREAT Views). (Good Sunset view from here.)
- Walhalla overlook.
- Roosevelt Point Overlook. (Meh, SKIP)
- Bright Angel Point (5/5 GREAT Views) (Do this at Sunset).
- [Night in Mount Carmel, UT]
Cedar Breaks National Monument, Bryce Canyon National Park
- Check out from Mt Carmel hotel
- Cedar Breaks National Monument
  - Point Supreme Overlook
  - Hike to Spectra Point Overlook (5/5, MUST DO)
  - Drive to Sunset View Overlook (quick stop) (4/5 Good Views)
  - Drive to Chessman Ridge Overlook (quick stop) (4/5 Good Views)
  - Drive to North View Overlook (quick stop) (4/5 Good Views)
- Bryce Canyon National Park
  - Hike Navajo Loop Trail (5/5, Great Views of Hoodoos)
  - Drive to Inspiration Point (5/5 Best View in Bryce Canyon NP).
  - Drive to Peek-A-Boo Trailhead – walk to Bryce Point.
  - (If time permits) Drive to Bristlecone Loop Trail – see Yovimpa Point. There are MANY good viewpoints along the way
- Drive to Escalante.
- [Night in Escalante]
Escalante -> Natural Bridges NM -> Bears Ears NM -> Moab, UT (8h, 400miles)
- Checkout of hotel in Escalante
- Get Food and Gas in Hanksville
- Stop at Hite Overlook (Great View 4/5)
- Natural Bridges NM
  - The loop has three Arches, in this order: Sipapu, Kachina and Owachomo Bridge.
  - You can do quick walks to viewpoints at Sipapu and Kachine.
  - Stop at, and hike to the bottom of Owachomo Bridge. Little bit of elevation change, but you can hike to right under the arch. (Good 4/5)
- Stop at Mule Canyon Trailhead and check out Indian ruins (Part of Bears Ears NM)
- Stop at Butler Wash Ruins Trailhead and check out Butler Wash Ruins (Part of Bears Ears NM) (Good 4/5)
- See Newspaper Rock State Historical Monument (part of Canyonlands NP) (time permitting) (Alright 3/5)
- Needles Overlook – without Hyperbole, this is my favorite view in the world, beating Yosemite’s Glacier Point, Yellowstone’s Artist Point, Bryce’s Inspiration Point, etc. It’s a bit of a drive to get there from the US-191, but its worth the drive (MUST DO 5/5)
- Drive to Moab, UT
- [Night in Moab, UT]
Arches National Park – Day 1
- Hike Lower Delicate Arch
- Lower Delicate Arch Viewpoint
- Salt Valley Overlook
- Fiery Furnace Viewpoint
- Skyline Arch
- Landscape Arch
- Sand Dune Arch
- Panorama Point
- Arches NP Visitor Center.
- See the Night Sky in Arches NP
- [Sleep in Moab, Utah]
Arches National Park – Day 2
- Windows Trailhead – Hike Turret Arch, North Window Arch, South Window Arch and Double Arch.
- Garden of Eden.
- Balanced Rock
- Petrified Dunes Viewpoint
- Courthouse Towers
- La Sal Mountains Viewpoint
- Hike Park Avenue
- Moab Fault Overlook (quick stop)
- [Sleep in Moab, UT]
Canyonlands National Park – Island in the Sky District
- Dead Horse Point State Park
- Island in the Sky Visitor Center
- Shafer Canyon Overlook
- Shafer Trail Viewpoint
- Mesa Arch (4/5, Meh)
- Hike False Kiva
- Hike Whale Rock (optional)
- Hike Upheavel dome up to the First Viewpoint.
- Hike Aztec Butte (optional)
- Green River Overlook.
- Buck Canyon Overlook.
- White Rim Overlook
- Orange Cliffs Overlook.
- Grand View Point Overlook at sunset
- [Sleep in Moab, UT]
Capitol Reef National Park
- Check out of Moab hotel
- Goblin Valley State Park
- Little Wild Horse Canyon
- Panorama + Goosenecks Overlook + Sunset Point
- [Sleep in Capitol Reef NP (Torrey, Utah)]
Capitol Reef National Park
- Hike Navajo Knobs Trail to Hickman Bridge Overlook
- Fruita Petroglyphs
- Visitor Center
- Hike Capitol Gorge trail
- Hike Cassidy Arch
- Panorama Point, Goosenecks Overlook, Sunset Point
- See the Night Sky in Capitol Reef NP: Good spots to see: Panorama Point / Capitol Reef National Park Visitor Center
- [Sleep in Capitol Reef NP (Torrey, Utah)]
Great Basin National Park
- Checkout of Capitol Reef NP hotel
- Drive to Great Basin Visitor Center
- Lehmann Caves (SKIP)
- Wheeler Peak Overlook
- Alpine Lakes Trail loop
- See the Night Sky
- [Sleep near Baker]
Great Basin National Park -> Mammoth, CA (6h15m drive)
- Check out of Baker, NV hotel.
- Nevada Northern Railway Museum
- Lunch
- Hot Creek Geological Site
- Devil’s Postpile National Monument
- [Night in Mammoth, CA]
Mammoth -> Home
- Check out of Mammoth hotel
- Devil’s Postpile National Monument
- See Fall Colors around June Lake
- Stop at Leavitt Falls Vista Point
- Drive through Sonora Pass
- Stop at Donnell Vista
- Pinecrest Lake Trailhead (Optional)
- Drive home

Optional second day in Canyonlands NP

Needles District Visitor Center
Roadside Ruin
Cave Springs Trail
Chesler Park, Druid Arch
Big Spring Canyon Overlook
Pothole Point Trail
Needles Overlook at Sunset

Optional places to consider visiting

Vermilion Cliffs National Monument
Horseshoe Bend near Page, AZ
Antelope Canyon
Monument Valley
Four Corners Monument