Utah's Mighty Five via Scenic Byway 12

Overview

Ten days linking Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands and Arches in one great red-rock loop, with the connective tissue as good as the destinations — above all Scenic Byway 12, whose Hogback section between Escalante and Boulder rides a knife-edge ridge with slickrock canyons plunging away on both sides. The moments queue up: wading the Virgin River into Zion's Narrows; Bryce's hoodoo amphitheatre firing orange at sunrise; the silhouette crowd at Delicate Arch as the La Sals go pink; dawn light exploding under Mesa Arch above the Colorado's canyons. Capitol Reef's orchards and pie shop make the quiet mid-trip pause. The variables: summer pushes 40°C at Arches and flash floods close slot canyons, so April–May and September–October are the honest windows; Arches has run timed entry in peak season, and Zion's key trails work on permits and shuttles — check both before fixing dates. Fly into Las Vegas, loop out and back to it. Around £1,500 per person for ten days of hire car, park passes and mid-range rooms in Springdale, Torrey and Moab.

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Prefilled for 1 October 2026 — the next best-season window. Search on partner sites — opens in a new tab.