Utah's Amazing National Parks

My family loves travelling to southern Utah and exploring Utah's 5 national parks. These parks are always our "go-to" places when we need a quick 3-day weekend getaway. However, for families living further away, plan on spending at least a few years discovering how wonderful these unique places are. If this seems excessive, visit for a few days and you will be hooked!

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1. Arches National Park

Hwy 191
PO Box 907 Moab, Utah

Comment:

The place to catch your breath.

reviewed on: January 11 2011

"Mother Nature's Playground"

Everyone needs to experience what it is like to stand under one of Mother Nature’s most awe inspiring creations; Delicate Arch.  This famous arch had the 2002 Olympic torch pass through it and is also depicted on Utah’s license plates.  This is the same arch that the Incredible Hulk ran by while being shot at by a helicopter.  But Delicate Arch is only the tip of the iceberg when you visit Arches National Park, especially for families. Just imagine a huge sandbox with rock climbing obstacles and the world’s largest concentration of natural arches.  That’s Arches National Park, Mother Nature’s playground.

In my opinion, Arches National Park has the best family friendly hikes of all of Utah’s National Parks. Even if your family does not like to hike, there are places several yards from the main road where families can walk a short distance and find themselves underneath a red rock sandstone arch, such as the Windows and Balanced Rock areas of the park.  If your family is a little more hiking ambitious, don’t miss the opportunity to feel small next to the huge Delicate Arch monolith.  I would also recommend exploring “Wall Street” with kids.  This is my type of Wall Street, complete with red rock buildings, red rock roads, and a few lizards running around: a good analogy of NY’s more famous street.  Another great family friendly hike is Landscape Arch, the largest arch in the world.  Don’t forget to sign your kid’s up for the junior ranger program at the visitor’s center near the entrance and let them add to their collection.

I also have to mention that if you are visiting Arches National Park and its less famous sibling, Canyonlands National Park, you must stay in Moab.  Not only is it the closest town to these parks, but it is worth shopping in the wonderful souvenir and art shops in this town.  Be sure to visit Lema’s store on Moab’s main street – a place where my family has purchased some beautiful and authentic Native American pottery pieces.

In summary, visit Arches National Park and you’ll visit a place that is renowned yet is isolated.  Let the kiddos climb the rocks and dig in the sand.  As parents, this is the place to catch your breath.

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2. Canyonlands National Park

2282 SW Resource Blvd.
Moab, Utah

Comment:

The place to find solace.

reviewed on: June 25 2011

"This is the place to propose marriage"

I’m a little partial to Canyonlands National Park when it comes to rating Utah’s national parks. The reason why: my hubby proposed marriage to me at sunset at one of this park’s magnificent viewpoints.  But that isn’t the only reason why I love this this national park. This place is unique, desolate, inspiring, beautiful, amazing, rugged, astounding… (okay, you get the picture).

After several years of marriage and 3 kids later, we still enjoy visiting this park.  You’ll find that Canyonlands National Park is less crowded than Utah’s Zion and Bryce National Parks. This is probably because the majority of Canyonlands National Park is desolate and quite inaccessible.  The park is divided into 4 unique districts (Island in the Sky, Maze, Needles and the rivers).  Note that there is no road connecting these distinct districts, with some districts requiring 4-wheel drive and/or hiking to access.  The most accessible district is the Island in the Sky and because of this, it the most visited area.

If you have a few hours and are in the Moab area, take the time to drive the road to Canyonlands’ Island in the Sky district.  There are several amazing viewpoints that give visitors the true meaning as to why this district is the “Island in the Sky”.  If your family has more time, hike one of the many family friendly hikes and let your kids experience how fun it is just to climb on all of the red rocks. Stop by the visitor center and sign your kids up for the junior ranger program.  This program is very educational, fun for the kids and a great way to add to their collection of junior ranger badges.

In summary, this is a unique and beautiful National Park.  And if you plan on proposing marriage, sunset is definitely the time to do it.

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3. Capitol Reef National Park

HC-70, Box 15
Torrey, Utah

Comment:

The place to avoid crowds.

reviewed on: January 10 2011

"Avoid the Crowds at this Park"

If you find that your family is alone on a beautiful national park trail, you might be in Capitol Reef National Park.  The only reason that there are lackluster crowds in this park is it is more isolated than Utah’s more famous Utah National Parks and does not get all of the tour buses travelling through.  Do not let the isolation and lack of crowds deter you from this unique area.  This is one place where families can definitely play, unite and enjoy away from it all.

Along highway 24 your family will see amazing red rock formations, Fremont Indian petroglyphs, a pioneer schoolhouse and cabin, and the unique still-active pioneer fruit orchards.  If you travel during harvest season be sure to pick and consume as much fruit (cherries, apricots, peaches, pears and apples) from the orchards as you want while you stay in the orchards.  What a great treat for the kids! Fruit removed from the orchards is charged a fee.  

Be sure to visit the new Capitol Reef visitor’s center right off of highway 24.  There are some great educational and informative displays for the kids.  I still love looking at those relief maps and discovering the surrounding mountains, valleys and rivers.  Sign your kids up for the junior ranger program for some educational fun and add to their collection of badges. Oh yeah, and don’t forget to hit the restrooms since the trailheads along this isolated park are usually just stocked with those awful pit toilets.

If you happen to visit during Easter, as my lucky family has, let your kid’s enjoy the park’s Gifford Farm House’s Easter egg hunt complete with old-fashioned Easter games.  I just loved seeing my son roll Easter eggs, just like I did when I was a child.  The Gifford Farm House also sells unique souvenirs.  Be sure to try on those handmade pioneer bonnets on the little ones – something every little girl needs!

Capitol Reef National Park has some remarkable family friendly hikes to consider if you have the time. Some of my family’s favorite hikes are Chimney Rock, Hickman Bridge and Grand Wash.  There is also the Cassidy Arch hike which is an unbelievable, huge payoff hike, but it is very dangerous for small kids (see my review of this hike for more information).  I would recommend this hike only for experienced hiking families.  If you have time, explore the even less crowded southern area of the park.  One of my favorite viewpoints is the surreal Waterpocket fold along the Muley Twist Road.  Did Mother Nature really do that? Note that 4 wheel-drive is recommended to access this area – great for adventurous families, but be prepared!

In summary, this is a unique national park, not because of the scenery (which is surreal), but because it is not crowded.  Please don’t tell those tour bus companies, my family still likes to be the only ones on the trail.

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4. Zion National Park (overall)

Zion National Park
Springdale, Utah

Comment:

The place to visit in the off season.

reviewed on: June 26 2011

"Visit in the off season to avoid the crowds"

Zion National Park has become a pit stop for tour buses headed to the Grand Canyon which makes it one crowded national park.  The park service has alleviated the overcrowded issue by requiring visitors to utilize park shuttles during the park’s peak season.  My family has alleviated the overcrowded issue by visiting Zion National Park only on the off season, usually winter through early spring.  Not only is the park less crowded, but hotels are cheaper, the weather is milder, and the views of snow on red rock are amazing.  I do have to caveat my review and mention that I have not used Zion’s shuttle service during peak season.  My concern is that with kids and all of the paraphernalia required to travel with kids, a shuttle would not be conducive.

The majority of travellers to Zion National Park drive the dead ended Zion Canyon Scenic Drive from southern entrance to the Temple of the Sinawava.  This drive is absolutely beautiful with some great hikes, picnic areas, and photo opportunities along the way.  Be sure to stop at the visitor center at the southern entrance and sign your kids up for the junior ranger program.  This is a great program for kid’s to complete while they are enjoying the park.  

Good family friendly hikes include the Virgin River Trail (perfect paved biking path as well), Emerald Pools, Court of the Patriarchs Sand Bench trail and the  Riverside walk -Temple of the Sinawava (note that this trail follows a narrow canyon and be quite icy in winter months). My family loves the remote wilderness found in the Court of Patriarchs area.  We always see herds of mule deer and wild turkeys in this area.

If you have the time, drive the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway.  There are not as many hikes along this road but the kids will love driving through the huge tunnel carved in the red rock.  There are some steep switchbacks along the road that can cause some white knuckles in winter, but the views are definitely worth it.  If you have even more time, consider driving north to the Kolob Canyons Visitor Center which is accessed off of interstate 15.  Even if you don’t have time to hike around Kolob Canyon, this short drive in to the northeast entrance is beautiful and quite different from the southern entrance.

I also have to mention that the town of Springdale at the southern park entrance is a nice place to stay.  This town also has some good dining options, souvenir shops and art galleries that are worth visiting.  If you are spending a few days visiting the area I would highly suggest taking the time to enjoy this quaint town.

In summary, I would recommend that your family packs some coats and travel in the off season in order to find solace in Zion National Park.  

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5. Bryce Canyon National Park

UT-63 south to Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon, Utah

Comment:

The place to witness red and orange.

reviewed on: June 27 2011

"The color red as you've never seen it before"

Bryce Canyon National Park is different than Utah’s other national parks.  It’s probably the higher elevation, ponderosa pines, hoodoos and the distinct reddish orange color that makes this park so unique.  FYI – if you don’t know what a hoodoo is, you definitely will after visiting Bryce Canyon National Park.

Bryce Canyon does get crowded in peak season as Grand Canyon tour buses have made this one of their stops.  If you want to avoid the crowds, consider traveling in the off season (winter through early spring).  Not only is the park less crowded, but the contrast of snow on Bryce Canyon’s orange red rock is striking.  Visitors that want direct access to the park usually stay at Ruby’s Inn, which is a resort right at the park’s entrance.  This resort has a very nice souvenir shop and general store worth visiting.  It also has a very busy, kind of pricey, and crowded dining area.  Your family may want to consider packing a picnic and enjoying your meals at one of Bryce Canyon’s amazing viewpoints.

You know you’re going to arrive at a great place when the drive along the way is so picturesque.  Highway 12, which takes visitors to the junction of the park’s main entrance, is as pretty as the park itself.  There is a wonderful paved bike path that follows this road, perfect for families exploring the surrounding area.  In fact, the entire highway 12 deserves a review of its own.  In my opinion this drive is by far the most amazing strip of highway in the nation.  FYI – see if you can find all of the misspelled road signs along highway 12 (unless they have been corrected by now).  My family had a few laughs spotting a few of these funny signs.  

There is plenty to keep families entertained at Bryce Canyon National Park.  Enjoy all the viewpoints along the road to Rainbow Point and snap some amazing pictures.  If your family likes to hike, there are some great family friendly trails.  One of my family’s favorite hikes in Bryce Canyon is the Navajo Loop trail – a great place to fall in love with the park’s ponderosa pine trees.  Although I haven’t tried it, horseback riding down into the canyon looks amazing.  Finally, don't forget to sign your kids up for the junior ranger program and add to their badge collection.

In summary, if you are in the area at least take the time to drive through Bryce Canyon National Park and enjoy the views from the road.  If your family does have more time, there is plenty within Bryce Canyon and the surrounding area to explore and enjoy.

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