Immerse yourself in the scenic beauty of Utah, Arizona and Nevada while visiting four iconic National Parks. This time of year is great for visiting or NationalParks, the crowds are lower and the heat is much more tolerable.
I have created this fun self drive itinerary for you to explore this amazing area of the Southwest U.S. Take your time, stopping when ever you want to explore the area at your own pace with a rental car. You may want to think about taking a guied tour, let someone else do the driving so you don’t miss any of the spectacular scenery. Either way, you will have an experience to always remember.
Its best to start and end your adventure in Las Vegas because there are many flights to chose from and the cost is low. Once you arrive you can either rent a car and head out of town. Or of course you could always stay a couple of days at one of the cool hotels on the Las Vegas Strip.
The first National Park on your journey will be Grand Canyon National Park. The drive should take about 5 hours from Las Vegas. Once settled in your hotel drop in at the tour desk to sign up for a Mule Ride, Rafting tour or guided bus tour. Be sure to take time see the sunsets and sunrises over the red rock canyons.
After a couple of nights at the Grand Canyon head east to Navajo National Monument. There are 3 cliff dwelling villages built by prehistoric people dating from 1250AD. The drive to the city of Kayenta is filled with scenic iconic views of buttes and scenic desert shots used in many classic Western films.
Once past Kayenta you will begin to head back west toward Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks. Some people think this is the highlight of the trip and is more fun to explore than the Grand Canyon. You will see landscapes of steep canyones and stone towers. To get familar with the parks stop at the Visitor’s Center and museum.
Time to head back to Las Vegas, spend a night or 2, take in a show and head to one of the many spas to relax after all the hiking and exploring.
