50 Glorious Utah National Parks Photos - Travel. Experience. Live.

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Home to five amazing national parks, all lined up wonderfully along scenic roads in the southern part of the state, Utah is one of the world’s best adventure travel destinations.

In this post, I’d like to keep the number of words to a minimum. I think the landscapes of Utah’s national parks speak for themselves.

As you might know, I visited all five national parks in Utah last April as a part of a six-week cross-country road trip. Below, you’ll find a crapload of my favorite Utah national parks photos.

I’m pretty sure you’ll like seeing them, but I also know that these landscapes are much more impressive in real life.

So, if the scenery shown in the following Utah national parks photos leaves you in awe, you shouldn’t hesitate to actually visit Utah.

It’s a mesmerizingly beautiful state.

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Get Inspired With These Utah National Parks Photos

Get Inspired With These Utah National Parks Photos

From west to east, the national parks in Utah are Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands and Arches. All of them are glorious. From deep river gorges and slot canyons to towering sandstone domes, red rock pillars and natural arches, these parks on the magnificent Colorado Plateau have them all.

Zion National Park

Established: 1919
Area: 229 square miles (593 km²)
Annual visitors: 4,300,000
What to see: Emerald Pools, Court of the Patriarchs, Weeping Rock, Angels Landing, Observation Point, Virgin River, The Narrows
What to do: Hiking, camping, bird watching, cycling, rock climbing
Website: https://www.nps.gov/zion/index.htm

Angel's Landing Trail, Best Hikes in Zion National Park — Angels Landing is both the most popular and most dangerous hike in Zion National Park. This is what it looks like from the top; the trail is visible in the left.

Checkerboard Mesa, Zion National Park, Utah — Interesting rock formations, like Checkerboard Mesa, abound in Zion National Park.

Echo Canyon in Zion National Park, Utah — Echo Canyon on the Observation Point Trail is one of the most stunning slot canyons in the park.

Observation Point Trail, Zion National Park — Many trails run past, along, and even through striking geological features, such as this rock wall.

Virgin River and the Watchman, Zion National Park — The Virgin River backed by The Watchman at dusk is a classic view in this spectacular park.

Zion Canyon from Observation Point, Best Hike in Zion National Park, Utah — The best viewpoints in the entire national park is appropriately-named Observation Point.

Pa'Rus Trail, Zion National Park — Running along the Virgin River, the Pa’rus Trail accommodates bikes, wheelchairs and strollers.

Observation Point Trail in Zion National Park, Utah — Younger, white rock makes up the upper layer of Zion Canyon.

Zion Canyon in Zion National Park, Utah — This is another jaw-dropping view of Zion Canyon, again from the amazing Observation Point Trail.

Bryce Canyon National Park

Established: 1928
Area: 56 square miles (145 km²)
Annual visitors: 2,350,000
What to see: Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive, Wall Street, Thor’s Hammer, Silent City, and Sunset, Sunrise and Inspiration Points
What to do: Horseback riding, hiking, sunrise watching, stargazing
Website: https://www.nps.gov/brca/index.htm

Peekaboo Loop Trail, Hiking Trails in Bryce Canyon National Park — The Peekapoo Trail runs into the heart of Bryce Amphitheater, part of dense network of hiking trails.

Hiker in Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah — A hiker takes in the view from one of several overlooks on the wonderful and super-easy Rim Trail.

Hoodoos in Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah — Bryce Canyon is the upper step of the “Grand Staircase”, a huge region of canyons, cliffs, plateaus, and rock formations that descends toward and into the Grand Canyon.

Rock window in Bryce Canyon Peekaboo Trail, Utah — When hiking in Bryce Canyon National Park, you’ll occasionally pass through extraordinary rock windows.

Thor's Hammer in Bryce Canyon National Park - Greatest National Parks Close to Las Vegas, Nevada — Thor’s Hammer, on the left, is one of Bryce Canyon’s most famous hoodoos.

Sunset at Sunset Point, Bryce Canyon National Park — Sunrise Point, pictured here, is one of the four main viewpoints on the rim of Bryce Amphitheater.

Wall of Windows, Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah — The evolution process of hoodoos consists of three major steps. First is the formation of fins, followed by the creation of rock windows like those pictured here. The third step is the collapse of the upper bridge, leaving behind a set of rock spires, “hoodoos”.

Hoodoo in Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah — This particular hoodoo caught my eye because of its interesting angle.

Peek-A-Boo Trail, Bryce Canyon National Park Hikes — Due to the park’s elevation between 8,000 and 9,000 feet, Bryce Canyon receives fresh snow well into spring.

Capitol Reef National Park

Established: 1971
Area: 378 square miles (979 km²)
Annual visitors: 1,050,000
What to see: Orchards in Fruita, Chimney Rock, Cathedral Valley, Grand Wash, Hickman Bridge, Capitol Dome, Golden Throne, petroglyphs
What to do: Hiking, 4-wheel driving, fruit picking, learning about Native American culture
Website: https://www.nps.gov/care/index.htm

Boulders and cliffs, Capitol Reef National Park, Utah — White boulders and red rocks combine to form the incredible desert landscapes of Capitol Reef National Park.

Chimney Rock in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah — Late-afternoon sun rays cast a shadow behind Chimney Rock, one of Capitol Reef’s greatest rock formations.

Highway 24, Capitol Reef National Park, Utah — Scenic Route 24, a public highway, cuts through the heart of Capitol Reef National Park.

Hiking trail in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah — The sun sets on the beautiful Chimney Rock Trail, painting the desert landscape in the warmest of colors.

Grand Wash Trail in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah — Hiking the magnificent Grand Wash Trail, you’ll find yourself surrounded by imposing cliffs on both sides.

Sunset in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah — Dusk falls over Route 24. The famed Waterpocket Fold is visible in the distance.

Petroglyphs in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah — Native American petroglyphs, a top attraction in the park, remind visitors that this area was inhabited long before Europeans arrived and it became a national park.

Hickman Bridge Trail in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah — Striking white sandstone formation dominate parts of the Capitol Reef National Park landscapes.

Scenic Drive, Capitol Reef National Park, Utah — Long shadows extend across the undulating desert as nightfall approaches.

Canyonlands National Park

Established: 1964
Area: 527 square miles (1,365 km²)
Annual visitors: 775,000
What to see: Mesa Arch, Grand View Point, Horseshoe Canyon
What to do: Mountain biking, hiking, (4-wheel) driving, stargazing
Website: https://www.nps.gov/cany/index.htm

Gooseberry Trail in Canyonlands National Park — Among the steepest and most exposed trails in Canyonlands National Park, the Gooseberry Trail offers hikers a challenging hiking experience.

White Rim Overlook in Island in the Sky, Canyonlands National Park — The landscapes of Canyonlands National Park consists of multiple levels of ravines, canyons and gorges.

Canyonlands National Park landscape, Utah — Ominous-looking clouds roll into the Island in the Sky District, indicating a spring lightning storm.

Mesa Arch in Canyonlands National Park — Perfectly framing the canyon below, Mesa Arch is arguably the best-known attraction in Canyonlands National Park.

Island in the Sky canyon landscape, Canyonlands National Park, Utah — As the skies slowly clear in the Island of the Sky District after a rainstorm, mist and shadows create a dramatic landscape.

Shafer Trail in Canyonlands National Park, Utah — Home to many miles of dirt roads and tracks, Canyonlands National Park is one of the top mountain biking destinations in the world.

Island in the Sky district, Canyonlands National Park — The sheer vastness of Canyonlands is astonishing. Hike along one of the rims to fully appreciate the enormity and depth of these canyons.

Burned tree in Canyonlands National Park, Utah — The abundance of scorched trees on mesa tops and along canyon rims provide proof that lightning strikes are not uncommon here.

Grand View, Canyonlands National Park — Canyon after canyon, after canyon… Canyonlands National Park’s name surely is appropriate.

Arches National Park

Established: 1971
Area: 120 square miles (310 km²)
Annual visitors: 1,550,000
What to see: Delicate Arch, Landscape Arch, Double Arch, The Windows, Balanced Rock, Park Avenue, Courthouse Towers, Fiery Furnace
What to do: Hiking, stargazing, photography, sunset watching
Website: https://www.nps.gov/arch/index.htm
Blog post: 11 Major Sights in Arches National Park, Best Arches in Arches National Park

Park Avenue, Arches National Park, Utah — Huge rock fins, pillars and cliffs line Park Avenue, home to one of my favorite trails in Arches National Park.

Evening Glow, Arches National Park Photos — The busy Windows Area is an amazing place to enjoy the sunset in Arches National Park.

Private Arch, Arches National Park, Utah — Private Arch is one of the many arches you can see on the awesome, primitive Devils Garden Trail.

Evening landscape in Arches National Park — A full moon rises behind a rock formation in Arches National Park.

Tapestry Arch, Arches National Park Trails — Tapestry Arch is a gigantic rock arch, as is shown clearly by this hiker walking towards it.

Landscape in Arches National Park, Utah — In addition to 2,000 arches, the greatest density on Earth, Arches National Park boasts wild desert scenery and other geological features.

Landscape Arch Trail, Arches National Park, Utah — You can see Landscape Arch, the longest natural rock arch in the world, via a short and flat hiking trail.

Garden of Eden, Arches National Park, Utah — The snow-capped La Sal Mountains provide the perfect backdrop to the red-colored rocks in the Garden of Eden.

Delicate Arch, Arches National Park, Utah — Arguably America’s most famous rock arch, Delicate Arch is surprisingly large and is the final destination on a great desert hike.

What makes this particular collection of U.S. national parks so exceptional—there are more clusters of parks in other states, such as California, Washington and Alaska—is that they’re all super-easily accessible. When driving on the highways of southern Utah, one park literally follows the other.

It’s amazing how convenient this is. In seven to ten days’ time, you can see much of what each park has to offer. This includes doing a few epic hikes, desert camping and enjoying star-studded night skies.

If these Utah national parks photos sparked your interest in visiting the national parks in Utah, you should definitely check out the following more specific blog posts:

Utah’s National Parks in 50 Photos