Car trips are never dull traversing the state of Utah.

One of my favorite states to explore is Utah. My family and I have taken many trips around the state, from the red arches of Arches National Park, the stunning canyons of the aptly named Canyonlands, Salt Lake City, Park City, well, the list goes on. Driving distances collapse when they’re broken up by one stunning vista after another, and you’ll find them throughout the state.

For a long weekend, you can’t beat heading to Utah, and from the Los Angeles area, you can get to its edge in just about six hours. This is one of our favorite and closest Utah sojourns – to Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, and Escalante National Monument. You can stay car centric and see a great deal of scenery and get a lot of enjoyment with short, child friendly walks; or settle on one spot and explore all that nature has to offer at easily reachable overlooks and simple trails.

The pleasures of reaching the park starts just outside of the traffic sprawl that is Las Vegas. Red cliffs and the muddy Virgin River below them replace the billboards and empty desert with a head spinning suddeness and we know we’re getting close. We always make a stop at the first lookout point, and small children firmly in hand, toss a few random rocks down into the river gorge.

We like to stay outside the park in Springdale, at the Desert Pearl. Pool and hot tub, check. Rustic but contemporary furnishing, balconies, views of the hills and the Virgin River up close. A big treat: the bathroom floors are heated.

A sleek room at the Desert Pearl, Springdale, UT

Moving into Zion, in high season, spring through fall, you need to decamp from the car and take the park shuttle, which is free, and designed to reduce congestion in the park’s main area. If you circle through this area on your way to Bryce Canyon or other area attractions, you can stay in your car and see some overviews and overlooks on the perimeter of the park.

And what a park it is from any angle – whether you’re hopping off the shuttle for a close look and a short loop trail that allows you to snap photos of the Virgin River gorge, wading through the river itself in the summer, or loping across a green valley that leads to one of the parks lodges, and an excellent place to relax and enjoy the view from the outside tables at the lodge restaurant.

Millions of years of sedimentary deposits created these rock walls and palaces, through layering, erosion and time. Vertical red and white rock, the curving river, these stunning vistas form the core of the park for simple hikes, longer trails, river wading, or photography pit stops – your choice to experience.

Zion is wonderfully accessible – trails, river walks, and just perfect views wherever you stop.

We were there in the summer, and carefully donning rubber beach shoes, we waded through the cool river along with many other groups and families. With the towering, multi-colored rock walls on either side, the clear water splashing over colored stones, the sky an indomitable blue above, this simple trek is a must-do for families who enjoy getting a little wet.

Driving on from Zion, the next stop is Bryce – not far away, but a world of different shaped rock figures and forms that create a fairy tale of frozen figures and spires and hoodoos, particularly potent at sunset. A steep but easy path flows down through the rock sculptures, which bring to mind everything from elves and trolls frozen in time to distorted church spires. The path is easy I should say going down, coming back up – you’ll be carrying the smallest travelers.

While Bryce Canyon Lodge lacks the amenities of the Desert Pearl in Springdale, with small rooms and dated furnishings, it has the enormous advantage of being perched right over this trail to the heart of Bryce’s most popular rock formations. It’s hard to resist being able to take strolls here early in the morning and at sunset. If you travel in the winter, you’ll thrill to see these astonishing rock shapes dotted with snow. In the winter, although the Park Service salts the path, it can still be slippery after a snowfall, so approach with caution.

What child wouldn’t be captivated by these fairy land rock forms?

Bryce and Zion draw the most visitors each year of any Utah national park, but there’s so much more to see in the state, even staying within a long weekend’s driving radius. Just a few hours outside of Bryce, you’ll find the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument; with layered rose and rust and orange colored rock faces that can take your breath away, even as observed through a car window.

This is one of our favorite drives. Without any specific destination or landmark, you can stop at countless overlooks, viewing other worldly scenery with the same ease that you can spot a gas station from a freeway.

Add a day to your journey and you’ll come to Capitol Reef National Park, which unlike Bryce and Zion, boasts so few visitors that as you drive up to caves and cliffs and along easy to navigate and well graded dirt roads through the canyons, you’ll feel practically alone in nature. You’ll find petroglyphs and the farms of early settlers, and their improbably laden and well tended fruit trees, too.

Waterpocket Fold, arguably the most famous sight in the park is a monocline, or a sedimentary rock fold that sweeps upward, exposed in all its glory by the forces of erosion, ocher, white, and deep red-brown streaks look especially amazing at sunset.

Driving Highway 12 on Utah’s Grand Circle tour will lead you past many awesome sights like these

Circling the southwest’s national park corridor from the edges of Arizona and Nevada throughout Southern Utah is one of my favorite trips. Some travel sites will recommend you take up to twenty-one days for this itinerary, and some of you reading this will think that it’s too much to see and do in such a short time, and especially with small children. But trust me, it isn’t.

It’s jam packed, it’s colorful, it’s fun, but the only thing crazy about the trip is how wonderful it is for such little effort.

Fly into Las Vegas or drive from Vegas or Los Angeles – but the trip itself doesn’t truly begin until you reach St. George, Utah, a few hours from Las Vegas up I-15.

There you’ll find the St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site. Your children will be fascinated by the fossilized dinosaur prints – some two thousand in fact, and it will keep everyone from being restive as you drive another ninety minutes or so into park number one, Zion National Park. If you’ve come spring through fall, you’ll park at the park entrance and jump on the free shuttle that plies the full length of the park. You can hop on and off at short stops for photo overlooks, at the park lodge for lunch, or stay on the bus and just stare out the window. There are several child-accessible trails worth taking too, which will lead to a full day of pleasant adventure. The super gentle Riverside Walk traverses the Virgin River and passes beneath a hanging garden. Wading up the river itself when the water flow is low, is also highly recommended, but be sure you’re wearing rubber sandals or water shoes as the bottom is rocky. Steep red cliffs on either side of you, pleasantly cool water under foot – awesome afternoon. Recommended overnight accommodations: any number of comfortable motels in adjoining Springdale. We spent two nights here.

Arches and cliffs and rivers and views oh my!

It’s only two hours from Zion to the hoodoos and mysterious red rock formations of park number two, Bryce Canyon. The aptly named Bryce Amphitheater offers a wonderfully easy walk around the rim for a view at all the wonders below, or traverse the paved path down into the Queen’s Garden Trail for an up close look at the vibrantly colored and surreally shaped rock hoodoos. Over night stop: the lodge at the rim of the canyon, for its stellar proximity to the Amphitheater rim.

You’ll want to take the stunning Utah 12 over Boulder Mountain to the park number three, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. The stunning multi-colored rocks form what Led Zeppelin might’ve been inspired by, a virtual Stairway to Heaven. A short hike that’s accessible for little feet or the parents who carry them is Calf Creek Falls.

You are now two to three hours away from park number four, Capitol Reef National Park, considerably less visited than Bryce or Zion. Dome shaped white and multi-colored rock formations are one attraction, and so is the pioneer-settled town of Fruita. Founded in the 19th century, you’ll still find and be able to pick fresh fruit from the trees. Recommended over night accommodations are found in the small town of Torrey, where mom and pop motels offer the most bang for your buck, but chain offerings are also available.

You’re now heading east and south through a dry desert moonscape where satellite radio briefly deserted us and we picked up a scratchy AM station playing the theme song to The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. In about three hours you’ll be in park number five, the stunning Arches National Park.

Here, jaw dropping orange and red rocks shape a stone facsimile of Wall Street, delicate arches span sand dunes, and hills, including arches made famous to many children courtesy of  Indiana Jones 3. Devils Garden Trail lets you see a number of arches but requires a walk along the way, many of the arches are park and walk over to scramble up – true child’s play.

An easy scramble – parents, lift your little ones – leads to a grand view on Utah’s National Parks tour.

Across the highway from Arches is one part of national park six, Canyonlands National Park called Island in the Sky. Drive to the over looks, and admire the Green River far below; the trails here are longer than most small children can traverse. Another amazing lookout spot is on a spur road just before the entrance to Canyonlands. This is Dead Horse Point, a state park with a sad story behind it of horses plunging to their doom, but an amazing view also accessible by simply climbing out of your car. You can find pleasant motel accommodations in Moab proper, or swing out route 128 to Red Cliffs Lodge for delightful views and a spacious suite near the Rio Grande. We stayed two nights in this location. It’s a long five hours but it’s an easy drive across I-80 to reconnect with I-15 and turn south to Las Vegas or LA, with hundreds of photographs and sleepy children dreaming of red rock fairy lands through the last remaining miles.

-A side trip: about an hour north of your intersection with the I-15 is Cedar Breaks state park whose scenic overlooks are less than twenty minutes off the highway. There’s an easy rim trail to traverse, or stay with the five mile road that rings the small park whose amphitheater is similar to that inside Bryce Canyon National Park. You’ll have scenic overlooks from which to grab some stunning photos, which in the summer months will include a view of wild flowers.

Pipe Spring was settled by Mormon pioneers in 1870

While exploring the national parks of Utah, Dad and I decided to base camp at an RV resort in Hurricane, just over the Utah border in the extreme southwest corner of the state. We had a few extra days in Hurricane, so we decided to explore the area. On the advice of a friendly local at the free Hurricane Valley Museum, we drove out to Pipe Spring National Monument about 45 miles away, just over the border along the Arizona Strip.  We took Utah State Route 59 east until we reached the state line where it turns into Arizona State Route 389.

About Pipe Spring

The ranch has been carefully preserved

Pipe Spring has long been a source of vital water in the Arizona desert. The Ancestral Puebloans settled in the region in approximately 1 A.D. They were followed by the Paiute people in approximately 1200 A.D. The Paiute saw their role as stewards of the land and water. They built a complex society, in which resources were freely shared, ensuring that everyone had enough.

In 1847, Mormon settlers traveled to Utah under the direction of Brigham Young. In 1870, on orders from the Mormon church, Anson Winsor went to Pipe Spring to establish a tithing ranch. The ranch house he built is still known as Winsor Castle. As it was isolated from local government or other services, the ranch house was constructed as a fort.

The guided tour was fascinating

Winsor Castle soon drew the ire of the Paiute, as it was constructed literally on top of the spring. The Mormons argued that they needed the water for their ranch operations, while the Paiute felt that they were selfishly hording a community resource. Meanwhile, the Mormon church came under fire from the federal government for their practice of polygamy. Many Mormon men sent their additional wives to live at Winsor Castle, far away from what they felt were the prying eyes of government agents. Tensions ran extremely high between the three groups.

Eventually the competing interests were resolved. The Mormon church renounced polygamy in 1890, paving the way for Utah statehood in 1896. The church sold the ranch to a private owner in 1895. Starved for resources, many native Paiute families were forced to move away or take survival jobs on local ranches. In 1913, however, the Kaibab Paiute Reservation was established on 200 square miles along the Arizona Strip. Pipe Spring became a national monument in 1923 and is jointly managed by the National Park Service and the Kaibab Paiute tribe.

Our Experience

The drive was half the fun!

The drive from Hurricane to Pipe Spring was breathtakingly beautiful. The route includes steep mountain grades, tight switchbacks and wonderful scenery. Pull-offs are available for those who want to enjoy the views. Arizona does not observe Daylight Saving Time, so during the summer Arizona time is an hour earlier than Utah time. We were happy to discover that the gas station across the street from the monument is on tribal land, so no sales tax is charged. Plan to fill up there if you can.

Unlike many national monuments, Pipe Spring is not well known. Only 55,000 people visit each year, in contrast to upwards of 2 million at Zion National Park, or more than 5 million at the Grand Canyon. The relative lack of tourism provided a very peaceful and relaxing day with park rangers who had plenty of time and energy to answer questions. As of 2011, the monument is open from 7 to 5 daily during the summer, and 8 to 5 daily from September through May. Admission is $5 for adults, valid for seven consecutive days. Children aged 15 and under are free. National park passes offer free admission for the passholder and three guests.

The park rangers were friendly and helpful

We arrived just after noon Arizona time. We ran straight to the theater at the back of the visitor center to catch the fantastic introductory film. The movie sets up the relationships between the opposing groups in a way that avoids taking sides. After the film, we headed directly to Winsor Castle for a guided tour.

The 25-minute tour was packed with historical details. Our guide was fantastic at keeping everyone engaged, while an older woman in our group delighted us with her own memories of some of the period appliances and décor. We were invited to dip our hands into the spring water, but warned not to drink it as the water is not tested or treated for possible bacteria.

The animals were adorable

After the tour, we explored the grounds on our own. Farm animals still live on the ranch. They are not tame, but tolerate visitors with a sort of idle curiosity. A half-mile trail through the property leads to some truly amazing views.

We spent a bit of time exploring the small museum in the visitor center at the end of the day. Crops are still grown on the property and visitors are invited to take samples of whatever happens to be in season. The rangers are helpful and friendly, and always happy to share their knowledge.

Tips for Parents

Pipe Spring is a wonderful place to take a break from the high-energy touring at nearby national parks. A quiet oasis with plenty of space to play or simply sit and chat by the water, Pipe Spring offers something for everyone. Plan to spend at least two hours taking it all in. The weather is often hot and dry, so carry water if you plan to spend time outdoors.

Zion National Park is gorgeous

The national parks of Utah were high on our list of must-sees when Dad and I visited the American Southwest this summer. Due to some unexpected delays, we did not actually make it to Utah until September. As it turns out, the weather was perfect for our visit to Zion National Park.

About Zion

The Zion area has been visited by humans since at least 6000 B.C. Ancient nomadic tribes gathered wild plants and hunted game in the fertile region, carved by the Virgin River. Later, the Anasazi and Fremont peoples settled in the area, developing a system of agriculture customized to the environment. They built permanent dwellings and community buildings, but left the region by around 1300 A.D. due to changing weather patterns that alternately brought severe droughts and flooding. New nomadic tribes flourished until the European Americans arrived in the late 1700s.

It's easy to see why the settlers named it Zion!

In 1847, the Mormons came to Utah under the direction of Brigham Young. While they were mostly concentrated in what is now Salt Lake City, some church members were directed to spread out and settle the surrounding area. The fertile southern portion of the state proved excellent for agriculture, and the region became known as Utah’s “Dixie.” Zion means “sanctuary” or “place of God,” and those who settled near the Virgin River felt that they were living in such a place, so they quickly adopted the name.

In 1872, explorer John Wesley Powell mapped the Zion area, bringing new attention to the region. The canyon was declared a national monument in 1909 under the Native American name Mukuntuweap, but poor road conditions made it nearly impossible to access. By 1917, road and rail line improvements made it possible for tourists to reach the new Wylie Camp, a series of tents that comprised the first in-park lodging facilities.

Reverting to the Mormon name, “Zion,” the area became a national park in 1919, the first in Utah to receive that designation. The Zion-Mt. Carmel Tunnel was completed in 1930, linking Zion with Bryce Canyon. Extensive work was done to the park by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the 1930s, much of which still remains. Today the park welcomes more than 2 million visitors per year.

Visiting Zion

The free shuttle bus is efficient and easy to use

Zion National Park comprises 229 square miles, but many visitors choose to focus on the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive. From April through October each year, the route is accessible only by free shuttle bus. Parking is available at the visitor center just inside the park gates, but it fills quite quickly. Free park and ride service is available in the gateway town of Springdale, just outside Zion National Park. However, the fee structure is a little odd.

If you have a national parks pass, it is valid for you and up to three guests, or for everyone in a vehicle. Simply show your pass when you leave the Springdale shuttle and enter Zion through the pedestrian entrance.

If you do not have a national parks pass, you will need to drive into the park once. As of 2011, the admission fee is $25 per carload, and is valid for seven consecutive days. You may use the car receipt for readmission through the pedestrian entrance for your entire group.

If you do not first enter the park by car, then each person in your group must separately pay the per-person admission fee at the pedestrian entrance. As of 2011, the admission fee is $12 per person, valid for seven consecutive days. If you have more than two in your group, it is easy to see how the fees can add up!

Our Experience

Breakfast at the Lodge was a great choice

Dad and I stayed at an RV resort in nearby Hurricane, Utah, just 12 miles from Zion National Park. He has a national parks pass, so we did not need to pay for admission. We arrived before 10:30 and decided to take a chance on finding parking in Zion rather than Springdale. We did manage to find a spot at the very back of an outer parking lot. If we had been much later, Zion parking would have been completely full.

We had heard good things about the restaurant in the Zion Lodge, so we decided to get breakfast before heading out. We caught the free shuttle bus at the visitor center, which dropped us off just outside the Lodge. A breakfast buffet was available, but since we are not heavy eaters, we opted to split a meal from the menu instead. The food was terrific! We arrived just before the restaurant shut down to prepare for lunch, but still received quick, friendly and professional service.

Exploring the canyon was lots of fun

With full bellies, we were ready to see Zion Canyon. The full shuttle ride is approximately 80 minutes if you stay on the bus, but where is the fun in that? We opted to get out at every stop. Each bus stop offers a mix of scenic overlooks and hiking opportunities, from short paved trails to strenuous overnight adventures. The weather was terrific, so we decided to explore some of the trails.

To us, the most interesting part of the adventure is the fact that the scenic drive travels along the canyon floor. At the Grand Canyon and Bryce Canyon, only the Rim is easily accessible. Getting down into the canyon requires either a helicopter ride or a strenuous hike or mule ride. At Arizona’s Verde Canyon, the Verde Canyon Railroad visits the canyon floor, but there is nowhere to get out and walk around. This was our first experience with hiking along a canyon floor.

We thoroughly enjoyed every stop. Most had gorgeous views from just outside the bus stop, making them a great choice even for those who do not want to hike. We ended up taking two designated hiking trails and one very short but very steep climb to an overlook.

Weeping Rock Trail

If you only do one hike, choose Weeping Rock

According to the official park newspaper, this is a short but steep trail to a rocky alcove with dripping springs. While accurate, the description does not do justice to this amazing little spot. The climb was definitely steep, gaining 98 feet of elevation in just two-tenths of a mile. But the trail was paved and relatively easy. What was truly incredible, though, was the sheer volume of water at the top. We climbed through a surprisingly lush forest, ending in a massive rocky alcove that felt more like a rainforest! We expected a few drips, but actually got something of a shower. What a welcome relief on a hot, dry desert day! Use caution on the steps as you approach the alcove, as they are always wet and slippery.

Riverside Walk

The beginning of the famed The Narrows trail

Almost as soon as we entered the park, we began to hear talk of The Narrows. A strenuous and potentially dangerous eight-hour hike in the Virgin River, we knew that The Narrows was outside our physical capabilities. But we were intrigued to learn that The Narrows begins at the end of the Riverside Walk, a paved trail along the riverbank that is just 1.1 miles in each direction. So we decided to take the Riverside Walk and wade out into the river at the beginning of The Narrows.

What an amazing adventure! As we followed the path, the canyon walls began to narrow, forming a slot canyon. We had one eye on the sky, as rain was predicted, but the weather held out. What a treat to step out onto the rocks in the river, watching intrepid hikers trek down the river and out of sight! Note that while the Riverside Walk is fine for children, The Narrows is not recommended for kids or anyone who is not in top physical shape.

Court of the Patriarchs

The Court of the Patriarchs overlook is worth the climb

Although not designated as an official hike, probably because it is so short, don’t miss the steep trail to the overlook. It’s right behind the bus stop, and offers a phenomenal overview of the rock formations. Signage at the overlook gives a great deal of information about the waterfalls and other natural features within the park.

Zion Human History Museum

The Zion Human History Museum is well worth a stop. A dramatic 22-minute free film tells the story of Zion, while a small but excellent set of displays showcases artifacts from throughout the region. We were fortunate enough to be there just before a storm rolled in, and Dad had great fun on the back patio photographing the storm clouds! Use caution if you try this, though, as lightning is a very real danger. If less than 30 seconds elapse between the time you see lightning and the time you hear thunder, take shelter immediately.

Tips for Parents

The storm clouds were gathering behind the museum

Zion National Park is packed with ranger programs and hiking opportunities. We did not have time in our one-day visit to explore Kolobob Canyons or Kolobob Terrace, both offering scenic drives on which you may take your personal vehicle. Plan to spend a full day exploring the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive by shuttle bus, and at least one more day seeing the rest of the park.

Keep a close eye on your kids, and never allow them to run ahead or go off the designated trails. Steep drop-offs and slippery footing present constant hazards. Pay especially close attention if you decide to enter the river at the beginning of The Narrows. The current is swift and the rocks are slippery. We saw several families having a good time together, but this is not like your local swimming hole. Make sure your kids are good swimmers and are willing to follow instructions before entering the river. Do not go more than a few feet into the water if your children are small.

Bottled water is not sold within the park. Instead, the gift shop at the visitor center sells reusable water bottles. Filling stations are located at most stops along the scenic drive. Keep your bottles full and make sure that everyone is drinking plenty of water. The weather is often hot and dry, easily leading to dehydration. Carry salty snacks with you. Hats, sunscreen and sturdy walking shoes are essential.

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