The Grand Circle road trip is the ultimate National Park road trip. Each park has a unique and stunning landscape. You get to see all types of rock formations and the wonderful geography of nature. Great Circle Road Trip will surely be a memorable one which you shouldn’t miss. Grand Circle Road Trip is one of the most famous National Parks road trips in the U.S which every American should go!!
The trip starts from Utah and takes you to Arizona. The entire road trip includes six national parks
- Zion National Park
- Bryce Canyon National Park
- Grand Canyon National Park
- Capitol Reef National Park
- Arches National Park
- Canyonlands National Park
Zion National Park
Zion National park is the first stop from Las Vegas, it is a 2.5-hour drive from Las Vegas. Zion National park is a paradise for hikers from easy trails to challenging trails. The park is also a great place to start your road trip. You can easily do a day trip to Zion National Park by going for a short hike.
The park has breathtaking views, easy paved nature trails, steep expert climbs, and backcountry trails. You can also go to Narrows is the narrowest section of Zion Canyon with walls that’s a thousand feet tall. There are 3 primary scenic routes to enter Zion National Park. You at least need 2 days to explore the park.
Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon is a smaller park than Zion National Park, but there are lots to explore from the red rock desert to the alpine forest and steep slot canyons. The park has the largest collection of hoodoos. These colorful rock formations give spectacular views which you should not miss.
If you are planning to spend at least 2 days in Bryce you should not miss the sunrise and sunset. For photographers, Bryce is the perfect destination to capture some beautiful photographic scenes. If you like to go for a scenic drive it takes a minimum of 3 hours to drive to the 13 viewpoints along the park which is a 38-mile round-trip.
Capitol Reef National Park
Capitol Reef has the most unique formation you won’t find anywhere else. The park is most commonly known for the Waterpocket Fold, which is a warp in the earth’s crust that is said to be 65 million years old. Capitol Reef gives you a wonderful experience for your road trip This stunning national park is a breathtaking oasis.
To explore the park you at least need 2 to 3 days. The park has some magnificent hikes like Cassidy Arch or the Hickman Natural Bridge which is absolutely worth it.
Arches National Park
Arches National Park is home to the world’s largest concentration of natural sandstone arches. There are over 2,000 arches in the park, all have different formations like pinnacles, balanced rocks, fins, and more. The park is perfect for hiking with kids as there are many short and easy hike trails, even for experts there are challenging paths.
If you just want to see the highlights of the park and don’t want to go for a hike It will take around 4 to 5 hours. If you like to explore the park and go for a hike you need at least 2 days.
Canyonlands National Parks
Canyonlands is the largest national park in Utah. It is a dream destination for hikers. If you an expert you can head to Needles district which is over 70 miles of hiking, or you can bring your family to the Mesa Arch. With spires, arches, rivers, and breathtaking views Canyonlands have lots to explore.
Grand Canyon National Park
Grand Canyon National park one of the most visited national parks in the U.S. It is also one of the most studied landscapes with rich archeological history and extensive fossil. The park offers plenty of activities from hiking to skywalk. To explore the park you need at least 2 days. The road trip takes you to the South Rim of the park.