Southern Utah Road Trip Itinerary
Published Date: July 22, 2024
By Shalee
Southern Utah is a bucket-list destination for road-trippers. From the canyon walls of Zion National Park to the mountain biking trails of Moab, one could spend weeks here in a Four Wheel Camper and not do or see it all.
The average time spent on a Southern Utah road trip is 7-10 days. This is the perfect amount to get a taste of everything Utah has to offer while leaving plenty to explore in future trips.
Southern Utah Road Trip Itinerary: Updated 2025
Day 1 – Zion National Park
Zion National Park deserves an entire day to explore during your Utah road trip. The landscape & hikes are otherworldly.
In the summer, you are unable to drive through the park and will be required to take a shuttle from the visitors center. There is a lot to see in Zion National Park in a day, so you’ll want to choose your sites and hikes wisely. Here are some of our best suggestions:
- Angel’s Landing (hard, permit required)
- Pine Creek Canyon Overlook (easy)
- The Narrows (moderate)
- Court of Patriarchs Viewpoint (easy)
- Kayenta Trail (easy)
Day 2 – Bryce Canyon National Park
On day two, drive to Bryce Canyon National Park. This national park can easily be done in a day. It is less popular than Zion National Park, making crowds more manageable no matter the season. Stop at sunrise point, sunset point, and inspiration point lookouts to see the iconic hoodoo rock formations. If you enjoy hiking, get a different perspective of the park by hiking the Navajo Loop (three miles round trip).
Day 3 – Escalante, Utah
If you are visiting Utah in your 4×4 truck camper, jeep, or off-road vehicle, we recommend multiple days in Escalante. The town is located in remote southern Utah and is the gateway to some of Utah’s best adventures. One could easily spend a week here!
The area offers tons of free camping for truck campers and vans, remote wilderness lodges, designated campgrounds, and so much more, making it the perfect pitstop along your route. If you have a 4×4 vehicle, spend a night or two down hole-in-the-rock road. You won’t regret exploring this vast & stunning section of the Utah desert!
If you can’t access these roads, don’t worry. The area still has plenty to see and do. Stop and grab lunch at Kiva Koffeehouse (no wifi), hike through Escalante Petrified Forest State Park, and stop by Escalante Natural Bridge. There are also plenty of excursion companies offering off-road day trips to visitors.
Day 4 – Capitol Reef National Park
The least visited National Park in Utah, Capitol Reef is a hidden gem rich with history, unique landscapes, and endless options for exploring. See petroglyphs, hike to Cassidy Arch via Grand Wash Trailhead, and camp for the night in the oasis of Fruita Campground.
If you have a 4×4 truck camper, gear up for another adventure to trek to the Temple of the Sun and Moon in the park, which requires a high-clearance vehicle and some river crossings. The road winds through some of the best scenery in central Utah. Be sure to bring plenty of water and your Garmin inReach!
Day 5 – Goblin Valley State Park
Goblin Valley State Park is a great pitstop between Capitol Reef National Park and Moab. When you see the landscape, you’ll feel as if you’ve been transported from Earth to Mars. The park is small and can be easily done in a couple of hours, but you won’t regret making the small detour here!
Better yet, there is a campground onsite, making it the perfect place to set up camp in your pop-up truck camper for the night before continuing onto Moab, which is just under two hours away.
Day 6 – Moab, Utah
Moab is a place you can spend your life trying to see it all. With that being said, a day in Moab is just not enough! Two is stretching it, but for the sake of a 7-day road trip, a couple of days will be the perfect taste.
Moab is home to many world-famous sites, such as Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Castle Valley, and more. Arches National Park has timed entry requirements, so be sure to ensure your slot if you plan to visit! The park is relatively small and easily drivable, making it possible to see everything in a day.
You can’t leave Moab without watching a sunset at Canyonlands National Park, so drive up in the evening and prepare to be amazed!
Day 7 – Moab, Utah
On the last day of your Southern Utah road trip, make your own adventure in Moab! As mentioned previously, there are endless possibilities here. Hit some of the country’s best mountain biking trails, go rock climbing at Wall Street, hike in Castle Valley, go skydiving, or hit up one of the town’s breweries.
What to Pack for a Southern Utah Road Trip
There are a few things to remember when traveling through Southern Utah.
- It is remote! Even in 2025, there are many areas without cell phone service. This is especially true in 4×4 areas if you decide to head out in your truck camper. Make sure you pack plenty of water, an emergency communication device, food, first aid kit, and check to ensure your spare tire is ready to go in case of a roadside emergency.
- It is the desert. Especially in the summer, temperatures can easily exceed 100+ degrees. Pack hats, sunscreen, and lightweight long sleeves.
- Pay layers. Desert environments typically have extreme highs and lows. Even in the summer, nights cool down excessively. Make sure to pack additional layers such as a windbreaker, sweater, long pants, etc.
- Most of all, enjoy the journey! A Southern Utah road trip is truly a once-in-a-lifetime. And the more you explore it, the more you’ll fall in love with everything it offers.
And, if you’re like many of our Four Wheel Camper family, it’s a trip like this that shows how much more there is to explore in a 4×4 truck camper. If you want to see everything Utah and other parts of the country have to offer with no limits, view our custom truck camper models here.
