Best Road Trip Routes in Utah

Utah's road trips are among the finest in the US — the state is compact enough to do the Mighty Five national parks in a single 7–10 day circuit.

The Mighty Five Loop
The classic Utah road trip: start in Las Vegas or Salt Lake City and visit all five national parks. Route: SLC → Provo → Moab (Arches, Canyonlands) → Monticello → Blanding → Natural Bridges → Capitol Reef → Torrey → Escalante (Grand Staircase-Escalante) → Bryce Canyon → Zion → back to Las Vegas. About 900 miles; allow 7–10 days. Moab and Torrey are the best base camps.

Mirror Lake Highway (UT-150)
From Heber City over the Uinta Range summit to Evanston, Wyoming — a spectacular alpine drive through meadows, aspen groves, and high tundra terrain. Mirror Lake, at 10,000 feet elevation, reflects the surrounding ridgelines. The drive is particularly stunning in fall (late September) when aspen are gold. Closed in winter.

Alpine Loop (American Fork Canyon to Provo)
A short but spectacular drive from American Fork Canyon through Timpanogos Cave area, over the ridge, and down Provo Canyon. Fall foliage (mid-October) makes this one of the most visited drives in Utah. The wildflower displays in July on Mount Timpanogos's slopes are exceptional.

Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park
The drive through Monument Valley on US-163 from Mexican Hat to Kayenta is one of the most iconic American landscapes — the Mittens, Merrick Butte, and the other red sandstone monoliths have appeared in hundreds of films and photographs. The tribal park road (unpaved, 17 miles) loops past the signature formations. The Navajo Nation controls this land; guided tours support local communities.

Highway 12 (Scenic Byway)
From Panguitch to Torrey — 124 miles through Capitol Reef, Bryce, and Grand Staircase-Escalante territory. The Hogback section (a narrow ridge road with 1,000-foot drops on both sides) is the most dramatic segment. Consistently ranked among the most scenic highways in the US.