San Diego to Utah's National Parks: A 6 Day Guide
Planning a trip can be overwhelming sometimes... and during a pandemic - well it's more than overwhelming. I almost didn't go. Usually, it takes only a few minutes to decide if I am ready for adventure ( the answer usually being yes) but in 2020 - things are different right now... and COVID-19 is no joke. If you want to travel anywhere, you are going to have to be okay with something "happening" but during this pandemic - it was hard to say what would be open- if anything at all. The borders could close the next day, who knows...and that was a risk I had to think about before saying yes to this trip. On Wednesday, I brought up the idea of a road trip to Utah. On Thursday we weighed out the pro's and con's of travel. We talked to friends and asked their opinions. By Friday the rough itinerary was set and our bags were packed. We took off on Saturday, July 4, 2020 at 4am from North County, San Diego and made our way up to the BEST road trip across 4 states and (almost) 5 National Parks!!
JULY 4
San Diego -- > Zion
We were on the road by 4:15AM and mapped out the fastest way to Zion National Park. With only a 7 hour drive ahead of us, we were READY to get out of the monotony of everyday life and get out into nature. The drive was pretty easy. We went through Las Vegas, NV and just 281 miles later, we found ourselves right out front of the Zion National Park Gates. We didn't have to stop too much - bringing water and snacks with us, and wearing our hiking clothes on the drive up helped save time (and avoid contact with other people).
If you want to go to Zion during the pandemic, you are going to need a shuttle pass. There are only 200 passes released each day at 8AM - and they sell out within seconds of being online. Luckily, I was able to secure 2 passes for the 3PM shuttle so we were absolutely racing the clock to get up there. If you do not have a shuttle pass, you will not be allowed to drive your car around the park - meaning you need to hike in 100+ degree temperature, or you are making other plans... There are a lot of riverbeds you can chill at/ tube down if all else fails.
Okay so we get on the shuttle and things are great! Fairly spaced out from others (they took rows of chairs off all the shuttles to maintain social distance). Lots of the stops were closed, mainly due to natural rock slides. I had ONE place I had to get to above all else: The Narrows.
What is the Narrows? The most magical place ever! Haha, but for real - check out more helpful information on this part of Zion Park (click here).
PRO TIPS Day 1:
GET A SHUTTLE PASS (Must - unless you plan on walking the entire park)
bring at least 3 Liters of water
bring hiking sticks - it will make walking through the river easier
wear your mask around anyone you did not travel with
there will be times the water can reach up to your chest (plan accordingly).
buy the annual park pass for $80 - if you are planning on going to more than 3 parks within the year, it will pay itself off and save you a TON of money.
Where to Stay: There are SO many places to stay around Zion. We Stayed at the Quality Inn in the Zion Canyon Campground + Resort. This option was a little pricey, but it was literally outside of the gates to the park, they were very conscious about COVID-19 safety and was a last minute decision for us. Great spot to lay our heads, but I would shop around for something cheaper in the city of Springdale. Here's more info on where we stayed (click here).
JULY 5th
Zion --> Bryce Canyon
After a 7 hour drive and day of hiking, we gave ourselves the morning to rest, refresh and have some breakfast before making our way to Bryce Canyon. We drove through Zion (expect to pay again if you didn't buy the annual park pass). This was my first scenic drive in Utah and I was in awe the entire time. 10/10 recommend the drive, especially if you aren't going to spend that much time in Zion.
The drive is about 1.5 hours and feels like a movie set - with roaming buffalo, red rock mountains and blue skies. Once you arrive to Bryce Canyon, you'll notice it is waaaay more relaxed than Zion. We were maybe 2 out of 20 other people at the visitor center, and it felt less "bombarded" - if that makes sense? Before I say anything else, I believe that Bryce Canyon is WAAYY underrated, and it feels like a hidden gem that everyone skims over - don't miss this- it is amazing. Go see it.
Anyways, we get there and drive straight to the amphitheater. The view points themselves are something to marvel at - and walking the .5 mile path along the rim of this "canyon" is a humbling experience. But for those who are ready to take an up close look at the iconic Hoodoo's - The Queens Garden Trail is where it's at. Here is a list of all the hikes at Bryce Canyon (we did the Queens/ Navajo Combo Loop)
PRO TIPS Day 2:
Get a map from the Visitor Center (it will help you navigate through the park - there's not always service)
bring at least 3 Liters of water
wear your mask around anyone you did not travel with
bring a fueling snack - trail mix, cliff bar.
Start at Sunrise Point, then take the Queen's Garden Trail to Navajo Loop - Take the Wall Street path and then loop back down to Natural Bridges if you have the time/ energy for it!
Where to Stay: Well, we broke down LOL. This is where we stayed though! Prospector Inn
Yes, so we broke down. Because our older California car couldn't handle the mountains and the heat. We completely overheated and thankfully caught the problem before any serious damage happened. Always good to bring EXTRA WATER on road trips for car troubles in hot places! Fun Fact: if your car overheats, turn the heater on. It works, I promise.
We were taking the iconic drive on highway 12 to spend the rest of the day and the following morning exploring Capitol Reef. We would have been staying at (The Chuckwagon ) had we not broke down in Escalante.
This little speed bump is also why I say "almost" 5 parks- because that was the initial plan and I hope that anyone reading this, making their own plans to go explore Utah, does get to go! And please tell me how it is, because I really want to make it back there one day!
So we were stuck for the night and it wasn't until mid morning, when we could get back on the road. Sadly, we had to bypass Capitol Reef if we wanted to make it to Moab and see all the things. We had to take the 70 and backtrack to play it safe in case we had any other car troubles. The 70 is the main highway and there a good amount of cell service most the drive. There are also many small towns to stop in if need be. That drive took about 5 hours. From Bryce to Capitol Reef its about 2.5 hours and then from Capitol Reef to Moab its another 2 hours. This initial plan breaks up the long drive and allows another park visit.
PRO TIP DAY 2 + 3:
Accept that shit happens - and sometimes all you can do is surrender to what is. Like when your car breaks down in the middle of nowhere meaning you miiiight have to go home.
JULY 6th + 7th
Bryce Canyon --> Escalante--> Moab
This time I'm starting it with WHERE TO STAY because I will be staying here always haha. Although it is a bit of a drive off the "main road" if you're gonna be exploring Utah, you should be staying at a place like the Red Cliffs Lodge just to add to it. If you are going to stay away from your home during a pandemic, you want to make sure you are staying somewhere quality. Each cabin had its own ventilation system so there was no way of cross contamination. There was a full kitchen and a huge bathroom. They asked that you please reused sheets/towels unless necessary to limit contact between staff and guests. There would be no housekeeping + if you need you trash taken out, you need to leave it outside in the morning. I felt really safe / clean in this environment - and since we were staying three nights it was absolutely worth it. Here's a pic from dinner one night
Our first day in Moab we woke up around 4am for a sunrise hike to Delicate Arch. We did this because during summer it can get to upwards of 110+ degrees - and no one wants to be hiking in that (and no shade!!) The trail to Delicate Arch is steep but doable for all ages. You just have to remind yourself that it is going to be worth it at the top. And it 100% is. The Delicate Arch is an iconic landmark that people from all around the world come to see. This 52-foot-tall freestanding natural phenomenon is a must see when in Moab. Head back down the trail and check out the petroglyphs on your way out! These petroglyphs were carved sometime between A.D. 1650 and 1850.
( insert Collage of Delicate Arch)
After Delicate Arch - we realized we needed to get gas, TOTAL fail, so we left the park and had to come back in once we had gas (and Subway). We got back, this time with a map, and planned out our drive! Arches National Park is much more spread out, and involves quite a bit of driving around. There are so soo many places to go, we chose a few and when we were tired, we called it a day. We ended up making it to Balanced Rock, Garden of Eden, and hiked to the Landscape Arch through the Devil's Garden Trail. After that, we called it a day, with sweat, dust and smiles for days.
PRO TIPS DAY 4:
bring at least 4L of water
wear good grip shoes, most of the trail is slick rock
pay attention to the cairns to stay on the trail
pack a snack (or a white claw) and enjoy sitting along the bowl of the Arch *take your trash out*
make sure you have a full tank of gas to drive around the park- you’re gonna need it.
JULY 8th
Canyonlands , Moab
With temperatures rising to 100+ Fahrenheit, we made sure to get an earlier start to the day. There was no sunrise hike, but we tried to get out of the lodge before the 3pm heat wave. With no real plan for the day, we got ourselves a map at the visitors center and off we went!
Canyonlands is amazing and beautiful, and you could spend so much time there, but I did not. I went to Island in the Sky, getting out at a few “hot spots” while making my way around the park’s scenic drive . Here’s the website where you can see ALL the things one can do in Canyonlands.
So if I were you, I would absolutely make sure you go to Mesa Arch. Like OMG it is beautiful. My sister recommended we go after her trip and I almost didn’t believe her. haha thank goodness I did!!! This was one of my favorite and humbling experiences. If you aren’t a fan of heights, you may not want to get too close to the arch, but if you are up for it - the view is AMAZING. (use good judgement though).
I also loved the Grand View Point Overlook - Mother Nature’s magnificence can truly been experienced while walking along the rim, or even standing on the overlook platform.
Here’s a few of my favorite photos from Canyonlands!!
After some time spent at Canyonlands, we decided to try a local hike we heard of. On the way - our car was starting to have troubles again - and we needed to make it to Flagstaff the following day. Soooo - we played it safe and relaxed by the pool and enjoyed our last night at the Red Cliffs Lodge resort.
PRO TIPS DAY 5:
get a map of the park and plan out your route
research various hiking trails and activities
bring lots of water (3-4L)
this can easily be done in 1/2 day if you are'n’t hiking all the trails.
JULY 9th
Moab —> Flagstaff
Sadly, our time in Moab was coming to an end, and we were on the last leg of our trip, out of the state to see my childhood best friend, Alysse. Her and her boyfriend, Manuel (also our virtual mechanic whenever our car acted a fool) live in Flagstaff and let us crash there to not only visit, but to break up the 13 hour drive we had ahead of ourselves. It was the most perfect way, in my opinion to end this trip. With belly laughs and long walks down memory lane - I got to spend some much overdue, quality time with people I love. This was the most chill part of our trip - and obviously you (reading this) will not stay with Alysse haha. However, there are so many cool things to do in Flagstaff and in the surrounding areas! We took a 30 minute drive to Sedona, just before sunset, to play in the river, drink beers and order custom pizzas.
If you are planning on taking a similar trip like this, see what’s around on your drive back home. You could visit Las Vegas, various parts of Arizona or just push through the 13 hour drive from Moab and get home. You really can’t go wrong either way - but I recommend breaking up the drive and finding a cool spot to explore with the little time you have left!
JULY 10th
Flagstaff —> San Diego
We literally did not want to leave. Not only was it sad to say goodbye to friends, but today was the official “drive home” day. Sadness. I mean, obviously it had to come to and end, but we were having so much fun! It did feel like the perfect amount of time to “see it all” at a really steady pace. Our car ride was filled with podcasts - mainly true crime, because DUH, and a few stops here and there. This section of driving seemed to be the hottest, with temperatures ranging from 110-120 Fahrenheit.
All in all, this trip was magical and everything I needed. My wanderlust ways were screaming for some TLC and after a two years of ignoring that little voice inside - I couldn’t take it anymore. I am so beyond grateful I was able to make this happen and get some quality road trip time in with Terri. Overall, we drove 2,000+ miles and it cost about $1,000/person. With a little bit of research and proper preparation, you could easily go for cheaper - or toward a more boujee direction if you wanted- whatever you’re into.
I am SO HAPPY to be able to create another helpful guide to inspire your next adventure and make it easy if you want a more laid out plan! As always, if you have any questions, specific recommendations or anything else - I am here and happy to help you take a trip you’ll never forget!!
With that being said, time to pull out that map and start planning! The world is waiting for you!