Home Β» How to plan a 2 day road trip to Utah’s best national parks

How to plan a 2 day road trip to Utah’s best national parks

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you buy something through those links I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. My opinions are always my own.

Looking for something to fill your need for adventure but your pockets be totally eff’d like Ellen’s career?

Well, honey if you’re already in or plan on heading to Utah, I have a cheap trip planned for you!

I managed to squeeze three national parks into two short days and I’m here to share with you how to follow in my tires πŸ˜‰.

When it comes to road trips, my manz and I tend to just wing it. We start off with one destination and then after arriving, we just go from there. This method works well with our limited time and removes the stress that goes along with following a schedule.

I decided to name this road trip Rock Mafia because it’s filled with extreme rock formations that will make you literally crap your pants. It’s that scary and that amazing. So if you’re down to get your rocks off, you’re at the right place.

Now to π“‡π‘œπ’Άπ’Ή 𝓉𝓇𝒾𝓅 π’Ήπ‘’π“‰π’Άπ’Ύπ“π“ˆ ✨

ADVENTURE NOTES

1st Stop: Zion National Park

cheap road trip ideas in utah. exploring zion national park.

Activity: Night hike to the Emerald Pools

Time: 2-4 hours depending on which loops you take.

Why this?

  • There are Lil’ baby waterfalls around bends of the hike.
  • There are emerald pools you could dip your toes into.
  • You’ll see some crazy bugs.
  • The views are 😍😍😍.

Stop 2: Bryce Canyon

road trip across utah. Hiking in bryce canyon. Cheap traveling in utah.

Activity: Peek-A-Boo Loop Trail

Length: The hike is about 6 miles long (all around).

Level: The National Park Service lists the Peek-A-Boo Loop Trail as a strenuous hike due to its rapid elevation change and length.

Why this?

  • Since the Peek-A-Boo Loop Trail begins at Bryce Point and drops quickly to the canyon floor, you will have the opportunity to explore the entire canyon.
  • The views include high and low elevation.
  • There are amazing red rock formations and crazy twisty trees throughout the hike that will blow your mind!

Stop 3: Capitol Reef

Man standing in water behind a waterfall. Enjoying the views at capitol reef. Utah waterfalls you must see.

Activity: Sulphur Creek waterfall hike

What you need to know:

For those wishing to hike a short section of the canyon to a small waterfall, begin your hike at the visitor center and follow Sulphur Creek upstream 0.7 miles. However, many hikers choose to hike the entire route in the downstream direction, starting at the paved parking area 3.3 miles west of the visitor center and ending at the visitor center. Note that flash floods rearrange Sulphur Creek significantly and have, in the past, created six-foot-deep pools that cannot be avoided, so please plan accordingly. (courtesy of NPS)

Why this?

  • You can walk through a cool summer creek.
  • Beautiful rock formations all around.
  • Cliff jumping!
  • Swimming!!
  • Waterfalls!!!

Overall, each park is fairly close to one another and totally doable! Especially if your trip is limited to only two days (like mine usually are). If you have any questions, feel free to reach out!