One Week NO NATIONAL PARK Utah Road TripUtah should be on everyone’s bucket list! We just got back from a week long road trip here, avoiding national parks and instead, going to beautiful places off the beaten path. In this guide, we will list ALL the places we went in order to help you copy this epic one week road trip!Authorsthetravelingdans
DestinationsUtahItinerary

Day 1 - Kanab

Toadstool Hoodoos Trailhead
Hike the 2 mile Toadstool Hoodoos Trail to see this view and all the unique hoodoos. The trail is fairly flat and can be done by most.
See More
Sand Caves
These sand caves are perched on a cliff so be prepared with good footwear to reach them. The parking area is about .5 miles from the ascent to the sand caves. We saw many children do this climb fine.
See More
The Belly of the Dragon
The tunnel is at the trailhead so you can see it without hiking! This makes for a quick stop on your road trip.
See More
Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park
End your day one here! There are great campgrounds nearby or you can stay in the town of Kanab. It costs $12 to enter the park. You are free to roam around the sand dunes, there is no formal trail. We highly recommend coming here for sunset!
See More
Ponderosa Grove Campground
We stayed here as its close to the Sand Dunes park. The campsites are spacious with bathrooms at multiple places throughout the campsite.
See More
La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Kanab
A hotel in the nearby town that is a good option if you don’t want to camp!
See More
Book

Day 2 - Driving the All-American Road

Red Canyon
Start your day hiking in this area right outside Bryce Canyon National Park. We recommend the Golden Wall Trail.
See More
Kiva Koffeehouse
The most scenic coffee shop in Utah (maybe the entire USA)
See More
Kodachrome Basin State Park
This is a nice stop for lunch or more hiking if time allows. This park is along Highway 12. It costs $10 to visit.
See More
Scenic Byway 12 All American Road sign
Today’s main attraction! This road is UNREAL. If you have an extra day to spare, we would recommend breaking this drive into two days to really enjoy it. Highway 12 is a 124 mile stretch of road that spans between Panguitch, Utah and Capitol Reef National Park. It is hands down one of the prettiest drives in the USA. Take most of the day to enjoy the views and make stops at viewpoints along the way.
See More
The Cabins at Capitol Reef
There are quite a few places outside the park to stay at in Torrey. These cabins were super cute and right near Highway 12.
See More
Red Sands Hotel and Spa
Another cute spot to stay near the end of the drive!
See More
Book

Day 3 - A Day of Alien Landscapes

Factory Butte
All Day 3 spots, besides Goblin Valley, need a 4x4 vehicle to safely explore. Most of these spots are on rocky or sandy roads so keep this in mind if you are renting a car for this trip!
See More
North Caineville Mesa
Factory Butte and North Caineville Mesa can be seen along the same road! Make sure to download the map and route before leaving. There is no service in this area.
See More
Trip Highlight
This place is called Long Dong Silver Spire! There is no formal road to reach it. Most people park along the road and walk the 2 miles to it. Some cars can make it back to the “parking area” which is only a mile from the spire. Park Here: 38°22’10.4″N 110°50’26.1″W Hike Here: 38°22’56.9″N 110°50’18.3″W There are some great blogs by other creators - google this place before going to do more research!
See More
Goblin Valley State Park
One of the most underrated places in Utah! We could have spent a whole day here. This place costs $20 for a two day pass. We recommend hiking the Goblin’s Lair Trail or Valley of the Goblins Trail.
See More

Day 4 - Moab

Dead Horse Point State Park
Start your day with a sunrise hike (or drive) through this stunning state park! We did a 5 mile loop starting at the east rim for sunrise and ended at the west rim. The trail was called “Shafer, Meander, and Basin Overlooks via East and West Rim.”
See More
Doughbird
Grab breakfast or lunch here! The doughnuts and chicken sandwiches are out of this world good.
See More
Moab Diner
See More
Antica Forma
Amazing pizza place!
See More
Moab Brewery
A great spot for a beer after a hike.
See More
Moab Garage Co.
Very cute coffee shop.
See More
Quesadilla Mobilla
See More
Simply Moab
See More
Moab Made
See More
Gearheads Outdoor Store
See More
Corona Arch
After exploring Moab, head 20 minutes out of town to hike a mile to Corona Arch at sunset. Make sure to download the trail route beforehand so you don’t get lost coming back and bring a headlamp!
See More
Hotel Moab Downtown
See More
Book
Field Station Moab
We stayed here in one of their van sites! This place is great for van lifers who need a place to shower, do laundry, and have a bigger living space in a common area. The rooms are very nice too if you do not travel in a van.
See More
Book

Day 5 - Scenic Byway 128 & Fisher Towers

Utah 128
From Moab, you will head east on one of Utah’s most scenic roads - SR 128. This road goes about 44 miles east and has a lot of scenic stops along the way. You can drive out and back to stay another night in Moab or stay at the Fisher Towers campground which we highly recommend!
See More
Colorado River East
State Route 128 winds along the Colorado River. We recommend stopping at the parks and view points along the way!
See More
Trip Highlight
Castle Valley is a slight detour off State Route 128 but it offers beautiful views of the surrounding rock formations.
See More
Fisher Towers
Our favorite place on this trip!!! This highly underrated destination is worth a visit, try to spend the night here if you are a camper. You will want to do the Fisher Towers 4 mile hike. We did this hike in the afternoon, again at sunset, and AGAIN for sunrise the next day.
See More
Fisher Towers Campground
See More

Day 6 - Mexican Hat

Valley of the Gods
This place is about 2 hours from Moab. This drive is on a dirt road and high clearance/ 4x4 is recommended. The drive itself is 17 miles but there are beautiful views right away making it easy to do as much of this drive as you want because the views are never lacking!
See More
Mexican Hat Rock
A cool spot not too far from Valley of the Gods and is the landmark from which the area got its name.
See More
Goosenecks State Park
There is jot much to do at this park but the view is INSANE! We stayed the night at the campground here as there are not many lodging options in the area. This park costs $5 to visit.
See More
Goosenecks Campground
$10 a night to camp at the established sites.
See More

Day 7 - Monument Valley

Forrest Gump Point
We drove back to Arizona so this is where we ended our trip. There are a lot of pull offs along this road to stop and get this iconic shot!
See More
Monument Valley
Drive the 13 mile scenic drive and visit the visitors center.
See More