What if I told you that there was a place so concentrated with spectacular views and adventure that you would never run out of places to visit, sunsets, or sunrises to watch come up? No matter what side of the country you’re coming from, if you have a trip planned this year, you’re going to want to include the Grand Circle. The Grand Circle is a cluster of 9 national parks, including the Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands, Arches, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Mesa Verde, and the Petrified Forest. Great Basin National Park is also part of the Grand Circle, but it is a bit out of the way. Make sure you stay till the end because I’ll be adding several of my favorite destinations in the area for you to consider for your road trip. By centering all your arrangements in an easy-to-follow loop, you can jump in from any direction and build a completely customizable road trip experience of this area. Also budget travel tips from me as always what I do. With the option of driving out or flying in and grabbing a rental, the major entry points are Phoenix or Flagstaff, Arizona; Las Vegas, Nevada; Salt Lake City, Utah; Denver, Colorado; or Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Grand Canyon National Park
Let’s just start with the Grand Canyon. The Grand Circle gets its name primarily from this canyon and will also likely be your first destination if you’re coming from Phoenix or Flagstaff. There are several entrances to the Grand Canyon National Park. Both the North and South viewpoints are equally spectacular. They are different enough, however, that you may want to see both.
Here’s our first round of bonuses: it’s worth mentioning that if you’re coming from the Phoenix direction, Sedona is on your way to the Grand Canyon and it’s less than an hour off route. There are some really amazing hikes to catch through Sedona’s rich red rock landscape. Beyond this, the Grand Canyon route takes you right by Glen Canyon and its park, Glen Canyon Dam, Lake Powell. Of course, if you’ve been in Canada, these are all worthwhile stops and are all on your way to your next official stop, Zion National Park. If you’re coming from the Las Vegas direction and have time, I highly recommend visiting Red Rock Canyon right outside of Vegas. It has several distinct areas to explore, including the Calico Tanks, Rock Maze, and Icebox Canyon.
If you want, I can make a full blog on Grand Canyon. So, comment on that guy’s.
Zion National Park
Zion National Park is a gorgeous park just 3 hours from Las Vegas. Zion is full of epic views from the moment you start to drive in. There’s great camping and plenty of hikes here, including the famous Narrows trail and Angel’s Landing, which now requires a permit. You can apply for the lottery the day before.
Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon National Park is an hour and a half from Zion. It is arguably the largest collection of hoodoo pillars anywhere in the world. Bryce is smaller compared to Zion, but it is still remarkable and has plenty of awesome hikes and views. If you’re interested in slot canyons, my favorite, and The Toadstools, is right around the Bryce Canyon area. There are actually loads of really rewarding hikes off the Hole in the Rock Road. One of these being the Drive-Thru Arch, and Spooky and Peekaboo Slot Canyons. Make sure it hasn’t rained within the last couple of weeks, or it will be muddy inside. And you should always check for flash floods before considering slot canyons. At best, Hole in the Rock Road is passable with higher clearance 2-wheel drive vehicles, and you may find that 4-wheel drive is necessary if it’s raining the next day.
Capitol Reef National Park
Around Capitol Reef National Park, Capitol Reef is a hidden treasure itself filled with cliffs, canyons, domes, and bridges in the Waterpocket Fold. This wrinkle in the landscape inspired the “reef” part of the park’s name.
Canyonlands National Park
Next is Canyonlands National Park. Canyonlands National Park is often considered the little brother of the Grand Canyon. This Park features miles of canyons stretching as far as the eye can see. Whether you just have time for the Island in the Sky overlooks or your game for one of the more adventurous treks into the wilderness, you’ll enjoy a stop at Canyonlands on your way to Eastern Utah.
Arches National Park
Eastern Utah’s Arches National Park has the densest concentration of natural stone arches in the world. There are over 2,000 documented arches in this park, plus pinnacles, balanced rocks, fins, and other geological formations. We could have spent the whole week in this park alone. Bonus destinations in this area include Moab, Utah. Moab is just a short distance off-route. If you’re inclined, Moab has an Old Town downtown area that is really popular, and there are a lot of off-roading trails and wrestles. You’ll pass by Grand Junction and the Colorado National Monument on your way to your next stop, which is Black Canyon. This national monument is a loop full of spectacular viewpoints of its monumental rock formations. There are many hikes and a nice campground.
Black Canyon National Park
I’ve not actually visited Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, but it looks so beautiful. It is next on our drive down through Colorado and towards Mesa Verde.
Mesa Verde National Park
Mesa Verde National Park is in Southwest Colorado. It’s known for its well-preserved cliff dwellings. The dwellings were occupied from approximately 600 to 1318. At this point, last on our list is the Petrified Forest National Park, but we are actually at a place where we could detour and see the Four Corners Monument, where all four states come together. Just a little further and you’re at Monument Valley.
Petrified Forest National Park
But onto the Petrified Forest National Park, known for its fossils primarily, but this national park also offers spectacular viewpoints of the Blue Mesa Road and the Painted Desert. Yes, the Painted Desert is a bonus at this location. It’s been a brief overview of these parks.
Budget Tips
Now let’s talk about how you can budget your trip. There are so many parks and lots of destinations, which is why it will take time. Many people spend more than 10 days here, but I recommend you take at least 7 days.
So, first thing you’ll need is accommodation. Many of you will want a comfortable stay and will opt for hotels or motels. But my recommendation is camping at those sites for a more adventurous experience and zero cost of living.
For food and drinks, there won’t be a lot of options like lots of restaurants. You will only find a few restaurants in those areas. I found that some restaurant foods are not of good quality, so I rely on pre-made foods like burgers and sandwiches.
Number 3 is most important, and that is the entry fee for those national parks. You may not know this, but you will pay for every park individually. However, there is an option where you will just need one card for all those national parks. If you don’t already know about it, you’ll want to invest in the America the Beautiful annual park pass. It covers every national park plus a lot of national monuments and sites. It’s only $80, and you pay that with just the first 3 park entries.
So, make sure to do those things, and this journey is always budget-friendly. Comment if you want more information, and I’ll surely make a blog about those points. Thank you.
