How to Drive Across Southern Utah
As a tourist destination, Utah is often overlooked. However, the southern part of the state offers a plethora of fascinating and unique national parks and spectacular scenic byways. Next time you're in the American West, make time for Utah and follow this east-to-west itinerary.
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Instructions
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Go in spring or fall. Summer is blazingly hot in most places, and winter brings snow and icy temperatures. Both of these extremes are hard on your vehicle as well.
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Start your adventure in Moab, near the Colorado border. The town itself is nothing special, but it's the ideal base for visiting Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. Moab also is an adventure sports capital, offering everything from mountain biking to base-jumping. Plan to spend three or four days here to explore the area thoroughly.
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Leave Moab and take I-70 to Route 24. This state road will take you through Capitol Reef National Park. Spend the night in Torrey, just west of Capitol Reef, and use it as a base to explore the park. Visit Fruita, an abandoned Mormon settlement located in the heart of the park.
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Take Route 12, heading southwest towards Bryce Canyon National Park. The drive will take you through Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, and the scenery is fantastic. The road is narrow, winding, and often steep, so take your time---especially if you are towing a camping trailer.
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Stay at Ruby's Inn near Bryce Canyon or camp inside the park. Take the scenic 18-mile drive through the park to see the spindly rock formations called hoodoos. Their orange, pink and cream-colored hues are loveliest at sunrise and sunset, and the most impressive viewpoints are the first five or six closest to the park entrance.
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Head down Route 89, and then take Route 9 through Zion National Park. Massive hunks of rock await you, as does a very narrow and twisty road. In the middle of the park, you'll enter a long tunnel, and the view on the other side is nothing short of breathtaking. Camp inside the park, and attend a campfire ranger presentation at Watchman's Campground.
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