There’s just something about these six alluring National Parks that draws people to them. Is it the call of the old west? The gorgeous colors of the natural surroundings? Perhaps it’s the variety of activities available. Maybe, it’s just because they are easy to get to. No matter what is drawing you to these south western National Parks, you won’t be disappointed. Read on to learn how you can see six National Parks in seven days.
Six National Parks
This itinerary includes the following six National Parks: Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Arches, Mesa Verde, and Grand Canyon. Also included is a visit to the Navajo Nation’s Monument Valley Tribal Park. It is designed for those who are flying in and begins and ends in Las Vegas. An alternative would be to fly into Las Vegas and leave from Phoenix. Of course, you can always do the itinerary in reverse. If you are driving in, you can start the itinerary anywhere you desire.
Flexible Itinerary
One of the best things about this driving itinerary is that it has great flexibility. If you only have a week, no problem, you can still see all the parks. If you have more than a week, you can spend more time exploring the parks. You will find my suggested 7-day itinerary below.
There are a wide range of lodging possibilities on this trip. In most of the locations you can find hotels, motels, B and B’s and home rentals. Be aware, there are not a lot of high-end luxury hotels in these locations. Camping is an option, but not one that I have tried. (I am long past camping at this stage of my life.) Since the purpose of this trip is to see some wonderful scenery, I’m not going to spend much time on accommodations. Personally, with this being a short trip, I’d choose to maximize my time in the parks by staying at the lodging in the parks where available.
A Few Things to Keep in Mind
Cell Coverage
Cell phone coverage may be hit and miss during this trip. Don’t depend on cell coverage for directions from one place to the next. I recommend that you obtain maps of the area or, at the very least, print out or download driving directions to your phone or tablet.
My preference is to go old school; I take a Rand McNally Road Atlas along with me. It provides great detail and I can map out the trip ahead of time. Since it’s spiral bound so I can turn back the pages easily. Before you leave for your trip, run your itinerary through Google Maps to make sure there are not any road closures along your route.
National Parks Pass
With six National Parks on this itinerary, a pass will quickly pay for itself. If you purchase the appropriate National Park Pass prior to your departure, that’s one less thing to worry about while on the trip. You can purchase passes on-line or at any National Park or Federal Recreation Area near you. If you are over the age of 62, you might want to consider purchasing a Lifetime Senior Pass.
Remember, the Navajo Nation’s Tribal Parks are not a part of the US National Park system, so you will be required to pay the fee as you enter Monument Valley Tribal Park.
Weather
We traveled this itinerary in mid-September. The largest group of people we saw was at the Grand Canyon, and it wasn’t crowded at all. With the exception of the day we drove through Monument Valley, we had perfect weather; cool nights and warm days. With blue skies and sunshine, it was beautiful, and I would recommend this time of year for the trip. Summer months can be very hot, so plan accordingly. Although the parks are open during the winter, there may be snow, and who knows how the roads will be.
Gas
Lastly, keep your gas tank full. Don’t let it get low; ever. There are a lot of miles of nothing in between your stops and the last think you want to do is spend your day sitting on the side of the road waiting for help.
Ready to See Six National Parks?
So, there you have the overview. You’ll find the details below. Our US National Parks system is a treasure, and should be enjoyed by all. If you’re looking for a vacation in the US that showcases some of the extraordinary beauty of our country, this is the trip for you!
(As I am writing this post the COVID-19 Pandemic is going on. Some parks, such as Mesa Verde National Park, have limited areas open, or, such as the Navajo Nation Monument Valley Tribal Park, are not open at all. Check before you go to any of these six National Parks to learn their current status. With that in mind, the links I have provided are the official links to the parks.)
These six National Parks are very popular. Have you been to any of them? Perhaps you made a similar trip? Let me know what you thought in the comments section at the bottom of this post.
Itinerary:
Six National Parks in Seven Days
Day 1
Las Vegas
Your arrival day in Las Vegas provides you with many different opportunities. If you haven’t been to Vegas before, you can stay on the strip and see the hotels and shops, or perhaps take in a show or two. If you aren’t into all the glitz of the strip, you can stay at a nice resort or hotel on the outskirts of town. The last time we were in Vegas, we stayed at the Red Rock Casino Resort and Spa on the western edge of town. If you like to hike and your flight gets in early enough, the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area is nearby so you can even squeeze in a short hike for the day.
If you arrive in Las Vegas early in the day, you might want to just begin your drive and stay overnight in the area of Zion National Park.
Day 2
Las Vegas to Bryce Canyon
The next morning you can drive the 174 miles from Red Rock Resort to Zion National Park in less than three hours.
Zion was Utah’s first National Park. It’s filled with stunning sandstone cliffs. If you’d rather not go for a hike, you can head out and visit the Zion Human History Museum. You’ll still have plenty of time to make it to Bryce Canyon the same day. However, if you want to do some extensive hiking at Zion, you might find in better to stay overnight in the area. This itinerary uses the shorter stop in Zion arriving in Bryce Canyon in time for sunset.
Bryce Canyon National Park has the largest concentration of Hoodoos found on Earth; it’s a sight worth seeing. There are several easy hikes in the canyon, or course if you’re an avid hiker you can opt for the more difficult hikes.
Whatever you do, make sure you see both a sunset and sunrise at Bryce Canyon. The colors are amazing.
Red Rock Canyon NCA to Zion NP: 172 Miles; 2 Hours 38 Minutes
Zion NP to Bryce Canyon NP: 72.3 miles: 1 Hour 18 Minutes
Day 3
Bryce Canyon to Moab
After watching a beautiful sunrise, and maybe a short early morning hike, hop back in the car and you’re off to your next National Park, Capitol Reef.
Capitol Reef National Park is not as stunning as Bryce Canyon. (Truth be told, there are very few places as stunning as Bryce Canyon.) But it has an interest of it’s own. It houses a Waterpocket Fold, a geological wrinkle that is almost 100 miles long.
Stopping at Capitol Reef provides you with a nice break on your drive to Arches National Park. You can take a nice short hike or just make time to get out of the car and stretch your legs.
I thought Arches National Park was beautiful. There are over 2000 natural stone arches in addition to many other mind-boggling rock formations. The late afternoon light makes for great viewing in this National Park.
It’s easy to drive around the park to view the formations. In between you can fit in a nice little hike or two.
Five miles to the south, you will find the town of Moab, where you can stay the night. Here you will find a wide variety of hotels and restaurants on the main road.
Bryce Canyon NP to Capitol Reef NP: 111.7 Miles; 2 Hours 6 Minutes
Capitol Reef NP to Arches NP: 132.2 Miles; 2:03 Minutes
Arches NP to Moab, UT: 5.2 Miles; 9 Minutes
Day 4
Moab to Mesa Verde
Now, off to (in my opinion) one of the most interesting National Parks in the US, Mesa Verde. You may recall way back in elementary school learning about the cliff dwelling Ancestral Pueblo people. This is where they lived. The park houses 600 cliff dwellings and over 5000 archeological sites. You can go inside some of the dwellings and see how the people lived. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is incredible.
Moab to Mesa Verde NP: 124 Miles; 2 Hours 8 Minutes
Day 5
Mesa Verde to Flagstaff
From Mesa Verde, backtrack just a bit to get to Bluff, UT which allows you to drive through Monument Valley. Which, if the weather is good, is a stunning drive. If you have time, go into the Navajo Nation’s Monument Valley Tribal Park. You can take a tour out in the park while you are there. A stop at the visitor’s center is worth the time.
The next town you will hit is Kayenta, AZ. There are a few places to stop there and grab a bite to eat. Flagstaff, AZ will be your next overnight stop. Flagstaff is a larger town, and you will find a variety of places to stay and eat there.
Mesa Verde NP to Bluff, UT: 85.7 Miles; 1 Hour 29 Minutes
Bluff, UT to Kayenta, AZ: 67.6 Miles 1 Hour 11 Minutes
Kayenta, AZ to Flagstaff, AZ: 150.2 Miles 2 Hours 25 Minutes
Day 6
Flagstaff to Grand Canyon Village
Now it’s time to head off to the last of the six National Parks on this itinerary, the Grand Canyon. You could spend several days here and still not see everything this extensive park has to offer. I have chosen the North Rim because it fits in easily with this itinerary. If you have more days available for your trip, you can take in the South Rim as well or even hike into the canyon.
The North Rim offers great viewing and some nice hikes. Don’t think that if you want to do a long hike that it has to be difficult. We were able to hike 17 easy miles.
You can stay in the park itself or in Grand Canyon Village where there are numerous hotels and restaurants. Take at least a day to do some of the walks in and around the North Rim area. To explore in depth, you will need a few more days.
Flagstaff, AZ to Grand Canyon Village: 78.8 Miles; 1 Hour 27 Minutes
Day 7
Grand Canyon Village to Las Vegas
At last you are on your way back to Las Vegas. You might want to take a break at the Hoover Dam to enjoy it’s magnificence. There are tours available if you want to learn more about it.
You may have heard of the Grand Canyon Skywalk, a clear cantilevered walkway over the Grand Canyon. It is in an area known as the West Rim. You can stop on your way back to Las Vegas; it will add a couple of hours to your drive if you go there. Here’s a review of the experience.
And, finally, you are back to Las Vegas. You can stay another day in Vegas if that floats your boat, or perhaps catch an overnight flight back home. The great thing about this trip is the flexibility. You can do it all in a week or take your time and really explore the these six alluring National Parks.
Grand Canyon Village, AZ to Hoover Dam: 247.3 Miles; 3 Hours 48 Minutes
Hoover Dam to Las Vegas, NV: 37.4 Miles; 42 Minutes
Alternatively, you can drive from Grand Canyon Village to Phoenix and depart from there. The drive is a bit shorter, but you will miss the Hoover Dam. Just remember, flying in and out of different cities typically increases the cost.
Grand Canyon Village, AZ to Phoenix, AZ: 228.6 Miles; 3 Hours 32 Minutes
The entire round trip Las Vegas itinerary visting six National Parks: 1285 Miles; 21 Hours 34 Minutes
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