Disclaimer: Traveling during the COVID-19 pandemic is a touchy subject. We want to be respectful of everyone’s position on the topic, and are by no means trying to convince anyone to travel right now. This article may contain tips and information related to traveling during the pandemic – this is a travel blog after all.
If you are thinking about traveling it is important that you consider the risks to yourself and to others around you.
This trip has been on Nik and I’s ‘must do’ list for a while now. Due to the circumstances surrounding COVID-19 and with most international travel off the table, the timing was finally right for us to check out a part of our own country we had never experienced before.
We were ready for the red dirt, hot sun, epic canyons and imposing rock formations. We were ready to head west! And boy let me tell you, the West did not disappoint.
There are many variations of this American road trip, affectionately called the Grand Circle Tour.
After hours and hours of researching itineraries and comparing the ‘must-see’ sites, we landed on the route below. While most Grand Circle trips include at least one or two Utah National parks, this one actually includes all of Utah’s “Mighty 5” (Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Arches National Park, Bryce Canyon, and Zion National Park).
Here is a snapshot of the itinerary. (Note: we move fast!)
Day 1: Phoenix
Day 2: Phoenix
Day 3: Sedona and Flagstaff
Day 4: Grand Canyon South Rim
Day 5: Page, AZ (Horseshoe Bend, Glen Canyon)
Day 6: Monument Valley, Moab, UT (Arches, Canyonlands)
Day 7: Moab, UT (Arches, Canyonlands)
Day 8: Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon
Day 9: Zion
Day 10: Las Vegas, NV
Day 1 – 2: Phoenix
Note – Face masks are required to be worn publicly throughout Maricopa County.
Fun fact about Phoenix – it is the 5th largest city in the US. It is massive! This sprawling capital city is part of a large, multi-city metropolitan area known as the Valley of the Sun, likely due to the fact they experience almost year-round sun and warm temperatures.
If flying, you will fly into either Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX) or Phoenix-Mesa Gateway (AZA) airport, depending on your airline carrier. Either way, it will be easiest to pick up your rental car at the airport. This is a road trip after all!
We stayed at the Renaissance Hotel Downtown (shout out to Marriott! A goal of this trip was to stay 5 nights in Marriott properties so Nik could unlock Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite Status). It was a very comfortable stay, beautiful rooms and a nice bar in the lobby. Staying downtown puts you within walking distance of cool parks, the arts district, and plenty of restaurants.
Speaking of arts districts, if you do one thing in Phoenix proper, please visit the Roosevelt Row Arts District! This walkable district is spotted with art galleries, studios, boutiques and lots of colorful street art. Probably one of the most ‘grammable spots in Phoenix! We met a friend who lives in the area, grabbed some coffee at Songbird Coffee & Tea House and just walked the streets. A perfect morning.
Some other Phoenix highlights:
- Taliesen West (for you architecture lovers)
- Dobbins Lookout
- Desert Botanical Gardens
- Heard Museum
- Phoenix Art Museum
- CityScape
- Japanese Friendship Garden
- Heritage Square
- Her Secret is Patience
- Local hiking trails
- and much more!
Day 3: Sedona & Flagstaff
Drive time Phoenix to Sedona: 2 hours
Woah, did Sedona give us all the feels. This was our first view of the red rock and it felt like we had finally arrived on another planet! We only had a few hours planned in Sedona on our way to Flagstaff, but we definitely wish we could have stayed longer!
We grabbed a late lunch at a delicious, family-owned Mexican restaurant, Tamaliza. Get the chicken mole tamale and thank me later. From there we did a quick stop to stock up on water and sunscreen and headed out for our only hike in Sedona – Devil’s Bridge Trail.
Devil’s Bridge is the largest sandstone arch located in the Sedona area, standing 54 feet tall!
The trail to the arch is a busy and well worn 4.2 miles. AllTrails classifies this trail as moderate, which seems accurate. The trail is fairly flat for the first ~2.5-3 miles, but gets pretty ‘climby’ leading up to the arch. Well worth it to get these kinds of views! (see below!)
Quick tip – there were quite a few people waiting in line to get a picture on the arch. We had to wait about 30 minutes to capture a picture (worth it), but if you aren’t big on somewhat crowded hikes, get out early in the morning and avoid the late afternoon crowds.
If you are able to spend more time in Sedona, here are a few other hikes to consider:
- Cathedral Rock, Doe Mountain
- Fay Canyon
- Westfork Trail #108 Oak Creek (called one of the best trails in Coconino National Forest and one of the top ten trails in the United States.)
- Soldier Pass
- Bear Mountain
- Seven Sacred Pools
After our hike, we made our way to Flagstaff for the night (Drive time Sedona to Flagstaff: 50 minutes).
The road from Sedona to Flagstaff is quite curvy and the winds can be pretty brutal coming out of the canyon. Try to get on the road before sundown so you aren’t traveling out of the canyon in the dark.
Flagstaff is the cutest mountain town and is a gateway to the Grand Canyon. We ate dinner at Pizzicletta at Dark Sky Brewing.
After a day on the road and a pretty decent hike under our belts, pizza and beer hit the spot! Since we got into Flagstaff pretty late we headed in after dinner and rested up for the Grand Canyon the next day.
The next morning we did a quick grocery trip to stock up on water, sunscreen and snacks for our hike. Before leaving Flagstaff we made sure to drive through the historic downtown onto Route 66 and ate a delicious breakfast at Tourist Home All Day Cafe – One of Nik’s favorite breakfast burritos ever!
Day 4 : Grand Canyon (South Rim)
Drive time Flagstaff to the Grand Canyon (South Rim): 1.5 hours
Insane. It really is the best word to describe my immediate reaction to the Grand Canyon. Even standing there looking at it it still seemed fake – it is just that hard to wrap your head around the magnitude of this place. Understandable why it is considered one of the seven natural wonders of the world.
Quick tip – While the Grand Canyon was not charging entrance fees when we went (due to COVID-19) you should be able to purchase an America the Beautiful Pass at the gate. This $100 pass will cover your entrance fees to all the National Parks on the remainder of this itinerary, as well as most State Parks! It is valid for 1 year so you can continue to visit parks around the country.
The first thing we did when we got to the park was head to the Visitor Center to hit the restrooms and determine a game plan for hikes and sunset/sunrise. Right next to the Visitor Center you can get your first good look at the canyon at Mather Point. This lookout is about a 5 minute walk from the Visitor Center, easily accessible with sidewalks and is usually crowded, but the view is incredible.
We wanted to put a good workout in since we had spent quite a bit of time in the car so far, so we landed on hiking the Bright Angel Trail down past the 1.5 Mile Resthouse (there is another Resthouse at 3 miles as well). It ended up being about 3.5 miles round-trip and is a moderate to hard hike.
After the hike we decided to watch sunset at Yavapai Point. Sunset times vary based on the time of year, but a good rule of thumb is to find your spot for sunset around 1.5 – 2 hours before sunset time, especially at more popular viewing locations.
For lodging we stayed in the town of Tusayan right outside of the park, but there are cabins/rooms that you can book inside of the park. No matter where you stay, make sure to plan for at least 1 sunrise while at the Grand Canyon! We chose to watch the sunrise from Mather’s Point.
So beautiful, but make sure to bundle up even if it is late summer/early fall! The temperature swings and wind gusts at the canyon are pretty crazy. After sunrise we grabbed a quick coffee and headed out for 1 more hike before heading toward Page, AZ.
For our last hoorah at the Grand Canyon, we hiked a quick 1.7 miles on the South Kaibab Trail to Ooh Aah Point. This lookout point is every bit deserving of the name.
Day 5: Page
Drive time Grand Canyon (South Rim) to Page: 3.5 hours
To get to Page you have to do a bit of backtracking towards Flagstaff. We ended up eating a quick lunch in Flagstaff before finishing our drive to Page. The back half of the drive gets pretty isolated so make sure you have a full tank and plenty of snacks when leaving Flagstaff! (There are a few random gas stations along the way but better safe than sorry.)
The main site to see in Page is the famous Horseshoe Bend Overlook. Although it is part of the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, the America the Beautiful pass will not gain you entrance into this park.
The entry fee is $10 a vehicle – pay it because you can’t miss this site!
The walk to the overlook is 1.4 miles roundtrip.
Quick tip – The parking lot closes at 6pm, but the gate stays open for visitors to be able to leave. So if you are planning on sunset here just make sure you are there before 6pm and they stop taking visitors. Personally, we wish we could have gotten to the overlook a bit earlier, or even sunrise, so the sun would be behind us so we could have gotten better pictures of the bend, but nothing to complain about because this place is beautiful no matter the time of day!
The other major site to see in Page is Antelope Canyon. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 the slot canyons were closed. If they are open for tours when you are planning your trip make sure to make your reservations for the slot canyon as early in advance as you can!
For lodging, we stayed at the coziest bed & breakfast, The Grandview Inn. Kris is a wonderful host with lots of excellent recommendations on restaurants & must-dos. So also makes a killer breakfast! If you are planning a stay in Page please check her out!
Day 6 – 7: Monument Valley, Moab, Arches National Park & Canyonlands
Drive time Page to Moab: 4.5 hours
Buckle up, download some podcasts, and get ready for the longest drive of the trip! Page to Moab is a long one but the views along the way make the 4.5 hours fly by. Right as you cross over into Utah you will drive through Monument Valley. There are plenty of pull offs to admire these sandstone towers and capture plenty of pictures. Don’t forget to recreate the iconic scene from Forrest Gump!
We rolled into Moab just in time to drop our bags and head into Arches National Park, just 10 minutes outside of town. We decided to hike to Delicate Arch for sunset, which is a must in my book! Similar to Devil’ Bridge in Sedona, you are going to have to wait for a picture, but the closer sunset gets, the area starts to clear out. Most people don’t want to hike out in the dark.
Speaking of dark, Arches National Park is an official Dark Sky Park which means there are restrictions on artificial light pollution so the night sky is incredibly clear here! We waited long enough that a portion of our hike down from Delicate Arch was in the dark, and let me tell you, the sky was breathtaking.
The next morning we headed back into Arches National Park for a few hours to drive through the park and see a few other sites that were brief walk/hikes, including Double Arch!
After catching a few more sites at Arches we left that park to drive an hour to our next park on the list – Canyonlands National Park.
Canyonlands National Park is massive. 337,598 massive acres to be exact. The park is divided into 4 regions – Island in the Sky, The Needles, The Maze & The Rivers (the Green & Colorado Rivers).
It takes hours to drive from one distinct region to the next so many people either dedicate multiple days to this park or only select one region of the park to explore on their trip.
We spent our time on the eastern edge of the Island of Sky region. This is the most visited area of the park due to its proximity to Moab and Arches National Park. In this area of the park you will find Mesa Arch and Grand View Point along the canyon edge, along with other hikes such as Aztec Butte and Holeman Slot.
Day 8: Capitol Reef & Bryce Canyon
Drive time Moab to Bryce Canyon: approx 5 hours with Capitol Reef and scenic byway 12 drive
Another long drive day! Similar to the drive from Page to Moab, there are scenic stops along the way! About half-way through the drive to Bryce Canyon we stopped at Capitol Reef National Park.
This park got its name because the dome-like formations that top the sandstone cliffs look much like those commonly seen on capitol buildings. This park has a beautiful contrast of stone, cliffs & lush green earth – thanks to the Fremont River that runs through the heart of the park.
Early Native Americans lived near this river around the year 1000 – leaving behind traces of their presence through petroglyphs carved in the side of the cliffs. Our first petroglyphs of the trip!
It is believed that a drought caused the Fremont Indians to abandon the location. Later in the 1800s, Mormons settled the land. Settlement buildings, including a small schoolhouse, are still standing.
Leaving Capitol Reef, make sure to take Scenic Byway 12 on your way to Bryce Canyon! This state highway cuts through the Dixie National Forest and is spotted with red rock, subalpine fir, and aspen. This drive is pure road-trip bliss.
Though it’s not technically a canyon, Bryce Canyon was honestly one of our favorite parks of the whole trip! From a geological standpoint it is very unique, with structures called hoodoos covering the amphitheaters.
This park isn’t nearly as big as say Arches National Park, so 1 day is plenty to hit multiple viewpoints and hike down into the amphitheater to get a closer look at these crazy rock formations. We watched sunset from ‘sunset point’ and sunrise from ‘sunrise’ point (original names I might add) and hiked the most popular trail: The Queen’s Garden Trail to Navajo Loop. This is a 3 mile, moderate hike that gets you up close and personal with the hoodoos.
We stayed right outside of the park in Bryce Canyon City. This town is very small – so book in advance if possible so you can get a room!
Day 9: Zion
Drive time Bryce Canyon to Zion: 1 hour 45 minutes
Okay you guys – YOU HAVE TO GO TO ZION! If you skipped every other place on this itinerary and only made your way to Zion your time would not be wasted. Honestly, if there was 1 edit we would make to our itinerary it would be dedicating another day to spend in this beautiful park – so if you aren’t a Vegas fan you might consider spending some extra time here on day 10!
We drove into the park through the east entrance which immediately allowed us to take the Zion – Mt. Carmel Highway and Tunnel. This highway cuts through the park and is a stunning way to immediately take in the other-worldly, beautiful sites of the park. Rock formations and domes of rusty red, yellow, orange and cream seemingly fall into the road. On this road you will pass through the historic Zion – Mt. Carmel Tunnel, constructed in the 1920s, and still allowing travelers passage through the originally impassable mountain.
A majority of the hikes in the park are only accessible by the Zion Canyon Shuttle. You can purchase your shuttle ticket ($1) and jump on at the Visitor Center. The ticket is only good for 1 boarding at the Visitor Center, but you can stay out as long as you like and jump on/off at any of the canyon stops you like.
Hikes you should consider:
- Angel’s Landing
- Emerald Pool Trails
- The Narrows
- Zion Canyon Overlook Trail
- The Watchman
Zion Canyon hiking can be dangerous. Make sure to read up on the trails you plan to hike, take plenty of water and stay smart!
Right outside of the park is the cute little town of Springdale – literally a 5 minute walk from the Zion Canyon Visitor Center. This is where we grabbed multiple meals and would highly recommend the Zion Canyon Brewery for dinner!
Additionally, there are rental shops for hiking and outdoor gear, souvenirs, art galleries and a few lodges and hotels. We chose to stay a little further from the park in Virgin, Utah.
Day 10: Las Vegas
Drive time Zion to Las Vegas: 2 hours 40 minutes
Las Vegas is a special, crazy place. It is desert, chaos, and luxury rolled into a destination to remember (or not remember depending on how you like to spend your time). Honestly, I am not going to go into too much detail about our brief 12 hours in Vegas. We ate at Hell’s Kitchen, walked the strip as best we could while avoiding large crowds, and went back to our hotel.
Not your typical Vegas trip, but nothing about 2020 was typical!
Total driving time: ~21 hours 45 minutes
