Must Do Hikes in Utah: Explore the Outdoors
Utah is an amazing place to visit. There are so many great parks to check out and so many great hikes to choose from.
We understand why it can feel overwhelming to figure out where to go, especially if you only have a limited amount of time during your Utah Adventure. Luckily, that's where we come in!
We have hiked all over the state and visited each park to give you our must do hikes in Utah. From Arches National Park to Zion Canyon, there are different landscapes and beautiful hikes no matter what you are interested in.
So let us help you plan your next trip to Utah so you can enjoy more and worry less. All of these hikes are in the Utah area and have the best views.
Contents
Arches National Park
Arches National Park is right outside Moab, UT which makes it a bit of a drive from either the Salt Lake City airport or Las Vegas. The road trip to Arches is well worth it because you cannot see this amount of arches in one place anywhere in the world.
The reason to go to arches is for: the arches. Duh! But it also has amazing scenery inside the hoodoos and slot canyons.
Delicate Arch
This is the arch you see most often when checking out Arches NP pictures. It is around 3 miles and can be done at any time of day.
This viewpoint comes alive late in the day around sunset but it also is heavily trafficked around that time. It is relatively flat but you are hiking in the desert so make sure you bring lots of water and sunscreen.
Devil's Garden Loop
Even though delicate arch is the more famous area of Arches, for getting the most out of one hike Devil's Garden is the better area. The entire hike is around 7.5 miles long and includes 7 different arches you can see!
There is so much variety in the hike as well with arches, desert landscapes, slot canyons, and some spectacular vistas. This is a must-see hike if you are going to Arches.
Zion Canyon National Park
If you don't know anything about Utah, you probably have heard of Zion Canyon National Park. Zion is the fourth most visited national park in the USA and it has so many great sights.
You will have to deal with lots of people so you will want to make sure you go off-season or early in the morning. The nice thing about Zion Canyon is with all the hikes available you can hike through the canyon or you can see it all from above.
Observation Point
Observation point is a tough hike that has a steady grade uphill throughout. It is about 8 miles long and ends at observation point (duh) but it is well worth the trip.
The way it looks down on the entire canyon is beautiful and the strenuous nature of the hike keeps some people away. That means when you get to the top you aren't fighting people for the sights.
The Narrows
This is not a hike for the faint of heart as it is over 16 miles and you have the risk of being flooded away in a flash flood. The trip will take you anywhere from 8-14 hours and you have to get a shuttle service to the drop-off point at a very early hour to make it in one day.
There are camping sites along the way, right along the river which provide good stopping points if you want to make it a multi-day adventure as well.
The top-down narrows hike does provide something you won't find in national parks usually: Serenity, with minimal competition for the hike you get to enjoy nature. We saw only 2 other people during the first 13 miles of this amazing hike.
Angel's Landing
When you hear about a sketchy hike in Zion with chains and steep rocks it's Angel's Landing. This hike is amazing and unlike any other but is one of the more dangerous options.
The entire hike is a little over 5 miles with a steep uphill climb then a narrow path along rocks. The chains at the top portion make the hike safer and more accessible.
This hike is a great choice but be smart and avoid taking selfies at dangerous locations. Going to Zion during the offseason also helps since it's less busy and fewer times you have to let go of the chain to let other hikers pass.
Bryce Canyon National Park
Phil will tell you this was his absolute favorite Utah destination. It is at a higher elevation so it remains cooler in the summer and snow-covered during the winter.
The hiking is great there too with a rim trail that runs the entirety of the canyon as well as multiple vista points to explore. It is not quite as busy as Zion with comparable scenery and hiking to make this a perfect spot to get away to nature.
Rim Trail
The entire rim trail in Bryce is 11 miles long but the beauty of it is you don't have to do all 11 miles. You can hop onto the trail and walk a little way and either link up with another trail to loop back or pick up the bus to head back.
The rim trail, no matter where you start or end, provides stunning views of the canyon throughout so you really can't go wrong.
This is technically two separate trails but you can connect them to form one super trail in Bryce! The total distance is about 3 miles with only about 600 ft of climbing meaning it is accessible to pretty much any able-bodied adults and even children if they are brave.
This trail leads you to a sunrise point and sunset point so it doesn't matter if you are an early riser or late to bed, this trail is perfect for you. It also lets you get into the Hoodoos and canyon itself to see the majesty of it from down below after you have seen it from above.
Canyonlands National Park
Canyonlands is a park that is a little off the beaten path and not quite as popular as the other Utah parks but it is well worth a visit. It is relatively close to Arches so it is easy to see both in a couple of days.
Even though you might be canyoned out, this park provides some of the biggest canyons anywhere. They make some of the other parks pale in comparison. There are three main areas of the park and while our trip there and our hikes only included the sky section, we are sure the other sections are amazing as well.
Mesa Arch
This is one big arch as you could imagine from the name. It is a very short hike of about a mile on a relatively flat surface with a great view at the end.
The arch itself provides a perfect window to view the underlying canyon through. This is probably the best arch in our opinion for a stunning sunset picture that you can post to Instagram and make your friends jealous.
Upheaval Dome
If you are like us you won't think too much of this one until you get over the hill and can see the dome. This is a giant, crater-like hole with all kinds of rock and debris inside of it.
You can make your way around the dome via the syncline loop for a strenuous 8-mile hike but we chose to do the shorter upheaval dome trail at 1-2 miles. There are multiple vista points to see along the way making this a great option. You can also learn some information there about the possible causes of Upheaval dome.
Capitol Reef National Park
Capitol Reef is one of the least visited national parks all across America. That gives you even more reason to check it out so you don't miss out on enjoying some great hikes with very few people around.
Capitol Reef is in a great location about halfway between Bryce and Arches. If you are planning your own Utah hiking adventure, this is a great stopping point between parks to add a little adventure.
This is actually two trails in one but it is also the longest trail in Capitol Reef so be prepared! The total roundtrip distance is over nine miles with a large amount of elevation change.
The first viewpoint you will come to is the rim overlook, obviously overlooking the canyon from the rim. There are great views inside the canyon, views of the canyon walls, and even views of Navajo Knobs from here.
After you have traveled two miles to the rim overlook, you have another 2.5 miles to get to Navajo Knobs. You have to do some uphill hiking on this section but the views are spectacular all along the way.
We don't know why the final point is called Navajo Knobs but the view is one of the best. It offers 360 degrees, unobstructed views of Canyonlands but be warned, there is some scrambling to get to the top so it is best to do this when it isn't too busy, like in the offseason.
Hickman Bridge
Hickman Bridge is an easy hike to a huge, 133-foot natural bridge. You may see a lot of arches in Utah but this is one you really shouldn't miss!
The hike itself is less than two miles roundtrip but it is heavily trafficked so make sure you start early. There is limited shade as you hike here so if you don't visit Capitol Reef in the offseason as we did, bring lots of water.
When you get close to Hickman Bridge, make sure you hike the loop counterclockwise. This gives you the best views of Hickman Bridge so you can get lots of great pictures!
Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
When thinking about hiking trails in Utah, you might only think about National Parks but there are some amazing hikes in Utah's National Monuments. We checked out Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and think it should be on everyone's list.
Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument is known for its slot canyons. Since there are no slot canyon hikes in the National Parks, this is the perfect destination for a more daring hike, unlike the rest.
Zebra Slot Canyon
We chose Zebra Slot Canyon trail because it was one of the closer tailheads to the main road. We still had about 8 miles on a dirt road before coming to the parking area.
The hike is about 5 miles total and is mostly on flat open first. The hike ends into a narrow slot canyon with strips in the surrounding rock structures.
If you have never hiked in a slot canyon before be expecting a VERY NARROW path that will require some climbing. We loved our hike but admit it was a challenge for both of us.
Exploring Utah's Best Hikes
No matter where you go in Utah, there is no shortage of amazing things to see. Wherever you go you will experience amazing hiking trails and sights along the way.
If you are feeling bold, you can visit all these best hikes in Utah in just a week. We will be back someday and update our list with even more great hiking.
