We finally did it, the Schaubs went on the ultimate Utah National Park road trip, and it was a nature lover's dream come true. It took us 10 days and we loved our time exploring each park.

Utah has not one but FIVE National Parks. All are unique in their own way and a bucket list must for adventure seekers.

Kelsey had been wanting FOR YEARS to visit even just one National Park in Utah. Then before that could happen, Phil's friends planned a boy trip there and once again Kelsey waited for her time to go.

But finally, the time came and it was everything and more. Thanks to Phil's knowledge from the previous trip he planned out every detail to perfection.

Not to brag too much but we're confident we have found the best way to travel through Utah for the ultimate Utah National Park road trip. It checks off all five National Parks (plus an extra!) and in the perfect order.

So let us (mostly Phil) help you plan your Utah Road Trip, by following what we did.

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Traveling to Utah

Okay, this is the only part where it might get tricky. Most of you don't live in or near Utah and to do a mega Utah road trip, you have to arrive somehow.

Since we were working in New Mexico at this time we drove but not everyone who reads this is coming from New Mexico. Heck, next time we visit Utah we won't be coming from New Mexico either.

Our readers come from all over, including overseas so we had to brainstorm on some of the best airport options. We found there are three main options for airports

1. Las Vegas
2. Salt Lake City
3. Denver

In our years of traveling, we have flown into all three and trust us when we tell you, Las Vegas is the way to go. Las Vegas is the closest to Zion at only about a 2-3 hour drive and not only that, you get to spend the day in Vegas if you play your cards right! (again great Schaub pun..cause cards and Vegas...you get it)

If you know Phil then you might be thinking "well Phil is obsessed with Vegas so of course, you guys say that". Even if it wasn't for Phil's intense love for Vegas, it's still the way to go.

Starting in Vegas gives a better path to Utah's National Parks and some awesome views. If you decide to fly into either Denver or Salt Lake City you have a long trek to get to your first National Park.

Now, when you're finished with your perfect Utah road trip, we're gonna mix it up on you. You can use the Las Vegas airport for your return flight if you want but we suggest flying out of Salt Lake City.

Here's the deal, you start in Vegas, party there, explore nature in Utah and then wind down with a flight out of Utah. Perfect. Salt Lake City is also significantly closer to your final park than Las Vegas is.

OKAY, now that you made it to Utah, let's get started

Zion National Park

We're starting our road trip strong with STOP ONE...Zion National Park.

This is probably the most popular park in Utah and a perfect place to start. Since Zion is a fan favorite it's the perfect way to begin your vacation.

Zion National Park sets the stage for the other parks by giving you views down below and views up high. It also has a Utah feel to it with the red, brown, and white towering rocks all around you.

It's only a few hours from the Las Vegas airport so you could easily hop off the plane and be hiking later that day! Plus, it was nice getting the most crowded park out of the way first.

Your Time in Zion

Two to Three Days

Make sure to give yourself two or three days in Zion. This way you have plenty of time for several hikes and exploring the town outside the park

Stay in Springdale

Springdale is located just outside the park entrance and there a ton of options to choose from. By staying so close to the park you have faster access to the hikes and more touristy restaurants/stores.

Cannot Miss Hikes

• Angel's Landing
• Watchman Trail
• Riverside Walk to the Narrows

Trust us, skip the full Narrows trail and just check out the end of the trail with the Riverside walk. You still have four other amazing parks and will not miss it.

Bryce National Park

Next park on the trip is Phil's favorite, Bryce Canyon National Park. Bryce is less than two hours away and the route from Zion takes you THROUGH Zion which is another great addition to your road trip.

Another cool thing about going from Zion to Bryce is that they are completely different. You won't feel like you are even in the same state!

Bryce is also one of the less busy parks so you get to stay away from the crowds after being in Zion. The weather is cooler no matter when you go which can be a welcome change after some warmer days in Zion.

Your Time in Bryce

Two Days

You don't need more than two days at Bryce. It's a beautiful park so we get wanting to stay longer but two days gives you time to see just about everything.

Stay in Bryce Canyon City

Bryce Canyon City is all about the park and the place to be when visiting. Everything seems to be centered around the park and adds to your entire vacation.

It's not a big city but you still have hotel options, convenient stores for all your outdoor adventures and places to eat.

Cannot Miss Hikes

• Drive-up the Park Road, stopping at every lookout point
• Navajo Loop/Queens Garden

Zebra Slot Canyon

Zebra Slot Canyon is our curveball in the Ultimate Utah Road Trip. This is technically not a national park but it is in a National Monument (Grand Staircase-Escalante).

It's only a short detour on the way to the next National Park so it would be a waste not to check it out.

You won't even spend a day here but instead, just a is a great day hike between Bryce and Capitol Reef. There are a few hikes in Grand Staircase-Escalante but Zebra Slot Canyon is one of the easier ones to get to.

If you have never hiked a slot canyon before, you will not be disappointed. The experience in Zebra Slot Canyon is vastly different than anything else you will see while on this trip and maybe in your life.

Capitol Reef

Capitol Reef is the least visited of all the Utah National Parks and that is because it is truly in the middle of nowhere. If you choose to do a different order of park visits, going to Capitol Reef could add on 5-10 hours of driving.

This is where our order really helps out. If you drive from Bryce to Zebra Slot Canyon, that is about an hour and a half. If you then travel from Zebra Slot Canyon to Capitol Reef, that is only another hour up the road.

Capitol Reef can often get overlooked or more importantly, cut out of a plan because of it's remote nature. It's a shame because it was one of our favorite parks with some amazing hiking and sights there.

Your Time in Capitol Reef

Two Days

Two days is the perfect amount of time in Capitol Reef. It gives you time for a short and long hike with some left over time for relaxing.

Stay at Capitol Reef Resort

Since we're big fans of exploring but every vacation needs some time for relaxation...it is a vacation after all. Capitol Reef Resort was the luxury we needed after several days of non-stop hiking and driving.

We suggest staying in their cabins for a more luxurious experience but they also have teepee/wagon rentals. The views are amazing here which made the fireplace and hot tub even better.

Cannot Miss Hikes

• Hickman's Bridge
• Navajo Knobs

Canyonlands

Now it's time to head over to Moab for the final two parks. Since Canyonlands is a bit north of Moab it's the perfect stop on your way.

Canyonlands is a big National Park so we focused our time on the "Island in the Sky" district. It's one of the more accessible parts of Canyonlands and has some of the best views.

You will see other canyons on your Utah road trip but the canyons here are better. They are MASSIVE and seem to go on forever.

Your Time in Canyonlands

One Day

This may seem controversial but Canyonlands only needs one day in your Utah National Park road trip. One day of hiking gives you plenty of hikes, plenty of views, and plenty of canyons.

Stay in Moab

We stopped by Canyonlands on our drive from Capitol Reef then stayed the night in Moab. This puts you in the perfect spot for your tomorrow adventures and is a quick drive after a day of hiking in the park.

Cannot Miss Hikes

• Mesa arch
• Aztez Butte
• Upheaval Dome
• Grand Viewpoint

Arches

Your final stop on this amazing Utah Road Trip is Arches National Park. This is a good park to end on because it is stunning.

Arches is also the most unique of the Utah parks because, even though some other parks have larger arches, Arches has a huge amount of arches that you just can't see anywhere else.

Your time in Arches

One to Two Days

Kelsey says one day, Phil says two days. The second day gives you a chance for a sunrise hike so it's more like one and a half days.

Stay in Moab

Moab is great because you stay here after visiting Canyonlands then get to wake up and visit Arches. It's also a big town (for Utah that it) and after spending so much time in the wilderness, you might want some bigger city comforts.

Cannot Miss Hikes

• The Primitive trail/Devils Garden
• Optional: Delicate Arch for Sunrise

Even though we only listed one main hike, keep in mind the whole trail is around 8 miles and takes you to 9 different arches. It's a good bang for your buck

Enjoy Roadtripping through Utah

This might be your first time through Utah or you might have been there many times before. But if you are like us and you are trying to maximize your time spent in nature and minimize your time in the car, our plan for the Ultimate Utah Road Trip is the way to go.

The best part about this order of visits is that you only have to drive about two hours to get from one park to the next. That means instead of spending the whole day in the car, you have more of your day available for hiking. And that's really what this trip is all about right?

One More Thing...

We had to give a little side note that we went on our road trip in February so we could visit the National Parks in the Offseason. We plan a lot of our adventures in the offseason so we can experience nature with fewer crowds.

Since Phil has been in Utah during peak and offseason, we can say with certainty, offseason is better.