Utah

Utah, time to get wierd! Utah holds 5 National Parks, 43 State Parks, and is driving distance to all of the best national parks within the contiguous US.

Cost: Typical Meal: $8 - $18 , Hostel: ~$30 - $50, Beer: $4 - $7

Ease of Travel: Busses are an option, but you should get a car so you don't have to rely on limited routes and schedules.

Food: Salt Lake City food is surprisingly great! They have a lot of diverse resturants, and I think it's because of the Mormons bring it back from their missions.

Safety: Quite safe compared to other US states. Just have water wherever you go, beacause many parts of Utah are quite remote.

Cultural Friendliness: Utah is a mix of weird outdoorsy hippy freaks and Mormans. I love it, it's like a ying and yang balance within the states coexistence of cultures.

Things to do: A hillbillys paridise. This state truly has it all when it comes to being in the oudoors! Hiking, Skiing, Moutain Biking, Skydiving, Rock Climbing, etc.

Utah Itinerary

Where to go

Ordered by my personal overall experiences.

  1. Moab

Moab, a nature lover's Paradise. This place is extremely wild and beautiful! Moab Features 2 national parks (Arches and Canyonlands), and 1 state park (Deadhorse), making there plenty to do for hikers and sightseers. These parks offer some of the most vast viewpoints in all of the country, with Canyonlands and Deadhorse easily rivaling the Grand Canyon.


Other than visiting national parks, there’s an abundant of things to do here. Hiking, Mountain biking, Rock Climbing, Skydiving, Motorbiking, Dunebuggying, Jeep Trails, etc.


Moab it the best place in the world for some of these activities. For example,

the Whole Enchilada, a mountain bike I back in 2020 was one of the best rides in my whole life! Half way down the mountain I landed ass first into a cactus, and I had to ride down the service road with nothing on but a sweatshirt rapped around my frontside. I was lucky enough to get the needles out and finish the trail the next day!


John's Must Do's:

  • Hike Fisher Towers

  • Hike Devils Garden

  • Drive Hwy 128 Scenic Byway


Time Needed Here: 3-5 days minimum

Things to Bring:

2. Zion

Surrounding red cliffs shoot out from the ground and tower above you in every direction. A truly stunning place that has to be on your bucket list. However, a lot of people visit, so go early and plan ahead for accommodation. La Verkin, around 30 minutes outside of the park has some good accommodation on airbnb. Otherwise, there is a ton of free camping all around the region.


Lake that had a great vibe to it. It featured a diving rock where tons of people would jump off from various elevations. Get here early in the summer months because capacity can fill up


John's Must Do's:

  • Angels Landing (Permit Needed, check the national parks app or website for reservations.


Time Needed Here: 2-3 days

3. Bryce Canyon

Hoodoos on Hoodoos. Bryce Canyon may be the most unique national park in the country. It’s not a big park, but it seems like there are endless hikes and viewpoints that showcase its bright orange cylindrical rock formations. If you are in southern Utah, it is definitely worth the stop here.

Also, there are plenty of free camping just outside the park, check on the IOverLander App for where you can do this.


John's Must Do's:

  • Wall Street and Queens Garden Loop


Time Needed Here: 1-2 days

4. Salt Lake City

A beautiful city that sits on the doorstep of some of the most offering mountains in the country! Skiing, mountain biking and hiking are some of the most popular activities here, and it only takes around 30 minutes to drive there from the city. The culture seems to be a mix of very outdoorsy people and Mormons. This brings great fun and great food! I honestly think Salt Lake City is one of the best foodie cities in the US. The amount of foreign cuisine for a city in the center of the country is unbelievable. Be sure to try Cupbop (a Korean chipotle) while your here!

John's Reccomended Things to do:

  • The Living Room Hike

  • Walk/bike around Liberty Park (The most beautiful city park I've ever been to)

  • Go inside the Utah State Capital Building

  • Walk around Memorial Grove Park

  • Witness a Liberty Park Drum Circle on Sundays

  • Have a beer at Piper Down


Time Needed Here: 1-3 days

5. Capital Reef National Park

The least visited National Park in Utah, but also one of the most unique. It has features similar to all of the national parks in the state as it's located in the middle of all 4 of them.

I definitly think this is one of the most underated parks in the country. Similar National Parks around the state get way more visitors, for similar views.

Best Hikes:

  • Chimney Rock Trailhead to Capital Reef National Park Visitor Center Via Sulphur Creek Trail. (Technically Difficult)

    • Expect to get wet, especcially in the spring.

  • Golden Throne

6. Snow Canyon State Park

My favorite State park in the Country. Snow Canyon is like a mini ZIon without the crowd. Located within an hour driving from Zion, this park features colorful cliff views and rare underground volcanic caves.

7. Goblin Valley State Park

A bunch of red rock mushrooms. This small park in Utah is really unique and if you move to Utah you move to Utah you definitly should visit. However, when I was there on a weekend in April, it took cars multiple hours to just enter the park because of limited parking. I road my bike in which is a major hack for this place if you want to visit.

This isn't a must, but its a cool day trip if you are in the area.