America's Southwest: A Grand Circle Road Trip

Arches National Park

Thousands of natural sandstone arches in the eastern Utah desert

Near the Colorado - Utah border lies Arches National Park. Thousand of sandstone arches have been created via a long process of erosion. A large salt bed just underneath Arches pushed up the rock sandstone layer thousands of years ago, causing the layer to become exposed to the windy, dry elements of the Utah desert. Over time, wind and water carved strange formations like famous Delicate Arch, or the world's longest arch, Landscape Arch.

Arches is adjacent to the town of Moab. This small town is the ideal stopping point on your road trip to see both Arches and Canyonlands. Like most of the southwest, this area can be extremely hot in the peak summer months, so plan light early morning and late afternoon hikes during that time of year.

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Arches National ParkYour curiosity will be aroused as you explore the elusive arch formations of Utah. Bring your camera and lots of water, there are many long, memorable hikes here.

Bryce Canyon National Park

Explore the hoodoos and rock formations of Bryce

As your journey around the circle continues, you'll enter the region of southeast Utah, and the Bryce-Zion region. These two parks are almost always coupled together in trip booking because of their proximity. Bryce Canyon is a large ampitheatre, a product of water and wind erosion, that has resulted in thousands of red-orange rock spires called hoodoos.

The rocks of Bryce are best seen during dawn or dusk, as the colors best compliment the rocks. This park can get very busy during the peak summer months as kids get out of school, so plan your trip before mid June or after Labor Day if possible.

Bryce Canyon National Park
Hike the nature trails around the rim of the hoodoos of Bryce to get a glimpse of the canyon from all angles, or find out where to stay near the park.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison

The deep canyon of Colorado's Gunnison River

Black Canyon of the Gunnison was just made a National Park in 1999, so it's a rather recent addition to the National Park system. A giant slice in th earth can be found at Black Canyon, with the Gunnison River a massive 2700 feet below. The deep, black marbled walls look very different than other canyons in the area. The top of the canyon is surrounded by grass and trees, and the width of the canyon almost makes it hidden from a distance.

Black Canyon is nearest to the towns of Aspen and Grand Junction in southeast Colorado, tourist attractions in their own right. Wineries and skiing resorts keep those areas bustling with activity all year, and would make an enjoyable side trip on your Grand Circle route.

Black Canyon of the GunnisonDeep, black canyons leave a lasting impression as the dark granite walls plunge into the Gunnison River 1/2 mile below.

Canyonlands National Park

Vast, wide canyons and incredible hiking in Moab's Canyonlands

The scenery goes on for an eternity into the horizon, and it almost seems imaginary. You can't help but be reminded of prehistoric times in this vast, deserted land that's been carved over millions of years by the Colorado River into four distinct areas. The regions are Island in the Sky, the Needles, the Maze and the rivers regions. Some of the best mountain biking and hiking in the country can be found here, as well as photography.

Canyonlands is located in southern Utah, near Arches National Park, and just outside of Moab. Plan to spend a day at Canyonlands itself, and also a day at Arches. The parks are too big to glance over in just an hour or two, and are best experienced through hiking.

Canyonlands National ParkIf you've ever wondered how the Grand Canyon was created, you can get a good idea at Canyonlands. The Colorado River is in progress of creating another masterpiece of nature in southern Utah.

Chaco Culture National Historic Park

The protected Puebloan Four Corners area of New Mexico

New Mexico's Chaco Culture Historic Park preserves the rich Puebloan people's culture. The area has thousands of historical buildings built by this culture, impressively aligned to astrological cycles of the sun and moon. Tour the ruins of the massive Pueblo Bonita, or view over a millions Chaco artifacts at the Chaco Culture Museum Collection in Albuquerque.

The Chaco canyon area was inhabited until the land experienced a drought, and the people migrated to different areas. This was between 1150-1400 AD, before Spanish explorers came to the continent.

Grand Canyon

The most famous attraction within the Grand Circle

The beautiful Grand Canyon is one of the wonders of the world, and the perfect destination on your Grand Circle road trip. The National Park contains the majority of the gorge, but the northern rim affords even more dramatic panoramic views. The southern rim is largely viewable via major roads that run near the rim, with pulloffs and scenic roads to explore, hike and camp.

The Northern rim is a remote destination, and at least 1/2 day drive from the southern rim. Hooking around the canyon, you will see some of the great views of Marble Canyon and skirt close to Lake Powell along the way.

The Grand CanyonThe Grand Canyon is one of the wonders of the world, with an unforgettable hiking, photography, and road trip experience.

Great Basin National Park

A land of big extremes in southwest Nevada

Great Basin National Park is located on the Utah border in Nevada, and is an area of great extremes. The massive Mount Wheeler sits over 2.5 miles above sea level, and is capped with snow much of the year. At the base of the mountain, the land turns into arid desert. Beneath the ground, an eleborate system of caves of stalagmites and stalactites grow from the ceilings and floor of Lehman Caves.

Great Basin National ParkGreat Basin National Park contains the beautiful underground Lehman's Cave, and the mammoth peak of Mount Wheeler. Hike the area from its 13,000 feet peak, to beneath the earth's surface.

Mesa Verde National Park

View the ancient ruins of Cliff Palace in Colorado

Near the southwest corner of Colorado's border, the Mesa Verde National Park area was preserved to protect the ruins of Cliff Palace, and the other surrounding Puebloan ruins of the area. Sitting high atop a mesa, the area is remote, and was not protected until the early 1900's. Before that time, the ruins were prone to much pillage and vandalism. Today, the ruins have been partially restored and cleaned to resemble the way they looked prior.

Mesa Verde National ParkRemnants of a long lost culture can be found in the Colorado ruins of Mesa Verde National Park. Visit to gaze upon the incredible Puebloan Cliff Palace and ancient petroglyphs.

Zion National Park

Southern Utah's enclosed canyon carved by the Virgin River

The Virgin River has done some spectacular work, leaving us with the giant canyon of Zion, in southern Utah. The canyon extends deep within the mountain range surrounding the river, as it gets slimmer and slimmer as it heads into the section known as "The Narrows." This section is one of the ultimate challenges for hikers, as parts of it may require swimming.

The canyon extends outside of the park boundaries into nearby Springdale Utah, which has extraordinary views of the canyon walls and red rocks. Directly before or after your trip to Zion, you will most likely want to head to Bryce Canyon, which is only around 72 miles away.

Zion National ParkThe majestic Zion region has been eroded over time by the Virgin River, which slims down to the challenging hiking area of the Narrows.

Capitol Reef National Park

Central Utah's untouched Waterpocket Fold

Deep in the heart of Utah lies Capitol Reef National Park, a 100 mile long wrinkle in the earth's crust. This elevated plateau-like area is recognizable from quite some distance, as the flat desert rises from the ground abruptly. Canyons, domes and buttes can be found in this undisturbed southwestern gem. Few roads lead through the actual park, except State route 24. This makes the park a true representation of what Utah looked like long ago, and remains. You won't find crowds making your stay uncomfortable, since the majority of the park is accessible only by hiking.

Capitol Reef National ParkA 70 mile wrinkle in the earth's crust resulted in the massive Capitol Reef area and National Park. Giant sandstone domes line the tops of this beautiful Utah plateau.

Monument Valley

The famous Four Corners Navajo landscape

Whether you've been there or not, it's most likely that you've seen Monument Valley on television advertisements or in magazines. The gigantic "mitten" buttes lie in the desert expanse known as Monument Valley (which actually isn't really a valley). The tall sandstone buttes have been carved by wind erosion over thousands of years to their current towering shapes.

Getting to Monument Valley is an easy straight ride, but a long one. On Highway 163 in Arizona, the area is northeast of the Grand Canyon, and south of Canyonlands.

Monument ValleyAn iconic image of the southwest, Monument Valley is now under Navajo rule. The park has extraordinary views of the awe inspiring Mittens and surrounding desert.

Glen Canyon Recreation Area

The man made lake derived from the Colorado River

Glen Canyon Recreation Area is an artificially created damned up section of the Colorado River that has formed the giant Lake Powell. With little to no vegetation, the area is unique in appearance for its crystal clear blue water and contrasting bright red rocks. The area is a huge attraction for Arizona and Utah residents for boating, with marinas directly on the lake. The artificial lake is evaporating, with the shoreline receding. North of Grand Canyon and south of many of Utah's National Parks, the area is definitely worth the visit for its beautiful appearance and boating.

More Photos of the Lake Powell and Glen Canyon National Recreation Area

The canyons, petroglyphs, buttes, and red stone walls of Arizona's Lake Powell

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument

Utah's 1.7 million acre wilderness

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument was just declared in 1996 as a National Monument. The area is 1.7 million acres of fossil rich territory, with high cliffs, low canyons, and desert wildlife. The monument can be seen on a drive to Bryce Canyon along the backroads, and explored by foot. The area is well known for its multicolor sandstone walls, which have stripes of red, purple, brown, yellow and white, indicating different periods of time in the earth's history.

Antelope Canyon

The specatacular slot canyons of Page, Arizona

Arguably, Antelope Canyon is one of the most photogenic areas of the southwest. These narrow corkscrew slot canyons are part of the Navajo nation, and are divided into two sections, Upper Antelope Canyon and Lower Antelope Canyon. Beams of light shine down into the canyon during the middle of the day during the summer months, as the walls display beautiful red and brown earth tones.

The Upper Canyon is where you can witness these beams of light, while the Lower Canyon is less visited and a more strenuous hike. Flash floods are a threat in this canyon, so precautions must be taken to avoid rainy days, even when rain has fallen recently in the area.

Canyon de Chelly

The protected Arizona region of Navajo Nation

Canyon de Chelly is an area of Navajo Nation of Arizona, including Canyon de Chelly, del Muerto, and Monument canyons. The area is part of the NPS, however, the Canyon de Chelly floor is only accessible through guided ranger hike. The main attraction of the park is towering Spider Rock, a huge rock tower in the middle of Canyon de Chelly.

Sunset Crater National Monument

A rich volcanic history at the Arizona cinder cone of Sunset Crater

If you hadn't known better, you would think that the cinder cone of Sunset Crater National Monument had just erupted last year. The last known eruption occurred around 1064 AD, making the rock very young at only 950 years! Located north of Flagstaff, Sunset Crater National Monument is located close to the Petrified Forest National Park, and Grand Canyon.

Marble Canyon

The Colorado River's gateway to the Grand Canyon

Marble Canyon is part of Grand Canyon National Park, and is famous for its Navajo bridge, which spans the gap of the Colorado River, allowing Route 89A to pass over it. The Grand Canyon starts just down the river. The walls of the canyon looks like stacked bricks, with a near vertical wall that heads down to the canyon.

Petrified Forest National Park

Visit the amazing prehistoric petrified logs of this Arizona National Park

In the northeast of Arizona, you won't find any living trees in the Painted Desert badlands of Petrified Forest National Park. Millions of pieces of petrified wood line the desert floor, some large, some small. This area was once a lush tropical region, and also a bed of volcanic activity. The logs from some of these trees (which are extinct in the northern hemisphere) over time were washed into ravines and buried under volcanic ash and gravel. Other volcanic rock replaced the buried wood, and over millions of years, became the petrified wood (which is actually now rock) that you can see in the park. Remarkable brightly "painted" hills line the outside of the desert area. Also in the park is the Agate House, a Native American house made of petrified wood, and petroglyph panels dating back to approximately between 1000 A.D. and 1300 A.D.

Valley of the Gods

The isolated and rustic Four Corners mesas in Utah

Looking for a true, rustic southwest experience off the beaten path? You can't get much more rugged or rough than the Valley of the Gods. Small canyons, buttes, cliffs, and sandstone mesas can be found in this deserted area which can only be accessed via a 17 mile long dirt road north of Bluff, Utah.

Havasu Falls

The Grand Canyon's famed beautiful crystal clear blue waterfalls

Havasu Falls is a set of waterfalls found near the Grand Canyon. The colorful brownish orange rocks contrast beautifully with the crystal clear blue-green water, which is tinted by algae. The area can be accessed via a long hike to the remote area, but is well worth the strain!

Window Rock

The headquarters of Navajo nation

Window Rock is the the headquarters of present day Navajo Nation, and the scenic landmark of the giant sandstone rock seen below. The sandstone has a giant window in the middle of it, and has the town of Window Rock named after it. It can be found on the Arizona - New Mexico border, northeast of Flagstaff, and northwest of Albuquerque.

Goblin Valley

The sandstone hoodoos of the strange Goblin Valley

Like Bryce Canyon and Cedar Breaks, Goblin Valley is comprised of thousands of rock formations called hoodoos. In this case, the hoodoos are small in comparison to Bryce and Cedar Breaks, but make for an impressive hike and interesting experience. Goblin Valley is a state park in central Utah, near Capitol Reef National Park and the Green River. The sandstone "goblins" make for excellent photography and a moderate hike.

Coral Pink Sand Dunes

The colorful dunes of Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park

Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park in southern Utah may rival the dunes of Death Valley. These pink sand hills were formed from the eroded cliffs that surround the valley, and are a popular attraction for ATV riders. The warm reddish pink tones are best photographed later or earlier in the day, when the sun will warm the colors even further.

Kodachrome Basin State Park

The tall chimney formations of Kodachrome

Only miles east of Bryce Canyon you will find the impressive sandstone chimneys of Kodachrome Basin State Park. This is an easy stop on your Grand Circle road trip that won't take a lot of time to complete. These chimneys are thought to be the result of geysers that solidified with hard rock, as the soft sandstone around it withered away, leaving the chimney.

Cedar Breaks National Monument

The beautiful red cliffs and amphitheater area of southern Utah

Cedar Breaks National Monument is an easy drive from Cedar City. The colors of the amphitheater are remarkable, and it's another easy stop on your trip throughout the Grand Circle. The hoodoos and rock spire formations are similar to Bryce Canyon, but often not as crowded. Cedar City has many accomodations and hotels to choose from as you plan your trip to Bryce and Zion.