For almost
unlimited canyon landscapes and some of the most amazing scenery in the country,
you'll find Utah has it all! With five national parks, Utah is second only to
Alaska and California, and each one is as impressive as the last!
The place to start
is the Canyonlands National Park, and it really lives up to its name. The park
is filled with canyons, mesas, gorges and more that create a natural maze
waiting for you to explore by hiking through. You’ll find rugged landscapes,
like the Needles and the Maze areas where hiking is more demanding or wander
off into the backcountry for a few days of primitive camping. The option’s also
there to just take it easy and drive to some of the scenic overlooks. The
choice is yours!
Canyonlands isn't
all stone though. You can cool off in the Colorado River that runs through the
park, and enjoy some swimming, canoeing 
or a little white-water rafting.
Not far from
Canyonlands, is the Arches National Park, home to thousands of natural
sandstone arches. Take a hike through 7 miles of Devil's Garden, and lose
yourself in the high "fins" of stone. For more canyon sights, hit the
Bryce Canyon National Park and the Monument Valley Tribal Park. The latter is
the home of the Navajo in a landscape that was made famous by John Ford
Westerns and Marlboro Man advertising! Dead Horse Point State Park isn't as
large as the 
others, but the views are still amazing, making this another
recommended stop on your Utah road trip. You can look over the Colorado River
from 2,000 feet up and even if you only stop to take photos, you have to stop! And you can't forget Zion National Park and its stunning vistas!
If you're heading
out to the canyons for some outdoor fun, you should consider coming in through
the town of Moab. It's near several of these parks, not to mention it has its
own collection of country hiking trails and ATV tracks. Another town you should
visit is Park City, especially if you want to get away from the sand and hit
the slopes. There are great skiing facilities around Park City, not to mention
hiking, swimming, horse-back riding and more.
