6-Day Utah National Parks RV Road Trip: Mighty Five Adventure

Utah’s “Mighty Five” — Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Arches, and Canyonlands — are all within about 400 miles of each other, but the drives between them are long and the parks sit at different elevations. Six days is a real stretch; a sensible loop runs Zion → Bryce → Capitol Reef → Arches/Canyonlands, with most camping inside or just outside the parks. Book campgrounds six months out — in-park sites are limited and summer fills fast.

Photo by Alex Azabache on Unsplash

Day 1: Zion National Park

• Camp: Watchman Campground (in the park, some electric sites, books 6 months out) or a private park in Springdale just outside the gate.
• Do: ride the mandatory shuttle up Zion Canyon; walk the Riverside Walk toward the Narrows; watch sunset at Canyon Junction Bridge.
• Note: private vehicles are banned on the main canyon road in season — you park and shuttle.

Day 2: Bryce Canyon National Park

• Drive: about 1.5–2 hours northeast via US-89 and SR-12.
• Camp: North or Sunset Campground (in-park, no hookups, books 6 months out) or Ruby’s Inn RV Park outside the gate (hookups).
• Do: the Rim Trail and the Navajo Loop down among the hoodoos; Bryce sits at 8,000–9,000 feet, so it is cooler than Zion.

Day 3: Capitol Reef National Park

• Drive: about 2 hours east on SR-12, one of the most scenic highways in the country (check the length of pullouts with a big rig).
• Camp: Fruita Campground (in-park, along a stream, no hookups, first-come and reserve) or Torrey private parks.
• Do: the scenic drive, the Fruita historic orchard (pick fruit in season), and the Gifford Homestead.

Day 4: Drive to Moab — Arches

• Drive: about 3.5 hours from Capitol Reef to Moab via I-70 and US-191.
• Camp: Devils Garden Campground (in Arches, no hookups, books 6 months out) or Moab private parks with hookups.
• Do: at Arches, walk to Delicate Arch (3 miles round trip) or the shorter Windows loop; enter early — the park caps entry at peak times.

Day 5: Canyonlands (Island in the Sky)

• Drive: 30 minutes from Moab to the Island in the Sky district.
• Do: the Grand View Point and Mesa Arch short walks; the Needles district is 2+ hours south and too far for this loop.
• Evening: back to Moab for services, fuel, and a real shower.

Day 6: Return or Extend

• Head west to Salt Lake City (4 hours) or Las Vegas (6.5 hours) to drop the RV, or add a day at any park you shorted.

RV Notes

• Hookups: only private parks (Springdale, Ruby’s, Torrey, Moab) offer them; in-park sites are mostly dry. Plan water and power.
• Length: in-park campgrounds cap rigs around 30–35 feet; check the site length.
• Heat: summer highs at Arches and Canyonlands pass 100°F; do strenuous walks at dawn.
• Fuel: fill up in towns (Springdale, Bryce, Torrey, Moab); distances between services are long.

See the national park RV camping guide and the RV Trip Budget Calculator.