National parks of the Southwest

The areas

1. Las Vegas & Valley of Fire

   Most loops start in Las Vegas with its car and RV rental stations. An hour to the northeast, Valley of Fire State Park glows red; to the east lie Hoover Dam and Lake Mead.

   • Black Canyon of the Colorado Canyon
     A gorge along the Colorado River where the Hoover Dam was built, backing up the water into a long reservoir.
   • El Dorado Canyon Canyon
   • Carpenter Canyon Canyon

2. Zion & Bryce Canyon

   Zion is a narrow canyon with steep walls. In the main season a free shuttle runs through Zion Canyon – private cars cannot drive in then. Bryce Canyon is an hour and a half away and much higher: thousands of hoodoos, best at sunrise, and often chilly at night.

   • Cedar Breaks National Monument National monument
     A deeply eroded rock amphitheater with colorful limestone formations, protected since 1933.
   • Pipe Spring National Monument National monument
     A historic fort built around a natural spring, set within the traditional lands of the Kaibab Paiute.
   • Kolob Arch Natural arch
     A freestanding sandstone arch set deep in a remote canyon within Zion National Park, Utah.
   • Zion Canyon Canyon
     Steep red sandstone walls line this Utah canyon, carved by the Virgin River.
   • Red Canyon Canyon
   • Little Salt Lake Lake

3. Capitol Reef & Scenic Byway 12

   Highway 12 from Bryce to Capitol Reef is one of the most beautiful drives in the US. Capitol Reef is quieter than the big parks – with the old orchards of the Mormon settlement of Fruita and petroglyphs.

   • Capitol Reef National Park National park
     Colorful rock formations and a massive fold in the earth's crust run through this park in Utah, established in 1937.
   • Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument National monument
     A vast expanse of desert and canyon terrain in southern Utah, marked by rugged cliffs and deep gorges, protected since 1996.
   • Fish Lake Lake
     Surrounded by forested slopes, this lake sits at the heart of Sevier County, Utah.
   • Hickman Natural Bridge Natural arch
     A naturally formed arch of stone in Capitol Reef National Park in Utah, shaped by centuries of erosion.
   • Cassidys Arch Natural arch
   • Metate Arch Natural arch

4. Moab: Arches & Canyonlands

   Arches has more than 2,000 natural stone arches, including Delicate Arch. In 2026 Arches no longer needs a timed-entry reservation, but the park closes areas when car parks fill up – arrive early. Canyonlands with the Island in the Sky viewpoints is half an hour away.

   • Canyonlands National Park National park
     Deep canyons of red rock carved by the Colorado River and its tributaries in the Utah desert.
   • Landscape Arch Natural arch
     This extremely thin, wide-spanning sandstone arch in Arches National Park ranks among the longest natural arches anywhere.
   • Double Arch Natural arch
     Two intertwined stone arches rise from the red sandstone of Arches National Park in Utah.
   • Bluejohn Canyon Canyon
     Narrow, winding sandstone walls form this slot canyon in the desert terrain of Utah.
   • Double O Arch Natural arch
     This rare pair of adjoining natural arches in Arches National Park was shaped by centuries of sandstone erosion.
   • Druid Arch Natural arch
     A slender rock arch in Canyonlands National Park, reached via a trail through narrow sandstone canyons.

5. Monument Valley & Page

   Monument Valley is not a national park but a Navajo Nation park with its own entry fee. Near Page are Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon – which you may only enter on a guided Navajo tour, so book ahead.

   • Rainbow Bridge National Monument National monument
     A massive natural sandstone arch rises above a narrow canyon in southern Utah.
   • Glen Canyon Canyon
     Sandstone cliffs and deeply carved side canyons mark this stretch of the Colorado River between Utah and Arizona.
   • Navajo National Monument National monument
     Protected since 1909, this site preserves ancestral cliff dwellings set within the rugged canyon country of northern Arizona.
   • Natural Bridges National Monument National monument
     Established in 1908, this protected area in Utah preserves three large natural bridges carved from red sandstone.
   • Vermilion Cliffs National Monument National monument
     Rugged red rock formations and vast, untouched desert landscape in northern Arizona.
   • Marble Canyon Canyon
     Steep rock walls line the Colorado River between Lee's Ferry and the confluence with the Little Colorado River.

6. Grand Canyon

   The South Rim is open all year with viewpoints along a long rim road, served by shuttle buses in summer. The North Rim reopened on 15 May 2026 after the 2025 wildfire (season usually until mid-October), but without lodging, drinking water or fuel inside the park.

   • Grandview Point Scenic viewpoint
   • Cocopa Point Scenic viewpoint

Under each area: the best-known national parks, monuments, state parks, canyons and viewpoints from our collection. All sights →

When to go

Pleasant in every city: Apr–May, Oct.

The parks lie between about 1,000 and over 2,500 m: in summer the low canyons are very hot, in winter it can snow up high. Spring and autumn are ideal – but book early.

pleasant fine so-so (cool or wet) hot cold Number = average daily high (2015–2024)

Good to know with kids

• Park pass: with several national parks, an annual pass pays off. Since 2026, visitors who do not live in the US pay higher prices and a surcharge in some parks – details on our trip preparation page.
• Start early: car parks at the famous viewpoints fill up from late morning. Sunrise and sunset give the best light anyway.
• Water and heat: carry several litres per person per day. In summer, hike into deep canyons only in the morning – descending into the Grand Canyon it gets hotter with every metre.
• Fuel: there are long stretches without fuel between Capitol Reef, Monument Valley and the North Rim – fill up at half a tank.
• Lodging: lodges and campgrounds inside the parks are often booked out months ahead – especially Zion, Bryce and the South Rim.
• Current conditions: closures after storms or fires are common – check the National Park Service page before every park visit.

USA trip checklist →

Sample routes

• Südwesten mit dem Wohnmobil: 10 Tage Nationalparks ab Las Vegas 10 Days · 1,150 mi

All sample routes →