Five Utah National Parks - Explore southern Utah

Living in Southern Utah, we are blessed to be within close driving distance to some of the most beautiful scenery in the country. Within the state of Utah, there are five National Parks. Here are the five Utah National Parks near southern Utah!

Zion National Park

Zion National Park is approximately an hour from Cedar City. This park is known for its beautiful, tall red rock mountains. Zion’s most popular hike is the Angel’s Landing hike, which is one of the more strenuous hikes that Zion offers. Other hikes include the Canyon Overlook Trail, the Lower Pool Emerald Trail, the Grotto Trail, and more!

Bryce Canyon National Park

Bryce Canyon National Park is located at a much higher altitude than Zion and is known for its hoodoos (irregular rock columns) and natural amphitheaters. The four main viewpoints in Bryce are Bryce Point, Sunset Point, Inspiration Point, and Sunrise Point. Besides having great trails for hiking and horseback riding, visitors can also take part in the Bryce Canyon ranger programs and the astronomy and night sky programs.

Arches National Park

Arches National Park is right outside of Moab, Utah and has over 2,000 natural stone arches! Some of the fun adventure activities that you can do at Arches include auto touring, backpacking, bicycling, rock climbing, star gazing, and more! On the Arches National Park website, the main places that they suggest to explore (in the park) are Courthouse Towers, Balanced Rock, The Windows Section, Delicate Arch, and Devils Garden.

Canyonlands National Park

Canyonlands National Park is divided by rivers to create the four sections of the park: Island in the Sky, The Maze, The Needles, and the Rivers themselves. The four sections (districts) of this park are divided by the Green River and the Colorado River. Flatwater and whitewater trips on the Green River or the Colorado River in Cataract Canyon are a great way to enjoy fun water sports and also see a beautiful section of the park.

Capitol Reef National Park

Capitol Reef National Park is located in the Waterpocket Fold, a geologic monocline (a wrinkle on the earth) that goes for 100 miles. One of the most unique aspects of this park is that there are orchards planted within a mile of the Capitol Reef Visitors Center and visitors can wander the orchards and pick fruit (when “U-Pick Fruit” signs are put up by park staff). For more information about orchard regulations, please visit the Capitol Reef National Park website. Besides orchards, this Utah National Park also offers great hiking trails, bouldering, canyoneering, campground camping, and more!

About Settler’s Square

In name and value, Settler’s Square honors the rich pioneering history of Enoch, Utah. Even though Enoch is now the second largest community in Iron County, it continues to maintain the charm of a small town. Settler’s Square offers pre-built and semi-custom homes by Alex Meisner Construction. Choose the lot, floorplan, and design package that’s perfect for you! Contact Jenny Vossler – ERA Realty Center at (435) 559-1260 or [email protected] for more information.