What are the best parks in Utah for boomer travelers? All of them! Seriously, depending on interest and ability level, there’s a Utah National Park, state park, or national recreation experience for every active boomer.
What you'll learn about Utah parks from this page
- What are the best parks in Utah?
- Tips for planning a Utah National Park Trip
- Utah Park adventures for you to try
What are the best parks in Utah?
With 5 national parks, 9 national monuments, and 46 state parks, Utah is an active boomer traveler’s dream destination. On our Utah national parks road trips, we’ve soaked in sweeping vistas, photographed mesmerizing sunrises and sunsets plus enjoyed unique adventures without the crowds typical of the national park scene (most of the time). And, of course, we included state parks, national recreation areas, and national forests.
Come back often as we continue to publish first-person reports on Utah national park travel adventures from ourselves and hand-picked guest writers. Be sure to subscribe to the My Itchy Travel Feet Weekly Broadcast to be the first to know!
Tips for planning a Utah National Park trip
What makes a Utah national park good for boomer travelers? In our experience that means beautiful scenery, moderate hikes, fun dirt roads to drive plus an unexpected adventure or two.
When is the best time to visit a national park in Utah? We prefer visiting Utah parks in the spring or fall (shoulder seasons) when the temperatures are pleasant. And, as boomer travelers, we’re all about avoiding crowds. Although uncrowded experiences in U.S. national parks is becoming increasingly hard to find, traveling during the shoulder season helps.
Boomer Travel Tip
Check out our Utah Travel Planner for more resources and tips.
Where are the best places to stay in Utah National Parks? When we’re on a Utah national park road trip, Alan and I leave our luxury ways at home. If there’s a national park lodge, we stay there for the history and proximity to trails and scenery. But you’ll need to book those types of accommodations well in advance.
We’re happy to spend the night in a comfortable bed and breakfast, inn or an occasional luxury resort. We start our search here, then head over to read the reviews at TripAdvisor.
We dream of booking a vacation rental to use as a headquarters (or maybe two or three spread out across the region) to allow for plenty of time for exploring. And this is one area of the country where traveling in an RV travel is a definite plus.
Utah Park adventures for you to try
Check out the Utah parks that Alan and I, along with our guest writers, have experienced first-hand. There’s a lot more of Utah waiting to be explored. You’re going to love these national park adventures!
Discovering Canyonlands National Park
Canyons, mesas, two rivers, deep gorges—boomer travelers won’t know where to look first when visiting Canyonlands National Park. One of the best parks in Utah, Canyonlands has four distinct areas: Island in the Sky, Needles, Maze and the rivers, both the Colorado and the Green. They provide active travel adventures combined with photographic opportunities galore. Situated […]
How to Plan a Canyonlands National Park Photography Itinerary
Is a National Park road trip filled with spectacular photography opportunities on your boomer travel list? If sunrises and sunsets glowing over a vast, rugged landscape inspire you, Alan and I recommend our tips for a self-guided Canyonlands National Park photography itinerary near Moab, Utah. When is the best time for a do-it-yourself Canyonlands National […]
Mesa Arch Sunrise Photography Tips for Boomer Travelers
Are you planning a trip to Canyonlands National Park? During your research, did you see the iconic photo of Mesa Arch framing distant sandstone formations as the rising sun casts an illuminating glow on everything in one of the best Utah parks? Did it inspire you to take the same photo? You don’t have to […]
Peeking Through Nature’s Window at Arches National Park
At Arches National Park near Moab, Utah, boomer travelers will discover 2,000 sandstone arches — the world’s largest concentration of nature’s bridge-building handiwork. Paved roads lead to parking areas where 10-minute walks end at stone formations or arches with names like Balancing Rock, North and South Window or Skyline Arch. Visited at sunrise or sunset, […]
Photo Essay: Nature’s Windows At Arches National Park
Over 2,000 natural sandstone arches fill Arches National Park near Moab, Utah. Active baby boomers will discover them while hiking, biking or car touring in this easy-to-explore national park. And boomer photographers will click that shutter repeatedly to capture the beauty of the arches and surrounding landscape. To photograph the most famous arch in the […]
Capitol Reef: Utah’s Forgotten Park
Have you visited Capitol Reef National Park in Utah? It’s been on our boomer travel list for a long time. After reading this guest article by Kate Convissor of WanderingNotLost, Alan and I are wondering what took us so long to visit one of the best parks in Utah. For sheer natural beauty, southern Utah […]
Hiking to Lower Calf Creek Falls in Grand Staircase-Escalante
Are you looking for a fun hike in Southern Utah? Let me tell you about hiking to Lower Calf Creek Falls. Waterfall hikes are a treat while on an American Southwest adventure in the rugged high desert. Nothing’s better than feeling the spray from a waterfall after a traveling along a hot, sunny trail. It’s […]
Driving the Burr Trail on a Boomer Road Trip in Southern Utah
Utah’s Highway 12 Scenic Byway is a must-drive for fans of the red, beige and golden-colored rock formations found in southern Utah. Not only is Highway 12 a scenic destination in itself, but there are all those off-the-beaten-path experiences, like driving Burr Trail, to make your trip extra special. Alan and I are huge fans […]
Walking Around a Devil’s Garden in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
While roadtripping through southern Utah on Highway 12 Scenic Byway, Alan and I discovered an enchanting land of hoo-doos on a short hike through Devil’s Garden in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. It’s a landscape for wandering and wondering in one of the best parks in Utah. Come along as I show you how to make […]
Explore Dead Horse Point State Park on a Scenic Drive
As beautiful drives go, a Dead Horse Point State Park scenic drive is on the short side. It’s a little over a mile from the Visitor Center to Dead Horse Point Overlook where visitors look down for a gobsmacking view of a gooseneck in the Colorado River while contemplating how this Utah destination got its […]
How to Visit Valley of the Gods in Southeastern Utah
Let me take you on a Valley of the Gods tour, one of my favorite off-the-beaten-path Utah destinations. Alan’s, too. It’s the very best kind of do-it-yourself adventure. If you’ve hung around My Itchy Travel Feet for very long, you know that Alan and I enjoy nothing better than to take the road less traveled. […]
Tips for a Natural Bridges National Monument Scenic Drive
Natural Bridges National Monument, located 35 miles west of Blanding, definitely qualifies as a hidden gem in southeast Utah. It’s a fun American Southwest adventure to add to your next road trip. The national monument offers hiking opportunities to three sandstone land bridges, as well as some of the darkest skies you’ll ever experience for […]
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