Top 5 Bucket List Destinations in Arizona and Utah

A road trip through Arizona and Utah is one of the most iconic in America.   With so many national parks and other amazing sights, the Southwest is one of the most visited areas in the country.  If you’re planning a trip, you have to add these five bucket list destinations to your itinerary.

• Saguaro National Park-Tucson, AZ

Located in Tucson, Arizona, Saguaro National Park is home to the giant saguaro.  Not only does this park have hundreds of cacti with beautiful mountains as their backdrop, it also provides visitors with many hiking trails, bike routes, and a drivable loop for easy sightseeing.  

This park has two entrances: the Rincon Mountain District and the Tucson Mountain District.  Like most national parks, Saguaro National Park requires a park pass.  A weekly pass can be obtained at the front entrance for $25, however, we recommend the America the Beautiful Pass.  Especially on a trip where you’ll be visiting multiple parks, this pass is a cost-effective option.  It is an annual pass that can be purchased online for $80.  It’s best to purchase it about a month before your trip, because processing and shipping can take a few weeks.

Rincon Mountain District

3693 S. Old Spanish Trail, Tucson, Arizona 85730

Tucson Mountain District

2700 Kinley Road, Tucson, Arizona 85743

• Horseshoe Bend-Page, AZ

Located in Page, AZ, Horseshoe Bend is a magnificent sight.  The Colorado River flows around the canyon’s bend and offers visitors expansive views.  This is not a national park, so you can’t use your park pass, but parking is only $10.  The hike is a short .6 mile from the parking lot, and the trail is well maintained.  There is a fenced in viewing area at the top, but visitors can walk around it and go right up to the edge.  While I was standing on a ledge, a kind man let me know that it was very thin underneath and probably not the best for standing.  Be careful when walking around, as sandstone can break easily due to weathering. Early mornings are the best time to visit to avoid crowds.   We went in the middle of the day, and it was very crowded.  However, you can easily find a spot to take it all in away from other tourists.

Highway 89, Page, Arizona 86040

• The Grand Canyon

You can’t drive through Arizona without stopping at the Grand Canyon.  Like Saguaro National Park, the Grand Canyon has two entrances-the North Rim and the South Rim.  The North Rim is only open from May to October, so we could only visit the South Rim at the time of our trip. Each entrance is about 4 and a half hours apart, so keep this in mind if you plan to visit both sides of the park.  We would have loved to hike more here, but unfortunately due to road closures our day trip turned into a short evening.  We chose to hike part of the Rim Trail which is a paved walkway with several overlooks and viewpoints.  The trail is a total of 13 miles, and we hiked about 3 before it got dark.  We loved seeing the canyon change colors as the sun set and even hiked through some snow.  You can use your annual park pass here or purchase a weekly pass for $35.

Visit http://thecanyon.com for directions to the North and South Rim entrances.

• Arches National Park

Finally in Utah!  Arches National Park is one park that we could visit over and over again.  A weekly pass is $30.  (See why we recommend an annual pass to all of America’s national parks?)  If you plan to visit between April 3-October 3 of 2022, you will also need a timed entry reservation when entering the park from 6am to 5pm.  These tickets are $2.00 and can be purchased on recreation.gov.  In addition to your park pass, you will also need to show this reservation at the entrance.  We chose to hike to Double Arch and Delicate Arch on our visit.  Double Arch is a short half mile round trip hike, while Delicate Arch is 3 miles roundtrip and more strenuous. 

We hiked Delicate Arch and got to the top right before sunset.  It’s a popular photo spot and while there’s normally a line for photos, it’s nice because the people behind you can snap a quick photo or two for you. There is also a ledge below the main viewing area that is great for pictures, and a ledge up to the left of the main viewing area.  We chose to climb to the upper ledge and sit while we waited for sunset.  A man played bagpipes as the sun was setting, and it was a moment we will never forget.  It also happened to be our anniversary which made it even more memorable.  We hiked down in the dark by the light of everyone’s phone flashlights and stargazed in the parking lot.  Arches National Park is a dark sky park and ideal for stargazing, especially on moonless nights.

Arches National Park

N Highway 191, Moab, Utah, 84532

We ended our night with a stay at the Hoodoo Moab a short 15 miles away. A beautiful modern hotel with luxury amenities, the Hoodoo Moab is a perfect place to stay near Arches National Park.

Hoodoo Moab

111 N. 100 West, Moab, Utah, 84532

• Bonneville Salt Flats

The Bonneville Salt Flats is a place like no other.  In what seems like the middle of nowhere, this flat surface of salt looks like another planet.  It is a popular spot for photographers, and we met two of the sweetest who took some pictures of us while we were there.  There is limited parking, but you can drive onto the flats.  Driving onto the flats is not recommended when water is covering the flats.  The best time for driving on the flats is from late June to October.  We visited in March, and some areas were wet.  We drove from Provo, Utah for an evening visit and it took us about two hours to get there.  We took some pictures at sunset, and they turned out to be some of our favorites.  Make sure you fill up your gas tank before heading out here!  There are bathrooms next to the parking area. 

Exit 4 Interstate 80, Wendover, Utah, 84083

Bonus Stop-The UP House

We couldn’t visit Salt Lake City without seeing the real-life house from the Disney movie, UP.  Featured in the Parade of Homes, this house is an exact replica of Carl and Ellie’s home.  While a quick visit and one or two photos are allowed here, this is someone’s home.  The owners have a great website with guidelines for visiting. Visit therealuphouse.com for more information. 

13218 S Herriman Rose Boulevard, Herriman, Utah 84096

Our road trip through Arizona and Utah was amazing.  We were able to cross so many destinations off our bucket list in one trip and enjoyed every bit of it.  For a full guide to Arizona, click here.  For a full guide to Utah, click here.