Utah Photography Road Trip: 10-day Itinerary And Guide

In the past few years, I've focused my photography travels and adventures on locations within the United States. There's just so much natural beauty in the country, waiting for me to be explored. The American Southwest, especially the state of Utah, is one of those bucket-list locations that I finally had a chance to visit in November 2022.

In this post, I'm sharing the itinerary of my 10-day road trip across Utah, personal reflections, and tips to consider if you plan a similar trip.

10-day Utah road trip itinerary

The itinerary of my trip in November 2022:

• Day 1: Flight to Salt Lake City, shopping for camping essentials, drive to Zion National Park.
• Days 2-3: Zion National Park.
• Day 4: Zion National Park at sunrise, drive to (through Red Canyon) and sunset in Bryce Canyon National Park.
• Day 5: Bryce Canyon National Park and Kodachrome Basin State Park.
• Day 6: Bryce Canyon National Park at sunrise, drive to Moab (through Red Canyon), Dead Horse Point State Park at sunset.
• Day 7: Canyonlands National Park at sunrise, Arches National Park for the rest of the day.
• Day 8: Sunrise in Arches National Park, drive to and sunset in Capitol Reef National Park.
• Day 9: Capitol Reef National Park at sunrise, sunset in Goblin Valley State Park.
• Day 10: Goblin Valley State Park at sunrise, drive to South Lake City, and flight back home.

While I'm not going to publicly share any specific spots or GPS coordinates, feel free to reach out to me with any questions. I took many pictures published in this blog post at popular viewpoints, which are mentioned in every single guide and in official park materials.

Places I saved for another time

Several fantastic locations haven't made my list for various reasons, primarily due to the time constraints.

Monument Valley and other remote locations

First and foremost, I skipped Monument Valley. The dirt road in the valley would breach my rental car agreement (and therefore void insurance) and I didn't want to take the risk. This is also the reason why I couldn't explore more of the Capitol Reef National Park, ghost towns scattered throughout the state, or other remote locations. While I could safely admire Monument Valley from a distance, I didn't know if this would satisfy me, so I saved it for another time.

Glen Canyon, Factory Butte, Caineville badlands

While Glen Canyon wasn't far from my other stops and I actually drove through Caineville badlands, I simply didn't have enough time to explore them.

Grand Canyon National Park and other locations in neighboring states

In the interest of time I limited my trip to Utah only. For example, Grand Canyon National Park or western Colorado didn't cut the list. If you're traveling from afar or flying to another airport (e.g., Las Vegas), you may want to add these locations to your itinerary.

Northern half of Utah

Lastly, I narrowed the trip to southern Utah only and skipped other parts of the state, like salt flats in northwestern Utah.

My favorite locations of the trip

Of the five national parks I visited, Arches National Park was my favorite destination, closely followed by Bryce Canyon National Park. They left the strongest impressions on me and I found them the most fascinating from a photographer's standpoint. Canyonlands and Capitol Reef ranked as my least favorite, perhaps because I didn't explore them in depth.

Note that my ranking is influenced by my goals (photography and adventure), schedule, and conditions I experienced. If you have more time to spend in each location, value hiking or relaxation over photography, or plan to visit Utah at a different time of the year, you will likely come up with a different ranking.

What you might want to change

I made the itinerary for myself, knowing my situation, goals, and preferences. Here's what may work better for you.

More days or fewer attractions

I'll say it right away: my trip was exhausting. I visited all five national parks and three state parks, drove 1,800 miles, and completed multiple hikes every day - all in not even 10 full days. I never skipped sunrise or sunset either. I didn't mind this intensity at all, but if you have more free time, less energy or determination, or simply would like to relax more, consider stretching the trip out or cut a few attractions.

Spend more time in the Moab area

Arches National Park was my favorite location and I wish I could spend at least one more day there. Moab was a great town too, with good food options and other activities. I also wish I had time to explore the man-made history of this area, not only its natural beauty.

Consider skipping Capitol Reef National Park

Capitol Reef National Park requires quite a detour to reach it. While the park and the drive to it were beautiful, I found it tough to photograph. Many of the park's areas aren't accessible via paved roads, which is limiting with a rental car (see the section on why I skipped Monument Valley). Possibly, spending a few more days in the area could open up more photographic opportunities.

Shorten the stay in Zion if hiking isn't your jam

As of 2022, Zion National Park is the second most popular park in the country. It's breath-taking. However, I found it challenging photographically. It's one of those locations, where you need to spend a few days to let the intimacy of the landscape soak in. While I thoroughly enjoyed Zion, I didn't end up taking a lot of good photographs there; perhaps partially because it was my first destination of the trip and I was still warming up. Instead, I hiked a lot. From the famous Angel's Landing trail (most dangerous hike in the United States), to other less popular hikes, I enjoyed them all.

Best time of the year to visit Utah

I timed my trip for November to experience fall foliage in Zion and escape the peak tourist season. While the timing worked out well, it also had its downsides. Fall colors in Zion were in their full glory, but I experienced a snowstorm in Bryce Canyon National Park and hail at Dead Horse Point State Park, traversed mountain passes on icy roads, and camped in below freezing temperatures. Although the conditions were inconvenient at times, they presented me with great photographic opportunities.

I will probably return to Utah in winter. Some destinations could be less accessible, but I thoroughly enjoyed snowy conditions in the desert.

Spring is supposedly a great time for Zion National Park, as the rivers and waterfalls are much more spectacular than later in the year.

Lastly, I would avoid summer. I can't imagine spending so much time outdoors in Utah's notorious scorching heat.

Accommodation or camping?

During my trip, I alternated between camping and staying at AirBnbs.

Camping meant I was closer to nature and photographically interesting locations. Since I woke up for sunrise and stayed until sunset every day, it saved me hours of driving in the dark. However, there are downsides to it. The temperature frequently dropped to around or below freezing at night, water supply was shut for the season in several campgrounds, and overall it was less comfortable than staying in a cozy room. Weather can be unpredictable too; luckily, I had an apartment rented for the night the snowstorm rolled in.

Other remarks

Fun fact about Kodachrome Basin

One of Utah's state park, Kodachrome Basin, is named after Kodak's photographic slide film, Kodachrome. Kodachrome, no longer in production and impossible to develop nowadays, was famous for its vibrant red tones that perfectly emphasized the colors of the rock formations. It was used by National Geographic photographers, who documented and popularized this location in mid-twentieth century, which then led the government to establishing a state park to preserve its uniqueness.

Tourist trap of Mesa Arch

This one famous Utah shot every photographer wants to take: an arch underlit by a sun rising in the distance.

As a first-time visitor, I fell into this trap as well. Is it worth visiting Mesa Arch at sunrise? Probably yes. Was it an enjoyable experience? Definitely not. Will I be back anytime soon? No.

The area where you can observe this natural wonder is very small and people fight for a spot to experience it. You'll stand there with dozens of other people, who may not be respectful of nature or others. I had people stay back for an hour before the sunrise only to repeatedly walk into my pre-composed frame at the most critical timing (a few minutes before and after sunrise). Two groups have put their cameras right under the arch, automatically ruining all shots taken by others. All this disrespect for nature and others took away from the joy of the moment. Keep in mind that this happened on a mid-week November morning, well outside peak tourist season.

Utah, I'll be back

My first trip to Utah was a wonderful experience that resulted in remarkable moments, great memories, and interesting photographs.

Being overwhelmed with the otherworldly landscape and its sheer vastness, I'm sure I have missed its nuances. I hope to return soon to explore Utah beyond its famous landmarks.

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