Good Things Come in Fives

Awesome Adventures in Utahs National Parks

Forget three, good things come in fives: fingers; the Jacksons; the 5-second rule … and now, The Mighty 5: five iconic national parks to explore in one spectacular state: Utah!

Zion: Sheer canyons and monolithic sandstone cliffs in cream, pink, and red. See this exquisite park in full by climbing stone steps and edging along cabled cliffs to adrenaline-inducing Angel's Landing or hiking where the "trail" is the river in a slot canyon famously called The Narrows.

Bryce Canyon: Forget sightseeing from the car. Ride a gentle mule under giant orange drip castles, or hike through this mythical terrain, moving past hoodoos and whirling spires on the magical Fairyland Trail.

Capitol Reef: See the park's rainbow-hued sandstone "reefs" and canyons of the Waterpocket Fold, or tour the Temple of the Sun and Moon and the rest of Cathedral Valley's sculptured sandstone monoliths.

Canyonlands: Want to ride a bike on Mars? That's how you'll feel rolling across the otherworldly terrain in Canyonlands, famous for its hugely photogenic Mesa Arch. Next, ride the rapids on the Colorado River! From Class II to Class IV, you decide how wet you want to get.

Arches: Early risers win the golden moment on a sunrise hike leading to spectacular Delicate Arch, one of Utah's most famous icons. Also among the 2,000+ arches here: Landscape Arch—the second longest span in the world!

Minute of Inspiration: Watch The Mighty 5 video.

Plan your trip to see The Mighty 5 National Parks in Utah, and find top itineraries including The Best Week of Your Life

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Sequoia Re-opens Crystal Cave

    Step inside Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park's hidden world by visiting the newly re-opened Crystal Cave—the only cave in the parks open to the public. Closed for four years, this rare marble karst cavern is welcoming visitors once again, but only through the summer season!

    View
  2. Afternoon on the Island

    What is it about tiny islands in the middle of lakes? There’s something that just draws you in. It’s even more fun when getting there is half the adventure because you have to reach it by canoe, kayak, paddleboat, or a ranger-guided boat tour!

    View
  3. Easiest Best Hike in the World

    Choose the easiest and most view-rewarding hike in Yosemite. Okay, we’ll go first: the combination of hiking to Sentinel Dome and Taft Point. Both of these lookouts are within a couple miles of each other on Glacier Point Road

    View
  4. Hiker in the forest at Mount Sutro in San Francisco

    San Francisco's Middle Earth

    No need to travel to New Zealand to visit Middle Earth. San Francisco’s Mount Sutro Open Space is practically Hobbiton—a hidden “shire” in the middle of the city. Okay, maybe not quite as magical, but still an incredible place to take a hike in city limits.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Locals' Feature: Jim Litchfield, Owner of Reno Fly Shop

    If there's a river, you're likely to find Jim Litchfield there. As the owner of Reno Fly Shop, Nevada's premier fly fishing outfitter and shop, Jim's passion for rivers knows no bounds: he's fished in places near and far, including Alaska, Bolivia and Christmas Island. But home is beautiful Reno, where he has been running Reno Fly Shop and leading tailored river float and fly fishing adventures (including beginner-friendly options) for over a decade.

    View
  2. Can't Top This

    San Francisco’s Presidio was already a fantastic place to hang out for the afternoon, a beautiful site within the largest urban national park in the United States (the Golden Gate National Recreation Area). And Presidio Tunnel Tops is like a cherry on top. Make that two cherries on top, with the newly opened (July 2025) Outpost Meadow, a 1.5-acre green space located at Old Mason Street across from the Crissy Field Marsh in the Presidio.

    View
  3. Volcanic Activity

    Northern California is home to one of the most unique ecosystems in the country: Lassen Volcanic National Park. The region features geothermal areas, including the largest dome volcano in the world, Lassen Peak. Hike to the top of this active volcano on a 5-mile out-and-back.  

    View
  4. Oh Ryan

    Sure, it’s those whimsical trees that give Joshua Tree National Park its marquee billing; but this beautiful landscape also has surrounding mountains and its night sky—one of the darkest in Southern California and designated an International Dark Sky Park. Joshua Tree has four allowable stargazing parking lots, and a newly opened haven for spending the night nearby...

    View