Zion National Park
Zion National Park, less than a three hour drive from Las Vegas, has some of Utah's best scenery. Red rock cliffs, waterfalls, and amazing vistas are some of the big attractions. Many of the park's most impressive sites are found in Zion Canyon, along the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive, which follows the valley floor. From spring until fall, a bus takes visitors through the park along this route, stopping at all the major sites and trailheads. This makes touring the park very simple. In winter, you can drive this route in your own vehicle. The Zion-Mount Carmel Highway runs east-west through the park and is also a must-do. This route takes you high above the valley and offers incredible views from the lookouts. Sometimes known as a vertical park due to its vertical walls, Zion is a hiker's paradise. The most popular hikes in Zion are off the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive and the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway. Here you'll find everything from simple walks along the valley floor to cliff-side trails, like the famous Angel's Landing trail, which is not for anyone with a fear of heights. 



BRYCE
The brightly colored and packed hoodoos that fill the landscape at Bryce Canyon are what set this national park apart from the rest of the spectacular sites in Utah.  Hoodoos are tall, thin rocks formed through erosion. Stone pillars, in the colors  orange, pink, and cream jut up from the floor making it a place that you should really explore. A pretty drive runs through the park and provides a lot lookouts all along the canyon. You should really get out of your car and go down into the forest of hoodoos on one of the many hiking trails in the park to appreciate the size and unique shapes of these rock formations. Bristlecone pine trees are another surprise attraction found in Bryce. Bryce Canyon National Park is located at an elevation of 8,000 to over 9,000 feet and receives snowfall during the winter months and into spring. Temperatures up here, even in summer, can be cool to very cold. The best time to visit is from April to October. 

GRAND STAIRCASE-ESCALANTE NATIONAL MONUMENT
Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument is a huge area with a  canyons, arches, hills, waterfalls, forests, and scrubland. It offers a sense of wilderness that is hard to find in other parks. Dirt roads, where you can drive great distances without ever passing another vehicle, are all part of the experience. Covering 1.9 million acres, this is the largest national monument in the U.S.A. Hiking is a popular way to explore the region. Lower Calf Creek Falls Trail offers some amazing views and is one of the most photographed locations in Grand Staircase-Escalante. In the southern part of the monument is Paria, a town near the Paria River.It was founded in 1865, but abandoned by 1920. Remaining parts of the town have been used in a number of western films.