Southern Utah's five national parks in one drive: Zion's slot canyon, Bryce's hoodoo amphitheatre, Scenic Byway 12 to Capitol Reef's orchards and the arches and mesas around Moab. Spring and autumn are ideal; summer is very hot and winter can close high roads.
Month by month
Best: April, May, June, September, October
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Avoid Poor OK Good Excellent Peak
Worth avoiding: January, December.
Weather and crowds
| Month | Avg high | Avg low | Wet days | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 15°C / 58°F | 3°C / 38°F | 3 | Quiet |
| February | 18°C / 65°F | 6°C / 42°F | 3 | Quiet |
| March | 22°C / 71°F | 9°C / 48°F | 4 | Moderate |
| April | 28°C / 83°F | 14°C / 57°F | 0 | Moderate |
| May | 33°C / 92°F | 19°C / 65°F | 1 | Moderate |
| June | 39°C / 103°F | 25°C / 76°F | 1 | Moderate |
| July | 42°C / 108°F | 28°C / 82°F | 2 | Moderate |
| August | 40°C / 104°F | 26°C / 79°F | 3 | Moderate |
| September | 36°C / 97°F | 22°C / 72°F | 1 | Moderate |
| October | 29°C / 84°F | 16°C / 60°F | 1 | Moderate |
| November | 20°C / 68°F | 8°C / 47°F | 2 | Moderate |
| December | 16°C / 60°F | 5°C / 40°F | 3 | Quiet |
Weather: averages of recent years from Open-Meteo historical data (CC BY 4.0). Crowds: estimated from the seasons and holiday periods, not measured.
How long to stay
5–10 days is the sweet spot.
Flight time
About 5h from the US East Coast, 11h from Europe, 19h from South Asia.
Good to know
- The America the Beautiful annual pass covers all five parks: $80 for US residents, $250 for non-residents, who otherwise pay an extra $100 each at Zion and Bryce Canyon.
- Arches dropped timed entry for 2026, but Fiery Furnace hikes still need a permit; Zion's scenic drive is shuttle-only from March to late November.
- Fly home from Salt Lake City (about four hours from Moab) instead of driving back to Las Vegas.
Plan a trip to Utah's Mighty 5 road trip
Pick your dates and Offdays builds a day-by-day itinerary from Utah's Mighty 5 road trip's best places.
Destination