The Grand Circle is one of the most epic road trips in America, and it’s even more enjoyable when done in an RV. Located in the Southwestern United States and encompassing portions of five states—Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona—a Grand Circle road trip features diverse scenery and America’s largest concentration of national parks.
One of my personal favorite portions of the drive is along Highway 12 in Utah. The views of the orange hoodoos (tall thin spires of rock protruding from the bottom of the basin), red canyons, green forests, mountains, and many of Utah’s state and national parks are spectacular—but that’s just a small part of the adventure!
Trip Summary
- 942 miles; 20 stops
- 15 days
- 3 to 4 states depending on where you start (Nevada, Arizona, Utah, and Colorado)
- 9 to 10 national park areas
- 5 state parks
- Vehicle: Thor Vegas motorhome, towing a Mini Cooper Countryman
Note: This route is suitable for most RV sizes, but we’ve noted restrictions when applicable.
Must-See Sites in Arizona
- Grand Canyon National Park
- Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
- Monument Valley
Must-See Sites in Utah
- Zion National Park
- Bryce Canyon National Park
- Capitol Reef National Park
- Arches National Park
- Canyonlands National Park
- Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument
- Cedar Breaks National Monument
Must-See Sites in Colorado
Camping Hubs
If you want to leave the RV and explore with your toad vehicle, you can see many places within a radius of Moab and Kanab in Utah.
A 2-Week Grand Circle Itinerary
If flying and renting an RV consider these airports to start your trip in Las Vegas, Nevada, Phoenix, or Flagstaff, Arizona, or Salt Lake City, Utah. The following itinerary assumes a start from Las Vegas.
Day 1
Drive about 4 hours to the North Rim section of Grand Canyon National Park (note that it’s open from mid-May to mid-October. Explore the park via hikes or a scenic drive (tow or toad vehicle only).
Where to camp: Stay at the North Rim Campground but must make a reservation ahead of time. You can reserve a campsite up to 6 months in advance on recreation.gov. There are no hookups and there are size limitations for your rig, so be sure to make sure you’ll be able to access the campground.
Days 2 and 3
Drive to Page, Arizona (about 2 hours and 15 minutes) and visit Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (I highly recommend the hike down to Horseshoe Bend). Then head to Lake Powell and walk or drive down to the Rainbow Room and sit by the pool with cocktails for sunset views (also nice for dinner).
Keep cool with a boat tour of Lake Powell and Glen Canyon (optional, add additional time) or an Antelope Canyon slot canyon tour (optional, add additional time).
Where to camp: Wahweap Marina & RV is a pet-friendly campground that offers full hookups and is only 0.25 miles from the shores of Lake Powell. The campground also offers boat rentals and has an on-site restaurant.
Day 4
Drive 2 hours to Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park or check out nearby Goosenecks State Park, both offer incredible scenery and overnight camping options. Note that weather may impact your ability to drive the 17-mile loop drive in Monument Valley if you don’t have a tow or toad vehicle.
Where to camp: The View Campground at Monument Valley has dry RV sites that are 24 feet or shorter. Goosenecks State Park has eight designated sites (no hookups or amenities) along the canyon rim that are first-come, first-served only.
Day 5
Drive 2.5 hours to Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado (some Grand Circle itineraries add Mesa Verde—some omit this stop, your preference) where you can view ancient cliff dwellings and view some cool night skies as it’s an International Dark Sky Park. Along the way stop at Four Corners Monument Navajo Tribal Park, the intersection of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah, just to say you were in four states at once!
Where to camp: The park’s only campground, Morefield Campground, is 4 miles from the park’s entrance and offers more than 260 sites—some that are full hookups and RV-only. Sites come with a fire ring, picnic table, and gravel pad, plus, there’s even a camp store if you need to stock up on supplies at this national park campground.
Days 6 to 8
Drive to Moab, about 2 hours and 45 minutes away, and plan time for lots of scenic views along the way. From Moab, plan for a few days to see the most of the area. Some highlights include: Dead Horse Point State Park, Canyonlands National Park, Arches National Park (don't miss the Delicate Arch hike), and La Sal Mountain Loop Drive. Note that in 2024 you need a timed entry reservation to visit Arches from April through October.
While in Moab, go on a hot air balloon ride for epic views of Arches and Canyonlands. This is a great way to see a different perspective of these parks and was one of my favorite activities.
Where to camp: Moab has plenty of private campground options for the night and makes a great base for exploring this area for a few days. If you want to camp at the national parks in the area, be sure to check vehicle restrictions and availability well in advance. Canyonlands has a dozen or so sites that are first-come, first-served, otherwise, you’ll need a reservation.
Day 9
Drive 1 hour and 40 minutes to Goblin Valley State Park, another International Dark Sky Park. You can try canyoneering and rappel with a guide (or if you’re experienced get a backcountry permit to rappel into Goblin’s Lair).
Where to camp: The state park has 14 RV sites with a picnic table, a metal fire ring, and shade shelter, but no hookups. Reservations can be made in advance on reserveamerica.com.
Day 10
Drive 1.5 hours to the Capitol Reef National Park visitor center, then do the scenic loop. After you’re done at the national park, make sure you stop at Kiva Koffeehouse off Highway 12—it offers great views of Grand Staircase Escalante while you sip on an espresso. It also has food, a small jewelry counter perfect for picking out souvenirs, and allows overnight stops.
Where to camp: If you prefer to stay in Capitol Reef, the park has one reservable campground suitable for RVers (it even has an RV dump and potable water fill station). You can also overnight park at Kiva Koffeehouse along the way (1.5 hours from Capitol Reef), or drive through to the next area and camp at Kodachrome Basin State Park.
Days 11 and 12
Drive (your driving time will vary depending on where you spent the night) to Bryce Canyon and do the Scenic Loop Drive with stops at nine different points of interest.
Where to camp: Ruby's Inn Campground offers comfortable RV camping near one of the park’s shuttle stops, or camp in the park at one of the two campgrounds—both are reservable during peak season.
Days 13 and 14
Drive just under 2 hours to Zion National Park, making an optional stop at Cedar Breaks National Monument.
Ride the shuttle to see areas of the park that are inaccessible by automobiles. If you’re feeling adventurous, check out Angels Landing (note that you need a permit) or The Narrows (a permit is required for certain areas). If you don’t want to hike the nerve-wracking part of Angels Landing but still want a view, you can hike to Scout Lookout without a permit and watch the Angels Landing climbers embark/disembark.
If you make it into St. George, River Rock Roasters is a great place for coffee or lunch, plus it has an amazing view of the Virgin River.
Depending on your time and energy levels, add an overnight stop at Sand Hollow State Park, about 45 minutes away.
Where to camp: If you’re looking for a resort experience, camp at Zion River Resort or try your luck getting a reservation at Watchman Campground in Zion. There are also other private camping options in the surrounding Greater Zion area.
Day 15
Return to Las Vegas (2.5 hours from Zion) and depart for home, or continue your journey elsewhere. If you have time, stop at Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada on your way into town from Zion or St. George (it’s about 45 minutes outside of Vegas).
