6/10
Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC)
English
US Dollar (USD)
Types A & B
Utah’s National Parks are mostly in rural areas so gluten free dining can be really limited as dining options are very limited. It does take more research to find the diamonds in the rough. We did find a breakfast buffet near Bryce Canyon that had gluten free bread but the rest was mostly make the best of it. You can find more information on our gluten free experience here.
We have been talking about going to Utah for a while now, but it has continuously been put on the backburner because we have been using our vacation to explore outside of the United States. Sometimes it is easy to get caught up in international travel and not see what is right under your nose. We finally prioritized it for a couple of reasons.
One being we were becoming exhausted from the long travel days. Because we can’t get off more than four weeks in a row, we pack our work schedules hard before and after the trip then hop on a plane (most often a red-eye) to get over the Atlantic Ocean and end up anywhere between 8 to 14 hours ahead of our time zone. We then proceed to jump full swing into our travel. It is a great way to see as much as possible, but we were realizing we were starting to dread the long flights and huge time changes. We decided taking a year to explore in the continental United States was a good idea.
Second, we could tag on a bunch of things. I have never been to Las Vegas so we checked that off. I have been wanting to hike the Narrows at Zion National Park and see Bryce Canyon so we checked those off. We were able to get my Dad two 5ks (Nevada and Utah), so that was done. My parents wanted to see Utah’s National Parks so we were able to help that along. My parents need to use some of their points for the Hilton Grand Vacations Club so we were able to use those in Las Vegas. Ultimately, this trip was overall really productive. Let’s dive into some of Utah’s National Parks.
No shuttle is needed for this trail, you can leave right from the visitor center. Which means you have access to both bathrooms and water at the beginning of the trail. Not much in elevation gain but there are short bursts of inclines that will get your heart pumping. The trail itself is well-maintained and pretty easy walking. Hiking shoes are recommended but regular tennis shoes would do just find. They might get a little dusty. Not much in regards to shade so make sure you have plenty of water and sunscreen. The trail is an out-and-back with a small loop at the top enabling you to get views of both Springdale and the lower part of Zion Canyon. The total distance is about 3.3 miles.
This hike actually takes to three different pools; lower, middle and upper. When we went the lower emerald pools the trail was closed so we had to use the Kayenta Trail to connect us to the pools. While this trail is not paved like the lower emerald pools trail, it is well traveled. It is sandy with some loose gravel. Because it brings you to a different part in the collection of the pools, you will have to descend down to the lower via stairs and then back up to the middle then can continue up farther if you want to see the upper emerald pools. With using the Kayenta Trail our total distance to see all the pools ended up being just over two miles. When we went it was very dry so there was not much to look at. You need to take the shuttle to either stop 5 or 6 depending on what is open.
A great place to catch the sunset. This hike is one where you would have to drive to and there is a extremely limited parking near the trailhead. This trailhead is right after you come out of the Zion-Mt. Carmel Tunnel. There are bathrooms but no water stations. The trail is out-and-back with some stairs. There are handrails at any inclines/declines and across the planked boardwalk. The total distance is 1-mile plus the distance to your car.
A nice leisurely paved walk leading you to the Narrows trailhead. You have to take the shuttle to stop 9 – Temple of Sinawava. If you are just completing this walk then special shoes are not required but if you plan to continue into the Narrows we recommend sturdy shoes. This is a relatively flat 2.2 mile hike.
Given the popularity of this hike and its knife-edge ridge with little room to pass fellow hikers, this hike requires a permit. We did not complete this hike because it didn’t seem appealing to me to stand in a queue in hot weather without shade. We had enough of an experience when hiking to Everest Base Camp. If you are up for a rush of adrenaline then give this hike a shot. The last 1/2 mile has chains to help guide hikers safely across the path.
This is a very popular hike (probably the reason a lot of people come to Zion; it was for us). It is the last stop on the shuttle at Temple of Sinawava, because it is so popular they had at least two shuttles queued and ready to go to take people back to the visitor center when we went in May. They also have porta potties and drinking water available at this stop. You must walk the Riverside Walk to get to the the Narrows trailhead.
There are two ways to hike the Narrows. One is as a through-hike and the other is Bottom-Up. If you want to do the through hike (top-down) a permit is REQUIRED. The through-hike is a 16-mile hike starting at Chamberlain’s Ranch and ending at the Temple of Sinawava. Most people complete this hike in ~10 hours but it can be split into two days. If you would rather split the hike into two days, then you must get an additional permit for overnight camping. To hike it from bottoms-up, no permit is required; however, you can only go as far as Big Spring. Because of this it is an out-and-back trail that is roughly 9.4 miles if you make it all the way to Big Spring.
While we did not get on the first shuttle, we were still at the trailhead by 7:30. This beat quite a few of the crowds but the later it got, the more people came. When hiking the Narrows you are hiking in the Virgin River. Your feet will get wet!! Depending on how recently it rained and how soon you went after the snow melted will depend on how deep you will be hiking in. The highest we got was just above the waist. To be honest, that happened about 1/4 mile into the hike which was a nice introduction to the freezing water. Because the sun had not reached down into Zion Canyon, it was about 55oF, so we were quite cool throughout the hike. We made it 1.5 miles in and then decided that was far enough.
We recommend taking sturdy shoes and hiking poles for this hike. You kind of hike this trail via feel. Some of the Virgin River is nice and sandy making it a smooth walk the rest is river rock making it easy to trip and slide. There are companies that rent shoes and hiking sticks specific to this hike if you are interested. We also saw kids in wetsuits to help them stay warm and a few people wore waders that went up to their chest. The latter is a tad risky because there were a few people who said the water was chin deep in parts and that would not be fun if it went over your waders. We definitely should have taken more layers along.
In our opinion Bryce Canyon is more dramatic than Zion and can be seen in 1 to 2 days. The Scenic drive is roughly 18 miles with multiple breathtaking vistas to stop at. Some even have trails for you to get out and stretch your legs if desired.
For the combination loop you will hike both Queen’s Garden and Navajo Loop. The recommended starting point is Sunrise point and finishing at Sunset Point. It is recommended that you hike it in a clockwise direction for a couple reasons. First, you hike facing the views of the Bryce Canyon Amphitheater instead of them facing your back if you hike it counter-clockwise. Descending the Navajo side is steeper and more people have a tendency to slip going this way. We went clockwise and it worked out great. The trail is wide enough for two people the whole way, but it is loose sand gravel at points that can make it more slippery.
Once you reach the Navajo loop you ascend by two different paths. One goes by two natural bridges (open all year round) and the other is known as Wall Street. We did Wall Street; boy were we glad! It provided us with some much needed shade and since we were down amongst the hoodoos it was still cool. The total distance for this combination was 3 miles.
Located off Highway 12 away from the rest of the viewpoints in the park. I would actually call it outside the park. It is a short hike along a stream with views of a waterfall in the summer. The cave itself was not very impressive and was up a short steep incline. If you brought appropriate attire go for a dip in the stream or take your picture under the waterfall. There are two parking lots for cars since the shuttle does make it out here.
The total scenic drive is 18 miles and takes about 35 minutes to drive without stopping. We recommend driving all the way to the end of the drive first without stopping and then on your way back stop at as many stops as you would like. We suggest this so you are worrying about having to cross traffic by taking left turns in and out of the parking areas. Not a big deal but a little more convenient. Some of the big vistas have bathrooms at them. We definitely recommend stopping at the following vistas:
There are many other places to stop on the drive but these are just a few highlighting the different rock formations. To get the best views of the dramatic hoodoos you want to check out Bryce, Inspiration, Sunrise and Sunset points.
Capital Reef took me a little by surprise. I wish I would have allocated an extra day exploring here and one less day in Bryce Canyon. We were on our way to Salt Lake City from Bryce and decided to add this as a stop because it wasn’t too far out of the way.
The one and only hike we did here. We almost didn’t make it because it was so hot with no shade on the trail, except in the picture provided to the left. I am finding that as I age I seem to tolerate heat less. For a shorter hike there was a lot more inclination with stairs than anticipated. There were bathrooms at the trailhead and a small parking lot. Water stations were only at the visitor center that we could find. It is a 1.7 mile out-and-back trail.
It is 8-miles long, but it provides breathtaking views of the water-pocket fold. Plan for the drive to take way longer than you think it should. The end of the drive ends in an unpaved road so please make sure you have a car that is appropriate for that.
This is where you will find the visitor center with a water station. Farther down the road you end up in a historic district where you can explore an old schoolhouse, blacksmith shop and the Gifford House. You will definitely want to stop at the Gifford house and have a homemade pie- what they are known for. Unfortunately, they are not gluten-free so Terry could not have one and I don’t eat pie so just my parent’s enjoyed their pies. They have plenty of picnic tables for people to sit and enjoy their pies with jaw-dropping views in the background. No additional fee to enter the area, but there is a fee for the pies.
Clustered at the beginning were our favorites: Panorama Point and then down a gravel road to Gooseneck and Sunset Points. You don’t need high-clearance vehicles to get to those points. No bathrooms or water stations so make sure you have enough water to get you either out to a gas station or in to the visitor center. There is no shade and it can get very hot.
Unfortunately, that is all we could do in the couple of hours we had allocated for this park. If you can, try to give it a whole day. I would guess a lot of people do the same as we did because there weren’t many tourists here, except for sampling the pies.
We took the longer way to Capital Reef National Park to stop and explore a little of GSENM. Most people don’t stop and explore this area or even take scenic HWY 12 to get to Capital Reef. Unfortunately, I didn’t initially plan this into our schedule so we had to cram this into the same day as Capital Reef and still make it to Park City. Needless to say this was a very long day, but it had plenty of breaks to get out of the car. We would definitely go back and do some of the slot canyons trails like Zebra Canyon or Peekaboo and Spooky Canyon trails.
Located in the town of Escalante, it a great place to make sure you have all the gear you need to start exploring. Learn a little of the history of the area and grab some maps to help outline your route. You will eventually lose cell service so having a hands-on map will be potentially useful.
Highway 12 that goes from Bryce Canyon to outside Capital Reef National Park is designated as an All American Road Scenic Byway. It traverses rugged landscapes ranging from desert canyons to narrow ridges and onto lush forests. Each bend you go around offers a breathtaking vista.
I know the name makes it seem like it could be a challenging hike; but really it is only 1/4 mile long. We detoured to this canyon because it was only 11 miles from the scenic byway and could connect to Capital Reef. Google maps struggled with the exact location of this trailhead…I’m pretty sure it was unmarked when we went. We finally saw something that could resemble a turnoff for a car, so we stopped and low and behold it was the right spot. This is a paved road to get to this small slot canyon but with all the sharp turns it took like 45 minutes. Needless to say we decided to go back the way we came and not try the unpaved road to Capital Reef. Between that and the lack of cell service we did not want to push our limits.
Another detour off the Scenic byway. This was 12 miles down a gravel road. Again slow going as some of it was washboard style and you also had free-roaming cattle that liked to cross the road. The sandstone rock formations were very impressive. It is worth exploring or playing amongst the rocks. Bathrooms are available here. I would say this detour was worth it…not sure the Long Canyon Slot was.
Plenty along Highway 12 to stop and admire. Just make sure it is in an area where cars are able to safely get around you. To keep ourselves on time we only stopped at one where there was a clear turn off. The Head of the Rocks Overlook offers expansive views of the Escalante Canyons highlighting the different colors amongst the rocks.
Do you have enough water?
Do you know the weather forecast?
Make sure you have a back-up map!
Do you have the right vehicle for what you want to do?
Prepare for the unexpected!
https://wereonanadventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/food-cover.jpg
466
653
wereonanadventureblog@gmail.com
/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Were-On-an-Adventure-logo-1.svg
wereonanadventureblog@gmail.com2025-09-27 17:07:262025-09-27 17:07:26Eating Gluten-Free in Utah
https://wereonanadventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/bryce-Canyon-things-to-do-cover-photo-scaled.jpg
945
2560
wereonanadventureblog@gmail.com
/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Were-On-an-Adventure-logo-1.svg
wereonanadventureblog@gmail.com2025-08-07 17:16:072025-08-07 17:20:03Utah’s National Parks
https://wereonanadventure.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/capital-reef-utah-cover-photo.jpg
651
1158
wereonanadventureblog@gmail.com
/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Were-On-an-Adventure-logo-1.svg
wereonanadventureblog@gmail.com2025-07-14 18:40:552025-07-14 18:40:55Utah
Explore with Us!Please fill out the form below to get our latest adventures delivered straight to your inbox!
[gravityform id=”5″ title=”false” description=”false”]
Contact UsPlease fill out the form below and we will contact you as soon as possible!
[gravityform id=”4″ title=”false” description=”false”]