Utah Road Trip – Sujay Kawale

Road Tripping in Utah

May 2025

Utah has been on our road tripping radar for quite some time now. The abundance of breathtaking scenery, incredible biking trails, and bountiful camping opportunities made it the perfect destination for our first extended van trip with Wally.

A world filled with playgrounds

Road trip life looks a lot different after we became parents. We were so used to traveling with total freedom, making up our plans as we go, unfettered from having to follow any itinerary due to the flexibility of van camping. But with a toddler, careful planning and tempered expectations are crucial for a successful road trip.

We tried to drive no more than two hours at a time, and were constantly scanning Google Maps for local playgrounds along our route to stop at (we stopped at a LOT of playgrounds, sometimes three or four per day). The frequent breaks worked out really well – Wally was kept active and happy, and the travel felt more relaxed.

Wally has probably come to the conclusion that the world consists of playgrounds at every street corner!

Bonneville Salt Flats

Our first scenic stop was just as we entered Utah – the Bonneville Salt Flats.

In the summer, the surface is completely dry and you can actually drive on the salt flats. In the winter and spring, the flats are flooded, but just a couple inches deep – so it feels like you’re walking on a giant mirror! It made for a great photo op.

Moab Area

Moab is one of the most famous adventure towns in the world. It’s crazy how much epicness can be had within half an hour’s drive. Truly world class rock climbing and mountain biking, the grandeur of Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, and some amazing off-roading.

We spent about a week here. I was working during the week, but with things so close by, we were able to get out and enjoy the area all week long.

Moab swimming holes

Violet has realized that one of her absolute favorite things in the world is desert oases. She loves any body of water to cool off in, but the refreshing effect is especially amplified when contrasted with the arid landscape surrounding you.

It’s even better when there is a canyon to explore, with waterfalls and cozy little beaches to find, for that feeling of solitude that we crave. We found one such canyon in Moab, and had a blast watching Wally enjoying himself to the max! This is one of the biggest joys of parenting – witnessing the squeals of delight at the experiences you are creating for them!

Moab Mountain Biking - Slickrock

Out of all the things Moab is famous for, rock climbing and mountain biking are probably the most exceptional. We didn’t have any plans to climb on this trip (we’ll save that for when Wally’s older!), but I just couldn’t pass up the mountain biking.

The Slickrock Trail is super unique because it is pretty much 100% on rock. According to Wikipedia, the surface is actually “petrified sand dunes and the eroded remnants of ancient sea beds”. The trail has many sections that are very steep, and riding this trail makes for a great cardiovascular stress test.

The feeling of riding on this trail (tactile but also auditory) is quite addictive, and I found myself craving it and fiendishly searching for more slickrock on the rest of the trip. Rest assured I’ll be back for another fix.

Moab Mountain Biking - The Whole Enchilada

Few things have been on my bucket list longer than The Whole Enchilada, supposedly one of the most epic bike rides in the world – and I finally got a chance to do it.

What makes it so epic is its sheer scale and exposure. It is a white-knuckle journey from the La Sal mountains, all the way down to the Colorado river – almost 8,000 ft vertical feet. You’re riding through several distinct biotic zones with varied scenery – a true backcountry ride way out in the wilderness. It was some of the most steep and technically challenging riding I’ve ever done.

For me, the best part was the Porcupine Rim section where the trail hugs the canyon rim for around 5 miles, offering epic views of Castle Valley the whole way. At times, the trail is literally a couple feet away from the cliff’s edge, with a vertical drop-off of almost a thousand feet. I felt very grateful to Violet for watching Wally while I got out on this 5-hr adventure.

And this didn’t even end up being the best ride of the trip for me. We’ll get to that a bit later.

Capitol Reef National Park

Capitol Reef, overshadowed by the more popular Zion and Bryce, is one of the most overlooked National Parks in the US. A lot of the best spots are quite remote and only accessible by 4×4.

A view of the rocky domes of Capitol Reef from our campsite.

We enjoyed hiking the Grand Wash, which is often described as ‘Zion Narrows without the water’. In the second photo below, you can see Wally yawning. We had pushed it way beyond his naptime. We ended up having to hike back for about 30 mins with a screaming toddler.

When we finally got back to the trailhead, Violet put Wally down for a nap in the van, and I did a quick hike up to Cassidy Arch. The views of the canyon below were pretty cool, like a mini Zion.

Capitol Reef National Park is located near the historic town of Fruita, named after the orchards that have been cultivated here by Mormon settlers since the 1870s. It’s quite mind-blowing to see this tiny pocket of green and productive land surrounded by thousands of acres of insanely arid and desolate landscape.

Just as we were driving out of Fruita, we came across this incredible scene. The lush green apple trees were perfectly framed underneath the towering red cliffs, with the late evening sun bringing out a deep richness in the colors.

We were kind of in a rush (as we always are trying to keep up with toddler bedtime schedules), but I couldn’t pass this up, and pulled over to take a few shots. Golden hour photography was a rarity on this trip, so I was especially glad for this opportunity.

The next morning, we headed out towards Bryce, taking the scenic route along the Waterpocket Fold, a 100-mile reef-like rock band (this is the ‘reef’ after which the park is named). The road was quite washboarded – and with the size of the van, all the cabinetry in it, and given that we have basic highway tires, we had to drive like 10 miles per hour most of the way! This worked out because Wally spent the whole time napping.

At some point, the road ascends the Waterpocket Fold rock band via a series of very exposed switchbacks. The views were grand, and the driving was precarious and exciting!

Soon after the exciting switchbacks, Wally woke up from his nap, and we found a scenic spot to hang out for a break.

We weren’t done with scenic views for the day yet. The road winds its way through the Long Canyon, which is a spectacular 5 mile section with sheer red sandstone cliffs. This was the only time I got a chance to fly my drone on this trip, and it was so worth it.

We stopped to check out the Singing Canyon, a short but super-cool slot canyon. Although it’s a bit blurry, this is one of my favorite photos of Wally on this trip. He looks like an intrepid little explorer, taking his mommy out on an adventure!

We found a great campsite soon after Long Canyon. The sun was shining just right (actually, I parked the van so the sun would shine just right). We opened up the rear doors of the van and set up a little picnic to enjoy the sunshine.

On the way to Bryce near the town of Escalante, there’s a famous coffee shop perched atop a promontory, with this great view of the lush valley below. I’ve always pictured Utah as being a very desert-y state, and I’ve been quite surprised at the amount of greenery we’ve seen on this trip.

Bryce Canyon National Park

Bryce Canyon is one of those places that you may have seen a hundred photos of, but it still completely blows you away when you see it in person. Photos just can’t capture the scale and depth of this expansive amphitheater of curious hoodoo spires.

Just the view from the canyon rim is totally captivating, but the real juice is when you hike down into the canyon. I was totally spellbound, no exaggeration.

I count myself as a mountain lover through and through. Glaciated peaks are my jam, and I’ve been on some pretty extraordinarily beautiful, technically challenging and remote places in the Cascades. But just moments into this fairly mellow trail, surrounded by hordes of tourists, I found myself thinking “this is the most beautiful hike I’ve ever been on!”.

It seriously feels like you’re suddenly transported to this otherworldly place, mesmerized by the impossibly vibrant orange glow.

Walking along the canyon rim, I spotted this elegant trail way down below, and my soul started lusting after it.

I had this inexplicable urge to go for a trail run. I don’t really like running. I get shin splints, my knees often start hurting, and I just feel like I’m in a rush when I’d rather enjoy the scenery relaxedly with a camera in my hand.

But given the limited time I had to myself, the only way I could make it all the way down and back up again, was to trail run it. So I did, and it was glorious. The trail is twisty and steep, with gnarly drop-offs pretty much throughout. I found that running added that extra level of mental engagement that I always felt was missing from hiking (which is what draws me to technical climbing).

I could go on about the views but I think I’ve said enough. I ended up having this surreal experience at Bryce that I was totally not expecting from a very touristy National Park.

Obviously, nothing could top the experience I just had, but we also did a couple of really nice naptime bike rides at Bryce. A most excellent way of minimizing time lost to toddler sleep.

We also did a waterfall hike with some pretty views (and ice-cold water!).

Minutes outside the entrance to Bryce National Park, there’s a huge tract of forest land with a bunch of campsites. It was awesome to be able to stay so close to the park, for free, and spend some chill mornings in total peace and seclusion, watching Wally run around and explore the area.

Bryce was also the scene of my top mountain biking experience so far, bar none.

A couple days earlier, we had just finished up a road bike ride with the trailer, and were packing up the gear in the trailhead parking lot , when a couple rode up on their mountain bikes.

The guy happened to notice my mountain bike mounted on the van, and walked up to me and said: “I see you have a mountain bike. You HAVE to do this ride. It is next-level!”. He was just so full of stoke, I had to take him seriously. One doesn’t just walk up to complete strangers with trail recommendations, unless it’s a truly special ride.

Thunder Mountain was the name of the bike trail. I had been making a list of good MTB rides close to our destinations, but for some reason this one hadn’t risen to prominence. Probably because there were too many things to do here already. We were set to leave the Bryce area soon, so my one chance at doing this ride was right after biking for two hours for Wally’s nap.

This ride is mostly downhill, and typically ridden one-way, with a shuttle drop at the top. So, Violet dropped me off at the upper trailhead, and drove to meet me back at the lower trailhead. I had seen photos and videos of the trail, so I knew what to expect. I was especially looking forward to this knife-edge ridge, which looked really fun.

The trail starts off with a steady 600 ft climb through a forest, before you get to the classic Bryce scenes with wide-open views, hoodoos everywhere, and that beautiful orange colored dirt with its distinctive glow.

The riding just kept getting better and better. Fast-paced, flowy, technical, and plenty of edge-of-your-seat exposure with steep drop-offs. The trail winds through some sections where you’re riding in between the hoodoos, which was really cool as well. But what I was really looking forward to, was the knife-edge.

There was one narrow ridge which I thought was the one, and it didn’t seem as extreme, so I was a bit underwhelmed. But then I turned a corner and saw what was the true knife-edge. I stopped in my tracks, eyes wide open, jaw on the floor, thinking “ARE.YOU.SERIOUS???”. It seemed so gnarly! I could barely contain my excitement. I was vacillating between just riding the thing and hanging out and savoring the anticipation. I took some photos, and then proceeded to ride the ridge with a wide grin pasted across my face. It was just so enjoyable. Photos cannot capture how precarious it feels.

That was surely the highlight of the ride, but what followed was incredible, too. Switchback after switchback – super technical, winding down the steep mountain face.

And then, the finish: a two-mile section of trail that cuts through the forest at the absolute perfect gradient where you’re riding blisteringly fast, at your limit, without having to touch the brakes. I felt like I was in one of those MTB films that get your palms all sweaty looking at how fast they’re riding. I got back to the van just as it started down-pouring. Full of stoke, I started telling Violet all about the best mountain bike ride of my life, as we started the drive out to Zion.

Zion National Park

Zion Canyon totally looks like it’s out of an artist’s dream, with those iconic painted rocky cliffs towering over the verdant valley. Zion has been on my bucket list for a very long time, with hikes like Angel’s Landing and the Zion Narrows being the top classics I was hoping to do on this trip.

Angel's Landing

Angel’s Landing is an extremely popular hike, and for good reason: it is a thrilling scramble to an unbeatable vantage point of Zion Canyon!

A permitting system was instituted in 2022 that allows for about 500 hikers per day, out of about 2000 that apply. I applied for a permit and was lucky to get it on the first try!

We were camping at an RV campground just outside the National Park, so I could walk over to catch the first bus of the day, and ride all the way to the trailhead.

The hike gains altitude pretty quickly, and you start getting a great view of the canyon below.

The final section is what makes Angel’s Landing such an iconic hike. It’s a moderate Class II scramble, with a series of chains for support and protection.

The views from the summit are absolutely out of this world. You truly feel like you’re in a dream land. The canyon walls are so steep and tall, and the layered colors are incredibly rich. Looking towards the north, the canyon gets increasingly constricted as the Virgin River emerges out of the Zion Narrows.

I could have stayed there all day, gawking at the views – but there was a family to get back to, and another cool adventure lined up for the day.

I got back to the van just in time to take a shower and freshen up before checking out of the RV campground – and then we all drove to the Visitor’s Center to start our next adventure.

Zion Canyon & Narrows Hike/Bike Adventure

The Zion Canyon Scenic Drive inside the National Park is closed to cars, and visitors can enter the canyon via shuttle service only (with exceptions for people staying at the Zion Lodge inside the park).

Bikes have free reign, though!

So, our plan was to pack up all our Narrows canyoneering gear in the bike trailer, ride the entire canyon road to the Temple of Sinawava (10 miles) during Wally’s nap, then take turns hiking the Narrows while the other watches Wally, and then bike back to the van.

It was all an ambitious plan with a fair amount of logistics and luck involved:

Getting into the park (long lines to get in)
Finding a parking spot (good luck with that!)
Walking to the gear rental shop that’s situated just outside the park
Trying on the canyoneering gear for size and checking out
Walking back into the park and to the van
Loading up the gear in the trailer
Getting Wally changed and fed and ready for a nap
Starting the bike ride and hoping he sleeps well
Getting to the Temple of Sinawava and having a picnic and let Wally run around
Hike about a mile to the start of the Narrows hike
One person watches Wally while the other person hikes the Narrows (45 mins time limit each)
Swap duties
Hike back to the bikes
Ride back to the van
Walk out of the park to return the gear
Walk back to the van inside the park
Drive out of the park (45 mins) and find a campsite
Get Wally fed, changed and ready for bed

Seems complicated? Welcome to life with a toddler!

It all worked out, though! The ride was really beautiful, and the canyon was so peaceful due to the lack of cars. I didn’t get a chance to take too many photos on the ride because (a) Wally was napping on the way in and we can’t stop for fear of waking him; and (b) we were racing back to return the gear on time!

When we got to the Temple, Wally was still asleep. But then, a tourist walking past conveyed his kudos to us a little too loudly, and that was the end of Wally’s nap.

Not the first time that well-meaning passers-by have unintentionally put a premature end to Wally’s slumber during one of these naptime rides. We really need to put up a large sign announcing the presence of a sleeping baby.

Anyway, we had a nice little picnic by the river under a canopy of vibrant green cottonwoods standing in stark contrast against the towering red cliffs and a a clear blue sky. A very pretty setting indeed.

The best way to hike the Narrows is top-down overnighter, but that requires a permit, and a lot of logistics. The next best way is to go bottom-up, all the way to the permit zone at Big Springs (9 miles out and back, usually takes 6-8 hours).

With the time available, each of us had exactly 45 mins to enjoy the Narrows. We’ll mark this as unfinished business, and perhaps return when Wally’s older.

When we got back to the van, we ended up chatting with a couple parked next to us. They happened to also be from Bellingham, and Wally made friends with their daughter.

Looks like he’s into taller, fair-skinned women. Like father, like son.

Snow Canyon State Park

Snow Canyon State Park near Zion is worth checking out, if you’re in the area. The petrified sand dunes are pretty cool, with some dramatic views. Wally went through multiple outfit changes from all the puddle splashing. Classic toddler move.

Apart from the natural beauty and local playgrounds, we also sought out recreation centers and water parks on this trip – Wally really enjoys splashing around in the water.

The town of St. George, located an hour from Zion, had a fun little water feature in the downtown area. Wally had a great time, followed by a meltdown when we had to leave!

In conclusion...

This was an action packed trip! I was quite surprised at how many epic things we were able to do despite battling the toddler physiology and psychology. All this was only possible because of the flexibility and freedom that a camper van provides. It gives us a cozy, mobile home base to chill out and let Wally roam around and play, wherever we were.

Wally did remarkably well despite the delayed bedtimes, long drives and the general lack of routine and familiarity. It was so cool to see his vocabulary explode during the trip, as he learnt about desert creatures and features such as lizard, hoodoo, cactus etc.

While looking for camping options, we used iOverlander, an app where users report spots suitable for camping. Mostly they are on federal land managed by the Bureau of Land Management. Sometimes it could be a beautiful, secluded spot where we could set up a picnic outside with a great view. Other times it could be just a parking lot near the highway where we mostly remained inside the van.

We camped for free most nights, except for every 4-5 days when we stayed at an RV park to do a ‘reset’ – laundry, showers, dump our portable toilet etc. Overall, this trip gave us the confidence to shoot for more such extended travels and making memories with little Wally!

I put together a little film on our trip. Wally loves watching it and pointing out his favorite things (at least the things he can name)!