5 National Parks in 7 Days

Hickman Bridge in Capitol Reef NP

Yahoo.com/travel has an interesting article with this intriguing title:

5 National Parks in 7 Days: The Ultimate U.S. Road Trip

With five parks in relative close proximity, Utah is one of the few places where you can successfully take such a trip. In fact, if you venture just barely across state lines, you can take in eight spectacular parks in one trip (Utah's Mighty 5 plus Grand Canyon, Great Basin and Mesa Verde).

In the yahoo.com article, writer Christy Karras describes their itinerary and adventures. Below are excepts. The article has an interesting sidebar where readers vote:

Which Utah national park would be your first stop?

• Zion 31%
• Arches 26%
• Bryce Canyon 23%
• Capitol Reef 11%
• Canyonlands 9%

Here are quotes from the article:

Zion: ...I’m struck by the sheer scale of everything. We’re surrounded by vast folded cliffs and mesas horizontally striped in orange, pink, and white.

...I’m already wishing we’d carved out time for a backpacking trip.

Bryce: Zion is a canyon, but Bryce is an amphitheater, a plateau that breaks off into millions of pink, orange, and white spires, crinkles, and waves. A road runs its length, with ample pullouts and overlooks.

Capitol Reef: Bill says it’s as if a giant dinosaur is pushing up from under the surface. Water and wind have shaped the landscape into ridges, canyons, and spires. You can appreciate this both from afar and up close via world-class hikes.

Canyonlands: Canyonlands is, as much as anything else, a great place to go to feel lost. Think 127 Hours lost.

I look at the map and have an idea: Let’s take the Shafer Trail back to Moab! It’s a shortcut!...

Arches: Just before sunset on our last full day in Utah, we make the must-do climb up a sandstone slope to Delicate Arch, the state’s favorite natural symbol. We tiptoe to the edge of the drop-off directly behind the 45-foot-tall foot span and peer over the edge. As the sun dips toward the far horizon, the colors burn and the rock surface seems to glow behind a small crowd parked here to watch it.

It’s been a great week.