11 Best State and National Parks in Utah, According To Reddit
Utah has five national parks — the celebrated "Mighty Five" — and Reddit's travel communities have debated their rankings for years. But the conversations in r/Utah and r/NationalParks that matter most cover everything beyond the Mighty Five: the state parks and national monuments delivering equivalent scenery with a fraction of the crowds. Here are the 11 parks Reddit consistently ranks as essential Utah.
1. Zion National Park
National Park | Southwest Utah
Zion is the most-visited of the Mighty Five and earns its status. The towering Navajo sandstone walls of Zion Canyon — rising 2,000 feet above the Virgin River — are genuinely extraordinary. Shuttle-only access in peak season is mandatory; Reddit's solution is renting an e-bike in Springdale to move freely past the queue. Best hikes: the West Rim Trail beyond Scout Lookout (superior views, far fewer people than Angels Landing), Observation Point via the East Mesa Trailhead, and the crowd-free Kolob Canyons section in the park's northwest corner.
Reddit verdict: "E-bike into the canyon, West Rim hike, Kolob Canyons. That's the real Zion experience."
2. Bryce Canyon National Park
National Park | South-Central Utah
Reddit reaches for one word every time: otherworldly. Bryce Canyon's amphitheater of hoodoos glows pink, orange, and white at a cool 8,000–9,100 feet elevation. The critical tip: descend below the rim. The Navajo Loop/Queen's Garden combination drops you inside the hoodoos — a completely different experience than the viewpoints above. The Fairyland Loop (8 miles) delivers the same scenery with minimal crowds.
Reddit verdict: "Go into the hoodoos. That's the whole point of Bryce Canyon."
3. Arches National Park
National Park | Southeast Utah (Moab)
Over 2,000 natural arches in one park — the world's highest concentration. A timed entry system (April 1–October 31) requires advance reservations via recreation.gov. Reddit's formula: Delicate Arch at sunrise (extraordinary light, manageable crowds), Devil's Garden in the afternoon for shade and multiple arches, and Fiery Furnace for a genuinely uncrowded permit-required experience.
Reddit verdict: "Delicate Arch at sunrise. Devil's Garden in the afternoon. Book timed entry early."
4. Canyonlands National Park
National Park | Southeast Utah (Moab)
The largest and least-visited Mighty Five park. The Island in the Sky district delivers iconic Mesa Arch sunrise views. Reddit's stronger recommendation is the Needles District — 75 miles south, virtually uncrowded, and offering the Chesler Park/Joint Trail Loop (10 miles through striped sandstone spires) that is consistently rated the finest day hike in southern Utah.
Reddit verdict: "Skip the Needles District and you've missed the best part of Canyonlands."
5. Capitol Reef National Park
National Park | South-Central Utah
Reddit's Mighty Five hidden gem — "what the other parks used to feel like." The Waterpocket Fold produces white domes, slot canyons, and red cliffs unlike anything else in Utah. The Fruita orchards — historic fruit trees maintained by the NPS that visitors can pick from in season — create a lush oasis in desert canyon country. Hickman Bridge is the top Reddit hike: a natural arch trail far less crowded than comparable options at Arches.
Reddit verdict: "Capitol Reef is what every Utah national park used to feel like."
6. Dead Horse Point State Park
State Park | Near Moab
Twenty minutes from Moab, Dead Horse Point's 2,000-foot mesa overlook surveys the Colorado River winding through deep Canyonlands canyons below. Reddit describes it as "Canyonlands-level views with a fraction of the people." The rim trails are flat and easy — one of the most accessible great views in Utah.
Reddit verdict: "Dead Horse Point is the best easy viewpoint in Utah. Don't skip it."
7. Snow Canyon State Park
State Park | Near St. George, Southwest Utah
Reddit's most repeated line about Snow Canyon: "This would be a national park anywhere else in the country." Red and white Navajo sandstone cliffs, ancient lava flows, volcanic cones, and sand dunes — all dramatically undervisited despite sitting just north of St. George. Trails suit all levels; sunrise light on the cliffs is exceptional and requires no reservation.
Reddit verdict: "Snow Canyon is a hidden gem at national park scale. Locals love it because visitors don't find it."
8. Goblin Valley State Park
State Park | Central Utah
Goblin Valley produces Reddit's most surprised reactions. Thousands of bizarre, mushroom-shaped hoodoos fill a wide sandy valley that looks genuinely like a Mars landscape — and visitors are allowed to roam freely among the formations without trails. The adjacent Little Wild Horse Canyon slot canyon is Reddit's consistent bonus recommendation for the same day.
Reddit verdict: "Goblin Valley is out of this world. Literally felt like walking on another planet."
9. Cedar Breaks National Monument
National Monument | Southwest Utah (near Brian Head)
Often called a "mini Bryce" — which undersells it. At over 10,000 feet of elevation, Cedar Breaks' half-mile-deep amphitheater of pink and orange hoodoos is remarkably similar to Bryce Canyon but sits 2,000 feet higher and sees dramatically fewer visitors. July and August wildflower meadows along the rim are among the most vivid in Utah.
Reddit verdict: "Cedar Breaks is Bryce Canyon's better-looking sibling that nobody talks about."
10. Kodachrome Basin State Park
State Park | Near Bryce Canyon, South-Central Utah
Named by a National Geographic expedition in 1948 for its vivid colors, Kodachrome Basin features 67 monolithic stone spires — geologically unique "sand pipes" — rising from a vivid red and orange basin. Sits 20 minutes south of Bryce Canyon; Reddit consistently recommends pairing them in the same visit. The campground here earns some of the highest ratings of any Utah state park — quiet, clean, and reliably uncrowded.
Reddit verdict: "Stop at Kodachrome after Bryce. The spires are unlike anything else and the campground is excellent."
11. Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
National Monument | South-Central Utah
The wild card: 1.9 million acres of canyon wilderness between Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef, requiring dirt roads and self-sufficiency in exchange for solitude at a scale impossible in the national parks. Reddit's top spots: Willis Creek Slot Canyon (accessible slot canyon, no technical skills required), Grosvenor Arch (a stunning double arch off a dirt road with almost no competition for views), and Lower Calf Creek Falls — a 6-mile hike to a 126-foot waterfall that Reddit rates one of the most rewarding hikes in southern Utah.
Reddit verdict: "Grand Staircase is where you go when every national park parking lot is full and you want real wilderness."
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Utah parks can you visit in one trip?
Reddit recommends four to five parks for a 10–12 day trip done properly. Pair Arches + Canyonlands + Dead Horse Point near Moab, and Bryce + Cedar Breaks + Kodachrome Basin along Scenic Byway 12.
What is Scenic Byway 12?
Highway 12, connecting Bryce Canyon to Capitol Reef through Grand Staircase-Escalante, is consistently ranked on Reddit as one of the most spectacular drives in America. Allow a full day — it's not a transit route, it's a destination.
When is the best time to visit Utah's parks?
April–May and September–October for most parks. Cedar Breaks and Bryce: July–August for wildflowers and cooler temperatures. Avoid Zion and Arches in July–August — heat and crowds peak simultaneously.