🚙 National Park Transportation Tips: Salt Lake City to the Mighty 5 🏞️🧭

#transportation Flying into Salt Lake City (SLC) and dreaming of hoodoos, canyons, and arches? You’re in the perfect spot to launch your Mighty 5 Utah national parks road trip! Here’s how to get rolling👇 📍 Why Use Salt Lake City as Your Hub? ✈️ Major airport with rental cars, direct flights, and big-city amenities 🚗 Central access point to ALL five Utah national parks 🛣️ Connects easily to scenic byways, rural towns, and iconic stops 🛻 First Thing: Rent a Car (Essential) ✅ All parks require a vehicle — there’s no public transit between parks ✅ Book early (especially spring/fall) 🚙 AWD or 4WD helpful for side trips, but not required for main park roads 🏞️ Drive Times from Salt Lake City to the Mighty 5 🏔️ Arches NP (Moab) – ~3.5–4 hrs 🧗 Canyonlands NP (Island in the Sky) – ~4 hrs 🌲 Capitol Reef NP – ~3.5 hrs via UT-24 🧡 Bryce Canyon NP – ~4 hrs via US-89 ❤️ Zion NP – ~4.5–5 hrs via I-15 south 🎯 Moab and Bryce/Zion make great multi-night bases for exploring multiple parks. 🗺️ Itinerary Tip: Go in a Loop 🔁 SLC → Moab (Arches + Canyonlands) → Capitol Reef → Bryce → Zion → back to SLC 🛏️ Overnight in gateway towns like Moab, Torrey, Tropic, or Springdale ✅ Avoid doubling back — saves time and maximizes sights! ⛽ Essential Transportation Tips: 📶 Download offline maps — cell signal is spotty 🛢️ Keep your tank full — gas stations are few in between 🌅 Start early for sunrise hikes & parking ease 📆 Some parks now require timed entry reservations 🅿️ Park shuttles: Zion has a mandatory shuttle system (Mar–Nov)