Desert Drama—Iconic National Parks of the American Southwest - AAA Living

President Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, “There is nothing so American as our national parks.” And indeed, each of today’s 59 plots of preserved beauty represents its own slice of the American landscape.

Among the most distinctive are those painted with the rich reds and bold golds of the Southwest: Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon and Zion national parks. Biologically diverse and breathtakingly picturesque, these parks offer a glimpse of geological history spanning hundreds of millions of years. It’s possible to see them all in a week (but allow the most time for the Grand Canyon). Our insider’s guide will help you find the ones that best match your “parks personality”—and offer tips to help you on your way.

Neither words nor images can fully convey the splendor of this mammoth natural wonder. Some 277 miles of the Colorado River flow through the northern Arizona park and are responsible for carving the 1-mile-deep and 10-mile-wide canyon over the past 6 million years.

The view from Bright Angel Point, on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.

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Don’t Miss

Head first to Grand Canyon Village, a cluster of storied buildings clinging to the 7,000-foot-high South Rim. Among the highlights is the 1905 Hopi House. Designed by legendary parks architect Mary Elizabeth Jane Colter to resemble an ancient pueblo, Hopi House is now home to a gallery of handmade textiles, pottery, jewelry and paintings by Native American artisans. If you’re reasonably fit, make at least a short foray into the canyon itself: The 3-mile round-trip trek along the Bright Angel Trail (to 1.5-Mile Resthouse and back) is a good option.

It takes some effort to reach the higher North Rim, which is only open May 15–Oct. 15 and requires a 220-mile drive from the South Rim, but it’s worth it. You’ll be rewarded with fewer crowds and amazing canyon overlooks, including 8,803-foot-high Point Imperial, the highest observation point in the park.

Sunset View

Take the shuttle bus from Grand Canyon Village to the circa 1914 Hermit’s Rest gift shop for dazzling views of the sun falling over the horizon.

Creature Comforts

Built of stone and pine in 1905, AAA Three Diamond El Tovar Hotel was patterned after a European hunting lodge. The restaurant serves up lavish dishes, like polenta corncakes with prickly pear–pistachio butter at breakfast and stuffed roasted quail for dinner.

Desert View Watchtower provides stunning views from the South Rim.

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Off the Beaten Path

Near the South Rim’s less-visited East Entrance, the 70-foot-tall Desert View Watchtower was designed by Colter in 1932 to resemble a prehistoric Puebloan kiva (a round room used for religious rituals and community meetings). From the top level, you’re treated to panoramic views of the Painted Desert, Vermilion Cliffs and San Francisco Peaks.

Pro Tip

Admission is $30 per car. Look into saving with a national parks annual pass or, for those 62 and older, a senior pass. Avoid parking hassles by using free shuttle buses wherever and whenever they’re offered.

Park Personality

Backcountry Explorers can follow the Bright Angel and South Kaibab trails deep into the canyon, before continuing along the North Kaibab Trail to the North Rim (about 28 miles total). History Buffs and Luxury Lodgers will enjoy Grand Canyon Village, with its early 20th-century architecture.

Despite its name, this park in southern Utah isn’t technically a canyon but rather a series of natural amphitheaters filled with bulbous stone spires and pinnacles called hoodoos, formed over the eons by rain, snow and ice. It’s also home to bristlecone pines, among the oldest living flora in North America. Accessed by a single 18-mile park road, Bryce is easy to explore if time is short.

The view of Thor's Hammer, from Sunrise Point in Bryce Canyon.

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If you have time for just one amphitheater trek, take the Queens Garden/Navajo Combination Loop, which meanders through a fairytale-like maze of awe-inspiring red rock hoodoos. The ranger-led interpretive programs at Bryce are exceptionally informative—especially the 30-minute geology talks at Sunrise Point and the daily rim walks.

Sunset View

Most overlooks face east, making the park better suited for sunrise viewing. The Paria View overlook is the best spot to see the red rocks aglow in the evening light.

Creature Comforts

The atmospheric AAA Approved Lodge at Bryce Canyon dates to 1924 and is within a short stroll of amphitheater overlooks. It’s an ideal location for catching one of those legendary sunrise views.

Off the Beaten Path

On Highway 12, about 7 miles northwest of the park, you’ll find arguably the most heavenly homemade pies in southern Utah at AAA Approved Bryce Canyon Pines Restaurant. Tuck into a slice of the fluffy banana-strawberry variety.

Pro Tip

The farther south you drive on Bryce’s park road, the less crowded the overlooks, some of which offer 150-mile vistas on exceptionally clear days.

Park Personality

The strenuous 23-mile Under-the-Rim Trail and 9-mile Riggs Spring Loop Trail, each of which offers a handful of primitive campsites, appeal to Backcountry Explorers. With its lack of light pollution, as well as its engaging astronomy programs and full moon hikes, Bryce is an enchanting stop for Stargazers.

Mesmerizing contrasts in color and topography await in this 229-square-mile park in southwestern Utah. The visual thrills range from the verdant Virgin River Gorge, with its abundance of cottonwood and box elder trees, to cascading waterfalls and pine-strewn high-desert plateaus.

A sunny valley in the park.

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Don’t Miss

Catch the shuttle at the visitor center to explore Zion Canyon Scenic Drive, which accesses short trails to some of the park’s most astounding sites. Hop off at the last stop, the Temple of Sinawava—a pulpit-like rock formation—and set out on the 2-mile round-trip Riverside Walk. This level trek passes flourishing hanging gardens, “weeping” walls, and patches of emerald fern and moss nourished by the Virgin River.

Checkerboard Mesa, with its distinct geological grid.

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Sunset View

Head to the park’s Upper East Canyon section, where the falling sun reflects off Checkerboard Mesa. Or, hike the half-mile Canyon Overlook Trail for dazzling views over Pine Creek Canyon, the lower end of Zion Canyon and the Towers of the Virgin peaks.

Creature Comforts

Stop for lunch at AAA Approved Red Rock Grill in the wood-and-stone Zion Lodge, where giant windows afford sweeping canyon views.

Off the Beaten Path

One of the region’s best-kept secrets, tiny Kanab—aka “Utah’s Little Hollywood”—is nestled in the red cliffs just a 40-minute drive from Zion’s east entrance. Home to hotels, restaurants and outdoor-gear shops, the town is also an ideal base for exploring Bryce Canyon National Park (a 75-minute drive) and the Grand Canyon’s North Rim (nearly two hours away). Fuel up on breakfast or lunch at AAA Approved Parry Lodge Restaurant. The walls are lined with photos of Hollywood stars—John Wayne, Barbara Stanwyck, Frank Sinatra—who stayed there while filming the many Westerns shot in Kanab from the 1930s through the ’50s.

Pro Tip

If you’re driving from Las Vegas or Salt Lake City, stop by the less-visited Kolob Canyons section of the park (just off Exit 40 of I-15) and explore the ruggedly gorgeous Kolob Arch trail.

Park Personality

The Narrows, a 16-mile gorge of sandstone grottoes and hanging gardens, is a favorite trail for Backcountry Explorers. History Buffs appreciate the engaging exhibits at the Zion Human History Museum, and Luxury Lodgers will find some cushy options just outside the park in Springdale.