There’s only one tank of gas standing between you and the highlights of the West. Salt Lake City’s premier location in the Wasatch Mountains makes it the ideal spot for weekend road-trippers and part-time digital nomads.
My favorite part about living in Salt Lake City was the location. Since it’s nestled on the West side of the Rocky Mountains, there’s easy access to some of the prettiest views this side of the Continental Divide. When you’re in the city, you’re just a few hours of highway driving away from Idaho, Colorado, Nevada, and Wyoming, with an unending supply of local adventures.
If you’re a road-tripping enthusiast like me, you can branch as far as the Oregon Coast or California beaches with just a day’s worth of driving. But you don’t need to go that far to experience the jewels of the West. The best weekend trips from Salt Lake City include eight National Parks and plenty of hidden gems and wilderness areas (all within a 1 to 6 hour radius).
Chapters
- Weekend Trips from Salt Lake City, Utah
- Salt Lake City Driving Distance to Nearby National Parks
- Is Salt Lake City the Epicenter for Digital Nomads?
Weekend Trips from Salt Lake City, Utah
Here’s my lineup of favorite weekend trips from Salt Lake City, but honestly, it’s just the tip of the iceberg. Salt Lake City’s unique location makes it the prime spot for weekend camping trips, National Park hops, and exploring the charm of the West.
Bonneville Salt Flats (1.5 Hours)
The famous salt flats are a geological marvel and home to the Bonneville International Speedway, a race track with no speed limit. It’s a common photo spot and spectacular during Utah’s rainy season, when the salt is flooded with water for a mirror effect. While you’re there, take plenty of photos, bring a picnic lunch, rent an ATV, or put your own car to the speed test.
THINGS TO DO IN BONNEVILLE SALT FLATS
- Test your car’s high speed on the Bonneville International Speedway
- Drive around the 30,000 miles of salt flats
- Bring a picnic and a good camera for photo shoots
- Rent an ATV to explore more challenging terrain
DISTANCE FROM SALT LAKE CITY
- About 1.5 hours
Zion National Park (4 Hours)
Find Angel’s Landing, The Narrows, and the viral tunnel drive on the Mt. Carmel Highway all at Zion National Park. My grandma is a born-and-raised Utah native, and this is the first place she took me to experience the state (I trust her opinion with my life). Zion is one of those places that requires a few days to explore, so give yourself a long weekend.
THINGS TO DO IN ZION NATIONAL PARK
- Hike The Narrows for impressive slot canyon views
- Get a permit and hike Angel’s Landing to get your heart pumping
- Enjoy the scenic drive down Mt. Carmel Highway
- Get coffee with a view at River Rock Roasting Company
- Try easy hikes like Canyon Overlook and Emerald Pools
- Rent an e-bike to visit areas of the canyon that aren’t accessible by car
DISTANCE FROM SALT LAKE CITY
- About 4 hours
Kanab and the Coral Pink Sand Dunes (5 Hours)
About thirty minutes from Zion National Park, you’ll find the small Western town of Kanab, Utah. I usually stay here when I’m visiting Zion or Bryce, because there’s so much to do in Kanab, and it’s a quiet getaway from the National Park tourism.
Here, you’ll become part of the local crowd, tempted to swing dance at the local saloon and kick dust off your boots. You’ll be surrounded by roadrunners, Mormon lore, and scenes straight out of a Western film. Seriously, Kanab used to be called “Little Hollywood” and was the set for over 100 Western movies, like The Lone Ranger and Billy the Kid.
THINGS TO DO IN KANAB, UTAH
- Spend a day sand sledding at the Coral Pink Sand Dunes
- Visit a local slot canyon, like Peek-A-Boo Canyon
- Rent an ATV for off-roading adventures and rural sunset hikes
- Enter the permit lottery and hike The Wave
- Hike the Toadstool Hoodoos
- Go rappelling and canyoneering in Utah wilderness areas
- Enter the Belly of the Dragon for a unique hike
- Visit the Little Hollywood movie museum or the Gunsmoke movie set
DISTANCE FROM SALT LAKE CITY
- About 5 hours
The Grand Canyon North Rim (6.5 Hours)
The North Rim of the Grand Canyon is the less touristy section. It’s higher elevation (so pack extra water and warm clothes) and is closed during the winter months. Going just for the views is impressive enough, but there are plenty of activities available at the North Rim to immerse yourself in canyon life, too.
THINGS TO DO AT THE GRAND CANYON NORTH RIM
- Drive the North Rim on Cape Royal Road and find Angel’s Window
- Pick an easy day hike, like Transept Trail, Bridle Trail, or Uncle Jim Trail
- Book a mule ride down the canyon for a unique experience
DISTANCE FROM SALT LAKE CITY
- About 6.5 hours
Hagerman and Blue Heart Springs, Idaho (2 Hours)
If you’ve spent any time on this blog, you know I’ll never stop talking about Hagerman, Idaho. It’s true, the grocery store looks like a post office, you’re better off packing your own food, and there are only a few options for places to stay. But the beauty of Hagerman is in the isolation. In the spring months, you’ll drink your fill of greenery (the kind you don’t see in Salt Lake City) and feel at peace in wilderness areas. Hagerman is home to icy blue springs, waterfalls, and scenic byways you’ll have all to yourself.
THINGS TO DO IN HAGERMAN, IDAHO
- Hike along the Oregon Trail
- Kayak to Blue Heart Springs
- Drive the Thousand Springs Scenic Byway
- Go birdwatching on the Snake River
- Visit Shoshone Falls
- Drive the historic fossil beds
DISTANCE FROM SALT LAKE CITY
- About 2 hours
Arches and Canyonlands National Parks (4 Hours)
I’m pairing Arches and Canyonlands National Parks because they’re so close to each other (within thirty minutes). Visiting Arches is like visiting Mars. It’s desolate, rugged, and even the nearby Colorado River runs chocolate brown through the park. If you’re an East Coast girl like me, you’ll wander through these parks murmuring things like, “I can’t believe this landscape is real.”
THINGS TO DO IN ARCHES, CANYONLANDS, AND MOAB
- Take a whitewater rafting trip (suitable for beginners along the Moab Daily)
- Eat at the Sultan Mediterranean Grill (trust me on this)
- Hike up to Delicate Arch and take plenty of pictures
- Take an ATV sunset tour of the National Park
- Spot as many arches and rock formations as you can (many have names)
- Go stargazing at Dead Horse Point State Park
- Go canyoneering at Morning Glory Arch
- See the famous Mesa Arch in Canyonlands National Park
- Hike the White Rim Overlook and Upheaval Dome
DISTANCE FROM SALT LAKE CITY
- About 4 hours
Bryce Canyon National Park (4 Hours)
I’ve polled a lot of people about Utah’s National Parks, and Bryce Canyon is a resounding favorite. Sitting at an elevation of 9,000 feet, the altitude makes it cooler than Arches and Zion in the summer months. It’s a little off the beaten path, so there are fewer tourists and no timed entry passes needed. The landscape is also vastly different than other parks, with familiar red rocks transformed into vibrant hoodoos you can see up close.
THINGS TO DO IN BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARK
- Go searching for all the famous hoodoo formations (they have names)
- Bring your bike and cycle the 18 mile multi-use path
- Visit Bryce Point during sunset and stay for the stars
- Book a horseback riding adventure at one of the nearby ranches
- Hike down into the hoodoos via the Navajo Loop
- Hike the Rim Trail for stunning overlooks of the canyon
DISTANCE FROM SALT LAKE CITY
- About 4 hours
Grand Tetons National Park (4.5 Hours)
Visiting the Grand Tetons is an experience you never get over. The rugged cliffsides set against rivers and wildflower meadows are just the chef’s kiss of the west — and an easy weekend getaway from Salt Lake City.
THINGS TO DO IN GRAND TETONS NATIONAL PARK
- If it’s wintertime, go skiing at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort
- Bring your binoculars to see wildlife like grizzly bears, moose, bison, and pronghorn
- Hike the Taggart Lake Loop or Amphitheater Lake Trail
- Visit Mormon Row to see a 19th-century homestead with insane mountain views
- Go kayaking on the Snake River
- Try snowmobiling or ice fishing during the winter months
DISTANCE FROM SALT LAKE CITY
- About 4.5 hours
Yellowstone National Park (5 Hours)
Home to wild bison, colorful thermal pools, and a famous (and very predictable) geyser, Yellowstone National Park is pure wilderness. From Salt Lake City, it makes the perfect loop with Grand Tetons National Park and a quick trek up to Montana (if you have more time to explore).
THINGS TO DO IN YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK
- Visit Old Faithful to witness a geyser eruption
- Stop by Grand Prismatic Spring
- Consider a tour with Yellowstone Wolf Tracker
- Hike the Grand Prismatic Overlook Trail
- Camp in some of Yellowstone’s vast wilderness areas
- Grab your binoculars and watch for elk, moose, and bison
DISTANCE FROM SALT LAKE CITY
- About 5 hours
Park City and Heber Valley (45 minutes)
Park City is often grouped with Salt Lake City, since it’s a local skiing destination. But if you don’t ski much, you might need other good reasons to visit the Heber Valley. It’s earned the nickname “Utah’s Switzerland” for its stunning rockface backdrops, colorful wildflowers, and pretty alpine lakes.
THINGS TO DO IN PARK CITY AND HEBER VALLEY
- Go swimming in the Homestead Crater natural hot springs
- Catch the ice castles here in the wintertime
- Go wild ice skating or ice fishing at Deer Creek State Park
- Go mountain biking or hiking in one of Heber Valley’s wilderness areas
- Visit the Ballerina Farm Store in Midway for farm-fresh produce
- Go snowmobiling on the set of Yellowstone with Park City Peaks
DISTANCE FROM SALT LAKE CITY
- About 45 minutes
Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument (4.5 Hours)
If you’re a backcountry enthusiast, the Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument is the ideal place for off-roading, thru-hiking, and rural camping adventures. The area features similar arches and hoodoos to its neighboring destinations, but in a much more rugged form. This is one of those places you only visit if you’re fully prepared with food, water, and Four Wheel Drive.
THINGS TO DO IN GRAND STAIRCASE–ESCALANTE
- Visit arch formations like the Escalante Natural Bridge
- Camp overnight in a dark sky area (pack in and pack out)
- Find the twenty-mile wash dinosaur trackway
- Visit Peek-A-Boo Slot Canyon
- Pop in nearby areas like Kanab and Bryce Canyon
DISTANCE FROM SALT LAKE CITY
- About 4.5 hours
Salt Lake City Driving Distance to Nearby National Parks
Just for quick reference, here are the closest National Parks to Salt Lake City and their average driving time.
- Grand Canyon National Park (about 6.5 hours)
- Arches National Park (about 4 hours)
- Grand Tetons National Park (about 4.5 hours)
- Bryce Canyon National Park (about 4 hours)
- Zion National Park (about 4 hours)
- Great Basin National Park (about 4 hours)
- Yellowstone National Park (about 5 hours)
- Capitol Reef National Park (about 3.5 hours)
- Mesa Verde National Park (6 hours)
Is Salt Lake City the Epicenter for Digital Nomads?
I spent my first year as a digital nomad in Salt Lake City, and I’ll never forget how thrilling it was to have so many adventures on the horizon. The city itself has so many exciting outdoor activities, and the road trip opportunities are just phenomenal. I know Utah is still gaining a reputation as an adventure state, and it’s true that it has some quirks. But Salt Lake City will always be my top recommendation for people who want easy access to the National Parks and hidden gems of the West.
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