National Parks, Monuments, & Recreation Areas
Did you know there are over 20 national parks and monuments within a few hours' drive make Salt Lake? This proximity makes Salt Lake the perfect gateway for exploring some of the world's most acclaimed, spectacular, and scenic outdoor places. Utah has a wide variety of national public areas, including deserts, lakes, forests, and historic sites, from Natural Bridges, a sacred monument for Native Americans, to the Golden Spike National Historic Site, where the Union and Central Pacific Railroads famously united to form the Transcontinental Railroad.
When you stay in Salt Lake City, you have the perfect base camp to begin your adventures.
Utah's National Parks & Monuments
Wasatch-Cache National Forest - 30 minutes
Timpanogos Cave National Monument - 45 minutes
Golden Spike National Historic Site - 1.5 hours
Dinosaur National Monument - 3 hours
Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area - 3.5 hours
Arches National Park - 4 hours
Canyonlands National Park - 4 hours
Capitol Reef National Park - 4 hours
Cedar Breaks National Monument - 4 hours
Bryce Canyon National Park - 4 hours
Zion National Park - 4.5 hours
Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument - 5 hours
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area - 5.5 hours
Rainbow Bridge National Monument - Accessible only by water
Natural Bridges National Monument - 5.5 hours
Hovenweep National Monument - 5.5 hours
Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park - 6.5 hours
Western Region National Parks
Great Basin National Park, Nevada - 4 hours
Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming - 5 hours
Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming & Montana - 5 hours
Sawtooth National Forest, Idaho - 5.5 hours
Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado - 6 hours
Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona - 6.3 hours