The Ultimate 3 Day Utah Road Trip
DAY 1 - Valley of The Gods
Day one of this epic road trip through Southern Utah starts out in Valley of the Gods. This is such an epic and widespread place. I really love to come here because there are so many pull offs to camp at along the long stretch of desert. There are all sorts of different buttes and hoodoos towering into the sky for miles around, offering great panoramic views of the Utah landscape.
The road through the valley isn’t anything too crazy and could be done without a 4x4 although you do need to be mindful and aware of the risks involved. I have only been out on the road in my 4runner but I have seen sedans driving it before, I would advise for a little bit of ground clearance though!
My favorite place to camp is at the very back of the loop in the valley nested in against the surrounding cliffs and mesa. It has a little shade and some seclusion. It is great to watch sunset, sunrise, and the stars there although all of the above are amazing to witness from anywhere in the valley.
It can get busy during the weekends so I would try and arrive early or during a weekday if you want a “prime” camping location such as the one in the back that I was lucky enough to secure!
DAY 2 - Hanksville (Moon Overlook/Factory Butte)
For day 2 we head to one of my favorite areas in all of the U.S. Southwest, Hanksville. It is about a 3 hour drive from Valley of the Gods. The first time I ever visited this area I was stunned by the mars like landscape and textures that are in the ground. There is also a few towering buttes to explore, including the well-known Factory Butte.
When I first got here I headed out to the Moon Overlook area which is off a main dirt road and then side dirt road. If you take the proper roads you can make it out easily without a 4x4 vehicle. Skyline View is the name of the correct and easiest road to take off of the main dirt road in order to get to the overlook. This is a great spot to watch sunrise as the sun comes up over the horizon off in the distance. You can fly a drone here as well and capture some super unique textures in the landscape of the area.
Within eyesight and a short drive away is Factory Butte, which offers amazing views from any angle. The butte is actually so much bigger than it looks and hard to get close to if you don’t have a capable 4x4 vehicle to traverse the side dirt roads. Factory Butte is great to see for sunrise, sunset and anytime of day. Just like the overlook there are some amazing textures that can be captured using a drone.
You can pretty much camp anywhere out here which is great because you are able to get your space and find some solitude. There is also a lot of other features in the area such as the Bentonite Hills and Capitol Reef National Park to explore!
DAY 3 - Escalante
For the final day we head to Grand Staircase Escalante which is another one of my favorite places that I have visited. Escalante is about 2 hours and 30 minutes drive from Hanksville.
Escalante and the surrounding area offer so many different and unique landscapes. You could easily spend the whole 3 day trip just exploring some of the views here. One thing that I love about the area is that it has something for everyone. Some great short hikes with unique views and landscapes along with longer hikes or backpacking trails so some of the most beautiful scenery in the U.S. Southwest.
In this trip I first headed to the Cosmic Astray which is one of the most surreal landscapes I have ever seen. It is just hard to think how something like it even exists. There are two different ways to get to the ashtray, either from the North or the South. The North involves a 8 mile round trip hike where the South is only 2 miles roundtrip. Apparently the south is only accessible at certain times of the hear due to Harris Wash being flooded and uncrossable, however in two visit I have not seen any water at all in the wash. I used All Trails for navigation on a lot of hikes I do and they have a few different ones of the ashtray that helped navigate which was super helpful being in the middle of the desert. Once you get to the astray you can see it from the North or South rim, each offering their own perspective on the dramatic scene. You can also go into the ashtray but just be mindful in your ability to get out as it can be challenging, I haven’t tried it yet.
Our next stop came the next morning but could be done in the same day. It was at the Devils Garden, which is a very family friendly and easy hike around some unique hoodoos. You can get some great views from the parking lot or explore the 1 mile loop though the rock garden which I would recommend.
Like I mentioned earlier, there is so much more than just these two places to see in Escalante and I recommend staying as long as you can and exploring the area!
Conclusion
Southern Utah has so many diverse and other worldly landscapes to explore! It is hard to just see and do it all in 3 days but these are a few of my favorite areas and places within the areas. I always recommend looking into the area you are planning to visit though as there could be some hidden gems beyond what you might think to explore
