Utah’s Mighty 5!

One of the most popular National Park routes that Ploy and I hadn’t tackled yet was the Utah ‘Mighty Five.’ We’d heard nothing but non-stop hype from friends, and after checking off several harder-to-reach destinations, we decided it was finally time to go for it! We initially tried to squeeze in Great Basin National Park in Nevada, but a car shortage at the Las Vegas airport left us with an electric vehicle. As it turns out, there are no non-Tesla charging stations near Great Basin (aside from one incredibly slow charger), so we pivoted. We ended up focusing solely on the five Utah gems, which actually made for a much more relaxing, less rushed experience.

March 14, 2026

Our trip began with a flight from Chicago to Las Vegas. Since it was spring break, we expected total chaos, but we actually got lucky with light crowds at the airport and an on-time arrival. However, our luck took a turn at the rental desk. A frustrated Hertz representative informed us that a weather event the previous day had prevented travelers from returning vehicles, leaving them with zero gas-powered cars in stock. After apologizing to the line of waiting travelers, she assigned everyone an electric Polestar. We ended up spending the next several hours huddled over our phones, completely re-mapping our route to ensure we’d hit a charging station every two hours. It was a hectic start, but we managed to make it work!

March 15, 2026

This was the first official day of our journey. After spending the night in Las Vegas at the Mardi Gras Hotel—which was budget-friendly, if not the most pristine—we set out for Zion National Park. Between managing our electric car’s charging needs, stopping for supplies, and navigating heavy traffic caused by a local NASCAR event, we didn’t arrive at the park until approximately 1 PM.

Given our late start, we decided to focus on a single, iconic experience for the day: The Narrows. We rented our specialized trekking gear at Zion Outfitter, located conveniently near the main entrance in Springdale. While the rental was a bit of an investment at roughly $50, it felt reasonable compared to the costs of other major National Park excursions we’ve enjoyed in the past.

From Springdale, we headed into the park. Finding a spot inside the canyon is notoriously difficult, so we followed the common advice and parked on Lion Blvd for a $25 fee. From there, we caught the park shuttle to the Temple of Sinawava, the final stop on the route. The ride took about 30 minutes, giving us a scenic introduction to the towering red cliffs before we reached the trailhead.

The Narrows lived up to the hype—it was incredible but physically demanding! We hiked in for about one hour before turning back for the one-hour return trip. The current was quite strong that day, requiring constant focus and effort to stay balanced, though it remained manageable. By the time we finished, our legs were definitely shaking from the exertion of trekking through the water and over the uneven river stones. We stayed at Days Inn in Hurricane which is not so far from the park.

March 16, 2026

Today, we made the roughly two-hour drive to Bryce Canyon National Park, arriving around 11 AM. We quickly discovered that the most challenging part of exploring this park wasn’t the terrain, but the parking! After spending thirty minutes unsuccessfully searching for a spot at Sunset Point, we circled back to Sunrise Point, where we luckily snagged one of the few remaining spaces. We took a moment to enjoy lunch in the car, fueling up before heading out on our hike.

We then began by walking the Rim Trail boardwalk toward Sunset Point, which offered a stunning, elevated perspective of the entire Bryce Amphitheater.At Sunset Point, we began our descent into the canyon via the Navajo Loop. This part of the trail was spectacular; we passed the towering, precarious-looking Thor’s Hammer. From the bottom of the Navajo Loop, we connected to the Queen’s Garden Trail to head back up toward the rim. Walking through the “garden” was a highlight—we spotted the Queen Victoria hoodoo, which really does look like a statue of the Queen overlooking her courtyard.

We eventually climbed back up to our starting point at Sunrise Point. The entire loop took us about 2 hours and 30 minutes. I was so proud of us for finishing it; it was an incredible workout that didn’t feel exhausting because every turn offered a new, beautiful view!

After finishing our hike and returning our gear in Springdale, we began the long drive toward Torrey, Utah. It was a significant trek after a physically demanding day, but we eventually arrived at the Broken Spur Inn & Steakhouse to settle in for the night. Staying in Torrey put us in a perfect position to explore Capitol Reef National Park the following morning.

March 17, 2026

We began our morning by exploring the Fruita District, starting with the stunning Scenic Drive. The towering red cliffs and unique geologic “wrinkle” of the park were a sight to behold. We then headed to the Capitol Gorge area to hike the Pioneer Register. It was an easy hour-long walk (out and back) through a deep wash where the canyon walls are inscribed with the names of early settlers. Despite the rising temperatures, the canyon walls provided a lovely, natural cooling effect that made the trail feel incredibly refreshing.

For a midday break, we drove to the historic Gifford House (Clifford Homestead) bakery. We treated ourselves to their famous mixed berry pie, which was absolutely delicious. The bakery is surrounded by almond trees that were in full bloom; the white petals looked just like cherry blossoms, creating a peaceful and picturesque atmosphere to rest.

Once we were recharged, we attempted the hike to Hickman Bridge. However, since it was the middle of the afternoon, the heat became quite intense. The trail is very exposed, and at one point, I honestly felt like I might pass out! It was a painful climb in that sun, and we ultimately decided to turn back just before reaching the base of the bridge. We listened to our bodies and agreed that we had seen enough for one day.

Exhausted but happy, we made the drive to Moab. We rewarded ourselves with a fantastic pizza from Moab Canyon Pizza Co. before finally checking into our hotel in Moab Downtown for some much-needed rest.

March 18, 2026

We started our day before dawn, waking up at 5:45 AM to secure a parking spot at the Delicate Arch trailhead in Arches National Park. By the time we arrived at 6:30 AM, the lot was already half full! The morning air was quite chilly, so we hiked at a brisk pace to stay warm, only realizing halfway up how strenuous the climb actually is. We reached the summit just as the sun began to rise. Sitting in the natural sandstone amphitheater, we watched the Delicate Arch stand alone against the horizon—it truly felt like the “main character” of the park.

By the time we hiked back down, the temperature had climbed significantly. We saw many people struggling with the heat on their way up and felt incredibly glad we had made the early start. After heading back to the hotel to change, we spent some time exploring Downtown Moab. It’s a vibrant area full of unique shops; we especially enjoyed grabbing coffee at Moab Coffee Roasters and browsing at Back of Beyond Books, the town’s wonderful independent bookstore.

In the afternoon, we headed to the Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands National Park. We made the most of the drive by stopping at almost every vista, including the Green River Overlook, which offered a spectacular view of the river winding through the canyon floor, and Buck Canyon Overlook, where the 1,000-foot sheer cliffs were breathtaking. We also completed the short hike to Mesa Arch, which is absolutely gorgeous with the vast canyon landscape framed perfectly through the archway.

To wrap up the day, we visited Anong’s Thai Cuisine food truck to stock up on lunch for tomorrow—highly recommended if you’re looking for authentic flavors in Moab! We’re staying at the same hotel tonight, resting up for the final leg of the trip.

March 19, 2026

We returned to Arches National Park early in the morning to beat the inevitable crowds. Our focus today was the Windows Section, which features some of the park’s most iconic and accessible formations.

We hiked to North and South Window Arches and Turret Arch, enjoying the way the morning light hit the massive stone spans. We also explored Double Arch, which was incredible to stand beneath; the scale of the two arches looping together is truly awe-inspiring.

Before exiting the park, we made one last stop at Devils Garden to hike to Landscape Arch. As the longest natural arch in the United States, seeing it up close was a highlight of the trip—it looks impossibly thin and fragile against the sky.

The remainder of the day was spent on the road as we began our journey back toward Cedar City. We chose to stay there for the night to position ourselves perfectly for one final visit to Zion National Park the following morning.

March 20, 2026

Although we didn’t fly out until the next morning, I consider today the true finale of our trip. Having stayed in Cedar City, we entered Zion National Park from the east side. Our first stop was the Canyon Overlook Trail, located just before the famous tunnel. We hiked for about an hour round-trip to reach the viewpoint. It is arguably the most accessible spot in the entire park to get a panoramic view of the canyon—certainly much easier than the strenuous climbs to Angels Landing or Scout Lookout.

After driving through the tunnel and exiting via the Springdale entrance to park, we hopped on the park shuttle for one last adventure: Emerald Pools. While the falls were quite dry, the light sprinkles of water were still a refreshing treat in the desert heat. We wrapped up the afternoon with some cold beers near the shuttle stop before beginning the final drive back to Las Vegas.

We spent our last night at the Motel 6 Las Vegas - Motor Speedway. While the car was plugged in for its final charge, we enjoyed a great farewell dinner at Pho Mai Mai. Looking back, this trip was about more than just the incredible scenery; it was a brand-new experience in travel logistics. We joked that we visited Walmart five or six times throughout the week—not for groceries, but because that’s where the Electrify America charging stations were located! It was a hectic, electric, and ultimately unforgettable spring break.