If you are ready to get out and explore look no further than a Colorado National Park. 

In Colorado, the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Mesa Verde, The Great Sand Dunes, and Rocky Mountain National Park represent our four National Parks. If your looking for more there are five others next door in Utah.

Who Has More National Parks Colorado or Utah?

Colorado is home to 8 National Monuments and 4 National Parks. Next door in Utah, they also have 8 National Monuments. However, they have 5 National Parks. That's it. Colorado needs another National Park! Well, that's a story for another time because today we are crossing the state line for a closer look at the 'mighty five' National Parks located in Utah.

Which National Parks are located in Utah?

The state of Utah is home to Arches National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Canyon Lands National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, and Zion National Park all representing the parks next door.

See All Five of Utah's Mighty National Parks

Scroll on to find out more about 5 must-see destinations that are only a day trip away across the state line. Carpool and save on gas. It will be worth it.

Zion National Park in Utah

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  • National Park: Zion
  • Location:  1 Zion Park Blvd. State Route 9. Springdale, Utah
  • Click Here to Visit Zion National Park Online
  • Points of Interest: The beautiful community of St. George, Utah boasts of Zion National Park and well they should. Red and tan Navajo Sandstone carved out by the North Fork and Virgin Rivers creates something you have to see for yourself. The highest peak in the park is Horse Ranch Mountain at 8,726 feet. Make time for Checkerboard Mesa, the East Temple, and the six-mile Zion Canyon leading to the Temple of Sinawava are popular features here.
  • Click Here for Directions to Zion National Park

 

Capitol Reef National Park in Utah

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Canyonlands National Park in Utah

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  • National Park: Canyonlands
  • Location: 2282 Resource Blvd. Moab, UT
  • Click Here to Visit Canyonlands National Park Online
  • Points of Interest: From the Whitewater rapids of Cataract Canyon, the Native American rock paintings in Horseshoe Canyon, the Needles, and Island in the Sky, there is a ton to check out here. It’s a dramatic desert backdrop carved up by the Colorado River. Canyonlands is an outdoor adventure. There are not many services around here so a day at the park will mean bringing your own supplies.
  • Click Here for Directions to Canyonlands National Park

Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah

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Arches National Park in Utah

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  • National Park: Arches
  • Location: U.S. 191 North of Moab, Utah
  • Click Here to Visit Arches National Park Online
  • Points of Interest: Established in April of 1929, Utah’s Arches National Park rests along the Colorado River and is home to over 2000 amazing sandstone arches. The famous red-hued Delicate Arch, Landscape Arch, and Balanced Rock are all must-see stops as you visit the 119-mile National Park. Reservations are required to enter Arches. It is a time-stamped reservation so do not be late.
  • Click Here for Directions to Arches National Park

MORE: See Utah's Magnificent Grosvenor Arch

It will be a full day, but if you want to get away for a day or two, a trip to Utah's Grosvenor Arch is going to be worth the drive. A six-hour drive southwest of Grand Junction will take you to the northwestern corner of the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument. What you will find is the amazing Grosvenor Arch, which is actually two sandstone arches reaching more than 150 feet above the ground and 92 feet across.

HUGE: Find the Largest Fishing Fly in the World in Utah

You can find the largest fishing fly in the world in Utah. Take a look at this huge fishing fly in Dutch John which is over 36 feet long and weighs three tons.

ON SCENE: Movies Filmed in Western Colorado and Eastern Utah

Did you know some of your favorite movies from the 1950s and '60s were filmed in Western Colorado and Eastern Utah? Grand Junction photographer Bob Grant had a chance to shoot a few photos from these movie sets.

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