Nature route · A week
American Southwest Grand Circle
Slot canyons, hoodoos, mesas, and the big ditch — a red-rock loop through five national parks.
The classic Colorado Plateau road loop from Las Vegas: Zion's cliffs, Bryce's hoodoos, the mesas of Monument Valley, the slot of Antelope Canyon, the Grand Canyon's rim, and the arches of Moab — the greatest concentration of red-rock parks on Earth.
- Length 7–9 days (loop)
- Stops 6 wonders
- Budget $1,700–4,400 pp
- Region American Southwest, United States
Trip map
The route
Stops in travel order — tap any one for the full wonder guide.
-
Zion Canyon 1 night
Utah, United States
Sheer sandstone walls and the river-wading Narrows — the loop's first great canyon, near the Vegas start.
-
Bryce Canyon 1 night
Utah, United States
An amphitheatre of orange hoodoos at 2,400 m — best at sunrise from the rim.
-
Monument Valley 1 night
Arizona–Utah border, Navajo Nation
The iconic sandstone buttes of the Navajo Nation — the image of the American West.
-
Antelope Canyon 1 night
Navajo Nation, near Page, Arizona, United States
A glowing sculpted slot canyon near Page, entered only on a Navajo-guided tour.
-
Grand Canyon 1 night
Arizona, United States
A mile deep and two billion years of rock — the South Rim, the loop's centrepiece.
-
Arches National Park 2 nights
Utah, USA
Over 2,000 stone arches around Moab, including Delicate Arch — the loop's northeastern turn.
Day by day
-
Las Vegas to Zion
Base Springdale, Utah
- Las Vegas to Zion — about 2.5–3h
Pick up the car and drive to Zion. An afternoon on the canyon shuttle, or a first wade into the Narrows.
-
Zion to Bryce Canyon
Base Bryce, Utah
- Zion to Bryce — about 2h
Morning hike in Zion, then up onto the plateau to Bryce for sunset over the hoodoo amphitheatre.
-
Bryce to Monument Valley
Base Monument Valley, Utah/Arizona
- Bryce to Monument Valley via Scenic Byway 12 — about 4–5h
Sunrise at Bryce, then one of the great American drives east and south to the buttes of Monument Valley for the night.
-
Monument Valley to Page
Base Page, Arizona
- Valley loop drive; on to Page — about 2–3h
- Navajo-guided Antelope Canyon tour
The Monument Valley loop drive at first light, then to Page for a guided walk through the glowing slot of Antelope Canyon and a look at Horseshoe Bend.
-
Grand Canyon South Rim
Base Grand Canyon / Tusayan, Arizona
- Page to the South Rim — about 2.5h
West to the Grand Canyon for the rim trail and a sunset over the abyss — the scale takes a while to sink in.
-
North to Moab & Arches
Base Moab, Utah
- Long transfer north to Moab — about 5–6h
A big driving day up onto the Colorado Plateau to Moab, gateway to Arches, arriving for two nights.
-
Arches National Park
Base Moab, Utah
- Arches scenic drive and the Delicate Arch hike
A full day among the stone arches — the scenic drive, Windows, and the classic hike to Delicate Arch at golden hour.
-
Return to Las Vegas
Base Onward
- Moab back toward Las Vegas — a long day, or fly out of Salt Lake City / Grand Junction
Close the loop back to Las Vegas, or shorten the drive by flying out of a nearer airport.
What it costs
Per person, two sharing, 7 nights, self-driving from Las Vegas. Excludes flights to Las Vegas.
| Category | Range (per person) |
|---|---|
| TransportRental car and fuel split two ways over ~1,900 km. | $400–900 |
| Lodging7 nights in motels to park-gateway hotels; gateway towns spike in peak season. | $700–2,100 |
| FoodDiners, groceries, and the odd sit-down meal. | $350–800 |
| Fees & guidesAmerica the Beautiful park pass, Antelope Canyon Navajo tour, Monument Valley entry. | $250–600 |
| Estimated total | $1,700–4,400 |
What moves the number
- Peak season (spring/fall) lodging prices in the gateway towns
- Motels vs hotels, and how many nights you upgrade
- Rental-car class and fuel prices
- How many guided tours (Antelope Canyon, rafting) you add
Indicative mid-2026 ranges; confirm current rates and tour prices before booking. Quoted in US dollars. These are honest ranges, not quotes — real prices swing with season, group size, and how you travel. Always confirm current fares, room rates, permits, and fees with operators before you commit.
Best season & getting around
🗓️ Best time to go
Spring (April–May) and fall (September–October) are ideal: comfortable temperatures for hiking across the plateau, before the extreme summer heat of the lower canyons and after it. High summer is punishingly hot at the Grand Canyon and Monument Valley; winter brings snow and closures to high Bryce and Zion trails.
🧭 Getting around
This is a self-drive loop — a rental car from Las Vegas is essential, as distances are large and public transport is minimal. Buy the 'America the Beautiful' annual pass if visiting several national parks; Antelope Canyon and parts of Monument Valley are on Navajo land and require booked guided tours.
Know before you go
- Antelope Canyon can only be visited on a booked Navajo-guided tour — reserve well ahead, especially in peak season.
- Summer heat in the Grand Canyon and Monument Valley is dangerous — carry far more water than you think, and hike early.
- Distances are long; the Grand Canyon–Moab leg is a full driving day. Buy the annual parks pass if you'll visit three or more parks.
- All distances, times, and prices are approximate and shift with season and demand.
No corner of the planet concentrates spectacular rock like the Colorado Plateau, and this loop from Las Vegas threads the best of it into a single red-rock road trip. In a week you climb from Zion’s river-carved walls to Bryce’s frozen forest of hoodoos, cross the mesas of Monument Valley, thread the glowing slot of Antelope Canyon, stand on the rim of the Grand Canyon, and finish among the stone arches of Moab.
It is a driving trip, and a big one — the distances are real and the summer heat in the low canyons is no joke — so it rewards a spring or fall visit, an early start each day, and the annual parks pass. Come when the plateau is cool, and let the loop unspool one improbable rock formation at a time.
American Southwest Grand Circle: common questions
How many days is the American Southwest Grand Circle?
7–9 days (loop) — the plan is built around 7 nights. ~1,900 km road loop from Las Vegas
When is the best time to do the American Southwest Grand Circle?
Spring (April–May) and fall (September–October) are ideal: comfortable temperatures for hiking across the plateau, before the extreme summer heat of the lower canyons and after it. High summer is punishingly hot at the Grand Canyon and Monument Valley; winter brings snow and closures to high Bryce and Zion trails.
How much does the American Southwest Grand Circle cost?
A rough guide is $1,700–4,400 per person (Per person, two sharing, 7 nights, self-driving from Las Vegas. Excludes flights to Las Vegas.). Indicative mid-2026 ranges; confirm current rates and tour prices before booking. It varies with peak season (spring/fall) lodging prices in the gateway towns, motels vs hotels, and how many nights you upgrade, rental-car class and fuel prices.
How do you get around on the American Southwest Grand Circle?
This is a self-drive loop — a rental car from Las Vegas is essential, as distances are large and public transport is minimal. Buy the 'America the Beautiful' annual pass if visiting several national parks; Antelope Canyon and parts of Monument Valley are on Navajo land and require booked guided tours.
Which natural wonders does the American Southwest Grand Circle include?
Zion Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Monument Valley, Antelope Canyon, Grand Canyon, Arches National Park.
Added