The Ultimate Colorado to Utah Road Trip Loop

A Colorado to Utah road trip is the ideal way to experience the natural beauty of these two mountain states in the great American Southwest.

These road trips touch on some of the best places to see spectacular views, deep canyons, natural hot springs, the great Rocky Mountains, archeological sites and more.

Activities abound from the more strenuous including horseback riding, rock climbing and hikes and white water rafting to the more leisurely like scenic drives and picnics in beautiful national and state parks.

This road trip will take you to five national parks, numerous historic western towns and some of the most spectacular natural scenery on earth.

Steamboat Springs

Start your Colorado to Utah road trip in Steamboat Springs, a friendly, northwestern Colorado town with a laid-back vibe nestled in the bucolic Yampa Valley.

It lies about 3 hours north of Colorado’s capital city, Denver.  

“The Boat” – that’s what the locals affectionately call Steamboat Springs – is an internationally renowned ski resort.

The slopes in the area are stunningly beautiful with soaring mountains and dramatic drops. Some of the best-known slopes include Mount Warner, Howelsen Hill, and the majestic Outlaw Mountain.

No matter a skier’s level of expertise, there is an appropriate slope to enjoy. Can’t ski? Tale a course at the local ski school.

 Want something more challenging? Try Alpine skiing.

Every February, Steamboat Springs celebrates the skiing season with the Winter Festival and Parade. 

This is the only parade where performers march to the music on skis! In fact, skiing is such a serious business in The Boat, that more winter Olympic athletes come from Steamboat Springs than any other city in the U.S. 

Despite the local fascination with skiing, there is plenty more to enjoy in Steamboat no matter what time of year you go.

The Steamboat Balloon Festival attracts people from around the country to witness the colorful parade in the sky, and summer is for enjoying watersports like kayaking, tubing and paddling in the town’s many cool springs and lakes.

The local downtown area around Lincoln Avenue has a Western vibe with picturesque shops lining the streets.

September offers Restaurant Week and a chance to sample the wide variety of the town’s culinary treats, a real foodie’s paradise.

Some favorites include Besame for Nuovo Latin, Mambo for an interesting take on Italian and Yampa Valley Kitchen for farm-to-table deliciousness.

You can buy the freshest produce at the regular Farmers Markets as well as partying the night away at the various music venues and bars.

Hike the beautiful Yampa Core Trail by the river, visit the Yampa River Botanical Garden, or climb to the top of Fish Creek Falls.

What’s not to love about Steamboat Springs!

Check out the different accommodation options in Steamboat Springs.

From Steamboat Springs, head southwest to kick off your Colorado to Utah road trip.

Moab

About 300 miles (480 km) southwest of Steamboat Springs is the gateway to two of the most spectacular national parks on your Colorado to Utah road trip: Arches and Canyonlands National Park in Moab, Utah.

The parks have a single-vehicle entrance fee of $ 30 USD and different fees for motorcycles, bicycles and camping. If you are over 62, you are eligible for discounts on entrance fees to all the U.S. National Parks.

The town of Moab is a quaint western-style town with shops, restaurants and hotels lining the main street.

The art galleries capitalize on the spectacular scenery of the national parks nearby and the southwestern jewelry of turquoise blue, coral red and silver is especially beautiful.

This is a great place to stock up on Western gear at reasonable prices.

Don’t miss the petroglyphs on Potash Road. These are rock art designs created by native Americans who inhabited the area between 600 and 1300 CE.

The designs represent animals, human-like figures with horns and capes as well as a line of people holding hands. These petroglyphs are right by the road and are visible from your car.

They are extremely fragile and even the oil from human hands can mar this unique and irreplaceable patrimony.

There are plenty of restaurants in Moab offering everything from Asian fusion to classic American.

On Main Street try Dewey’s Restaurant and Bar for casual, no-frills American. Josie Wyatt’s Grille has great pasta, steaks and patio seating.

A more upscale establishment is the Desert Bistro across the street from the Best Western off Main Street. This restaurant offered a dining experience way above and beyond my expectations.

Everything was excellent; the food, drinks, ambiance and service…all stellar. We’re still talking about it.

Insider tips to improve your visit to Moab:

1. Do visit the Visitor Center on Main Street to pick up brochures, maps and information from the helpful staff. Learn about evening programs, spectacular hikes, cycling, backpacking and much more.

2. Be aware of the state’s quirky liquor laws before you make a fool of yourself by complaining to the restaurant’s management that they only served you half a drink. I speak from experience.

By law, drinks can only be about 1/2 of what you would ordinarily get at a bar. You can’t order two drinks at once, or a double, and there are many, many more restrictions.

Be aware that the state’s DUI parameters and penalties are the harshest in the country. Learn about Utah’s liquor laws before you go.

Remember, this is NOT New Orleans or Las Vegas. Cheers!!

The Moab area is the ideal location to use as a base from which to explore the national parks as well as La Sal National Forest and Loop Road and the accommodations in Moab are plenty.

Arches National Park

Arches National Park is 5 miles (8 km) north of Moab and is all about…well, arches. And what arches they are!

There are over 2000 arches in the park along with many otherworldly natural sand and stone formations chiseled by nature over the millennium.

The park receives over 1.5 million visitors a year who come to bike, hike and take in the fabulous scenery.

Among the most spectacular arches are: Turret Arch, Delicate Arch, perhaps the most photographed, Landscape Arch, and Navajo Arch.

The park is open all year but fills up quickly so get there early or be prepared to wait on line until space opens up.

One activity that is unique in this part of the world is stargazing. The farther you get from Moab the darker the sky will be and the more spectacular the stargazing.

Park rangers regularly offer stargazing programs in the summer. Check the details at the visitor center and see the stars like you’ve never seen them before.

Canyonlands National Park

Canyonland National Park is another one of nature’s gems in the United States. It is 338,000 acres of the wildest land formations you’ll ever see: mesas, buttes, canyons with blazing colors and spires piercing the sky.

The area is actually four parks in one divided by the Green and Colorado Rivers:

1 Islands in the Sky is the most visited and the closest to Moab.

2 The Needles is a bit farther – but totally worth it. It’s great for a day trip from Moab and prime territory for backpacking and hiking to the spectacular land formations.

3 The Maze is the least developed section of the park and requires a four-wheel drive. Horseshoe Canyon, part of The Maze, has native-American rock markings.

4 The Rivers in Canyonlands separate the sections and offer exceptional white river rafting. Check out the various outfitters that specialize in river rafting when you visit the visitor center.

If you are short on time or simply prefer to have an outfitter show you the coolest spots in Canyonlands, I highly recommend Adrift Adventures of Moab; professional, prompt, pleasant, knowledgeable and good value for your money.

They’ll take you places and show you sights you might not see otherwise, like the spot where Thelma and Louise was filmed when the actresses drove off a cliff into the vast canyon below.

La Sal National Forest and Loop Road

A few miles outside of Moab is the La Sal National Forest and Loop guaranteed to have scenery unlike anything you have ever seen.

The loop takes about 2 hours to complete by car but the vistas and topography will undoubtedly lure you into stretching out this drive into a much-extended road trip.

This is a spectacular drive with views of the Moab Valley and the majestic La Sal mountains. It’s fascinating to see the geography of the forest go from desert to pine forest to verdant valley all within a few minutes.

It seemed every bend was an occasion to ooohhh and aaahhh. For my money, these forest, mountain and lake views are just as amazing as the national parks.

Some of the most breathtaking sites on this loop include Kens Lake, the desert and mountain overlooks, Oohwah Lake and the scenic drive bordering the Colorado River. Don’t underestimate this scenic wonder!

Tip: Pack a picnic lunch and have a meal while viewing the multicolored horizon and snowcapped mountains.

Newspaper Rock

If you are interested in native American culture and archaeology, and even if you are not, you should schedule a stop at the intriguing Newspaper Rock, a national monument about an hour south of Moab.

This fascinating piece of history is a panel carved in sandstone representing figures created by people over the centuries to 1300 CE.

Some of the cultures that contributed to the rock are the Fremont and Pueblo people among others.

Archaeologists and other scholars are unsure what the figures; animals, human-like figures, and geometric designs represent. Are they religious symbols, artistic expressions or merely doodles and ancient graffiti?

Cortez

Leave Utah behind, loop back into Colorado and head to Cortez, less than two hours southeast of Moab.

Named after the Spanish conquistador, Hernan Cortez, this pleasant little town of about 8,500 is full of lush green parks and sparkling lakes.

Many travelers opt to stay in Cortez hotels due to the town’s proximity to Mesa Verde National Park, Monument Valley National Park and other important cultural centers.

Cortez has several hotels and restaurants and is a great place for a stopover as you continue your Colorado to Utah road trip.

It is also a good destination from which to deviate from your Colorado to Utah road trip and explore some of the cutest small towns of western Colorado like Silverton, Telluride and Durango.

And don’t miss the tapas and martini happy hour at the Farm Bistro.

Mesa Verde National Park

About 10 miles (16 km) east of Cortez you’ll find the Mesa Verde National Park, a UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE site and the largest archaeological preserve in the United States. Wow! That’s a mouthful.

Established in 1906 to preserve the heritage of the original inhabitants, the Pueblo people, the park is like an outdoor museum.

Depending on what section of the park you visit, you’ll see nearly 5,000 archeological sites which include the cliff dwellings created from 600 to 1300 CE.

The dwellings are so well preserved that it almost seems like the inhabitants left them that morning only to return later that day.

Built beneath overhanging cliffs, the dwellings range from small storage units to structures with up to 150 rooms.

You can gaze at the dwellings and imagine a bustling community of villagers going about their lives centuries ago.

Make sure to stop at the visitor center at the entrance to plan your visit depending on what interests you most. There is nothing quite like this anywhere that I know of.

After visiting Mesa Verde National Park you can detour to visit the charming southwestern Colorado towns or continue on your Colorado to Utah road trip to Durango.

Durango

Just a half hour east of Mesa Verde is the town of Durango, a cute southwestern town near the New Mexico border.

Some people use Durango as a base to visit the nearby attractions like the breathtakingly beautiful San Juan Forest but there is plenty to see and do in Durango itself.

The city has a vibrant art scene – visit the Durango Arts Center – and cool restaurants with innovative cuisine.

One unique, can’t-miss activity in Durango is a ride on the vintage Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. As the name implies, the railroad connects two historic and interesting towns, Durango and Silvertown.

It chugs its way along a track that crosses the San Juan Forest so you can see the awesome views from your window. Along the way, you learn more about the town’s history.

This makes for a perfect day trip in the area and an ideal addition to your Utah to Colorado road trip.

The best place to stay in Durango is the historic Statler Hotel. It is so historic, in fact, that the hotel’s tag line is “Admit it, you’ve always wanted to spend the night in a museum.” And they’re not kidding.

The hotel was built in 1887 and has remained a hotel ever since. It is decorated in period architecture and furniture.

You truly feel like Wyatt Earp or some other character from the late 1800s will walk in the door at any minute.

Spend some time in the hotel’s period saloon where the staff is costumed in late 1800 garb.

It’s not just a hotel stay, it is an accommodation experience.

Dinner at the hotel is an excellent option, or you can choose one of the trendy eateries in town like Ken and Sue’s downtown.

Great Sand Dunes National Park

The drive from Durango to your next stop, The Great Sand Dune National Park, is a little over three hours.

The road takes you through the San Juan National Forest and Rio Grande National Forest with scenery so beautiful that the 3 1/2 hour drive will feel like minutes.

Guaranteed you’ll stop frequently at the overlooks to take photos.

Unless you’ve spent years wandering around the Sahara you have not seen anything like the Great Sand Dunes National Park.

This otherworldly park lies against the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.

The dunes are North America’s highest and are only about 10% of the 330-square-mile deposit of sand. What’s the big deal about a bunch of sand, you say?

The dunes are many stories high and you can climb them!

Depending on the season, the melting snow from the mountains flows down to the dunes creating a rushing creek you need to cross in order to get to the dunes.

But don’t worry, the “creek” never get higher than your ankles. So, take off your shoes, walk to the dunes and climb them or bring a snowboard and surf the dunes.

The sight of the massive dunes against the backdrop of the snow-capped mountains makes for a great photo op. Truly one of the most spectacular and prettiest places in southwestern Colorado.

Salida

Salida is a cute little town about an hour and a half north of the Great Sand Dune National Park.

This picturesque town of slightly over 5,000 punches way above its weight when it comes to outdoor sports and adventures. It is also known as “The Heart of the Rockies.”

The other main attraction in Salida is that it is home to the state’s largest National Historic District with 136 – count them, 136 -preserved buildings representing the town’s wild-west past. Some of the hotels in Salida also have a wild-west theme.

For a hearty dinner of homemade Italian fare, you can’t beat Amica Pizza. But don’t let the name fool you. It’s more than a pizza place. Check out the tasty pasta dishes and microbrewery.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

A stellar attraction in the area and the last of the great national parks on your Utah to Colorado road trip is the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.

Picture the height of the Empire State Building. Now double it.

Two Empire State buildings, one on top of the other, are still a little less than the total depth of the deepest canyon in the Black Canyon.

Edge as close to the canyon rim as you dare, peek over the top and you’ll see an abyss more than 2,700 feet deep in some places.

You might feel a bit queasy peering over the edge due to the depth.

The Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is small in size but more than makes up for it in spectacular views.

The park has three sections: East Portal, North Rim and South Rim. The overlook distances are short enough that you could walk through them all.

All the views are breathtaking but there are three lookout points that can’t be missed: Narrows View, Chasm View and the deepest, Painted Wall View.

The Black Canyon is home to a large variety of fauna but the coyotes are especially numerous.

They are largely nocturnal so if you spend the night in the campground, you’ll hear their eerie howls way into the night.

Aspen

Now here’s a change of pace. Head over to Aspen, about 70 miles north of The Black Canyon of the Gunnison, and find yourself in a cosmopolitan, artsy, more up-market city environment.

Aspen is a great place to visit any time of year but winter is “the season” due to the excellent skiing conditions.

Nevertheless, there is plenty to do in any season.

The city is a little cultural Mecca in the heart of the Rockies with its museums, music venues, and screen and stage performances.

This town of almost 7,500 year-round inhabitants – that number swells in winter – has a beautiful old west-style town center, a nod to the city’s silver mining origins in 1879.

The cobblestone streets are lined with high-end, brand-name stores, chic restaurants and art galleries.

As can be expected in a trendy town like Aspen, the restaurant scene is varied.

There is plenty to choose from down-home western BBQ and steaks to sushi and haute cuisine…with prices to match.

One cozy, moderately priced eatery with tasty Italian fare is Brunelleschi’s conveniently located on S. Hopkins which is also Restaurant Row so, if Italian is not your thing, you have many other choices.

Choose from a wide variety of places to stay in Aspen from awesome 5-star properties to more moderately priced accommodations.

And so ends our epic Utah to Colorado road trip.

At this point you can head back to the starting point of Steamboat Springs, fly out of Aspen to connect to larger airports, or drive to Denver – the state’s capital about three and a half hours east – with an international airport for worldwide connections.

There are many ways to travel the area. Another favorite is an RV adventure across the southwest USA.

Whichever route you take, whether focusing exclusively on Colorado and Utah’s National Parks, wandering small-town America, exploring the nearby cosmopolitan, and very different, cities of Salk Lake City, Denver and Las Vegas, or a combination of all three, this Colorado and Utah road trip will be an adventure to remember.

The best time for your Colorado and Utah road trip

The best time for your Utah and Colorado road trip is the spring, April through May and the fall, September through October.

The summer months can be exceedingly hot requiring lots of water. The winter months may require snow tires and or chains depending on where you are. Stick to the spring and fall.

What Is The Most Scenic Drive From Utah To Colorado?

Looking to embark on an epic Utah to Colorado road trip filled with natural wonders and Rocky Mountain highs? Set your sights on Highway 128, voted the most scenic drive from Moab to Grand Junction.

This approximately 4-hour journey winds through the heart of Colorado National Monument, passing towering red rock canyons and the mighty Colorado River below.

Start your engines in the adventure hub of Moab, Utah, an ideal basecamp for exploring nearby Arches and Canyonlands National Parks.

Fuel up on coffee and breakfast burritos on Moab’s eclectic Main Street lined with souvenir shops and cafes.

Then head north on Highway 128 into the high desert, where the sweeping rocky cliffs and deep canyons of Colorado National Monument soon rise around you.

Pull over at overlooks like Cold Shivers Point to fully absorb the breathtaking views of the Colorado River winding through the valley below.

Continue on to the Colorado National Monument Visitor Center, perched on the edge of the plateau for panoramic vistas.

Take a short hike along the scenic Rim Rock Drive to stand atop the sandstone cliffs overlooking the canyon’s depths.

For a quick side adventure, detour into the canyons on the Liberty Cap or Serpents Trail for an up-close look at the gravity-defying rock formations before navigating back up the steep switchbacks.

Complete your journey in Grand Junction, Colorado, where the Colorado and Gunnison Rivers converge in the valley shadows of the Rocky Mountains.

This welcoming western town makes a fantastic base camp for exploring Colorado National Monument and other nearby nature escapes.

After soaking in the area’s natural grandeur, reward yourself with a craft beer at Rockslide Brewery after a spectacular scenic drive through the American West’s painted canyons or a juicy Palisade peach.

This stunning 4-hour drive from Moab to Grand Junction is guaranteed to give you a Rocky Mountain high.

So take your time and soak in the sweeping vistas of the American West’s painted desert from this front-row seat.

You’ll surely agree Highway 128 is the most scenic road connecting Utah to Colorado.

Nearby Destinations On Your Colorado To Utah Road Trip

After driving the spectacular route through the Colorado National Monument from Utah to Colorado, extend your road trip adventure by exploring these incredible nearby destinations.

This region is packed with natural wonders just waiting to be discovered.

Make sure to spend a day or two in Moab before heading out on the scenic drive.

This outdoor mecca is the perfect basecamp for exploring Arches and Canyonlands National Parks located just minutes outside town.

Don’t miss sunrise at Delicate Arch or standing on the precipice of Mesa Arch at Canyonlands.

For stunning overhead views, take a river rafting trip on the Colorado River winding past imposing 2,000-foot cliffs.

Just 30 minutes north of Moab lies Dead Horse Point State Park, an often overlooked gem with breathtaking panoramas.

Hike out to the aptly named Dead Horse Point for a vertigo-inducing view of the meandering Colorado River 2,000 feet below.

The park’s formations served as a backdrop for the final scene in the classic film Thelma & Louise.

After reaching Grand Junction, make time to explore the nearby Colorado National Monument more in-depth.

Don’t miss the trails descending 500 feet into the deep red rock canyons that look like they belong on Mars.

For a quick add-on, drive 15 minutes to Palisade for wine tasting at the area’s renowned vineyards and orchards.

On your way farther into Colorado, detour south to the spectacular Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park located in western Colorado.

Marvel at the sheer 2,000-foot cliffs plunging dramatically to the river below.

Or continue north to Vail and Rocky Mountain National Park, world-class skiing and hiking destinations with stunning mountain scenery.

No matter which direction your scenic road trip takes you, this striking landscape of the American Southwest delivers nonstop inspiration.

Revel in the natural grandeur before the road beckons you onward to the next national park adventure.

What is the most famous road in Utah?

With its amazing landscapes of sculpted canyons, arches, and hoodoos, Utah offers some of the most scenic drives in the United States.

But one red rock route stands out above the rest as the state’s most famous road – the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway.

This engineering marvel winds through towering 2,000-foot Navajo sandstone cliffs as it connects Zion National Park to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon in northern Arizona.

The route offers thrilling switchbacks, panoramic vistas, and a mile-long tunnel carved through solid rock.

Going from the verdant Zion Valley to the windswept Grand Canyon is an unforgettable experience.

The journey begins in Springdale, Utah, the picturesque gateway town to Zion National Park.

After stocking up on snacks and water, enter Zion and wind upward past towering peaks and sandstone walls glowing red and orange.

Stop at scenic viewpoints like Canyon Overlook before entering the Zion-Mount Carmel tunnel.

As you emerge on the other side, the landscape transforms dramatically to the windswept vistas of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument’s plateaus and cliffs.

The remainder of the highway snakes along cliffs, dropping over 1,000 feet as you pass scenic pullouts like Checkerboard Mesa.

The final stop on this iconic Utah route is the Grand Canyon North Rim’s visitor center, located 10,000 feet above sea level on the Kaibab Plateau.

Stand in awe as the vast expanse of the Grand Canyon spreads before you.

Take the short walk out to Bright Angel Point for a fun photo op overlooking the canyon.

Spanning just over 40 miles, the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway packs unbelievable scenery into every curve and switchback as it winds through the colorful canyon country of southern Utah.

Its sheer sandstone cliffs, panoramic views, and historic tunnel make this road trip one of Utah’s most famous drives.

Want to know more about this amazing part of the world, check out these handy reference books.

What are your thoughts on this Utah to Colorado Road Trip? What suggestions do you have to improve it? Let us know in the comments.

BTW, if you are getting ready for your trip, make sure to take advantage of these useful, money-saving links to book your trip:

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