Living in Colorado — where there are mountains, sand dunes, lakes and other natural wonders just a short drive away — I love a weekend getaway. And national parks are among my favorite places to go because they offer a variety of outdoorsy activities, whether I want to embark on a grueling hike or relax with a riverside picnic.

I recently spent a long weekend in Moab, a town in the heart of Utah’s red-rock country that’s known for having two national parks as well as countless other adventurous pursuits. Here’s how I planned it, and how you can too.

How to plan a national park weekend getaway

As with most things in the world of travel, planning ahead is key to a smooth weekend getaway. Research the park areas you want to visit to determine the best time to go; some hiking trails get very crowded on weekends, for example, and some trailheads have limited parking.

Similarly, campgrounds within national parks may book out months in advance, especially during summer. Most campgrounds require reservations, which typically open for booking six months ahead. You can book your spot on Recreation.gov.

You’ll also need to factor park fees into your budget. For parks that charge an entry fee (some don’t), you can get seven days of access with a standard pass. Fees vary by park; check the National Park Service website for the latest information.

Alternatively, an America the Beautiful pass gives you access to any national park or federal recreation site for $80 per year. Seniors over 62 pay even less: $20 for an annual pass or $80 for a lifetime pass.

Whichever pass you choose, you can typically buy it online or at the entrance station on your way into the park.

In addition, busier parks may require timed-entry reservations during peak periods or for specific areas. While some parks have loosened these requirements for 2026, it’s always a good idea to check the NPS website for the most up-to-date information.

Related: The best road trips for visiting national parks

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How to get to Arches and Canyonlands National Parks

I drove to Moab, which is about six hours by car from my home in Colorado. (Actually, I made my husband do the driving, and even he agreed it was well worth it.)

If you’re coming from further afield, you’ll want to fly into Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) and rent a car to drive the four or so hours to Moab.

If you’re looking to fly into SLC with points and miles this summer, here are some great economy-class deals I found on seats.aero:

• Book Delta flights through Air France starting from 7,500 Flying Blue miles one-way from Los Angeles or 9,000 miles from Seattle, plus $18 in taxes and fees. (Don’t miss the 25% transfer bonus through June 30!)
• Fly United from Chicago for just 15,000 MileagePlus miles and $6 each way (or even fewer with a cardholder discount).
• Fly JetBlue from Boston or New York City for as few as 18,400 TrueBlue points and $6 each way.
• Book American flights through Qantas Frequent Flyer starting from 20,700 Qantas points and $6 one-way from Miami.

Park access and fees

For both Arches and Canyonlands, a standard seven-day pass costs $30 per car. So, to visit both parks during a weekend getaway would set you back $60.

Since there’s a good chance we’ll visit at least one other park in the next year, we opted for the $80 annual America the Beautiful pass.

Although Arches National Park has implemented timed-entry reservation requirements in the past, this was discontinued in 2026.

Can’t-miss hikes and overlooks in Arches and Canyonlands National Parks

In Arches, virtually every overlook is worth a stop and every “hike” (mostly well-trod paths less than a mile off the main road) leads to some spectacular rock formation or other.

By far the most famous is Delicate Arch, Arches’ poster child, which is easy to enjoy no matter what your skill level or how much time you have. You can glimpse this icon from a distance on the 100-yard Lower Delicate Arch Viewpoint or the half-mile Upper Delicate Arch Viewpoint walks. Or you can get up close and personal by hiking the three-mile, moderate-difficulty Delicate Arch Trail — just be prepared to contend with crowds, especially on summer weekends.

Although Delicate Arch gets most of the attention, we have a soft spot for the awe-inspiring Double Arch.

Compared to Arches, Canyonlands is much larger and more spread out, with four distinct districts. The most popular and easiest to access from Moab is the aptly named Island in the Sky, a vast mesa surrounded by thousand-foot deep canyons. You can see most of the highlights by following the main road from the Island in the Sky visitors center and stopping at various overlooks, including the well-known Grand View Point Overlook and Green River Overlook.

If you have enough time, head about an hour and a half south of Moab along Highway 191 to the entrance to Canyonlands’ Needles District. With towering “hoodoos” of pale cedar mesa sandstone, you might wonder if you’ve entered a different national park altogether.

Where to stay near Arches and Canyonlands National Parks

Moab is a great choice for a national park weekend getaway, not only because it has two parks within easy reach, but also because of its thriving points hotel scene. You’ll find everything from extended-stay suites in downtown Moab to luxurious lodges and glamping sites a little outside of town.

I went the latter route for my weekend getaway, spending two nights at Red Cliffs Lodge Moab (from $215 or 56,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night). With an onsite restaurant, pool, museum and horse ranch — set against an unbeatable red-rock backdrop — this is a great place to get away from it all. Check out my full review of Red Cliffs Lodge.

I rounded out the trip with one night at the Mr & Mrs Smith glamping site Under Canvas Moab. Basic tents start at $198 or 16,750 World of Hyatt points per night, but it’s worth springing for a deluxe tent — equipped with an ensuite bathroom — from $297 or 26,250 points per night.

I opted to book my stay through World of Hyatt, but you could book through the Capital One Travel portal to apply your Venture X travel credit and get perks (including space-available room upgrades) through Capital One’s Lifestyle Collection.

The cherry on top of my stay: I got upgraded to a deluxe tent upon arrival (though I’m not sure why, since I only have Discoverist status and my Globalist colleague didn’t get an upgrade on this Mr & Mrs Smith stay). Thanks, Hyatt!

Both properties where I stayed provided comfortable, quiet accommodations a little outside the bustle of downtown Moab — perfect for taking in Moab’s fabulous scenery and stargazing. However, if you’d rather save yourself some drive time by staying in a more central location, here are a few great options and their starting rates:

• Hyatt Place Moab: from $116 or 20,000 World of Hyatt points per night
• Element by Marriott Moab: from $96 or 40,000 Marriott Bonvoy points
• Hoodoo Moab, Curio Collection: from $180 or 54,000 Hilton Honors points per night
• Voco Moab: from $90 or 18,000 IHG One Rewards points per night
• La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Moab: from $92 or 30,000 Wyndham Rewards points per night
• Best Western Plus Canyonlands Inn: from $100 or 20,000 Best Western Rewards points per night

Related: What is Trailborn Hotels & Resorts? An introduction to Marriott’s new adventure lodge brand

The best places to eat near Arches and Canyonlands

There are no restaurants or general stores in Arches or Canyonlands, and the parks are far enough from downtown Moab that it’s not worth driving back to town for a lunch break, so pack snacks. Don’t forget water bottles, too — you can refill them at the visitors centers.

Here are some of Moab’s best dining spots to help you fuel up for your adventures or unwind after a day of exploring:

• Moab Garage Co.: all-day breakfast served in a historic auto shop building
• Miguel’s Baja Grill: a cozy Mexican spot
• The Blu Pig: classic BBQ and Southern cuisine
• Moab Food Truck Park: a variety of snacks, entrees and desserts in a fun outdoor setting
• Sultan Mediterranean Grill: delicious Mediterranean fare
• Jailhouse Café: “good enough for a last meal”
• Moab Brewery: locally made beers and spirits, plus a full food menu

Related: The best credit cards for dining

Double the park, double the fun

One reason I chose Moab for my national park trip was the ability to explore two national parks in a single weekend. Arches and Canyonlands complement each other with vastly different landscapes: towering red-rock formations in Arches and deep canyons in Canyonlands (it’s been called a Grand Canyon dupe for a reason). Plus, while Arches is among the most crowded national parks in the U.S., you’ll find refreshingly few fellow tourists in Canyonlands.

We used this knowledge to our advantage on our long weekend getaway. We spent Friday exploring Arches, knowing it would be packed on the weekend, and went to Canyonlands on Saturday.

Here are some other park pairings where you could easily double (or even triple) up:

• Zion, Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef National Parks in Western Utah
• Badlands and Wind Cave National Parks in South Dakota
• Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks in California
• Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks in Wyoming
• Everglades and Biscayne National Parks in Florida
• Guadalupe Mountains National Park in Texas and Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico
• Shenandoah National Park in Virginia and New River Gorge National Park in West Virginia

Related: The 12 best national parks to visit with your kids

Bottom line

If you love the outdoors, a national park trip is a no-brainer. It’s also a relatively budget-friendly option compared to flying internationally or visiting a theme park, for example.

To continue planning your national park weekend getaway, check out our guides to saving money on a national park trip and the best road trips for national park visits.