Hit six classic national parks in a ten-day, 862-mile epic through the best canyons in the Southwest.
Packing List: Light hikers, mountain bike, extra camera memory cards听
Highlights: At the Grand Canyon, skip the crowded South Rim and drive to the 8,000-foot North Rim. Give yourself two nights and a full day to explore; be sure to hike seven miles down the North Kaibab Trail to Ribbon Falls.
Once you cross into Utah, be on the lookout for the Thunder Mountain Trail, part of a 15-mile technical singletrack route with steep drops, tight switchbacks, and a 1,200-foot climb. At Mount Carmel Junction, head 24 miles west to , where the best way to escape ever present crowds is a three-day basic-canyoneering course ($550).
Head 80 miles to and pitch a tent at 99-site North Campground ($15), which has a full-moon view of the eerie hoodoos. Fuel up with Pumpkin Jenchiladas at in Boulder, then hit the town of Torrey for the Saturday-morning Mesa farmers鈥 market for fresh peaches and apples before driving through Capitol Reef National Park鈥檚 canyons, domes, and arches.听
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Backcountry-camp in the Maze, the least accessible district of ($30 permit), before driving on to Moab and its ever expanding network of mountain-biking trails鈥攍ike Captain Ahab, a 4.3-mile rock-benched wonder accessible from the Amasa Back Trail. Hike to the Dead Horse Point State Park overlook to scout 5,819-foot Washer Woman Tower, a 5.10-plus traditional climb on the northern tip of Canyonlands. To explore Arches National Park, crash at , a safari-style luxury camp complete with hot showers and made-to-order breakfast, ten miles north of town (from $89).
