RVing Through The Grand Circle

Trip Planning

RVing in the Grand Circle

The Grand Circle has to be one of the most epic road trips in America, and it’s even more enjoyable when done in an RV! Located in the Southwestern United States and encompassing portions of five states, The Grand Circle road trip features diverse scenery across five states and America’s largest concentration of national parks. One of my personal favorite portions of the drive is along Highway 12, the All-American Road. The views of the orange hoodoos (tall thin spires of rock protruding from the bottom of the basin), red canyons, green forests, mountains and many of the state and national parks within Utah – but that’s just a small part of the adventure!

I was in my Thor Vegas motorhome, towing my Mini Cooper Countryman when I took this trip, so it is suitable for most RV sizes. I had not seen landscapes like this growing up on the east coast, so I was blown away by this trip. I hope you enjoy it as well.


Trip Summary 

  • 942 Miles; 20 Stops 
    • 3-4 states depending on where you start (NV, AZ, UT, CO)
    • 9-10 National Park areas
    • 5 State Parks

Sites in Arizona

  • Grand Canyon National Park – North Rim
  • Glen Canyon National Recreational Area – Lake Powell (AZ/UT border)
  • Monument Valley (AZ/UT border)

Sites in Utah

  • Zion National Park
  • Bryce Canyon National Park
  • Capitol Reef National Park
  • Arches National Park
  • Canyonlands National Park
  • Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument
  • Cedar Breaks National Monument

Sites in Colorado

  • Mesa Verde National Park

Camping Hubs

If you want to leave the RV and explore with your toad vehicle, you can see many places within a radius of these two cities.

  • Moab, UT
  • Kanab, UT

Sample Two-Week Itinerary 

If flying in and renting an RV consider these airports to start your trip

  • Las Vegas
  • Phoenix/Flagstaff
  • Salt Lake City

The following itinerary assumes a start from Las Vegas

Day 1 

Day 2 & 3

Day 4

Day 5 

Day 6 – 8 

Day 9

Day 10 

  • Drive to Capitol Reef National Park visitor center then do the scenic loop
  • On the drive, make sure you stop at Kiva Coffee House off Highway 12. This place is super cute and offers great views of Grand Staircase Escalante while you sip on an espresso. They also have food, a little jewelry counter perfect for picking out souvenirs, and they allow overnight stops.
  • If you prefer to drive straight through – I recommended setting up camp at Kodachrome State Park 

Day 11 & 12

Ruby’s Inn Campground or in the park

  • Scenic Loop Drive with 9 points of interest

Day 13 & 14 

Day 15 

  • Return to Vegas and remember all the fun you had!

Extra Stops If You Have The Time

The national parks you’ll see in my trip itinerary below are stunners, but these state parks are also worth checking out if you have extra time. This entire area is just so rich in beauty!

  • Horseshoe Bend, Page, AZ
  • Antelope Canyon, Page, AZ
  • Goosenecks State Park after Monument Valley
  • Dead Horse Point State Park on the way to Canyonlands, Moab, UT
  • La Sal Mountain Loop drive in Moab
  • Goblin Valley State Park after Moab
  • Kodachrome State Park before Bryce
  • Sand Hollow State Park, Hurricane, UT

Make today “someday” and take this trip of a lifetime!

Let me know in the comments if any of you have taken this trip or have additional itinerary suggestions.

See more great Destination Inspiration from my fellow Go RVing bloggers here.

woman outdoors

The Road To Adventure

Kate is a modern day solo explorer on an epic RV trip across the United States to visit 443 areas within the National Park system. She is in her 3rd year of full time RVing traveling with her 2 Chiweenies. Join her on The Road To Adventure where you’ll find videos and guides to make the most of your visit to our National Parks.