Southeast Utah Itinerary: Fall 2025
- Bridget Rackley
- 23 hours ago
- 13 min read
My husband and I just recently visited Southeast Utah from September 25, 2025-October 4, 2025. We had a fabulous time, and I wanted to provide an overview of what we did. You have probably seen a lot of Facebook posts, and You Tube videos about Utah’s “Mighty Five” and people planning one trip to see all five National Parks in Utah. While that seems like a great idea if you have the time, I found it would be easier to break them up into two trips. There are so many other state parks and national monuments in Utah that, to me, are just as scenic as the national parks. For example, Goblin Valley State Park and Dead Horse Point State Park are two state parks that I really wanted to add to our itinerary, and I am so glad I did. So, as I was planning our trip to Utah, I had two categories: Southeast Utah and Southwest Utah. I grouped various parks and places into those two areas and figured out I could take two trips, about 8-10 days long for each one. We have yet to go to Southwest Utah, but it is on the list!
I opted to fly into/out of Grand Junction Regional Airport in Grand Junction, Colorado. It was much closer to Moab than Salt Lake City, and it also gave us a chance to visit Colorado National Monument. We landed around 12:30pm at Grand Junction, after having a slight hiccup in Raleigh-Durham. The gate attendant told us there was a plane issue and we would be late leaving. Oh no! We had less than an hour layover in Denver before hopping on our quick flight to Grand Junction. Our only option was going to be wait in Denver until 7pm to standby and hopefully get on the flight out of Grand Junction or change our rental car pick-up to Denver and drive over 4 hours to Grand Junction. Neither were the best options and either way, we would not be able to see Colorado National Monument. Thankfully, it was a false alarm, and we were only about 10 minutes late leaving. Shoo, my palms were sweating, and my heart rate was in overdrive there for a minute!!!
Once we picked up our rental car (a 4WD Toyota Rav-4), we were on our way. We made a quick stop in the Wal Mart in town to pick up water, drinks, snacks, and a few other items. If we are taking a road trip, we usually buy a disposable cooler (one of the Styrofoam ones) that we can leave behind for someone else to use, and pack it with ice and water for the day's adventures. We made our way to the east entrance of Colorado National Monument and drove the 23-mile Rim Rock Drive. We stopped at several overlooks along the drive, which I will discuss in a separate post about the monument.
Once you exit the monument, you will be in the town of Fruita. This is a super cute town, quite small, but there are restaurants and shops along the main street.
That afternoon, we checked into our lodging for the next two nights. I chose Gonzo Inn, and we liked the room. It was more than I would normally pay, but we like to have plenty of space, and preferably a separate sitting area since I get up early and my husband likes to sleep in. It was within walking distance of various places to eat and stores for shopping. Our room was a suite, which had a private bedroom and separate living area. The room also had a fully stocked kitchenette and a private patio. There was a small cafe onsite called Cafe Italiano that we had breakfast vouchers for. I did not realize it at the time of booking, but apparently my reservation included two vouchers worth $14 for breakfast each morning of our stay. (We did eat there one morning, and it was okay. I just had a croissant with Nutella. My husband ordered an omelet, and he said it was good.)
That evening, I went walking to some of the shops along the main highway, which is Highway 191. There are multiple souvenir shops, galleries, and restaurants on this highway, which makes it convenient for anyone staying in this area. We had dinner at Moab Diner, and it was really good. We actually went back there the next afternoon and ordered milkshakes! I had the Diner Deluxe Cheeseburger and Bobby ordered the Breakfast Burrito with green chiles. It was a busy place and just across the street from our lodging.
Our first full day was spent on an off-road Jeep Tour of Hell’s Revenge (details in a separate post) followed by other stops around the town of Moab. We drove down Kane Creek Road to see the Birthing Panel Petroglyph, and we visited the Mill Canyon Dinosaur Track Site. The highlight of the day was Arches National Park. I will also have a separate post about Arches. We returned to the hotel, took showers, and headed to dinner. I made reservations for Sabaku Sushi. Our sushi was really good! We ordered the Wonton Appetizer and then two rolls, The White Rim and Fiery Furnace. After dinner, we drove back into Arches to star gaze. I had read that Utah is one of the most popular places to see the night sky without so much light pollution. It was truly amazing. The national parks offer ranger-led programs of stargazing, but they were not happening on the days we were in the area.
Our third day was a long day! We checked out of the hotel in Moab and made a quick stop at McDonald's to grab something for breakfast to go. Driving Potash Road/Shafer Canyon Road to Canyonlands National Park was on our agenda for today. Then we made it to our next town, the town of Torrey, and what would be our home for three nights. There were several other stops I wanted to make, but we just simply ran out of time. I had read about the Gemini Bridges, which are close by Dead Horse Point State Park and a short walk to two bridges. But it was starting to rain, and we had a 2-hour drive to Torrey ahead of us! We stopped in Green River to have dinner at Tamarisk Restaurant. AMAZING!! There are several stops in this area that I read about-Crystal Geyser, John Wesley Powell River Museum, Spirit Arch, and several viewing areas in the San Rafael Swell. We just simply did not have time. It began raining hard, and the drive into Torrey was very dark-no streetlights along the route at all-my husband was livid! We did not speak much the entire way from Green River to Torrey. But if you ever find your way in Green River, do stop at Tamarisk Restaurant. The Navajo Fry Bread that they serve with honey butter and strawberry jam is out of this world!
In Torrey, I had reserved a room at Capitol Reef Resort and was actually looking forward to staying here. There was nothing really wrong with our room, but I guess I expected more based on the pictures on their website, and the cost of the room! We had the basic accommodation, two queen beds, small bathroom, mini fridge and small table. We did have a patio as we were on the ground floor. The resort does have wagons and teepees that are available for rent, and there is an onsite restaurant called The Pioneer Kitchen, but we did not eat here.
The next day, I drove over to Capitol Reef National Park to the famous Gifford Homestead for pies-more details in that post! We had lunch in Torrey at the Rock Reef Café-the pizza was pretty good. After lunch, we drove the “Loop the Fold” drive through the Waterpocket Fold of Capitol Reef National Park. The scenic park road was closed until 2:00pm that day for a biking event. So, that afternoon, we made it to the park and drove the scenic drive.
On our second full day in Torrey, I woke up early and hiked to Hickman Bridge in Capitol Reef National Park and then my husband and I had lunch at a Mexican Restaurant in town called Chak Balam. After lunch, we went back to the hotel and I did laundry-yes, I did laundry!!! Saved me from packing so much!!! The front desk of the hotel has rolls of quarters if you need change. It cost me $9.00 to wash two loads of clothes and dry one load. That afternoon, we had a tour of Cathedral Valley, which is the northern area of the national park. We loved this tour and will share about it in another post.
So, the next morning we got up fairly early and checked out of the hotel. We made our way toward Hanksville, passing by Factory Butte and Swing Arm City on the way. We back-tracked a little that morning because I wanted to see Goblin Valley State Park. Like with Dead Horse Point State Park, there is a fee of $20 to enter. Goblin Valley was like being on what I imagine Mars to be like! All of these hoodoos (goblins) strewn around with no rhyme or reason. These deposits happened around 170 million years ago from sea water, silt, and clay. There are 3 valleys within the park and a few trails, but we just walked around amongst all the goblins for a while before heading back to Hanksville for lunch.
Hanksville was a pretty cool little town. You will pass by another oddity called Carl's Critter Garden, where the owner has transformed his yard into various concoctions made of scrap metal and he's put motivational quotes among the creations. Bobby was in hog heaven! You can just get out and walk around. Also, Hanksville is home to Wolverton Mill and a great place to eat cheeseburgers, Stan's. Sam recommended a cheeseburger from Stan's, so we felt inclined to give it a try. It was really good. There is also a couple of souvenir-type shops attached to gas stations. I really liked Hanksville!
This is me at Carl's Critter Garden.
Then, we made our way toward Bluff along Utah's Bicentennial Highway 95. We passed by the Henry Mountains and several rock formations-Jacob's Chair, Observer Rock, and Cheesebox Butte. We stopped at Hog Spring Canyon to stretch our legs; there's a short bridge to an overlook of the canyon. This was a nice little stop. You will cross Hite Crossing Bridge before you reach Utah-275 (Trail of the Ancients Scenic Byway) that will take you to Natural Bridges National Monument and on toward Bluff.
Natural Bridges National Monument preserves three stone bridges that bear the Hopi names of Sipapu, Kachina, and Owachomo. The scenic drive through the monument is 9 miles round trip (it is a loop). There is an overlook for each bridge that requires a little bit of walking. Horse Collar Ruins is also a stop here and it is about 1/5-mile to the overlook to see the ruins. Also, at the Visitor Center, get your passport stamp and look into the distance and see Bears Ears Buttes. These two buttes stand over 8700 feet tall and are of sacred importance to the indigenous people.
After leaving the monument, we passed Salvation Knoll on the right and then stopped at Mule Canyon Kiva, a site of Anasazi ruins. There are trailheads along the road for Mule Canyon Cave and Butler Wash Ruins, but we did not take those hikes. We arrived in Bluff and at the lodging I was looking forward to the most, Bluff Dwellings Resort. We had reservations for the King Room Dwelling. At first glance, you would think these dwellings are in the mountains because they blend in so well. Our dwelling was separated from the other buildings and had a private patio with a grill and fire pit that was lit every evening at 7pm by the resort staff. We had a king bed and separate living area with a full kitchen and dining area. It was expensive, but amazing! And there was really not much lodging to choose from in the area, but I am glad we chose Bluff. It was central to the rest of the things we wanted to do on our trip. They also have a cafe on site, but we did not eat there. That evening for dinner we ate at Comb Ridge Eat and Drink based on a recommendation from an elderly gentleman we ran into at Bluff Fort. The tables are outside and under a canopy with lights strung overhead in the trees. Bobby ordered the fish and chips, and I had the pulled pork sandwich. Oh, and sweet tea!!!!!! I was missing my sweet tea!!!
On Wednesday, the first day of the federal government shutdown, we drove over to Hovenweep National Monument. With the Visitor Center being closed, we weren't sure about traveling down some of the roads to the various units of the monument. So, we only stopped by the Visitor Center, which I was delighted to find a passport stamp outside even though the center was closed. We walked out to Canyon Overlook to see Stronghold House and Little Ruin Canyon. Then, we drove down to Horseshoe House which was down a gravel road that was not well maintained. There are other areas within the monument that have overlooks and trails to see various ruins, but again, we just didn't want to chance it without being able to talk to a ranger.
From there, we drove into Cortez, Colorado for lunch. The spot that I had picked for lunch was closed-bummer-but we did find a good little Mexican restaurant where we ordered quesadillas. It was called Agave Azul and it was along the main street there in Cortez. After lunch, we drove down to Four Corners Monument in Teec Nos Pos, Arizona. Four Corners Monument is on a Native American reservation, so you do have to pay $8 per car to enter the monument. The monument marks the quadripoint where four states meet, so you literally stand in four states at one time: Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. Along the perimeter of the monument, you will see various Navajo vendors selling sand art, jewelry, knives, arrow heads, and other things that they make. We saw a few food trucks parked in the parking area also, but we had already eaten lunch, so I cannot vouch for them.
Back in Bluff, we stopped back by Bluff Fort as it was closing the day before when we pulled up. The fort is a replica fort of what the pioneers would have created back in 1880 when they pioneered the Hole in the Rock Trail from Escalante. There is a Visitor Center and gift shop onsite here as well as various huts recreated to look like what it would have back then. There is a wagon wheel and an old horse and buggy as well. It is free to enter and walk around.
That evening we had a tour of the Valley of the Gods at sunset-pretty spectacular! I’ll give a full review in another post.
The next day was one of the highlights of our trip. We drove through Mexican Hat to Monument Valley, stopping at Forrest Gump Hill on the way. This is the site from the movie, "Forrest Gump," where Forrest is running and running and stops while the reporters are tailing him. You can't miss it because you will see people running into the road taking selfies. This is a busy road, so it is quite dangerous. There are a couple of pull-offs, but people were pulling off on the side of the road instead. But, by far, the highlight was Monument Valley and Mystery Valley-we had a guided tour.
On our way back to Bluff, we made a quick stop at Mexican Hat Rock-you can't miss it. We did not stop at Goosenecks State Park-Bobby refused! I understand that it is where the San Juan River "goosenecks" through the canyon, probably similar to how the Colorado River did in Shafer Canyon. We also made a quick stop at the Sand Island Petroglyphs which are in Bluff. For dinner, we ordered food from Canyon Smokehouse and ate in our room. We ordered brisket and pulled pork along with baked beans and slaw. It was good and plenty of food for the two of us.
Friday was our last day on vacation-sad face, sad face! That day we headed back to Moab to spend the night so we would be closer to Grand Junction to fly home. We did not leave the hotel as early as I would have liked from Bluff, so we did not get to see The Needles district of Canyonlands National Park. I guess I will just have to go back. We stopped at Newspaper Rock, which is a large rock with petroglyph art. We passed by Church Rock and Wilson Arch on our way into Moab. We had lunch at Milt's Stop 'n Eat, which was featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. We each had a cheeseburger, but mine had a fried egg on it and it was tasty!
After lunch, we just walked into some of the shops in Moab and Bobby wanted to go to a fossil shop he had seen. For dinner, we had reservations with Canyonlands by Night and Day for the Sound and Light Show Jet Boat Tour with a buffet dinner. The Dutch oven dinner was various kinds of beef and pork with potatoes and beans. There was a salad bar with pasta salad as well. It was all you can eat and included beverage and dessert. After dinner, we boarded the jet boat to see the light show. I must say, Bobby did not care for this tour. I did not read the fine print, but I still liked seeing the canyon lit by the lights. The show is a creation story of the canyon itself and is advertised as an "old-fashioned light show." There are NO colored or laser lights-oops-I missed that! It was basically a historical show. But it was okay. The company offers various tours, so there may be others that are better than the one we did. I will say our guide was funny, so at least that was a plus.
That is a wrap for this trip. We had to get up super early the next morning to make our flight home.
I enjoyed Utah and we had a great time. I do recommend renting a 4WD, high clearance if possible. A lot of people do Utah's "Mighty 5" National Parks in one trip, but we just couldn't take that much time off to see the others. And, sometimes, I think people miss out on the state parks which have really good views, so don't under-estimate those. Get up early so that you can get more done each day. I am an early bird, but Bobby is not, so I tried to be accommodating and let him sleep in some. But really start your days by 7am if possible! Go to a Wal Mart or grocery store and stock up on snacks so that you will have them as you go about your days. Each day we only ate out once or twice, because we had snacks to hold us over. Have water and plenty of it especially if you are visiting in the warmer months. But, most importantly, have fun and take time to enjoy the area-it truly is amazing!!!
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"I travel because seeing photos in books and brochures wasn't good enough for me. To be there, that was everything." ~ Wiremu Ratcliffe
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