Camping Utah's Mighty 5 — Self-Launched
9 days · Utah, United States
G Adventures charges £1,830
No-markup version: ~£840 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched, do-it-yourself version of G Adventures' 9-day camping loop through Utah's five national parks — Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon and Zion — starting and ending in Las Vegas. Instead of a private van and CEO, you rent a car (or join a shared carpool) and book public/private campgrounds yourself along the same road route, hike the same iconic trails (Navajo Loop, Devils Garden, Joint Trail, the Narrows, Scout Lookout) at your own pace, and self-drive the scenic byways. You'll need to book campsites early — Utah park campgrounds fill fast in season — and apply ahead for any permits (e.g. Angels Landing lottery). Costs below are rough per-person estimates assuming two people sharing a car and campsite; solo travellers will pay more for fuel and car hire.
Day-by-day
Arrive Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Arrive at Las Vegas (LAS) and make your own way to a budget hotel or hostel near downtown or the Strip. Pick up your rental car today or first thing tomorrow (compare prices on Rentalcars.com or Kayak — a compact SUV is ideal for the desert and camping gear). Do a supermarket run (Walmart or Smith's) for a cooler, water, breakfast supplies and camp food. Wild camp options are limited near Vegas; a cheap motel/hostel night is easiest before the early start.
🚌Airport shuttle or rideshare to hotel (~£10), rental car pickup
🛏Budget motel or hostel dorm, Las Vegas (~£35–50)
- →Rental car pickup
- →Supermarket provisioning for camping
- →Optional: evening walk on the Strip
Las Vegas to Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon, Utah
Drive north on I-15 then east on UT-20/UT-12 to Bryce Canyon (~4 hrs, ~250 miles). Stop at Red Canyon on the way for a quick leg-stretch. Check into a campground near the park entrance (Ruby's Inn RV Park & Campground is the classic private option; the NPS Sunset/North campgrounds are cheaper but book out months ahead on recreation.gov). Set up camp, catch sunset from Sunrise or Sunset Point, then stay up for the famously dark night skies with s'mores around the fire ring.
🚌Self-drive ~250 miles (~£20 fuel share)
🛏Tent camping — Ruby's Inn Campground or NPS North Campground (~£15–22)
- →Scenic drive via Red Canyon
- →Sunset at Sunset Point
- →Stargazing
Bryce Amphitheater hike, then drive to Moab
Bryce Canyon → Moab, Utah
Get up for sunrise over the hoodoos at Sunrise Point, then hike the classic Queen's Garden + Navajo Loop combination (~3 miles) down among the hoodoos, walls and fins — one of the best short hikes in the Southwest. Pack up camp and drive to Moab via Scenic Byway 12 and UT-24 (~4.5 hrs, ~270 miles), one of the most beautiful roads in America. Arrive in Moab, grab a cheap burrito or pizza in town, and pitch at a campground along the Colorado River (Goose Island or Hal Canyon on BLM land — free/cheap; or Slickrock Campground in town).
🚌Self-drive ~270 miles (~£22 fuel share)
🛏Tent camping — BLM riverside site or Slickrock Campground, Moab (~£10–20)
- →Sunrise over Bryce Amphitheater
- →Queen's Garden & Navajo Loop hike
- →Scenic Byway 12 drive
Arches National Park
Arches National Park / Moab
Pre-book your timed entry reservation for Arches on recreation.gov (now required in season, ~£1 booking fee on top of the £25 park entry). Drive in early to beat crowds and hike Devils Garden out to Landscape Arch and on to Double O Arch (~4 miles, some scrambling over slickrock). In the afternoon head back to Moab — optional extras include a half-day rafting trip on the Colorado (~£55) or a Hummer/Jeep tour of Hell's Revenge. Finish the day with the short walk to Delicate Arch Viewpoint or the full sunset hike to Delicate Arch itself (3 miles round trip).
🚌Self-drive, ~10 miles each way
🛏Tent camping, Moab (~£10–20)
- →Devils Garden hike to Landscape & Double O Arch
- →Optional Colorado River rafting (~£55)
- →Delicate Arch sunset hike
Canyonlands — Needles District
Canyonlands National Park, Utah
Drive south to the Needles District (~1.5 hrs). Stop at Newspaper Rock State Historic Monument to see one of the largest known collections of petroglyphs in the Southwest. Hike the Joint Trail to Chesler Park loop (~10–11 miles, or shorten to an out-and-back), through eroded sandstone towers and slot-like fissures. Return to Moab for the night or camp closer to the park at the NPS Squaw Flat Campground (book on recreation.gov).
🚌Self-drive ~80 miles round trip (~£10 fuel share)
🛏Tent camping, Moab or Squaw Flat (~£10–20)
- →Newspaper Rock petroglyphs
- →Joint Trail & Chesler Park hike
Moab to Capitol Reef National Park
Capitol Reef National Park, Utah
Drive west on I-70 and UT-24 to Capitol Reef (~2.5 hrs). Explore the Waterpocket Fold monocline, see the petroglyphs along UT-24, and drive the Scenic Drive (note: NPS works may restrict some sections — check current closures). Hike the Grand Wash or Capitol Gorge trail. Tonight stay in a cabin or campground in Torrey/Fruita (Fruita Campground inside the park is beautiful but books out far ahead; private options like Wonderland RV Park or a Torrey budget motel/cabin are the fallback). Capitol Reef is a Gold Tier International Dark Sky Park — stay up for the stars.
🚌Self-drive ~150 miles (~£14 fuel share)
🛏Camping or basic cabin in Torrey/Fruita (~£20–40)
- →Petroglyphs along UT-24
- →Scenic Drive & Grand Wash hike
- →Dark sky stargazing
Grand Staircase-Escalante to Zion
Escalante → Zion National Park, Utah
Drive Scenic Byway 12 through Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument — mesas, canyons and slickrock in every direction. Stop at Calf Creek Falls (Lower Calf Creek Trail, ~6 miles round trip to a 38m waterfall and natural pool) if it's open — check for closure notices before you go, and have a backup like the Escalante Petrified Forest or Kodachrome Basin. Continue to Zion (~3.5–4 hrs total driving), stopping at viewpoints along the way. Camp in Springdale (Zion Canyon Campground) or the Watchman Campground inside the park (recreation.gov, books out early).
🚌Self-drive ~200 miles (~£18 fuel share)
🛏Tent camping — Zion Canyon Campground or Watchman (~£20–28)
- →Scenic Byway 12 drive
- →Lower Calf Creek Falls hike
- →Zion viewpoints
Zion National Park — Scout Lookout & the Narrows
Zion National Park, Utah
Use the free Zion shuttle from Springdale (parking in the canyon is limited in season). Early start for the Scout Lookout hike via Walter's Wiggles (~4 miles, steep switchbacks, huge views of Zion Canyon) — if you want Angels Landing beyond it, apply for the permit lottery in advance on recreation.gov. In the afternoon, rent water shoes and a walking stick in Springdale (~£20–25) and wade up the Virgin River on the Narrows hike from the Temple of Sinawava — turn around whenever you like. Evening in Springdale for a celebratory burger and beer.
🚌Free park shuttle; short drive from camp
🛏Tent camping, Springdale (~£20–28)
- →Scout Lookout hike via Walter's Wiggles
- →The Narrows river hike (water shoe rental)
- →Evening in Springdale
Zion to Las Vegas — trip ends
Zion → Las Vegas, Nevada
Pack up and drive back to Las Vegas (~2.5 hrs, ~170 miles). Drop the rental car at the airport and fly out — book onward flights no earlier than 15:00 to be safe, matching the original itinerary's guidance. If you have time, a quick stop at the Valley of Fire State Park en route makes a great last-hour detour.
🚌Self-drive ~170 miles (~£15 fuel share), rental car return
🛏None (departure day)
- →Optional Valley of Fire detour
- →Return rental car
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£840 | £1,830 |
| Duration | 9 days | 9 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £990 per person (54%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£840
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Camping Utah's Mighty 5 — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £840 per person for 9 days in Utah, United States. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £1,830 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £840 — a saving of roughly £990 (54%) per person.
How long is the Utah, United States trip?+
This itinerary runs 9 days, covering 9 day-by-day stops through Utah, United States.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, hiking, road-trip trip through Utah, United States, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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