An Unforgettable Loop
See some of the west's best known national parks by looping southern Utah and northern Arizona from Las Vegas.
First, head towards St. George, known as "Utah's Dixie" because of its temperate climate. Mild winter weather makes it an ideal setting for the many Utah golf courses. The city also serves as a major gateway to nearby Zion National Park, which is the next destination.
Zion
is an ancient Hebrew word meaning a place of refuge or sanctuary. Protected
within the park's 229 square miles is a dramatic landscape
of sculptured canyons and soaring cliffs. Zion is located at the junction
of the Colorado Plateau, Great Basin and Mojave Desert provinces. This
unique geography and the variety of life zones within the park make Zion
significant as a place of unusual plant and animal diversity. Spend some
time seeing Zion National Park. Then it's onward to Kanab, Utah. Kanab
is a convenient place to spend the night with plenty of lodging options.
It's also a great spot to venture off toward Bryce Canyon National Park.
Or, you can journey on to Lake Powell.
Lake Powell is like no other place on earth. With spectacular red rock
towers, blue-green water perfect for fishing and boating, beaches of
rosy sand, and night skies shimmering with stars, Lake Powell has plenty
to offer. Rent a houseboat and see more of the lake, camp on the beach,
or stay in nearby Page, Arizona.
Next, it's south through the Navajo Indian Reservation to Flagstaff.
The drive is beautiful with the variety of the high desert changing into
pine forest until you get to the hub of Northern Arizona. Enjoy the backdrop
of the San Francisco Peaks, Arizona's highest point, in Flagstaff. Be
sure to visit the quaint downtown area, which is a great place to have
a meal or do some shopping. Then, it's on to Williams, home of the Grand
Canyon Railway.
Check-in to the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel for the first of two nights.
Enjoy the evening in 
the small town charm of Williams. The next day,
arise and board the Grand Canyon Railway. Take the historic journey on
one of five classic classes of service. Be sure to catch the Wild West
Shootout before the train leaves and then enjoy the entertainment on-board.
Arrive at the South Rim just as travelers did more than a century ago
and be ready to explore Grand Canyon National Park.
The Railway offers night's stays inside the park as an option.
Later in the afternoon take the train back to Williams and spend your second night at the GCR Hotel.
The following day, head west on Interstate 40 back to Las Vegas which
is about a 3.5 hour drive. Along the way, you'll cross over the famous
Hoover Dam, constructed in the early 1930s. Take a tour of the dam and
descend into its depths. Then continue on by Lake Mead Recreation Area
to Las Vegas.
This concludes the loop of the Southwest.