The Grand Circle

What is it? Where is it? And why should you visit it?

The Grand Circle includes 10 National Parks in America, all located very close to each other, and each offering something different to admire!

The Grand Circle is located in the Four Corners region of the USA. An area that covers most of Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, and a small part of Nevada.

This entire region is beautiful and well worth a visit if you dream of a trip to America.

The National Parks in this area are among the most visited by tourists and some of the most photogenic places in the world.

The national parks located in this area are Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Mesa Verde, Petrified Forest, Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Arches, Canyonlands, and Great Basin.

Each of these National Parks is unique and has something special, even though some are less than 160 km from one another.

Book flights to America and get ready to explore them!

 

1. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

Perhaps this is the least visited national park you'll find on our list. However, here you'll witness the best canyon views you've ever seen, alongside some of the steepest cliffs.

The canyon is largely unexplored due to its great length and impressive depth.

Even the early Ute Indians dared not travel through it.

This national park – at its southern end – features a campsite that offers all modern conveniences, and can also accommodate caravans or motorhomes.

In this park, you'll be able to enjoy the starry sky more than anywhere else and discern the Milky Way faintly appearing in a unique way.

National Park rangers organise many events for visitors to observe the sky and identify numerous constellations.

 

2. Mesa Verde National Park

Mesa Verde is home to some of the best-preserved cliff dwellings of the Pueblo people – Native Americans who lived here more than 1400 years ago.

In the park, you can take various guided tours that visit these cliff-carved dwellings.

If you don't fancy hiking, there's also an option to drive through the park.

Along this scenic route, there are many stops where you can take short hikes and see the ancient indigenous homes.

This park is home to many large animal species, including elk, black bears, mountain lions, and numerous bird species.

 

3. Petrified Forest National Park

Although one of the smallest, this park is one of the easiest to visit on the Grand Circle.

It's located right off the main highway, providing easy access, and you can drive through it very comfortably.

Like the Black Canyon, Petrified Forest has an easy route you can take by vehicle, which will lead you to the so-called Painted Desert.

You can make many stops for short or long hikes in areas that were once a large forest and are gradually diminishing, leaving only the fallen trunks on the ground.

There are no campsites or accommodation in this National Park. However, there is a small café and gift shops.

4. Grand Canyon National Park

This park, besides being famous worldwide, is one of the most visited in America. It's always busy and has a lot of traffic.

Due to its popularity, this park is perhaps the most organised, featuring many campsites, hotels, accommodation, and restaurants.

Throughout the park, along the rim of the canyon, there are many viewpoints where you can enjoy the scenery and take short hikes.

Each of these viewpoints offers a different view or perspective of the National Park, so each time you stop, you'll have something different to admire.

There's a short scenic route from or to the park's South Rim, heading east, which leads to a tower you can climb, offering a grand panoramic view of the canyon.

You can also go rafting on the Colorado River through the canyon.

5. Zion National Park

Zion is characterised by unique topography and might feel claustrophobic due to the large number of visitors and the narrow canyon walls.

Roads within the park are very restricted for driving. Due to traffic, the National Park service only permits a shuttle bus to traverse the valley beyond the lodge.

In total, along this shuttle route, there are nine stops where you can enjoy the unique views.

Some of the most popular hiking trails are Angel's Landing, The Narrows, and Subway.

The National Park has a campsite offering many amenities and a small lodge.

 

6. Bryce Canyon National Park

Bryce Canyon National Park is located very close to Zion. However, the landscapes you'll see are entirely different.

Bryce Canyon is situated at a high altitude, with its highest point reaching 2500 metres.

This altitude makes it ideal for hiking all year round and also excellent for winter photography.

There are many reasons to visit Bryce Canyon, but one of the main attractions is the impressive Hoodoos and Arches rock formations.

This park has three campsites with many amenities, making it ideal for multi-day stays. Besides the campsites, the park also offers a lodge, a motel, and a restaurant.

Although the park receives 1.5 million visitors annually, you'll never feel it's overcrowded because it offers many hiking trails and numerous other activities.

 

7. Capitol Reef National Park

This National Park is perhaps the most underrated in the state of Utah, although it is one of the best places to visit in the region.

The park is quite large, but the area most people see is only a small part of it.

The most easily accessible part of the park is an area known as Fruita, a historic town next to the river, as well as the scenic drive as you leave Fruita.

The road you drive along runs parallel to the canyon wall, making it an ideal spot for photography.

Along the scenic route, there are also some of the most popular hiking trails, such as Cassidy Arch and Grand Wash.

A unique feature of this park is that it's a natural oasis, and thanks to the nearby river, it's the perfect place for an orchard to flourish.

In Capitol Reef, there are apricot trees and other types of fruit trees.

The orchards are open to the public, and you can pick your own fruit and enjoy it. When the fruit is in season, it costs only one dollar per pound, so don't miss this unique opportunity.

 

8. Arches National Park

Living up to its name, this park is famous worldwide for the arches that adorn it, which have been sculpted into the rocks by the forces of nature.

Naturally, the park is a destination for unique photographs.

Arches is located very close to the town of Moab, a sizable town with many hotels and restaurants.

Inside the park, there are hundreds of hiking trails, as well as a short scenic drive that gives you the opportunity to see the beautiful arches up close.

One of the most famous yet very easy hiking trails is just 400 metres long to North Window Arch, which also offers a unique opportunity to photograph the galaxy.

There is a very small campsite in the park, but it doesn't offer many facilities.

 

9. Canyonlands National Park

Canyonlands offers a wide range of things to see and do. You can cover many kilometres driving through scenic areas, but for some sections, you'll need a four-wheel drive.

Inside the park, you'll find many options for hiking and cycling.

There are two operational campsites in the National Park, but they don't offer many amenities.

The nearest areas for accommodation and dining are Moab on the northern side and Monticello on the southern side.

The park also offers a unique opportunity for rafting, but this is only available through private companies, not through the National Park itself.

10. Great Basin National Park

The only National Park in Nevada, Great Basin, is also one of the least visited in the country.

This park is home to some tree species found only there, and within the park's caves, you'll encounter unique creatures.

Lehman Caves hosts three animal species found nowhere else in the world, as well as cave formations found only in Great Basin National Park.

The park also hosts some of the world's oldest trees, known as Bristlecone Pines.

These trees reach heights of 3000 – 3600 metres and form a uniquely beautiful hiking trail through the trees.

Another well-known trail is the Alpine Lakes trail, which takes approximately half a day and leads to two beautiful emerald-coloured lakes.

The National Park has a campsite for about 100 tents, but it's almost never full.

There's a very small town nearby, which has two motels and two restaurants, as well as a petrol station.

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