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WESTERN US NATIONAL PARK ROUTE – COLORADO OVERLANDER EDITION

The distance between Grand Junction, Colorado and Las Vegas, Nevada is just over 500 miles. The highway drive time is approximately seven and a half hours.

But within that stretch of distance and time are thousands of opportunities to explore off road, or visit one-of-a-kind western sites and National Parks in your Colorado Overlander vehicle. The drive back from Las Vegas to Colorado could be a meticulously planned itinerary, or in the strain of classic Vegas road trips, you could just make it up as you go along.

If you’re not sure how Colorado Overlander can facilitate your Las Vegas trip this spring, or want ideas about where to camp or drive near Las Vegas, check out this article.

Once you hit the road out of Vegas in one of our rugged 4×4 Toyota vehicles, ready for an overlanding adventure, you get the chance to play out all the possibilities of driving and camping wherever the road, dirt or paved takes you. National Parks, each one offering unique views, drives and experiences, are the gem of the outdoors in our country. Below are five of the most accessible National Parks between Las Vegas and Colorado.

If you have more questions about to plan this epic road trip, feel free to call Colorado Overlander where our employees are ready to get down to the nitty gritty of planning a National Parks overlanding adventure.

Image of a Colorado Overlander Toyota Tacoma surrounded by natural beauty in the desert

NATIONAL PARKS BETWEEN LAS VEGAS & COLORADO

Between Las Vegas and the western slope of Colorado, depending on the route you decide on, there are five National Parks to visit, along with hundreds of other unique and exciting overlanding destinations in Nevada and Utah.

GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK

One of the best-known National Parks in our country, Grand Canyon National Park offers some incredible overlanding opportunities. First things first, though, if you plan to camp here, make sure you make reservations well in advance for the campgrounds which take them, or arrive early for any of the first-come, first-serve sites. Colorado Overlander’s rooftop style tent makes it easy to adapt to even the roughest, most primitive sites, as well as opening up the option to stay in sites designated as RV.

Keep in mind that there is also more Grand Canyon than just what falls within the boundaries of the National Park. Sedona National Forest includes miles of rim-line with lots of off-road opportunities and slightly-less competitive camping.

ARCHES NATIONAL PARK

Overlanding in Arches is nothing short of spectacular. There are quite a few amazing Jeep trails to explore within the boundaries of the park, but the camping options are very limited. Devil’s Garden is the only camping option and during the busy season, every site will be booked well in advance. Drive through Arches during the day, and then look for primitive style camping around Moab if you don’t have a reservation.

CANYONLANDS NATIONAL PARK

At four times the size of Arches, Canyonlands offers even more great off-road gems to explore and a good deal more camping opportunities. Backcountry driving and travel sometimes require permits, but are more likely to escape the crowds than the more popular, smaller acreage Arches. Check out the moderate-skill four-wheel-drive roads in the Needles district, or explore the more technical trails through the Maze (permits required) in your overlanding vehicle.

The other, perhaps most, popular time to overland the Alpine Loop is during the fall. Mid-September to early October offers the best opportunity to view the fall colors. Vibrant gold aspens stand around the road, their leaves and white trunks providing a gorgeous contrast to the dark firs and pines. Up above treeline, the tundra puts on a fall show that few get to see, as the ground is transformed into a crimson carpet.

CAPITOL REEF NATIONAL PARK

A little to the West of Moab and North of the Grand Canyon, Capitol Reef National Park offers arches of its own, as well as unique history and extensive hiking and backcountry options. Take advantage of the primitive sites, or book ahead for the one developed campground in the park. Drive through the Cathedral District to Cathedral Valley Campground or out to Cedar Mesa to take advantage of the ground clearance and 4×4 options of Colorado Overlander vehicles to stay at some of the only no-fee camping in a National Park in the West.

ZION NATIONAL PARK

Utah’s first National Park, Zion offers views of towering sandstone walls, and winding, seasonal streams famous for being some of the first trails walked by white men in the west. Due to the high number of visitors, most travel in this National Park is restricted to permitted entrance into backcountry areas, or shuttle systems to take visitors to the most popular hikes and overlooks. While there are world class options for hiking or wilderness backpacking (if you can score a permit), there are less options of off-road and overlanding travel within this National Park.

Image of the Maroon Bells in Aspen- with the iconic Maroon Bells reflected in Maroon Lake. The green wilderness and nature surrounds the area.
A scene from the Moab desert with the sun setting in the distance.
Image of the iconic Hanging Lake in Glenwood Springs, Colorado- The water is vivid blue and there are trees and rocky walls surrounding this stunning area.
Image of blue Columbine flowers on a mountain with a beautiful orange sunset in the background.
Image of a wooden cabin with a green roof with stunning mountains and clouds in the background.
Image of a wooden cabin in Steamboat Springs, CO. In the background, the sky is blue with white clouds and there are yellow hills.
Image of Rocky Mountain National Park with views of the green grass, mountain range, and blue sky with clouds.
Image of the Arches view and the sun setting in the background
Image of Horseshoe Bend with the magestic views and sun setting in the background
Image of a view from Zion National Park - you get a sense of majestic nature and wonder.
Image of the mountain views and a green valley with a town in the distance
Image of Yellowstone National Park's Old Faithful- there are stunning colors of blue, green, yellow, and orange as people walk around the thermal water on the sightseeing path.
Image of Crystal Mill in Marble, Colorado. The old wooden mill is rustic and has a sense of history as it is nestled amoung the forest and running river below.
Image of a woman sitting in a natural hot spring in the mountains. In the distance, you see tall green pine trees and majestic mountains.
Image of a beautiful bull elk walking through tall fall grass. In the background, you see a calm body of water and majestic foggy mountains.
Image of three individuals in hunting gear. They are standing as they look over the mountains and soak in the mountain views.
Image of a rocky dirt road lined with grass and wildflowers. In the background, you see a hazy view of the mountain and the sun shining through the clouds.
Image of a bare mountain top with patches of snow on the Alpine Loop in Colorado
An aerial image of a forest of colorful trees in the fall, including yellow, bright orange, red, rust, and bright green. In the background, views of snowcapped mountains.
Shadow of a photographer shooting a photo towards the mountains in the distance.
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