I've been to all 63 US national parks. Here's how I'd rank Utah's Mighty Five.

• Although I loved traveling to all five of Utah's national parks, I'd recommend some over others.

• Canyonlands National Park is stunning, but it's less accessible to the average traveler.

• There's lots to do in Capitol Reef, which is my favorite of Utah's national parks.

As the home of five US national parks, more than 40 state parks, and 15 world-class ski resorts, Utah is an oasis for outdoor enthusiasts.

I've traveled to all 50 US states and all 63 major national parks, but I continually return to Utah for its beautiful parks. Although I think all five parks — known as "The Mighty 5" — are stunning and worthy of a trip, I'm often asked which I would recommend if visiting all of them isn't an option.

So, I decided to rank them based on overall scenic beauty, uniqueness, crowds, accessibility for the average tourist, and photo opportunities. Here's how, in my opinion, the parks stack up.

Canyonlands National Park is less accessible to the average tourist.

Canyonlands, located outside Moab, Utah, is the state's largest national park. However, it's spread out over four districts with no bridges or roads connecting each one inside the park.

Some districts even require high-clearance, low-range four-wheel-drive vehicles to access them. In other words, this park is less accessible to the average visitor.

For an experienced adventurer, this park would likely be a favorite. However, for the average visitor or family on vacation, there might be less to enjoy because of the park's remoteness and rugged terrain.

A trip to Bryce Canyon National Park takes a bit more planning.

In my opinion, Bryce Canyon National Park in Southern Utah is the state's most unique park. It's known for its otherworldly landscape of tall, thin rock formations called hoodoos, which were sculpted by wind and water erosion.

Although I love the park and have visited it multiple times, it ranks lower on the list due to sometimes-limited accessibility.

Bryce Canyon has an average elevation of 8,000 feet above sea level. Because of this, the weather can vary greatly. Winter weather can often lead to road and trail closures, and in the summer months, the park can see fierce thunderstorms and lightning.

I think everyone should visit Bryce Canyon at least once in their lifetime — doing so just takes a little more preparation and planning than some other parks.

Arches National Park is incredible, but sometimes requires timed-entry reservations.

Out of all the Utah national parks, I've visited Arches the most. It holds a special place in my heart, but has become very crowded in the last several years.

As the second-smallest park in Utah, the increased crowds are more noticeable, leading to timed-entry reservations being necessary to enter the park from April 1 to July 6 and August 28 to October 31.

Despite that, the landscape is truly iconic, and there are plenty of trails accessible to hikers of all levels.

Zion National Park is stunning.

Zion National Park was one of the most-visited national parks in 2023, and it's easy to see why.

From the legendary Angels Landing hike (which requires a permit) to the unique Narrows hike through the Virgin River surrounded by steep canyon walls, there's only one word to describe Zion — magnificent.

The only downside is that the park's popularity leads to heavy crowds in the summer months.

Capitol Reef is my favorite national park in Utah.

If you're looking for a park to visit in Utah, my No. 1 recommendation is always Capitol Reef. As the second least-visited park in Utah (behind Canyonlands), this park is somewhat more remote and, in my opinion, unique.

Spend a day hiking, taking a scenic drive, and even picking fruit at the historic Fruita orchards.

The park is also known for its striking geological features, including the Waterpocket Fold — a nearly 100-mile-long "wrinkle" in the Earth's crust that has created deep canyons, ridges, and cliffs that are stunning to explore.

I also recommend staying after sunset for incredible stargazing — the park was designated an International Dark Sky Park in 2015.

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