Utah is one of the best places in the United States for hiking. It has some unique terrains, bringing you incredible views that you can only experience if you are willing to sweat a little to get to them. Many of the hiking spots are in the national and state parks, and whether you want to stay near Bountiful or take a road trip to your hiking adventure, Utah is the place to be. Check out some of the best hiking trails in Utah.

Arches National Park

You can't hike in Utah without going to Delicate Arch at Arches National Park. The freestanding Delicate Arch is an iconic site in the park, but there are over 2,000 other stone arches to see too. The only way you can get close to Delicate Arch is by hiking the mile and a half to get there and then hiking back to the parking lot. The route takes you up a gradual incline and across open Slickrock.

Keep in mind that you'll be in full sun throughout the entire hike, so plan for heat in the summer and ice in the winter. No matter what time of year you go, you'll need to bring sunscreen. The impressive arch is worth the hike. The opening stands 46 feet high and 32 feet wide.

Navajo Loop Trail

Head to Bryce Canyon National Park and hike the Navajo Loop trail. This is one of the more popular trails in the park. It only runs for about three miles, but you'll experience fantastic scenic overlooks and get to see the Bryce Canyon Amphitheater. The trail starts at the top of the canyon and winds down to the canyon floor. The walk back up is a steep slope, but there are several switchbacks, so you're not going straight up.

If you're not up for this challenging trail, you can take the Queen's Garden Trail instead. It's shorter and quite a bit easier.

Angel's Landing

Angels Landing in Zion National Park is a 4.1-mile hike. It's the most popular trail at Zion National Park, so be ready to share it with others. The hike starts with some switchbacks that take you up Zion Canyon to the base of  Angel's Landing. For some hikers, this might be plenty, but if you're up for an adventure, you can keep going up the steep, narrow path. It drops on both sides, so there are chains to hold on to on each side. If you're willing to make the trek, the 360-degree views from the top are worth it.

For 2022, everyone who wants to hike up to Angel's Landing needs a permit. The permits are only available via a lottery two months in advance. You can pick up to seven days and times that you want to hike, and there is a $6 non-refundable fee to enter the lottery. It's another $3 if you get a permit.

Elephant Rock

If you want to stay right near Bountiful, the seven-mile out and back trail to Elephant Rock is a great hike. It is a moderate trail with some beautiful scenery along the way. Hikers enjoy the well-worn trail and easy uphill grades. Elephant Rock sits about 3.5-miles up the trail and even has benches if you want to sit and rest while taking in the view of Great Salt Lake and the valley. From here, you can turn around and head back or continue up to Rudy's Flat and Grandview Peak.

This trail is popular with mountain bikers, so be aware that they might come through while you hike. The mature pines, scrub oaks, and other wild shrubs keep most of the trail in the shade throughout most of the day.

Fairyland Loop Trail

Another popular hike at Bryce Canyon National Park is the Fairyland Loop Trail. It runs for about 7.8 miles and takes about three hours. The trail starts at Fairyland Point, which is also where the Rim Trail ends. You'll descend into the canyon with the Fairyland amphitheater and hoodoos on your right. The lowest part of the trail comes at about 1.5 miles, and from there, you start to climb back up to a saddle that sits below the Coliseum.

If you want to take a short side hike, it's worth it to see the Tower Bridge. This rock formation looks familiar to the London Bridge and only adds .2 miles to your walk. Once you get back on the main trail, it will be a challenging climb through the canyon, where you meet back up with the Rim Trail and then continue back to Fairyland Point.

The Narrows

Zion Canyon has many great hikes, but The Narrows is fun and challenging. It's the narrowest part of the canyon, with walls that rise a thousand feet up. The best way to go is from the bottom up. Start at the Temple of Sinawava. This paved pathway will wind you through the Canyon for about a mile to the Virgin River.

A wet hike up the river takes you through the signature feature known as The Narrows. It's a slot canyon that's so narrow it doesn't have any dry banks. Since it is a river hike, it's only open during certain times of the year after the water level moderates for safe hiking after the spring runoff.

The 9.4-mile round-trip hike to Big Spring is one of the most popular routes in The Narrows, and it's as far as you can go without a permit. If you get a permit, you can take the 16-mile hike that starts at the top and brings you down into the canyon. This one starts at Chamberlain's Ranch and takes about 12 hours.

Do you love hiking as much as we do at Bountiful Mazda? Stop by and talk to us about it. We can show you a reliable new or used Mazda to get you to your next trailhead, whether you stay right in Bountiful or make the 4 1/2-hour drive to Zion National Park or Bryce Canyon National Park.