Wildlife Viewing Near Salt Lake City

Best National Parks for Wildlife Viewing Near Salt Lake City, UT

National parks near Salt Lake City, UT ranked by wildlife viewing quality, with drive times and distances.

Updated

Weekend Getaway (2.5 to 5 hours)

A hiker stands beside Hickman Bridge, a natural sandstone bridge

Capitol Reef

UT

Busy

227 mi -- about 4.1 hr drive

Bristlecone pine tree with a dark blue sky behind it with a bright Jupiter shining

Great Basin

NV

Room to BreatheHidden GemDark Sky

231 mi -- about 4.2 hr drive

a broad, red arch with rock pinnacles in the background

Arches

UT

Very CrowdedDark Sky

243 mi -- about 4.4 hr drive

shallow pools with a double rainbow in the background

Canyonlands

UT

Moderate CrowdsHidden GemDark Sky

265 mi -- about 4.8 hr drive

Extended Drive (5+ hours)

A crowd of people standing along a wooden boardwalk watches a geyser erupt.

Yellowstone

ID, MT, WY

Comfortable

356 mi -- about 6.5 hr drive

Winter sunrise on snow-covered Teton Range

Grand Teton

WY

Busy

286 mi -- about 5.2 hr drive

Snow blankets a red rock landscape of tall rock spires beneath an early morning sky

Bryce Canyon

UT

Very CrowdedDark Sky

286 mi -- about 5.2 hr drive

Black Canyon near Painted Wall

Black Canyon Of The Gunnison

CO

Moderate CrowdsHidden Gem

348 mi -- about 6.3 hr drive

Park visitors visiting a cliff dwelling

Mesa Verde

CO

Moderate CrowdsHidden GemDark Sky

397 mi -- about 7.2 hr drive

The sun sets behind large red and white towers of sandstone.

Zion

UT

Very CrowdedDark Sky

321 mi -- about 5.8 hr drive