VAN-COMPARATOR Guide
Utah’s Mighty 5 by RV from Las Vegas
Zion, Bryce, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands and Arches by RV from Las Vegas: the 10-day loop, recreation.gov campgrounds, free BLM boondocking and a real budget.
The "Mighty 5" — Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands and Arches — form the finest national park loop in the United States, and Las Vegas is its most convenient gateway: an international airport, plenty of rental RVs, and the first stop (Zion) just 160 miles away. Van-Comparator compares the rental companies on the ground, including Indie Campers, which runs a Las Vegas depot.
The loop in 10 days
Count on roughly 1,000 miles for the full loop: Las Vegas → Zion (2 nights) → Bryce Canyon (1–2 nights) → Capitol Reef via the superb Scenic Byway 12 (1 night) → Moab for Arches and Canyonlands (3 nights) → back via Monument Valley or Interstate 15. Ten days is the right format; with only a week, drop Capitol Reef rather than rush everything.
Bookings: the six-month rule
The in-park campgrounds (Watchman at Zion, Devils Garden at Arches, roughly $25–45 a night) open for booking on recreation.gov six months ahead and sell out within minutes for summer. Arches additionally requires a timed entry reservation from April to October. The plan B that saves the trip: free boondocking on BLM land, widespread across Utah — the areas around Moab and Highway 24 are famous, with a 14-day limit and zero services.
A realistic budget
Class C RV: $150 to $350 per day depending on season, plus mileage (often $0.35/mile beyond 100 miles a day — the loop burns about 1,000). Fuel: a Class C drinks 7 to 9 mpg-equivalent worth $350 to $500 over the loop. The America the Beautiful pass ($80) pays for itself by the third park. The full cost breakdown lives in our American West RV road trip guide.
Traps worth knowing
At Zion, the scenic canyon road is closed to private vehicles in season: mandatory shuttles from Springdale. At Bryce you sleep at 8,000 ft — nights are cold even in July, so check the heater works. And everywhere: fill up on water and fuel before entering the parks, as services inside are scarce.