Packing lists

What to pack for Utah's national parks in October

October is one of the best months for a road trip through Utah's national parks. The summer heat has gone, the cottonwoods turn gold in the canyons, and the light on the red rock is beautiful. But the parks sit at very different elevations: Zion and Moab are warm by day, while Bryce Canyon, at around 8,000 feet, drops below freezing most nights.

So the list is built on layers that handle a 40-degree swing. Pack for warm afternoons on the trail and cold mornings at the viewpoints, with sturdy shoes for rock, sand and slickrock. Everything is casual, and hiking clothes go everywhere.

Checked

The weather

Zion and Moab
76°F
24°C high. Nights fall to around 45°F.
Bryce Canyon
60°F
16°C high. Usually below freezing at night.
Wet days
~3
Dry, but storms can cause flash floods.
Daylight
11 h
Sunset around 6:45pm. Start hikes early.

The capsule

A week, one traveler, Trench palette. Camel, ivory and burgundy, the colors of the canyons. A capsule is a few clothes in one palette (a base color, a neutral and an accent) that all go together. The full list below adds what sits outside it.

Trench palette · 10 pieces · 18 outfits

Layers

  • Insulated jacketInsulated jacket
  • Fleece midlayerFleece midlayer
  • WindbreakerWindbreaker

Tops

  • Merino base layerMerino base layer
  • Long-sleeve teeLong-sleeve tee
  • Cotton teeCotton tee

Bottoms

  • Hiking pantsHiking pants
  • Dark jeansDark jeans

Shoes

  • Hiking bootsHiking boots
  • Leather sneakersLeather sneakers

Three days from this capsule

Cold morning at Bryce
Zion afternoon hike
Evening in Moab

Shown for one traveler. Packlier packs a capsule like this for each person on the trip.

The full list

Clothes

  • Insulated jacket for cold mornings
  • Fleece or midlayer
  • Windbreaker or light shell
  • Two base layer tops
  • Three or four T-shirts
  • Hiking pants, and shorts for Zion afternoons
  • Jeans for evenings
  • Beanie and light gloves for Bryce
  • Wool hiking socks

Shoes

  • Hiking shoes with a grippy sole
  • Comfortable shoes for the car and town
  • Water-ready shoes, if you are hiking the Narrows

Desert kit

  • Large water bottles or a hydration pack
  • Sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat
  • Headlamp
  • Snacks and salty food
  • Packable daypack
  • Trekking poles, if you use them

Documents and tech

  • ID
  • Park pass
  • Permits for Angels Landing or other permit hikes
  • Timed-entry reservations, if required for your dates
  • Downloaded offline maps
  • Power bank and car charger

Toiletries

  • Rich moisturizer and lip balm
  • Blister kit
  • Any prescriptions

Gear worth the space

  • Grippy hiking shoes

    Slickrock, sand and steep stone steps all reward a sticky rubber sole.

  • An insulated jacket

    For cold mornings at the viewpoints and the frosty rim at Bryce Canyon.

  • A hydration pack

    Carries more water than a bottle and lets you drink without stopping on a hot trail.

  • A headlamp

    For sunrise hikes, stargazing in the dark-sky parks and trails that take longer than planned.

Sunrise at Bryce is often in the 20s, Zion 76°F by day. Packlier packs your October for both.

Tell it where, when, why, which bag and which palette, and it packs the capsule, checks it against the bag and adds everything that is not clothing. Launching this year on Android, with iOS to follow.

One email at launch, nothing else.