Utah national parks

They are all awesome.

They're all awesome.

Do the psycho Angels landing hike in Zion. It comes in a close second to half dome in Yosemite and a very close second.

If you've done half dome, you'll know how absolutely incredible it is.

The fossils at dinosaur are pretty cool, but the park outside of that isn't that scenic. Zion and Bryce Canyon are far more beautiful.

Also, if you are flying into denver, you might as well hit rocky Mountain national park.

You could also go through the great sand dunes, black canyon of the Gunnison, Mesa Verde, drive through monunent valley, and when you get finished in zion, I think you're only 100 or so from Grand Canyon.

I don't know how much time you have allotted, so I am basically just trying to give ideas. You could spend a lifetime in that area and never see/do all the things that you want. If you are doing a parks tour, make sure that you buy the interagency pass. It will cost you 80, but it is a one time fee and will let you into any national park in the US for a year. Otherwise, you'll drop 25-50 at the entrance of every park you visit.

You could spend all week at Zion. As others have said you must climb Angels' Landing. Despite what it looks like it is perfectly safe, the trail is wider than a stair case the entire way up. That said I would not do it with small kids who can wander off.

Do Queen's Garden trail at Bryce. You're also not far from the Grand Canyon's North Rim if you have time.

If you want to camp, there's a privately-owned site just outside the east entrance to Zion where you can pitch a tent right off the main road. They have showers and it's relatively cheap. Of course, if you want to backpack into a primitive site there's no lack of options inside the park.

Add Grand Canyon North Rim to your itinerary.

Arches and Bryce are amazing