Essentially allowing us to get our feet wet. Download your free Utah road trip itinerary here. The water level can also come up as high as your waist. 25 Awesome Things to do in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, 21 Best Things to do in Portland, Oregon (2022), 11 Best Things to do in Isla Holbox (2022), The Best time to visit Zion National Park, How to Apply for an Angels Landing permit. However, they can also be relatively popular seasons. amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; This relaxing hike is the perfect recovery after hiking Angels Landing and is great for families! In late March, it was only 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Before diving in, here are a few highlights to help you plan your trip: Zion National Park was the first national park of Utahs Mighty 5, first established in 1919 (just over 100 years old!). If youre staying in Springdale, you can drive to the visitor center and board the shuttle there. national parks Search rental car prices with Rentalcars.com now. The wait staff is incredibly friendly and accommodating, and prices are more than modest. The difficulty on this trail is rated as easy, and its a short 1-mile round-trip largely shaded hike. Head-ups, this is a popular spot amongst photographers, so plan to scope out your perfect vantage point early. Now that the chains are there, its been over 5 years since theres been a death. Rest assured, youll easily be able to fill 2 days in Zion National Park with exciting activities! To stay in the park, book 6 months out for campgrounds and a year out for the lodge. If you have some more time, consider adding the rest of the Utah Mighty 5 national parks for one epic Utah road trip. If you time it right, the sunset will light up the whole canyon. A great alternative to Angels Landing is Observation Point. On a budget or not, this place is accessible and any discerning travel enthusiast should visit it in his or her lifetime. After 5 of the scariest but most rewarding hours of my life, we finally made it to the top of Angels Landing in Zion. This is always a favorite with visitors and is cool in the summer. Other car companies include but are not limited to Budget, Alamo, Hertz, Dollar, Enterprise, and National. The city shuttle will take you to the park entrance once in the park you will switch to the Zion Canyon shuttle. One misstep or misplaced hand, you die. So youve just finished Angels Landing. Check the Zion National Park trail status webpage for the latest updates. Applicants can choose seven ranked slots and permits will be issued for a time period to start the hike (before 9am, 9am to 12 pm and after 12pm) on the selected day. Go to Zion Canyon Giant Screen Theatre and see "Zion Canyon Treasure of the Gods" movie. St. George, UT 84790

Are you visiting multiple national parks in the next year? This short moderate hike on a well-marked trail leads to an overlook offering incredible views of lower Zion Canyon. Zion is an excellent year-round destination with most of the trails remaining accessible throughout the winter months: With increasing temperatures and blooming wildflowers, Spring is one of the best times to visit Zion. Utah Drinking and Eating Fact: In order to drink alcohol at arestaurant, youll need to order food. There is also an abundance of wildlife and a diverse array of plant species in the area. Ill be staying here again. Head upstream as much as10 miles and youll be exposed to dramatic canyon walls and glistening water caressing the smooth and colorful stones. The trail is easy with minor drop-offs. Pack a lunch and at least two liters of water. These hoodoos can only be found in a few places around the world! If youre eating breakfast at your hotel and want to supplement the continental buffet, there are a number of markets just outside the park entrance in Springdale that sell groceries and other essentials. Check out the map below for the full road trip route from Zion to Bryce Canyon. A walking stick is essential for your trek up The Narrows. There are scenic drives, bicycling, canyoneering, and even rock climbing. A must-try! The hike to the lower pool is easy, moderate to the middle pool, and strenuous to the upper pool. In peak season, Zion requires all visitors to take the shuttle into the park to avoid congestion.

One of the best and most accessible ways to see Bryce Canyon is on a scenic drive. However, we opted for one of the easier and less strenuous, yet quite beautiful hikes that Zion offers. If you have more than 2 days to spend in Zion National Park, I highly recommend adding on some of these other awesome hikes: Weeping Rock, Hidden Canyon, and Observation Point can be hiked together since they all start from the same trailhead. Read more Salt Lake City to Zion: 4 hours 23 minutes, 308 miles Get your national park pass ahead of time for only $80. Take a look at available hotels for your travel dates here. Now, get ready to experience a true feeling of freedom. Always check the weather forecast and trail conditions before taking on this hike. Note that the buses within the park arrive at the Visitors Center and all of the parks 9 main stops about every 4 minutes. Take a virtual tour! Today youll be doing a bit of traveling. With your own private group, ride in an ATV up to Peekaboo Slot Canyon, and then sandboard on the dunes while the sun sets over the area. You can also search on Kayak to view all of the best airline deals for your travel dates and get updates as they arise. The best campground to stay at is Watchman. At the end of your day in Bryce Canyon National Park, it is time to head home. This road trip from Zion to Bryce Canyon National Park is a 3-day loop. If time permits or you simply have nothing else to do, we highly recommend continuing onto The Grotto trail from the Emerald Pools. On the ground, look for deer grazing along the scenic roads and trails, gray foxes, and at higher elevation, bighorn sheep. At5,790+ feet, its well over a mile high with an incredibly steep gradient. A good way to go about this is to explore outside the main canyon road by car. When you come out, youll soon go through one last dark, but much shorter tunnel. Find more info in our disclosure policy. This $80 pass is valid for 12 months and get you into all 400+ national park sites (including Bryce Canyon!). amzn_assoc_region = "US"; The Quality Inn Montclair (Choice Hotels) was our hotel of choice and offered good-sized, well-kept rooms with free breakfast, WiFI, and access to the pool and hot tub. Tips for Visiting Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park, What to Pack for Your Trip to Zion and Bryce, Route: Las Vegas to Zion National Park to Bryce Canyon National Park, Best Time of Year to Visit Zion and Bryce Canyon, 3 Day Itinerary from Zion to Bryce Canyon, If You Have Extra Time on Your Trip From Bryce to Zion, Frequently Asked Questions about Zion and Bryce Canyon, Final Thoughts for Your Road Trip from Zion to Bryce Canyon, Where to Stay Near Bryce Canyon National Park, Hotels and Campgrounds Outside Bryce Canyon National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park Itinerary: Day Three, Returning Home After Exploring Bryce Canyon National Park. This is truly a bucket list hike because its really not a hike at all! To avoid lines for taking the shuttle into the park, plan to take one of the first shuttles of the day. If youve completed both The Emerald Pools and Grotto hikes, Weeping rock is one short shuttle ride Northeast. Note that both the Middle and Upper trails have a steeper gradient and are slightly more difficult than the lower trail. Well, I think people flock to Zion for its bucket list-worthy hikes! To stay prepared for your trip, be sure to bring these essentials. Drivers are required to turn their headlights on as there is no lighting inside the tunnel. Candace will help customize your trip, which can include a visit to a ghost town, ancient petroglyphs and stops of your choosing around Zion. My goal is to help busy people like you plan epic national park adventures with super-detailed itineraries, gear guides, and planning tips. Over 3 days, youll see the best of Utahs most popular national parks: Zion and Bryce Canyon. Many visitors combine a visit to Zion with a trip to Bryce Canyon National Park which is a two-hour drive from Zion. zion itinerary winetraveler winederlusting grotto smoky nationalparks hikes shape az depicting packed raka invitationurn If youre looking to stay outside the park, I highly recommend the.

If you visit, keep your eyes to the sky for eagles, hawks, owls and dozens of species of bats. If youre looking to stay in the park, your best option is, . Sign up below to get a free copy of my 28-page national park ebook to help you plan your upcoming national park trip! 1835 Convention Center Drive If youre going to make an attempt at the Pizza & Noodle Co, go right after it opens around 4:00 pm, or after 9:00 pm. Return back to your accommodations by following Hwy 9 back into Springdale. If youre more interested in hiking and thrill-seeking, youll enjoy Zion more. Bryce Canyon isnt nearly as busy as Zion. amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; Some high elevation parks of the park may be closed due to lingering snow. These five hikes and a little drive will give you a good idea of what Zion has for those willing to do some planning. Note: The trails to Weeping Rock, Hidden Canyon, and Observation Point are currently closed due to a massive rockfall. Youll start at Rainbow Point and work your way all the way back down to Fairyland Point. From April to October, the weather is warm, perfect for hiking. Travel expertise from locals and wine industry experts. This deep slot canyon is a popular photo spot towards the end of the Navajo Loop. The moderate 1-mile Canyon Overlook Trail is located along the Zion-Mt. His primary aim through Winetraveler is to expose this style of travel to the world and make it accessible to everyone. This film portrays the different eras of exploration in Zion Canyon. The best months in Zion and Bryce Canyon are April, May, September, and October. They come and go in both directions about every 10 minutes. Zion itinerary tip: if you are planning on doing a selection of the longer Zion hikes or want to include rock climbing or canyoneering in your Zion itinerary then it is easy to spend even a full week in Zion. See a map of the Rental Car Center just outside McCarran International Airport to the right. It is really wide once you get up on top and you get a beautiful bird's eye view up and down the canyon. During the Spring, the water level here can be somewhat elevated due to meltwater coming down from higher elevations. Zion itinerary tip:the more moderate weather conditions make Spring and Fall the most desirable time to visit the park. Check out these posts! Ever since that particular trip abroad, he developed a passion for traveling and making wine tourism the core driver behind where he ends up. After your scenic drive, be sure to stop in at both the Lodge at Bryce Canyon and the Visitor Center if you havent already. Dont forget to pack plenty of layers and book your accommodations well in advance! Start at Sunrise Point, the same spot you watched the sunrise. shares Facebook Text WhatsApp Twitter Email Pinterest Flipboard Messenger Print Subscribe Share via Pinterest Print Flipboard Subscribe Messenger Join our listSubscribe to our mailing list and get interesting stuff and updates to your email inbox. Once any of the above hikes are completed, simply walk back across the main Zion Canyon road and catch a shuttle from Zion Lodge, The Grotto or Weeping Rock to head back to the Visitors Center. End your first day in Zion National Park with sunset views of The Watchman from Canyon Junction Bridge. Both Zion and Bryce Canyon are open all year long. For first time visitors, we recommend spending at least 2 full days exploring Zion National Park. Seats can sometimes be found in the bar area if you dont want to wait for a table. Heres a quick recap of what youll do each day: Looking for more tips to plan your Utah road trip? Zion National Park is roughly 3 hours from Las Vegas and 5 hours from Salt Lake City. You can stop at Zion Lodge for a quick bite to eat or pack a picnic lunch. Eventually, the paved trail will end and you can begin the trek through the final dirt portion. Youll see each of these marked on the official park map here. Secondly, youll need to take a shuttle to access the main attractions, hikes and main canyon road. Due to safety concerns as a result of high crowds on the trail, a permit lottery has been introduced for the portion of the trail from Scout Lookout to Angels Landing. Utah Travel Industry Website, Printable Road Trip Activity Book For Kids, Monument Valley | Highway 163 Scenic Drive, 4 Reasons to Dump Disneyland for Zion National Park, Top 10 Things to Do at Zion National Park. You can hike The Narrows at any time of year, though late spring and throughout the summer tend to bring themost crowds (April November is peak season). Just enter your email and I'll send it over! This varies dependent by season. For more information on how we enforce permission email marketing with our clients, please see our Privacy Policy. If youve completed The Narrows and still have some time to kill, hop back on the bus at The Temple of Sinawava and get off again at Weeping Rock. Youll climb plenty of steps before walking atop a slot canyon. This post may contain compensated links. Visit website, 581 N. Main Youll be flying into Las Vegas, and the choice is yours as to whether or not you want to take this opportunity to hit the strip while youre there. From incredible Apple Pie to Elk Burgers (yes, I said Elk Burger) to milkshakes and tacos. Check out our full guide on where to stay in Zion for more details. It is still possible to hike to Scout Lookout without a permit. After a strenuous hike to Angels Landing, the 1.2-mile trip to Lower Emerald Pool will feel like a piece of cake! How long of a drive from Zion to Bryce Canyon? Its conveniently located near the Southern canyon entrance to the park and is within walking distance of the Visitors Center. Visit her Go deeper into these three parks both A secluded ranch resort on the backside of Zion We use cookies to improve your experience on Utah.com. Cross the street and begin the easy 1 mile hike. The service was exceptional while we were at these joints. Its time for your last hike in Zion! Zion sits at substantial elevation, with the lowest point in the canyon resting at 3,666ft. See below for suggested items to pack. Lower Emerald Pools: .6 miles one-way | 30 minutes | 69ft uphill climb Middle Emerald Pools: 1 mile one-way | 1 hour | 150ft uphill climb Upper Emerald Pools: 1.5 miles one-way | 1 1/2 hours | 350ft uphill climb Entry Point: Zion Lodge (Shuttle Stop 5). For more on the weather and best things to do in each season in Zion, check out my guide on the Best Time to Visit Zion National Park. If youre looking for an outdoor adventure but want to avoid Zion National Park and the huge crowds that come with it, this Peekaboo Slot Canyon Sandboarding and UTV Sunset Adventure is the perfect solution. If you prefer a more rugged experience, many visitors opt to camp in Zion. That way, all the viewpoints are on your right-hand side as you head back down, making for easier driving. I recommend at least 2 days. Zion National Park is about 170 miles from Las Vegas. zion park national guide travel map tips things additional any favorite