Gretchen Stuppy Carlson
Utah is full of amazing destinations and if you’re planning a trip to this part of the United States, it’s worth trying to see at least 2 National Parks. With the soaring rock walls of Zion and the dramatic rock formation at Bryce National Park, these two parks make the perfect road trip. So how do you plan the best trip from Zion to Bryce Canyon?
We’ll share everything we learned when we visited these two destinations as part of our month-long vacation and how you can plan the perfect Bryce and Zion National Park Itinerary. We truly loved spending time at both these parks! Below you can find information about how to make the short drive, how long you need in each place, the best things to do in Zion and Bryce Canyons, and a suggestions Zion to Bryce Canyon itinerary.
Why You Should Plan a Trip from Zion to Bryce in One Trip
Nestled in southwestern Utah, Zion and Bryce both offer epic scenery and amazing hiking. Getting from Bryce Canyon to Zion only takes about 75 minutes, so it makes sense to combine these two destinations into one amazing road trip. While both Zion and Bryce offer stunning landscapes, they are very different, and it’s worth visiting both.
Bryce Canyon is best known for the hoodoo rock structures that resemble orange drippy castles. These rocks fill the amphitheater at Bryce and offer amazing hiking around and through the rock walls.
Zion is a place of towering rocks walls that rise dramatically from the canyon floor. Zion feels expansive and awe-inspiring and very unlike what you will find at Bryce.
Doing a road trip from Bryce Canyon to Zion National Park combines 2 amazing parks into one adventure and since both parks offer such a different experience, they are the perfect pairing for a wonderful vacation.
How Many Days Do You Need to Visit Bryce and Zion?
At a minimum, you should plan to spend at least 3 days in Zion and 1 day exploring Bryce Canyon. Zion is bigger with more variety compared to Bryce so you should plan to spend more time in this park. In 4 days you can do the best hikes in each park, visit the scenic overlooks and try some of the other local activities. If you have more time, you could easily spend a full week exploring these two parks.
It doesn’t really matter which order you visit the parks. We visited Bryce first followed by Zion, but you could easily do the trip the other way around and you can find other amazing things to do in the area if you have more time. Scroll down you can see some additional suggestions of places to add to your itinerary if you have enough time. Easy destinations to add to your itinerary include Kodachrome State Park, Willis Creek Slot Canyon and Capitol Reef National Park.
Best Time of Year to Plan a Zion and Bryce Itinerary
The best time to plan a trip from Bryce to Zion is spring and fall when temperatures are comfortable and the crowds are lower. You can visit the parks during the summer but be prepared for hot daytime temperatures in Zion and lots of people. The rim of Bryce Canyon is at an elevation of over 8,000 feet, while Zion Canyon is closer to 4,000 feet. This makes Bryce Canyon significantly cooler which is great in the summer.
If you plan to visit Zion or Bryce in the summer, you can avoid the hot temperatures and crowds by getting an early start to the day. We started our day in Bryce in time to see the sunrise (around 6:00 am). By 9:00 am, the crowds rolled in and it was already hot in August.
In the winter, Zion and Bryce both get temperatures below freezing with snow and ice. Winter can be a great time to visit the parks but you will want to check local updates for weather and closures.
How Far is Bryce Canyon from Zion?
Driving from Zion National Park to Bryce Canyon takes about 75 minutes down Route 89. This brings you to the East entrance of Zion. From here it is still another 40 minutes to get through the tunnel and down to the visitor center. This entire drive is beautiful and easy and we loved driving into Zion from the east.
You can also drive from Bryce to Zion National Park via Highway 15, but this takes about 2.5 hours and is much less scenic.
The airport closest to Zion National Park is the small George Regional Airport – this is a small airport that is about a 1-hour drive and has limited flights.
From airports/major cities to Zion or Bryce Canyon:
- Las Vegas to Zion NP is 160 miles (2-3 hours)
- Las Vegas to Bryce is 265 (4 hours)
- Salt Lake City to Zion NP is 300 miles (4.5 hours)
- Salt Lake City to Bryce is 267 miles (4 hours)
Planning Map for Your Bryce National Park to Zion National Park Itinerary
Bryce and Zion Itinerary and Things to Do
You can do this trip in either direction (from Bryce Canyon National Park to Zion National Park or the other way around). We went from Bryce to Zion simply because we were coming from Capitol Reef National Park and heading east after visiting Zion. Start with an overview of the itinerary and then add the best activities for each park.
Zion to Bryce Canyon (or Bryce to Zion Canyon) Itinerary
You should plan to spend one full day in Bryce National Park and 3 days in Zion. If you have more time, you can add on to your time in Zion, or read the sections below about other nearby destinations. Here is a possible itinerary:
Day 1: Arrive in Bryce in the evening and spend the night at your hotel or campground
Day 2: Get an early start and hike and explore the Bryce Canyon Amphitheatre, drive to see the viewpoints. Late afternoon drive down to Zion. Dinner in Springdale.
Day 3: Get an early start and hike the Zion Narrows. Spend the afternoon or evening hiking Emerald Pools Trail, or take a bike ride on the Pa’Rus Trail.
Day 4: Hike Angel’s Landing – on your way out of the canyon, stop off at one of the other shuttle spots to get some photos of the lower part of the canyon.
Day 5: Drive back up towards the eastern part of the canyon and do the Canyon Overlook hike, or join a group and go canyoneering.
Day 6: Head off to your next adventure or make your way to the airport.
This itinerary is heavy on hiking, but gives you an excellent overview of both parks. If you have other activities on your list, you can easily substitute different hikes or activities using the information below.
Things to do in Bryce Canyon
Bryce Canyon is smaller than Zion, making it much easier to see in one day. Below is a complete list of things to see in Bryce. For more information about Bryce, check out: Absolutely Everything You Need To Know To Explore Bryce Canyon.
Best Hikes in Bryce: There are several excellent hikes that descend into the Bryce National amphitheater where you will wind your way around the stunning rocks. The hikes mostly start at the rim and descend downward rather steeply with a series of switchbacks. Here are few of the best hikes:
- Navajo Loop: 1.3 miles (combine this with the Queens Garden Trail for a nice loop)
- Fairyland Loop: 8-mile strenuous hike that descends further into the canyon. Great option for escaping the crowds.
- Rim Trail: 5.5 mile trail that follows the top of the rim for views down into the rock spires
- Peek-a-Boo Loop Trail: This 4.8-mile trail is slightly less popular and can be added to the Navajo Loop for a longer hike.
Other things to do in Bryce Canyon include:
- Drive the park roads and stop at the scenic overlooks: make sure to check out Sunset and Sunrise Points, Inspiration Point, Bryce Point and Rainbow Point.
- Go Horseback riding – you can take a horseback ride right down into the canyon.
- Drive out to Rainbow Point
- In the winter go snowshoeing or cross country skiing
- Star gaze
Things to do in Zion National Park
Zion National Park is bigger and more varied compared to Bryce and will take longer to explore. Ideally, you should plan on 3 days in Zion, but it is possible to visit the park in 2 or even 1 day – check out 3 Itineraries for Spending 1 Day in Zion. You could also easily spend more time in this beautiful park. We spent a full 3 days here and still had a few things on our list. Check out some of the top things to do in Zion National Park.
To see more about Zion, check out 20 Best Things to do in Zion National Park.
Best Hikes in Zion National Park (note that a few of these trails may be closed, so check in advance):
- Angel’s Landing – 5.5 mile classic hike up steep rocks for views across Zion ((note that starting April 1, 2022 you need a permit to hike Angel’s Landing).
- Zion Narrows – Hike up the famous slot canyon through a river
- Observation Point – 6.8 mile hike
- Emerald Pools – 3-4 mile hikealong the cliff walls to several pools
- Canyon Overlook Trail – short hike to a viewpoint out over the canyon
- Weeping Rock – short walk to see water weeping out of the rock walls
- Riverside Walk – walk along the river to the start of the Zion Narrows (easy)
- Hidden Canyon – 3.1 mile hike up from the Weeping Rock stop
- The Watchman Trail- 3.1 mile hike right from the Zion Visitor Center
- The West Rim Trail – 15 mile trail from the rim down to the bottom of Zion Canyon
There are also plenty of non-hiking activities to explore in Zion. Some of these you can do on your own, and for others, you may want to consider booking through a tour company.
- Go Canyoneering in Zion
- Bike in Zion NP
- Take a scenic drive to the best viewpoints in Zion National Park
- Join one of the Zion ATV tours
- Practice Your Photography in Zion
- Explore one of the many Zion National Park guided tours
- Do Some Zion Stargazing
- Visit Kolob Canyon
- Check out the Zion Wildlife including Big Horn Sheep
- Go Horseback Riding in Zion
Other Destinations to Add on Your Zion and Bryce Canyon Trip
If you are looking for other destinations before or after your visit to Zion and Bryce, there are many ways to make this into a longer road trip by adding on a visit to another National Park or State Park.
From the Grand Canyon to Zion National Park is about a 3.5-hour drive which makes it an easy addition to your Bryce-Zion itinerary. Could fly directly from Las Vegas and either start or end your trip with the Grand Canyon.
If you are looking for options near Bryce, your two best options are Kodachrome Basin State Park (30 minutes from Bryce) or Capitol Reef National Park. If you have a full week, you can easily visit all 3 National parks and fly in and out of Salt Lake City.
Where to stay between Zion and Bryce
You will want to find a convenient place to stay on your Zion to Bryce Canyon Itinerary. Both parks have lodging right outside their main gate, or you can find a place to stay on your way from Zion to Bryce Canyon. During our visit we stayed at the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Virgin Zion National Park. We loved that we could see our car out the window and there was a swimming pool.
On the drive from Zion to Bryce Canyon, we stayed at Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort, and during our time in Bryce, we camped at Kodachrome State Park.
Here are 3 other options for great places to stay that good reviews.
Zion Wildflower: This is another one that gets good reviews and has really fun looking lodging options
Best Western Plue Settlers Point: This highly rated hotel has an indoor pool and a fitness center. (Zion)
Best Western PLUS Ruby Inn – Just outside Bryce Canyon National Park with a pool
Conclusion
Zion and Bryce Canyons are two of our favorite National Parks and offer unique rock formations and things to do. Combining these two parks into one road trip makes an excellent itinerary. You should plan at least 4 days to explore these parks including time for scenic drives, incredible hikes and possibly a tour.
Common Questions about Planning a Trip from Zion to Bryce Canyon
Can I do Zion and Bryce in one day?
While it’s technically possible to see both Zion and Bryce in one day, you will only have time to drive through the parks without getting to see much. It is possible to get a great view of Bryce Canyon from the Rim then drive down to Zion Canyon, park at the visitor center and take the shuttle up into the canyon where you would have time to get out and snap some photos before returning to your car.
Can you drive through Zion National Park to get to Bryce Canyon?
You can drive through the eastern part of Zion to get to Bryce Canyon. The most common route is to take Highway 9 through Zion National Park and then connect to Highway 89 to Bryce Canyon.
Should I spend more time in Zion or Bryce?
Zion National Park offers more variety of things to see and do and you should plan to spend more time in Zion compared to Bryce. You can see most of the best sites in Bryce in a single day.
