Ultimate Guide: Las Vegas To Zion National Park Road Trip
Are you planning a road trip from Las Vegas to Zion? If so, you’ve come to the right article.
Zion National Park is a breathtaking national park in Southern Utah. Its colorful ancient rock layers, and hikes at the base of the canyon will make you feel like you’re at the base of the Grand Canyon. In fact, the oldest rocks (top layer) at Zion are the youngest (bottom layer) of the Grand Canyon!
This article will cover exactly how to visit Zion from Vegas, including transportation options, road trip stops, what to do in the park, where to stay, and much more.
Here is everything you need to know to plan a memorable trip to Zion National Park.
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Las Vegas To Zion Itinerary Overview
- Distance: 2hr/150 mi
- Ideal amount of time: 1-3 days
- Entrance fees: $35/vehicle, $20/walk-ins or America the Beautiful Pass
- Parking: Free in the park or $20/all day street parking in Springdale
- Shuttle into the park from Springdale: FREE
Zion National Park is only a 2 hour drive from Las Vegas that’s relatively easy and flies by quickly. The first half of the drive is mostly over the open desert, and then you’ll wind through the Virgin River Gorge mountains right before you reach St George, Utah.
How To Get To Zion National Park
If you’re flying into the Las Vegas airport, you can easily pick up a rental car from the airport to make the 2 hour road trip. The drive is very easy, with minimal traffic as soon as you get outside of Las Vegas.
I use, and always recommend Discover Cars for finding the best deals (plus free cancellations).
If you don’t plan on driving, you can join a full day group tour from Vegas. Here are the top-rated tours available.
- Zion Tour: Small group full day tour to Zion from Vegas
- Zion & Bryce Canyon Tour: Full day tour to Zion & Bryce Canyon from Vegas
- Zion, Grand Canyon & Antelope Canyon Tour: 2 Day tour to Zion, the Grand Canyon, Antelope Canyon, and Horseshoe Bend from Vegas
Best Road Trip Stops
If you want a break from driving, here are a few interesting stops to make along the way.
Hoover Dam
The Hoover Dam is an iconic 726 foot dam that controls the flooding of the Colorado River, and formed Lake Mead. It’s only a 15 minute drive from the strip, and it’s worth seeing in person to admire its sheer size.
It’s free to visit the overlook, and has a visitor center where you can go on a dam tour to learn about its fascinating engineering if you have the time.
Valley of Fire State Park
The Valley of Fire State Park is a gorgeous state park tucked in Nevada’s desert, with unique red rock formations, slot canyons, sandstone arches, and more.
It’s worth stopping by for a short hike to stretch your legs, or to spot bighorn sheep off the side of the road!
It’s a 30 minute detour off of the highway, so you can expect it to add an extra 2-3 hours to your road trip. Entrance is $15/nonresidents ($10/residents).
Mesquite, NV
A good place to stop and refuel at the halfway point of the drive is Mesquite, NV. This is a small city straddling the border between Nevada and Utah, with restaurants, and a donkey history museum that you can check out before hitting the road.
Visiting Zion National Park
Zion National Park has three entrances, with the South Entrance being the main entrance, and the closest to Vegas. Outside of this entrance is the small town Springdale, where you’ll find a variety of little cafes, restaurants, and bike rental shops.
You can either park inside of the park, or in Springdale, and use the free shuttle to get into the park. Unless you’re arriving early in the morning (before 9 am), it’s best to park in Springdale, as there’s very limited parking by the visitor center.
Parking in Springdale is $20/all day, and there’s ticket machines that accept cards, or online payments through a barcode you’ll scan on the side of the machine.
From here, you can hop on the bus shuttle into the park. The entrance fee to the park is $35/vehicle (up to 15 people), $20/walk-ins (if you’re parking in Springdale), or covered with an America the Beautiful Pass. Additionally, children under 16 enter free.
Things To Do In The Park
Once you arrive in the park, you can hop on the shuttle from the visitor center to get to the different trails, and the 2 restaurants in Zion Lodge.
The Zion shuttle is free to use, and makes 9 different stops, with the popular Narrows trail being the last stop. Below is the map of the shuttle.
In peak season, the shuttle can be quite crowded, so you may want to consider biking to the trailheads. You can rent bikes in Springdale for the day, and there’s bike racks at all of the 9 shuttle stops throughout the park.
Here’s an overview of the park’s main hiking trails.
- Angel’s Landing: Challenging 4.3 uphill hike to a mountain summit (requires a permit)
- Narrows Riverside Walk: Peaceful 1 mile walk on a path by the river with access to the river at the end
- Canyon Overlook Trail: Short 1 mile hike to one of the best views of the canyon
- West Rim Trail: Challenging 3.6 mile with switchbacks to a beautiful canyon overlook
- Watchman Trail: Moderate 3.2 mile hike that winds up a mountain by the entrance
- Emerald Pools: Easy 2.9 mile loop trail to a series of natural pools and springs
The most popular hikes in the park are Angel’s Landing and the Narrows. The Angel’s Landing is a challenging hike to a mountain summit overlooking the canyon that requires a permit.
The Narrows is a riverside hike, with the first mile of the hike being over a paved sidewalk by the river. The rest of the hike extends 4-5 miles into the river, and through narrow canyon walls, with the water varying between waist and chest level.
If you plan on doing the full hike, you’ll need water shoes, and hiking poles, as the water level can vary between waist and chest level. No permit is required for this hike.
For a day trip, I recommend hiking the Narrows, Emerald Pools, or the Canyon Overlook Trail. The Canyon Overlook is a short and easy 1 mile hike to one of the best overlooks in the park. It’s not accessible by shuttle (or bike), so you’ll have to drive to it however.
The Narrows Riverside Walk and Emerald Pools are both easy, flat hikes that are beginner-friendly and surrounded by gorgeous river scenery.
When I visited Zion, I hiked the Watchman Trail that’s located right next to the visitor center.
This is a moderately challenging 3.1 mile hike with nice mountain views but unless you’re looking for a good workout, I’d opt for the Canyon Overlook Trail instead. It’s an easy and short hike that offers one of the most rewarding views in the park.
Where To Stay At Zion National Park
Zion has three campgrounds inside of the park, and a variety of hotel options in Springdale. If you stay in Springdale, you’ll be within walking distance to cafes, restaurants, and a free bus shuttle that will take you directly into the park.
If you’re traveling on a budget, there’s more hotel options in Hurricane, which is only a 30 minute drive from the entrance. Here are the top-rated hotels in Zion.
- Zion Lodge: Hotel in the park with free parking, and a designated shuttle bus stop to the hiking trails, often booked out months in advance
- Hampton Inn & Suites Springdale: Hotel with free breakfast, parking, outdoor pools, and a gym in Springdale right next to a shuttle stop to get into the park
- Zion Park Motel: Motel with free breakfast, parking, and outdoor pools in Springdale, right next to a shuttle to get into the park
- Best Western Plus Settlers Point: Budget-friendly hotel with free breakfast, parking, and indoor pools, only a 25 minute drive to the park.
Best Time To Visit Zion National Park
The best time to visit Zion National Park is in the spring and fall, when the weather’s nicest and you can avoid the summer crowds.
If you’re visiting in the summer, I recommend arriving early in the morning (~8am), or later in the evening to enjoy the trails when the weather cools down!
Tips for visiting Zion
- Arrive early in the morning (before 9am) to find parking by the visitor center
- Park in Springdale ($20/day) and use the free shuttle to get into the park
- Rent bikes in Springdale if you want to avoid the crowded shuttles
- Bring hiking poles, water shoes, and swimwear for the Narrows hike
- Drive through the tunnel to the Canyon Overlook Trail before exiting the park!
Road Trip Map
Vegas To Zion FAQs
How far is Zion National Park from Bryce Canyon?
Zion National Park is just under a 2 hour drive from Bryce Canyon.
How far is Zion National Park from the Grand Canyon?
Zion National Park is around a 5 hour drive from the Grand Canyon’s main entrance (South Rim). The North Rim is a 2.5 hour drive from Zion, but it’s only open seasonally.
The West Rim is the closest rim to Las Vegas, and is around a 4.5 hour drive from Zion. Just keep in mind that the West Rim is not part of the national park but rather on tribal lands, so it’s entrance fees are different (America the Beautiful passes aren’t accepted).
For full details, check out our Las Vegas to Grand Canyon day trip guide.
How far is Zion from Antelope Canyon/Horseshoe Bend?
Zion National Park is around a 2.5 hour drive from Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend. These natural wonders are located right outside of Page Arizona, and within 10 minutes of each other.
Check out our guide to visiting Antelope Canyon for complete details on how to visit the slot canyon with and without a tour.
How far is Zion from Monument Valley?
Zion National Park is right around a 4 hour drive from Monument Valley. If you plan on doing this road trip, a good place to stay is Page Arizona. Here you can visit the famous Horseshoe Bend, and there are a variety of budget-friendly hotel options.
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