Where To Stay At Zion National Park (BEST Areas + Hotels 2025)
Are you wondering where to stay at Zion National Park? You’ve come to the right article.
Zion National Park is one of the most spectacular national parks in the United States, and it’s no wonder why it attracts around 5 million visitors each year! It’s tucked away in Southern Utah, and has excellent hiking trails, campgrounds, and breathtaking scenery similar to the Grand Canyon.
This article will cover exactly where to stay at Zion depending on your budget, and some important tips for getting around the park.
Here are the best places to stay in, and near Zion National Park.
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Where To Stay At Zion National Park
The three main areas to stay at Zion National Park are inside of the park, Springdale, or near Hurricane.
Zion has one lodge style hotel, and three campgrounds inside of the park. This is the most convenient place to stay if you want to be steps away from the hiking trails, but these places tend to book up fast.
Just outside of the park, there’s a few small glamping resorts in the nearby towns of Virgin/Grafton. These are great places to stay if you want to spend time out in nature away from crowds, but keep in mind that they’re a 20 minute drive from the park’s main entrance.
The next best place to stay is Springdale, a small charming town right outside of the park’s main entrance. Springdale is an excellent place to stay because it has restaurants, cafes, bike rental shops, and a designated shuttle to get inside of the park.
If you stay at a hotel with free parking here, you can easily hop on the shuttle to get in the park, or rent bikes for the day. It has a variety of good family-friendly hotel options, many which offer free breakfast.
The last place to stay near Zion National Park is in Hurricane. This city is only a half hour drive from the park’s main entrance, and has restaurants, grocery stores, and a plethora of budget-friendly hotel options.
The only downside is that you’ll have to pay for parking in Springdale ($20/day) if you can’t find parking inside of Zion National Park. Parking in Zion is very limited, so most visitors end up parking in Springdale.
Unless you’re an early riser, I recommend staying in Springdale/Zion, so you don’t have to worry about finding parking once you arrive! If you’re staying in Hurricane, aim to arrive at 7am for the best chances of finding parking inside of the park.
Here are the best hotel options in each of these areas.
Inside Of The Park/Glamping
Zion has one lodge style hotel inside of the park, and a few glamping hotels. The Zion National Park lodge is located near all of the popular hiking trails by the East Entrance, whereas the rest of the hotels are far out in nature.
If you stay at the Zion lodge, you’ll be right next to a shuttle stop you can take to get everywhere.
There’s only one restaurant and cafe option, but you can hop on the free Springdale shuttle from the visitor center to dine outside of the park. This shuttle operates from 6:30am-10:15pm, so you can use it to get to dinner after a sunset hike!
Beyond the lodge, there are a few glamping hotels scattered at small towns by the park’s entrance (Virgin, Grafton).
This is the ideal place to stay if you want to stargaze, and relax in nature away from crowds. Just keep in mind there’s limited dining options here, and you’ll have to drive around 20 minutes to reach the park’s main entrance.
Here are the best hotel options inside of the park.
- Zion National Park Lodge: Cozy lodge with free parking, and an onsite restaurant near all of the popular hiking trails
- Zion Wildflower Resort: Family-friendly glamping resort with free parking, a pool, hot tub, and onsite cafe (20 min from entrance)
- Zion White Bison Resort: Luxurious glamping resort with private amenities, hot tubs, and an outdoor kitchen (20 min from entrance)
Springdale
Springdale is minutes from Zion’s main entrance, and is dotted with restaurants, cafes, and gift shops. This area is very beautiful and has views of the mountains, so it feels like you’re already inside of the park.
Springdale’s main street has several shuttle bus stops that you can rely on to get inside of the park. The shuttle runs every 10-15 minutes, and there’s shuttle stops right next to the hotels.
Beyond relying on the shuttle, you can rent bikes or ebikes from a shop here, and bike into the park for the day. The park has one bike-friendly trail (Pa’rus trail), and bike racks available at all of the popular trailheads.
Here are the best hotel options in Springdale.
- Zion Park Motel: Family-friendly hotel with free breakfast, free parking, and outdoor pools
- Bumbleberry Inn: Hotel with free breakfast, free parking, an outdoor pool, hot tub, and private balconies with mountain views
- Hampton Inn & Suites Springdale: Upscale hotel with free buffet breakfast, free parking, outdoor pools, and a gym, next to a shuttle stop to get into the park.
Hurricane
If you’re traveling on a budget, there’s many great budget-friendly motel and hotel options in Hurricane. Here you’ll find more restaurant and grocery store options as well, and it’s only a half hour drive from the park’s main entrance.
Just keep in mind that you’ll want to arrive very early at Zion National Park (7am) to find parking. If you can’t find parking in the park, you’ll have to pay the $20/daily fee to park along the street in Springdale.
Here are some of the best hotel options in and around Hurricane.
- Rodeway Inn Zion: Budget hotel with free breakfast, parking, and outdoor pools near restaurants (30 min from the park)
- Quality Inn Zion: Budget hotel with free breakfast, free parking, and outdoor pools (30 min from the park)
- Sleep Inn & Suites Hurricane: Hotel with free breakfast, free parking, a gym, and outdoor pools with hot tubs (30 min from the park)
My Experience At Zion National Park
I spent two days exploring Zion, and stayed one night at the Day’s Inn in Hurricane. On the first day, I arrived at the park around noon, and couldn’t find parking in the park, so I parked in Springdale ($20/day).
The Springdale shuttle is free and convenient to use, and it will take you right to the visitor center. Once I got into the park, I used the separate shuttle to get to the trails and overlooks.
Zion’s shuttle makes 9 stops inside of the park, with the fifth stop being the Zion lodge, and the last stop being the famous Narrows trail.
There’s only one restaurant and cafe option at the Zion lodge, so it’s best to pack snacks, or dine in Springdale before arriving. Additionally, I visited in the spring, and Zion’s shuttle was jam packed with tourists.
If you’re visiting during peak season, I highly recommend renting bikes in Springdale, and exploring the park on bike! This way you won’t have to rely on any shuttle, and could soak up the scenery as you get from place to place.
Zion National Park Hotels Map
Zion National Park FAQs
When’s the best time to visit Zion?
The best time to visit Zion National Park is in the spring or fall for the perfect weather, and least amount of crowds. If you’re visiting during summer, you can still enjoy the park by doing a sunrise/sunset hike, or cooling off on the Narrows hike!
Summer is peak season and the most crowded, so it’s best to explore the park on bike rather than relying on the shuttle.
How many days do you need at Zion?
To fully explore the park, two to three full days is the ideal amount of time to spend at Zion.
Zion’s most popular hiking trails (The Narrows, West Rim Trail), can take a few hours, and there’s lots of scenic viewpoints you won’t want to miss!
Additionally, it’s worth dedicating a day to explore the park on bike, and roam around the shops in Springdale.
Can you camp overnight at Zion?
Yes, Zion has three campgrounds (Watchman, South, Lava Point) that you can reserve here up to six months in advance.
Where’s the best place to stay in Zion for families?
The best place to stay in Zion for families is at the Zion lodge, or a hotel in Springdale so you don’t have to worry about parking. Zion’s lodge is steps away from the hiking trails and park shuttle inside of the park, and it has an onsite restaurant and cafe.
Springdale has great hotels with free breakfast and free parking, and a convenient shuttle to get into the park.
Where’s the best place to stay in Zion for couples?
The best place to stay at for couples is a glamping resort so that you can go for sunset hikes, and stargaze in the park! Alternatively, if you stay in Springdale, you’ll be within walking distance to a charming downtown with cafes and restaurants.
Where’s the best place to stay in Zion on a budget?
Springdale or Hurricane are the best places to stay near Zion if you’re traveling on a budget. Hurricane has the cheapest hotel options, and is near more budget-friendly restaurants and grocery stores.
However, it’s a half hour drive from the park, and you’ll have to pay for parking in Springdale ($20/day) if you can’t find parking inside of Zion. For the most convenience, I recommend staying in Springdale at a hotel with free parking.
How far is Zion National Park from the Grand Canyon?
Zion National Park is a 2.5 hour drive from the Grand Canyon’s North Rim, and a 4.5 hour drive from the park’s main entrance (South Rim). The North Rim is the least visited rim of the grand canyon, and only open seasonally from May 15-Oct 15.
If you’re planning to cross both of these national parks off of your bucket list, check out our Zion to Grand Canyon road trip itinerary!