Epic Zion To Grand Canyon Road Trip Itinerary
Are you planning a Zion to Grand Canyon road trip? If so, you’ve come to the right article.
Zion and the Grand Canyon are two breathtaking national parks in the Southwest that cumulatively attract over 10 million visitors each year.
They each offer their own unique geology, with Zion’s oldest bottom rock layers being the youngest of the Grand Canyon’s. This means that at Zion you’ll be walking around the base of the canyon, whereas at the Grand Canyon, you’ll be overlooking it from the rim!
This article will cover exactly how to visit the Grand Canyon from Zion, including the best road trip stops, what to do in each park, where to stay, and more.
Here is everything you need to know to plan an epic Zion to Grand Canyon road trip.
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Zion To Grand Canyon Itinerary Overview
- Distance from main entrances: 4.5 hours/252 miles
- Ideal amount of time: 3-5 days
- Passes needed: Combined entry fee ($70/vehicle) or America the Beautiful Pass ($80/year)
Zion National Park is a 4.5-5 hour drive from the Grand Canyon’s main entrance (South Rim). It’s only a 2.5 hour drive from the North Rim, but keep in mind that rim is only open seasonally, from May 15-Oct 15.
Additionally, it’s slightly closer (4-4.5 hours) from the West Rim. This rim is mostly visited by travelers from Las Vegas, and it’s not considered part of the national park, so America the Beautiful passes are not accepted (plus higher entrance fees).
If you want the full Grand Canyon experience, it’s best to visit the South Rim, where the popular overlooks and trails are located.
The entry fee for both parks is $35/vehicle (up to 15 people), or $20/person walk-ins, that’s valid for 7 days. So if you’re driving to both, you can either pay a cumulative $70/vehicle entry fee, or purchase an America the Beautiful pass for $80/year.
I highly recommend buying this pass because it will grant you (plus three adults in the car) access to all 63 national parks for the year!
Visiting Zion National Park
Zion National Park’s East Entrance is the park’s main entrance. It’s less than 5 minutes from the small town of Springdale, where you’ll find the hotels, cafes, restaurants, and bike rental shops.
Once you arrive, you can either drive inside of the park, or park in Springdale ($20/day), and hop on the free shuttle into the park.
There’s very limited parking inside of the park, so it’s best to arrive very early in the morning, or park in Springdale as soon as you arrive. Parking is $20/day in Springdale, and there’s ticketing machines that accept cash and online payments.
A full day is the perfect amount of time to spend at Zion. The park has a free shuttle you can hop on from the visitor center to get to the different trails and overlooks.
- 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. Angel’s Landing is a strenuous 4.3 mile hike to a mountain summit that requires a permit, but has one of the best views in the park.
The Narrows is a flat, easy riverside walk that will give you access to the river at the end. The rest of the trail extends 4-5 miles into the river, with the water varying between waist and chest level.
It takes around 3-4 hours to complete the full hike (no permit necessary), and you’ll need water shoes and hiking poles.
I spent half a day at the park, and hiked the Watchman Trail, the Narrows Riverside Walk, and the Emerald Pools. The Narrows was surrounded by beautiful river scenery, so it’s definitely a must do, whether you plan on getting in the river at the end.
The Watchman trail had nice mountain views, but unless you’re looking for a good workout, I recommend hiking the Canyon Overlook trail instead. This is a much shorter hike to one of the most spectacular views in the park, especially during sunset.
Beyond hiking, you can explore Zion on bike by renting a bike in Springdale. Zion has a bike-friendly trail (Pa’rus trail), and bike racks at all of the shuttle stops along the scenic drive. This is a great way to avoid the crowded shuttles if you’re visiting during peak season.
Where To Stay In Zion
The best place to stay in Zion is at a hotel in Springdale with free parking. Then, you can easily hop on the free shuttle to get into the park. Just a half hour outside of the park, however, you’ll find a variety of budget-friendly hotels.
Here are some of the best options.
- Hampton Inn & Suites Springdale: Hotel with free breakfast, free parking, and a gym in Springdale, steps away from the shuttle
- Zion Park Motel: Motel with free breakfast and parking, steps away from the shuttle
- Best Western Plus Settlers Point: Budget hotel with free breakfast, free parking, and a gym, only a 25 minute drive to the park
How To Get To The Grand Canyon From Zion
The quickest route from Zion’s main entrance (East) to the Grand Canyon’s main entrance (South Rim) takes around 4.5 hours, and passes through Page Arizona.
If you don’t plan on driving, you can join a multi-day tour from Vegas. These tours cover full transportation from Vegas, including meals and park entrance fees. Here are the top-rated options.
- Zion, Antelope Canyon, & Grand Canyon: 2 day tour to Zion, Antelope Canyon, and Grand Canyon from Vegas
- Zion, Bryce Canyon, Grand Canyon, Monument Valley: 3 day tour to Zion, Bryce Canyon, Monument Valley and Grand Canyon from Vegas
If you’re driving there, you’ll pass through Page Arizona. This is a small Arizona city that straddles the southern Utah border, and is home to the famous Glen Canyon Dam, Antelope Canyon, and Horseshoe Bend.
If you want to see more of Arizona’s natural wonders, it’s worth spending the night in Page Arizona. From Page, it’s only a 2.5 hour drive to the Grand Canyon’s South Rim, so this will cut your road trip in half.
Here are some of the best road trip stops to make if you have the time.
Best Road Trip Stops
Glen Canyon Dam
A must-see stop along this road trip is the Glen Canyon Dam, a towering 710 feet tall dam that formed Lake Powell. You can see it up close by parking at the visitor center and walking along the bridge, or hiking the short overlook trail.
It’s almost as impressive as the Hoover Dam, and is definitely worth stopping by to admire its sheer size!
Antelope Canyon
Antelope Canyon is another spectacular place worth crossing off of your bucket list. It’s a gorgeous red orange slot canyon that’s only accessible by hiking tour, or kayaking to the portion of it that’s not on tribal lands.
If you plan on spending a night in Page, I recommend booking an early Antelope Canyon tour for the next day. This will allow you to get a good night of sleep before visiting Antelope Canyon and the Grand Canyon the following day.
Horseshoe Bend
A definite must-see stop is Horseshoe Bend, a famous horseshoe-shaped meander of the Colorado River. It’s located right off of the highway, and only takes 15 minutes to walk to the overlook! Entrance is $10/vehicle, and it’s open from sunrise to sunset.
Cameron Trading Post
Stop to refuel on your road trip at the historic Cameron Trading Post. This is a large gift shop, motel, and restaurant, where you can shop for souvenirs, or enjoy their famous Navajo tacos and fry bread.
It’s the last facility located along the drive, and only a half hour drive from the Grand Canyon’s East Entrance station.
Visiting The Grand Canyon
Once you arrive at the South Rim, you can purchase tickets ($35/vehicle, valid for 7 days), or present your America the Beautiful Pass.
The quickest route will take you to the East Entrance station (Desert View Drive), which is 23 miles east of the visitor center. There’s scenic viewpoints all along this drive that you can stop by to take pictures.
Once you get to the visitor center, you can park at its large parking lot. From the visitor center, it’s a short walk to the Mather Point Overlook, where you’ll have an expansive view of the canyon.
After checking out this viewpoint, you can hike the South Rim trail. This is the most popular trail in the park, that stretches 13 miles along the rim, with many excellent vantage points.
I spent a few hours hiking this trail in the afternoon when I visited, and I couldn’t get enough of the views.
Other popular hiking trails in the park are the South Kaibab and Bright Angel Trail. These are more challenging hikes that descend into the canyon, and better to reserve for a full day.
Although I only spent a day at the park, two full days is ideal if you want to fully explore its beauty. Here are some of the best things to do at the South Rim.
- Visit the Mather Point Overlook by the visitor center
- Hike part of the South Rim Trail
- Go on a guided hiking tour/mule ride into the canyon
- Hop on the shuttle to get to more overlooks (Hopi Point, Mohave Point)
- Dine by the rim in Grand Canyon Village
- Drive the scenic 23 mile Desert View Drive (East to South Entrance)
- Watch the sunset from the Desert View Watchtower
Where To Stay At The Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon has cozy lodge hotels inside of the park (Grand Canyon Village), and more options right outside of the main entrance in Tusayan. Here are some of the best options.
- El Tovar Lodge: Rustic historic lodge overlooking the rim with a fine-dining restaurant
- Bright Angel Lodge: Lodge with 2 restaurants and a cafe in the park
- Yavapai Lodge: Pet-friendly lodge with 2 restaurants in the park
- Holiday Inn Express & Suites:Budget hotel with free breakfast in Tusayan, less than 5 minutes from the entrance
Best Time To Visit Zion & The Grand Canyon
For the best weather, spring and fall are the best times to visit both Zion and the Grand Canyon. These are some of the most popular national parks, so you can expect crowds anytime of year.
That being said, Zion is smaller than the Grand Canyon, and it can be especially crowded during the summer. If visiting in the summer, I recommend renting bikes to explore Zion, so you don’t have to rely on the shuttle to get around.
Road Trip Map
Zion & Grand Canyon FAQs
What Grand Canyon rim is closest to Zion?
The North Rim is the closest, and only a 2.5 hour drive from Zion. However, this entrance is only open seasonally (May 15-October 15), and the least visited Grand Canyon Rim.
The West Rim is around 30 minutes closer to Zion than the South Rim, but it’s located on tribal lands, and has a separate entrance process. Entrance fees start at $51/person (not vehicle), and America the Beautiful passes aren’t accepted.
Where should you fly in for this road trip?
If you’re looking for the cheapest flights, you can fly into Las Vegas (2.5 hr to Zion), and fly out of Phoenix (3 hr to Grand Canyon). However, the closest airports to the parks are St. George, Utah (30 min to Zion) and Page Arizona (2.5 hr to Grand Canyon).
These are both small municipal airports, so you can expect the flights to be more expensive.
- Las Vegas to Zion: 2.5 hours
- St George to Zion: 30 minutes
- Phoenix to Grand Canyon: 3-3.5 hours
- Page to Grand Canyon: 2.5 hours
How do you get Zion and the Grand Canyon without a car?
If you don’t plan on driving, it’s best to fly into Las Vegas, which offers a variety of tour options. You can either go on a multi-day Zion & Grand Canyon tour, or go on a full day tour to each individual park on separate days.
Check out our guides to visiting Zion and the Grand Canyon from Vegas for a full list of tour options.
How far is Bryce Canyon from Zion & The Grand Canyon?
Bryce Canyon is 1.5 hours from Zion National Park, and 4.5-5 hours from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.
How far is Monument Valley from Zion & The Grand Canyon?
Monument Valley is around 4 hours from Zion, and 3 hours from the Grand Canyon. If you plan on adding it to your itinerary, a good place to stay is Page, which is 2 hours from Zion, and 2.5 hours from the Grand Canyon.
Page has many interesting attractions to offer on its own (Glen Canyon Dam/Horseshoe Bend/Antelope Canyon), and a variety of budget hotel options.
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