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Utah · the United States
The sandstone cliffs of Zion Canyon, with the trail through the river at The Narrows, and the amphitheater of pinnacles at Bryce Canyon on Utah’s southern plateau.
In the photo: Zion Canyon seen from above
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Get to know the place
The southwest of Utah brings together two of the country's most visited national parks, about a two-hour drive from each other. Zion is a deep canyon carved by the Virgin River through Navajo sandstone, with cream, pink and red cliffs rising over 600 meters high. Bryce Canyon, higher and colder, is a series of natural amphitheaters on the edge of a plateau, filled with orange rock pinnacles called hoodoos.
Springdale, at Zion's gateway, is the arrival town: it has hotels, restaurants and the town shuttle that connects to the park entrance. Inside Zion, the scenic road through the main canyon is served by park shuttles for much of the year, and the trails range from flat walks along the river to the ascent of Angels Landing, which requires a permit obtained by lottery.
Bryce Canyon City, next to Bryce’s entrance, grew up around a hotel and gas station from the 1910s and today concentrates the park’s lodging. The overlooks and the trails that descend among the pinnacles are just a few kilometers away.
Kanab, to the south, between the two parks and Arizona, serves as a base for the surrounding desert, with the pink dunes of Coral Pink, and for those heading to the Grand Canyon or Page.
This destination brings together 3 cities: Springdale, Bryce Canyon City, Kanab.
One destination, many paths
Start with one city or combine several in your itinerary.
Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau / geoBoundaries (public domain). Adapted by Cidade Turismo.
✈ St. George Regional Airport (SGU), in St. George · 75 km to Springdale
The major airports are Las Vegas, about two and a half hours from Springdale, and Salt Lake City, about four and a half hours. St. George has a regional airport about an hour away. A car is the most practical way to get between the parks.
Suggested arrival point: Springdale
Small town at the gateway to Zion National Park, in the Virgin River valley, surrounded by the canyon's sandstone cliffs. It offers hotels, restaurants and gear shops and a local bus that goes to the park entrance, from where the scenic road shuttles and the trails to The Narrows and Angels Landing start.
Small settlement by the entrance to Bryce Canyon National Park, at about 2,400 meters elevation on the Paunsaugunt Plateau. It concentrates the lodging, restaurants and the region's service station and is only minutes from the amphitheater of orange pinnacles and the trails that descend among them.
A town in southern Utah, near the Arizona border, between Zion, Bryce, the Grand Canyon and Page. It was the setting for many western films and has a small downtown with pioneer houses. It is the base for the pink Coral Pink dunes and for the license lottery for The Wave trail in the Vermilion Cliffs.
The local experience
The largest natural amphitheater in Bryce Canyon National Park, full of orange rock pinnacles, viewed from four rim viewpoints: Sunrise, Sunset, Inspiration and Bryce Point.
A state park west of Kanab with coral-colored sand dunes amid pines and red cliffs. You can walk along the ridges and slide down the dunes on a board.
The roughly 10 km road that runs the main Zion Canyon along the Virgin River, between sandstone cliffs. For much of the year it is accessible only by park shuttle.
Two linked trails that descend from the rim to the bottom of Bryce’s amphitheater, winding among the pinnacles, with the Wall Street corridors and the Queen Victoria formation. About 4.6 km in length.
The narrowest stretch of Zion Canyon, where the trail becomes the Virgin River itself, between cliffs hundreds of meters high. You walk in the water; no permit is required for the upstream route starting from the road end.
Steep trail up to the top of a rock ridge in the middle of Zion Canyon, with sections of chains over cliffs. The final section requires a permit issued by lottery.
Before you go
A little planning leaves more time to enjoy the journey.
From spring to fall, with April, May, September and October milder. In summer Zion exceeds 35 °C and The Narrows carries a flash-flood risk during storms from July to September. Bryce, above 2,400 meters, is cool in summer and typically has snow from November to March.
The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.
Four days allow two days in Zion, one in Bryce and one for the drive and the surroundings of Kanab. With three days, you get a day and a half in Zion and one day in Bryce.
In Springdale, on foot or by the shuttle from Zion’s entrance; inside the park there is a single historic hotel and campgrounds. In Bryce Canyon City, next to Bryce’s entrance, and at the hotel inside the park. Kanab has more options and is about an hour from each park, good for those continuing on to Arizona.
Take your trash with you, follow the signs and support local businesses. In natural areas, follow the visiting guidelines.
Get your questions answered
Three to four days: two for Zion, including The Narrows and a high viewpoint, and one day for Bryce, with trails among the pinnacles. Including the drive between the parks, about two hours, four days make for a relaxed trip.
Yes, to travel between parks and to reach them from Las Vegas or Salt Lake City. Inside Zion, for much of the year, the main canyon is only traversed by park shuttle; in Bryce there are shuttles in season and the road is open to cars.
You can, with about two and a half hours of driving each way, but there’s little time left for hikes. Spending a night in Springdale makes the visit more complete.
April and May, and September and October, with mild days in both parks. In summer Zion is very hot and crowded, and in winter Bryce often has snow, with trails that may require crampons on boots.
Utah follows Mountain Time: UTC-7 in winter and UTC-6 in daylight saving time, from March to November. During that period, Zion is one hour ahead of Las Vegas and Arizona.
