Zion To Bryce Canyon National Park Road Trip Itinerary

Even though Zion and Bryce Canyon are fairly close to each other, they’re drastically different parks. If you’re planning a trip to Utah, I highly recommend you include both of these on your road trip itinerary. It’s less than a 2 hour drive from Zion to Bryce Canyon National Park, and an incredibly scenic one, too!

I’ve been to Zion and Bryce Canyon many times. Utah is one of my favorite places to road trip, especially while living in my camper van full-time! As a result, I’ve rounded up all the best spots and am sharing my Zion and Bryce Canyon itinerary with you!

In this article:

• Scenic Drive From Zion To Bryce Canyon
• Best Stops, Hikes & Viewpoints
• Zion And Bryce Canyon Itinerary

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How Long Is The Drive From Zion To Bryce Canyon

The drive from Zion to Bryce Canyon is 1 hour and 54 minutes, and it’s 84 miles. It follows route 89 and Utah Scenic Byway 12 (one of the most famous scenic drives in the southwest!)

This route is very remote, with limited public transportation options, so you’ll need your own vehicle or rental car to drive from Zion to Bryce.

TIP: I recommend booking your rental car with Discover Cars. As one of the largest rental car companies, they negotiate the best rates to save you money. They also let you cancel for free up to 48 hours before your pickup, so you can grab a good rate now without stressing if your plans change.

Alternatively, this is one of the best (an easiest!) campervan road trips.

There are tons of gorgeous and free (!!!) campsites in Utah. If you’ve been wanting to try out RV life, this is a great trip to rent a campervan!

Where To Start Your Trip

If you’re flying, I recommend starting and ending your trip to Zion and Bryce Canyon in Las Vegas.

It’s only 2 hours from Las Vegas to Zion National Park (with several really cool stops, like Valley of Fire), and Vegas generally has the best flight prices, direct route options, and the best rental car prices.

Zion To Bryce Canyon To Arches National Park

If you’re planning to include Arches National Park in your road trip from Zion to Bryce Canyon (you should! Arches and Moab are fantastic!), then you can turn this itinerary into a point-to-point trip to save drive time.

Start in Las Vegas and end in Salt Lake City (or vice versa). From Salt Lake City to Arches National Park the drive is under 4 hours.

Along this route, you can also include Canyonlands and Capitol Reef National Park to complete the Mighty 5 Utah National Parks road trip.

Best Stops From Zion To Bryce Canyon

There are some truly incredible things to see between Zion and Bryce Canyon National Park. If you’re short on time, simply driving Utah Scenic Byway 12 provides some great views. However, if you have 1-2 days along this route it’s worth taking your time.

From Zion, you’ll leave the park along the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway before connecting to US-89 and Scenic Byway 12. There are several scenic lookouts along the way (like Checkerboard Mesa) and some shorter hikes (like Canyon Overlook).

If you have an oversized vehicle, there are two alternative routes. I recommend looping south through Hurricane to Fredonia so you are still able to include most of the stops along Scenic Byway 12.

• US-15 North to Cedar City > US-14 East to Duck Creek > Pick up US-89 North of Alton [2 hours, 40 minutes]
• US-59 South from Hurricane > 389 East through Kaibab > US-89 North in Fredonia [3 hours]

Short Detour To Kanab

When you reach the Mount Carmel Junction, take a short detour south into Kanab. It will add about 30-minutes drive time (each way).

Kanab is home to some of the weirdest and most unique landscapes in the US, and there are several great adventure tour operators in the area.

I recommend spending the night here so you can plan a full day of activities in Kanab.

Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park

💲Entrance fee: $15 per vehicle

As the name would lead you to believe, this State Park is full of sand dunes that are PINK! It’s a smaller park, so you can easily see the highlights in just a few hours. If your short on time, it’s worth driving through just for the scenery.

One of the most popular things to do at Coral Pink Sand Dunes is rent a sand board and go sledding on the dunes ($25 rentals available).

I also recommend hiking the easy Coral Pink Sand Dunes Trail (0.8 miles). The boardwalk takes you to an observation tower with great views of the dunes.

Hikes In Kanab

A few miles East of Kanab are a few famous hikes; The Wave, Toadstool Hoodoos, Peek-A-Boo Canyon and Sand Caves.

The Wave

💲Entrance fee: $9 lottery application, $7 permit

The Wave is considered a strenuous 7.8 mile trail with tricky navigation, so it’s not for beginners.

It also requires a lottery permit, and they’re very hard to win (only 64 permits are issued each day). The advanced lottery opens 4 months in advance, and up to 16 permits are issued in the daily lottery.

Toadstool Hoodoos

💲Entrance fee: free

Toadstool Hoodoos is a much easier 1.7 mile trail, and is equally unique. It’s full of unusual sandstone formations that look like giant mushrooms.

Peek-A-Boo Canyon

💲Entrance fee: free

Peek-A-Boo Canyon (also called Red Canyon) is similar to Antelope Canyon in Arizona. It’s a 2 mile out-and-back slot canyon trail.

Sand Caves

💲Entrance fee: free

For an easier hike that doesn’t require a 4×4 vehicle, consider Kanab Sand Caves, instead (also called Moqui Caves.)

It’s a series of really neat (man made!) caves, previously used for mining sand. Conveniently, it’s located directly off the main road so it’s very easy to access.

Explore Mammoth Cave

💲Entrance fee: free

After visiting Kanab, head north again. Mammoth Cave is located off of US-89, just over an hour from Kanab.

A trip to Mammoth Cave will take you on a 30-minute detour that bypasses a short section of US-89, before looping back around to pick up the highway a little farther north.

There are 4 cave chambers to explore in Mammoth Cave, and they were all created by lava! This is a fun (free!) activity if you’re not spooked by dark spaces or have any claustrophobia.

The trail through the caves is a fairly easy half-mile loop, but I recommend you bring a headlamp because it can get dark in the caves.

Dixie National Forest

💲Entrance fee: free

It’s about a 40-minute drive from Mammoth Cave to the turnoff for Scenic Byway 12. However, I highly recommend a 10-minute detour a little farther up RT-89 into Panguitch so you can stop for lunch or ice cream at Panguitch Gem Theater (famous for their ice cream shop and Mexican restaurant.)

Next, pop back over to Utah Byway 12 for the final stretch into Bryce Canyon. This part of the road cuts through Dixie National Forest which is a great place to explore a few short (and dog-friendly!) hikes.

First, make a quick visit to the visitors center and snap a picture with the Smokey Bear statue.

Birdseye Trail is a 2.3 mile loop that starts from the visitors center. It has great views of Pink Ledges and some unique rock formations, like Birdseye.

Losee Canyon is a 5.9 mile trail through a wash, where you can see hoodoos and arches. The trailhead is a quick drive down Losee Canyon road, behind the visitor center.

TIP: If you’re traveling with a dog, stop here for the hikes! Unfortunately, there are very few dog-friendly trails in Bryce Canyon.

Once back on Byway 12, you’ll quickly come to the iconic Red Canyon Arch. The road cuts right through it so you can’t miss it.

There’s shoulder parking just before the tunnel (west side), and a larger pull-off just past it (east side). If you want a photo, I recommend pulling off just past the arch and following the Canyon Bike Trail (not walking in the narrow road.)

Zion To Bryce Canyon National Park Itinerary

A road trip from Zion to Bryce Canyon National Park can be done in as little as 3 days, but if you want to experience both parks to their fullest and spend time at stops between the two then I recommend a 5 day itinerary for Zion and Bryce Canyon.

For a 3 day Zion to Bryce Canyon itinerary, spend one day in each park and one day traveling between the two.

For a 5 day itinerary from Zion to Bryce Canyon, spend two days in Zion, two days between each park (with a stopover in Kanab for the night), and one day in Bryce Canyon National Park.

1-2 Days In Zion National Park

Zion National Park has a ton of things to do, including several bucket list hikes. With a shorter trip, I recommend focusing on the Zion Canyon area of the park near Springdale.

You can read my detailed Zion National Park itinerary here, or follow the highlights below and build your own itinerary.

Best Hikes In Zion

Zion has some of the best hikes out of all the National Parks. My favorites are Angels Landing and The Narrows.

• Angels Landing (4.9 miles)
• The Narrows (8.9 miles, can do as much or as little as you want)
• Emerald Pools (2.5 miles)
• Observation Point (7 miles) *great for sunset*
• Canyon Overlook (1 mile) *great for sunrise*

NOTE: Angels Landing requires a permit. You can get permits in advance (recommended), or the day prior (not ideal, but possible). Read more about Zion permits here.

The Narrows does not require a permit, but I highly recommend renting gear from Zion Outfitters as the water can be cold. I rented neoprene socks and hiking shoes for the cold water for $32 and was glad I had them.

The best sunset and sunrise spots in Zion are from the top of Observation Point and Canyon Overlook. I recommend adding at least one sunrise hike to your itinerary!

Best Things To Do In Zion

If you’re not a fan of hiking, there are still plenty of things to do in Zion for non-hikers.

One of the best ways to experience Zion is by bike. Zion Canyon Scenic Drive is 7-miles (one-way) and relatively flat. It follows the river and has several great scenic viewpoints to stop at. (This can also be seen from the Zion Shuttle.)

Traditional ($39/day) and e-bike ($79/day) rentals are available at Zion Outfitters, right next to the visitors center. With a traditional bike, you can ride the shuttle one-way and then bike back.

1-2 Days In Bryce Canyon National Park

For being only two hours away, Bryce Canyon is surprisingly different from Zion. Because it sits at higher elevation, Bryce Canyon is usually 10° cooler than Zion and offers a vastly different landscape.

It’s also famous for its red and orange hoodoos which fill the amphitheater (not actually a canyon), whereas Zion is known for it’s lush green canyon valley.

Bryce Canyon is also a much smaller National Park, which means it’s feasible to see the highlights with only one day at Bryce Canyon, but I think two days is an ideal Bryce Canyon itinerary.

Best Hikes In Bryce Canyon

Depending on your interests and skill level there are a variety of hikes in Bryce Canyon. It’s possible to stay on the rim (easy, flat hikes) and find some great viewpoints.

Or, you can trek down into the amphitheater to see the hoodoos up-close – just remember you have to hike back up to the rim!

• Sunset Point to Sunrise Point Trail (1.2 miles) *dog-friendly*
• Navajo Loop and Queens Garden Trail (3 miles) *my absolute favorite*
• Rim Trail (11 miles, can be done in shorter sections)
• Mossy Cave Trail (0.9 miles) *short trail to a waterfall!*
• Bristlecone Loop Trail (1 mile)

I highly recommend hiking Sunset Point to Sunrise Point Trail (perfect for sunrise in Bryce Canyon) and the Navajo Loop to Queens Garden Trail. The trails connect and form a big loop.

TIP: Hike counter-clockwise so you descend the steep switchbacks, and ascend on the more gradual trail back up to the rim.

With more time, check out Mossy Cave Trail which is located just outside of Bryce Canyon’s main entrance. During spring it’s possible to see a waterfall on this hike!

Best Things To Do In Bryce Canyon

There is one primary road through Bryce Canyon – the Southern Scenic Drive. The free Bryce Canyon Shuttle runs along the first half of this road, but if you want to see all of it you’ll need your own vehicle.

The amphitheater is the first section of the park (serviced by the shuttle), and tends to be the busiest. It’s also where most of the best hikes in Bryce Canyon are located, so I would start there in the morning to avoid crowds, then move deeper into the park along the Scenic Drive.

There are many great viewpoints along the Scenic Drive… but I recommend skipping them on your way in (they’ll be on the right when you leave, so you won’t have to cross traffic!)

Viewpoints in Bryce Canyon that you absolutely must see:

• Rainbow Point
• Yovimpa Point
• Agua Canyon
• Natural Bridge

My favorite is Natural Bridge, which has a beautiful view of a natural arch framing the canyon. It’s easy to see from the parking area and doesn’t require any hiking.

Entrance Fees For Zion And Bryce Canyon

Zion and Bryce Canyon National Park announced some big changes to their 2026 (and beyond) entrance fees.

If you are a US resident, entrance fees to Zion and Bryce Canyon are $35 per vehicle, or $20 per pedestrian at each park.

It’s common for Zion parking to fill by mid-morning, so many visitors park in Springdale and walk into the park. That means if you’re traveling with a group, you’ll be paying per person and not per vehicle.

However, an annual America The Beautiful National Park Pass will grant you free access to each park for one vehicle or four pedestrians. They’re $80 annually and work at all National Parks and over 2,000 other National Recreation areas across the country.

I’ve been a pass holder for years and highly recommend it! You’ll save money after visiting 2 National Parks (or visiting Zion with 4 pedestrians.)

For non-US residents visiting Zion and Bryce Canyon there is an additional $100 surcharge per person at each park. The non-resident surcharge and entrance fees are waived if you have a non-resident annual America The Beautiful National Park pass ($250/year for non-residents).

Best Time To Visit Zion And Bryce Canyon National Park

The best time to visit Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks is spring (April-May) and fall (September-October).

My favorite time to visit is in early October because the weather is tolerable (it’s WAY too hot during the summer) and there are significantly fewer crowds. I also find October to be a more affordable time to visit the Utah parks.

More Zion To Bryce Canyon Planning Resources:

Headed to Utah? Check out these additional road trip planning guides to make the most of your trip.

• Zion National Park Itinerary
• Bryce Canyon National Park Itinerary
• Utah Mighty 5 National Parks Road Trip
• Las Vegas To Zion National Park
• Salt Lake City To Arches National Park Road Trip Itinerary