What is the drive like between Zion and Bryce Canyon?

Few drives are as exciting and ruggedly beautiful as the trip from Zion National Park to Bryce Canyon. As amazing as this drive is, however, it can be scary and dangerous at times. The drive from Zion National Park to Bryce Canyon drive is 72 miles long, with roughly 1 hour and 50 minutes of driving time.



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The scenic drive along Zion Mt. Carmel Highway continues past more red rocks and Checkerboard Mesa, a rock formation formed by erosion, shown above. The drive to Bryce Canyon takes just under 2 hours. Over the drive, you'll climb nearly 4,000 feet, so be sure to drink plenty of water to avoid altitude sickness.

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The drive between Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park is about 85 miles or 2 hours from visitor center to visitor center. It takes about 1.5 hours to get from Bryce to Zion's east entrance on the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway.

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The fastest route between the two parks starts on Route 12, takes you south on Interstate 89 and then west on Route 9. Route 12 is one of the most scenic roads in Utah, and all of the US for that matter, so this is a drive to enjoy.

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You could do this Zion to Bryce Canyon road trip in a weekend, though a full three or four days is ideal if you plan to hike. To keep it short, devote about half a day to see the main lookouts at Bryce Canyon and hike a part of the Rim Trail or the Navajo Loop.

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A Utah roadtrip route If you're only doing these two parks then it doesn't matter which you do first. If you're going over to the other Utah national parks (on the east side of the state), then it makes sense to do Zion first, then Bryce and head on east.

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Zion to Bryce Canyon 1 Day Itinerary & Map. Yes, it is possible to see both Zion and Bryce Canyon in one day, but it will be one VERY FULL day. A lot depends on where you start and end your trip, of course.

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Should I Spend More Time in Zion or Bryce Canyon? Chances are, if you're heading to Bryce Canyon, you're probably also wanting to visit Zion National Park at the same time. These parks are only two hours apart, making it easy to see both! Zion definitely needs more time than Bryce Canyon.

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That depends on the type of experience you are looking for. If you're interested in exploring the unique hoodoos, Bryce Canyon National Park is the better option, as it offers a variety of trails and viewpoints. On the other hand, Zion National Park has more adventurous hikes and back-country opportunities.

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Some of the majestic scenery in Bryce Canyon National Park can be seen by auto touring, no hiking needed. You can enjoy all of the park's major overlooks if you get out of your car and take leisurely strolls out to the edge of the pavement.

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Top cities between Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park. The top cities between Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park are Kanab and Cedar City. Kanab is the most popular city on the route. It's 1 hour from Zion National Park and 2 hours from Bryce Canyon National Park.

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From mid-April to November, Bryce Canyon National Park offers a free shuttle service to all the major viewpoints in the park. You aren't required to use the shuttle here like you are at some other parks (like Zion and the Grand Canyon), meaning you can still choose to drive your own car if you want.

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The best way to get to Bryce Canyon from Zion is by taking Route 9 out of Zion to Route 89 north to Route 12 into Bryce Canyon.

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If you're only interested in seeing the highlights of Bryce Canyon and doing the scenic drive, one day is enough. If you plan to do some hiking too, I recommend spending 2 days in Bryce Canyon instead.

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We think one day in Bryce Canyon is just about the right amount of time to see the highlights of the park. It's a relatively small park, so there's really not that much to do and see. Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive – which is the main thoroughfare through the park – is only 19 miles long (one way).

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The Southern Utah national park's beauty lent itself to making the park the second most popular park in the country, with over 5 million visitors per year. According to Travel Lens, Zion easily beat out other Utah national parks, though that is not to say Utah's parks should be slept on.

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Where to Stay BETWEEN Bryce Canyon and Zion. There are a few small towns between the two parks: Mount Carmel (near the East Entrance to Zion National Park), Orderville, Glendale and Hatch.

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Parking in the Bryce Canyon Amphitheater (Miles 1 - 3) Each viewpoint has a parking area that is open to private vehicles, however, due to the popularity of this area, parking spaces can be sparse during our peak seasons. To avoid full parking lots, we recommend using the free shuttle to see the Bryce Amphitheater.

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Ideally, you need two to three days to really explore Zion National Park. This will give you enough time to hike one of the longer trails such as Angels Landing or the Narrows and enjoy all the major viewpoints.

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As with many National Parks across the country, tourist crowds peak during the months of June, July, and August. This is when you are going to find many families at Bryce Canyon, and the crowds will almost always be high at the iconic attractions within the park's boundaries.

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Bryce Canyon National Park in Southwestern Utah is famous for the largest collection of hoodoos—the distinctive rock formations at Bryce—in the world. Bryce Canyon is also home to horseshoe-shaped amphitheaters carved from the eastern edge of the Paunsaugunt Plateau, scenic vistas, and the dark night sky.

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We think 2 days in Zion National Park is a perfect baseline. With 2 days, you'll be able to plan a Zion National Park itinerary that fits in one of the longer hikes in Zion (like Angels Landing), the scenic drive between the East Entrance and Zion – Mt. Carmel tunnel, and some of the shorter hikes in the canyon.

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