Bryce National Park and Zion National Park are only a 1.5hr drive apart and are often paired together when visiting the area. Below are the best tips for how to spend your time in each.
Bryce
- Bryce is the smallest National Park in Utah and can easily be experienced in 2 days max.
- Bryce is at a higher elevation and will likely be colder, with a better chance of snow in the winter. For a list of packing suggestions, click here!
- Book a hotel room on Main Street, just 10 minutes from the entrance to Bryce.
- The town is incredibly quaint and feels like an old western movie. Most places will be closed during the winter.
- Bryce Canyon Pines has the best food in the area (but really you are going for the pie!)
- Watch the sunrise at Bryce Point.
- Watch the sunset at (aptly named) Sunset Point.
- If you have the opportunity, definitely opt for the Hoodoo Geology talk or Astronomy/Night Sky programs offered by the park rangers. You can see the schedule on the Bryce website.
- Hikes:
- The Rim Trail from Sunset to Sunrise Point is just 1 mile roundtrip and offers incredible views of the hoodoos and amphitheater.
- Definitely take the 3 mile Navajo Loop Trail to the Queen’s Garden to walk through the hoodoos.
Zion
- Book a hotel on Zion Park Boulevard, the main street and just down the road from the entrance to the park.
- Half of Zion shuts down in the winter, but that means less crowding and more deals. Click here for more lessons learned.
- For lunch, local Mexican spot Oscar’s Café or MeMe’s will do the trick. Two great casual dinner spots are Jack’s Sports Grill or the Brew Pub. Otherwise, stop at a market and make sandwiches to-go!
- You will see a lot of deer near the roads in the park. Be aware of the animals crossing when driving and especially at night.
- Bighorn sheep are located on the eastern side of the park. Keep your eyes peeled!
- During the months of December through February you can drive your personal car in to the park instead of taking a shuttle. For more winter perks click here!
- When the parking lots fill up in Zion, the rangers will close Scenic Road.
- Riding a bike down Scenic Road is the best way to see the sights during a time when the road will likely be blocked off to traffic. There are also e-bikes to make it less strenuous and more enjoyable.
- If biking, take the Pa’rus Trail that leads to the 13 mile Scenic Drive in Zion. You will get a lock so that you can hop on and off.
- Some potential stops include: Zion Lodge, Emerald Pools, The Grotto and Big Bend. (Keep in mind waterfall attractions will likely be lackluster in the winter.)
- The East side of Zion’s Mount Carmel Highway is steep, winding and always open to traffic.
- To best see this side, hike the 1 mile out and back Canyon Overlook trail with bridges, caves and an epic view of the canyon floor.
- For equipment, Zion Outfitters or Zion Adventures will have everything you need. If planning the Narrows hike, rent a dry suit the night before so you can leave early in the morning!
- When planning a hike in the morning, check what time the Scenic Road closed and the parking lot was full the day before so that you can plan the morning accordingly. Most information is posted on the Zion website or their Twitter account.
- Most popular hikes:
- The Angels Landing hike starts at the Grotto Trailhead and then follows the longer West Rim Trail backpacking route up and out of the west side of the main canyon. The trail is unique in that the rock formation is exposed and hikers trek up a narrow spine involving sharp cliff edges and infamous holding chains to the final viewpoint 1500 feet above the canyon floor. If there’s snow you will want crampons or shoes with traction. Gloves are also recommended for the chains!
- If opting for The Narrows hike, park at the Temple of Sinawava at the end of Scenic Drive. Dress accordingly with your dry suit on top! From the parking lot, the Riverside Walk is a paved 1-mile path that leads to the entrance of the Narrows. From here, it’s an incredible 2 mile walk through the river and dirt/rocky paths to the Wall Street section where it becomes more narrow. You can walk as far as 9 miles or turn around whenever the mood (or cold) strikes.
Click here for a 10-day roundtrip itinerary that includes Bryce and Zion!
