Are you ready to embark on a journey to two of the United States’ most beautiful national parks?

Yes? Good. Because these are destinations you do not want to miss.

Bryce Canyon and Zion are two of the most visited national parks in the United States, and they just so happened to be less than two hours away from each other in Southern Utah. This makes them perfect to combine into a single road trip. They also offer completely different landscapes and views, ensuring a variety of diverse experiences.

This epic two-day road trip promises awe-inspiring views, thrilling hikes, and an unforgettable adventure!

Is 2 Days Enough to Visit Bryce Canyon and Zion?

Yes! While you can always spend time at either park, one day in each is enough time to hit all of the highlights! Bryce Canyon and Zion are also relatively smaller-sized national parks, at 35,835 acres and 146,597 acres respectively.

How to get to Bryce Canyon and Zion

Flying

The major airports nearby are Salt Lake City and Las Vegas. The Salt Lake City airport is about a 4 hour drive from Bryce Canyon and a 3.5 hour drive to Zion. While, the Las Vegas airport is about a 4 hour drive from Bryce Canyon and a 3 hour drive to Zion. Either are great options, it just depends on your preferences.

You will need to rent a car if you are flying in, so click here to find some great rental options.

Driving

If you live close enough to make the trip, driving is definitely your best choice. You can pack a cooler with food and not have to deal with what you can and cannot bring on your flight. Plus, this is a roadtrip after all!

Where to Stay

When I do this road trip, I like to pick a home base in between the two parks, where the prices are cheaper and I don’t have to worry about picking up everything and moving in between days. But, there are also several options in and right outside of each of these parks. Read Best Places to Stay when Visiting Bryce Canyon and Zion to learn more!

Transportation in the Parks

Both Bryce Canyon and Zion are busy national parks, and parking lots often fill up pretty quickly. In fact, through most of the year, Zion Canyon Scenic Drive, Zion’s main road, is closed off to all vehicles. Fortunately, both Bryce Canyon and Zion have free shuttle systems! Be sure to check the National Park Services website before visiting to find out their current hours of operation.

Depending on what season you visit, and how early you arrive, it may be easier to just drive through Bryce Canyon and not deal with the shuttle system. However, anytime the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive is closed, you will need to take Zion’s shuttles to get around the park.

For both, I recommend parking at the visitor centers, which are located near the entrances of the parks, and making those your home bases for the days.

Where to Eat

Bryce Canyon and Zion have dining options inside each park. But, they also both have cities with a plethora of options right outside the parks. I typically pack lunches for the day, and eat dinner at one of the options outside the park.

Day 1: Bryce Canyon National Park

You will spend the majority of day one in Bryce Canyon National Park!

Bryce Canyon is known for its stunning amphitheaters filled with hoodoos—tall, thin spires of rock that have been shaped by millions of years of erosion. The park’s high elevation means cooler temperatures, so check the weather before you arrive. For reference, I visited Bryce Canyon and Zion in back-to-back days in May, and the high was in the mid-40s when I visited Bryce Canyon, and the high-70s when I visited Zion.

Here, I will outline some of the experiences you do not want to miss in the park. But, for a complete, full-day itinerary, check out my One Amazing Day in Bryce Canyon National Park post.

Navajo Loop and Queens Garden Trail

Navajo Loop and Queens Garden Trail is a moderately challenging, 3-mile loop with 652 feet of elevation gain. The trail takes you down into the canyon, providing some amazing views, and a unique perspective of the landscape.

This is probably the busiest trail in the park, so I would get started as early as you can. The trail starts at Sunset Point, which is only a 5-minute drive from the visitor center, so it should not be challenging to get there.

The great thing about this trail is that it is also really easy to shorten or lengthen it. Lots of people add on the Peekaboo Loop to make a 6-mile ‘figure 8’ hike. And it is also easy to do Navajo Loop and Queens Garden separate from each other if you do not want to do the whole hike straight.

Sunrise Point, Sunset Point, Inspiration Point

Each located right off of Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive, these overlooks provide breathtaking views of the Bryce Canyon Amphitheater that you do not want to miss.

It is only a short drive between each of these viewpoints, but it is also possible to hike between them on the Bryce Canyon Rim Trail. The entire length of the Bryce Canyon Rim Trail is long and strenuous, but it is definitely worth hiking a section of it!

I recommend hiking Sunset Point to Sunrise Point, which is an easy, paved, 1.1-miles out and back hike, that provides incredible views of the amphitheater through your entire hike!

Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive

With what time you have left in the park, I would spend it exploring the Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive outside of the amphitheater(the area within the first 3 miles of the Bryce Canyon Scenic Dr).

It should take you about half an hour to drive from the visitor center to Rainbow Point, the viewpoint at the end of the road. But, there are plenty of amazing stops you can make on your way. From a plethora of gorgeous overlooks of the park, to picnic areas where you can enjoy a quick snack, this scenic drive has a lot to offer. And of course, there are also several beautiful hikes you can take.

I recommend Bristlecone Loop, an easy 1-mile loop that takes you to some great views of the park.

Drive Toward Zion

Since Bryce Canyon is a relatively small national park, I recommend heading to Zion on day 1 and sleeping in the park or close outside of the park, so you can begin your next day early.

Day 2: Zion National Park

Zion is known for its towering sandstone cliffs, deep canyons, and wide array of plant and animal life. It is also one of the most visited national parks in the United States, and likewise, one of the busiest. So, begin your day in the park early.

Here, I will outline some of the experiences you do not want to miss in the park. But, for a complete, detailed, full-day itinerary, check out my Zion National Park: 1 Day Itinerary post.

Zion Canyon Overlook Trail

Zion Canyon Overlook Trail is an easy 1-mile out-and-back hike that is the perfect way to start your morning and a gorgeous spot to watch the sunrise. It is also one of the few amazing hikes in the park that is accessible by car in the busy season.

I recommend starting your morning off here, than immediately heading over to the Zion Visitor Center so you can take the shuttle to your destinations through the rest of the day.

Angels Landing/Scout Lookout

Scout Lookout and Angels Landing are both part of the West Rim Trail. Angels Landing is just an extra .3 miles up metal chains from Scout Lookout. In order to hike this section up to Angels Landing, you need to have a specific permit that you can apply for the day before or months in advance.

So, if you have a permit, you can hike the chains all the way up to Angels Landing, which is an intense climb, but offers the best views you can get in all of Zion National Park.

But, if you don’t have a permit, you can hike up to Scout Lookout, which is still an intense 3.6-mile round trip with 1,115 feet of elevation gain. The views at the lookout may not be as jarring as Angels Landing, but they are still incredible and well worth the grueling switchbacks on the way up.

The Narrows/Riverside Walk

You will want to hike either The Zion Narrows Riverside Walk or The Narrows during your time at Zion. The Narrows is a very popular hike in Zion that requires you to walk through the virgin river. Many people take multiple days to hike all 16 miles of the Narrows, but others just spend a few hours hiking a section of it.

The park closes down the Narrows if the water flow is too intense, so check the National Park Service website to see if you can hike it during your visit.

If you decide not to hike the Narrows, The Zion Narrows Riverside Walk is a great option! This is an easy, paved, 2-mile out-and-back trail that follows alongside the Virgin River, providing excellent views of the Narrows.