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Best of Zion & Bryce Three Day Itinerary
By W.C. McRae and Judy Jewell, authors of Moon Zion & Bryce
How many days should you spend in Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks? A long weekend is a good place to start. The following three-day itinerary only scratches the surface of what there is to see, but with this sampler, you’ll get a taste of the highlights.
Day 1
If you fly into Salt Lake City or Las Vegas, you’ll probably get to Zion National Park sometime in the late afternoon. Settle into your motel in Springdale and head into the park to check out the visitors center and take a ride up Zion Canyon on the park shuttle bus. Hop off for views of the Court of the Patriarchs and to take an easy hike up the Riverside Walk.
Hike up the West Rim Trail to Angels Landing, or, for something a bit easier, hike the Lower Emerald Pool Trail. Visit Springdale’s galleries in the afternoon. End the day with an early evening hike up the Watchman Trail.
Alternatively, if weather permits and you’re an experienced hiker and swimmer, hike the Riverside Trail into The Narrows. After a full day of river hiking, enjoy dinner in Springdale.
Head east out of the park via the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway (Hwy. 9); turn north onto U.S. 89 and east onto Highway 12 to reach Bryce Canyon National Park (84 mi/135 km from Zion). Park the car and spend the day riding the park shuttle to vista points and exploring hoodoos from trailheads along the road. Camp in the park, or stay at the historic park lodge or one of the motels just outside the park entrance.
If you’re driving from Bryce back to Las Vegas, leave time for a stop in the Kolob Canyons section of Zion National Park. It’s just off I-15 south of Cedar City. This is a little out of the way for Salt Lake City-bound travelers, who may want to take time to visit Red Canyon, which is just a few miles outside of Bryce’s entrance.
W.C. McRae has been exploring Utah for several decades, each time getting farther off the road and digging deeper into the landscape. Every trip has a different focus, whether it’s hiking into a new and more remote canyon, fixating on ancient rock art, or going deluxe at guest ranches. Bill has written for Frommer’s, Lonely Planet, and Mobile Guides, and has contributed to 1000 Places to See Before You Die. He has also edited books for National Geographic and provided content for websites such as GORP.com and Expedia.com. When not fixing up his old house in Astoria, Oregon, Bill has a day job as a high-tech marketing writer.
While visiting Goosenecks State Park, Judy Jewell realized that, like the river below, she might be an example of entrenched meandering. Perhaps so… her work on the Moon guides to Utah, Montana, and Oregon has taken her to both the popular destinations and the remote areas in these states. In Utah, there’s nothing she likes better than tromping through a dry wash in search of rock art or an old granary. When she’s at home in Portland, Oregon, Judy works as a technical and scientific editor and a yoga teacher.
While visiting Goosenecks State Park, Judy Jewell realized that, like the river below, she might be an example of entrenched meandering. Perhaps so…her work on the Moon guides to Utah, Montana, and Oregon has taken her to both the popular destinations and the remote areas in these states. In Utah, there's nothing she likes better than tromping through a dry wash in search of rock art or an old granary. When she's at home in Portland, Oregon, Judy works as a technical and scientific editor and a yoga teacher.
W.C. McRae has been exploring Utah for several decades, each time getting farther off the road and digging deeper into the landscape. Every trip has a different focus, whether it's hiking into a new and more remote canyon, fixating on ancient rock art, or going deluxe at guest ranches. Bill has written for Frommer's, Lonely Planet, and Mobile Guides, and has contributed to 1000 Places to See Before You Die. He has also edited books for National Geographic and provided content for websites such as GORP.com and Expedia.com. When not fixing up his old house in Astoria, Oregon, Bill has a day job as a high-tech marketing writer.
