Are you planning a weekend trip and want to explore the great outdoors? There are so many amazing places to visit, but the distance between them is just too far. You can solve both of those problems by visiting Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks in Southern Utah! The National Parks are only 73 miles and an hour and 20 minute drive. The short distance makes it super convenient to experience two incredible natural wonders. For the perfect trip we recommend planning anywhere from 2-4 days to fully enjoy the national parks.

Zion National Park

This beautiful national park located in Southern Utah about an hour from St. George is known for its grandiose red cliffs and amazing rock formations. The park is about 229 square miles which makes it hard to even know where to go, what to do, and what to even start with. There are many different things to do, but hiking, specifically Angel’s Landing, is one of park visitors favorite things to do. Angels Landing is a breathtaking hike that is 5 miles long round trip and is estimated to take around 3 to 6 hours to complete. It can be a difficult hike and so having as much information as possible is important to completing it. If you are looking for a nice stroll through the wonders of Zion then a great option for you is the Narrows Riverside Walk. It is a nice, flat paved trail that is a little over two miles long and takes about an hour. Other well known and well recommended hikes are the Weeping Rock, Canyon Overlook Trail, Emerald Pool Trail, Hidden Canyon, and many more.

Bryce Canyon National Park

Bryce Canyon National Park is very similar to Zion National Park because hiking is a main attraction for visitors, but Bryce Canyon is unique in that it boasts the beauty of red colored hoodoos, natural rock formations that are spiral-like. They are formed due to a hard layer of rock that protects the softer rock underneath from eroding overtime. One of the best ways to enjoy these amazing formations is to hike among them. When choosing the hikes you want to do, it is important to know what it will be like and have as much information as possible. Bryce Canyon also is a great off-the-beaten path place to stargaze at night and then watch the sunrise. Fall asleep under the stars and wake up in time to witness the wonder of the canyon under a magnificent sunrise!

Tips to know

When planning your trip, check to see the availability and around how busy the parks will be. Reservations can book out months in advance so take initiative and book today. You can even camp in style with Wander Camp! Another pro-tip is to start your day early and beat the crowds. Popular hikes such as Angel’s Landing bring in a lot of tourists, in order to spend more time enjoying the scenic view, start your day not long after sunrise. It is also important to check the weather before you head out for the day. Summer thunderstorms can be very dangerous especially for hikes such as the Narrows at Zion.

Plan your trip now!

For the perfect trip, we recommend starting at Zion National Park and spending as much time as you want there. With so much to explore you will never run out of things to do or see! After hitting all the places you want at Zion take route 12 on your way to Bryce Canyon. With two National Parks so close together we highly recommend making time to see the wonders of Southern Utah! 

Post written by: Kailani Schulthies