Looking to drive from Zion National Park to Bryce Canyon National Park or from Bryce to Zion? You’re in the right place.
Luckily, the distance from Bryce Canyon to Zion is actually really short, under 100 miles, and the drive is super easy. You can easily drive from Zion to Bryce Canyon in under 2 hours!
Driving from Zion National Park to Bryce Canyon, you’ll have the opportunity to see bighorn sheep, bison, some amazing rock formations, and even a red rock canyon, where you can really get up close and personal with the red rock.
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RVs and Large Vehicles in the Zion Tunnel
In this guide to driving from Zion National Park to Bryce Canyon National Park, we take you through the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel.
This tunnel is part of Zion National Park, and leads you to some great views and hikes in the east area of Zion.
With that said, there are vehicle limitations to this tunnel. You can read them in detail here, but a few quick things to know…
- Any Vehicle 7 feet 10 inches wide or 11 feet 4 inches tall needs a permit
- The Zion-Mount Carmel permit is $15 good for two trips through the tunnel within seven days
- Oversized vehicles can only travel through the tunnel at certain times. These are seasonal times and are currently as follows.
- November 6 to March 31: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- April 1 to September 30: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m
If you are driving a “normal” sized vehicle, you can drive through the tunnel with no problem. Do be aware though, that due to the oversized rigs causing one-way tunnel traffic, the road can get backed up, and you can have long wait times for your turn!
How Far Is Zion National Park to Bryce Canyon?
From the east entrance of Zion National Park to Bryce Canyon National Park, the drive is only 1 hour 20 minutes.
However, the east entrance to Zion is actually up quite a few switchbacks, and through a tunnel that often has a line, so it’s really closer to 2 hours from the visitor center / main parking area of Zion National Park to Bryce Canyon.
The Zion Visitor Center is the place you’ll find the shuttle up to Zion Canyon. Honestly, arrive here early to find parking, as the lot fills up really quickly. And this is the way to all the hikes, like Angels Landing, The Narrows, and Emerald Pools.
What is the Distance from Zion National Park to Bryce Canyon?
The actual distance from Bryce to Zion is 74 miles, from the east entrance of Zion to Bryce Canyon’s entrance point.
Although again, while you’ll be at the Zion park entrance technically right at that 74-mile mark, you’re not actually in the Zion Valley. To get from the main parking area/visitor’s center/entrance of Zion to Bryce, it’s actually a total of 85 miles.
Keep in mind, this is just to the entrance of Bryce Canyon National Park. Driving to the end of the Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive is another 17 miles one way. And that’s without adding the extra stops and driving to the other viewpoints along the scenic drive.
What Are The Driving Conditions Between Bryce and Zion?
The direction you’re traveling either from Zion to Bryce or the other way around will completely change the drive for you!
From Zion National Park to Bryce Canyon, the drive is mainly uphill. In fact, all the switchbacks out of Zion and then much of the drive on highway 89 is a climb.
From Bryce Canyon to Zion, you’ll be coasting downhill for the majority of the way.
We drove from Zion to Bryce in the summer, and had no issues with our vehicle overheating. However, certainly, something to keep in mind if driving from Zion to Bryce in the summer with a vehicle prone to overheating. If that’s the case, we would definitely recommend driving in the evenings with cooler temps!
In the winter, we drove from Bryce to Zion, and were graced with beautiful weather and views the entire way. However, all the downhill driving would not be fun in snowy conditions!
Are There Rest Areas (Bathrooms) Between Zion and Bryce
As you leave the Zion Canyon, directly after exiting the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel, you’ll have an opportunity to pull off and use the bathroom. This section of the park also has places for picnicking and hiking.
After officially exiting the park, there aren’t many bathroom breaks. One rest area, the Shingle Creek Rest Area, is almost exactly halfway between Bryce and Zion.
After that, Pines Rest Area, nearly at the entrance to Bryce Canyon is the only other official bathroom stop.
Of course, if nature calls, you can go in nature. Just be sure to follow these simple tips for using the bathroom in nature.
Where to Find Gas Between Bryce Canyon and Zion
There are a handful of gas stations between Zion and Bryce Canyon. Unfortunately, they are all pretty expensive!
We use the app, GasBuddy, to find the cheapest gas. It’s great because it also shows you the locations of gas stations, so you’ll always know where you can fill up!
READ MORE | Road Trip + Vanlife Apps You Need to Download Before Your Trip
In our experience, gas was the cheapest at the Sinclair just outside of Bryce Canyon National Park.
Groceries and Restaurants between Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon
As you drive from Zion to Bryce Canyon, you’ll notice that many of the towns you drive through are extremely small, some even seeming like ghost towns.
With the small towns comes seasonal opening hours, and in November, every place we drove through seemed completely closed! If visiting outside of the winter months, I reckon more of the restaurants and shops will be open. However, don’t plan on it.
Always pack more than enough food and water!
Ruby’s Inn General Store right in Bryce, the city, (right outside the national park) is a great place to snag souvenirs and easy, quick food and snacks. Likewise, there’s a small general store in Bryce Canyon City, near Sunset Point in the park, that has snacks and drinks!
Closer to Zion, at Mount Carmel Junction, you’ll find a convenience store and restaurant that seem like they’re open year-round.
Map of Stops Driving From Zion National Park to Bryce Canyon
Fun Stops IN Zion National Park After Tunnel
Zion Canyon Overlook Trail | 37.21335, -112.94067
A short and easy hike just after exiting the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel offering great views down the Zion Canyon.
This is also a great place to pop into the bathroom before really hitting the road.
Many Pools Trailhead | 37.22186, -112.91485
This is a great spot for a picnic! There are a handful of pullouts around here, and the views are just fantastic, even just off the road!
Checkboard Mesa | 37.22456, -112.88016
Honestly, this spot is only great if the lighting is great! You’ll see the checkerboard hills as you’re driving, and unless the lighting is perfect, there’s really not much to see.
Fun Stops From Zion National Park to Bryce Canyon
Zion National Park Sign | 37.23542, -112.86456
On our first road trip, we took pictures at every national park entrance we went through. We haven’t been doing it lately, and really wish we would have kept up the tradition!
There is a small pullout here, for those wanting to take a picture! Just watch for cars!
Bison Viewing Area | 37.23751, -112.83918
These coordinates aren’t the exact coordinates, because I can’t find the viewing area on a map now. However, somewhere around here are bison!
They are living on a farm, so they’re not wild like they are in Yellowstone and Grand Teton, but they’re still really cool to see!
Red Canyon | 37.74613, -112.31938
Oh my lanta, this area is beautiful! If you can hit this area at sunset, you’ll be blessed with some killer lighting and truly red rocks!
There are multiple places to hike around and enjoy this area! Even if you’re not hiking, be sure to stop for some photos!
Red Canyon Arch | 37.74043, -112.2978
The famous arches that you get to drive through to get to Bryce Canyon National Park.
Have your camera ready, or simply pull off in between the arches for some fun photos!
Bryce Canyon National Park Sign | 37.65513, -112.16288
This sign is more like the rest of the national park signs and is huge. It as a decent size parking area for those wishing to get a picture!
Free Camping Between Bryce Canyon and Zion
We have a few different ways to find free camping in the United States. In fact, we have an entire post on it here. Both of the following locations were great for boondocking or wild camping near both national parks!
Free Camping Near Zion East Entrance | 37.25354, -112.76927
If you choose to camp here, remember to leave no trace. Take out all your trash, including your toilet paper, and bury your poop! There is no service, bathrooms, or water. So be sure to come here prepared!
Not sure how to properly go to the bathroom in nature? Check out our best pooping in nature tips here.
Free Camping Near Bryce Canyon National Park | 37.72363, -112.25299
This spot was great for a night! In fact, we’d stay for more than a night in this area. There isn’t much road noise, there is loads of space, and it’s accessible with 2WD even in the snow.
The Dixie National Forest really has some great wild camping in it. However, this is the closest spot you can legally camp to the entrance of Bryce Canyon National Park.
Again, no amenities. Pack out what you pack in, bury your poop, and take your toilet paper with you!
Where to Stay from Bryce Canyon to Zion
Hotels
There are a handful of towns between Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park, however, they seemed to be “closed” during the winter. I’d expect them to be much more happening in the high seasons.
With that said, there are some inns and lodges closer to the entrance of Bryce Canyon, and then of course there is the Bryce Canyon Lodge and the Zion Lodge. Be sure to book well in advance for both!
Camping in the Parks
Bryce Canyon has two campgrounds in the national park, however, Sunset Campground is closed in the winter. To book camping reservations for Bryce Canyon, check the openings here.
In Zion, there is one big campground in the main area and it tends to fill up fast. Here you can find details on camping in Zion.
Where to Fly Into
When visiting Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park, the closest airport to fly into is probably Las Vegas.
Luckily, Vegas has some super cheap flights in and out of the city, so this should be in your favor. Check out flights with the little flight checker below! Momondo is hands down our favorite way to find and book cheap flights!
More Utah Travel Tips
Bryce Canyon National Park | Our First Time Visiting
Run on sentences, big paragraphs, and photos from 2014.. this post is from our very first time visiting Bryce Canyon National Park! Don’t let the old post scare you.. there’s some great information in there!
Our first time in Zion, we really went out with a bang! Coming from the northwest side, we made time for the drive through Kolob Canyon, then straight into Zion for trekking The Narrows. From there, we camped for free outside of the park, before returning to the park to hike up Angels Landing.
A quick dip in the Virgin river was followed by us exiting the park on the east, going through the famous tunnel, and hiking the Canyon Overlook Trail.
Hot Springs In Utah | with a map, separated by free + commercial springs
There are five hot springs that we rave about, each free, with camping nearby, however, Utah has many more! Check out this post to find somewhere warm to soak!
We’ve had our fair share of United States National Parks. And honestly, it’s not just the national parks, but the areas surrounding the parks that is great too. Grab your US National Parks Checklist and start visiting the parks near you!
Recommended Gear for Visiting Zion National Park
Cameras | You can’t visit these parks without a camera! We love our Canon and this GoPro.
Hydration | Hikes in Zion and Bryce Canyon National Park can be long and super hot.
We recommend bringing some sort of CamelBak with you in a backpack like this, to keep snacks in as well.
At the very bare minimum pack at least a Nalgene full of water.
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