The Grand Canyon to Zion Road Trip

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The Grand Canyon to Zion: the drive

The drive from Grand Canyon National Park (South Rim) to Zion National Park covers 253 miles (407 km) and takes about 4 hr 45 min without stops, mostly on US-89, AZ-64 and SR-9.

It's doable in one day, but with fuel, food and a couple of stops plan on roughly 6 hr 15 min door to door.

We found 10 worthwhile stops within about 25 miles of the route, including Cameron Trading Post, Navajo Bridge, Marble Canyon, Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon.

Best time to go: April to June and September to November. Summer is hot and crowded; winter is quiet.

Best stops between the Grand Canyon and Zion

Before you leave the Grand Canyon

1. 1

   Desert View Watchtower

   45 minOn the route

   Mary Colter's 1932 stone tower at the east end of the South Rim, and the first viewpoint if you enter from Cameron.

   

1. 2

   Cameron Trading Post

   Mile 5745 minOn the route

   A historic trading post above the Little Colorado River, known for Navajo tacos and a large Native arts gallery.

2. 3

   Navajo Bridge, Marble Canyon

   Mile 12630 min~19 min round-trip detour

   Walk the historic 1929 bridge 470 feet above the Colorado River and look for California condors roosting underneath.

3. 4

   Horseshoe Bend

   Mile 1341 hrOn the route

   The famous 1,000-foot overlook of a Colorado River meander, reached by an easy 1.5-mile round-trip walk. Paid parking.

   

4. 5

   Antelope Canyon

   Mile 1371.5–2 hrs~25 min round-trip detour

   Sculpted slot canyons on Navajo land, visited only with a licensed tour. Upper is for light beams, Lower for ladders and curves.

   

5. 6

   Glen Canyon Dam & Lake Powell

   Mile 1391 hrOn the route

   The Carl Hayden Visitor Center overlooks the dam and the start of Lake Powell's 1,900 miles of shoreline.

   

6. 7

   Kodachrome Basin State Park

   Mile 1771–2 hrs~81 min round-trip detour

   Tall sandstone chimneys named by National Geographic after the color film, 20 minutes from Bryce.

   

Near Zion

1. 8

   Kanab

   1+ hrsOn the route

   'Little Hollywood': a central base between Zion, Bryce, the Grand Canyon North Rim and Page, and the permit office for The Wave.

   

2. 9

   Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park

   1–2 hrs11 mi from the route

   Shifting pink sand dunes between Zion and Kanab, where you can rent sandboards.

   

3. 10

   Kolob Canyons (Zion)

   1 hr21 mi from the route

   Zion's quiet northwest corner, with a 5-mile scenic drive right off I-15 at exit 40 and no shuttle needed.

Where to stay in Springdale

Utah's most visited park: The Narrows, Angels Landing and a canyon floor you reach by shuttle from Springdale. Springdale is the closest town with lodging. Rooms near national parks sell out in peak season, so book early.

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The Grand Canyon to Zion road trip FAQ

Route calculated from OpenStreetMap data and checked 2026-11-09. Drive times assume normal traffic and no stops.