From the high desert floor to the tops of the forest covered Paunsugaunt Plateau, there is a lot of ground you will want to cover. The high mountain desert floor rises to the Ponderosa, Douglas and Cedar tree filled forest of the high Paunsaguant plateau. Depending on the time of year you should see Elk, Deer, Antelope, many different kinds of smaller animals and birds. Through the summer this park and surrounding area offers camping, fishing, hiking, biking and all other outdoor activities.
Please take a look at: Bryce Canyon activities for a great starting point of things to do. There are many springs, creeks, rivers, pond and reservoirs that fill the park and surrounding country in Bryce.
When you compare Bryce Canyon to Zion you will find drastic differences in the types of terrain and scenery. While both places are beautiful beyond description, Zion sets itself apart with a much more extremely complicated environment.
Zion is full of famous slot canyons and extremely diverse elevation changes. Zion is a canyoneers dream but can prove to be extremely challenging from the average hiker. Because the park requires all visitors to take the shuttle, it can get crowded. On a summer afternoon, you can expect to wait an hour to catch the shuttle at the visitor center. Try to get one of the first few shuttles into the park between 6 and 7 am. The town of Springdale also runs a shuttle with 9 stops along the main road through the town if you prefer not to park at the visitor center.
It starts in the town of Bryce and runs throughout the park, stopping at the visitor center and campgrounds. Instead of taking the shuttle around Bryce Canyon, I recommend driving your own vehicle.
Just be aware that parking can be limited, so start your day early to beat the crowds! Both Zion and Bryce Canyon are open all year long. In fact, many visitors prefer to visit in the winter for a chance to explore without crowds.
But while winter can provide an opportunity to see snow-covered hoodoos, I recommend visiting these parks in the warmer months. From April to October, the weather is warm, perfect for hiking. But crowds flock to these parks in the summer. You can start the loop from either Las Vegas or Salt Lake City, depending on where you can find the cheaper flight. I recommend flying in the previous day and driving to Zion National Park the night before to fully take advantage of your time in Zion!
For your first day in Zion National Park , start early. I mean really early — the first shuttles usually start running before 7 am!
To avoid lines for taking the shuttle into the park, plan to take one of the first shuttles of the day. This trail is one of the most popular in the park, especially amongst thrill-seekers.
Angels Landing is not for the faint of heart or those with a fear of heights. The hike to the summit of Angels Landing includes steep switchbacks and climbing along a narrow ridge. After climbing nearly 1, feet of elevation in 2. A great alternative to Angels Landing is Observation Point. After a strenuous hike to Angels Landing, the 1.
Take the shuttle from The Grotto to Zion Lodge, only one stop away. You can stop at Zion Lodge for a quick bite to eat or pack a picnic lunch.
The trail to Lower Emerald Pool starts across the street from Zion Lodge and follows a paved trail to one of the only waterfalls in Zion. This relaxing hike is the perfect recovery after hiking Angels Landing and is great for families! The last shuttle out of the park is around 7 pm in spring and fall. To enjoy the sunset and take your time, I recommend taking the shuttle all the way back to the visitor center and picking up your car.
You can drive your car to Canyon Junction the last spot in the park before the shuttle is mandatory. Plan to arrive about 45 minutes to 1 hour before sunset to make sure you can find a parking spot. Head-ups, this is a popular spot amongst photographers, so plan to scope out your perfect vantage point early.
Before heading out to hike The Narrows, check out of your hotel and pack up the car to head to Bryce. The Narrows starts at the Temple of Sinawava , the end of the line for the Zion shuttle. Start your day early again to enjoy The Narrows at a leisurely pace. While the official hike is 9 miles, most visitors choose to simply wade as far as they want upstream before turning back. I recommend hiking at least a mile or two to get the full experience.
A walking stick is essential for your trek up The Narrows. It will stabilize you in the water and make the hike easier. In the summer, Zion is prone to thunderstorms, which can pose a huge risk for those hiking The Narrows.
Thunderstorms can cause flash floods and rapidly rising water levels. Always check the weather forecast and trail conditions before taking on this hike. The Narrows is closed to hikers in spring due to high water levels. The tiny hamlet of Bryce Canyon City is little more than a collection of a few shops and restaurants that, while pleasant, runs its course rather quickly. Still, the sheer variety of nature surrounding the more remote Bryce Canyon certainly makes up for it.
Lonely Planet contributors do not accept freebies in exchange for positive coverage. You might also like: Are National Park visitors centers worth it? Regulars weigh in Best outdoor activities in southern Utah Introducing Utah's national parks. Climb to Angels Landing, drive Hwy 12, and hike the Narrows; all with your trusted travel companion.
Zion or Bryce Canyon? How to choose between Utah's top national parks. Jay Gentile. Zion and Bryce Canyon national parks are two of Utah's most popular outdoor spaces, so how to choose between them? If I had no plans to ever return to the area, I would absolutely make room for at least Bryce - you would not regret having seen such a thing Zion too, but that would be in second place for me.
Bryce is smaller than Zion, but feels much bigger to me because of the lay of the land, I guess. The most exciting trails are probably The Narrows and Angel's Landing, but I wasn't up to hiking into a river to see the slot canyon of the Narrows, and from the photos I saw, I would have been too afraid of the heights at AL.
That said, I did the Navajo Loop here at Bryce this am and dh is out there on it even with his bad knee and it was fun, even though quite steep in places. Not as easy to do when you take the shuttle - am older and don't like to carry as much as I used to. So I am getting much more bang for my buck here than at Zion in terms of easy to reach magnificent views and cool hikes though I enjoyed taking my dog on the Pa'rus Trail at Zion!
It is much more spacious camping here at Bryce well, not nearly as cramped everywhere you go as it felt at Zion, which helps because it is just starting to get crowded at both. And spectacular views of hoodoos, rock formations; yet much of the park is high alpine with wide open pine trees spaces, prairie dogs, antelopes and elk grazing in meadows.
Great combo of red desert rock formations and green ponderosa pines. Showers and laundry are easy to find just outside of each park. Have fun whatever way you go - I am loving southwest Utah P. You can also do horse rides in the park, saw them up by Bryce Canyon Lodge. That would be a ton of fun, two or four hour rides offered.
Last edited by sugarsugar; at PM.. The drive on state 12 truly is memorable! Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick.
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