2 Days in Zion National Park

Exploring all five national parks in Utah is one of the most epic road trips you can take. And of those “Mighty 5”, your 2 days in Zion will probably feel the most epic of all. While every other park can technically be done in only a day, Zion definitely requires at least two to do it any justice. The beauty of the staggering landscapes is overwhelming, filled with big opportunities for adrenaline junkies. But there’s small joys to find within its massive cliffs if you don’t consider yourself as adventurous. Zion was America’s third most popular National Park in 2023 according to National Geographic, so it’s clearly loved by many different types of travelers from around the world.

Getting There

Zion was the final National Park of our trip, and we drove in from nearby Kanab, Utah, where we were enjoying a really cool off-grid property during a pre-scheduled rest day. The drive from Kanab to Springdale is only one hour. If you are coming directly from Bryce Canyon National Park, you’re looking at a 2 hour drive. Alternatively, if you do the “Mighty 5” counterclockwise starting in Las Vegas, that would be a 2 and 1/2 hour drive to Springdale.

Where To Stay

As mentioned above, Springdale, UT, is where we based ourselves for our 2 days in Zion. It’s the closest town to the park which made the logistics easier because you cannot have a car in the park (remember how popular Zion is, also mentioned above). You have to shuttle in using the free service buses. Once inside the park, you also have to wait in line to use the buses to get around.

If you end up staying in a different town nearby, you’ll have to drive to a shuttle stop first. Staying in Springdale makes it one step easier because you can leave your car at your hotel and walk to the closest shuttle stop. We stayed at the Bumbleberry Inn in Springdale. The location was perfect–close to a shuttle stop and lots of restaurants. We didn’t have to drive at all once we got to the hotel. Plan as far ahead as possible if you want to stay in Springdale. When I booked in January for a May trip, many hotels were already sold out.

2 Days in Zion: Our Itinerary

Looking back on our trip, we actually kept things relatively simple in Zion. Our plan for day 1 was to rent e-bikes and explore the park that way. And our plan for day 2 was to hike The Narrows. Other than that, we just went with the flow. I am super scared of heights, so there was no way I was trying to get a permit for Angel’s Landing (but if you’re more adventurous than me, definitely add that hike to your schedule if you can get a permit). I wanted to hike Observation Point Trail instead, but that was closed indefinitely due to a large rock fall.

So we kind of just used the bikes and buses to explore and stopped to hike whenever we felt like it. I booked the e-bikes and hiking gear for The Narrows months in advance which probably wasn’t necessary, but better to be safe than sorry and miss out on even more. You need 2 days in Zion because of how busy it is. You do spend a good amount of time waiting in line for the bus. While the scenery here is breathtaking and shouldn’t be missed, the crowds can take away from the vibe compared to the other parks that are way less busy.