Last month we published a one-week Utah road trip itinerary for Arches and Canyonlands. Today we’re thrilled to share a Zion and Bryce Canyon itinerary all about what to do in Utah’s western national parks.

Zion is one of the most visited national parks in the U.S., for good reason. It’s a vibrant oasis of majestic cliffs, rumbling rivers, and lush vegetation in the middle of the desert. Bryce Canyon (which isn’t a canyon at all—but an amphitheater) is our very favorite Utah national park. The plethora of hoodoos and expansive views are so other-worldly, you feel like you’ve been transported to another planet.

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We’ve seen itineraries that have all five Utah national parks crammed into one week. After spending a month exploring Utah’s Mighty 5 National Parks, we recommend at least 2 weeks if you want to visit them all. You can find our 2 week Utah National Park Itinerary here. If you only have a week it’s best to choose either the eastern or western parks to focus on. This way you won’t spend all your time driving. Instead you can really delve into each park and take the time to get to know them. With a few more days you could easily add Capitol Reef so we’ve included that park as well below.

What to do in a Week in Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks

Where to stay

The first thing you’ll need to decide on your road trip to Zion and Bryce is whether to stay at one place between the two parks or move locations during the week. Since there’s ample free camping outside both places, we moved locations and this is our recommendation. You’ll avoid wasting valuable time driving. Plus, you can catch sunrise and sunset at Bryce Canyon which is an incredible experience.

The Parks: The campgrounds inside Zion and Bryce Canyon are highly competitive. We’re talking Star Wars movie release level lines of vehicles waiting for the next camper to leave. If you have your heart set on camping in the parks, reserve ahead of time or get there super early in the morning. Both Zion and Bryce also have lovely lodges with various accommodation types.
Free Camping: There are plenty of free campground options within 30 minutes of both Zion and Bryce Canyon.
Hotels and Commercial Campgrounds: Zion has an entire village just outside its south entrance in Springdale, UT. You can even ditch your vehicle and catch a shuttle into the park. Check-out the Zion Canyon Visitors Bureau for options. The county tourism site has lodging details for Bryce.
If you really want to stay in one location, here are some possibilities. Just be sure to allow extra time for traffic near and inside the parks.

Where to eat

Fort Zion Restaurant & Virgin Trading Post: This is a fun stop for more than just a hanger cure. In addition to homemade ice cream and juicy burgers (according to Tom), there’s a petting farm and a small village of humorous old west storefronts including the Virgin Jail and Miss Molly’s House of Negotiable Affection.
Fruit stand outside the south entrance of Zion: We were so excited to find this stand just when our produce needed replenishing. We ended up stopping daily on our way out of the park. It’s on the left side of the road heading towards Zion’s south entrance. Just make sure to bring $ as it’s a cash only operation.
Other places to eat near Bryce: Confession time. We were super budget travelling and didn’t eat out at all during our time in Bryce. Well, unless you count post-sunrise viewing coffee and donuts from the park store. Personally, I think that a 5 am wake-up warrants an extra coffee and a donut, but that doesn’t exactly count as a great food recommendation. So I’ll leave this one to the pro’s and share Eater’s list of best restaurants around Bryce. We’ll definitely be hitting up a few of these next time we’re in the area.

4 days at Zion National Park

What to do

• Hike right through the Virgin River in the Narrows.
• Conquer your fear of heights by trekking to Angel’s Landing. If hiking along a narrow ridge that has 1,000 foot drop-offs on both sides isn’t your thing, you can always stop at Scout’s Lookout and take in the views from there.
• Drive through the tunnels and see Checkered Mesa.
• Visit the Human History Museum.
• Get away from the crowds in the serene Kolob Canyons.

Find out even more about these 5 awesome things to do in Zion National Park here.

3 days at Bryce Canyon National Park

What to do

• Watch sunrise at Sunrise Point. This was one our favorite experiences from all our 2017 travels.
• Watch sunset at…you guessed it…Sunset Point. Don’t worry, the names in the park get more interesting from here on out.
• See the hoodoos up-close on the Peekaboo Loop Trail (and of course find out what the hell hoodoos are). Queen’s Garden/Navajo loop is a good alternative for a shorter, less strenuous hike that still gets you in the middle of the hoodoo action.
• Drive to the end of HWY 63 and stop at the uniquely named viewpoints. Seriously, who doesn’t want to see something called Piracy Point?
• Visit Red Canyon just outside the national park.
• Take in one of the longest views in North America on the Bristlecone Loop Trail. On clear days you can see all the way to the Grand Canyon.

Get even more details about the best of Bryce Canyon here.

Add-on Capitol Reef National Park

Where to stay

The Park: There’s one developed campground in Fruita with 71 sites. Most sites are reservation only for much of the year so as usual, book early.
Free Camping: Free BLM camping can be found to the east and west of the park. There’re also boondocking spots in the National Forest south of the park.
Hotels and Commercial Campgrounds: There are other lodging options including hotels, resorts, cabins, and Bed and Breakfasts in the areas surrounding Capitol Reef. Here’s a great site for finding a place to stay in the area. Just be sure to check distances, as some of these are bit far from the park.

Where to eat

Chuckwagon General Store Deli: We went here looking for coffee and found a fresh tasty deli counter. You can grab lunch to go or eat there.
Mesa Farm Market: Located 24 miles east of the Capitol Reef visitor center, this market has it all. In addition to produce they offer salads, artisan breads and baked goods, cheese, yogurt, fresh juices, and more.
Other places to eat near Capitol Reef: The Capitol Reef tourism dining page lists lots of other tasty establishments.

What to do

• Hang out by the natural water “tanks” in Capitol Gorge.
• Take in the amazing views of the crooked landscape along the Chimney Rock Loop Trail.
• Stand on top of Cassidy Arch.
• Hike to Hickman Bridge natural rock formation.
• Take a trip through time in Fruita and learn about the history of the area’s early settlers.

Get even more details about Capitol Reef National Park here.

If you want to explore all of Utah’s Mighty 5 national parks in one visit, check-out our 2-week itinerary. It includes Zion, Bryce, Capitol Reef, Arches, and Canyonlands in one epic (yup I used that word) road trip!

If you’re planning a trip (or have already been) to Zion and Bryce Canyon, what’s your favorite experience there?

Related Posts:

• Utah National Parks Itinerary – 1 Week in Arches and Canyonlands
• Utah Road Trip Itinerary – 2 Weeks in the Mighty 5 National Parks
• 13 Road Trip Essentials (Make sure to have everything you need for your road trip adventure)

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