Where Is Zion National Park and Best Ways to Get There

Zion National Park is one of Utah’s state treasures. It features steep cliffs and beautiful canyons that work together to form an outdoor adventurer’s paradise.

But the first step to enjoying Zion is getting there. And since Zion isn’t on the outskirts of any major cities, it takes a small amount of planning to figure out how to get to it.

Where is Zion National Park?

The park is located in Springdale, Utah, which is in the southwest corner of the state. It encompasses parts of Washington, Iron and Kane counties.

Zion is designated as Utah’s oldest national park and is home to 69 species of mammals, 208 different types of birds, 29 reptiles, 6 amphibians and 9 types of fish. It covers 145,598 acres with a low elevation of 3,666 ft. at Coalpit Wash and a high elevation of 8,726 ft. at Horse Ranch Mountain.

Situated at the intersection of the Colorado Plateau, Great Basin, and the Mojave Desert, the park is known for its diverse terrain, which includes mountains, canyons, mesas, rivers, monoliths, and natural arches.

Easiest Ways to Get to Zion National Park

Zion National Park is just 2.5 hours from Las Vegas, 4 hours from Salt Lake City and 6 to 7 hours from Los Angeles. You can drive to the park, but during the park’s busy season (from April to November), the main canyon is accessible only by shuttle.

Air Travel

When traveling by plane, the closest large airport to Zion National Park is the McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, which is 170 miles from the park. Salt Lake City International Airport is the next closest, and it’s 311 miles from the park.

If you fly into Salt Lake City, you can take a connecting flight into Saint George, Utah or Cedar City, Utah. Saint George is just 49 miles from the park, and Cedar City is 60 miles from the park.

The drive time between the St. George Airport and Springdale/Zion National Park is 1 hour. Shuttles operate regularly throughout the day between St. George (1 hour drive) or Las Vegas (2.5 hour drive) to Zion. One possible shuttle service is: St. George Shuttle https://www.zionnationalpark.com/directory/zion-surroundings-areas/cedar-city-ut/st-george-shuttle/

By Car 

If you plan to travel by car from Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, Saint George or Cedar City, here are some easy and quick directions to Zion National Park. 

Note: Unless you plan on visiting other attractions in the area; multiple dining options and Zion Park access is accessible on foot or by shuttle from the conference hotel.  

From Las Vegas (163 miles from Zion, 2.5 hour drive time) or Saint George (40 miles from Zion, 1 hour drive time):

• Jump on Interstate 15 north
• Take exit 16 and stay right on State Route 9 East for 33 miles
• Stay right to continue on State Route 9 East in La Verkin, Utah for 20 miles
• Stay on State Route 9 East into Zion National Park

From Salt Lake City (307 miles from Zion) or Cedar City (57 miles from Zion):

• Jump on Interstate 15 south
• Take exit 27 and stay left on State Route 17 South for 26 miles
• Stay left on State Route 9 East in La Verkin for 20 miles
• Continue on State Route 9 East into Zion National Park

Zion National Park Visitor Centers

Once you arrive at the park, you can stop at one of the two visitor centers to obtain all of your necessary permits, learn about park activities, receive restaurant recommendations and view transportation schedules. The Zion Canyon Visitor Center is located at the south entrance of the park near Springdale.

Zion National Park Shuttle information: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wy02Db2R7wI

The Kolob Canyon Visitor Center is located off of Interstate 15 at the west entrance of the park.

Both Visitor Centers are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the spring and summer, and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. during the fall and winter. The centers are closed on December 25th