OUR RECOMMENDATIONS
for visiting Southern Utah National Parks
We are excited about your upcoming stay with us! Our properties are located near three breathtaking national parks:
Zion, Bryce Canyon, and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Below are some of our recommendations for your visit to the parks.
You can also learn more about the national parks by visiting the official park websites:
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ZION NATIONAL PARK
Transportation & Access
As far as Zion goes, the conditions change daily so it is best to check their website for current conditions. You can drive your personal car in and out of Zion at ANYTIME. The ONLY place where you can’t drive your personal car is what’s called the “scenic route”. Up this canyon, you will find many of the popular hikes in Zion, including The Narrows. To access this canyon you will need to utilize the Zion Shuttle (which is free).
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Another option to explore the scenic route would be to rent a private shuttle at either Zion Guru or Zion Cycles. The 3rd option would be to rent E-bikes which is by far the best way to explore this route and it is what we would recommend! You can rent these through Zion Guru or Zion Cycles.
Favorite Zion Hikes
Accessed via the Zion Shuttle Service, once you are up the scenic route road we would recommend getting off at Emerald Pools, Weeping Rock, and the River Walk. The River Walk is the last stop of the canyon and it actually turns into the Narrows so you can go as far as you want! Nice walk along the river! However, if you plan on hiking the Narrows, you will need the proper gear and you can rent that pretty much at any store in the park or from our Gear Rentals provider, East Zion Experiences. Walking sticks and good sturdy shoes are a must when hiking the Narrows. Neoprene socks are also recommended because the water is pretty cold!
Angels Landing and Observation Point are both amazing hikes but are definitely more strenuous and if you’re afraid of heights, I wouldn’t recommend Angels!
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Below are some links to some of our favorite hikes found along the scenic route.
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Other Options, Food, & Gift Shops
If you choose not to worry about the scenic route then there is still so much to see in Zion! Canyon Overlook is one of our favorite hikes with some great views. If you are coming from Orderville, it’s on your right-hand side before you enter the big tunnel.
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Also, there is a super fun little spot that's off the beaten path where you won’t find the crowds. It has some big boulders and some water holes that you can jump into (depending on water levels at the time) If you are coming from Orderville and you go through the big tunnel, you start heading down some switchbacks. The second to the last switchback, pull off to your right and there will be a little rock wall built there along the side of the road. Climb over that and follow the trail that will lead you up the canyon!
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There are lots of great eating places and gift shops in Springdale/Zion so make sure to stop there and check them all out! Oscars, Pizza and Noodle, and Bit N’Spur are some of our favorites.
BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARK
Park Overview
As far as Bryce goes, the ride there is beautiful! You will drive through what’s called “red canyon” and it’s so pretty! There is a nice bike path along the road that’s fun too if you have bikes! Rental bikes are also available through Ruby's.
As far as hikes go in Bryce, I would recommend Rim Trail. You can go as far as 5 miles one way or just go about half a mile. This trail connects all the scenic overlooks from Fairyland Point to Bryce Point, so you have many options on this trail to go as far as you want.
Queen's Garden is 1.8 miles. Navajo Loop is one of our favorites and it’s about 1.4 miles. There is also a nice little hike called Mossy Caves that’s only about 1-mile round trip. It’s about 1.2 miles west of the park's entrance so it’s actually not in the park. It has a couple of waterfalls and mossy caves that are pretty cool.
Favorite Bryce Canyon Hikes
Below are some links to some of our favorite hikes in and around Bryce Canyon:
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Food & Restaurants
Ruby’s Inn is a great place to eat or get groceries. They also have a very nice gift shop there.
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Other restaurants to try in Bryce include:
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Ebenezers Barn and Grill
GRAND CANYON NORTH RIM
Park Overview
The North Rim is a great place for breathtaking views of the spectacular Grand Canyon! This National Park is only open Mid May - Mid October due to weather. Visit the National Park Service website for current information on park status.
Pets on leash and bicycles are permitted on several of the North Rim trails allowing you to experience this beautiful place in a unique way. The North Rim also offers bicycle rentals, trail rides, an awesome visitor center with souvenirs and so much more. Visit the National Park Service website for more things to see/do at the North Rim.
Favorite North Rim Hikes
The North Rim is located 40 miles from the Jacob Lake Visitor Center on the Edge of the Kaibab Plateau. Some hikes to check out here are Bright Angel Point Trail, Transept Trail,and Bridle Trail. Bright Angel point trail is a 0.5 mile round-trip walk on a paved trail. This trail leads to a spectacular view of the canyon without the long hard hike. The Transept Trail is a 3.0 mile round-trip hike taking approximately 1.5 hours hiking time. This hike follows the canyon rim from Grand Canyon Lodge to the North Rim Campground. As for the Bridle trail, this hike follows the road as it connects the Grand Canyon Lodge with the North Kaibab Trailhead. Distance of this hike is 1.2 miles one-way.
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Food & Groceries
Food and Groceries in the National Park
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Grand Canyon Lodge Dining Room
Offers Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. Reservations are required for dinner.
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Located in the Grand Canyon Lodge complex. Offers adult beverages, coffee and baked goods.
Located in the Grand Canyon Lodge complex. Offers Lunch and Dinner.
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General Store (Camper Store)
Located adjacent to the campground. Offers groceries.
Food Outside the Park nearby:
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Jacob Lake Inn (You will find the BEST cookies here!)