Las Vegas to Zion: Road trip itinerary
Take an epic Vegas to Zion road trip with this action-packed 5-day itinerary. See The Wave, Monument Valley, Antelope Canyon, Bryce, Zion, and much more!
A road trip from Las Vegas to Zion National Park (and other epic spots around the Arizona/Utah border) should be on every nature-lover’s bucket list. From unique red rock formations to slot canyons to hiking through a river—there are so many opportunities for outdoor adventure in this area!
Start planning your own road trip with inspiration from this complete five-day itinerary by travel enthusiast Lauren Lanoue:
Vegas to Zion road trip itinerary
Day 2: The Wave Hike & Drive to Monument Valley
Day 3: Visit Monument Valley, Antelope Canyon & Horseshoe Bend
Day 4: Hike Bryce Canyon National Park & Drive to Zion National Park
Day 5: Explore Zion National Park & Drive to Las Vegas
Step One: rent a campervan in Las Vegas from Blacksford! Having the freedom to camp along the way while still having some of the luxuries of home (a real bed, a kitchen, and a shower!) means you get the best of both worlds.
The whole process is easy, too. Blacksford will pick you up from the Las Vegas airport and take you about 5 minutes down the road to their office to pick up your van. After some quick, but thorough, instruction, you’ll be ready to hit the road!
Day 1: Las Vegas to Kanab
On this Las Vegas to Zion itinerary, you’ll actually be hitting Zion National Park as the last stop on your trip. There are SO many things to see first in northern Arizona and southern Utah.
Day one is a travel day to get you where you need to be for the epic activities that day two has in store.
After you land in Las Vegas and pick up your rental car or campervan, drive about 3.5 hours to the small town of Kanab, Utah. Get some dinner in town, go to bed early, and prepare for an early wake-up and adventure-filled day!
Day 2: Hike the Wave and head to Monument Valley
The Wave
The Wave is an incredibly epic hike that should be on everyone’s bucket list! The only challenge is that you need to win the permit lottery for access. Only 64 people are allowed to hike The Wave per day. You can apply for a permit four months in advance on Recreation.gov or you can try your luck with the daily lottery if you arrive the day before.
If you’re lucky enough to get a permit, you’re in for a treat! This 6.5-mile round trip hike takes you to the iconic “Wave” red rock formation that is a photographer’s dream. It looks like you’re on another planet!
I highly recommend doing this hike on a tour with Dreamland Safari Tours. Although I wouldn’t consider the hike super strenuous, the trail is VERY hard to follow. There are no signs and no clear path to get there, so it can be super easy to get lost unless you are skilled in route navigation. I’ve done three hikes with Dreamland Safari, and they are great! They drive you to the trailhead, tell you interesting facts along your hike, and even pack snacks, lunch, and water.
If you don’t draw a permit for The Wave on this trip, don’t worry! There are plenty of other hikes in the area. White Pocket is a great alternative.
Drive to Monument Valley
You can expect to be done with The Wave hike at about 2 or 3 pm. Afterward, head straight to Monument Valley! It’s about a three-hour drive, and it’s super scenic pretty much the whole way. You’ll get to the Monument Valley area right before sunset.
There are plenty of awesome campgrounds to choose from right outside the park entrance. Set up your spot, cook dinner in your Blacksford RV rental with a view, and enjoy the stars.
Start planning your Las Vegas to Zion road trip today!
Day 3: Visit Monument Valley, Antelope Canyon, Lake Powell, and Horseshoe Bend
Monument Valley
At sunrise, head straight into Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park. Stop at the visitor center for a cup of coffee with the most amazing view from the balcony!
Monument Valley is a tribal park known for its unique sandstone buttes jutting out of the desert. This area is often a backdrop for Western movies!
The most popular activity is exploring the 17-mile Valley Drive scenic road around the sandstone buttes, with many lookout points along the way. It’s an unpaved dirt road, so if you don’t have high clearance or 4WD, they may stop you at the entrance and tell you your car isn’t suitable to make the loop drive. If this happens, you can pay about $100 to go on a private guided tour in an open-air vehicle instead!
Plan to spend at least two hours here soaking in the views.
Antelope Canyon
After your morning in Monument Valley, it’s time to drive to Lower Antelope Canyon—about two hours away. This famous slot canyon is absolutely incredible. It is also located on tribal land, and the only way to visit Lower Antelope Canyon is to book a tour.
There are two tour outfitters to choose from: Dixie Ellis and Ken’s Tours. It’s about $55/person for the hour-long tour. Make sure you book ahead of time because it sells out!
Horseshoe Bend
After Antelope Canyon, get some dinner nearby in the town of Page before heading to Horseshoe Bend for an incredible sunset. Take the easy 1.5-mile roundtrip trail to the lookout area. There’s plenty of room to spread out, so even if there are a lot of people, you can still find a little spot to yourself to enjoy the view.
Afterward, spend the night at one of the many camping areas in Page, Arizona, or at one of the hotels around Lake Powell. a
Day 4: Bryce Canyon National Park
Wake up early and drive 2.5 hours to Bryce Canyon National Park. This park is known for its unique hoodoo rock formations that look like little spires. It’s so cool!
The best hike in Bryce is the three-mile Navajo/Queens Garden Loop Trail. You can start at either Sunset Point or Sunrise Point Trailhead. The trail brings you down switchbacks in between towering hoodoos and opens up to a more expansive view at the bottom for the “Queens Garden” portion of the hike. This has to be one of the most beautiful three-mile hikes in the country!
Plan for this hike to take you about two to three hours.
Drive to Zion National Park
Next, drive two hours to Zion—the last stop on this Las Vegas to Zion road trip itinerary!
Entering Zion National Park from the east side is such a treat. You’ll go through the coolest tunnel on the side of the mountain with windows cut in it to get a peek at the views. Once you get out of the tunnel, the views are jaw-dropping.
I highly recommend booking a campsite at Watchman Campground in Zion National Park. It’s right next to the park’s South Entrance, and there are great views from pretty much every campsite!
Check in to your campground or lodging, and head to Zion Brewery for a beer and bite to eat with a view.
Afterward, head right across the street to Zion Outfitters and pick up some gear to hike the Narrows the next morning! The staff will help you decide which gear package option you need depending on the water levels and what time of year you are there.
Day 5: Zion National Park
In Zion National Park, you aren’t able to drive to any of the trailheads. Instead, they have a highly efficient bus system that will take you throughout the park.
The Narrows hike
Wake up before sunrise and catch the first bus at 7 am to head to the Narrows trailhead!
The Narrows is one of the most unique hikes I’ve ever done, and it’s suitable to any skill level. You are literally hiking through the river with two towering canyon walls on either side of you. It’s amazing!
The water is cold and your feet and legs will be submerged pretty much the entire time, which is why it’s a good idea to rent the special water shoes and gear from Zion Outfitters beforehand.
This hike can be as long as you want it to be. You can just hike down the river until you are ready to turn around. Technically, the furthest you can go is 16 miles round trip. But even just going two to three miles round trip, you will still have an epic experience.
Angels Landing hike
After the Narrows, if you have the energy (and a permit!) you can tackle the infamous Angels Landing hike. Although this hike is only 5.4 miles round trip, it climbs 1,400 feet in elevation. It’s steep! It’s popular because of the last portion of the hike, where you use chains to help pull yourself along the super steep sections. You need a permit for this hike, which you can apply for a few months ahead of time.
If you don’t want to hike Angels Landing (or didn’t win a permit) then your next stop is to get some lunch in Springdale right outside the park entrance.
Finally, head back to Las Vegas! It’s about a three-hour drive.
If you rented a Blacksford campervan, make sure you text them when you are on the way back to Las Vegas. Once you return the van, they will drop you off at the airport for your flight home.
Plan Your Las Vegas to Zion road trip
The Wave, Monument Valley, Antelope Canyon, Bryce, Zion, and many more remarkable places are waiting for you on this epic southwest road trip. And the best way to experience them all is from the comfort of your Blacksford RV. With so many campgrounds to choose from, traveling in an RV is the best way to fully immerse yourself in nature. Now, get out your maps and start browsing for permits. Adventure is out there!
