Perfect Grand Canyon, Zion, and Bryce Canyon Road Trip Itinerary

Are you planning an epic road trip to Grand Canyon, Zion, and Bryce Canyon National Parks and overwhelmed with all the details?

I visited all of these national parks on an epic camper van road trip with my best friend. We had a blast journeying through Nevada, Utah, and Arizona, and now I am sharing our exact itinerary with you!

In this guide, I’ll provide a day-by-day breakdown of this one week road trip that includes Grand Canyon National Park, Zion National Park, and Bryce Canyon National Park, plus Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, Lake Powell, and Valley of Fire State Park! How’s that for an action packed itinerary?

This itinerary was pretty intense to plan, so I really hope to make it easier on you! Below, I’ve included all the details of our trip, including each stop, driving distances and times, where we stayed, and more.

With this blog post, you’ll be ready to take your own epic road trip through some of the best national parks in the USA.

Happy exploring!

Itinerary Details & Things to Know Before You Go

Route and Drive Times

Pace of Travel

Before we get into the details, let’s talk about the pace of this itinerary, because it’s definitely not for everyone! Understanding your travel style and what you are looking for in a trip will really help your planning process, and I want to make sure anyone can use this itinerary and adjust as needed.

I would categorize this trip as fast-paced and for adventure travelers.. You will be driving over 1000 miles through 3 states in 7 days. You’ll get to experience the Grand Canyon, Zion, AND Bryce, plus a few other spots!

The first 3 days you will be changing locations every evening after exploring all day. I will say – we were a little apprehensive about this before our trip, but it ended up being totally fine! But we are also in our twenties with no kids, in a van, and knew what we were getting into.

If you are looking for a more relaxing, slow-paced national parks road trip, I would highly recommend either adding more days in or cutting out some stops.

For example, you could easily spend a week exploring just Zion and Bryce Canyon. Or you could spend 3 days in the Grand Canyon and still not see and do it all!

This itinerary hits all the highlights of these national parks, which was our goal for the trip. We only had one week and wanted to see and do as much as possible.

Please use this itinerary as guide and adapt as needed to your travel preferences!

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Time of Year

I wanted to touch quickly on what time of year is best for conquering this National Parks road trip! We personally did this road trip in mid-October, which I think is the perfect time.

This seemed to be shoulder season for most of the parks, meaning the crowds weren’t at their peak, but it also wasn’t off season.

We had great weather, with some chilly mornings and nights (especially in the Grand Canyon) but warm, sunshine-filled days. This was perfect since we were sleeping in a van with no AC at night! We didn’t want to be sweltering.

Another great time for this trip would be late March – April, which sees similar temperatures to fall.

Most people, however, plan to visit these parks in the summer! You can absolutely conquer this itinerary in the summer. However, just know you might be hot (especially if you are camping) and the parks will be much busier!

Advanced reservations at campsites and hotels are recommended at all times of year due to the popularity of these parks.

Other Things to Know Before Planning Your Trip

America the Beautiful Pass

If you follow this itinerary, you will be visiting 3 different national parks and one national recreation area.  The entrance fee to each national park is ~$30, so it makes the most sense to buy an America the Beautiful Pass for the trip.

This pass is only $80 per vehicle (not per person) and gets you into an extensive amount of national parks for a whole year, including the Grand Canyon, Zion, and Bryce. You can order the pass here from REI, and it ships free!

If you plan to visit 3 or more national parks on your trip (or in one year), this pass pays for itself! And don’t worry, if you forget to purchase it in advance of your trip, you can also grab one at any of the National Park entrance gates. We got ours at the Grand Canyon with no issues.

Time Zones Explained

Aside from the pass, you should also know about time zones before the trip!

You will be going back and forth between Pacific Standard Time (PST) and Mountain Standard Time (MST) during this trip. Throughout the itinerary, I will note what time zone you start and end in for each leg, as it will affect your arrival times.

The most confusing part is the state of Arizona falls within Mountain Standard Time but does not observe Daylight Savings. So from approximately April through October every year (Daylight Savings Time), Arizona will be on Pacific Standard Time (PST).

This is the same as California and Nevada, because Arizona does not “spring forward” like the rest of the states on Mountain Standard Time. To make it even more confusing, the Navajo Nation (in which part of Arizona falls) DOES observe Daylight Savings Time. So during these months, different parts of Arizona will be on different time zones… confused yet?!

Luckily, this national parks road trip does not enter the Navajo Nation. Even though the Antelope Canyon tours are run by the Navajo tribe, Page, AZ does not fall within the geographical boundaries of the Navajo Nation, so the time in Page will always follow the time of nearby cities like Phoenix and Flagstaff.

I highly recommend manually setting your phone to Phoenix, AZ as you near Page. This will ensure your phone is on the right time and does not pick up the cellular signal from nearby Utah which is on a different time zone during Daylight Savings..

Where to Stay in the Grand Canyon

For Camping: If you’re planning to camp, I highly recommend Mather Campground inside the park! There is a bus stop at the front of the campground that will take you to all the main stops throughout the park. This is where we stayed and it was the perfect location.

For Hotels: If you’re not camping, there are a few hotel and cabin options within the park itself, including the Yavapai Lodge, the Bright Angel Lodge, and the historic El Tovar. These are going to be pricier options since you are paying for the convenience of being inside the park.

Your other option is to stay outside the park in the nearby town of Tusayan! As you can see on the map below, this town has several hotel options like the Holiday Inn Express and the Grand Hotel.

Day 2: Explore Grand Canyon and Drive to Page

Sunrise at Mather Point and Hiking the Bright Angel Trail

Today is the first day of actual adventure on this national parks road trip! The majority of your day will be spent exploring the Grand Canyon South Rim. How long you have here will depend on how early you wake up and how late you want to arrive at your next destination (Page, AZ).

There are tons of things to do in the Grand Canyon in one day, but below is how I recommend spending your time!

First, wake up early to watch the sunrise at Mather Point! I recommend driving from your campsite or hotel directly to the Grand Canyon Visitor Center. From there, you can walk right over to Mather Point in less than 5 minutes.

Mather Point is one of the best places to watch the sunrise in the Grand Canyon! With that said, it gets very busy. We arrived about 30 minutes before sunrise and had no trouble finding a place to watch from. However, if you are hoping to get an unobstructed view or set up a tripod, I would arrive even earlier.

After the sunrise, grab a quick breakfast at the Canyon Village Market or the Yavapai Lodge Café in the Market Plaza (both usually open by 7 AM). These are both located between Mather Campground and the Visitor Center. Unfortunately, the Bike Canyon Café at the Visitor Center opens at 8am, which is probably too late for you.

We chose to eat breakfast in the van back at our campsite, and then head out for the day!

Once you’ve fueled up, I recommend conquering either the Bright Angel Trail or the South Kaibab Trail. We chose to do the Bright Angel Trail and loved it!

To get to Bright Angel Trail, just hop on the Village (Blue) Route shuttle bus and ride it to Bright Angel Lodge station. The trailhead is right behind the lodge!

This is definitely not an “easy” hike by any means, especially the climb back up, but it’s well-paved and you can go as far as you like. We made it to the 1.5-mile rest house in about an hour and had lunch there before starting our climb back up.

Just remember, going down is easy, coming back up takes around twice the time. Bring water, snacks, and a decent daypack. Bonus: this trail has bathrooms and shade at the rest stop!

Note: If you’re not into hiking, one of the most epic things to do is take a helicopter ride into the canyon! I did this with my family when I was a kid and it is still one of coolest experiences I’ve had to this day!

Hermit Road Shuttle

Depending on how long you hike for, you’ll probably be ready for a break. If you didn’t eat lunch on the trail, head to one of the nearby restaurants around Bright Angel Lodge to refuel.

Once you’re rested, hop on the Hermit Road Shuttle. From March through November, this section of the park is only accessible by bus. The full round trip takes about 80 minutes without getting off, and it’s packed with epic canyon views.

This is a great post-hike option because it gives your legs a rest but still lets you soak in more of the scenery. You can also get off at any of the 9 viewpoints, walk a stretch of the Rim Trail, and hop back on at the next stop.

After the shuttle drops you back near Bright Angel Lodge, head back to wherever you left your car.

On your way out of the park, make sure to take the Desert View Drive for a few more scenic spots! This road winds along the South Rim with multiple pull-off points and a less crowded vibe. We loved ending the day here, and it’s on the way to your next destination.

Heading east, Desert View Drive will dump you out on Route 89, which you will take north up to Horseshoe Bend and Page!

Note: The next stop after your day in the Grand Canyon is Horseshoe Bend (near Page) for sunset. If you want to include this in your itinerary, you’ll need to coordinate your departure time from Grand Canyon with the sunset time in Page, AZ. Again, this will depend on the time of year, so make sure to look up the sunset time for your specific date! 

Drive From Grand Canyon to Horseshoe Bend / Page

Distance: 132 miles
Estimated Travel Time: 2 hrs 15 min
Departure Time Zone (Grand Canyon, Arizona): Arizona Standard Time
Arrival Time Zone (Page, Arizona): Arizona Standard Time

No matter what time of year you visit, the Grand Canyon and Page will always be on the same time zone (let’s call it Arizona Standard Time). Like I mentioned at the beginning of this post, during Daylight Savings Time, the non-Navajo portion of Arizona (which includes the Grand Canyon, Page, etc.) will be the same time as California and Nevada (Pacific Standard Time, PST).

During non-Daylight Savings Time, (November – March), Arizona is on the same time as Utah, on Mountain Standard Time (MST).

Driving from Grand Canyon to Page will never have a time change (this is true all year long), but this does affect your journey from Las Vegas to Arizona and Arizona to Utah (later in the trip!).

For this route from Grand Canyon to Page, there is no time change. When you arrive in Page, I recommend setting your phone manually to Flagstaff for your time zone. Because you are near the Utah border, sometimes it gets confused on which time zone you are in.

Horseshoe Bend for Sunset

You have just arrived at Horseshoe Bend in Page, AZ for sunset! The cost to visit Horseshoe Bend is $10 per vehicle. This is set by the City of Page and unfortunately the America the Beautiful Pass does not cover it. 

The best part of visiting Horseshoe Bend is there’s no strenuous hike required!! You park in a small parking lot and from there, it’s a 10-minute stroll on a paved walkway.

Totally doable for kids and pets too! I recommend arriving at least 30 minutes prior to sunset to get a good spot.

We were absolutely blown away by the beauty of Horseshoe Bend and were spoiled with the most gorgeous sunset! However, it was extremely windy when we visited, which made getting close to the edge a little daunting, so be prepared! Hats are not recommended.

Where to Stay Near Horseshoe Bend in Page, AZ

After visiting Horseshoe Bend, it’s time to make your way to your lodging or campsite for the evening.

For Camping: We stayed at Wahweap Campground on Lake Powell. We visited in October, and the campground was pretty much empty.. In the summer, I’m sure this campground is extremely popular, as it’s right on the lake and has all kinds of water toy rentals. So keep that in mind if you’re planning a trip during the summer!

For Hotels: If you’re not camping, there are a lot of different hotel options in the town of Page, like the Hampton Inn or the Courtyard Page. Staying in Page will put you in close proximity to Lake Powell and Antelope Canyon for tomorrow. Check out the map below for different options!

Day 3: Lake Powell, Antelope Canyon, and Drive to Zion

Fair warning.. this is an action-packed day! You will be visiting Antelope Canyon by both land and water.. and then driving to Zion National Park after. Probably the busiest day of this trip!

If you’re looking for something more slow-paced, I recommend choosing one of the Page activities – either kayaking or doing the walking tour.

In order to fit both in one day, you will have to sign up for a late afternoon Antelope Canyon walking tour. However, the peak tour times for lighting are between 10am and 1pm.

So if your main goal of visiting Page is to photograph Antelope Canyon, I would skip the kayaking portion of this day.

Kayaking to Antelope Canyon

To maximize your time, plan to start your day around 7am and start kayaking by 8am. Grab some breakfast and make your way down to Antelope Point Marina (537 Marina Pkwy, Page, AZ 86040).

If you’re planning this trip in advance (by a few months), you can try calling to see if they take reservations for kayaks.

If you cannot get a reservation here, and you are visiting during peak season, I recommend calling other kayak companies and trying to reserve in advance. It would be awful if you get to Antelope Point Marina and they’re all out.

There are tons of companies in Page that rent kayaks, or you can go on a guided tour! This is a great way to learn more about the area and take the stress out of planning.

Check pricing & availability of guided Antelope Canyon kayaking tours here! 🛶🏜️

After your walking tour concludes, it’s time to make your way the next stop on this national parks road trip: Zion National Park in Springdale, UT!

Drive to Zion National Park

Distance: 105 miles
Estimated Travel Time: 1 hr 45 min
Departure Time Zone (Page, Arizona): Arizona Standard Time
Arrival Time Zone (Springdale, Utah): Mountain Standard Time

During Daylight Savings Time (typically April – October), the time in Springdale, UT (where Zion is located) and Page, AZ will be different, as the state Arizona does not observe Daylight Savings. Utah will be one hour ahead of Page during this time, so you will lose an hour on this drive.

In the winter (November – March), Page, AZ and Springdale, UT will be on the same time zone (Mountain Standard Time).  

So, in the summer, if you leave Page, AZ around 4:30pm local Arizona Time, it will be ~7:15pm MST when you arrive in Springdale, UT.

Remember to set your phone back to the right time zone if you changed it manually while in Page! Once you arrive in town, grab some dinner and go to bed early.. tomorrow you hike Angels Landing!

Read more about the drive from Antelope Canyon to Zion National Park in my guide here! It also includes some of the best places to stop along the way if you are looking to add to this itinerary!

Where to Stay at Zion National Park

Inside the Park: There are a two different campgrounds (South and Watchman) inside Zion National Park, all of which book up insanely fast and are nearly always full. There is one lodge inside the park, Zion Lodge, which typically books up 6+ months in advance.

Outside the Park: Staying inside the park definitely has its advantages (you can get right on the shuttle and don’t have to fight for parking). However, if you don’t manage to stay inside the park, it’s no big deal! In fact, most people stay in the town of Springdale, UT, right outside the park’s entrance. There are campgrounds, budget hotels, and upscale lodges here – something for everyone!

We personally stayed at Zion Canyon Campground in Springdale, which was pricey but definitely worth it! It’s close to the park entrance and had great amenities.

Day 4: Hiking Angels Landing & the Canyon Overlook Trail

Hiking Angels Landing

On your first day in Zion, you’ll be conquering one of the most insane hikes in the USA – Angels Landing!

For hiking Angels Landing, plan to be on the first bus leaving the Zion Visitor Center. If you are staying outside the park, this means arriving even earlier to ensure you can get a parking spot in the Visitor Center.

If the Visitor Center is full, you’ll need to park outside the park and walk in (or take the Springdale Shuttle if it’s too far).

Once you’re on the Zion shuttle, ride the shuttle to Stop #6: The Grotto to begin your hike!

Note: As of April 2022, Zion NPS is requiring permits for the chains section of the Angels Landing hike. This requirement is to make the hike safer and more enjoyable for everyone! Speaking from experience, I think this was definitely needed. The Angels Landing hike is SO much more enjoyable with less people! You can read more about Angels Landing permits here.

The Angels Landing trail is 5 miles round trip and can take anywhere from 3 to 5 hours to complete.

The majority of the hike is moderately difficult, as you make through Refrigerator Canyon and up the legendary Walters Wiggles switchbacks to get to the top of Scout Lookout.

Once you arrive at Scout Lookout, you’ll proceed to the most daunting portion (but least exerting) of the hike – the chains. The entirety of the chains section is only a half mile, which can take between 30 minutes to an hour to complete, depending on your pace and the amount of people on the trail!

Overall, we loved hiking Angels Landing even if it was a bit scary. It’s important to take your time and go slow, especially on the chains section! It looks worse than it is, and you’ll be rewarded with incredible views along the way.

Read my full beginner’s guide to hiking Angel’s Landing here!!

Mt. Carmel Highway and Canyon Overlook Trail

If you start Angels Landing first thing in the morning, you should finish around lunchtime, and your legs will probably feel like jello! I recommend grabbing lunch at one of the many places in Springdale and relax for a few hours.

We went to the Zion Canyon Brew Pub right outside the park entrance to reward ourselves with a big burger and a beer!

Once you’ve recharged, take a drive through the Mt. Carmel Highway in Zion and head to the Canyon Overlook Trail. The views along this road are absolutely gorgeous.. take your time to take them in!

Right after you pass through the long tunnel, find parking on the road or in the small parking lot to the right and walk to the trailhead.

The Zion Canyon Overlook Trail is the perfect short hike after conquering Angels Landing. It’s only about a mile roundtrip, and relatively easy, but the views are absolutely gorgeous. It’s also a great place to watch the sunset! 

We spent around an hour here just soaking in the incredible views of Zion Canyon.

Pick Up the Narrows Gear

After you’ve watched the sunset at Canyon Overlook, on your way back to Springdale, make a stop at Zion Outfitter right outside the entrance to the park to rent your gear for tomorrow’s hike… the Narrows!!

What time of year you are visiting will dictate what gear you rent. At a minimum, I highly recommend the shoes, socks, and the walking stick.

After picking up your gear, have some dinner and get some rest – you have another big day tomorrow! 

Day 5: Hiking the Narrows & a Scenic Drive

Hiking the Narrows

Okay, you’ve got your gear and you’re up early (hopefully!). Like Angels Landing, hiking the Narrows will be SO much more enjoyable if you start early. The earlier you start, the less people there will be, and you get to take in the views all to yourself.

You can read my full Beginner’s Guide to Hiking the Narrows, but here is a short summary of what you can expect!

1. Take the Zion shuttle to the last stop – Temple of Sinawava
2. After getting off the shuttle, you will have a one mile hike along the river path before you get in the water. This is called the Riverside Walk!
3. After a mile, the path will lead you down stairs and into ankle deep water
4. From here, the trail will vary between dirt banks and the river! Be prepared to venture into thigh-deep water, depending on the time of year
5. This hike is an out and back hike, which means however far you go in, you will have to hike the same distance out
6. There are no bathrooms or water fountains on this trail. Make sure to pack enough food and water for your entire day, and be ready to be creative when you have to pee!

We spent about 5 hours total hiking the Narrows, arriving at the trailhead at 8am and finishing around 1:00pm. Depending on how far you hike in, you could spend less or more time during your hike! For us, 5 hours was the perfect amount.

Overall, we absolutely loved the Narrows. While challenging, wading through water with a walking stick was something I’ll never forget!

Scenic Drive + Photo Ops

Once you’re done hiking the Narrows, I recommend taking the shuttle back to the front of the park and then going directly to Zion Outfitters to return your gear.

Then, you might want to grab a coffee from Feel Love Coffee right across the street and relax for a few hours.. You will be pretty pooped!

In the late afternoon once you’ve recovered, take a drive through the east side park and stop at some of the pull offs for photo ops. The drive through the side of Zion is so gorgeous and a perfect way to spend the afternoon after a long day of hiking.

We were absolutely blown away by the views and stopped multiple times to take photos!

Don’t forget to check out my blog post on the 10 things you need to know before visiting Zion National Park to help plan for this trip!

Day 7: Zion + Fly Home OR Zion + Valley of Fire + Vegas

Today is *technically* the last day of your Grand Canyon, Zion, and Bryce Canyon road trip! But I am laying out a few different options in case you can spare one more day on your trip and want to see an extra park and city!

Option 1: Zion + Fly Home

Distance: 165 miles
Travel Time: 2 hr 30 min
Departure Time Zone (Springdale, UT): Mountain Standard Time
Arrival Time Zone (Las Vegas, NV): Pacific Standard Time

Time Zone Note: This route is not affected by Daylight Savings. You will always gain an hour driving from Zion to Las Vegas. The drive is 2.5 hours, but you will gain an hour going from MST to PST.

If you only have 7 days and today is the last day of your trip, you’ll be heading back to Vegas from Zion to catch your flight home. If you have a late flight out, consider knocking off one more hike in Zion in the morning before hitting the road, like the Emerald Pools trail.

Make sure to give yourself plenty of time to catch your flight in case you hit traffic on the road or anything unexpected happens!

Packing Essentials for Grand Canyon, Zion, and Bryce

Your packing list for a trip to the Grand Canyon, Zion, and Bryce will be very much dependent on the weather.

For example, summers in Zion National Park often see temperatures in the 100s, but in the winter, lows can be well below freezing. Bryce Canyon is typically 10-20 degrees colder than it is at Zion, and cold nights are common in the desert of the Grand Canyon.

With that said, you will need to check the weather for each park before your trip and plan accordingly! But regardless of the time of year you visit, these few items below will be essential for you trip:

1. Good Hiking Boots
This might seem obvious, but you definitely need to invest in a good pair of hiking boots for your National Parks trip. I wore these boots every single day, no blisters, no pain. I am prone to tripping and spraining my ankle.. but had no issue in these!

2. Day pack with water bladder
I never owned a backpack with a bladder before, but I bought this one from Amazon for the trip! Not having to lug around a water bottle every day was great, and having hands free access to water comes in handy (see what I did there?!) when you are kayaking in Antelope Canyon or climbing the chains on Angel’s Landing! So I highly recommend this backpack – it was the perfect size and only $30!

3. Sunscreen
I will scream this from the mountain tops until I am blue in the face! If you are going to be outside, you need to wear sunscreen. Even if it’s cold. Even if its cloudy!! If you hate the feeling of sunscreen, I highly recommend Supergoop! It’s my favorite brand ever (not sponsored) but I will recommend them forever.

Grocery List for the Van

As promised, here are some things we packed / made during the trip in our Escape Campervan. The van had a small fridge as well as a propane stove, so we were able to make a lot of things ourselves!

• Breakfast: Oatmeal with nut butter and blueberries, canned coffee, granola bars, bananas
• Lunches: Turkey wraps, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
• Dinners: Tacos, Quesadillas, Spaghetti with meat sauce
• Snacks: Dried fruit, trail mix, beef jerky, protein shakes, hot chocolate!
• Plenty of bottled water!! We ended up buying like 7 gallons total!

Final Thoughts 

That concludes my one-week US National Parks road trip itinerary for the Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce, and Page! We had an absolute blast on our trip, driving over 1000 miles in an Escape Campervan. I know this itinerary is extremely long, but I hope it has helped you plan your own epic adventure!

As you can see, there is a ton to see and do on this itinerary, and you can easily add on more days and more parks. If you’re looking to add on to this trip, I recommend checking out the following places!

1. Sedona and Flagstaff (Arizona)
2. Canyonlands National Park (Utah)
3. Arches National Park (Utah)
4. Joshua Tree National Park (Cali)

If you have less than a week, I recommend cutting out Page and/or the Grand Canyon and focusing on Zion and Bryce, as you can easily spend 5 days exploring these park alone. If you choose the first option, be sure to check out my guide on how to spend one full day in the Grand Canyon!

Read my other blog posts about Zion, Grand Canyon, and Antelope Canyon below!
ULTIMATE Grand Canyon, Zion, and Bryce Canyon Road Trip
How To Spend One Day In The Grand Canyon (Ultimate One Day Itinerary)
Kayaking To Antelope Canyon: A Detailed Guide
Zion National Park To Antelope Canyon: Mini Road Trip Guide
10 Things You Need To Know Before Visiting Zion National Park
Zion National Park Itinerary: How To Spend 3 Perfect Days In Zion
A Beginner’s Guide To Hiking The Narrows In Zion National Park
Hiking Angels Landing: A Beginner’s Guide
Renting An Escape Camper Van: Everything You Need To Know

Don’t forget to pin this post for future planning!