Question by Tristan Q: How do I make my plan for a round trip that depart from Las Vegas through Grand Canyon and Zion NP?
I’m planning to have a road trip that focus on Grand Canyon and Grand Circle in the end of Aug for 3 days. I’ve booked one night lodge in Grand Canyon Village. I’ll depart in early morning from Las Vegas heading for the south rim first, driving through Powell Lake and Zion NP in the following days, and back to Las Vegas before 19:00 in the third day. My problem is where is the best place to stay for the second night (National Park lodge or motel in which town), while I prefer having enough time for sightseeing or a short hike. I need advice of how to allocate my time in the Grand Circle since that it costs lots of time on the road from Grand Canyon through Lake Powell to Zion NP. Should I just make a short stop in Lake Powell and save my time in Zion NP? How long would it take for each of the route? (South rim – Page; Page – Zion NP; Zion NP to Las Vegas). Please kindly give my some advise. Thanks
Best answer:
Answer by tinkertoy
I have driven the route you will take a couple times. Here’s my advice. The drive to the Grand Canyon is 5 long hard hours on mostly two lane roads with trucks and campers (only a short way on I-40). Leave Vegas early so you get there by noon at the least. That will give you all afternoon and evening to see the Canyon. Do try to get dinner at the Arizona Steak house; its good food and a beautiful view of the Canyon while you eat.
On your way out of the Canyon village headed East there are some overlooks you may want to stop at for pictures. There may also be Native American jewelry stands on that route.
You can actually drive past Lake Powell, through Zion and get back to Vegas in one day. There is not much to see or do there except the visitor’s Center at Lake Powell, unless you book a boat trip/tour. Many years ago I drove from the Canyon South Rim across the bridge at Powell, up to Bryce and back to Zion and drove through it and got to Vegas about 8:00PM. It was a 12 hour trip. THe last trip in 2005, we stayed in Page, then drove to Bryce, that’s about 3 hrs, then drove back to Zion (about an hour between parks) and drove through Zion, stayed there about 3 hours, and then drove on to Vegas and got there about 7:30 PM.
The drive from Page to Zion is about 2 hours on a road that has one lane each way but is goood for about 60 to 65 unless you get behind campers and trucks. The drive through Zion can be slow, its one lane, no passing and plenty of people stopping to take pictures. The Park Service will have you park your car and take the free schuttle through the park.
When you leave Zion headed East it takes less than an hour at most to get to I-15 on Rt-9, and then about 2 hours down I-15 to Vegas. You will enjoy the Virgin River Gorge on I-15 also, its beautiful. Watch for unmarked police cars when you get to Nevada.
If you want to break up the trip, stay in Zion or east of Zion. But since you are basically just two hours from Vegas then, I suggest keep going. You may have a long day, but then you will be done driving.
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