In fact, it was her first time in the desert west. If youre at Bryce, eat here! This route will cost you the park daily $25.00 entrance fee so please be prepared for that, but if you have time you can see great amounts of Zion National Park along the way to highway 89. There are more than 2,000 natural stone arches and thousands of stone pinnacles, rock fins, and red-rock formations throughout Arches National Park. At some point I realized that buying beer on a Sunday night in St George might not be easy, or even possible. Bryce Canyons most famous section of hoodoos, Silent City, has its home in Sunset Point. Amor Transport929.352.6673www.amoretransport.com. This day was all about scenic drives (and a bit of birding) - no hiking. Utah Mighty 5 plus Sedona leisurely itinerary. . Theyll include breakfast, lunch and snacks, and a driver will take you to all the highlights for about $269 per person (depending on the tour). Other options will be fast food and fast casual restaurants in Mesquite Nevada (1 from Las Vegas) and St. George, Utah (2 hours from Las Vegas). Kids Are A Trip 2023. After an OK lunch we continued on Scenic Byway 12. From there to Bryce, through drop-dead gorgeous scenery. You could easily extend the trip to 10 days so that you can spend more time at the places you'll pass along the way. There's plenty to see in St George even if you're not a keen hiker. Full of red rocks, fabulous vistas, and pink cliffs, this national park is also home to the largest concentration of hoodoos in the world. They are known for their super large portions and delicious farm food. Please check out ourdisclosure policyfor more details. The narrowest section of Zion Canyon, with many portions completely within the Virgin River, is hailed as the quintessential Zion experience. As soon as you have hit St. George, Utah you will start having several different choices to look at. But that was just a previewthe scenery as we drove on to the Visitors Center wowed us. Since birds will be a recurring theme in this report, Ill just add: Gambels Quail! Our kids loved climbing into lava tubes, rolling down sand dunes, and hiking slot canyons. (Its just another hours drive from Zion to the wild red hoodoo rock formations of Bryce Canyon National Park, and the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in Kanab.). The 1,150-mile drive takes you to the state capital Salt Lake City and famous national parks such as Zion and Bryce Canyon. After enjoying the stunning view of the valley and formations below, advanced hikers can descend into the canyon on the 8-mile Fairyland Loop. The closest national park to Las Vegas, Zion National Park is the first stop on your Utah national parks itinerary from Las Vegas. Important travel note:The St. George Airport (SGU) will be temporarily closed for renovations starting on May 29 through September 26, 2019. This famous scenic drive along I-15 features canyon walls that stretch high above you on both sides as you make your way to Zion. If you decide to arrive between May and September, consider visiting early in the morning. Spring and fall have the most moderate weather; April and October are the most popular months to visit, with highs between 60 and 90 degrees. 24K views 2 years ago LAS VEGAS STRIP A relaxing scenic drive through the Mojave desert from Las Vegas, NV to St. George, Utah north on Interstate 15. Travel North on 89 until you reach highway 12 that will take you east through red canyon and up to the turn to the gate of Bryce Canyon. Your email will not be provided to third parties. It went very well with takeout pizza (and Succession!) The museum features dinosaur footprints and swimming tracks, hands-on activities, and fossils. Highs average 72 degrees Fahrenheit so this is a good time for outdoor exploration. The St. George Childrens Museum has twelve rooms of interactive displays encouraging children to use their imagination and explore. If you're starting and ending your trip in Las Vegas that takes you up to 24 hours of driving, covering 1,400 miles, which works out as nearly 5 hours of driving per day. Going on Los Angeles to Salt Lake City drive can be one of the most adventurous road trips in the Western USA. Just past St George, turn left onto Cottonwood Springs Road, which will take you to Red Cliffs National Conservation Area, your first stopping off point in Utah. How can I see all the parks in Southern Utah? Enjoying your trip report and looking forward to the rest of it. However, there is often construction along the very narrow stretch of I-15 between Mesquite, Nevada and St. George, Utah, in the Virgin River Gorge, which passes through the northwestern corner of Arizona. St. George, Utah which is the closest city in proximity to Zion National Park also has . (Keep in mind that during the spring, high water levels in the canyons may mean that some hikes are off-limits. Get our travel tips Delivered to your inbox. No conditions reported in the past 7 days. Once you've checked in, head over to the lakeshore to admire the stunning sunset at the biggest saltwater lake in the Western Hemisphere. It is not walker nor wheelchair friendly unless there is a side trail Im missing. Highway 9 will take you through Hurricane, Utah and right to Springdale (just outside of Zion National Park). Car on a scenic road in Zion National Park Another way to get from Las Vegas to Zion is to jump in a car and drive. This section of I-15 is particularly scenic and shows where we drove through the Virgin River Canyon. Dont miss: Things to Do in Cedar City Utah with Kids and Capitol Reef National Park with kids. Dinner at Rubys, where they were out of all their interesting-sounding beers and the food was mediocre at best. At highway 12 turn East and follow that through Red Canyon and up to the Bryce Canyon turn heading south. Return to Route 89 and head south through Glendale then at Mt Carmel Junction turn onto UT-9 towards Zion National Park. Older kids wont want to miss this! Off-Strip rental locations are generally quite a bit less expensive than the airport locationeven when you include the Uber ride to get there. Then, at Koosharem, turn onto UT-62 for a while, before carrying on south through Antimony and Widtsoe. 17 helpful votes 1. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. If youre looking for fun things to do in St George with kids, look no further. There are several great options as shown below. Id hiked this trail once before, so knew in general what to expect: beautiful, not too strenuous, and a lot of stream crossings. Quail Creek State Park is a fishermans paradise. Founded in 1935, the Valley of Fire is Nevada's oldest state park. The Flight exhibit is a popular attraction where you can try your hand at flying in a flight simulator and jump aboard a plane. We recommend using the entry point of Red Cliffs National Conservation Area because it's the nearest landmark on the Utah border if you're travelling from Las Vegas. Most of the drive is along Interstate 15, which has some beautiful sights and attractions along the way. Staying right on the edge of the park was a big plus. Red Mountain is not able to pick up at these transportation centers or at other hotels in our area.Red Mountain Resort offers a 30-minute shuttle from the St. George Airport at pre-scheduled times. It's a quick 45 minute drive from St. George and as one of the most beautiful national parks in the U.S., it's one of the best things to do near St George. Running across the park in a southeastern direction above the valley, cooler air can be enjoyed in the higher elevations as the road winds along the side of the cliffs and through a very narrow tunnel through the stone. At highway 89 you will turn South and head through Panguitch, Utah continuing until you reach highway 12. There are three levels of pools, Lower, Middle and Upper, amid the trails, each a bit harder to get to than the last. It was a short(ish) hike, since connecting to other trails to do a bigger loop was still precluded by closures. We peered up at their cliffside roost, where 1 or 2 were supposedly tucked in, but saw only streaks of guano. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-117391696', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');St. George - Sunday). You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. Many will recognize it from several movie scenes that were shot here, including Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. The experience is unlike anything youve done before and its one of the best things to do in St George Utah! The Grand America Hotel adds vintage 5-star luxury to your road trip and is a favorite Salt Lake City hotel for its regal design. Try this 38.9-km point-to-point trail near St. George, Utah. ), If you can spring for the fare, helicoptering to Zion is the most scenic route! You can often save yourself some timeand a possible headache of a traffic jamby detouring through the Shivwits Paiute land. The Virgin River Gorge when going from St George to Las Vegas is awe inspiring. One of the rangers informed us that the condors had been very active a few hours earlier, but hadnt been seen in a while. Located only 168 miles from Las Vegas, Zion National Park is most well-known for the expansive Zion Canyon, a gorge . brews and fun conversation at the bar. Thank you for your support! Valley of Fire was one of the sleeper hits of our trip, totally worth a detour. From Zion, you will travel approximately 86 miles to Bryce Canyon National Park. Get a feel for the changing topography of St,. The Mighty 5 national parks in Utah are Arches National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, and Zion National Park. Highway 9 will take you through Hurricane, Utah and right to Springdale (just . Flint Stephens 15 of 15 Each week, thousands of Utahns travel to or from Las Vegas on Interstate 15. These unique structures aid in creating a landscape that looks like something out of a science fiction movie. After spending some time exploring Red Cliffs National Conservation Area, rejoin I-15 and continue heading north. Length Under 30 miles 30 to 75 miles Over 75 miles. I've never had a bad experience there. From St George and Las Vegas will be continuing north on I-15 through Cedar City. The biggest blow for me: no pie. Youll have the freedom to stop in all of the funky little spots between Las Vegas and the entrance to Zion in the town of Springdale, Utah. Kids Are A Trip is a registered trademark with the United States Patent and Trademark office. Virgin River Gorge Scenic Drive Easy 4 (33) St. George, Utah Photos (65) Directions Print/PDF map Length 24.2 miElevation gain 1,079 ftRoute type Point to point Experience this 24.2-mile point-to-point trail near St. George, Utah. Settlers came together and built a new town upstream, but eventually Grafton was abandoned as people left to find safety from Indian attacks by moving to larger towns. *Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. This is a fun way to learn about the man and why he chose St. George as his winter home. The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime. With the Zion Mount Carmel Highway offering a parallel experience to the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive, and with so many unique sites to explore between the two, you will want to devote at least two days during your Utah national parks itinerary within Zion National Park. We've divided the road trip from Las Vegas to Utah into two sections to help you with your planning. I have traveled this route several time It is Highway 15. Tip: Las Vegas car rental rates, like hotel rates, fluctuate with the citys convention schedule. Is There a Bus that Goes from Las Vegas to Zion National Park? Off this route (on a dirt road) is the Joshua Tree Byway, where you can see the only Joshua Trees in UT. The famous Grand Staircase can be seen from this vista. A short walk from the shuttle along the Weeping Rock Trailhead is an alcove under a sandstone bowl, formed by water erosion, with water seeping from the rock forming hanging gardens and anything from a slow trickle of water to a rushing waterfall, depending on the season and level of recent rainfall. The drive took us through Jacob Lake, where Id stayed on a past trip to the North Rim (closed now, of course). Carry on along UT-9 past Hurricane then turn onto UT-7 - if you're feeling adventurous, head out down the smaller roads which lead off it to enjoy fabulous desert views and dinosaur tracks. Whether because of the labor shortage thats plaguing the area or because it was still the off season, or both, they had limited hours & a limited menu. Daily trips between Las Vegas, St. George, Springville (Provo Area), and Salt Lake City. At highway 20 you will turn east and take this highway until you reach highway 89. Fortunately, this realization came while we were still in Nevada, in time to pick up a 6-pack of craft beer (from CraftHaus in Henderson, no less!) If you're here earlier in the day, you can also hire a pedal or a boat tour at the Great Salt Lake Marina. There is no public bus that goes from Las Vegas to Zion National Park. There is no fee and has no travel restrictions for RVs or trailers. There, we rented a Jeep Patriot for our 9 day Southern Utah Trip. It seemed to be a problem of both staffing and inventory. Popular activities in Arches include canyoneering, ATV rides, hiking, river rafting, rock climbing, and mountain biking. Best part was listening to the cacophony of voices and languages. I was braced for mediocre, but this was anything butthe pork in chile verde, in particular, was outstanding. When is the Best Time to Travel to Zion National Park? Salt Lake City is Utah's state capital, and it's around 6 hour and 30 minutes' drive from your starting point in Las Vegas. The Zion National Park route would be the most scenic route to Bryce Canyon from Las Vegas. Snow Canyon State Park is just outside St. George and is well known for its volcanic cinder cones, sandstone cliffs, and petrified sand dunes. A final honorable mention to include on the best Utah national parks itinerary from Las Vegas is a quick stop at Goblin Valley State Park. The people in Vegas have made it really easy to get there, too. Travel Safe. The drive from Las Vegas to St The hotel is right in the center of Springdale, the main jumping off point to explore Zion National Park, and you can pick up the free visitor shuttle into the park from here. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blogs author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. The Riverside Walk, a paved trail that follows the Virgin River, leads through more hanging gardens and waterfalls, and is home to an array of birds and wildlife. There's also a scenic drive along the Virgin River and many opportunities to spot local wildlife. Rosenbruch Wildlife Museum has over 300 animals on display, showcasing species from every continent. No tickets for tomorrow, will I get it at the entrance?? The Arches Scenic Drive is a 19-mile-long road leading past some of the most popular sites within the park, beginning with the La Sal Mountains Viewpoint, offering a sweeping view of the park with the mountains off in the distance. The 1,400-mile road trip from Las Vegas around Utah takes 24 hours to drive all-in, passing Valley of Fire State Park, Red Cliffs National Conservation Area, Salt Lake City, Moab and Dixie National Forest, plus Utah's 'Mighty Five' National Parks. Turn east on Highway 12 and travel through Red Canyon and up to the turn for Bryce Canyon heading south to the park gate. With the creek so high, some of the crossings were rather challenging. This route will take you thorugh Colorado City, Ferdonia AZ. There are a number of ways to make the trip easily and economically. We took the shuttle (crowded now) back to the Visitors Center, where cars were now circling in search of parking spaces. The Zion Mount Carmel Highway is the second major route through the park. To create the best Utah national parks 5-day itinerary from Las Vegas, choose one or two must-do items in each of the five national parks and a few items in between like Goblin State Park for a well-rounded experience. There are no shortcuts between Las Vegas and Springdale. Or jump forward in time and head to The Leonardo, an immersive art gallery. Reset. We passed through on our way from Zion to Las Vegas. Footer image photo credit to Flytographer. The Fiery Furnace section of the park is full of twisting caverns, slot canyons, and gorges full of interesting rock formations like stone passageways and slender sandstone arches. The extremely delicate, spiderweb pattern of the Landscape Arch stands 290 feet tall and is the largest natural arch anywhere in the world. Zion National Park is on Mountain Time, one hour ahead of Las Vegas, which is in the Pacific Time Zone. Located a quick ninety minute drive from Las Vegas, St. George lies within striking distance of four state parks and Zion National Park. To reciprocate, a report on how it went. Upscale Charter Service adjacent to the St. George Airport. At the east entrance/exit of Zion National Park, is the Checkerboard Mesa, a white colored plateau with a distinctive checkerboard pattern surrounded by cliffs covered in white and amber striations and swirls. However, it's worth considering that driving in the winter months might be challenging and smaller roads may close. Things to Do in Heber Valley Utah with Kids, 1. Next stop: Hoover Dam, an interest of my daughters since childhood. Some stunning views but it's the sides of a highway, not a natural park and people are driving really fast. While every other airport rental company was processing customers with ease, the line at Dollar snaked around and around. The drive between Las Vegas and St. George is not that interesting, but you can take the 54-mile Zion Park Scenic Byway at the intersection of Highway 9 and I-15, about 9 miles east of St. George. From Kamas, you'll make the 250-mile drive south to Moab. After nearly 22 hours on the road since leaving Las Vegas, spend the last night of your road trip in the stunning Zion National Park. Sighnot enough time to drive farther on Hway 12, but theres always the next trip. When big conventions are in town, prices go up. My kids love the Snickers pancakes and hubby likes the Sage Fried Chicken Benedict. The Zion Canyon Scenic Drive is home to the most well-known sites of interest in the park. Please be advised that several of the shuttle services go to central location requiring additional transportation fees to Red Mountain Resort. The direct distance is 159 miles which should take (I guess) about 2.5 - 3 hours. We were, of course, thrilled. I have lived in Utah and specifically Southern Utah my entire life so I have explored just about every road, highway, interstate of dirt road. After checking in at the Bryce View Lodge (more on that below), we still had plenty of daylight left, so we took the scenic drive & stopped at various points to ooooh and ahhhh the otherworldly landscape. Day 2 (Hoover Dam, Valley of Fire, (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Another benefit of staying in Henderson: proximity to the Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve, a wildlife habitat created from the citys water treatment facility. Then, to add a little variety to your epic adventure, take the Charles Hall Ferry across Bullfrog Bay, to Lake Powell. Or rent a UTV with Southern Utah Adventure Center in nearby Hurricane and head off to the dunes of Sand Hollow. Likewise, the Sundance Film Festival is a large independent film festival in Park City, usually held in January. You can pay a small fee for day use or overnight camping if spots are available. Take I-40 east to Highway 64. Looking for other Utah posts? Want to report conditions for this trail? For panoramic views of the entire park, a visit to Rainbow Point is in order. Still, with car rental rates hovering around $35 per day, you can pile a few people into the car and easily beat the prices of any bus tour or shuttle service serving Las Vegas. This strenuous hike winds down the canyon and through the maze of hoodoos below, before ascending to Sunset Point. The trail took us to the next shuttle stop, which we hopped on and took to the Grotto area, where we picnicked before walking to the Lodge & Emerald Pools trails (we did the Lower Pool only). We opted, first, for lunch - actually hoping for a late breakfast, but that was not to be - at (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Dinner was the surprise hit of the trip - takeout from Arriba Mexican Grill in Bryce, which Id noted on our way to Bryce Canyon Pines. Back in town, we did a grocery run for picnic provisions for the next day and then had mediocre takeout back at our lodging (the charming Red Canyon Cabins). On the way from Vegas to Zion, with a stop in St. George. Outdoor fans should also head to Pioneer Park, 52 acres of red-rock landscapes where the star attraction is the St George Narrows. The on-site restaurant is a high-class dining experience serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, but as the hotel is located in the center of town you can also take your pick of nearby restaurants. Start the trip by getting on I-15 heading north out of Las Vegas. There are several good places to stay in St. George. Each one offers visitors something new to see and explore, from sweeping canyons and monuments to red rocks and alpine forests, all working together to create the breath-taking landscape of the Colorado Plateau. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. This drive also gives you some insight into Virgin River flooding and geologic challenges. Zion National Park is the perfect spot for kids with many family friendly hiking and biking trails. The owner of this website does not consent to the content on this website being used or downloaded by any third parties for the purposes of developing, training or operating artificial intelligence or other machine learning systems (Artificial Intelligence Purposes), except as authorized by the owner in writing (including written electronic communication). Once you hit St. George traveling north from Las Vegas you will need to take highway 9 going east just north of St George. Expect hotel prices to rise for these events because of demand. Start your trip in comfort and style with a stay at the Advenire, Autograph Collection, where the rooms combine both vintage grandeur and contemporary design. Even if they dont, youll need to wait for other passengers to load and unload. The distance from Las Vegas to Salt Lake City is about 420 miles, which means that if you were going to drive straight there without making any stops, the Las Vegas to Salt Lake City drive time would be just a little over six hours. The safest bet would be to take I-15 north past St. George, Cedar and Parown and continue until you reach highway 20. The other route you could do is old hwy 91 from near Beaver Dam to St George .Its pretty scenic as you cross over the mountain range into UT. Pink Cliffs are the backdrop for famous sites like Boat Mesa and The Sinking Ship, two well-known rock formations within the park. Families will love exploring the 38 miles of hiking trails within the park. The weather in St. George hovers between 50 and 60 degrees in the winter, and the area enjoys over 300 days of sunshine a year! The Human History Museum will be one of the first stops, telling the cultural history of Zion through interactive displays and a large model of the park. Directions from Las Vegas, NV to Grand Canyon South Rim Take Highway 93 south to I-40. 2015.07.12, We had a late night flight that brought us to Las Vegas, NV. This iconic sign, built in 1959, sits in the meridian at 5100 Las Vegas Boulevard South otherwise known as the very southern end of the Las Vegas Strip. The ideal travel companion for Keystone State residents and visitors, this book compiles 30 drives that can suggest how to fill an afternoon or an entire vacation. Scenic drives to consider in Pennsylvania are listed below. A post shared by Kirsten Maxwell (@kidsareatrip). U.S. Route 6, stretching from Long Beach, California, to Provincetown, Mass., may not be a spontaneous afternoon drive, but it is well worth the mileage. If you would like to link to my images, please email me atkidsareatrip@gmail.com. Wildlife report: one young bighorn sheep. So common for you westerners, so cute & amazing for us. Fairyland Canyon is a scenic overlook just north of the park entrance, allowing park guests to view the hoodoos up close. If you have some more time, or wish to expand this into a 2-day tour and visit the state parks just north of town, to enjoy some gorgeous Utah views. You can visit Zion, Bryce Canyon, Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, check out Monument Valley, and explore White River National Forest, Vale and Aspen in the Rockies.