Grand Canyon to Zion: the drive and where to stop

From the South Rim it is a long day, about 249 miles (401 km) and four and a half hours without stops by the National Park Service's estimate. From the North Rim it is much shorter, about 122 miles (196 km) and three hours. Below: both routes, the stops worth making, the tunnel rules, the time-zone change at the Utah border and where to sleep on the way.

Road rules, seasons and fees below are as of October 2026 and come from the National Park Service, the Utah Department of Transportation and the other pages listed in the sources. They change: check before you go.

The short answer

• From the South Rim: via Desert View, Cameron, Page and Kanab, then UT-9 into Zion. With stops it is a full day, or split it with a night in Page or Kanab.
• From the North Rim: via Jacob Lake and Kanab. It is open through 30 November 2026, but with no lodging inside the park since the 2025 Dragon Bravo Fire.
• The tunnel: as of October 2026, oversize vehicles are banned from the Zion–Mount Carmel Highway and the old $15 permit is gone. Large RVs go round via Hurricane.
• The clock: Arizona stays on Mountain Standard Time all year; Utah uses daylight saving time. Until 1 November 2026 Utah is one hour ahead.
• Where to stop overnight: Kanab is the natural halfway town and the closest base to the East Entrance. Springdale is at Zion's main gate. Hurricane is cheaper and on the route for large vehicles.

Route 1: from the South Rim via Page and Kanab

This is the route most people drive, because the South Rim is open all year.

The first two lines and the total are National Park Service figures; the middle lines are our rough estimates from the map.

Desert View Drive. Leave the village heading east on AZ-64. The road follows the rim to the Watchtower at Desert View, passing the eastern South Rim viewpoints. There is a petrol station at Desert View.

Cameron and the Navajo Nation. Beyond the East Entrance the road drops to Cameron on US-89, on the Navajo Nation; the trading post is the usual stop for fuel and food.

Page, Horseshoe Bend and Lake Powell. Page is the natural break, roughly halfway in driving time. Horseshoe Bend is just south of town off US-89, with a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) return walk to the overlook and a parking fee paid to the City of Page. Antelope Canyon needs a guided tour booked ahead, which usually means staying the night. Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell are on US-89 as you leave town. Details are in our guide to Page, Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend.

Page to Kanab. US-89 crosses the Colorado below the dam, enters Utah and runs west past Big Water to Kanab, with few services in between.

Kanab to Zion. From Kanab, US-89 heads north to Mount Carmel Junction, where UT-9 turns west to Zion's East Entrance. The road then crosses the slickrock of the park's east side, goes through the 1.1-mile (1.8 km) Zion–Mount Carmel tunnel and drops by switchbacks to Canyon Junction and Springdale. Visit Southern Utah puts Zion 40 miles (65 km) from Kanab.

A shortcut that skips Page. If you do not want to stop in Page, you can leave US-89 at Bitter Springs and take US-89A west over Navajo Bridge at Marble Canyon, then climb to Jacob Lake and drop to Fredonia and Kanab.

Route 2: via the North Rim

The North Rim normally opens only from mid-May to the first heavy snow. From there the drive to Zion is short: AZ-67 north to Jacob Lake, US-89A to Fredonia and Kanab, then the same road as above into Zion. The park gives about 122 miles (196 km) and 3 hours.

North Rim status as of October 2026. The National Park Service lists the North Rim as open through 30 November 2026, or until the first major snowstorm. But the 2025 season was cut short by the Dragon Bravo Fire, which destroyed Grand Canyon Lodge in July 2025, and the area is still recovering:

• There is no lodging inside the park; lodging is available outside it.
• The North Rim petrol station has closed for the season. Fuel is available at Jacob Lake and at the North Rim Country Store outside the park.
• The North Rim Campground has closed for 2026.
• Cape Royal Road and Point Imperial Road are closed from 15 October to 3 November 2026 for road repairs.
• The North Kaibab Trail and the Bright Angel Point and Widforss trails are closed.

In practice, the North Rim in late 2026 is a day visit with a picnic, not an overnight stop, and most people starting at the South Rim go straight to Zion via Page.

The Zion–Mount Carmel tunnel and large vehicles

The tunnel on UT-9 is narrower and lower than many modern RVs. Until 2026 large vehicles could pay for a $15 permit, and rangers held oncoming traffic so they could drive down the centre. As of October 2026 that permit is no longer an option. The National Park Service now says vehicles over the size limits are not permitted on the Zion–Mount Carmel Highway between Canyon Junction and the East Entrance.

With a trailer, the combined length limit is 50 ft (15.24 m) and the trailer itself can be up to 26 ft (7.92 m). Measurements include mirrors, bike racks, roof boxes and air-conditioning units. Bicycles and pedestrians are not allowed in the tunnel.

The detour for large vehicles. UDOT's southern route goes from Kanab to Fredonia, then west on AZ-389 and UT-59 to Hurricane, and on to Springdale from the west on UT-9. UDOT says it takes a little over two hours. Ordinary cars, SUVs and most campervans are fine in the tunnel.

The time zone trap

Arizona stays on Mountain Standard Time all year and does not use daylight saving. Utah does. The Navajo Nation, which you cross between Cameron and Page, also uses daylight saving, but the town of Page itself does not. So from March to early November:

• Grand Canyon (both rims) and Page: Arizona time.
• Cameron and the Navajo Nation: one hour ahead of Arizona.
• Kanab, Springdale and Zion: one hour ahead of Arizona.

In 2026 daylight saving ends on 1 November; from then until mid-March 2027 all the places on this drive show the same time. In October, leave the South Rim at 8 am, drive straight through and you reach Springdale at about 12:30 pm Arizona time, which is 1:30 pm in Utah. Bear this in mind for check-in times, Antelope Canyon tour slots and sunset.

Where to stop overnight

Before you leave: Tusayan

Tusayan, just outside the South Entrance, gives you an early start along Desert View Drive. Red Feather Lodge scores 8.8 on Booking.com from 837 reviews (checked 16 Oct 2026), at around €150 a night for two in mid-January 2027 when we checked. The Grand Hotel at the Grand Canyon scores 8.6 on Booking.com from 5,051 reviews (checked 16 Oct 2026), with an indoor pool and a restaurant, at around €171. For how Tusayan compares with Williams and Flagstaff, see Tusayan, Williams or Flagstaff.

Halfway: Page or Kanab

Page makes sense if you want Antelope Canyon or sunrise at Horseshoe Bend; our Page guide covers the town. Kanab is about 225 miles (360 km) and three and a half to four hours from the South Rim, by Visit Utah's figures, and about an hour from Zion, so most of the driving is behind you. It is also the base for the North Rim, about 80 miles (130 km) south.

• Red Canyon Cabins: 8.5 on Booking.com from 1,914 reviews (checked 17 Oct 2026). Cabins on US-89 on the east side of town, with a garden, barbecue and free parking, and pets allowed (charges may apply). Around €61 a night for two in mid-January 2027 when we checked. About 24 miles (39 km) in a straight line from Zion's East Entrance.
• Travelers Motel: 7.8 on Booking.com from 45 reviews (checked 17 Oct 2026). A simple budget motel with a shared kitchen, about 1 km from the visitor centre. Around €37 a night. No pets.

At Zion: Springdale

Springdale sits at the park's South Entrance, with a free town shuttle to the visitor centre in season. It is the most convenient base for Zion Canyon itself, and also the most expensive: the motels and lodges along Zion Park Boulevard fill early from spring to autumn, so book well ahead if you want to walk or ride the shuttle into the park.

Cheaper, and on the RV route: Hurricane

Hurricane is about 17 miles (28 km) in a straight line west of the Zion visitor centre, on the large-vehicle detour. Hotel Zion Inn scores 7.4 on Booking.com from 2,368 reviews (checked 17 Oct 2026), with free parking, a guest laundry and a 24-hour front desk, at around €48 a night.

Prices change by the week and are much higher in spring and autumn than in January. For a fuller comparison of bases around Zion and Bryce, see where to stay for Zion and Bryce, and our Utah page.

Practical tips

• Pay once per park. The Grand Canyon fee is valid for seven days and covers leaving by the East Entrance; see Grand Canyon fees in 2026. Zion charges $35 per private vehicle, valid for seven days, plus a $100 per-person surcharge for nonresidents aged 16 and over in 2026, unless you hold an annual or America the Beautiful pass.
• Zion shuttle. When the Zion Canyon shuttle runs, the Scenic Drive is closed to private cars. Park in Springdale or at the visitor centre.
• A realistic day: Desert View in the morning, lunch and Horseshoe Bend in Page, Kanab by late afternoon.