Day Trips to Zion National Park from Las Vegas

Las Vegas is full of things to see and do but, beyond all its shows and countless casinos and resorts, the city offers a huge range of activities and excursions for those who come to see all its landscapes and nature reserves.

One of the most famous and photographed, without a doubt, is Zion Wilderness Park. Located just over two hours' drive away, this place is full of reddish canyons, desert landscapes, breathtaking canyons and beautiful skies. If just the thought of it gives you the itch to check it out, here are the best day trips you can take to get the full park experience.

Do you love the great outdoors and seeing new sights? There are numerous tours from Las Vegas but I can assure you that one of the most impressive is the one that is dedicated entirely to getting to know Zion National Park in depth.

Of course, there are many other interesting places, but the immensity of this reserve is such that even if you spend the whole day touring it, you'll want to come back.

If you're sure you want to explore this beautiful place, there's no better way to do it than by hiring a tour that takes you from Las Vegas to the park and, with the help of a guide, shows you the most emblematic places.

These tours are usually done by car or van as the distances are long, but you will always have the opportunity throughout the day to take short walks and have time to take the best photos of your holiday.

Interesting details

• Price: approximately 250€.
• Duration: this is a full day tour, it can last up to 10 hours.
• Itinerary: The tours depart from Las Vegas and arrive in Zion, where you can see Zion Canyon or Horse Ranch Mountain among others.
• Please note: these tours are usually done in groups of about 30 people and usually include breakfast and lunch.

If you want to make the most of your time in Las Vegas and take some of the best nature park tours in the area, you should know that there is one type of tour that will not only take you to Zion Nature Park, but will also stop at another iconic site; Bryce Canyon.

This other great nature reserve is famous for its curious geological constructions in the form of red chimneys that are scattered throughout the terrain. This is a unique opportunity to get an in-depth look at the terrain of the entire desert area between Nevada and Utah.

This type of tour is designed to take place over the course of a full day and usually divides the two destinations into morning and afternoon.

This way, you can hike through the winding canyons of Zion during the early hours of the day and, after an hour-long bus ride, see the incredible red chimneys at sunset. Great plan, isn't it?

In small groups

This type of tour is quite popular and that's why different types of tours have been created. One of them is in small groups. In order not to go with a large number of people, tours have been designed with a maximum of 8 or 10 people per excursion.

Private

If you want to experience the wilderness in an intimate and confidential way, you also have the option of booking one of the tours to Zion and Bryce Canyon Wilderness Park in a completely private way with your family or travel group.

Details of interest

• Price: general exclusions can be around €150, but if you want a reduced or private option it can be as much as €300 per head.
• Duration: these are full day trips, around 13 hours.
• Itinerary: This type of tour splits the day from Las Vegas to tour Zion Wilderness Park first and then have lunch at Bryce Canyon Preserve.
• Pleasenote: Lunch and all transfers are usually included. Just select and book the type of tour in advance as they are usually in high demand.

Perhaps one of the most impressive landscapes to rival Zion Wilderness Park is the breathtaking Valley of Fire, located less than an hour from Las Vegas. This place looks like something out of another planet, as it's almost entirely made up of reddish rock and jagged terrain that's more like Mars than our own planet.

The Valley of Fire has a lot to see and if you want to see all the sights around Las Vegas, you can't miss it. That's why they have designed a type of tour that, in addition to taking you to see Zion Park, also dedicates part of the day to see this imposing valley with your own eyes.

This place is also halfway between Las Vegas and Zion, making it the ideal stop if you're sightseeing in the area. Groups are usually no larger than 20 people and you're sure to have an unforgettable day.

Interesting details

• Price: around 200€.
• Duration: for a full day excursion, between 10 and 11 hours.
• Itinerary: Most tours depart from Las Vegas, make a first stop in the Valley of Fire and continue on to spend the rest of the day in Zion.
• Please note: You'll have a guide and lunch and drinks included, but even so, try to bring comfortable clothes and extra drinks as you'll be spending the whole day in very deserted terrain.

Do you like to feel the adrenaline rush? Then a simple hike in Zion National Park might be a little too short for you. The entire terrain of this beautiful place is full of streams, ravines, steep slopes and steep inclines.

The more conventional trails tend to take in the spectacle from afar, but there is a type of hiking tour that lets you glide through this natural roller coaster.

Canyoning is one of the most popular activities in the park, as it is made up of dozens of canyons that create steep drops. One of the most fun and original ways to hike through them is to put on a harness and, with the help of a guide, go down them all.

You can combine hiking, rappelling and canyoning while you get to know the iconic slot canyons of the eastern part of Zion and feel the excitement with the rest of the group and the advice and confidence of an instructor and guide.

Details of interest

• Price: Approximately £150.
• Duration: This type of activity usually lasts 4 hours, plus the drive from Las Vegas for a total of 8 hours.
• Itinerary: these tours usually arrive from Las Vegas to Zion Wilderness Park and, after a short briefing, they tour the most popular areas combining different adventure sports.
• Please note: This is not an activity suitable for everyone as it requires safety and, above all, a good physical condition. In addition, some tours do not include transfers.

Hiking and sightseeing in Zion Wilderness Park during the day is a popular and sought-after activity for visitors. But what few people realise is that it's when it gets dark that one of the park's greatest secrets comes to light.

Due to its location, this park is completely isolated from light pollution and has beautiful, clear skies that allow you to see all the stars.

For this reason, excursions are organised that take small groups of people at dusk to this emblematic place and, after a short walk, they can enjoy the stars with a specialised guide who will guide them through the constellations.

Most of these nocturnal excursions also have powerful telescopes so that the experience is complete and you are not only in a beautiful natural environment, but also witness the immensity of the universe.

Interesting details

• Price: around 150€.
• Duration: The observation time usually lasts about 2 hours but, with transfers, it is an excursion that usually lasts about 5-6 hours.
• Itinerary: Most tours depart from Las Vegas and, after a short drive, stop at Zion Park to view the stars in the night sky.
• Please note: Some tours do not include transfers and are subject to weather conditions to ensure stargazing.

If you're looking for a general tour of Zion Wilderness Park, either because you're short on time on your Las Vegas trip or because you want to see it in a different and quicker way, a jeep tour is definitely one of the best options.

With the help of a qualified driver, you and a small group of people can hop into a large, customised jeep and drive through the roughest and rockiest roads to some of the best scenery in Zion and its canyons.

There are many off-road tours all over the Las Vegas area, but I can assure you that this type of tour is one of the best.

Zion is a huge reserve and to be able to drive around it for 4 hours feeling the adrenaline rush and being able to stop and enjoy the views is a luxury not to be missed.

Details of interest

• Price: around €125.
• Duration: the jeep tour usually takes about 4 hours plus the transfer from Las Vegas, making it a half-day excursion.
• Itinerary: upon arrival at Zion Wilderness Park, a jeep will usually be waiting for you with a driver and guide who will take you for hours through all the most emblematic areas of the park.
• Please note: remember to book early as this is for a limited group of people. Transfers from Las Vegas are usually not included.

Zion Park is full of nativeflora and fauna that is protected and cared for.

In such a natural setting, you may not think it's a good idea to bring any motor vehicles into the park. Luckily, if you don't have the time to spend hours and hours touring and walking around this spectacular place, one of the best alternatives is to take a horseback riding tour.

There are several companies that have taken on horseback riding tours of the park and I can assure you that it is a very enriching and exciting experience.

Not only do you get to get on a beautiful horse and ride through amazing scenery and have the best views of Zion Park, but you also get a brief introduction to horseback riding to bond with the horse.

If you're an animal lover, I'm sure you'll love this type of tour.

Interesting details

• Price: usually around 50€.
• Duration: the rides are no longer than 2 hours so as not to tire the animals.
• Itinerary: the entire east side of Zion Park is usually covered on horseback so you can enjoy the views.
• To bear in mind: if you go with children, they must always be with adults. Also, transfers from Las Vegas are not included.

Are you a regular cyclist wherever you go? Then you've probably thought about the idea of cycling through this popular area of the Zion Canyons on this environmentally friendly and healthy mode of transport.

You're in luck, because around Zion Wilderness Park, specifically in the Springdale area, there are several types of bike tours that take you on all the most spectacular trails and hikes.

Plus, you'll have a guide who knows the terrain inside out and will take you to the best viewpoints to take in the scenery of the canyons.

Tired from all that pedalling? Don't worry, the bikes are usually electric, when you can't do it anymore, just push a button and let yourself go.

Interesting details

• Price: usually around 200€.
• Duration: these tours last 4 hours plus transfers, almost a total of 8 hours from Las Vegas.
• Itinerary: You'll spend half a day touring the Springdale area, east of Zion Park.
• Please note: Transfers from Las Vegas are not usually included but you will be provided with all the bike equipment and a small lunch.

If you're travelling as a family and have decided to come to Las Vegas with children, you may be struggling to find suitable activities and excursions that you can all participate in. If you want to get out of the hustle and bustle of the city and get to know this fantastic natural park, you should know that there is an option in which you can go completely on your own and according to your needs.

This is an autonomous excursion mode in which you only need to have a mobile device. For a much cheaper price than the others, you will have access to a detailed route of the places you should go to in the park.

Of course, you will have to have your own vehicle to move around in. This way, all you have to do is follow the directions on the map, accompany it with the explanation provided and you'll be able to explore Zion Park to your heart's content - a real luxury.

Interesting details

• Price: the approximate price is €10.
• Duration: the time it takes to do the whole route is up to you, but they are usually designed to be done in one day.
• Itinerary: This is an app that will guide you on a map to the most popular places and how to get there by car.
• Pleasenote: you must have your own transport. If you are staying in Las Vegas you can easily find a rental car.

If you've come to Las Vegas for 7 days or more and want to get a good tour of the surrounding area without rushing, I've got a great plan for you. Most tours usually last a full day at the most so you can go back to the city and take advantage of the things Las Vegas has to do at night.

However, if you have the time and are interested in being in touch with nature, I recommend you take two days out of your holiday and come to Zion National Park and spend a night in the park.

This way, you'll be able to tour not only Zion for the day, but also nearby places of interest such as the Valley of Fire or the Bryce Canyon Preserve and then get to stargaze in the park.

This type of excursion tends to surprise and delight visitors and, in addition to having a nice campsite set up for the excursion, you can also choose to stay overnight in the rustic cabins, which have all the amenities and even some jacuzzi tubs.

Interesting details

• Price: the total price is usually around 350€.
• Duration: This is a two-day excursion.
• Itinerary: During the first day you will be able to tour the nearby reserves and, at the end of the day, you will usually arrive in Zion where you will spend the night and, the next morning, you will have the whole day to get to know the place.
• Pleasenote: this type of excursion is weather dependent and it is not recommended to go in the winter months.

You may think that, being in the middle of the desert, the weather in Las Vegas and Zion Park is always warm. Going to Las Vegas in winter isn't a bad idea, but if you're planning to visit Zion Park, my recommendation is to plan for the autumn or spring months.

The best-rated months are usually between April and June, when the entire park is in bloom. However, if you can handle the heat, it's also a good idea to go in the summer months.

A holiday in Las Vegas can be quite an adventure. The truth is that the city allows you to explore it on your own without any problems, but even if you have decided to rent a car and explore the parks and landscapes on your own, the truth is that going to Zion Natural Park for the first time without knowing it can be a bit risky.

The reserve is huge and if you don't know the routes, you can easily get lost. Therefore, I recommend that you check out the wide variety of excursions available and take advantage of the opportunity to get to know the place with expert guides who can show you the best views of the Las Vegas area by bike, on horseback, through a harness or on foot.

You have already seen that Las Vegas is not only about casinos. Don't think twice and, if you want to experience nature at its purest, come and discover the Zion Nature Park and all its attractions.