Where to stay near Zion National Park: the 3 areas to know in 2026
A regulation governs this page, and it has no equivalent in the American west: from March to November, private vehicles are not allowed on the canyon's scenic drive. Everyone takes the shuttle, which is free and comes back within 5 to 10 minutes, so everyone parks in the same place. Sleeping in Springdale, 2 kilometres from the entrance, means you can leave the car at the hotel: the town shuttle, free as well, drops you at the gate on foot.
The second fact is a matter of clock. The Angels Landing permit goes by lottery, and the day-before one closes at 3pm for a result after 4pm: whoever learns it at that hour must already have a room in order to set off the next morning. Our three members, finally, do not judge this park the same way: one did « real hikes » there, another finds that « you have to choose your hikes carefully ».
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The two ways to stay near Zion National Park
One figure alone really separates the three areas: the time between your door and the gate, since from March to November no private vehicle drives in the canyon.
| What changes | In Springdale | In the valley or in Kanab |
|---|---|---|
| As far as the gate | 2 to 3 kilometres, free shuttle | From 34 to 66 kilometres, by car |
| The car during the day | In the hotel car park | Parked at the entrance, like everyone else |
| The day-before lottery | Playable on the spot for the next day | Playable too, but the drive is added |
| Dinner | The park avenue and its tables | Ordinary townships, open later |
| The scores we recorded | From 8.2 to 9.1 | From 7.8 to 9.1 |
| How many addresses | Four, on a single avenue | Five, across three townships |
| The rest of the trip | Back towards Las Vegas or Saint George | Bryce, Page or the Grand Canyon north rim |
| Who it suits | Anyone coming to walk for several days | Anyone crossing the west and stopping a day |
How long to the entrance, area by area?
This table gives distances BY ROAD, counted from the Zion Canyon visitor centre, and not from the park record, which points at the east entrance: that one is 18 kilometres and 30 minutes away, through the tunnel.
| From | Time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Springdale, at the foot of the entrance | 2 km, 4 min | free shuttle The town shuttle has 9 stops, with a service roughly every quarter of an hour. |
| The Virgin valley, from La Verkin to Hurricane | 34 to 40 km | car Thirty-four minutes from La Verkin, 41 from Hurricane. |
| Kanab, past the tunnel and the switchbacks | 66 km, 71 min | car, through the tunnel Bryce Canyon is 139 kilometres and 134 minutes from Zion Canyon. |
At a glance: our picks by traveller type
Pick the profile that fits you and go straight to the recommended area.
Map of the areas near Zion National Park
See how the areas sit relative to one another before choosing your base. Click a name to jump to its description.
Springdale, at the foot of the entrance 2 kilometres from the gate, along the Virgin
Anyone wanting to leave the car at the hotel all day
The town holds on a single avenue that runs into the park entrance, and it is its shuttle that makes its value: 9 stops, a service roughly every quarter of an hour, free, and the drop-off right at the gate, on foot. Four of our addresses are here, the two nearest 2 and 3 kilometres from the visitor centre. This is also where you play the day-before lottery for Angels Landing, whose result lands after 4pm for the following day.
bring a picnic, because there is not much on site
Where to stay in this area
Best Western Plus Zion Canyon Inn & Suites Mid-range
9.1 on more than 1,100 reviews, which nothing here beats except Kanab Suites on equal terms: 2 kilometres and 4 minutes from the visitor centre.
Hampton Inn & Suites Springdale/Zion National Park Mid-range
8.6 on a thousand reviews and a bit more: 3 kilometres and 6 minutes from the gate, on the same avenue as the town shuttle.
SpringHill Suites by Marriott Springdale Zion National Park Mid-range
8.6 as well, but on just over 550 reviews: same street, same shuttle, half as many travellers behind the figure.
Hyatt Place Springdale - Zion National Park Mid-range
8.2, with more than 2,300 reviews behind that figure, a total nobody here reaches: the house carries a new brand, which explains the two names still in circulation.
Pros
- The town shuttle drops you at the gate, on foot
- No parking space to hunt for inside the park
- The day-before lottery is played on the spot
Cons
- A single avenue, at the rates of a park gate
- Little to eat inside the park, hence the picnic
The Virgin valley, from La Verkin to Hurricane From 34 to 40 kilometres, down the river
Anyone sleeping cheaper and accepting the morning drive
Going down the Virgin to the west, you leave the canyon for two ordinary townships, La Verkin and its 4,060 inhabitants then Hurricane and its 15,501: from 34 to 40 kilometres from the visitor centre, that is some thirty minutes. Our three addresses are there, and the best rated posts an 8.9. The arithmetic is simple: you pay in morning drives what you save on the room, and the parking space at the gate still has to be found to take the shuttle.
Where to stay in this area
Holiday Inn La Verkin - Zion Park by IHG Mid-range
8.9 on more than 260 reviews, the best figure in the valley: La Verkin is 34 kilometres and 34 minutes from the visitor centre.
My Place Hotel-Hurricane, UT Mid-range
8.4 on more than 550 reviews: 40 kilometres and 41 minutes from the gate, in the most populated township of the area.
Days Inn by Wyndham Hurricane/Zion National Park Area Budget
7.8 on more than 800 reviews, and nothing is lower on these pages: it is also the most modest room in the area.
Pros
- Two ordinary townships, far from canyon prices
- Shops, and something to eat after the walk
- The road towards Saint George and its airport
Cons
- Thirty-four minutes of road at best, every morning
- You still have to park at the gate
Kanab, past the tunnel and the switchbacks 66 kilometres out, on the road to Page
Anyone linking Zion with Bryce, Page or the north rim
Past the east entrance, the road goes through the tunnel and climbs in switchbacks: 18 kilometres from the visitor centre already ask 30 minutes, and Kanab is 66 kilometres out, that is 71 minutes. That detour only holds for an itinerary: the town of 4,394 inhabitants is the crossroads towards Page, towards the north rim of the Grand Canyon and towards Bryce Canyon, the latter 139 kilometres and 134 minutes from Zion Canyon. Our two addresses are there, including a 9.1.
Where to stay in this area
Kanab Suites Mid-range
9.1 on more than 380 reviews, the same peak as the Best Western in Springdale: but 66 kilometres from the gate instead of 2.
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Kanab Mid-range
More than 440 reviews on its page, whose score could not be recorded the same day: the chain hotel of the town, 66 kilometres from the park.
Pros
- The crossroads towards Page and the north rim
- A 9.1 away from Springdale rates
- The tunnel and the switchbacks, on the way
Cons
- Seventy-one minutes to the visitor centre
- Nothing to see on this side of the park without driving
Our tips for booking the right place
- From March to November, no private vehicle drives in the canyon: This is the fact that governs the choice of room, and the park states it in black and white: during the shuttle season, private vehicles cannot drive on the canyon's scenic drive, including before and after service hours. The shuttle is free, with no permit and no reservation, comes back within 5 to 10 minutes and serves 9 stops; the first departure from the visitor centre is at 7am or 8am depending on the season, the last between 4.30pm and 6pm. The consequence: every visitor who drives parks in the same place, and only those in Springdale can do without it.
- Angels Landing: the day-before lottery closes at 3pm: The permit is required only on the chains section, between Scout Lookout and the summit; Scout Lookout itself is reached without asking anyone, and our member confirms that « the rest of the route is just as brilliant ». Two lotteries exist. The day-before one opens at 12.01am, closes at 3pm and gives its result after 4pm, for the following day. The seasonal one opens several months ahead, with up to seven ranked dates and four annual windows. The application costs $6* for up to six people, and the permit $3* per person.
- The entrance fee, and the $100* a nonresident pays: A vehicle pays $35* for seven days, a walker or a cyclist $20* above the age of 16, and nothing below. Since the start of 2026, however, a surcharge of $100* per person aged 16 and over applies to anyone who is neither a citizen nor a resident of the United States. Mind the trap: the annual pass specific to Zion, at $70*, is reserved for American citizens and residents; it is the nonresident annual pass, at $250*, that waives the surcharge, and it holds for the eleven parks concerned.
- Planning to drive in the canyon from March to November: the scenic drive is closed to private cars for the whole shuttle season.
- Counting on eating inside the park: our member advises a picnic, « because there is not much on site ».
- Buying the Zion annual pass at $70* hoping to avoid the surcharge: it is reserved for citizens and residents of the United States.
FAQ: where to stay near Zion National Park
Is Springdale the place to sleep?
What does entry actually cost?
How does the shuttle work?
Do you need a permit for Angels Landing?
And The Narrows, the hike in the river?
Do our members recommend this park?
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