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 the Zion Natural Park. Located just over two hours away by car, this place is full of reddish canyons, desert landscapes, breathtaking canyons and beautiful skies. If just thinking about it makes you want to come and visit it, here I am going to show you the best excursions you can do to live the full experience of the park.

Do you like nature and seeing new landscapes? There are numerous excursions from Las Vegas but I can assure you that one of the most impressive is the one that is completely dedicated to know in depth the Zion National Park.

It is clear that there are many other interesting places, but the immensity of this reserve is such that even if you spend all day touring it, you will want to come back.

If you are sure that you want to get into this beautiful place, there is no better way to do it than hiring a tour that takes you from Las Vegas to the Park and that, with the help of a guide, will show you the most emblematic places.

In this type of excursions it is normal to move by car or van because the distances are long, but you will always have the opportunity throughout the day to make short walks and have time to take the best pictures of your vacation.

Details of interest

• Price: approximately 250€.
• Duration: it is a full day excursion, 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.
• Pleasenote: 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 days in Las Vegas and take some of the best excursions to natural parks in the area, you should know that there is a type of excursion that will not only take you to know the Zion Natural Park, but will also stop at another emblematic place; Bryce Canyon.

This other great Natural Reserve is famous for its curious geological constructions in the form of red chimneys that are scattered throughout the terrain. It is a unique opportunity to get to know in depth the terrain of the entire desert area between Nevada and Utah.

This type of excursions are designed to be done throughout the day and usually divide both destinations between the morning and afternoon.

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

In small groups

This type of tours are quite popular and that is why different types of modalities have been created. One of them is that of small groups. In order not to go with a large number of people, they have come to design tours in which the maximum number of people is about 8 or 10 per tour.

Private

If what you want is to live an experience in nature in an intimate way and in confidence, you also have the option of hiring some of the excursions to Zion Natural Park and Bryce Canyon Natural 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 reach up to 300€ per head.
• Duration: these are full day excursions, around 13 hours.
• Itinerary: this type of excursion divides the day to travel from Las Vegas first to Zion Natural Park and then to have lunch at Bryce Canyon Reserve.
• Pleasenote: lunch and all transfers are usually included. You just need to select and book the type of tour in advance as they are usually in high demand.

Perhaps one of the most impressive landscapes that compete with Zion Wilderness Park is the breathtaking Valley of Fire, located less than an hour from Las Vegas. This place seems to be taken from another planet, since almost all of it is formed by reddish rock and an irregular terrain almost more similar to Mars than to our own planet.

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

This place, moreover, is halfway between Las Vegas and Zion, so it becomes the ideal stop if you are sightseeing in the area. The groups are usually no more than 20 people and I assure you that it will be an unforgettable day.

Details of interest

• Price: around 200€.
• Duration: in 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 to spend the rest of the day in Zion.
• Please note: you will have a guide and lunch and drinks included, but still, try to bring comfortable clothes and extra drinks as you will be spending the whole day in very desert terrain.

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

The most conventional routes usually see all this spectacle from afar, but there is a type of excursion in which you can slide down all this natural roller coaster.

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

You can combine hiking, rappelling and canyoning while you 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 a monitor and guide.

Details of interest

• Price: 150€ approximately.
• Duration: this type of activities usually last 4 hours, plus the trip from Las Vegas would be a total of 8 hours of excursion.
• Itinerary: normally, these excursions usually arrive from Las Vegas to Zion Natural Park and, after a brief instruction, they go through the most popular areas combining different adventure sports.
• Please note: it 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 transportation.

Being able to hike and tour Zion Wilderness Park during the day is a popular and in-demand activity among visitors. But, what few know is that it is precisely when it gets dark that one of its greatest secrets comes to light.

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

That is why they organize excursions that take small groups of people at sunset to this emblematic place and, after a short walk, they can enjoy the stars with a specialized guide who will guide them through the constellations.

Most of these night tours also have powerful telescopes to make the experience more complete and, not only are you in a beautiful natural environment, but also witness the vastness of the universe.

Details of interest

• 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 brief tour, stop at Zion Park to view the stars in the night sky.
• Pleasenote: some tours do not include transportation and it is also subject to weather conditions to ensure stargazing.

If you want to take a general tour of Zion Wilderness Park, either because you don't have much time on your trip through Las Vegas or because you want to see it in a different and agile way, one of the best options is to take a jeep tour.

With the help of a qualified driver, you can get into a large jeep with a small group of people and go through the roughest and rockiest roads to reach some of the best landscapes of Zion and its canyons.

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

Zion is a huge reserve and to be able to drive around it for 4 hours feeling the adrenaline and being able to stop and enjoy the views is a luxury that you can't miss.

Details of interest

• Price: around 125€.
• Duration: the jeep tour usually lasts about 4 hours plus the transfer from Las Vegas ends up being a half-day excursion.
• Itinerary: when you arrive at Zion Natural Park, a jeep will usually be waiting for you with its driver and guide who will take you for hours through all the most emblematic areas of the park.
• Please note: remember to book in advance as it is for a limited group of people. Transfers from Las Vegas are not usually 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 motorized vehicles into the park. Luckily, if you don't have 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 will you be able to get on a beautiful horse and ride through amazing scenery and have the best views of Zion Park, but you can also have 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.

Details of interest

• Price: usually around 50€.
• Duration: the rides are not longer than 2 hours so as not to tire the animals.
• Itinerary: usually you will go all over the east side of Zion Park on horseback to enjoy the views.
• To keep in mind: if you go with children, they must always be with adults. Also, transfers from Las Vegas are not included.

Do you bike everywhere you go? Then you've probably thought about the idea of touring this popular area of the Zion Canyons on this eco-friendly and healthy mode of transportation.

You're in luck, because in the vicinity of 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.

In addition, you will have a guide who knows the terrain perfectly and will take you to the best viewpoints to have all the scenery of the canyons.

Are you tired of pedaling so much? Don't worry, the bicycles 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 excursions last 4 hours plus transfers, almost a total of 8 hours from Las Vegas.
• Itinerary: you will travel for half a day throughout the Springdale area, east of Zion Park.
• Please note: Transfers from Las Vegas are not usually included but you will have all the bike equipment and a small lunch.

If you are traveling as a family and have decided to come to Las Vegas with children, you may be struggling to find activities and excursions that are suitable for all of you to 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 rest you will have access to a detailed route of the places you should go within the park.

Of course, you must have your own vehicle to move around. In this way, you will only have to follow the directions on the map, accompany it with the explanation that is given to you and have access to Zion Park at your leisure, a real luxury.

Interesting details

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

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

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

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

This type of excursions tend to surprise and please visitors and, in addition to having a nice campsite set up for the excursion, you can also choose to spend the night in the rustic cabins, which have all the amenities and even some jacuzzi.

Interesting details

• Price: in total it is usually around 350€.
• Duration: it is a two-day excursion.
• Itinerary: during the first day you will be able to visit 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.
• To take into account: this type of excursions are conditioned by the weather 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. The truth is that going to Las Vegas in the winter is not a bad idea, but if you plan to visit Zion Park, my recommendation is to plan for the fall or spring months.

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

Spending a vacation in Las Vegas can be quite an adventure. The truth is that the city allows you to explore it on your own without any problem, but even if you have decided to rent a car and see the parks and landscapes that are nearby, 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 do not know the routes, you can easily get lost. For this reason, I recommend that you check out the wide variety of excursions available and take the opportunity to get to know the place with expert guides who can show you the best views of the Las Vegas area, whether by bike, on horseback, through a harness or walking quietly.

You have already seen that Las Vegas is not only casinos. Don't think twice and, if you want to feel nature in its purest form, come and visit the Zion Natural Park and all its attractions.