My recollection is that Mesa Arch is near the entrance and not hard to get to early morning.
Do the Fiery Furnace guided hike in Arches if at all possible, it was the best thing we did there.
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You may want to stop for lunch in Helper on the way from SLC to Moab. We had seen it off the Zephyr as a stop the prior year and decided to check it out more fully when we did our road trip in Utah. It’s a really cute little town that’s been beautifully revitalized. There are also some petroglyphs on the way to Moab, a quick stop off the road, I’d have to double check where they were.
I’ve only skimmed this so not sure what your itinerary is. We flew into SLC, spent a couple days in Moab (arches, canyonlands, dead horse), then to bryce, on to Zion and flew back from LAS. I will say that just about the entire drive, especially from Moab onwards, was gorgeously scenic. It was a fabulous trip - a truly stunning part of the country.
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OP here – we’ve done some research, spoken with my cousins (one lives in Arizona, one lives in Vegas) about various things. also talked w my niece, who did the Big 5 with her family (3 kids under 8!)
DH has chosen Zion; I know it can be super crowded but we are hoping September after Labor Day will be less so. We did Yellowstone in combo w other places and think for Zion we’ll just really enjoy it, and not try to overschedule. DH is getting his flying fear under control.
Looking at a place in the East entrance area but maybe Springdale is more practical w/ more places to get groceries. Advice from anyone who has been is stillsuper helpful!
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When we went to Zion we stayed in Springdale, at an inn (Desert Pearl?) walking distance from the entrance and visitor center. We were happy with that choice.
We also booked a canyoneering trip on the west side of Zion and it was a highlight.
We also didn’t do much hiking in the main canyon. There had just been a flash flood a few days before. The evidence was all over; and we witnessed a rockfall on the trail we had planned from a fork in the trail below. So we took a shorter hike on the other fork. We normally do a lot of hiking but not that day.
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Tip: Stay at the Zion lodge. You’ll get a parking pass. Only lodge guests can drive into and park in the park. The lines for the shuttle at the visitors center can be really long.
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I looked into staying at the lodge, but we really can’t. DH has food restrictions and they are not accomodating at the Lodge.
@greenbutton We just did this trip this past September. Re: Zion…We were unable to stay at the lodge, and I didn’t really want to spend $$$ to stay right in Springdale, so we stayed in La Verkin. First, don’t sleep on the beauty of the less busy side of the Park - Kolob Canyon. From La Verkin, we were able to easily drive and park and take a short hiking trail (that we had mostly to ourselves) to watch a spectacular sunset. For the day we planned to hike Angel’s Landing, I made sure to get the earliest time slot (before 9am) and we drove in the dark from our hotel to the park entrance to ensure we’d get parking. The bonus was enjoying a beautiful sunrise as we approached. We also found lines for shuttles not super busy until noon or so. It was never terrible, it is definitely less busy than in the midst of the high season.
One more thing, if you’ve got it in you to make the drive (2 hours or so), Bryce Canyon is well worth it. We did all 5 on this trip and that one was by far our favorite.
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We loved Zion! My kids felt oat was a smaller, more intimate park than the others we went to. We stayed at the lodge in the park as we were only there 1 night.
Springdale was very convenient for us last year when we went. We stayed at the Best Western and there were shuttle stops up and down the main road. Lots of restaurant options.
So our lodging reservations are done - a couple days on the west side, a few more on the east side so we can spend a day at Bryce Canyon. I booked horseback riding for us as well (DH was raised with horses and often opines he’d like to ride once more before he dies). Just a short meander, nothing too much.
Clothing advice? I am reading a lot about what’s most appropriate and am unsure. We both own regular hiking boots and sunhats. Someplace we have a couple long sleeved UV shirts as well. Concerned about fitting it all in a carryon (one each). We will be in Zion 5 days plus travel day on either end to Las Vegas (where we have family)
Much depends on how active you will both be and how hot/cold you get. We are wimps from Hawaii so brought lots of layers we could put on or take off. We just did easy hikes so just wore sports shoes, not hiking boots. I’m sure hiking boots are more protective & warmer.
Weather can be changeable so I’d expect a range. Even if it may be sunny and relatively warmer during the day, nights got pretty cold for those of us who are easily chilled.
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Wear your hiking boots on the plane if they are the bulkiest item you have.
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We will only be doing the most simple of “hikes” – more just walking around, no serious elevation gains planned. I wonder if hiking boots are overkill but yeah we’d wear those on the plane. I am an overheater.
We’ll definitely be out at night, hoping for at least one night of clear skies. I have read fleece, I have read actual coats needed. This will be in late September.
Because we are easily cold, we brought ski jackets plus multiple other layers. Skies are lovely and clear—so many stars! I wore a ton of clothing all the time, but I do that when temps drop even to 60 and below. Having a good hat is key—I wore omniheat hat. It kept my head nice & toasty. Wool socks are also nice to keep feet comfortable.
I usually take a down jacket, as that packs really small. Also a fleece hat and light gloves. I needed it camping in Capitol Reef (5000ft) in May, it will likely also be needed in October. And I like hiking in long sleeved wicking shirts - I’ve got a collection from many of the national parks in the southwest.
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On our trip last September it was near 90 during the day at Bryce and very chilly (40s) early in the morning and after sunset. Layers were key. A Sun shirt and a hat were essential. It was hotter at Zion during the day, but not as cool at night.
We wore light hiker shoes rather than boots and they were perfect.
You’re going to have such an amazing adventure!!!
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We were in Zion/Bryce in early October of 2024. It was 100 degrees in St. George the day we landed. We only needed any top layer at the start or end of the day, even in Bryce.
Solitude! Nice people and great skiing in winter.