Having shared our Utah National Parks road trip itinerary, we’re often asked where to stay in Zion National Park. Zion, like most National Parks, has limited accommodation within the park itself. Luckily, there are lots of fantastic options close by which offer easy access to Zion’s trails.
We’ve stayed both inside and close to Zion and have included all our recommendations and tips to help you decide where to stay in Zion National Park.
Where to stay in Zion National Park
We’ve included detailed info on the best places to stay in Zion below. If you want to skip the detail and get right to our favorites, these are our top 4 places to stay in Zion:
- Cable Mountain Lodge – the closest hotel to the park entrance and the best high-end option in Springdale – check prices now!
- Best Western Plus Zion Canyon Inn and Suites – the best mid-range option in Springdale and perfect for your time in Zion – check prices now!
- Zion Park Motel – our pick for the best affordable option in Springdale. It’s been operating since 1972 and is a really popular place to stay in Springdale – check prices now!
- Zion Lodge – located deep within the park and serviced by its own shuttle stop, Zion Lodge really allows you to immerse yourself in the park. The lodge often fills up so it’s worth checking your dates well in advance of your trip. We love staying spending a few nights at the lodge when exploring Zion- check prices now!
Where to Stay in Zion National Park
We’ve split our recommendations by area/budget help narrow down the options. Depending on your Zion Itinerary, you may want to stay inside the park itself at Zion Lodge.
Where to Stay inside Zion National Park
Zion Lodge: located deep within the park the historic lodge offers a mix of cabins and hotel rooms. The views from the lodge grounds are spectacular and its location means Zion Lodge is the only accommodation option for those wishing to stay in the park and to avoid the early morning crowds at the trail heads. We love staying at Zion Lodge and getting an early start on Angels Landing for sunrise – guests can walk to the trailheads and start hikes before the first shuttles arrive in the Park – click here for prices
The rooms are located beside the main lodge and are very private, comfortable and spacious with a rustic cabin feel. In the evening deer roam around the grounds and the stars are incredible in the clear night sky.
Guests are provided with a permit/access code and can drive directly to Zion Lodge. From there, the lodge has its own shuttle stop which is awesome for navigating the park. The Lodge also print out your shuttle tickets if you order them in advance which saves time at the shuttle queue.
Where to Stay in Zion National Park tip: Zion Lodge is one of our park favorites, the only downside is that it is extremely popular! Securing a reservation means you typically need to plan your stay months in advance – click here for prices
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Camping: There are two campsites, Watchman Campground and South Campground, within the park. Both campsites are located near the visitors center at the South entrance. At the Watchman sites are released for reservation on a 6 month rolling basis while in the South Campground it is on a 14 day rolling basis.
Where to Stay in Springdale
Outside of the park, the best place to stay is in the town of Springdale which is located at the south entrance to the park.
Springdale is packed with hotels so choosing where to stay can seem a bit daunting. We’ve tried of few of the Springdale options on previous visits to Zion and made our decision based on location/ease of access to the shuttle route, price and standard of accommodation.
Where to Stay at Zion National Park tip: When choosing where to stay in Springdale it is important to consider how close your hotel is to the shuttle bus stop as you will need to walk there to access Zion National Park.
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Best Luxury Hotels in Springdale
1 | Cable Mountain Lodge
Cable Mountain Lodge is right next to the Zion National Park entrance. Its location, adjacent to the Zion Visitors Center, means you can hop on the park shuttle bus and reach any of the trails within minutes. Our Zion favorite, Cable Mountain Lodge has modern comfortable rooms ranging from studios and suites up to Canyon loft residences with private balconies offering views of the park.
The facilities at Cable Mountain Lodge are exceptional and the outdoor pool and jacuzzi have some of the best views of the Watchman in Springdale. Zion Outfitters is also located right beside the hotel. – click here for prices
Where to Stay in Zion National Park tip: Zion Outfitters is a great store to pick up last minute supplies for your time in the park. They have everything from basic hiking equipment such as poles and shoe traction devices to bike and tube rental. Zion Outfitters also provides specialised gear rental for the Narrows hike so it’s great to have this on your doorstep at Cable Mountain Lodge.
2 | Flanagan’s Inn
It’s easy to see why Flanagan’s Inn is one of the most popular places to stay at Zion National Park. Branding itself as an eco-resort and spa, it offers a mix of rooms, suites and villas, Flanagan’s Inn has been a Zion favorite for years. Located just 10 minutes walk from the Zion entrance and located on a Springdale Shuttle stop, Flanigan’s Inn is a reasonably priced option with good sized clean rooms, a pool and a hot tub
Designed in a classic lodge style, Flanagan’s inn is the perfect place for couples, families and groups alike to base themselves during their time at Zion National Park.
The full-service spa is the perfect place to relax and unwind after a busy day exploring Zion. Three are lots of dining options within a short distance and the on-site bistro, the Spotted Dog Café, is popular with guests. – click here for prices!
3 | Cliffrose Springdale
One of the newer hotels in Springdale, The Cliffrose Springdale is part of the Hilton group hotels and is one of the closest hotels to the Zion park entrance. The hotel sits right on the Virgin River. The hotel offers a variety of rooms, from single and double riverside and canyon view rooms and suites up to larger 2-3 bedroom villas with incredible views of the surrounding canyon. Every room has direct access to the beautiful botanical gardens
There are lots of places to eat located nearby but on site patio restaurant Anthera has lots of options and the views are spectacular. The on-site spa is very popular and is the perfect way to unwind after a busy day exploring the best hikes in Zion National Park – click here for prices!
4 | SpringHill Suites Springdale Zion National Park
We’ve stayed in many Springhill Suites, including Zion, across the USA and it’s always a reliable base for exploring the surrounding area. As with all SpringHill Suites, all rooms at the hotel are suites which is great for extra space and relaxing after exploring Zion National Park. The rooms are large and comfortable.
One of the shuttle stops is located directly in front of the hotel and parking is available on site and is free to hotel guests. – click here for prices!
Best Mid-range Hotels in Springdale
There are a number of mid-range hotel options in Springdale.
1 | Best Western Plus Zion Canyon Inn and Suites
The Best Western Plus is a fantastic mid-range option at Zion National Park and it is one of the most popular hotels in Springdale. With an outdoor pool and hot tub, free wifi and a full breakfast served daily it’s a great base for exploring Zion. There is free parking for all guests and the Zion shuttle stop is located directly outside the hotel. The Best Western Plus is also located very close to the park entrance and is great value for money – click here for prices!
2 | Hampton Inn & Suites Springdale
Located in the centre of Springdale with the Virgin river adjacent to it, the Hampton Inn & Suites is another popular option. The hotel is a short walk to lots of restaurants and stores and the no. 6 shuttle bus stop is located just steps from the front of the hotel.
After a fun day exploring Zion, it’s lovely to relax in the outdoor hot tub or chill by the outdoor fireplace. – click here for prices!
3 | Zion Canyon Lodge
Zion Canyon Lodge is another affordable option in central Springdale. Opened in 2019 the hotel offers standard rooms and family suites with a free continental breakfast – click here for prices!
Best Budget Springdale Hotel options
Due to it’s popularity demand for Zion hotels can drive high prices for accomadation in Springdale. If you’re looking for a more budget friendly option we recommend the following hotels:
1 | Zion Park Motel
Zion Park Motel is probably the best affordable option in Springdale. The motel has an outdoor heated pool with shaded and open decks for relaxing. The Zion shuttle stop is also nearby which makes getting to the park extremely easy – click here for prices!
Tips for Where to Stay at Zion National Park
There are a number of tips to consider when planning where to stay during your time Zion National Park.
1 | How Long should you stay at Zion National Park.
We recommend a 3-4 night stay at Zion National Park. This allows visitors time to take in all of the sights of Zion and enough time to enjoy the main hikes (Angels Landing, the Narrows via Riverside Walk and the Emerald Pools hikes) . It is possible to see the main sights in a single day, however we recommend allowing 3-full days for a Zion Itinerary.
We like to stay at Zion for three nights at Zion and find it the perfect balance of time vs budget for visiting the park.
2 | Book your accommodation well in advance
Zion is one of the most popular national parks in the USA so booking your accommodation well in advance will save you time and money on your visit. Securing a place to stay near the park shuttle is important as you’ll need to use the buses to access the park (outside of the quietest winter days).
3 | Can I drive into Zion National Park?
Outside of the winter season private vehicle access is not allowed into Zion National Park (with the exception of Zion Lodge Guests). There is simply not enough parking inside the park to allow it.
Visitors have to use the Zion shuttle bus system to access the park. The shuttles service between Springdale and the park and the Zion trailheads. During the winter months, it is sometimes possible to drive the Scenic drive into Zion, however parking is extremely limited so we wouldn’t really advise it. Parking in the majority of the hotels (including all that we recommend) at Zion is free to you should not have any parking costs in Zion.
4 | Is Zion Lodge worth the cost?
In a word, YES, especially if you want to enjoy early starts and long days at the park! Zion Lodge is the only accommodation option located inside the park. It definitely makes a stay in Zion extra special.
The only issue with Zion Lodge is that it is extremely popular so securing a reservation means you need to plan your stay months in advance or hope for a cancellation. If you’re planning a trip to Zion National Park, Zion Lodge should be your first choice for where to stay – you won’t regret it! – click here for prices
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5 | How to get around Zion National Park
Zion National Park operates a shuttle bus system that runs from Springdale into the park and along the Zion Scenic Drive. The Scenic Drive through Zion itself is only open to vehicles during the winter months (November – March approximately) so outside of these months, visitors will need to park or stay in Springdale and take the shuttle into the park.
Shuttle tickets cost $1 and you will need to reserve a shuttle ticket in advance to board the buses. However you can hop on and off throughout the park as many times as you like. Shuttles operate from 7 am each day during operational months.
It is important to note as during the summer months it is not possible to get into Zion National Park for sunrise unless you stay within the park itself.
