Zion and Bryce 4 Day Tour
St. George, UT
5.0 (14 reviews)Trip Highlights
- Best Zion & Bryce Hikes
- Spires and Towers
- Canyon Country Views
- Delicious Lodge & Picnic Meals
- Canyon Narrows
- Canyon Country Cabins & Lodges
- Amazing Natural & Cultural History
Description
Our inn-based Zion and Bryce hiking tour is an opportunity to explore the highlights of Utah’s two most famous national parks over what amounts to a long weekend. We pack in the hiking so you can make the most of your vacation, visiting landmark Canyon Country features by day and enjoying cozy lodging and wonderful meals in the evenings. Our hikes take us to stunning views of ancient canyons, polished narrows sculpted by water and ice over millions of years, soaring sandstone towers, eight fascinating geologic layers, spring-fed creeks, a maze of “Hoo Doo” masterpieces in Bryce, and more!
$2145 Per Person
$300 Single Supplement
DIFFICULTY LEVEL 2
Our difficulty ratings are based on a scale of 1-5, tours with a rating of 1 being least difficult, tours with a rating of 5 being most difficult
- Backpack Weight:
- 10 pounds
- Daily Hiking Distances:
- 2-10 miles
- Most Elevation Loss:
- 2000 feet
- Most Elevation Gain:
- 2000 feet
- Quality of Trails:
- Mix of maintained and unmaintained
- Additional:
- In Zion and Bryce the trails are very well maintained. Our hike up the Virgin River Narrows is in the water on slippery rocks.
Participants should:
- be active and healthy
- exercise several times per week
- be comfortable hiking 6-8 miles per day in hilly or mountainous terrain taking occasional breaks
SOLITUDE LEVEL 2
1 least solitude, 5 most solitude
We rate this Utah hiking tour a Level 2 for solitude. We’ll be around other hikers much of the time with as much as an hour of solitude occasionally.
TRAVEL TO ST. GEORGE
This Utah trip originates in St. George, Utah where you’ll meet your guide and group. St. George has a small airport served by Delta Connection and United Express. From the St. George Airport one can take a taxi into town or some hotels offer a complimentary airport shuttle. The more popular method of travel though is to fly into Las Vegas, NV and take a shuttle (www.stgshuttle.com) to St. George. This is often your cheapest option. It is a 2-hour drive from Las Vegas to St. George on good roads.
UTAH SALES TAX
Utah is the only state we are based in that charges sales tax to outfitters and guides. The sales tax is based on the St. George, UT municipality rates, which are adjusted occasionally but are in the 6-7% range. For all of our hiking and backpacking tours that originate from our St. George, Utah base (Utah trips and Death Valley trips), the sales tax will be applied automatically to your payments. Feel free to call us at 1-800-715-HIKE (4453) with any questions!
Private Trips
Traveling in perfect company is a wonderful thing! With our private trip offerings you can book a trip exclusively for your group. Whether it’s with family, friends or colleagues, private trips are a fun and enriching way to explore the outdoors.
Private trip pricing is based on a sliding scale, depending on the number of people in your party. Rates are per person and do not include sales tax and national park fees (where applicable) or guide gratuity. Give us a call at 800-715-HIKE to get the ball rolling!
Private Rates FOr This Trip
- 2 People: Rate x 2
- 3 People: Rate x 1.5
- 4 People: Rate x 1.15
- 5+ People: Rate x 1
*all rates are per person and single supplements apply
Learn About Our Private Trips
View Private TripsItinerary
Day 1
- Shuttle to trailhead: 1.5-hour drive from St. George, Utah
- Hiking Mileage: 5 miles
- Difficulty: easy to moderate
- Accommodations: Zion Mountain Ranch or Cliffrose Lodge
This Inn-based hiking tour of Zion and Bryce begins in St. George, Utah where we shuttle directly to Zion National Park. After arriving in Zion we’ll make our way to the first day’s hike. Starting at the Temple of Sinawava, we’ll hike up the Riverside Walk trail and then continue hiking up the river to see some of the best “narrows” sections of the North Fork of the Virgin River. We’ll come prepared to get wet, as the hike up the Narrows is entirely in the water. Your afternoon will be filled with the towering walls of Zion, crystal clear spring water, brilliant red sandstone and rocks polished over tens of thousands of years. After our hike we’ll check-in to our cabins at Zion Mountain Ranch and settle down for a great dinner, a possible evening hike for those interested and a good night’s sleep.
Please note: in the event of high water, the Virgin River Narrows hike will be rerouted to a different trail in Zion. The Park is full of unforgettable hiking and scenery, so it’s easy to find an excellent substitute.
Day 2
- Hiking Mileage: 8 miles
- Difficulty: moderate to strenuous
- Accommodations: Zion Mountain Ranch or Cliffrose Lodge
Day 2 features a hike you’ll never forget! We’ll make our way up a mountainside to one of the best viewpoints offered in Zion. This challenging, thrilling trek is complete with fantastic drop offs and awe-inspiring scenery looking down into Zion Canyon. Our route – on a maintained trail – switchbacks its way up through red Navajo sandstone before cutting into Echo Canyon, a picturesque gorge filled with sandstone pockets. Beyond Echo Canyon the walls drop sharply, allowing truly breathtaking views. Finally at the top, looking down into Zion Canyon at a spectacular scene of stone sculptures contrasted by blue skies, you’ll likely feel that your hard work has never been rewarded this richly!
Important Note: due to rock fall damage and temporary consequential trail closure, for the foreseeeable future the hike of Observation Point (described above) will be rerouted to a combination of Scouts Lookout and the Watchman. These alternate hikes provide comparable elevation gain and distance, and incredible views of both the upper and lower Zion Canyon.
Day 3
- Shuttle to Bryce NP: 3-hour drive from Zion
- Hiking Mileage: 5.5 miles
- Difficulty: moderate to strenuous
- Accommodations: Bryce Canyon Lodge
On Day 3 we’ll make our way to the Bryce Canyon. We’ll hike one of the lesser-traveled trails in Bryce, but one that offers some of the most impressive scenery in the Park. We’ll be in the northern part of Bryce, where we’ll enjoy superb vistas of Boat Mesa, the Sinking Ship formation, Tower Bridge, China Wall, Fairyland Canyon and other amazing rock structures.
After our hike we’ll settle into our historic lodging and enjoy a wonderful meal at a local Canyon Country restaurant.
Day 4
- Hiking Mileage: 6 miles
- Difficulty: moderate
- Shuttle Time: 4.5 hours
On our last morning we’ll eat breakfast, check out of the lodge, and head back into Bryce for another exceptionally memorable hike. We’ll explore a labyrinth of sedimentary hoodoos, fins and spires and spend several hours hiking through this truly remarkable landscape. The hoodoos, which are the most characteristic of Bryce’s natural rock features, range in height from 5 feet to more than 10 stories high and are a vibrant combination of horizontally layered oranges, reds, browns and yellows. Formed 30 to 40 million years ago from deposits at the bottom of an ancient lake, Bryce Canyon features some of the youngest and most iconographic rocks of the region. After descending through geologic time on our hike into the canyon, we’ll enjoy a relaxing picnic lunch before beginning our drive back to St. George. But the wonder is not over yet!
On our journey back to St. George, we’ll stop-off for a special visit to the incredible Kolob Canyon – one of Zion’s hidden gems. Here, we’ll take the opportunity to celebrate our trip with a brief, invigorating hike to an incredible overlook straddling the western edge of the Colorado Plateau – a fitting conclusion to our 4 fantastic days in Canyon Country!
Snow Canyon Add-On Hike
Extend your adventure with a day hike in the amazing “Miniature Zion Canyon” – Snow Canyon State Park! Click here to learn more.
Please Note: We always do everything in our power to follow the set itinerary, however it can change occasionally based on temporary access restrictions, weather, lodging/campground availability, guest ability/injury, natural events like fires and flooding, and other potential causes.
TRIP DATES & BOOKING
AVAILABLE TO BOOK
This trip is available and bookable online! Click on the date to register now or contact us online to book through our award-winning customer service team!
GOING FAST
This trip has 1 or 2 spots remaining and is bookable online! Click on the date to book now or contact us online to book through customer service.
REQUEST A RESERVATION
This trip is exclusively booked through customer service due to logistics with lodging, permits, staffing, availability, or something else. Please contact us online or call us at 800-715-HIKE (4453) to request a reservation.
Don't see your dates? Call us! We may be able to add new trip dates.
800-715-HIKE (4453)Trip Details
What's Included
- Top-of-the-line day pack and trekking poles
- All meals are included from breakfast the first day through lunch on the last day
- 3 nights of lodging hand-picked Canyon Country inns and lodges
- A professional, knowledgeable, certified Utah hiking guide
- Roundtrip transportation from your hotel in St. George, Utah
- National park entrance fees
- Emergency equipment including a company-issued first-aid kit and satellite phone
- You will receive a Lifetime Hiking Membership entitling you, your spouse and kids to a lifetime discount of 10% off any Wildland Trekking hiking trip after your first one!
What's Not Included
- Clothes, raingear, and footwear (Oboz hiking shoes and boots recommended)
- Sunscreen, toiletries and personal items
- Water bottles and a headlamp or flashlight
- Alcoholic beverages
- Guide gratuity (industry recommendation is 10-20% of trip cost)
Click here to see a printable, downloadable trip information packet with more detailed guidance about what to pack.
Meals: What to Expect
We provide all your meals from breakfast the first day through lunch the last day. Your guide will prepare breakfasts and lunches with a variety of hot and cold meals that are appropriate for the day’s activities. Feel free to tell us about your food preferences, as we’re more than happy to tailor the menu to your needs/desires. Some specialty diets may require an additional fee.
For dinners, we’ve hand-picked local restaurants you’re sure to enjoy! We made our decisions based on the quality of their food, their charm, and how much local color and character they have.
We regularly accommodate vegan, vegetarian, kosher and non-gluten diets and will make adjustments for food allergies. These and other special dietary requests may require an additional fee.
Gear We Provide
We provide all group gear which includes the following:
- Deuter or Osprey backpacks
- Leki or Black Diamond trekking poles
- Company-issued first-aid kit
- Emergency communication device(s)
What Gear to Bring
We ask that you supply a couple of gear items on your hiking tour. These items are two 1-liter water bottles per person and either a headlamp or flashlight per person. Basic items like sunscreen, bug repellent (where and when applicable), lip balm, and toiletries are also important. All of these items are available online at Wildland Trekking Outfitters.
What Clothes to Bring
When you register for this tour you’ll receive access to a printable, downloadable trip information packet with detailed guidance about what clothes to pack (click here to see it now.) All trips require a sturdy pair of hiking shoes or hiking boots, rain gear, and our recommended clothing system. A minimum of three pairs of wool or synthetic hiking socks are also required. All of these items are available online at Wildland Trekking Outfitters.
Trip Logistics
How Do I Register?
Reserve your spot today! In the Trip Dates & Booking section of this page, the green and red dates are bookable online by simply clicking on the date, and blue dates must be booked through our customer service team for a variety of possible reasons. To email our customer service team, you can click here to get the ball rolling. Our adventure consultants will confirm availability, and if you’re ready to register we’ll email you a link to a registration profile. You’ll have 72 hours to complete your profile (and that of any dependents) and pay the deposit.
Feel free to call us for more info – we’re here 7 days a week!
Where Do We Meet?
You will rendezvous with the guide and group in St. George, Utah for an orientation meeting at 5:00 PM the evening before the trip begins. Your guide will be in contact approximately 2 weeks before your trip starts to specify the orientation location, and we are more than happy to pick you up if the meeting if you are staying at one of our recommended hotels but the orientation is taking place elsewhere. The guide will then pick you up at your hotel the next morning for transport to the trailhead. For Private Utah Tours your guide can meet you at your hotel in St. George or Cedar City, Utah at an agreed upon time.
Click here to see a printable, downloadable trip information packet with more detailed guidance about flights, shuttles, recommended lodging and more.
Start/End Times
Your guide will inform you of the first day’s pick-up time at the orientation meeting. Generally, you can expect it to be between 5 and 8 am, although the exact time will depend on current weather and road conditions. We will drop you off at your hotel on the final day no later than 7 PM.
Safety Considerations
Your safety is our top priority. Our hiking tours are led by professional hiking guides, all of whom are wilderness-certified first responders or EMT’s, each with years of guiding and wilderness experience. We’ve developed comprehensive risk management protocols that our guides adhere to in case of an emergency, and most tours carry a satellite phone. If you have any further questions about safety, please contact us at 1-800-715-HIKE (4453) for more information.
Guides
Your tour will be led by a trained, experienced professional with a solid guiding background, years of personal wilderness and hiking experience, medical certifications, and a passion for leading people into breathtaking landscapes. Check out our Meet Our Team page for staff bios.
Guide Working Parameters
Guides are required to take 8 hours off each 24-hour period to sleep, recuperate, take personal/down time…etc. In addition, as part of the 8 hours off they must sleep/rest or be in their tents/rooms uninterrupted for a minimum of 5 hours each night. We ask guests to respect these requirements and to not interrupt guides’ off time and sleep time unless there is a true emergency.
Group Size and Age Restrictions
The standard group size on this trip is 6 guests and 1 guide, with a maximum of 12 guests and 2 guides. If you have more questions about group size, please give us a call at 1-800-715-HIKE (4453) and we’ll answer all your questions.
Age restrictions are as follows:
- 12 and older to join scheduled tours (mixed groups)
- 5 and older to join private tours, with final approval and specific logistical requirements (such as porter or stock assist) determined on a case by case basis
Weather in Southern Utah
Weather in Southern Utah
Southern Utah is a high desert where the weather can vary significantly based on elevation and season. To be fully prepared, please follow the recommended clothing list closely (this list comes as part of your trip packet when you register). The ideal time to be in the Canyon Country is Spring and Fall.
Read below for sample average high and low temperatures in Utah’s Canyon Country. Zion represents the lower elevations (4000 feet) and Bryce represents the higher elevations (7700 feet):
| Month | Zion | Bryce | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| hi | low | hi | low | |
| January | 54° | 30° | 37° | 15° |
| February | 59° | 34° | 38° | 17° |
| March | 66° | 39° | 45° | 23° |
| April | 75° | 45° | 54° | 29° |
| May | 86° | 54° | 64° | 37° |
| June | 95° | 63° | 75° | 45° |
| July | 100° | 70° | 80° | 53° |
| August | 99° | 68° | 77° | 50° |
| September | 91° | 61° | 70° | 42° |
| October | 79° | 48° | 58° | 32° |
| November | 64° | 37° | 45° | 23° |
| December | 54° | 30° | 36° | 15° |
Accommodations
Zion Mountain Ranch
0-2 NIGHTS
At the edge of Zion National Park sits this authentic western ranch and deluxe cabins that feature not only premier lodging, but a roaming herd of buffalo! The ranch boasts wonderful views of Zion Country, sunsets, and a tranquil lodging experience.
(views, solitude)
Cliffrose Lodge
0-2 NIGHTS
Cliffrose Lodge is a premier resort hotel in a stunning spot along the border of Zion National Park and on the shores of the Virgin River. Honoring nature in its design but with all the modern amenities, this wonderful lodge is perfect for our hiking adventure.
Bryce Canyon Lodge
1 NIGHT
This charming national park lodge is a classic, historic hotel inside Bryce Canyon National Park, putting us right in the action. We’re within easy walking distance of Bryce Amphitheater’s hoodoo trails and viewpoints, where we can catch amazing sunsets.
(views, solitude)
* These exact accommodations are not guaranteed. In some instances alternative accommodations of similar quality and location may be used.
Trip Reviews
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Jessica W
Wish we were still on this trip! So wonderful :)
My boyfriend (now fiancé) and I went on the lodge based Zion & Bryce tour. Our trip wouldn’t have been the same without our awesome guide Ruthie. She made amazing food for our trail lunches and chose great places to dine for our other meals as well. Ruthie was super personable and knowledgeable not only about the landscape & trails but also about history and other significant cultural info about the area. She was keen to the needs of the members of our small group, whether that meant giving extra shade and water breaks, or helping to keep blisters at bay. Ruthie even helped to facilitate our sunrise proposal over Bryce Canyon. We couldn’t have asked for anything better from our trip.
Barry K
Never Imagined it Would be so Great!
Really enjoyed this trip! Would avoid taking this trip close to Spring Break due to crowds. Traci was an awesome guide! Wildland Trekking office was very responsive to a couple of inquiries I had prior to the trip. Will plan other trips with them!
Elizabeth D.
Excellent Guide!
Wally was an excellent guide! He was knowledgeable, in tune with the hikers, easy to connect with, patient, and had great safety practices. We had a group of hikers differing vastly in age and physical abilities (36 years old to 74 years old) and Wally tailored our hikes to accommodate everyone. His lunches were delicious and he knew where all the beautiful hiking spots were. Wally also took us to all the best local dining spots. The national parks are breathtaking on their own, but it takes a great guide to solidify a truly outstanding trekking experience.
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