travelottie

I understand that shuttle bus service runs through October on the Canyon Scenic Drive in Zion and cars are not allowed.

If visiting in November, is missing that section of road a big drawback?

utahtea

The Zion website doesn't really make this clear, but private vehicles are allowed to drive the scenic drive during the winter months (November-March) when the shuttle buses are not running.

Utahtea

utahtea

To answer your second question....yes, you would be missing some of the best parts of Zion if you couldn't drive the scenic drive.

Visitation is very low in the winter months so they don't need the shuttle buses. During the spring, summer and fall, there just wasn't enough parking so they started the shuttle buses.

Utahtea

travelottie

Thank you so much for your reply utahtea.

I'm considering early November in order to avoid crowds and the heat. Do you have an opinion as to whether this is too late in the season to enjoy Zion and the other Utah NP? Should I worry about snow, lack of services, etc.? Would you recommend October instead?
Your response to other posters has been detailed and very helpful to me. Thanks again.

utahtea

I've been to Zion in November and it was a little cold and dreary. It was find for us because we go so often and I enjoy seeing it at different times of the year. I would recommend early to mid-October because the weather will be nicer and the crowds will be mostly gone.

The shuttle buses are really nice. DH and I can both enjoy the scenery without having to drive and keep our eyes on the road. The shuttle bus drivers are really mini-tour guides. One time we stayed on the shuttle bus to the end just to hear what the driver had to say and we had every intention of getting off at a different stop! I also like them because we can start the Emerald Pool hike across from the Lodge and end at the Grotto and not have to worry about where we parked the car.

Utahtea

Dayle

The shuttle buses are the best thing that ever happened to Zion. The hideous traffic jams and parking nightmares are gone. Now you can enjoy the canyon as the beautiful and serene place it is.

I've been there at the end of October and lucked into beautiful weather. The fall colors don't even start in the canyon until November.

I've also been in January. It was dry and COLD!

Have fun!

Fairhope

Is the shuttle issue the same at GC NP?

bookhall

There is a certain stark grandeur to Zion in winter. I've got some pictures in a Zion album at http://community.webshots.com/user/bookhall , of a December trip in 2002. We thoroughly enjoyed it. And fortunately, weather wasn't a problem

utahtea

Fairhope,

Are you asking if the reason they have the shuttle buses at the Grand Canyon are the same reason for having them at Zion. Then yes. To many people all trying to see these beautiful parks.

Being able to park in one place and then get to all the different scenic locations I believe is the reason for both parks for having shuttle systems. Yosemite has them too. Many of the favorite spots have only room for a few cars and dozen & dozens of people wanted to park at in those spots.

Utahtea

brookwood

If you tried to visit Zion before the shuttle bus system was implemented, you would know readily why the bus system HAD to be.

I was there once and the floor of the canyon was so crowded that I could not find a parking place anywhere. Cars were parked in some unusual places. Some of the places were unsafe and others blocked part of a lane of traffic.

The same is true of the Grand Canyon West Rim Drive. The road is blocked and the only access to Hermits Rest is by bus or tram. Going out the bus stops often.

I think that Glacier will soon have bus service only on the Sun Road because traffic is so thick. Yosemite is the same way. And Bryce the last I heard was using buses for the main view points.

OO

I've been to Zion twice over Thanksgiving week and feel it's a perfect time of year to go. We generally have had beautiful weather, sunny and dry. The cottonwood trees along the Virgin River were at peak one year, with their gorgeous yellow leaves brightening all our pictures. We are avid hikers and the temperatures couldn't be better for hiking--cold in the early morning but you are peeling off layers as the hike and the day progresses.

One year we had a dusting of snow over night which would have precluded doing the more difficult hikes the next day (we were leaving so it didn't affect us), but generally the weather has been perfect for us that time of year.

utahtea

I guess well have to try again in November since everyone else had such good weather.

For several years before the shuttle buses in Zion, you could not park a motorhome at Weeping Rock at all and at the very end of the scenic road where the start of the Riverside walk is until after about 5 or 6 P.M. (I forget now) This really limited what we could and could not do for those few years because we had a motorhome. When the shuttle buses came it was fantastic to get to do the Riverside walk at any time of the day again.

In Yosemite and Bryce, the shuttles buses aren't mandatory...yet. In Yosemite last year they pulled out the big parking lot for Yosemite Falls and put in a picnic area, new bathrooms and moved the shuttle bus stop and redid the pathways. You now can reach the falls by two diffent paths and they have these new signs and exhibits that are great. This will be great because instead of smelly noisy commerical buses running their engines you can hear the falls from the picnic area.

Utahtea

jules39

Like Utahtea we go to Zion a lot since we are close by. We avoid going in the Summer months though because of crowds. I love it there in the winter. I remember one early Feb weekend waking up one morning to a fresh snowfall & clear blue skies it was fantastic. We just frittered away the day driving walking and taking photos. In short I love Utahs parks in the winter months!
J