will have 2 nights after leaving vegas before heading back to san diego. i will be travelling alone so won't be doing any major hikes as i'm nervous on trails alone. am looking at taking the shuttles around to a few points and maybe a few 1 hour hikes (any recommendations). if i leave vegas early in the morning so i'd have 2 full days, what would you recommend? the web sites make bryce look incredable. zion is closer. if i get a place in springdale (by zion), could i get at look at zion the first day...drive to bryce for the second day...return to the springdale accommodations and be off the next morning for san diego? or, should i just pick one park? this will be the first couple of days in october. some motels/hotels in zion are already fully booked and from what i've read, bryce can be harder to find a place. any advice appreciated. thanks.

This October??? I think it may very much depend on getting a room as October is a prime time to visit both places.

You may start by looking for a room and go from there.

Deb

I think the answer to this is a matter of personal preference rather than the nature of the parks. If you are comfortable with a lot of driving and a fairly limited time at both parks, that is certainly doable. They are both interesting and scenic but very different. If you prefer a more leisurly experience, I'd visit Zion NP this time and save Bryce for another trip.

If you're not doing any major hikes, just short 1 hour hikes then yes, you can visit both parks in 2 days.

Not sure what you classify as a major hike, or why you're nervous on trails alone. There will definitely be other people out and about on the popular trails in both parks, so you wouldn't be alone in either place.

In my opinion, and others may disagree, Bryce was so unusual, so unlike other places I've been to! And I was there after Zion. I would not miss the delicate beauty of Bryce.

I'm with Faina on Bryce. As much as we LOVED all the parks, there was something incredibly unique and magical about Bryce (even more so at sunrise). Bryce is smaller and easier to get a handle on then Bryce. You will really need to prioritize your time at Zion because it's big.

"if i get a place in springdale (by zion), could i get at look at zion the first day...drive to bryce for the second day...return to the springdale accommodations and be off the next morning for san diego"

ltt, I think this is doable. It's about a 2 hours trip one way between the parks, so that's roughly 4 hours on the second day getting to and from Bryce. If you you get up to watch the sunrise in Zion you could be at Bryce for the first shuttle out.

I happen to agree with FainaAgain, I would not miss the delicate beauty of Bryce.

This is a tough question since both parks are so remarkable.

Here's my suggestion: Get up REALLY early in Vegas and drive to Zion's Visitor's Center and take one of the shuttles into Zion Canyon for a brief overview with maybe a stop at the lodge for lunch.

After that, return to your car and drive out of Zion through the tunnel and on toward Bryce. Spend that night at Bryce or as near to Bryce as you can find a room. Get up early to watch sunrise and then hike into the canyon to visit the hoodoo up close. There will be plenty of other hikers so you're not alone much. Whatever is left of the afternoon spend driving to the overlooks or walking along the rim until sunset. Sunrise and sunset at Bryce are special so try to catch one or the other or both. Spend the night at or near Bryce and head out early the next day to return to Vegas.

This late, a room at Bryce's lodge or cabins will be had only by getting a cancellation which means calling every day or several times a day to get one.

Better yet, skip Vegas and spend all your time in Zion and Bryce!

Will echo the others who say you can see a decent sampling of both parks in two days. But I'd get to both parks early and be prepared to spend much of the day at each.

If you're nervous about challenging hikes, you might spend the day in Zion riding the shuttle and getting off at some spots to do some easier hikes. Two pretty easy and reasonably scenic hikes would be the Emerald Pools trail and the Riverwalk (Angel's Landing is supposedly very scenic, but apparently not easy and notably longer).

A good day hike combo in Bryce would be to follow the Rim Trail until you reach the trailhead for the Navajo Loop Trail going down into the canyon and then coming back up via the Queen's Garden Trail (be sure to do the short detour to see the Queen Victoria rock formation).

As others have said, do both! They are so very different and each is absolutely beautiful.

One hint: Remember in Zion one looks "up", while in Bryce one looks "down". You'll see what I mean when you are there. And be sure to do Zion first.

I agree with those who said Bryce is a must see. I loved the Grand, Bryce, and Zion Canyons, but Bryce had the most WOW power for me. It is just so different from anything I've seen.

Springdale is a great town. If you're looking for cute shops, restaurants, and hotels go to ZION. Bryce is beautiful but you're very lacking in a "town" feel. Also, much of what there is to see you can drive up to. Zion has shorter hikes like Angel's Landing that you can go to which are sure to have enough people on them.

My husband and I did Vegas and then a day trip out to Zion. It was amazing. I would truly recommend taking the shuttle and hiking the Narrows. It is an awesome trek - you actually hike in the river. There were so many people there (we went in March) that you were never really alone on the river. You could shadow any group or hook up with some friendly folks. Wear sturdy shoes - a good pair of running shoes works well for this hike.

Another side trip that was interesting to us was the Hoover Dam and then Lake Mead on the way back. Bring your swim suit - there is something to be said about swimming in such a beautiful lake.

Enjoy your trip.

From what I've read, I would caution against the Angel's Landing hike in Zion for anyone who says they're a "nervous" hiker. While it's supposed to be an excellent hike, it's apparently not for anyone with a fear of heights, and there's one stretch where you walk on a thin edge with a chain alongside. Haven't done it, myself, but have gotten such a report from those who have hiked it as well as from guide book descriptions. And while it's not an all-day hike, it's apparently not an especially short hike either, depending on how you define the term.

There are many other options in Zion to consider.

Zion is beautiful. Bryce Canyon is one of a kind and amazing.

In general, the trails in Bryce are wider and smoother than Zion.

If you can get in-park lodging in Bryce, I'd try for sunrise at Bryce Point and hike Navajo Loop down and Queens Garden back up. Or for less time you can just do the Navajo Loop as a loop.

There's nothing difficult about the hike except possibly the altitude.

In Zion you could take the shuttle to a few stops and hike either one of the Emerald Pools or Riverside Walk for great views.

Itt,

I'm one of those who cannot stand Las Vegas and honestly consider it a crime to waste time there when you could be enjoying our beautiful, natural National Parks!

Skip LV and spend your time in both parks. You will not be sorry. You will not be alone on any of the basic trails shown on the visitor's maps. There will be lots of other visitors.

Lodging may dictate at this point, as others have said.

Angel's Landing is a great hike. Visit both parks, disregard advice from those who do not have first hand experience, make your own opinions!

Happy trails

Dayle, you talkin' to me when you said:

"disregard advice from those who do not have first hand experience,"?

I've in fact hiked the Emerald Pools Trail and Riverwalk at Zion and the Rim Trail, Navajo Loop Trail, and Queen's Garden Trail at Bryce. And I've heartily recommended them all here -- I doubt the OP would have a problem with them if I can do them. But I think I'd be doing a disservice to the OP by not passing along the concerns voiced by travel writers and people I know and trust about the Angel's Landing hike, especially given the OPs concerns. I think it's wisest to make decisions with as much info as possible.

I have been to Zion and Bryce several times. If you do both you will have about 9 hours of driving just getting from Las Vegas to Zion to Bryce and back through Zion (or over to US 15) on your way back to San Diego. This doesn't include the time driving around the lookout points in Bryce.
If you think that you will be back in the area someday, you could do Bryce along with places like Arches and Canyonland.
I would try and get a reservation at the Desert Pearl in Springdale and enjoy Zion at a more leisurely pace.

With such a short amount of time, I recommend staying at the lodge inside Zion National Park. This way, you can avoid the extra time on the shuttle going in and out of the park.

My husband sent me to Zion on a solo trip last year; I was concerned about being alone, but it was a fantastic trip. There were many people around who "adopted" me on the trails, so I was never alone. And Angel's Landing is a wonderful hike even if you stop at Scout's Lookout instead of finishing the more treacherous section.

Bryce is equally wonderful as a solo venture. The trails are not very remote and there are plenty of people (and horses) around.

You can definitely do both parks. Just get up very early each day and hike until the light is gone; then have dinner after dark falls.

Oh, and keep tryig the reservation system (by phone, not online). There are always cancellations!