If you’re looking for where to stay near Zion National Park, then you’re in the right place. In this article, I’ll take you through the best hotels, the best areas near Zion, and tips for visiting.
Overall, the Cliffrose Springdale is the best hotel near Zion National Park. It’s located right near the park entrance in Springdale, is highly rated, and has all the amenities.
However, if you’re looking for somewhere more budget-friendly, then I have to recommend Wingate by Wyndham Hurricane. It’s a little further away in Hurricane, but has great reviews and is easier on the wallet.
Of course, I wrote a whole Zion National Park travel guide and know there’s a lot more out there than this. Let’s get into a quick list of the best hotels:
👉 Jump to: Best Hotels | Areas & Places | Tips
Where to Stay near Zion National Park
To start us off, here’s a quick list of the best hotels near Zion National Park:
- 👑 Best Overall – Cliffrose Springdale
- ✨ Best Near the Park Entrance – SpringHill Suites by Marriott Springdale
- ⛺ Best Glamping – Autocamp Zion
- 👉 Best inside the Park – Zion Lodge
- 💸 Best Budget – Wingate by Wyndham Hurricane
- 👪 Best for Families – Cable Mountain Lodge
Now, let’s look at each area near Zion and why you should consider staying in each:
Best Areas Near Zion National Park
Springdale
👉 Best for easy park access | 📍 Google Map | 🏨 Best Hotels: Cliffrose Springdale, SpringHill Suites by Marriott Springdale, Driftwood Lodge, Cable Mountain Lodge
Overall, Springdale is the best and most convenient place to stay near Zion National Park. This cute little town has just over 500 permanent residents but exists almost solely to cater to tourists going to Zion.
Here, you’ll find hotels, boutique shops, restaurants, and grocery stores. Plus, Springdale has a shuttle bus that takes you to various stops in the park.
There are a lot of hotels in Springdale, but the best is Cliffrose Springdale. This 4-star property has a swimming pool (perfect for relaxing after long days of hiking in Zion) and an on-site bar.
Hurricane
👉 Best for budget-friendliness | 📍 Google Map | 🏨 Best Hotels: Wingate by Wyndham Hurricane, Sleep Inn & Suites Hurricane, Comfort Inn & Suites Zion Park Area
If visiting Zion on a budget is important to you, then I recommend staying in Hurricane, Utah. Hurricane is about a half-hour drive from Zion, or you can take the St. George Shuttle.
At over 20,000 people, Hurricane is quite a bit larger than Springdale and is great for loading up on groceries and other amenities near Zion. It’s also generally cheaper than staying in Springdale.
In Hurricane, I recommend staying at the Wingate by Wyndham. The hotel doesn’t have a ton of frills, but it is highly rated and has an outdoor swimming pool.
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St. George
👉 Best for amenities | 📍 Google Map | 🏨 Best Hotels: Comfort Suites St George, The Chalet, Inn On The Cliff
St. George is the largest city near Zion and is great if you’re looking for a bunch of amenities and a more city vibe. It is about an hour’s drive away from Zion.
You can even visit nearby Snow Canyon State Park and Sand Hollow State Park while here. Or check out the city itself.
I partially stayed in St. George when I visited Zion. Overall, I recommend staying at Inn on the Cliff. The views are primo, there’s an outdoor pool, and they serve a free continental breakfast to each guestroom.
Hildale
👉 Best for camping & glamping | 📍 Google Map | 🏨 Best Hotels: Zion Cliff Lodge, Zion View Camping
Hildale is a 1-hour drive south of Zion, right on the Arizona border.
Staying in Hildale is recommended if you love camping and glamping (there are some great properties), but also if you want to check out some Arizona sites as well. Grand Canyon National Park is about a 2-hour drive from Hildale.
Hildale is a pretty small town with little to do besides nature activities, but it has a deep history with the FLDS and polygamist lore. If that tickles your fancy.
In Hildale, I recommend staying at Zion Cliff Lodge. This 4-star property is similar to a B&B and has a barbecue area.
Kanab
👉 Best for visiting multiple parks | 📍 Google Map | 🏨 Best Hotels: SpringHill Suites by Marriott Kanab, La Quinta by Wyndham Kanab, Best Western Red Hills
Kanab is located 1 hour southeast of Zion National Park. It has a population of just over 5,000 and largely caters to tourism of the surrounding area. I’d recommend Kanab for travelers who want to see more of Utah than just Zion.
Around Kanab, you’ll find the Coral Pink Sand Dunes, Grand Staircase Escalante and the Lower Calf Creek Falls Trail, Peekaboo Slot Canyon, and the Moqui Cave. It’s also not too far from the many activities in Bryce Canyon National Park.
In Kanab, I recommend staying at SpringHill Suites by Marriott Kanab. This highly rated property features a year-round outdoor pool.
Staying Inside Zion National Park
👉 Best for convenience | 📍 Google Map | 🏨 Best Hotels: Zion Lodge
Staying inside Zion National Park is, obviously, the most convenient way to visit.
It’ll allow you to get the first crack at hiking the Zion Narrows and Angels Landing. However, the park is extremely popular and crowded, and getting one of the few coveted beds is hard to do and quite expensive.
There is only one hotel inside Zion – Zion Lodge. The Lodge is gorgeous, highly rated, and has two on-site restaurants (one seasonal, one open all year).
Or, if you want something a little more rustic, the park does have on-site campgrounds.
Watchman Campground is open year-round and you can make reservations up to six months in advance (which you should definitely do, it’s booked solid almost every night). Lava Point Campground is about an hour away from Zion Canyon along Kolob Terrace Road and you need to make reservations in advance.
South Campground is currently closed for maintenance.
Tips for Staying near Zion National Park
Stay close for early park access
Zion National Park is one of the busiest National Parks in the USA. In fact, it’s drawn over 5 million annual visitors in recent years because of its notorious beauty.
Zion doesn’t currently have a cap on how many visitors can enter the park per day, but it is considering the move. In any case, I recommend staying near the park and getting to the entrance gates as soon as it opens.
Do your favorite hikes first to make sure you get them in without the hordes. Just note that the shuttle is often completely crammed and you’ll have to wait to get on.
I visited in October and, even then, had to wait to board the shuttle bus.
Park your car & take the shuttle
As I mentioned, Zion National Park has a shuttle system. This system extends outside the park and into multiple Springdale stops. Whether you stay in Springdale or not, it could be in your best interest to park your car in Springdale and take the shuttle into the park.
When I visited – again, in October – the park was at its maximum capacity for cars every single day, so we parked in Springdale.
Plan your trip for the spring or fall
🍂 Fall in Zion – In my opinion, fall is the best time to visit Zion National Park. The weather is still warm but not unbearable, it’s the best time to hike The Narrows, and the crowds are manageable.
❄️ Winter in Zion – In the winter, certain amenities shut down, although it can be a good time to hike the trails and avoid crowds. Just be prepared to get chilly!
☀️ Summer in Zion – Summer is brutal in Utah. The temperature soars and Zion gets absolutely bombarded with visitors. Each year, there are reports of unprepared visitors getting heat exhaustion and dehydration in Zion. Honestly, this sounds terrible. Plus, the Narrows hike is prone to flash floods in July and August.
🌼 Spring in Zion – Spring is another good option, although it may not be if you want to hike The Narrows. Spring is when the snow melts in Zion, and the Narrows are often closed from mid-March to mid-May because of the high water levels.
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Thanks for reading my guide to where to stay near Zion National Park! Up next, check out my guide to the best hikes in Bryce Canyon.
Any questions? Drop them in the comments!
