Table of Contents
Zion to Bryce Canyon distance: the direct drive from the Zion Canyon Visitor Center to the Bryce Canyon Visitor Center is about 85 to 87 miles (137 to 140 km). The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) says it takes just under two hours. The route runs on SR-9 through the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel, then US-89 north, SR-12 east and SR-63 south. Since 7 June 2026, vehicles over the tunnel size limits may not use this road. They go via SR-20 north of Cedar City instead: roughly 150 miles and 2.5 hours, according to the National Park Service (NPS).
Last checked: 18 October 2026. The figures come from NPS pages for Zion and Bryce Canyon and UDOT’s Zion Area site. Where sources differ, both numbers are shown. This page is not based on a personal visit.
Zion to Bryce Canyon distance and drive time at a glance
| Route | Distance | Drive time | Who can use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct: SR-9 (tunnel) > US-89 > SR-12 > SR-63 | About 85–87 mi (137–140 km)* | Just under 2 hours (UDOT) | Vehicles within the tunnel size limits |
| North via SR-20: SR-9 west > I-15 north > SR-20 > US-89 > SR-12 | Roughly 150 mi (NPS, 2026 page); 154 mi (older NPS table) | About 2.5 hours (NPS, UDOT); 3 h 10 min (older NPS table) | Everyone; the route NPS suggests for large vehicles |
| Cedar City via SR-14: SR-9 > SR-17 > I-15 > SR-14 > US-89 > SR-12 | 142 mi (older NPS table) | About 3 hours (older NPS table) | Cars; not recommended for large vehicles (NPS, UDOT) |
| South via Arizona: SR-9 > SR-59 / AZ-389 > US-89 > SR-12 | 164 mi (older NPS table) | About 3.5 hours (older NPS table) | Everyone (paved) |
The tunnel route is shorter but slow. NPS says the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway “usually has speeds under 30 MPH”. That is why NPS estimates the SR-20 detour adds only about 42 minutes even though it is 63 miles longer. Navigation apps can show different times; the same OSRM calculation estimates about 2 hours 10 minutes for the direct route.
Start and end points: the figures above run from the Zion Canyon Visitor Center (by the South Entrance in Springdale) to the Bryce Canyon Visitor Center, which NPS says “sits 1 mile inside the park boundary” on UT-63 at 7,894 ft (2,406 m). The NPS table and large-vehicle page only say “from Zion” and give no exact start point, so small differences between sources are normal. NPS says the East Entrance is 13 miles west of Mount Carmel Junction, so starting there skips the switchbacks and the tunnel.
The direct route, step by step
- Visitor center to the tunnel: SR-9 east up the switchbacks. NPS says the tunnel is about five miles from the visitor center, with an 800 ft climb.
- Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel: 1.1 miles long and opened in 1930 (NPS). The size limits below cover the whole 10.7-mile section from Canyon Junction to the East Entrance, not only the tunnel.
- East Entrance to Mount Carmel Junction: 13 miles (NPS).
- US-89 north through Hatch (road works, see below) to the SR-12 junction.
- SR-12 east through Red Canyon, past the rock tunnel shown below.
- SR-63 south into Bryce Canyon; the visitor center is 1 mile past the park boundary.
Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel size limits (since 7 June 2026)
A vehicle over any one of these limits may not drive between Canyon Junction and the East Entrance:
| Limit | Single vehicle | Vehicle with trailer |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 35 ft 9 in (10.9 m) | 50 ft (15.24 m) in total; trailer no more than 26 ft (7.92 m) from hitch to rear axle |
| Width | 7 ft 10 in (2.39 m) | 7 ft 10 in (2.39 m) |
| Height | 11 ft 4 in (3.45 m) | 11 ft 4 in (3.45 m) |
| Weight | 50,000 lb (22,680 kg) | 50,000 lb (22,680 kg) |
- Measure with extras: NPS says the measurements include mirrors, tires and add-ons such as AC units, bike racks and satellite dishes.
- The tunnel permit and escort have ended: before 7 June, a large vehicle needed a tunnel permit and drove through while rangers held traffic to one lane. UDOT says that after 7 June “these permits will no longer be available”. There is no escort fee any more, because oversize vehicles cannot use this road at all.
- Also not allowed: semi-trucks, vehicles carrying hazardous materials, and cyclists and pedestrians in the tunnel (UDOT).
- At the gates: oversize vehicles are turned around at both entrances. They may still enter from the south to park in the large-vehicle lot (if there is room), to stay at Zion Lodge with a reservation, to camp at Watchman or South Campground, or to drive the Scenic Drive outside shuttle season (NPS).
- Parking at Bryce: vehicles 23 ft (7 m) or longer cannot park at the visitor center or the main Bryce Amphitheater viewpoints while the shuttle runs, which NPS says is typically mid-April to mid-October.
Routes for RVs and other large vehicles
Both NPS and UDOT send large vehicles via I-15 and SR-20 north of Cedar City (see the table above). Other points:
- Avoid SR-14 and SR-143 in a large vehicle. UDOT says navigation apps may suggest them, but they “contain sharp curves and steep grades”. In a car, NPS calls the SR-14 route “very scenic” in summer and early fall.
- South through Arizona: SR-59, AZ-389 and US-89 via Kanab are all paved (UDOT). The older NPS table gives 164 miles to Bryce this way.
- Don’t take the dirt shortcuts: apps may show Sheep Bridge Road or Smithsonian Butte Road. UDOT says these are unpaved and not recommended, and that Smithsonian Butte Road “can become impassable when wet”.
Road works, closures and news (October 2026)
- Rockfall: a large rockfall closed part of the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway on 30 September 2026. NPS reopened it on 9 October. The damaged section has temporary gravel until it is repaved “in the near future”.
- SR-9 paving in Zion: crews are paving west of the tunnel (mileposts 38–40), 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday to Thursday, until about 2 November (UDOT update, 15 October 2026). In Springdale, expect one-way traffic and minor delays at mileposts 28–30 until about 23 October.
- US-89 near Hatch: UDOT is building passing lanes. Bryce Canyon Country, the Garfield County tourism office, reported on 9 October 2026 a 24/7 signal with alternating one-way traffic and “delays of up to 15 minutes”. Work south of Hatch runs to mid-December 2026, and work north of Hatch starts in spring 2027.
- Fiber-optic works: UDOT is laying cable along SR-9, US-89 and SR-20, with work due to finish in spring 2027. NPS had announced night closures of the tunnel for this work in late September 2026.
- Last year’s shutdown: during the federal shutdown from 1 October to 12 November 2025, Utah’s national parks stayed open with reduced services (Utah News Dispatch; Visit Utah). We found no report of a new shutdown affecting the parks as of 18 October 2026.
- Bryce alerts (15 October 2026): the Wall Street side of the Navajo Loop is closed after rain, and the RV dump station has closed for the season.
Winter driving between Zion and Bryce
- Bryce Canyon sits at about 8,000 ft (NPS), so expect snow and ice there in winter. The park is open year-round, and NPS says roads are plowed and sanded after heavy snowstorms. Some roads may close for a while during and just after storms.
- After a storm, the Bryce main road closes beyond Mile 3 until it is plowed, usually for a day or more. The Fairyland Point and Paria View roads close for the whole winter (NPS).
- NPS says the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway is “sometimes closed due to snow, ice, rockfall, or traffic congestion”.
- Before you leave, check UDOT Traffic (or call 866-511-8824, the number NPS lists) and the alerts for both parks.
Park entry: both parks charge the $100 nonresident fee
Even if you only drive through Zion on the tunnel road, you still need a park pass. NPS says this applies “even if just to pass through the park”. The fee pages of both Zion and Bryce Canyon say that non-US residents aged 16 and over pay an extra $100 per person on top of the standard pass, unless they enter with an Annual or America the Beautiful pass. Bryce Canyon does not accept cash. For prices and when the pass is cheaper, see our guides:
- US national park fee for foreigners ($100 fee vs the $250 pass)
- Bryce Canyon National Park tickets
- Zion National Park guide
Shuttles, timing and stops
- Zion: from early March to late November the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive is shuttle-only, but SR-9 to the tunnel stays open to cars. The NPS 2026 schedule shows the last shuttle leaving the visitor center at 5 p.m. from 25 October to 28 November, with no service from 29 November to 25 December.
- Bryce: the 2026 shuttle season ends on 18 October (NPS). After that, you drive your own car to the viewpoints.
- Towns on the way: Springdale is at the Zion end and Bryce Canyon City (where the shuttle station is) at the Bryce end. In between, the direct route passes Mount Carmel Junction and Hatch. NPS does not list fuel or food hours for these places, so check before you go, especially in winter.
Adding the Grand Canyon or Antelope Canyon
Planning a longer loop? See our Grand Canyon National Park tickets and Upper Antelope Canyon guides. Check the North Rim’s season dates on the NPS site before you plan that leg.
FAQ
How long is the drive from Zion to Bryce Canyon?
UDOT says just under two hours. Allow extra time for stops, slow speeds on the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway and the US-89 works near Hatch (delays of up to 15 minutes, reported on 9 October 2026).
Can an RV go through the Zion tunnel?
Only if it is within all four limits: 35 ft 9 in long (50 ft with a trailer), 7 ft 10 in wide, 11 ft 4 in high and 50,000 lb, measured with mirrors and add-ons. Bigger RVs must take another route, such as SR-20.
Is there still a tunnel escort fee?
No. UDOT says tunnel permits stopped being available after 7 June 2026. Oversize vehicles cannot use the Canyon Junction to East Entrance section at all.
Do I pay the Zion fee if I only drive through?
Yes. NPS says you need a pass “even if just to pass through the park”. Non-US residents aged 16 and over also pay the $100 nonresident fee, unless they have an Annual or America the Beautiful pass.
Sources (checked 18 October 2026)
- NPS Zion – Directions & Transportation
- NPS Zion – Large Vehicles (size limits, alternate routes)
- NPS Zion – Large vehicle restrictions from 7 June 2026 (5 January 2026)
- NPS Zion – Alternate routes table (PDF)
- NPS Zion – Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway and Tunnel history
- NPS Zion – Highway reopens after rockfall (9 October 2026)
- NPS Zion – Current Conditions
- NPS Zion – Fees & Passes
- NPS Zion – Shuttle schedule
- NPS Bryce Canyon – Directions
- NPS Bryce Canyon – Fees & Passes
- NPS Bryce Canyon – Visiting in Winter
- NPS Bryce Canyon – Oversized Vehicle Restrictions
- NPS Bryce Canyon – Park Shuttle
- UDOT Zion Area – National Parks
- UDOT Zion Area – Road Restrictions
- UDOT – SR-9 Zion Canyon fiber project (15 October 2026 update)
- Bryce Canyon Country – Travel alerts (9 October 2026)
- Utah News Dispatch – Parks open during shutdown (1 October 2025)
- OpenStreetMap contributors / OSRM – route calculation (18 October 2026)
