Where To Stay NEAR Zion: Comparison of Towns Near Zion

A trip to Utah is not complete without visiting Utah’s most famous and adventurous National Park, Zion. Here you will find one of the United State’s most dangerous hikes, “Angel’s Landing”, and the epic through water slot canyon hike “The Narrows”. But to optimize your experience there, one big decision you will need to make is “Where to stay near Zion”. We specifically mention the keyword NEAR because several towns provide accommodation, and each has its pros and cons. 

Having visited each town, and thoroughly researched their benefits and drawbacks, this comprehensive post will help you make the best choice for where to stay. 

To make this even easier for you, we have compiled all the information in a simple-to-understand comparison table for the 4 main areas to stay near Zion.  

Let’s jump right in!

Main towns near Zion

When planning your visit, there are four main towns near Zion that you can consider for your base. These include (in order of proximity to Zion):

• Inside Zion National Park
• Springdale
• Hurricane/La Verkin
• St George

Normally, staying in the town closest to the national park would be the obvious choice. However, we noticed there are actually several factors important to consider. These include the cost, what type of surrounding environment you want, how convenient the town is, the amenities like restaurants nearby, and finally availability. 

Each town has its advantages and which one is best for you will depend on your travel style. 

Comparison of the main towns near Zion

Below we have evaluated each town near Zion according to several of the most important criteria.

Criteria	Zion Lodge	Springdale	Hurricane	St-George
Proximity to Zion National Park	Inside Zion National Park	Very close, within walking distance or short free shuttle ride	35 minutes drive away	1 hour drive away
Cost of Accommodation	Very Pricey (400$)	Mostly expensive (average 250$)	Very affordable (average 80$)	Generally affordable (average 100$)
Convenience	Excellent for all park activities, can directly take park shuttle from Visitor’s centre	Convenient, do not need to drive to the entrance, can take free city shuttle or rent an e-bike to entrance	Somewhat convenient, only 35 minutes drive away but need to arrive early at visitor centre to find parking	Less convenient, 1 hour drive away, will also need to arrive early to find parking
Scenic Views	Most stunning views within the park	Convenient, do not need to drive to the entrance, can take free city shuttle or rent e-bike to entrance	flat desert local city town, not very scenic	Big city views mainly, but some red rock cliffs
Crowds and Noise	Generally quiet as well, the local city crowd	Can be very touristic and crowded in peak times	Quiet and local town feeling	Cute town surrounded by mountains
Accommodation Availability	Very limited availability, only one hotel	limited availability, book very early (6+ months)	Many options, high availability including AirBnBs	Many options, high availability including AirBnBs
Dining Options	Limited dining choices, can only eat at the lodge	Various restaurants and cafes, most are catered to tourists and thus pricier but fancier	Numerous dining choices at all levels	Very remote and secluded within the park, low crowds
What time you’ll need to start your day at	Will need to start the day very early to find parking at the visitor’s centre (try to arrive before 9am, ideally 7am)	Anytime, you can walk to the park entrance	Will need to start the day very early to find parking at the visitor’s centre (try to arrive before 9am, ideally 7am)	Will need to start day very early to find parking at the visitor’s centre (try to arrive before 9am, ideally 7am)
Local Culture and Vibe	Nature-focused, quiet, peaceful	Lively and tourist-friendly	Quieter, local small desert town feel	Vibrant, larger city vibe
City-type activities	None, mostly nature activities	Boutiques, art galleries, Theatre, Spas	limited, mostly nature activities in surrounding parks	Museums, church, dinosaur discovery site, art village

Detailed guide for each town

Inside Zion

Staying within Zion National Park provides a unique escape and the opportunity to fully admire the beauty of nature. You will be right within the 146,000 Acres of the national park, surrounded by towering red sandstone walls, some as high as 3800 feet! 

Zion Lodge is the only in-park lodging and is located approximately at the mid-point of the restricted Zion Canyon Scenic Drive. This means that you will be in a beautifully remote area of the park far from tourist crowds and where you can fully immerse in the nature. By taking the shuttle bus right in front, you will have access to endless hiking trails.

If you are planning on spending your entire stay doing the National Park’s activities, then this is certainly the best option. They are conveniently located right in front of the Emerald Pools Trailhead and only a short shuttle ride from the famous Angel’s Landing hike. But with the exclusivity and convenience comes a high price tag of around 400$/night. 

The Zion Lodge has a total of 28 cabins featuring gas-log fireplaces and a private porch to enjoy the surrounding cliffs and canyons. For your meals, you will have to dine in one of the lodge’s restaurants as there are no other restaurants around. We have heard great feedback on the restaurant’s food, however. 

As the only in-park lodging, Zion Lodge books up fairly early so make sure to reserve ahead of time. 

Note: As a Zion Lodge overnight guest, they will mail you a red permit that allows you to drive on the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive to reach the hotel. All permits will be validated at the entrance.

Springdale

Springdale is one of the most commonly recommended place to stay when visiting Zion. This is for good reason as it is located right outside the entrance gate for Zion, allowing you to simply walk up to the entrance and not worry about parking.

If you are located slightly further out in Springdale, there is also a free shuttle system that drives down the town’s main boulevard to bring the guests to the visitor’s centre.

Springdale also has the added advantage of being a very cute and touristic town. There are multiple dining options as well as local attractions to keep you busy. These include art galleries, museums, souvenir shops, spas, theatres, and boutiques. It is also a very pleasant town to just walk through and admire. 

Being in such close proximity to the national park also means you get to admire the stunning rock cliffs right from the convenience of your hotel. Another cool option you have here is to rent e-bikes and cruise around town in them. You are even allowed to ride your e-bike through the restricted Zion Canyon Scenic drive to reach your hike’s trailhead!

Staying in Springdale is a great option but with its high popularity comes the higher price tags. Although not as expensive as staying within the National Park, lodging in Springdale ranges from 140$-400$ per night.

The restaurant options also tend to be slightly pricier than a local town as it is catered for tourism. We dined in one of the restaurants of Springdale and the food was okay, but we preferred our meal in Hurricane. 

Another drawback is that the town tends to become quite crowded during the peak season. Everybody has to cross through here to get to Zion so the tourist crowds and traffic can get quite intense mid-day. 

Both Springdale and Zion Lodge are very popular options, so they tend to book out early.

Hurricane/La Verkin

Hurricane and La Verkin are small and local desert towns located a short 35-minute drive away from Zion National Park. Essentially they are both towns with one primary road where you will find all the amenities including hotels, restaurants, grocery stores, and activities. Surrounding that road are the quiet residential neighbourhoods.

If you are looking for a no-frills and affordable base for visiting Zion, Hurricane/LaVerkin are great options! It is not a touristic walking town like Springdale, but everything is easily accessible by car. 

The biggest advantage of staying here is that the accommodations will cost you between 1/3 to 1/2 the price of Springdale. On average, you can spend 80$/night on your hotel. For a 3-4 day Zion trip, this could mean savings of close to 1000$!

Hurricane and La Verkin also have very local restaurants where you can enjoy meals at an affordable price. We visited El Jinete Mexican Grill and had one of our favourite meals of our Zion stay. It’s a family run restaurant where you can tell the food is authentic. In addition to classic tacos, we had the best vegetable and chick soup that we still dream of today!

Having big-box stores like Walmart was also very convenient for when we needed to buy some supplies for the hikes. 

St-George

The city of St-George is located about 1 hour drive away from Zion and provides more of a big city vibe as compared to the other options.

St-George has a full array of accommodation options ranging from 80$ to 400$ per night, and also a lot of restaurant options to choose from. Given that it is a university town, the atmosphere is far more local as compared to Springdale. 

An added benefit of staying here is that there are quite a lot of in-city entertainment. These include a wildlife museum, a church temple, a dinosaur discovery site, Kayenta art village, and an outdoor amphitheatre show.

For those who love golfing, St-George is surrounded by several high-class golf courses. This town can offer a great balance between doing National Park hikes at Zion, and some relaxing days playing golf or bringing the kids to the dinosaur museum. 

This post is part of our series about Utah. If you want to learn more about Utah, planning your trip, and some of the best experiences there, check out the guides below:

Kayak Horseshoe Bend: Ultimate Guide to Kayaking the Colorado

7 Things to Know before Canyoneering in Moab (2025)

Southern Utah Road Trip: Ultimate Two Week Itinerary

Cassidy Arch Hiking Guide: Uncover Capitol Reef’s Hidden Gem

FAQ

How long to visit Zion National Park?

deally, you would stay for 3-4 days to enjoy Zion National Park. One day could be spent doing Angel’s Landing, second day in the Narrows, third day you can visit Kolob canyons or Yant Flats, and fourth visiting some of the easier hikes. 

Best things to do in Zion National Park?

Some of the best things to do in and near Zion National Park include:

• Angel’s Landing hike
• Narrows Hike
• Canyon overlook trail (easy)
• Emerald Pools trail (easy)
• Kanarra falls (near Kolob Canyons)
• Kolob Canyons
• E-biking through Springdale as Zion Canyon Scenic Drive

Is Zion worth it?

Yes, Zion is definitely worth visiting! Each National Park in Utah has it’s distinct characteristics and we found Zion to be one of the most epic ones.

It also has Angel’s Landing hike which provides quite an adrenaline pumping experience. Due to it’s popularity, Zion can get quite crowded during the high seasons.

However, we felt the national park managed this quite well with their efficient and frequent shuttle services.

Is visiting Zion expensive?

Visiting Zion can be expensive if staying in Zion or in Springdale. However, if you choose to stay in Hurricane or St-George, you can save up to 1000$ for a 3-4 day stay.

Food in the area is quite affordable and entrance to the park is not expensive if you purchased the America the Beautiful pass. This pass gives you access to almost all the parks in Utah so if you are doing a Southern Utah Road Trip, then the cost of each entry spread out will be quite minimal. 

Recap: Where to stay near Zion

Visiting Zion was one of the highlights of our 2 week Southern Utah Road Trip. But prior to visiting, it is important to figure out the best place to stay near Zion. 

Although staying inside the park can seem like the best option, there are several factors you need to consider. For those who are more budget conscious, Hurricane and St-George would be the ideal spot. Staying here will cost you a fraction of what you would spend in Springdale or Zion.

However, if you are seeking a full immersive experience in the national park, and do not mind spending more for it, then Zion Lodge or Springdale would be the best option.

Whatever your choice may be, we hope that our guide and comparison has helped you in your decision!

After Zion, if you are looking for another unique Utah trip experience, check out paddleboarding or kayaking down the Colorado river through Horseshoe Bend, standing on top a rock arch at Cassidy Arch, or maybe even rappelling down a canyon in Moab!