Looking for a great way to spend a chilly day during your winter stay at one of the best hotels Zion National Park has to offer? A scenic drive is a great choice for the rare rainy or cold day during your visit, or the perfect option when you need a break from hiking.
There’s no shortage of things to see and do during your stay at Flanigan’s Resort. But if you find yourself needing to rest your feet or want to see more of Southern Utah, planning a day to do some driving can be a great addition to your vacation itinerary.
Keep reading to learn three of the best scenic drives to check out during your stay at one of the best hotels Zion National Park has to offer.
Zion Park Scenic Byway
Many of the scenic drives on this list are a great option if you want to explore more of the area or need to fill a day off your feet or out of the elements. But this next drive is a must-see for everyone staying at one of the best hotels Zion National Park has to offer.
The Zion Park Scenic Byway is 54 miles long, making it easy to explore in an afternoon. The entirety of this drive is actually called Highway 9, and it starts about 9 miles from St. George, where Highway 9 intersects with Interstate 15. But if you’re starting at Flanigan’s Inn, you can skip this section, and instead start by driving straight into the park. You won’t need to wait until winter to enjoy this drive, because personal vehicles are always allowed on Highway 9, even when the Zion Canyon Shuttles are in operation.
You’ll take Highway 9 up a winding canyon road to the famous Zion Mt. Carmel Tunnel. Travel through the tunnel, and you’ll find yourself in Zion’s beautiful Upper Canyon. You can stop at overlooks and trailheads here, before continuing on. Highway 9 continues past the park, all the way to Mt. Carmel Junction. From here, you could travel South to visit Kanab, Utah, where you can see old movie sets where several famous westerns were filmed. Or, turn north, and take a day trip to Bryce Canyon National Park.
Highway 12 Scenic Byway
Running 124 miles from Torrey, Utah to US 89, you’ll need a full day to drive out and back on this road, especially if you plan to make any stops. But if you have a day to spare during your stay at the best hotels Zion National Park has to offer, this can make for a unique day trip. Along the way, you’ll be treated to some of the most beautiful views in Southern Utah.
To get to the Highway 12 Scenic Byway, you’ll first need to travel through Zion by way of Highway 9. Highway 12 intersects with Highway 9 in Panguitch, Utah, around 56 miles, or one hour’s drive, from Zion.
On this long, scenic drive, you’ll pass some of the region’s famous red rock domes, as well as wooded mountainous areas. Bryce Canyon National Park and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument are situated on this route, as are the lesser-known Kodachrome Basin State Park and Escalante Petrified Forest. At the end of this road, in Torrey, you’ll also find the western edge of Capitol Reef National Park.
Small, classic western towns like Escalante, Boulder, and Tropic make excellent stopping points along the way for catching lunch or stretching your legs.
US Highway 89
For this next scenic drive, you’ll need to first travel to Kanab, Utah. Kanab is just a half an hour’s drive away from Flanigan’s Resort. Here, you can spend some time checking out all that Kanab has to offer, before hitting the road.
The U.S. Highway 89 is a 75-mile road, and is perhaps the most scenic on this list. The highway starts in Kanab and features long, empty stretches and very little traffic. For this route, you’ll travel 75 miles to Page, Arizona, before turning around, though Highway 89 does continue past this.
On your way to Page, Arizona, you’ll pass colorful striped sandstone cliffs as well as soaring ridges spotted with pine trees. Once in Page, you can visit Lake Powell, see the famous Horseshoe Bend, and more.
Then, you can either turn around, or travel south to Highway 89A, which backtracks through northern Arizona to bring you back to Kanab from the south.
Planning Your Stay at One of the Best Hotels Zion National Park has to Offer
Whether you want to do some exploring or need to give your feet a break from hiking, any of the scenic drives is a great way to spend a day during your stay at one of the best hotels Zion National Park has to offer.
Ready to start planning your next stay at Flanigan’s Resort? Now is a great time for a visit! Winter is an often-overlooked season in Southern Utah. But ask any local, and you’ll learn that with fewer crowds and mild weather, this is one of the best times to explore Zion National Park.
Book your next stay at Flanigan’s Resort to see for yourself what makes winter in Southern Utah so special!