Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 10: Planning Your Trip to Zion
& Bryce Canyon National Parks
There once was a time when planning a visit to a national park involved
littlemorethanchoosingthedatesandpackingthecar.Yetasmorepeople
discover the parks, it becomes harder to secure campsites, lodging, and
evenparking.Tocombatthis,it'sbesttodecidewhatyouwanttodoatthe
park and then try to schedule your visit for the least-crowded time that is
best for those activities. So, if horseback riding is something you want to
do,scheduleyourtripforspringorfall,whenthestablesareopenbutthe
summer season crowds aren't clogging the trails.
Luckily, there are more lodging and dining choices in and near the national parks
than there were 20 or 25 years ago. At that time, we were happy if we found a res-
taurant that was clean and served basic American food.
So don't dread the planning workâlike the preparation for any special event,
planning a trip to a national park can be loads of fun.
Getting There
Zion and Bryce Canyon national parks, located in rural southern Utah, are not close
to any major cities or transportation hubs, and the vast majority of visitors will ar-
rive by car, either their own or a rental. Those not driving their own vehicles will
likely fly to one of several cities or towns and rent a car for the remainder of their
trip. The parks are 83 miles apart by road.
AttentionvisitorstotheU.S.fromabroad:
Some major airlines offer transatlantic or
transpacific passengers special discount tickets under the name
VisitUSA,
which
allows mostly one-way travel from one U.S. destination to another at very low
prices. Unavailable in the U.S., these discount tickets must be purchased abroad in
conjunction with your international fare. This system is the easiest, fastest, cheapest
way to see the country. Inquire with your air carrier.
If you're visiting from abroad and plan to rent a car in the United States, keep in
mind that foreign driver's licenses are usually recognized in the U.S., but you may
want to consider obtaining an international driver's license. International visitors
