Where to Stay in Zion: Springdale (Walk-In Gate) vs Zion Lodge & Budget Hurricane / Kanab

Unlike Yellowstone or the Grand Canyon, where staying outside the gate means a long drive to the sights, in Zion the gateway town of Springdale is practically inside the canyon, making it one of the best national-park base towns in the United States. Compare these four zones for your budget.

1. Springdale, Utah (Right at the South Entrance, Best Overall Base)

If you stay along Zion Park Boulevard in Springdale, you can leave your car parked at your hotel for your entire stay and walk or ride the free town shuttle to the park. The closest hotels to the Pedestrian Entrance Bridge (a 2-to-8-minute walk) are:

• Walk-to-the-Gate Hotels: Cable Mountain Lodge (directly adjacent to the Visitor Center bridge with a cliff-view pool and spa), Cliffrose Springdale (Curio Collection by Hilton, with a private sandy beach on the Virgin River), Flanigan's Resort & Spa, and SpringHill Suites, Holiday Inn Express and Hampton Inn Springdale (3 to 5 minutes on the town shuttle).

2. Inside the Park: 'Zion Lodge' (Shuttle Stop #5)

Managed by Xanterra (reservations open 13 months ahead at zionlodge.com), Zion Lodge sits halfway up the main canyon opposite the Emerald Pools trailhead. Overnight guests receive a Red Vehicle Pass allowing you to drive your own car up the car-free Zion Canyon Scenic Drive to the lodge car park, and after the last shuttle leaves at dusk, you have the canyon floor and night sky to yourself.

3. Budget Bases: La Verkin / Hurricane (25 Mins West) & Kanab (35 Mins East)

• La Verkin, Hurricane & Virgin (20 to 30 Mins West on Highway 9): modern hotels here cost roughly half as much as Springdale in peak season (just drive to the park early in the morning for free Visitor Center parking).
• Kanab & East Zion (30 to 40 Mins East of the Tunnel): ideal when combining Zion, Bryce Canyon, Page and the Grand Canyon North Rim, entering Zion via the quiet East Entrance.