Grand Canyon and Zion National Park from Las Vegas

From Vegas to the Grand Canyon is a very long drive, it has always taken me 6 hours driving way too fast. Bryce and Zion would be the better pick. There are hotles and airbnbs between the two. All that said I dont think your going to be able to see the NPS in January due to snow. Are going to rent a 4 wheel drive? J

So you only have Thursday, Friday, and part of Saturday. With that limited amount of time, I would just go to Zion.

It is a much shorter drive, offers more lodging options, and most importantly it lies at a lower elevation than the South Rim of the Grand Canyon ( around 3800 feet, versus nearly 7000 feet) so snow is much less likely.

There is a park lodge inside Zion National,Park, but the town of Springdale right at the park entrance offers an assortment of hotels and motels in various categories, from budget to more luxurious. In the latter category I highly recommend the Desert Pearl, but I see they are fully booked the last week of January (Jan. 23-28). If those are your dates, there are other nice places. The town has some good restaurants too.

Driving after dark in this area is not recommended, due to wildlife on the road, and possible black ice in winter, so take that into consideration.

Jamie, if you are staying in Vegas on Wed. night and need to be back in Vegas for your flight on Sat. morning, the Grand Canyon will be about all you can do. You'd drive there on Thursday, stay overnight, and drive back to Vegas on Friday. I do not recommend driving any of it before or after dark due to the elk and other large wildlife that can wander onto the roads. Remember that it gets dark early....

You also don't want to make this trip with a big snowstorm brewing so watch the weather. It's closer to 5 + hours from Vegas to the South Rim, and expect it to be cold. Your safest winter hiking will be along the 13 miles of rim trail. If there's ice, you could need crampons/spikes to venture below the rim, and even the rim could have some slippery patches.

Best place to stay is at one of the park lodges, and I'd FOR SURE book advance; it's not the sort of place you want to try and find a room on the fly. We like Bright Angel but I don't know what sort of accommodations they have for an infant. The other choices closest to the rim are Maswik, Kachina, Thunderbird and El Tovar, with El Tovar being bottom of my list due to the cost and some other stuff that doesn't appeal to me personally.

https://www.grandcanyonlodges.com/lodging/

You could also choose just to go to Zion (stay in Springdale) but they'll also be experiencing winter conditions, although likely not as winter-y as the South Rim. As Lola said, it's considerably closer. Some random info on winter hiking there:
https://wildlandtrekking.com/zion-visitor-guide/visiting-zion-in-january/

You all have made me rethink, even though at first I was resistant to the idea of skipping either. You make good points.

Given the two, I'd rather do Zion in good hiking weather. I feel like Zion has more hikes on my list whereas Grand Canyon is more just the allure of "seeing" it.

So... I have a new thought. Let's say we stick to just seeing the Grand Canyon (south rim area)... how far out of the question is adding in Monument Valley? (Again, just to see it - check it off my list)

You need to look at a map. Monument valley is N and a bit more east than G.C. There is no real good loop back. The entire area you are describing has roads based around the fact that the big old G.C. is in the way.
You will be remote. It will be winter. Some of the shortest days of the year. And a 6 month old.
Instead stay in Vegas and see Red Rocks canyon and Valley of Fire. Look them up. A much better choice given the circumstances.

I think the Grand Canyon is too far for such a short visit. You’d drive on Thursday, and have to return on Friday for your Saturday flight out. You’ll spend as much time driving as you would seeing the canyon. Plus long hours of darkness, plus the elevation. You would not enjoy even the rim trail, especially with an infant on your back (or in a stroller). We were just there in mid-November, and it took me two days to get acclimated to the elevation. And it was already very cold— highs in the 30s and lows in the teens. If you end up driving in bad weather, that would add even more stress.

That would be a challenge in summer. Factoring in winter driving conditions, makes doing more than one destination an epic challenge. Keep in mind sunset is around 5PM.

You have a hotel in Las Vegas for Wednesday night and a noon fight on Saturday. That means you need to be at the airport Saturday by 10 AM. And that means staying in Las Vegas Friday night.

So, you have one night at either Grand Canyon or Zion. Considering its January and weather conditions may not be in your favor, stick to one.

I don't know where you are in NC, but if you have ever been in western NC when they get show I can tell you that's nothing to what you can expect at either Zion or the GC in January. Roads could be closed. Trails could be closed. Parts of the parks could be closed. Check the weather and conditions before you leave.

I know nothing about the terrain where you live or what the wildlife is like, but I do know a bit about the roads and interstates heading north to Utah and south to northern Arizona from Las Vegas. We have driven those roads in April and October many, many tmes and I definitely would not do it in January.

Why? There are very steep and often curvy climbs up and down both directions. They are major truck routes and trucks often need to drive so slowly going up that they have to use their emergency flashers on clear and dry pavement. What goes up usually has to go down. If there's bad weather even the interstates could close.

Going north to Utah, Interstate 15 cuts across the far northwest corner of AZ through the Virgin River Canyon. It's mostly up all the way from LV and very steep with lots of curves starting close to the NV/AZ border. Heading back to LV the highway is obviously mostly down.

If you go to the Grand Canyon, the most direct way is to take Interstate 11/Hwy 93 south to Kingman and Interstate 40 east to Williams where you turn north on Hwy 64 to get to the south rim. That route is not quite as curvy, but you do have to go down over the new bridge across the Colorado River and climb back up and down steep grades all the way to Kingman.

If you look at a printed map like a road atlas to get the big picture, you'll notice 2 major things:

1. There's not much of anything between LV and St. George or Kingman. I wouldn't call it "much more rural." I'd call it empty. These are routes where you'll want to pay attention to your gas tank and shouldn’t be surprised to see signs warning how far away the next gas is. Other facilities are not available either. In fact my 2022 road atlas shows absolutely no rest stops on any of the roads. You'll want to empty out yourselves every time you fill up the car.

2. If you do look at an atlas you'll also notice that parts of the roads are marked with the little dots that indicate a scenic route. That means that they could also be closed due to bad weather. I haven't driven between Kingman and Williams in years. But I find the route between Kingman and St. George beautiful and scenic going and coming every time we drive it. You might or might not -- especially if you think trees are a requirement for beauty.

St. George is in an amazing area. We considered retiring there but felt it was too cold in winter. We've been in Zion once the first week of April. It's beautiful but it snowed.

I've never been to Red Rock Canyon or the Valley of Fire so I looked them up and they look like great and perhaps more accessible options for January:
https://www.redrockcanyonlv.org/
http://parks.nv.gov/parks/valley-of-fire

Please do consider them and watch the weather.

I wouldn’t attempt going to the Grand Canyon from Vegas with the time you have to do so, even in good weather conditions. Why not stay in Vegas and visit Red Rock and Valley of Fire and save the Grand Canyon and Zion for another time. I’ve been to all the parks in the NP Arizona Utah area and the drive is challenging let alone doing it at night and in the middle of winter.

I would consider leaving LV and going directly to Bryce Canyon first thing and seeing for a couple of hours and then head to Zion and stay the night, then hike a trail or two and head back to LV.

Nope, trying to work Monument Valley into the plan just complicates it further. You'd be headed the wrong direction if needing to return to Vegas. As someone above pointed out, there's no good loop route.

Regarding snow: they do a really good job out West/Southwest of plowing, and people DO visit the G. Canyon in winter. Driving IN a storm is just something best not to be caught in given the remoteness of route and an infant so even if you went ahead and made reservations, I'd cancel them unless it looks like Mother Nature is going to play nice. It's also very easy to underestimate distances in that part of the country.

A plug for our grandest canyon? We've found more to do there than most visitors take the time for. Between Kolb Studio, the Pioneer Cemetery, the Depot and some other spots, there is interesting history to take in, and we've enjoyed a number of the free ranger walks-and-talks or evening programs. Add rim hikes and those a bit (or more) below and there may be reason to give it more time than the trip you're looking at will provide. The multiple days we've spent both at the North and South Rims have given us more than just one shot at a glorious sunrise and sunset, and insurance against a view-obscuring rainy or foggy day (yes, we've had one of those). If was just the two of you, I'd be more inclined say to say sure, give it a go, but given the length of the drive with an infant who may fuss most of the way, and trying to sightsee in the dead of winter with that infant... I'd save it for a future trip.

My husband and I dislike Vegas intensely and try to avoid even flying into the place but just staying put and exploring Red Rock and Valley of Fire, as Diane has suggested, may be the ticket unless you want to take on Zion. More stuff on visiting the park in winter from the NPS site:

https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/seasons.htm

What would bother me there would be trying to hike trails involving climbing up/down (there are lots of those) with potential ice and an infant in a back carrier. The Narrows is definitely a no-go, and I wouldn't personally do that one with a baby/toddler/small child in ANY season anyway. Saving this park for a future trip - in a warmer season - would also allow you to add Bryce to the mix as it's reasonably close (1.5 to 2 hours) but much higher elevation so even more challenging in winter.

Jamie: My wife and I completed a trip to Arizona that included the Grand Canyon in mid November. Remember the elevation of the GC is +6,500' so it can be very cold there at the top of the South Rim where all of the facilities are located. We flew to Phoenix then drove to Flagstaff in nice balmy weather. The next morning in Flagstaff as we departed it was snowing. Weather in the GC ranged from sunny and fairly warm to cold (19 degrees overnight) with snow and sleet. We had carried the correct clothing to handle the weather, but it was still at times a challenge.

I second the Red Rocks Canyon and Valley of Fire recommendation. I would also suggest maybe a drive to Death Valley about 2 hours from Las Vegas. The two lodges there are very good. It is a NP that you can pretty much see the main sites in a day and half.

A lot of good information here. Respectfully though, I am flying out merely to visit the Grand Canyon while he's already out that way for work so I definitely am planning the Grand Canyon. I was hoping to add Zion but after everyone's input I do believe that's best saved for another trip with better weather and more time. (That to me has been higher on my list than the GC so best to savor it)

I appreciate the road information too! I currently live on the VA/NC line so the weather is rarely bad enough to close any roads. But, I did live in Erie PA for 20 years and that gets more snow than Buffalo NY sometimes. That being said... it has been 10 years since driving in snow. We will be there the second week of January so while snow isn't likely, I do understand it's possible. I will be checking the weather and it may alter/cancel our plans to drive out there at all.

Thank you all for the input! As much as I hate to hear anything against my plans, I appreciate the information and have reconsidered my original plans. But I'm still planning the Grand Canyon :-)

You guys are the best!

As someone who's spent more than 20 years living in the Mojave, you need to rethink this. Vegas is cold in January. Very cold; it gets down in the 20's and it's windy. It snows, and if it rains it can flood. January is rainy season.

All of Utah and Northern Arizona will have snow. Add to that the elevation, and it's nothing like what you get back home. I've lived in your area also. The drive to the South Rim, for example, is like driving from Richmond to D.C. without seeing a single building. And it's likely to be closed, as are the North Rim routes. As noted by others the roads are sparsely traveled and there are very few amenities or stops. The only people traveling are those who have to. You can drive for hours and not see anyone. You do not want to be stranded out there.

The suggestion to go instead to Death Velley is a much better idea. The roads are much more likely to be clear, although they are also sparsely traveled. Stay in Furnace Creek and see the area. Hike Zabriskie Point or the Dunes. Personally I love Death Valley in winter. Just know that the roads where damaged in the flooding last spring and you need to wee what's open before you go. That being said the salt pans should be fantastic due to the water.

If you decide just to stay in Vegas take an ATV tour of Red Rock. That's always good. Or go hike the Valley of Fire. But if you leave town, make sure you leave word with someone of where you're going and what roads you'll be on. People die in the desert.

If you still want to make the drive to the Grand Canyon, assuming the weather and road conditions are favorable, I urge you to make the entire drive in the daylight. You will be on freeway until Williams, but from there it is a 2-lane road with, as noted above, no services. Wildlife, particularly deer, are often along the shoulder. The first time we visited the canyon for a hike to the bottom, we made the mistake of driving that section well after dark. I stopped counting the deer along the side of the road after seeing 50. And once inside the park, there were elk as well.

The park website has links to sources for checking current weather and road conditions:

https://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/weather-condition.htm

To maximize your time at the canyon you will want to spend Thursday night inside the park itself. There are six lodges, four of them (El Tovar, Thunderbird, Kachina, and Bright Angel) lined up right along the rim (but no views into the canyon). Use the official websites for booking:

https://www.grandcanyonlodges.com/

https://www.visitgrandcanyon.com/yavapai-lodge

With a flight at noon on Saturday, you will need to spend Friday night in or near Las Vegas. If you want to stay outside the city along the route from the canyon, Kingman might be your last opportunity with decent lodging, but it is still 100 miles from the airport. The good news is that the time change works in your favor (Arizona and Las Vegas are in different time zones).

Okaydoke, so sounds like you're going to take on the canyon come h*ll or high water (or fussy infant 5+ hours in a car seat).

More from the NPS regarding winters at the South Rim (the North Rim isn't even a possibility: the one lodge there closes from Oct. - sometime in May, and is REALLY remote). Pay heed to the "Winter Travel Kit Emergency Items" list. Please spend some quality time with the NPS site for the park as it's a GREAT source of info. Pay attention to the traveler alerts posted at the top of the 2nd link, especially in the days/hours just before you get on the road.

https://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/winter-visits.htm
https://www.nps.gov/grca/index.htm

The entire drive will be on paved roads, and route Lo gave you above us the one you should use. Again, the best place to stay will be at one of the lodges I'd listed above that are IN THE PARK, not in Tusayan. I would pack a cooler with food for your infant and some for yourselves. I read that dining on the rim can be sketchy due to issues getting service help.

https://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/restaurants.htm

Your cell phones may not work everywhere on this trip.

Again, please do not drive in the dark unless it's just leaving LV shortly before sunrise or getting back shortly after sunset. And again, cancel your reservations if a big storm is in the forecast.

Ask more questions and keep us posted as your plans firm up?

Editing to add: Lola and I were typing at the same time so, Lola, sorry for any redundancies! Oh, and good mention of the difference in time zones! Arizona doesn't observe Daylight Savings Time so as I'm typing this, it's 9:20 AM at the South Rim, and 8:20 in Vegas.

One more note?
If you've looked at current alerts, you'll have noticed that masking is again required in all park buildings and on the park shuttles, regardless of vaccination status. This could change by next month but with winter COVID rates predicted to keep rising, I doubt it. More here:

https://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/grand-canyon-national-park-public-health-update.htm

No worries, Kathy; you covered some important things that I did not ( like having food, water, and emergency gear in the car, and being prepared for limited food service at the canyon itself).

As for the time difference, it is because Arizona is currently on Mountain Standard Time while Las Vegas is in the Pacific time zone like the rest of Nevada. In January, it is to do with Daylight Savings Time and AZ’s non-observance of that.

One other thing of note-- the South Rim elevation is 6800'+. For comparison, Denver is 5200'.

It will definitely will be Winter..... bring the parkas for everyone

South Rim is 6800+ ft. elevation. For comparison Denver is 5200 ft

Be sure to bring WINTER clothes.

Like Lola said, you need to complete your trip from LV to the Grand Canyon while it's still daylight.

According to timeanddate.com, sunrise in LV on 1/12/23 will be at 06:51 Pacific time. Sunset at the Grand Canyon will be at 17:34, Mountain time. Note that when you cross the border into AZ you will lose an hour.

Your Google Maps driving time is pretty accurate, assuming clear roads and minimal stops along the way. Obviously, the earlier you leave LV, the sooner you'll get to Grand Canyon Village and still have daylight to see something there.

Sunrise at the Grand Canyon will be at 07:39 on 1/13. As someone else mentioned, the time change will be in your favor (even though sunset will be at 16:47) going back to LV Friday before you fly out on Saturday, so you'll have a little time to see things in the morning.

That's a lot of time in the car for little time at the Grand Canyon, but it sounds like the ROI is worth it for you. If Mother Nature cooperates, and especially if it's sunny, you will at least be able to see the Canyon at sunset and maybe at sunrise.

The Canyon runs east and west. I've been there 3 times. My greatest memory is from a visit one May when the sun was setting bright red-orange in the west at the same time that a giant full gold moon was rising in the east. Breathtaking.

In terms of driving, how does it compare with Kansas?

My husband and I drove straight through from Raleigh to Colorado Springs one year for Christmas in 6 hr shifts and the worst part of the trip was driving through Kansas. Flat. Void. Nothing for miles. And HORRIBLE winds. I swear we drove with the steering wheel slightly turned the whole way.

Is driving through that desert area anything comparable? Worse?

The landscape is not flat, it is not boring in my opinion. The stretch from Hoover dam to Kingman does drag on a bit in my distant memory, but the rest is more varied.

Jamie, you can do a virtual drive of the entire recommended route on google maps in street/satellite view. I use it all the time, not just for drives but for walks in unfamiliar cities as well. Not ALL roads and streets have been GoPro mapped but lots of them have, and more are added all the time.

I just took a look at Arizona and yes, 11/Hwy 93 south to Kingman, Interstate 40 east to Williams &north on Hwy 64 to the south rim has been mapped.

Pull up Arizona in google maps and click on "layers" view. Then click the little yellow icon of a person in the lower right of the page: that turns every street/road which has been GoPro mapped blue. To start your drive, zoom a bit into the road you'll be taking out of Vegas and drag that yellow icon onto that road. Your view changes to what it looks like ON that road. Click your pointer on the directional arrow in the picture to advance the view forward. I don't think you need to do this for the ENTIRE route but at different places along the way so you can get a good idea of what you'll be seeing.

In defense of our RS community who live in the Sunflower State....We drove from Minnesota to New Mexico and back on as many "blue highway" roads as possible last year, and a big chunk of that trip took us across Kansas. While it's probably not to everyone's taste, it does have its own big-sky sort of beauty. You can see for miles and miles! The book I'd brought along to pass some of the time? Didn't crack it once! :O)

I’m going backpacking the week after Christmas (to Canyonlands)

Oooh, AMann! We've hiked Horseshoe Canyon, and parts of IITS and Needles units a couple of times. LOVED Canyonlands! Needles, hands down, was the favorite. Any chance that's where you're camping?
(Apologies for a little jump of the subject, Jamie)

I'm currently near the end of my 4 week trip to Arizona, Nevada and Southern California. I started out in Vegas with the intention of visiting Death Valley and Zion as day trips. Loved Death Valley but the 4 hour round trip was a drag and made me reconsider Zion. Fortunately I discovered Red Rock Canyon for some great hiking and Valley of Fire state park was amazing so I spent a lot of time in both places and they're very close to Vegas.

I planned to visit the Grand Canyon from Phoenix via a stay at Flagstaff but my plans were scuppered by a major snowstorm so I focused my trip towards the south. Grand Canyon from Vegas was too far for me particularly as the most recommended part is the South Rim.

Well, Jamie Lynne, you wrote that any insight is appreciated. My own wonderful trip to southern Utah, several years ago, was almost exactly six months off from your schedule, being in early July. But maybe you will have another opportunity to visit the area in the future.
I was attending a conference in Salt Lake City, and took a few days to explore the National Parks of southern Utah for the first time. I stayed at the excellent Arrowhead B and B in Mt. Carmel, Utah, which is just over 3 hours driving from Las Vegas, somewhat further from Salt Lake. This rural inn has an assortment of rooms, cabins, etc. Famous for their excellent country breakfasts. It is just about equally distant from the east entrance of Zion, Bryce Canyon, and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, all wonderful in very different ways. I had a day to explore each of these destinations. Yes, the North Rim of the Grand Canyon is, at least was at that time, MUCH less developed and MUCH less populated and touristy than the South Rim. But it had all the basics, including a lodge, restaurant, small grocery store/shop, gas station, and especially canyon views and walking and hiking trails. I prefer the North Rim actually.
When I was there in early July, it was warm and sunny every day, with the longest daylight hours of the year. No snow, no freezing temperatures, no necessary driving in the dark, of course it didn’t get dark until close to 10 pm.
I hope you and your family have a chance to visit this awesome area, in the future if not next month!

Just to re-emphasize this point, the North Rim is not a possibility in winter: the road in and ALL visitor services there are closed.

https://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/north-rim.htm

I see they've lifted the masking mandate at the South Rim. That's a bit of a surprise but, well, just another reason to keep eyes on the alerts on the NPS website! :O)

I hope you will come back to the forum and let us know how the trip went, whatever you ultimately choose to do. You’ve asked great questions and gotten great advice. Traveling in January should consider weather as crucial factor in deciding what to do and when to cover safety for everyone. This area can be very unpredictable- beautiful one day and treacherous the next. Google a local tv station to get a sense of what could be headed your direction.

You asked about wind and that was a great question because this area can get some wicked wind.

I have received some wonderful advice and insight! I love this forum group for travel questions!

Right now the plan is the go only to the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas. However, we will indeed be checking the weather and if there is potential for bad weather, we will be changing those plans and sticking closer to the Vegas area. We were more adventurous before having a baby, but I'm not taking any risks like that with this precious cargo

I absolutely will come back after the trip and let everyone know ultimately what we ended up doing and how it went!

Update post visit!
Since we were only going to the Canyon, we took our time leaving on Thursday. My husband was very tired and we had rented a Dodge Challenger so I was more than happy to make the drive. I loved that drive! I was expecting desert and boring landscape. It was a gorgeous drive though! Fun with a Challenger too. :-)
Took just over 4 hours and got to the GC just in time for a pretty little sunset

On Friday we got up early to catch the sunrise, left for breakfast and to check out of our hotel (stayed at the Holiday Inn - nice and clean and only 10 minutes from Mathers Point) and then went back in to take the free shuttle to a few view points. The weather was clear while we were there, but they did just get snow before we arrived so the paths were snow covered and slick. Unfortunately this meant we couldn't go hiking, or at least weren't willing to risk it with our 6 month old strapped to us.

We headed back to Vegas around 3:30 on Friday but plan to go back when we can hike a bit!

Thank you all for your input! It definitely helped in making this a nice enjoyable visit!

Glad to read your experience of snow at the Grand Canyon, helped confirm my decision not to visit as planned due to a snowstorm. I had several hikes planned out but I suspected most of them would be too difficult and not enjoyable.

@JC, if it's any time in the very near future I would skip it. The snow storm coming in is quite big and will definitely worsen the tail conditions. Down in the canyon the trails were clear but the switch backs to descend and ascend were completely covered in an icy packed snow. Everyone on the trails had hiking shoes and crampons but I still saw some people struggling a bit.
We'll definitely return in warmer weather for hiking!

Thanks so much for returning with the results of your trip. I know you were probably disappointed not to get to hike but seeing the area with snow is not any every day experience.

Thanks for the update on your scouting trip! I hope you do come back when the weather is better and you have time to enjoy. I've started down those snow/ice covered trails with crampons on my boots and turned around, lol. What was I thinking??

Thanks for reporting back -- good to know that you had a fun safe trip, even though it wasn't all you had hoped for. The canyon is amazing with snow, and I hope you'll have a chance to come back for a longer trip in a friendlier season.

Late to the party but having been to both, we've always preferred Zion over GC, especially for hiking. At the Canyon, most trails start at the top; you go down and then have to come back up. At Zion, you start and the bottom and hike up; when you're ready to head back, the hard part is out of the way. The Virgin River in Zion runs through the middle of the campgrounds and visitors' center, not at the bottom of the gorge a day's hike away.