Zion and Bryce in November 2026: Both Parks Open, the Shuttle Dates and the Snow at Bryce

Yes. Zion and Bryce Canyon both stay open 24 hours a day through November, though they feel like two different seasons. Zion’s canyon floor averages 64F in the afternoon and 37F at night, and its shuttle runs every day through November 28. Bryce’s headquarters station sits about 3,850 feet higher. It averages 46F and 23F, with 9.7 inches of snow in a normal November.

Duck Creek Village sits between the two parks, 46 miles from Zion’s east entrance and 49 miles from the Bryce visitor center. Its November runs closer to Bryce than to Zion, with afternoons around 48F, and our November weather guide has the station numbers.

Check the park alerts the morning you drive. As of October 30, Zion has closed the Narrows and every other canyon in the park until further notice, citing a forecast of hazardous weather. Bryce lists Wall Street and the Bryce Connector Trail as closed after recent rain.

Zion in November: the shuttle, the tunnel and the Narrows

The free Zion Canyon shuttle keeps its fall schedule through the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Private cars stay off the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive while the buses run. From November 29 to December 25 the shuttle stops, and the park opens the scenic road to private vehicles until service returns on December 26. The Human History Museum keeps 10:00 am to 5:00 pm hours through November 28 and then closes for the winter.

The Narrows depends on the river. Our Narrows guide tracks 38 years of USGS gauge readings, and in November the North Fork of the Virgin River runs a median 49 to 53 cubic feet per second. It tops the park’s 150 cfs closing line on about 1 day in 100. The Park Service warns that in fall the days get shorter and the water temperature drops, and a cyanobacteria advisory tells hikers not to drink the river or put their heads under. A forecast alone had the Narrows shut on October 30, so a low gauge reading tells you only part of the story.

Two trail notes for this November. The Watchman Trail stays shut pending repairs. Angels Landing still requires a permit for every hiker, and our permit guide covers the lottery.

Bryce in November: snow, plows and freezing nights

Bryce runs on a colder calendar. Its 2026 shuttle ended October 18, the dump station has closed for the season, and crews have started winterizing the drinking fountains, so carry your own water. The Park Service says the temperature drops below freezing almost every night from October to May, and October snowstorms are common enough that the park calls them “not unusual”.

After a storm, the 18-mile main road closes past Mile 3 while plows work the higher ground. Crews clear the four amphitheater viewpoints first, and those stay reachable during the closure, while Rainbow Point and the Bristlecone Loop at the far end wait for the plows. The spur roads to Fairyland Point and Paria View close to cars once snow needs plowing and stay open to walkers, skiers and snowshoers.

The park recommends traction devices that strap over your boots, in parking lots as well as on trails, and the visitor center bookstore sells them. Packed trails turn to ice after a few days of melt, and snowshoes stop helping at that point. Our Bryce Canyon guide covers the hikes and viewpoints in every season.

Both parks charge $35 per vehicle. If you live outside the US and are 16 or older, you also pay a $100 nonresident fee at each park. November 11, Veterans Day, waives the entrance fee and leaves the nonresident fee in place, and our fee-free day guide runs the pass math.

Crowds at Zion and Bryce in November

November thins both parks, and it thins Bryce far more. In 2024, Zion counted 311,297 recreation visits in November, 60 percent of its October total. Bryce counted 83,001, or 30 percent of its October. That works out to about 10,400 visits a day at Zion against 2,800 at Bryce. Zion in November still drew more people than Bryce did in October, when 272,988 came through.

We use 2024 because Bryce changed how it counts visitors in 2025, the same year as a 43-day federal shutdown.

Planning a November day from Duck Creek Village

Give each park its own day. A single loop from the inn, Zion first and Bryce second, adds up to 191 miles and almost five hours of driving at posted speeds. On November 15 the sun rises at 7:11 am and sets at 5:22 pm at the Zion visitor center, which leaves about five hours for the parks themselves.

Take Zion on the calmer, warmer day. The drive to the east entrance takes about 55 minutes, and our east entrance guide covers the stops between the gate and the tunnel. Save Bryce for a clear day once the plows have run, about 68 minutes away on Highway 14, US-89 and Highway 12. Bryce sunsets fall at 5:30 pm on November 1 and 5:10 pm on November 30. Those official times assume a flat horizon, and Zion’s canyon walls put the floor in shade well before then.

Plan the drive home in daylight. Deer cross Highway 14 below the village at dusk, and November nights on the plateau drop into the 20s. A cabin or room in Duck Creek puts both park gates within 70 minutes, and you can check November dates on our rooms and cabins page.

Quick answers about Zion and Bryce in November

Is Zion National Park open in November?

Yes, every day and around the clock. The canyon shuttle runs every day through November 28, and from November 29 to December 25 you can drive your own car up the scenic road.

Does it snow at Bryce Canyon in November?

Yes, on average. The park headquarters station gets 9.7 inches in a normal November, and the main road closes past Mile 3 after storms until the plows clear it.

Can you hike the Narrows in November?

Most days the river runs well under the 150 cfs closing line, though the water runs cold and the days run short. The Narrows sat closed on October 30 ahead of a storm, so check the Zion alerts page the morning you go.

Is November a quiet month at Zion and Bryce?

Quieter. In 2024, Zion’s November count fell to 60 percent of its October count, and Bryce fell to 30 percent.

Is there a free entrance day in November 2026?

Yes. November 11, Veterans Day, waives the $35 entrance fee at both parks, but anyone 16 or older who lives outside the US still owes the $100 nonresident fee.