The drive from Duck Creek
Take UT-14 west to US-89 south, then turn onto UT-9 toward the park. The whole drive takes about an hour, and the last stretch is one of the most scenic drives in Southern Utah.
The Zion-Mt Carmel Tunnel
The tunnel is a 1.1-mile passage carved through the sandstone in the late 1920s.
Canyon Overlook Trail
Right at the west end of the tunnel, a small parking area marks the start of the Canyon Overlook Trail - one of the best hikes in the park for the effort required.
Checkerboard Mesa and the east side
The east side of Zion has a different feel from the main canyon. Instead of towering vertical walls and a narrow river corridor, you get open slickrock, cross-bedded sandstone formations, and a landscape that feels more like the high desert.
East entrance vs. Springdale
East entrance: about an hour from the inn, light traffic, scenic Zion-Mt Carmel Highway, Checkerboard Mesa and Canyon Overlook before the main canyon, and a quick no-traffic exit in the evening.
South entrance: about 1.5 hours from the inn, heavy traffic and parking stress in peak season, longer shuttle lines, closer to restaurants and outfitters, and slower exit traffic in the afternoon.
How the day flows
Here is what a typical Zion day looks like from Duck Creek:
7:00 AM - Leave the inn.
8:00 AM - Enter through the east entrance.
8:15 AM - Hike Canyon Overlook Trail.
9:00 AM - Drive through the tunnel and board the shuttle.
9:30 AM - 2:00 PM - Hike your main trail.
2:00 - 3:00 PM - Lunch in Springdale or from your cooler.
3:00 PM - Drive back east through the tunnel.
4:00 PM - Back at Duck Creek Village Inn.
Practical details
- Entrance fee
- $35 per vehicle for 7 days (or America the Beautiful annual pass)
- Tunnel hours
- Open 24 hours for standard vehicles; oversized vehicles check current escort schedule
- Shuttle
- Not needed for east-side trails; required for Zion Canyon Scenic Drive during shuttle season
- Gas
- Fill up before you leave - there are no gas stations inside the park
Stay planning
The east entrance is why Duck Creek Village works so well as a Zion base. You are an hour from the park with none of the Springdale overhead - no expensive gateway-town lodging, no traffic stress, and cool mountain evenings at 8,400 feet after a hot day in the canyon.
