Whenever I go to Zion and Bryce Canyon, I prefer to stay at Pioneer Lodge. It’s pretty cheap and very well maintained, and it’s easy to access all the parks from there.
I prefer the winter time around mid-December. All the pictures above are from this time of year. I prefer to go in the month of December because everything is super cheap—plus there are no crowds whatsoever. The parks basically turn into ghost towns at certain portions of the day.
The weather is all over the place in December. Could be really sunny one day and snowy the next. Mind set should be better to have it and not need it, then need it and not have it.
-Pioneer lodge. $70 per night for 4 nights equals $280. I went with my girlfriend and we split the cost in half, so that was $140. In the past I have gone with 3-4 friends, making it even cheaper.
-You can also set up a tent at a campground or sleep in your car. That’ll reduce the price tremendously.
-We spent $100 for gas, which once again we divided in half. That’s $50. We drove a C-Max Hybrid from the OC to Southern Utah and back.
-Throw in $120 bucks for food and you’re at around $310 for one traveler at this point. You can go way cheaper on this one if need be by simply packing your meals - which we didn't do.
-To get a seven-day pass for Zion and Bryce Canyon, the rate will be $60 bucks: $30 for Zion and $30 for Bryce. So that runs down to $30/person.
-And last but not least, checking out Antelope Canyon will run you $60.