Best Restaurants to Visit on Your Trip to Zion National Park

Zion National Park | National Parks Service From quick breakfast bites before hitting the trail to sunset dinner spots In just under three hours you can leave Las Vegas behind and be smack dab in the middle of Utah’s first national park. With a scenic drive that hugs the Virgin River, stunning red sandstone cliffs, and epic hikes that include Angel’s Landing and the Narrows, Zion National Park has become one of the nation’s most popular parks. Las Vegas is the ideal jumping-off point for exploring the Southwest, with easy drives to Death Valley National Park and road trips to the Grand Canyon. And Zion is just a short drive away. When it comes to dining, Springdale, Utah, is the fueling point for everything from quick bites to leisurely meals. And while the Zion Lodge does house two restaurants, Red Rock Grill and Castle Dome Cafe, many of the town’s restaurants straddle the little road leading into the park. Most places in Springdale close early (around 9 p.m.) so plan accordingly. Here’s a look at some of the restaurants to try near Zion National Park. On this update, Anthera and the closed Cafe Soleil exit the list while summer camp-style Camp Outpost and the sweeping views of River Rock Roasting Company join. Janna Karel goes on several camping trips throughout the year to the Southwest’s National Parks. While Zion is popular in the summer — especially for those with their sights set on splashing through the Narrows, Janna prefers early spring when the mountains are still capped with white but the trails are empty of both snow and other people. She always stops at River Rock Roasting Company on the way in for a latte.