LA Southwest Road Trip: 6 Days
Six days out of LA pushes the Vegas, Death Valley, and Grand Canyon West Rim loop north into Utah, adding Zion National Park , 160 miles past the Strip, before a long single-day drive home. Not there yet? Step back to 5 days . Have one more day? The 7-day version adds Bryce Canyon too, or read the full LA to Vegas, Zion and Death Valley guide .
Book these before you go
- A rental car in LA , you’ll cover close to 1,300 miles this week
- Grand Canyon West Rim tickets or a guided day tour
- A Springdale hotel at Zion’s gate , these book out before the park itself in peak season
Day 1: LA to the Strip
270 miles up I-15, 4 to 4.5 hours. Check in, note the resort fee (typically $45-55 a night), walk one stretch of the Strip, catch the free Bellagio Fountains.
Day 2: Vegas to Death Valley
About 2 to 2.5 hours to Furnace Creek. Entry $30 per vehicle for seven days, cashless, no reservation needed. Check the park’s official NPS page for heat advisories. Afternoon at Zabriskie Point and Badwater Basin, overnight at Furnace Creek.
Day 3: Death Valley back to the Strip
Sunrise at Dante’s View, then the same drive back to Vegas, 2 to 2.5 hours. Second Strip night, rest before tomorrow’s canyon day.
Day 4: Grand Canyon West Rim, there and back
120 to 130 miles each way, 2 to 2.5 hours, the one Grand Canyon experience that fits inside a single day from Vegas. General admission $67 plus tax, or $99 for an All-Access Pass with the Skywalk, a zipline, and shuttle service (about $113.54 with tax and fees), confirm current pricing on Grand Canyon West’s official site . Budget 3 to 4 hours between Eagle Point and Guano Point. Third Strip night.
Day 5: Vegas to Zion, overnight in Springdale
About 160 miles up I-15, 2.5 to 3 hours. Entry is $35 per vehicle for seven days, plus the new $100 non-U.S.-resident surcharge as of January 1, 2026. The free shuttle needs no reservation and runs March 7 through November 28, 2026, first bus at 7am, current schedule on the NPS Zion page . Hike the Riverside Walk or Emerald Pools in the afternoon, both manageable without the Angels Landing permit lottery, then overnight at the gate in Springdale.
Day 6: Zion straight back to LA
This is the long one: 430 miles and 6-plus hours, essentially the same I-15 corridor you’ve been driving all week, run in one direct shot. Leave early, fuel up in St. George before you commit to the desert stretch, and plan a real dinner stop rather than pushing straight through on gas-station food.
Is driving straight home from Zion to LA actually manageable in one day?
Yes, but treat it as the hardest day of the trip, not an afterthought. Six-plus hours on top of a week of driving already behind you is a long final leg, so build in a proper lunch stop and don’t schedule anything for the evening you arrive back in LA.
At a glance
| Day | Distance / drive time | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | LA to Las Vegas, 270 mi / 4-4.5 hrs | Strip check-in, Bellagio Fountains |
| 2 | Las Vegas to Death Valley, ~120-125 mi / 2-2.5 hrs | Zabriskie Point, Badwater Basin, overnight Furnace Creek |
| 3 | Death Valley to Las Vegas, ~120-125 mi / 2-2.5 hrs | Sunrise at Dante’s View, second Strip night |
| 4 | Las Vegas to Grand Canyon West Rim and back, 120-130 mi / 2-2.5 hrs each way | Skywalk, Eagle Point, Guano Point, third Strip night |
| 5 | Las Vegas to Zion, 160 mi / 2.5-3 hrs | Riverside Walk or Emerald Pools, overnight Springdale |
| 6 | Zion to LA, 430 mi / 6+ hrs | Long direct drive home via St. George and the Cajon Pass |
Book the Springdale hotel before you leave LA, not somewhere along the drive, rooms at Zion’s gate sell out ahead of the park itself once spring weekends hit.