Zion National Park and Mesquite Golf Trip: Drive Times, 2026 Fees and Itineraries
Plan a Zion National Park and Mesquite golf trip: the 85-mile drive, the time change, 2026 fees with the $100 non-resident surcharge, and shuttle dates.
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A Zion National Park and Mesquite golf trip works best with Zion as a full rest day between rounds. The Zion Canyon Visitor Center is about 1 hour 28 minutes and 85 miles up I-15, on Mountain time, an hour ahead of Mesquite. Entry is $35 per car, and since 2026 non-US residents aged 16 and over pay $100 more each.
Park fees come from the NPS fee page (updated June 6, 2026) and the shuttle page (updated October 4, 2026), read October 23, 2026. Golf prices were seen in October 2026 and change; most 2027 peak rates were not posted yet.
Quick facts
- Drive: Mesquite to Zion Canyon Visitor Center 1 hr 28 min, 85.0 miles (Google). Kolob Canyons about 78 min (OSRM).
- Clock: Zion is on Mountain time, one hour ahead of Mesquite all year.
- Entry: $35 per private vehicle (7 days).
- New for 2026: $100 per person for non-US residents 16 and over, unless they hold an annual or America the Beautiful pass.
- Shuttle: Oct 25 to Nov 28, then none from Nov 29 to Dec 25, then Dec 26 to Jan 2.
How far is Zion from Mesquite?
| From Mesquite to | Google Maps | OSRM | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zion Canyon Visitor Center, Springdale | 1 hr 28 min, 85.0 mi | 106 min, 79.7 mi | Main canyon, shuttle in season |
| Kolob Canyons Visitor Center | not read | 78 min, 71.3 mi | I-15 Exit 40, no shuttle |
| Snow Canyon State Park, Ivins | 49 min | 60 min, 47.6 mi | Utah state park, $20 non-Utah car |
| St. George Regional Airport (SGU) | not read | 54 min, 42.2 mi | Useful for a split trip |
The route north is I-15 through the Virgin River Gorge in Arizona, then past St. George. The gorge is narrow and winding with trucks and frequent lane work, so drive it in daylight when you can and check az511.gov for current work. Memorial Day weekend (May 31, 2027) brings heavy holiday traffic: busy northbound on Friday and southbound on Monday.
What does Zion cost on a Mesquite golf trip in 2026?
| Who is in the car | Entry for one day | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Two US residents | $35 | One vehicle fee covers 7 days |
| Four US residents | $35 | Same vehicle fee |
| Two Canadian (non-US resident) adults | $235 | $35 plus $100 each |
| Four Canadian (non-US resident) adults | $435 | $35 plus $100 each |
| Anyone with an America the Beautiful or annual pass | $0 at the gate | Non-resident America the Beautiful pass is $250 |
Other 2026 prices: $30 per motorcycle, $20 per person on foot or bike, $70 for the Zion annual pass and $80 for the America the Beautiful pass for US residents. The surcharge applies to Canadian visitors who are not US residents, which matters for snowbird groups: see the Canadian snowbird golf guide for the rest of the cross-border rules.
By comparison, Lake Mead National Recreation Area near Overton charges $25 per vehicle for 7 days and does not apply the non-resident surcharge, and Valley of Fire is $15 per non-Nevada vehicle. Both are in things to do in Mesquite NV.
Zion shuttle and Scenic Drive dates
The Zion Canyon shuttle is free. While it runs, the Scenic Drive is closed to private cars.
| Dates | Shuttle | Private cars on the Scenic Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 25 to Nov 28, 2026 | 7 AM to 5 PM from the visitor center; last ride out 6:15 PM | No |
| Nov 29 to Dec 25, 2026 | No service | Generally allowed |
| Dec 26, 2026 to Jan 2, 2027 | 8 AM to 4:30 PM | No |
| After Jan 2, 2027 | Not yet posted | Generally allowed in the non-shuttle season, usually December to February |
All shuttle times are Mountain time. In Mesquite terms, the 7 AM first shuttle is 6 AM Pacific, and the 6:15 PM last ride out is 5:15 PM Pacific.
Kolob Canyons: the shorter Zion stop
Kolob Canyons is the northwest section of Zion at I-15 Exit 40, about 17 miles south of Cedar City, with a five-mile scenic drive. It is quieter than Zion Canyon, needs no shuttle, and OSRM puts it about 78 minutes from Mesquite. Every visitor stops at the visitor center to show a pass or pay the Zion entrance fee, and the road may close in winter for snow or ice. Whether the $100 non-resident surcharge is collected at Kolob was not stated, but NPS describes it as a park-wide fee, so plan on it.
Sample timings for a Zion day from Mesquite
| Step | Pacific (Mesquite) | Mountain (Zion) |
|---|---|---|
| Leave Mesquite | 6:30 AM | 7:30 AM |
| Arrive Zion Canyon Visitor Center (about 1 hr 28 min) | about 8:00 AM | about 9:00 AM |
| Last shuttle out (Oct 25 to Nov 28) | 5:15 PM | 6:15 PM |
| Back in Mesquite (about 1 hr 28 min) | about 6:45 PM | about 7:45 PM |
You gain the hour back on the way home, which helps. Keep the next morning's tee time on Pacific time and not too early. If you want both in one day, a morning round in Mesquite followed by Kolob Canyons is more realistic than a round followed by Zion Canyon.
A Zion National Park and Mesquite golf trip in four days
This plan flies into Las Vegas (LAS is about 97 minutes and 90.8 miles from Mesquite by OSRM, or 1 hour 25 minutes on the Salt Lake Express shuttle at $33 to $41 one way) and uses fall 2026 prices.
Day 1: arrive and play twilight. Drive up from LAS and play Oasis Palmer or Oasis Canyons after noon ($130 in November; mornings $190). See the Oasis Palmer course guide.
Day 2: Wolf Creek. Wolf Creek is the headline round; late-October 2026 mornings were $360 on weekdays and $390 on weekends, and the club says the average pace will exceed five hours. The Wolf Creek course guide covers tees.
Day 3: Zion. Leave at 6:30 AM Pacific, ride the shuttle in season, and be back for dinner.
Day 4: CasaBlanca, then fly. A morning round at CasaBlanca Golf Club ($160 in fall, $130 from Nov 18, 2026; CasaBlanca course guide) then the drive to LAS.
For a base, CasaBlanca Resort is 3 minutes from its course, Eureka Casino Resort is 6 minutes from Wolf Creek, and Virgin River Casino & Lodge is 3 minutes from Oasis with no resort fee. A fuller golf-only version is the 4-day Mesquite golf itinerary.
Should you split the trip with St. George?
St. George is about 40 to 45 minutes up I-15 from Mesquite and closer to the park, so a split stay suits golfers who want two Zion days or want to play Utah courses too. The St. George side is covered in golf near Zion National Park, and the Mesquite and St. George golf itinerary shows which nights go where. Book carefully across the state line: St. George tee times are on Mountain time, an hour ahead of Mesquite, as covered in the Mesquite and St. George time difference.
Driving down from Utah? Salt Lake City to Mesquite is about 4 hours 56 minutes on I-15 and passes the Zion turnoffs; see Salt Lake City to Mesquite golf.
Practical tips for a Zion day on a golf trip
- Set your phone clock. Near the state lines a phone can pick up an Arizona or Utah tower and show the wrong time. If in doubt, set it to Pacific manually the night before your next tee time.
- Drive yourself. Rental cars at Las Vegas are all at the Rent-A-Car Center about three miles south of the airport. A car is the only practical way to reach Zion from Mesquite in a day; the Salt Lake Express runs Las Vegas and St. George to Mesquite, with no Zion service listed.
- Pick the right day. A Zion day works best after your hardest round, not before it. Wolf Creek, at 5-plus hours, is a natural one to follow with a day off.
- Watch the cancellation rules. If weather or traffic changes your plans, Wolf Creek wants 48 hours' notice for groups of 11 or fewer, and Oasis wants 24 hours, so move tee times early rather than on the morning.
- Fuel and water. Fill up before you leave Mesquite and carry water in the warm months.
When is the best time to combine golf and Zion?
- Late October and November: Mesquite's courses have reopened on fresh rye after overseed, normal highs are 86F in October and 72F in November near Mesquite, and the Zion shuttle runs until November 28. See Mesquite golf in November.
- December to February: quieter golf with frosty mornings (lows around 32 to 36F) and Zion's non-shuttle season, when private cars are generally allowed on the Scenic Drive. The Kolob road can close for snow or ice.
- March and April: the best golf weather and the busiest tee sheets, with peak green fees. Spring break and Easter (March 28, 2027) bring heavy family travel to the I-15 corridor. The 2027 shuttle schedule was not yet posted.
- Summer: Mesquite highs of about 104 to 109F mean dawn tee times; check Zion's own forecast before a summer park day.
Avoid September for the golf side, when Mesquite's 18-hole courses close in turn for overseed.
Plan it on the map
Open the Mesquite golf map to line up your rounds around a Zion day, check how close each hotel is to the first tee, and see which courses suit the morning after a long drive.
Courses in this guide
Questions golfers ask
How far is Zion National Park from Mesquite, NV?
Google Maps gives 1 hour 28 minutes and 85.0 miles from Mesquite to the Zion Canyon Visitor Center in Springdale via I-15 north. OSRM gives 79.7 miles and 106 minutes. Kolob Canyons, the park's northwest section at I-15 Exit 40, is about 78 minutes and 71.3 miles by OSRM.
Is Zion on a different time zone from Mesquite?
Yes. Zion and Springdale are on Mountain time, one hour ahead of Mesquite (Pacific) all year. Shuttle times and park hours are posted on Mountain time, while your Mesquite tee times are on Pacific time.
How much does it cost to enter Zion in 2026?
$35 per private vehicle for 7 days, $30 per motorcycle, or $20 per person on foot or bike. The Zion annual pass is $70 and the America the Beautiful pass is $80 for US residents and $250 for non-residents.
Do Canadians pay the $100 Zion surcharge?
Yes, if they are not US residents. Since January 1, 2026, non-US residents aged 16 and over pay an extra $100 per person at Zion on top of the entrance fee, unless they hold an annual or America the Beautiful pass. Whether it is collected at Kolob Canyons as well as Zion Canyon was not stated, but NPS describes it as a park-wide fee.
Can you drive the Zion Scenic Drive in your own car?
Not while the shuttle runs. The Zion Canyon shuttle runs from October 25 to November 28 and again from December 26 to January 2, and the Scenic Drive is closed to private cars during those periods. Private vehicles are generally allowed in the non-shuttle season, usually December through February.
Can you golf in Mesquite and see Zion on the same day?
It is a long day. With about 1 hour 28 minutes each way and an hour lost to the time change going north, Zion usually works better as a full rest day, with golf the next morning in Mesquite. Kolob Canyons is shorter and needs no shuttle, so it fits a half day better.
Is it better to stay in St. George for Zion?
St. George is closer to Zion, and Mesquite is about 40 to 45 minutes further south down I-15. A split stay, with nights in both towns, suits golfers who want more than one day in the park. For a single Zion day, staying in Mesquite works fine.
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