Found this real time app, Guide Along useful when I’d done poor pre-planning. I’m sure there are others. It geopodistioned you and recommended turn offs, possible trails, history and view points.
Moab - look at Red Moon Lodge. Not cheap, not fancy but lovely and pleasant with sweet gardens and a decent cold breakfast buffet.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just returned from visiting "The Mighty Five."

Zion was a disappointment. It was so overcrowded and the buses were packed all the time with standing room only. The popular hikes (The Narrows) were like a non-stop assembly line of people and many of them were obviously not in physical condition to be doing it. Overheard of several instances where people had fallen or otherwise were hurt. We stayed in the lodge on Zion and even with that head-start it was still packed with people.

There were also large tour groups comprised of busloads of people who were only trying to get the perfect Instagram-type shot and were blocking viewpoints, blocking trails, etc. to do so. Bringing changes of outfits, even! Completely oblivious to the beauty around them.

As far as we were concerned, Zion was a one-and-done and we don't have plans to go back.

Which month did you visit Zion, was it this month or September? My family is planning a trip there for late Sept of next year, as we thought (and read) that the crowds are gone by then.

I’m the one with the coworker who just went. She was there end of Sept and it was bananas crowded.

Second the recommendation for the Capitol Reef Resort and Capitol Reef Park. Almost deserted and very beautiful. We had an amazing lunch at Hell’s Backbone Grill and Farm on the way from Bryce to Capitol Reef—definitely worth a stop!

We went to Zion for spring break in 2022. We rented e-bikes and biked into the park, which was easy enough and skipped the shuttles. We didn’t do the Narrows but biked the whole park. As we got further into the park, the crowds thinned out and we had the roads to ourselves. It was glorious.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just returned from visiting "The Mighty Five."

Zion was a disappointment. It was so overcrowded and the buses were packed all the time with standing room only. The popular hikes (The Narrows) were like a non-stop assembly line of people and many of them were obviously not in physical condition to be doing it. Overheard of several instances where people had fallen or otherwise were hurt. We stayed in the lodge on Zion and even with that head-start it was still packed with people.

There were also large tour groups comprised of busloads of people who were only trying to get the perfect Instagram-type shot and were blocking viewpoints, blocking trails, etc. to do so. Bringing changes of outfits, even! Completely oblivious to the beauty around them.

As far as we were concerned, Zion was a one-and-done and we don't have plans to go back.

Which month did you visit Zion, was it this month or September? My family is planning a trip there for late Sept of next year, as we thought (and read) that the crowds are gone by then.

Early October. There may not have been the typical crowds of families with kids, but it was PACKED with large foreign tour groups. I guess they plan their trips when US kids are back in school and thus they can get blocks of rooms everywhere.

Ugh that’s a bummer. Were there long waits at the restaurants?
Did your hotel feel crowded and loud?
Was parking in town or at the park a challenge?

There was NO parking in the park - the only place you were allowed to park was the visitor center and it was full-up almost as soon as it opened. You cannot drive your own vehicle further into the park, so the only option is to park in town (pay $30-50) then take the town shuttle into the park, and then wait in another line to get on the (PACKED) park shuttle which goes through the park, stopping at scenic/hiking areas.

When I say packed, I am not exaggerating. It looked like the NYC subway at rush hour. The only restaurant in the park is at the lodge and it was crowded with mediocre food. Remember that getting to and from places is via the park shuttle so if you get off at the lodge, you will then wait in line again to re-board the shuttle and go elsewhere in the park.

We will never go to Zion again; it was just too crowded and they simply cannot keep up with the volumes of people that need facilities. Including places to go to the bathroom - every restroom/port-a-potty I used was absolutely filthy to the point it was a health hazard. As mentioned previously, the piles of feces/toilet paper in them was so high it was almost reaching the toilet. It is so shameful that our National Park Service has toilet facilities that are literally dirtier than any I've used elsewhere in the world.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just returned from visiting "The Mighty Five."

Zion was a disappointment. It was so overcrowded and the buses were packed all the time with standing room only. The popular hikes (The Narrows) were like a non-stop assembly line of people and many of them were obviously not in physical condition to be doing it. Overheard of several instances where people had fallen or otherwise were hurt. We stayed in the lodge on Zion and even with that head-start it was still packed with people.

There were also large tour groups comprised of busloads of people who were only trying to get the perfect Instagram-type shot and were blocking viewpoints, blocking trails, etc. to do so. Bringing changes of outfits, even! Completely oblivious to the beauty around them.

As far as we were concerned, Zion was a one-and-done and we don't have plans to go back.

Which month did you visit Zion, was it this month or September? My family is planning a trip there for late Sept of next year, as we thought (and read) that the crowds are gone by then.

Early October. There may not have been the typical crowds of families with kids, but it was PACKED with large foreign tour groups. I guess they plan their trips when US kids are back in school and thus they can get blocks of rooms everywhere.

Ugh that’s a bummer. Were there long waits at the restaurants?
Did your hotel feel crowded and loud?
Was parking in town or at the park a challenge?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just returned from visiting "The Mighty Five."

Zion was a disappointment. It was so overcrowded and the buses were packed all the time with standing room only. The popular hikes (The Narrows) were like a non-stop assembly line of people and many of them were obviously not in physical condition to be doing it. Overheard of several instances where people had fallen or otherwise were hurt. We stayed in the lodge on Zion and even with that head-start it was still packed with people.

There were also large tour groups comprised of busloads of people who were only trying to get the perfect Instagram-type shot and were blocking viewpoints, blocking trails, etc. to do so. Bringing changes of outfits, even! Completely oblivious to the beauty around them.

As far as we were concerned, Zion was a one-and-done and we don't have plans to go back.

Which month did you visit Zion, was it this month or September? My family is planning a trip there for late Sept of next year, as we thought (and read) that the crowds are gone by then.

Early October. There may not have been the typical crowds of families with kids, but it was PACKED with large foreign tour groups. I guess they plan their trips when US kids are back in school and thus they can get blocks of rooms everywhere.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We really liked the Desert Pearl Inn in Zion. You could walk to the park, and it has a pool. Zion is behind the Inn, so if you book a room off the back, that is your view, along with a little stream. We also enjoyed e-biking through Zion (we have teens).

I second this rec. I LOVED this hotel. Spacious, clean, modern, great location! Ask for a 1st level room so that your patio backs up to the river running behind it. Lovely.

Thank you for this suggestion. Would you recommend this over the Springhill Suites in Springdale? That’s what we were considering.

PP here. We also really like our horseback riding to the bottom of Bryce. After a decent amount of hiking at Zion this was a nice change of pace.

Recommend Zion Adventure company for some just out of park canyoneering, just your family will be with a guide. Was our favorite day in Zion. Grab food across the street in the convenience store and you can park your car there all day.

Anonymous wrote:Just returned from visiting "The Mighty Five."

Zion was a disappointment. It was so overcrowded and the buses were packed all the time with standing room only. The popular hikes (The Narrows) were like a non-stop assembly line of people and many of them were obviously not in physical condition to be doing it. Overheard of several instances where people had fallen or otherwise were hurt. We stayed in the lodge on Zion and even with that head-start it was still packed with people.

There were also large tour groups comprised of busloads of people who were only trying to get the perfect Instagram-type shot and were blocking viewpoints, blocking trails, etc. to do so. Bringing changes of outfits, even! Completely oblivious to the beauty around them.

As far as we were concerned, Zion was a one-and-done and we don't have plans to go back.

Which month did you visit Zion, was it this month or September? My family is planning a trip there for late Sept of next year, as we thought (and read) that the crowds are gone by then.

Anonymous wrote:I can summarize all of the previous advice in one post. Change your trip to be at least two weeks. 😂

OP- I wish! We only have 9 nights. Kids have internships

Anonymous wrote:We went to Zion last year after the spring break week for most schools; it was not so crowded that we did not enjoy. You may want to think about when to do there, as it's definitely the most crowded of the whole bunch by far. Driving into the park from the SLC city side was utterly spectacular. In some ways more so than any of the hikes for me.

Bryce was amazing too, but freezing when we were there too. Snow in April.

Is there any website or article that tells me the most popular spring break weeks?

Anonymous wrote:We went to Zion last year after the spring break week for most schools; it was not so crowded that we did not enjoy. You may want to think about when to do there, as it's definitely the most crowded of the whole bunch by far. Driving into the park from the SLC city side was utterly spectacular. In some ways more so than any of the hikes for me.

Bryce was amazing too, but freezing when we were there too. Snow in April.

Yes, THIS! That drive was worth it all

We went to Zion last year after the spring break week for most schools; it was not so crowded that we did not enjoy. You may want to think about when to do there, as it's definitely the most crowded of the whole bunch by far. Driving into the park from the SLC city side was utterly spectacular. In some ways more so than any of the hikes for me.

Bryce was amazing too, but freezing when we were there too. Snow in April.