5 Days: LA to the Southwest
Five days keeps the same spine as 4 days (Death Valley, Vegas, Grand Canyon West) but pushes on to Zion instead of turning back to LA after the Skywalk. It’s a longer trip with a genuinely long last day; for the version that adds Bryce too, see 6 days .
Book these before you go:
- Compare rental cars on Discover Cars
- Las Vegas hotel rates on Booking.com
- Grand Canyon West Skywalk tickets on GetYourGuide
- Springdale hotel rates on Booking.com
| Day | Stop | Distance from LA | Drive time | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Death Valley | 260-270 miles | 4.5-5 hrs | Furnace Creek, overnight |
| 2 | Las Vegas | 120 miles from Death Valley | 2-2.5 hrs | Badwater Basin en route, Strip evening |
| 3 | Grand Canyon West | 120-130 miles from Vegas | 2-2.5 hrs | Skywalk day trip, back to Vegas |
| 4 | Zion National Park | 160 miles from Vegas | 2.5-3 hrs | Riverside Walk, overnight Springdale |
| 5 | Los Angeles (return) | 430 miles | 6+ hrs | Direct drive home |
Day 1: Los Angeles to Death Valley
Furnace Creek is 260 to 270 miles and 4.5 to 5 hours from LA. Pay the $30 per-vehicle fee at the cashless machine (current fees at nps.gov/deva ), check into Furnace Creek Ranch or Stovepipe Wells, and catch Zabriskie Point if there’s daylight left.
Day 2: Badwater Basin, then on to Vegas
Badwater Basin, 282 feet below sea level, rewards an early start before the heat builds. From there it’s 120 miles and 2 to 2.5 hours to Las Vegas via NV-160 and CA-190; one evening on the Strip is enough here.
Day 3: Grand Canyon West and the Skywalk
Grand Canyon West is Hualapai tribal land, not Grand Canyon National Park; an NPS pass doesn’t work here. The $99 All-Access Pass covers the Skywalk and shuttle, 120 to 130 miles and 2 to 2.5 hours via US-93. This isn’t the South Rim, the postcard one; that’s 8-plus hours one way from LA and its own separate trip (fees at nps.gov/grca ). Drive back to Vegas for the night.
Day 4: Vegas to Zion, done properly
Drive 160 miles and 2.5 to 3 hours up I-15 to Springdale and check in for the night rather than racing back to Vegas. The $35 vehicle entrance (current fees at nps.gov/zion ) now carries a $100-per-person non-resident surcharge, and covers the free shuttle running March 7 to November 28, 2026, mandatory for Zion Canyon Scenic Drive in season. The Riverside Walk and Emerald Pools fill an afternoon well; Angels Landing needs a $6 permit application booked before you leave home, not something to chase same-day.
Day 5: Zion to Los Angeles, the direct route
Skip Vegas on the way back and drive straight to LA: 430 miles and 6-plus hours via I-15 and back roads through the Mojave. Budget the whole day for it and don’t book anything for that evening; this is the one day this itinerary asks a lot of, and there’s no shortcut around it.
Five days is the first version of this trip that feels like an actual road trip rather than a string of day trips. If Zion’s the highlight for you, that Springdale overnight is what makes the whole loop worth doing.