Western Parks travel mandatorily by car (SUV recommended for Yosemite Tioga Pass, Yellowstone, Glacier). No tourist public transport between parks.
Car rental essential from Las Vegas (LAS Harry Reid International Airport, formerly McCarran) or Salt Lake City (SLC) or Phoenix (PHX) — $60-100/day SUV at Hertz, Sixt, Enterprise, Alamo. Book via Auto Europe, RentalCars.com or directly. Full LDW/CDW insurance essential. French licence valid 3 months, credit card for deposit ($500-1,000). Drive from minimum 21 (under-25 surcharge $25-29/day for 21-24).
Useful Vegas-parks loop distances: Las Vegas-Grand Canyon South Rim 430 km (4-4h30 via I-40 + AZ-64), Grand Canyon-Page 215 km (3h via AZ-64 + AZ-89), Page-Monument Valley 200 km (2h30 via AZ-98 + US-160 + US-163), Monument Valley-Moab 240 km (3h via UT-191), Moab-Bryce 425 km (4h30 via I-70 + UT-24 + UT-12), Bryce-Zion 130 km (2h via UT-9), Zion-Las Vegas 260 km (2h45 via I-15). Total loop 2,000-2,500 km in 14 days.
For Yellowstone (Wyoming-Montana), nearest airports: Bozeman (BZN) Montana (1h NW Yellowstone, Delta, United, American flights from US hubs, $250-450 return from NYC), Jackson Hole (JAC) Wyoming (1h S Yellowstone via Grand Teton, Delta, American from US hubs), Cody (COD) Wyoming (1h30 E Yellowstone), Idaho Falls (IDA) Idaho (2h30 W), Salt Lake City (SLC) Utah (5h S, direct Paris CDG flight via Delta possible but expensive). From Las Vegas, plan 14-16h drive via Salt Lake City — not recommended by car, prefer domestic flight.
Domestic flights between Vegas and Salt Lake City (1h15, $100-300 Southwest, JetBlue), Vegas and Phoenix (1h, $80-200), Vegas and Denver (2h, $150-350). For Yellowstone from Vegas, flight via Salt Lake City to Bozeman or Jackson Hole.
Bus: Greyhound Vegas-LA (4-5h, $30-80), no direct transport to national parks. Organised bus excursions from Vegas: Grand Canyon South Rim day trip $100-180 (12h with 8h drive, tiring), Grand Canyon West Rim Skywalk + Hoover Dam half day $130-200, Antelope Canyon + Horseshoe Bend + Lake Powell day $200-300, Bryce + Zion 1-2 days $350-600.
Inside parks, free high-season shuttles: Zion National Park mandatory shuttle April-October (private car prohibited in main valley without), Bryce Canyon shuttle (recommended), Grand Canyon South Rim mandatory Hermits Rest Road shuttle in high season, Yosemite Valley shuttle. Yellowstone, Glacier, Arches: personal car in park.
America the Beautiful Pass $80/year (annual, covers all federal national parks and monuments) — very cost-effective from 3 parks visited ($35/vehicle each otherwise). Purchasable online at nps.gov or at first park entry. Also exists a seniors 65+ pass at $20/year, and a free active military pass.
Read also
- Las Vegas — The Strip, Bellagio, Caesars Palace, Cirque du Soleil: the parks' improbable base camp.
- Grand Canyon — 1,829 m deep, 446 km long, one of the world's most impressive natural landscapes.
- United States — Complete country-continent guide: ESTA, currency, regions.
- California — Combine with Western parks for the complete road trip (Las Vegas → Death Valley → Yosemite → SF).