Shoutout to the ranger at Zion who told me the shuttle was actually the faster way up
Everyone on the forums swears you need a car to see Zion properly, but I parked at the visitor center in Springdale and the shuttle had me at the Emerald Pools trailhead in 15 minutes. Between the full lots and the 30 minute hunt for parking, driving yourself is the slower choice. Am I missing some secret drive-in spot, or is the car advice just outdated?
The part about "the car advice is just outdated" is spot on for most of the main canyon. I read a trip report from a few years back where the guy wasted almost an hour circling the lots near the lodge before he gave up and took the shuttle anyway. What most people don't get is that the road up the canyon is closed to private cars for most of the year now, so unless you have a permit or stay at the lodge, you're taking the shuttle no matter what. The only real drive-in access is the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway over to the east side, which is a whole different trip. So no, you're not missing a secret spot. The folks saying you need a car are probably thinking of the old days or confusing it with Bryce.