Overview
Zion National Park is southwestern Utah's headline canyon — a 15-mile cleft of Navajo sandstone where the Virgin River cuts 2,000 feet below the rim and the cliffs glow rust, cream, and lavender across the day. The main canyon is small, walkable in a single morning, and stays with you for the same reason: every trail puts the wall right above your head.
Map
Current conditions
Active alerts and closures for Zion, updated daily.
Headline Hikes
4.8 mi 1,745 ft gain 3–5 hr
The chain-clutch ridge walk to a 1,488-ft fin above Zion Canyon. Permit required since 2022 — apply via the seasonal or day-before lottery on Recreation.gov. Budget extra time for the technical sections and avoid when wet or icy.
1.0 mi 216 ft gain 30 min
The highest payoff-per-step trail in the park. Just east of the Mt. Carmel tunnel, 30 minutes to a railing perch over Pine Creek Canyon. No shuttle needed — drive to it. Sunrise and sunset are the moves.
7.0 mi 705 ft gain 2.5–3 hr
The big view down onto Angels Landing — taller, quieter, and now best approached from East Mesa Trailhead (4WD required) while the original Weeping Rock route remains closed. Sunrise is the move.
Trail descriptions are field-tested summaries; verify current conditions and closures with NPS before hiking.
Permits & Reservations
Recreation.gov runs every permit lottery and reservation listed here. Apply in their window — there is no in-person walk-up alternative for the chain section of Angels Landing, the top-down Narrows, or the Subway. The three highest-stakes permits are below; see all Zion permits for the full list.
Lottery
Apply by season
Data Source: Recreation.gov
Reservation
Data Source: Recreation.gov
Lottery
Data Source: Recreation.gov
Permit listings sourced from the Recreation Information Database (RIDB). Confirm current dates, fees, and how to apply on Recreation.gov or at the park before you go — some permits are first-come or issued in person.
Inside the Park
The lodges actually inside Zion — you wake up at the trailheads, skip the morning drive in, and stay after the day-trippers leave. They are concessioner-run, seasonal, and book months ahead; you are paying for where you sleep, not always for the room itself, so check each one's real rating below.
In-park lodge
Inside Zion Canyon (shuttle stop #5)
Closest shuttle stop: Zion Lodge stop (in-park Canyon Line)
Season Year-round; books out 9–13 months ahead in spring and fall. Off-season (December–February) is the only realistic walk-up window.
The only in-park lodging — mid-canyon at shuttle stop #5, across from the Emerald Pools trailhead. Cabins and lodge rooms. Book directly through the concessioner; the lodge is the one place inside the park where a private vehicle can park during shuttle season.
Top pick for accessibility-priority
Concessioner direct booking — operator Xanterra (per NPS Zion 'Lodging' page).
In-park lodges book direct through the park concessioner unless a booking partner carries real availability. Rooms are limited and release on a fixed window — reserve early.
Where to Stay
The closest, highest-rated places to stay — in-park and just outside the south entrance. Each card carries who it suits, a direct booking link, and a link to every option in that town; the full list across all gateways sits below.
Hotel / inn
1515 Zion Park Blvd, Springdale, UT
Closest shuttle stop: Springdale Line — park & ride to the entrance
Season Year-round; shoulder season (March–April, October–November) books fastest. Winter walk-ups often available.
Mid-range and well-located on Zion Park Boulevard with an on-site restaurant, bar, and pool. EV charging on site. One of the closer Springdale properties to the south entrance — a 5-minute walk to the shuttle stop.
Booking.com via Awin affiliate (advertiser 6776). Prices shown are indicative and may vary by date.
Hotel / inn
897 Zion Park Blvd, Springdale, UT
Closest shuttle stop: Springdale Line — park & ride to the entrance
Season Year-round; family-oriented demand peaks in summer and spring break. Book 2–4 months ahead for peak weeks.
A Springdale staple with the family-friendly trifecta: pool, hot tub, and family rooms that actually fit a family. EV charging on site. Walkable to the shuttle stop and the restaurants along Zion Park Boulevard.
Booking.com via Awin affiliate (advertiser 6776). Prices shown are indicative and may vary by date.
Motel
865 Zion Park Blvd, Springdale, UT
Closest shuttle stop: Springdale Line — park & ride to the entrance
Season Year-round; the most likely Springdale property to have last-minute availability in shoulder season.
The budget-friendliest option in Springdale itself — a straightforward motel with a pool, playground, and family rooms. No frills, but you are still on Zion Park Boulevard with the same shuttle access as the higher-end properties.
Top pick for backpackers
Booking.com via Awin affiliate (advertiser 6776). Prices shown are indicative and may vary by date.
Hotel / inn
281 Zion Park Blvd, Springdale, UT
Closest shuttle stop: Springdale Line — park & ride to the entrance
Season Year-round; spring and fall sell out 3–6 months ahead. Winter discounts drop rates significantly.
The premium option on Zion Park Boulevard — five acres of riverfront gardens between you and the Virgin River. Spa, on-site restaurant, heated pool, and rooms that face the canyon walls. A short walk from the park entrance and the shuttle stop.
Top pick for day hikers
Booking.com via Awin affiliate (advertiser 6776). Prices shown are indicative and may vary by date.
In-park lodges book direct through the concessioner; gateway-town stays surface through partner search.
Where to Base
Most visitors base in one of these towns and ride the shuttle in. Springdale puts you at the south entrance; Hurricane and Kanab trade distance for more rooms and lower rates.
In-town walkable basecamp
Quiet riverside alternative
Budget I-15 chain basecamp
Airport-city regional basecamp
Three-park east-entrance basecamp
Areas of the Park
Most of this page covers Zion Canyon — the shuttle, the famous trails, the south-entrance towns. Kolob Canyons is the park's other half: a separate entrance off I-15, 40 miles north, with its own scenic drive, no shuttle, and far fewer people.
Multi-day routes
The multi-day and permit-gated routes that take real planning — sequenced stop by stop, with the permit and the bail plan answered before you go.
Camping
Three campgrounds sit inside the park. All take reservations through Recreation.gov — book the moment your window opens in spring and fall.
In-park · Frontcountry
Six primitive sites an hour up Kolob Terrace Road, far from the canyon shuttle — for solitude over convenience, and it books only 14 days out.
Data Source: Recreation.gov
You'll be redirected to Recreation.gov
In-park · Frontcountry
Shaded and central by the south entrance, a short walk to the visitor center — but it opens only a 14-day booking window, so set a reminder.
Data Source: Recreation.gov
You'll be redirected to Recreation.gov
In-park · Frontcountry
The only Zion campground open year-round and closest to the visitor center, with electric-hookup loops for RVs — reserve up to six months ahead.
Data Source: Recreation.gov
You'll be redirected to Recreation.gov
Campground listings sourced from the Recreation Information Database (RIDB). Recreation.gov is the only authorized booking site — confirm fees, dates, and site counts there before reserving.
Experiences
Guided tours and rentals that fill out a Zion trip — an e-bike ride through the canyon, a private day in the Narrows, or an east-side slot-canyon trip that skips the permit lottery. The full set sits below.
UTV adventure
East Zion area (Orderville, UT)
A UTV ride through the East Zion backcountry into a slot canyon — part off-road adventure, part canyoneering. Two and a half hours. The UTV gets you past the trailhead crowds and into terrain you can't reach on foot from the main canyon.
Good for
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Guided hike
Zion Canyon (The Narrows)
A private guided day in the Narrows — the guide handles route-finding, water-level reads, and gear logistics so you focus on the canyon. Seven hours, private group. Worth the price if the Narrows is the trip's anchor and you want to go deeper than the tourist turnaround.
Good for
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Canyoneering
East Zion area (Orderville, UT)
A half-day slot-canyon canyoneering trip on the east side of Zion — rappels, scrambles, and narrows without the permit lottery or the crowds at the main canyon. Runs from the Orderville side, making it a natural add-on for Kanab-based trips or east-entrance itineraries.
Good for
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Getting There
Most visitors fly into Las Vegas and drive 2h 45m up I-15. The east entrance is the smart play if you're routing in from Bryce or Page.
Las Vegas, NV 2h 45m
via I-15 N + UT-9 E
Most common approach. Add 30 minutes in peak season for the Springdale shuttle queue.
Salt Lake City, UT 4h 15m
via I-15 S + UT-17 + UT-9
Longer but flat and freeway-fast.
Bryce Canyon, UT 1h 45m
via UT-12 + US-89 + UT-9
The classic Mighty 5 east-entrance route — clears the Mt. Carmel tunnel.
Page, AZ 2h 15m
via US-89 + UT-9 (east entrance)
Skips Springdale traffic entirely if you base on the east side.
South Entrance (Springdale)
The main entrance, fronting the canyon-shuttle hub in Springdale. Lines run 8–11am in spring and fall; arrive before 7am or after 3pm, or walk in from town.
Best for Zion Canyon, Angels Landing, the Narrows bottom-up
East Entrance (Mount Carmel, Hwy 9)
The scenic approach on the Zion–Mt. Carmel Highway, through the historic 1.1-mile tunnel. This is the route in from Bryce and the east.
Access Oversize vehicles (over 11'4" tall or 7'10" wide) need a one-way tunnel escort and a permit fee
Best for Canyon Overlook, the scenic drive-through, the Bryce-to-Zion route
Kolob Canyons Entrance
A separate north-end entrance off I-15 exit 40, 40 minutes from the main canyon — a different, almost always uncrowded face of Zion.
Best for Taylor Creek and Timber Creek day hikes, skipping the shuttle lines
Required during peak season
Private vehicles cannot drive into Zion Canyon from roughly March through late November. The free park shuttle runs from the visitor center to nine canyon stops; expect a 30–45 minute wait at the southern end during peak season. Off-season (typically December–February), private vehicles are allowed back in.
Season Mar – late Nov
See the full shuttle guide, stop by stop →Shuttle dates shift year to year. Confirm the current operating window on the NPS Zion alerts page before your trip — early-March and late-November dates are the most volatile.
Sightseeing
From roadside pullouts to the chained summit of Angels Landing — the canyon's best views, sorted by how hard they are to reach and when the light is best.
Summit
Narrow fin summit reached by chained switchbacks with sheer drops over Zion Canyon; lottery permit required.
Best at midday
Roadside Pullout
Shuttle stop with a sweeping view of the Great White Throne and Angels Landing from the canyon floor.
Best at sunset
Overlook
Railing perch over lower Zion Canyon and Pine Creek, a 1-mile round-trip hike east of the Mt. Carmel tunnel.
Best at sunset
Overlook
Short paved climb to a vista of the three sandstone peaks named for biblical patriarchs.
Best at sunrise
Overlook
The end-of-road overlook in Zion's separate Kolob Canyons district, off I-15 exit 40. The 5-mile Kolob Canyons Road climbs to a viewpoint and picnic area looking across the red Finger Canyons and Timber Creek; a 1-mile round-trip trail continues to the Timber Creek Overlook for a wider view. The cliffs glow late in the day. The district is about a 40-mile drive from Zion Canyon and draws far smaller crowds.
Best at sunset
Overlook
High rim viewpoint looking down on Angels Landing and the canyon, reached via the East Mesa Trail or East Rim.
Best at midday
Trailside
Riverside Walk leads to the mouth of the slot canyon where the Virgin River squeezes between towering walls.
Best at midday
Trailside
A hanging-garden alcove where water that has seeped through the Navajo sandstone for over a thousand years drips from the overhang, feeding ferns and wildflowers on the rock face. The short paved trail to the alcove and the Weeping Rock shuttle stop have been closed since a 2019 rockfall — check the park's current conditions page before planning around it.
Good all day
When to Go
Best Time to Visit
Spring & fall. Summer is hot and crowded; the canyon shuttle runs spring through late fall.
Plan Your Trip
Sweet spot
April – early May, late September – October
Cottonwoods leaf out or turn yellow, daytime highs 70–80°F, river temperatures still cool but tolerable for the Narrows.
Shoulder
November – early March
Quietest. Private vehicles often allowed into the canyon. Snow possible on rim trails; Angels Landing chains can ice.
Avoid (if you can)
Mid-June – August
Canyon temps push 100°F+, the Narrows closes during flash-flood watches, shuttle lines run an hour at the south entrance.
Angels Landing permit
Required since April 2022 for the chain section above Scout Lookout. Seasonal lottery runs a quarter ahead; a day-before lottery picks up cancellations. Apply via Recreation.gov.
Application window Seasonal lottery + day-before lottery
Narrows top-down permit
Only the through-hike from Chamberlain's Ranch needs a permit; the bottom-up day hike from Temple of Sinawava does not. Permit caps the through-hike to 80 hikers per day.
Application window Calendar lottery 3 months out
The Subway permit
Both top-down (technical canyoneering) and bottom-up (route-finding scramble) require permits. The Subway lottery is the most competitive in the park.
Application window Monthly lottery 3 months ahead
Recreation.gov is the only authorized lottery + permit issuer. Anyone selling Angels Landing or Narrows permits outside Recreation.gov is a scam — there is no in-person walk-up alternative for either.
What to Pack
The short list for a Zion day on the trails — what earns its place in the pack, and where to get it.
Packs
Whether you're bagging peaks or on a bikepacking adventure, the men's Osprey Talon 22 pack is the ideal solution for toting all the gear you need while keeping you comfortable for the long haul.
Why it matters Carries water, snacks, and layers for a full day on trail with a comfortable hipbelt.
Footwear
Take on urban landscapes in the Merrell Moab 3 Lux shoes. These hiking shoes use full-grain leather for a traditional look that doesn't lack support.
Why it matters Grippy, broken-in-comfortable boots with a wide toe box for mixed park terrain.
Footwear
Keep confidence underfoot. With excellent grip and the same reassuring comfort as the original, the men's Salomon Speedcross 6 trail-running shoes offer a powerful connection to the trails.
Why it matters Lighter than boots for fast, dry-trail days; many hikers prefer them.
Safety
Balancing comfort and reliability, the 3-piece-adjustable Black Diamond Trail trekking poles have updated EVA foam grips and plush straps for added security and improved handling on the trail.
Why it matters Save your knees on descents and steady you across stream crossings like the Narrows.
Water
With high-flow hydration and an on/off lever at the bite valve that makes it easy to prevent leaks, there's a lot to like about like the CamelBak Crux Crux 2-liter reservoir.
Why it matters Drink hands-free on the move so you actually stay hydrated in the heat.
Water
Stay refreshed and hydrated wherever you wander with a 32 fl. oz. Hydro Flask Wide-Mouth insulated water bottle equipped with a leakproof Flex Straw cap and 24-hour insulation.
Why it matters Keeps water cold all day; the most-used item in any park daypack.
Prices and stock change often — confirm the current price with the retailer before buying.
Road Trip
One loop strings Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Arches, and Canyonlands onto a single drive. The route page lays out the stop order, the drive times, and what each park is for.
Road Trip
Five national parks on one red-rock loop — about 1,180 miles and 22 hours of driving from Las Vegas, best over 9 days.
Save on Entry
The America the Beautiful annual pass pays for itself in two or three park visits. Free entry, free passenger fees, and no more fumbling for a credit card at the kiosk.
Buy your pass →
Learn more about the pass
Ships from US Park Pass. Free shipping in the continental US.
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