zoin-national-park

Plan Your Visit

Zion's immense popularity and unique layout make advance planning absolutely essential for a good experience.

Mastering the Modern Park: Shuttles & Permits

🚌 The Mandatory Shuttle

For most of the year, you CANNOT drive your own car on the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive. You must use the free park shuttle. The visitor center parking lot fills extremely early (often by 8 a.m.). The best strategy is to park in the gateway town of Springdale and use the town shuttle to walk into the park.

🧗 The Angels Landing Lottery

To hike the final, chained section of Angels Landing, you must have a permit, which is awarded through a competitive online lottery held months in advance. You cannot do this hike spontaneously.

Choosing Your Season

Iconic Sights of Zion Canyon

The main canyon holds some of the most famous and breathtaking landscapes in the entire park system.

The Narrows

The quintessential Zion adventure. This world-famous hike involves walking directly in the Virgin River through the narrowest section of the canyon, with thousand-foot sandstone walls towering on both sides. Most visitors hike "bottom-up" from the Temple of Sinawava, going as far as they feel comfortable. Proper footwear is essential.

Angels Landing

A legendary and thrilling trail that climbs to a viewpoint 1,500 feet above the canyon floor. The final half-mile involves a heart-pounding scramble along a narrow rock fin with sheer drop-offs, aided by a fixed chain. The 360-degree views are among the best in any national park. Requires a permit.

Zion Canyon Scenic Drive

The main artery into the park's heart. For most of the year, this road is accessible only by the park shuttle. The ride itself is a key part of the experience, offering narrated commentary and stunning views of iconic formations like the Court of the Patriarchs, The Great White Throne, and Weeping Rock.

Emerald Pools

A classic Zion hike leading to a desert oasis. A series of trails connects Lower, Middle, and Upper Emerald Pools, which are fed by waterfalls that cascade down the cliffs. The trail to the Lower Pool is relatively easy and offers the unique experience of walking behind a waterfall.

Signature Hikes

Zion is a hiker's park. These trails offer a range of experiences, from easy riverside strolls to strenuous climbs.

Trail Comparison: Effort & Reward

Beyond the Canyon: Zion-Mount Carmel Highway

Escape the main canyon crowds and discover a different side of Zion's geology along this historic, scenic drive.

A Drive Through Stone

Connecting the park's South and East entrances, this 12-mile highway (SR-9) is an engineering marvel. It climbs out of the canyon via a series of dramatic switchbacks and passes through the 1.1-mile Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel, completed in 1930. The landscape on the east side is a world of "slickrock," featuring unique formations like the cross-hatched Checkerboard Mesa.

Canyon Overlook Trail

The must-do hike on the park's east side. This short but rewarding 1-mile trail, located just east of the tunnel, leads to a spectacular viewpoint high above the main canyon. It offers a perspective similar to Angels Landing but is much shorter and less exposed, making it a fantastic alternative.