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Zion National Park centers on a deep canyon carved by the North Fork of the Virgin River in southwestern Utah. Cliffs of cream, pink and red Navajo sandstone rise thousands of feet above the canyon floor. Utah's first national park, it pairs gentle riverside strolls with some of the best-known hikes in the country.
From the visitor center, the Pa'rus Trail follows the river toward views of the Watchman. The Zion Human History Museum introduces the canyon's past, and the park shuttle continues to the Court of the Patriarchs and the trails to Emerald Pools. Angels Landing climbs a narrow fin of rock with chains for support and requires a permit. At the end of the road, the paved Riverside Walk leads to the mouth of the Narrows, where hikers wade upstream between towering walls. East of the main canyon, the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway passes through a long tunnel, and the short Canyon Overlook Trail looks back into the gorge before the crosshatched slickrock of Checkerboard Mesa. Kolob Canyons has its own quieter scenic drive.
Zion suits hikers of every level and families willing to start early. Summer brings intense heat and flash flood risk in narrow canyons, so forecasts matter. Springdale, at the south entrance, has lodging and restaurants close to the park, and Bryce Canyon is a manageable drive away.
WiserMap travel guideZion National Park Utah Angels Landing and The NarrowsPlan a Zion trip with the best canyon hikes, from Angels Landing and The Narrows to Emerald Pools, Canyon Overlook and Kolob Canyons, plus shuttles and permits.Read the guide
Zion's most famous hike climbs switchbacks and Walter's Wiggles to Scout Lookout, then follows a narrow fin with chains and steep drops to the summit. All hikers past Scout Lookout need a permit from an online lottery. Not for those afraid of heights, and avoid it in wet weather.
Observation Point looks down on Zion Canyon from above Angels Landing. The old route from the canyon floor is closed by rockfall, so hikers use the East Mesa Trail from the park's east side, about 7 miles round trip and fairly level. The access road can be rough after rain.
A canyon on the Left Fork of North Creek where the stream has carved a tunnel-like passage with green pools. Reached from the Kolob Terrace Road, the route involves wading and route finding, and the top-down route needs rappelling. A wilderness permit from a lottery is required.
A short trail of about one mile round trip starting just east of the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel. It follows ledges with railings in places to a viewpoint above Pine Creek Canyon and lower Zion Canyon. Parking is very limited, so arrive early or late, and watch children near the drop-offs.
The Pa'rus Trail is a flat paved path along the Virgin River from the visitor center, the only trail in Zion open to bikes and pets on leash. It gives fine views of the Watchman peak, especially at sunset from the Canyon Junction bridge. It is ideal for families and wheelchair users.
An easy paved trail of about 2 miles round trip from the Temple of Sinawava shuttle stop, following the Virgin River between towering walls with hanging gardens and squirrels. It ends where the river fills the canyon and the Narrows begin. It is a good choice for families and older visitors.
A set of trails from the Zion Lodge shuttle stop leading to the Lower, Middle and Upper Emerald Pools, where small waterfalls spill off sandstone cliffs. The lower pool is an easy walk, while the upper pool needs more climbing. Flow is best in spring, and the paths can be icy in winter.
A hike up the Virgin River through a gorge only 20 to 30 feet wide in places, with walls up to 1,000 feet high. Most people go bottom-up from the end of Riverside Walk without a permit. Rent water shoes and a walking stick in Springdale, and check flash flood risk and river flow first.
A quieter section of the park in the northwest, reached from Interstate 15 rather than the main canyon. A five-mile scenic drive climbs past red finger canyons to the Timber Creek Overlook. The Taylor Creek Trail leads to Double Arch Alcove. It has its own small visitor center.
A scenic road built in the 1920s that climbs switchbacks from Zion Canyon through a 1.1-mile tunnel to the slickrock country of the east side. Large vehicles need a paid tunnel escort. Pull-outs along the way offer views, and bighorn sheep are often seen near the road.
A pale sandstone mountain near the east entrance whose surface is etched with a criss-cross pattern of cracks, the result of wind, frost and erosion over thousands of years. A roadside pull-out on Highway 9 offers a good view. It is a quick photo stop on the drive through the east side.
The small museum near the south entrance explains the area's native peoples, Mormon pioneers and the park's creation, with a short film. Up the canyon, the Court of the Patriarchs viewpoint, a short walk from its shuttle stop, shows three sandstone peaks named after biblical figures.
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