Y’all we have made it! This is part 6, the last part of my multi-part series sharing how I planned a 2-week road trip to Utah’s National Parks. Today, I’m sharing my itinerary and recommendations for how to visit Zion National Park for 3 days.
Check out the other parts of this series:
- 2 days of hiking in Arches National Park
- 2 days of hiking in Canyonlands National Park
- 2 days of hiking in Capitol Reef National Park
- 1/2 day in Bryce Canyon National Park
Plan Your Visit to Zion National Park
Zion National Park is located near a small town of Springdale, Utah. This park is known for its towering cliffs, the daring hike of Angel’s Landing, and the scenic water hike through the Narrows. We spent 3 days at Zion to explore the park.
The popularity of Zion National Park has caused the park to continually adjust their capacity rules for entering the park. I highly recommend checking the Zion National Park official website for the most up to date park conditions and closures, shuttle system info and hiking permits info. When we visited the Zion Canyon area in 2020, several of the hikes we wanted to do were closed, we had to book a shuttle ticket weeks in advance, and didn’t need a permit to hike Angel’s Landing. As of writing this blog post in May 2022, the shuttle system no longer needs a ticket and there’s a lottery to hike Angel’s Landing.
Additionally, the NPS website has great info on the park. I recommend downloading or saving a copy of the Zion National Park map in case you visit when the rangers are not at the entrance station. It’s helpful to get familiar with the map to see where the trails are around the park.
Where to stay to visit Zion National Park
The closest place to stay to visit Zion is in Springdale, Utah. This small town has hotels and AirBNB options, although this option was a bit pricey for us. Instead, we found an AirBNB to stay at in La Verkin, Utah that had a kitchen we needed because we cooked some of our meals. It’s a nice 30 minute drive to the entrance of the park. I also considered staying in Hurricane. I think staying in St. George is too far because it’s a 1 hour drive to the park entrance.
I wouldn’t recommend staying by the East Entrance of Zion. I mention it below in the shuttle information, but if you enter through the East Entrance you still have to drive 30 minutes to the main Zion Canyon Visitor Center in Springdale. But, if it works for your schedule and budget, it’s an option.
Zion Canyon and Kolob Canyons
When planning your trip to Zion, you should know there are two separate areas of Zion National Park: Zion Canyon and Kolob Canyons. The entrances for these areas are about 50 minutes away from each other.
The main area most visitors go to is Zion Canyon. This is where you will find the popular hikes of Angels Landing and The Narrows. Most of the year, you can access Zion Canyon using the shuttle system. There are two park entrances for Zion Canyon. The most popular entrance is Zion Canyon Visitor Center in Springdale, Utah. The other is the East Entrance. It’s recommended to enter through the main Zion Canyon Visitor Center because this is where the shuttle picks up and drops off. If you enter from the East Entrance, you still have to drive all the way through the park to the Zion Canyon Visitor Center for the shuttle, there are no pickups from the East Entrance.
The Kolob Canyons area of the park is much smaller. Check the website to see if it’s open or if any trails are under construction. Visitors can drive down a 5-mile scenic drive to see the red canyons of this park; there is no shuttle system in Kolob Canyons. We visited Kolob Canyons and enjoyed the peaceful, less crowded road and trails. If you’re short on time, I’d recommend skipping Kolob Canyons.
Parking and how to use the shuttle at Zion National Park
The shuttle operates most of the year at Zion. The shuttle takes visitors up and down Zion Canyon Scenic Drive, which begins at Canyon Junction. No private vehicles are allowed on Zion Canyon Scenic Drive when the shuttles are in service, unless you have a reservation to stay at Zion Lodge inside the park. If you’re staying at Zion Lodge, there is a stop to board the shuttle from here.
So, if you’re going to take the shuttle you need to park at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center. Get to the park lot early before it fills up! We arrived around 7:00 am most days to hit the trails early. This is the only parking lot inside the park to access the shuttles. The entrance signs at Zion will tell visitors if the parking lot is full.
If the parking lot inside Zion gets full, don’t worry! You can park in the town of Springdale and catch the free Springdale shuttle into Zion. This shuttle will drop you off by the Zion Canyon Visitor Center and you can transfer to board the Zion Park shuttle to ride into the park.
Food options at Zion National Park
While the town of Springdale is super close to the entrance of Zion, pack your meals, snacks, and water to avoid having to leave the park. There is a place to grab decent food and refill your water bottles inside the park at Zion Lodge, Shuttle Stop #5. We ate our packed lunch on the grassy field in front of Zion Lodge, there’s a great view of Angel’s Landing from here.
Trail closures and the Narrows hike
During our visit to Zion in November 2020, Observation Trail and Weeping Rock Trail were closed.
I know the Narrows hike is another very popular hike in Zion, but we didn’t do it for several reasons. For those that don’t know, the Narrows hike is a hike through water, going up to visitors’ chests at some points. You can hike up to 9-miles in the water where you’ll be among towering canyons. The photos look beautiful!
However, we decided not to do the Narrows hike. We weren’t interested in renting a drysuit, the weather was already very cold during our visit, and honestly I’m a little afraid of being stuck in water for miles. But if you’re not afraid of the water, it’s highly recommended to hike the Narrows!
Zion National Park Day 1 Itinerary
My itinerary for Zion spans 3 days. The days can be mixed around depending if a permit is required for the Angel’s Landing hike. The first day at Zion National Park will have you at the park bright and early to hike Angel’s Landing, and if you still have energy afterwards other hikes are included.
Angel’s Landing and Scout’s Lookout
5.4 miles, 2-4 hours
Difficult to strenuous
First, check if a permit is needed to hike Angel’s Landing. This hike is accessed on shuttle stop #6, The Grotto. I recommend getting there very early, between 6:00 am and 7:00 am to avoid the crowds, especially at the Chains section of this hike. This is a very popular, well-known hike that offers beautiful views. You gain nearly 1,500 ft in elevation in a short distance. It’s on some hiker’s bucket list! Make no mistake, this hike is difficult. I had to take frequent breaks to catch my breath. When you get to the “Walter’s Wiggles” part of the hike, you will wonder which insane person thought of this trail.
Angel’s Landing is famous for the “chains” section of the hike. This part is half a mile in length and has hikers go up a narrow ledge, with one mere chain to support hikers going up and down the path. At some points, only one hiker can fit on the trail, causing traffic jams.
The chains section of Angel’s Landing is not for those who have a fear of heights. People have fallen to their deaths here. For this reason, I did not hike the chain section. I am pretty afraid of heights and I didn’t want to put myself in that situation. My husband hiked this part and really enjoyed it!
If you’re like me and don’t want to do the scary chains, you can still enjoy the view from Scout’s Lookout. This is a small flat part of the trail right before the chains to hangout. While my husband hiked the chains, I continued on the West Rim Trail and found a solitude spot to sit to get a better view of Angel’s Landing.
The descent back down the trail is a breeze since you’re all downhill. You’ll pass by the hikers huffing and puffing and empathize because you know their pain. When the hike is all done, you’ll understand why this trail is so popular and feel honored to have been able to hike it.
Other suggested hikes
Honestly, we were exhausted after doing Angel’s Landing. We ate a packed lunch on the lawn at Zion Lodge and enjoyed the views. We considered hiking other trails, but we just didn’t have the energy. We took the shuttle back to the visitor center and checked out the Zion National Park Forever Project, which is the park’s store. We then grabbed a beer at Zion Brewery and walked around Springdale to see the shops.
If you still have energy after Angel’s Landing, I recommend these easy trails to recover from Angel’s Landing:
- Grotto Trail (stop #5, Zion Lodge or stop #6, the Grotto)
This is a 1 mile roundtrip, 30 minute trail that can be accessed from either stop. It connects these points if you don’t want to take the shuttle or the shuttle isn’t running.
- Emerald Pools Trails (stop #5, Zion Lodge)
This trail has three options to hike with connections to visit all three parts. There is Lower Emerald Pools (1.2 miles, moderate), Middle Emerald Pools (2 miles, easy), and Upper Emerald Pools (2.5 miles, moderate). While there wasn’t much water during our visit, visitors typically feel like they’re in an oasis.
Zion National Park Day 2 Itinerary
Day 2 at Zion National Park will have you arrive at the park early (between 7:00-8:00 am) to take you on a peaceful morning walk to the Narrows and then have you back to the Visitor Center area to hike to an expansive view of Zion. If you’re going to hike the Narrows, start your day off with that hike because it is up to 9.4 miles roundtrip and 8 hours, depending on where you decide to turnaround.
Riverside Walk and The Narrows access point
2.2 miles, 1.5 hours
Easy
This hike is accessed from stop #9, Temple of Sinawava. If you are going to hike The Narrows, you have to hike the Riverside Walk trail to access the water for The Narrows starting point. The Riverside Walk is a peaceful, paved trail along the Virgin River. The first 0.4 miles of the trail are wheelchair accessible, while going further may require assistance for steep slopes. We sat at The Narrows access point to watch hikers take off into the water for a bit before turning around to the trailhead.
Watchman Trail
3.3 miles, 2 hours
Moderate
After eating lunch on the Zion Lodge lawn again, we took the shuttle back to the Visitor Center to hike this trail. This offers a different view outside of Zion Canyon and helps you see the different layers of rock that make up Zion.
Other suggested hikes
I think at this point in the trip we were probably exhausted from hiking so we only did 2 trails this day. If you did The Narrows hike in the morning, you may be done for this day too. However, if you have more energy, I recommend adding on these hikes:
- Archeology Trail
This easy 0.4 mile, 30 minute trail takes visitors on a path to learn about different exhibits. It is located at the Visitor Center by the parking lot. - Pa’rus Trail
This easy 3.5 mile, 2 hour trail takes visitors on a paved trail to walk alongside the Virgin River. It is mostly unshaded but this is the only trail in the park that allows pets and bicycles. It is wheelchair friendly but may require some assistance on slopes.
Zion National Park Day 3 Itinerary
Day 3 at Zion National Park will have you drive through the Zion-Mount Camel Tunnel to explore the East side of Zion, with an option to drive 50 minutes away to check out the Kolob Canyons part of Zion. Boarding the shuttle is not needed this day. This was the last day of our 2 week roadtrip in a national park so we kept it light to have time to pack up before getting back on the road the next day.
The Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel
Visitors can drive through this 1.1 mile long tunnel in their vehicle. This tunnel was carved out of expansive sandstone in 1930 and is a really great experience to marvel at! Rangers are at the entrances of the tunnel to coordinate if large RVs need to enter, pausing traffic at the other end of the tunnel to allow them to pass. There is no turnaround point inside the tunnel.
Canyon Overlook Trail
1.1 miles, 1 hour
Moderate
Directly at the east end of the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel, there is a very small parking lot to access the Canyon Overlook Trail. This short trail gives you beautiful views of Zion Canyon.
Optional: Continue east on Zion-Mount Carmel Highway
During our trip, we turned around after Canyon Overlook Trail to head to Kolob Canyons located 50 minutes away. However, if you don’t want to leave this other part of the park, continue east on Zion-Mount Carmel Highway. There are several hikes and pull off spots for scenic views, including Checkerboard Mesa. For other hikes in East Zion, check out:
- Many Pools Trail
- Keyhole Canyon Trail
Drive to Kolob Canyons
We wanted to visit all that Zion had to offer and decided to drive the nearly 40 miles to the entrance of Kolob Canyons, the less visited part of Zion National Park. Kolob Canyons is a 5-mile road with scenic spots to pullover and enjoy. The shuttle does not operate here. We did 1 trail in Kolob Canyons and then returned to our AirBNB to pack up before trekking back to Texas.
Timber Creek Overlook Trail
1 mile, 30 minutes
Easy
This short trail gives you views of the red rock canyons and valley of pine trees, a different experience from Zion Canyon. We only ran into 2 other groups on this trail, another pleasant contrast to the crowds at Zion Canyon.
What if I only have 2 days at Zion National Park?
If you only have 2 days to visit Zion National Park, I recommend the following itinerary.
Day 1
- Angel’s Landing
- Emerald Pools
- If you have energy: Watchman Trail
Day 2
- Riverside Walk with The Narrows (if doing)
- Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel
- Canyon Overlook Trail
- Drive to Checkerboard Mesa on Zion-Mount Carmel Highway
Visiting Zion National Park
Zion National Park is one of the most popular national parks in the US for a reason. This park is located in a beautiful valley of striped sandstone with unique hikes to experience. The shuttle system aims to help the heavy congestion of this park, which does sometimes make it difficult to have the moments of solitude that I enjoy about hiking. We had a great visit to Zion and it was a nice way to end our 2 week roadtrip to Utah’s National Parks.
I hope this suggested itinerary helps plan your visit to Zion National Park!
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