What to do in Zion National Park
Zion National Park is one of the most popular national parks in the U.S. and for good reason! The landscape is incredibly diverse with jagged mountains, a beautiful turquoise river, bright vegetation and trees, and more!
Having visited many national parks in the United States, we found Zion to be one of the most difficult to prepare for as there are many things you should know in advance of your trip. We recommend visiting in the spring or fall to avoid the summer heat! Read below to learn about our guide to Zion and top recommendations of what to do in the park.
Planning a road trip through Utah? Read our complete guide for the Best Things to do in Utah!
Things you should know about Zion (as of October 2020):
Zion Canyon Scenic Drive Tickets: The most popular area of Zion is only accessible by a shuttle bus from March through November (peak season) - private vehicles are prohibited. Although the tickets are only $1, they must be purchased in advance via the Recreation.gov website for a specific date. We suggest avoiding the shuttle (due to covid-19 as we visited during the pandemic) and renting e-bikes to explore Zion National Park! The e-bikes require a 1-2 week advance booking so plan accordingly. See below for details.
Toxic Cyanobacteria Bloom in the Virgin River: Probably not the words you want to hear when, the popular Narrows Hike, involves wading up to your waist in the Virgin River. This toxic bloom most recently happened in the summer of 2020 and has killed several dogs that drank from the river. Make sure to check the Zion National Park website for the most up-to-date information.
The Narrows Hike Gear Rental: If you’re brave enough to risk the toxic cyanobacteria of the Virgin River, it’s highly recommended to rent gear for the Narrows. There are several outfitters in Springdale which rent equipment for this hike: canyoneering boots, neoprene socks, dry pants (optional), and a hiking stick
Map of the Best Things to do in Zion
Rent electric bikes (e-bikes) and bike the Zion Scenic Drive
This activity came highly recommended from a friend and we are so glad we took her advice. It was also an awesome way to avoid the crowds on a super busy weekend in Zion. Because the Zion Scenic Drive is not accessible to private vehicles, and we didn’t feel comfortable taking a shuttle bus during a pandemic, we rented e-bikes to explore this scenic area! We highly recommend renting in advance through Zion Cycles as we had a great experience working with them. Make sure to ask for an optional lock in order to lock your bikes in Zion to go on hikes.
Tip to remember: due to safety concerns cyclists are required to pull over and stop when approached from behind by a shuttle bus. Cyclists are required to come to a full stop (not just slow down) off of the road, and put a foot down in the gravel. Do not pass a moving shuttle bus!
Overall, this bike ride is not difficult, especially on an e-bike! Park your car at Zion Cycles and ride from their shop in Springdale, through the pedestrian entrance to Zion -- don’t forget your park pass if you have one! Then, take the Pa’rus Trail towards the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive. The Pa’rus trail is shared by walkers, cyclists and hikers, so watch out for others around ‘blind curves’! The views from the bridges are amazing - we took so many beautiful photos from this part of the trail.
When you come to Canyon Junction, you will see the turn and entrance to Zion Canyon Scenic Drive (to your left). Take that all the way to Temple of Sinawava which is a dead end and where the Riverside Walk Trail begins. This is also where the hike to the Narrows canyon begins.
We rented our bikes at 9am but when we were there we could pay extra to rent at 7am. The earlier you go the less crowded it will be, but keep in mind morning temperatures can be quite cold and even in the summer you may want gloves for your hands for that part of the day. One day from Springdale this ride is about 9 miles.
We each brought a backpack on our bike ride to have for hikes, snacks, and water along the way!
Top Hiking Trails in Zion
1. Canyon Overlook Trail
We HIGHLY recommend the Canyon Overlook Trail. This trailhead is located near the East entrance to Zion National Park, just before the main tunnel and gives way to absolutely incredible views of Zion. It has a canyon view that can give you a similar feel to Angel’s Landing (this view is perpendicular to Angel’s Landing view) without as much thrill or effort required.
At only 1 mile round-trip this trail can get quite crowded during the day. We packed our headlamps to do this hike for sunset on a week day and absolutely loved it. Or, try this hike right at sunrise for more solitude and more light on the canyon. Photographer Tip: This hike also has great views of the switchbacks leading from the tunnel down to the canyon floor, and can make for a nice long exposure of the car light trails.
Again, this trail is not in the same area as some of the other most popular Zion spots closer to Springdale, like Zion Scenic Drive. This is a great trail to catch on your way into the park from the East Entrance.
2. Riverside Walk Trail
At the end of the Zion Scenic Drive is the Riverside Walk Trail which is a paved, flat, and absolutely beautiful walk along the Virgin River. This trail ends at the trailhead (river entrance) to start the Narrows Hike. Photographer Tip: go midday so there is more light within the canyon as the canyon walls are very tall!
3. The Narrows Hike
We did not do the Narrows Hike due to the toxic bacteria in the Virgin River, however, we saw hundreds of people still doing this bucket list hike. Make sure to rent appropriate canyoneering gear for this hike! Renting gear is not a gimmick and can really make your hike more comfortable, we have heard from friends.
Another hike you can consider that our friend shared with us, with a similar feel to the Narrows, is Kanarraville Falls in Kanarraville, Utah. This hike also requires a permit ticket ($12 per person). To reserve your permit, check out the availability calendar here. Also, as with any canyon hike in Utah, be aware of flash flood warning conditions as they can be unpredictable and deadly. Check the forecast here.
4. Scout Lookout to Angel’s Landing
Often referred to as “the most dangerous hike in the world”, Angels Landing is no joke! At only 5 miles round trip, with 1500 ft of elevation gain, don’t be deceived by the stats on paper. The last section of this hike is only a couple feet wide, with 2000+ ft drop-offs on either side. For those not feeling up for hanging onto a chain for this last section, we recommend stopping at Scout Lookout, on the way to Angels Landing. This is one of the most iconic hikes in Zion National Park.
Visiting Zion National Park
We loved our time at Zion and can’t wait to go back. Overall, the main part of the park is fairly small and it is possible to see most of the top sites in a day trip. For a unique experience to remember, we can’t recommend the e-bike rentals enough. It is such a fun way to experience this beautiful part of the world. We spent two weeks exploring everything that Utah has to offer. Make sure to read our complete guide for the Best Things To Do In Utah.