Best things to do in Zion National Park

Zion National Park Wonders: 15+ Attractions and Trails to Elevate Your Adventure

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Known as one of the best attractions in Utah, Zion National Park is a mountainous park that is as remarkable as it can be unbelievably underrated, due to certain difficulties that can be encountered in planning the visit (more on that later). The main section of the park is a deep gorge carved out by the Virgin River, a wide and scenic canyon with soaring cliffs and mountains reaching 8530 ft above sea level.

The colors of the park are unique and the incredibly sculpted bright red and white rocks are surrounded by green woods and hanging valleys rich in fauna. If this brief description has inspired you to consider visiting Zion, keep reading and you will discover the best things to do in Zion National Park, all the must see attractions and trails.

Best things to do in Zion National Park

Here are the activities to be done in the three areas of Zion National Park.

Zion Canyon Trails and Attractions

zion canyon what to doZion Canyon is the main section of the park. The scenic drive with the same name cuts through it and – along the 6-mile drive you can enjoy while comfortably seated on the shuttle or in your car – there are very beautiful views of the park’s mountains and, among other things, also a museum.

However, visitors – rather than visiting an exhibit – will definitely be more interested in seeing the natural beauty of the park with their own eyes. The majority of the most beautiful and famous trails can be found along Zion Canyon Scenic Drive, so take note of the features of the hike and the corresponding shuttle stop.

Angels Landing

angels landing zion national parkThis is perhaps the most famous hike in Zion National Park, as well as one of the most difficult and tiring. It is a 5.4 mile (round trip) trail with a total elevation of 1631 ft. At the end of the trail there is an exceptional overlook over Zion Canyon, but never before have the words no pain no gain been so true. The last part of the trail is also known to be quite dangerous and definitely not recommended for those who are afraid of heights. We have an article dedicated to this hike to this excursion, so if you want to know more you can read our guide of Angels Landing.

  • Shuttle Stop: The Grotto

Riverside Walk

Zion National Park HikesThis is a hike that everyone can enjoy; in fact is recommended for those who have decided to visit the park with children. The most attractive feature of this easy paved trail is that it runs flat along the river, where the Zion Canyon gradually begins to narrow down to the entrance to The Narrows, a totally different hike which I will talk about shortly.

This trail is 2.2 miles long (round trip) and does not present any technical difficulties. At various points along the way, it is possible to move briefly away from the path to descend along the river and enjoy the surrounding panorama from a great location. When I did this hike in the fall we also met mule deer and squirrels that were calmly crossing the path, a sight enjoyed by everyone, young and old alike!

  • Shuttle stop: Temple of Sinawava

The Narrows

zion things to seeAs I said, beyond the Temple of Sinawava the canyon gradually begins to narrow. The Riverside Walk just described leads in fact to the beginning of The Narrows, a famous hike walking through the river, inside the narrow gorges carved by the Virgin River, which can be done in two directions (Bottom Up and Top Down). Since this is one of the most beautiful and challenging activities to do in Zion Park, we have decided to devote a whole article to The Narrows. Enjoy!

  • Shuttle stop: Temple of Sinawava

Weeping Rock Trail

top things to do in zion national parkWeeping Rock Trail is another popular hike where you can enjoy a nice view with minimal effort. It goes all along a slightly sloping paved road (98 ft total elevation gain) that is well shaded. At the end of the trail there is a beautiful natural nook overlooking a section of the canyon. The total length of the trail is 0.3 miles, so you will get to the end in half an hour.

  • Shuttle stop: Weeping Rock

Upper and Lower Emerald Pools

best things to do and see in zion national park
Zion Emerald Pools

Along with the Weeping Rock Trail and Riverside Walk, this is considered to be one of the park’s most popular easy treks. It takes less than an hour to walk the 1.2 miles (round trip) paved path to Lower Emerald Pools. The trail leads to a lovely natural swimming pool, near a small waterfall in the shade of a niche on which giant red peaks surround the canyon.

The elevation of this path is barely noticeable (115 ft), but those who want to climb further can continue towards the Upper Emerald Pools by following the connection between Lower Emerald Pools and Kayenta Trail. This last trail also takes you to The Grotto shuttle stop, as well as the connection to Angels Landing.

Attention! It is forbidden to swim in the pools.

  • Shuttle stop: Zion Lodge; The Grotto via Kayenta Trail

Zion Human History Museum

must do zion national park
Zion Museum

For millions of years this park had been deserted. Almost 12,000 years ago it welcomed its first inhabitants, traces of which still remain today. This and many other reasons make it worth visiting the Zion Human History Museum, a museum that offers video contributions and interesting exhibits on the geological characteristics of the park, with insights into the various civilizations that inhabited it, from Native Americans to pioneers.

    • Shuttle stop: Museum

Zion Mount Carmel Highway best attractions

The Zion Mount Carmel Highway is part of Zion National Park, but technically it is not within the bounds of Zion Canyon. If you look at the picture below, you can see how this beautiful scenic road winds through a secondary canyon on the east side that meets Zion Canyon at Canyon Junction. This gorge was carved out of Pine Creek, which is actually a tributary of the Virgin River.

zion national park map

The best way to experience this side of the park is clearly to drive through it. You’ll pass a series of winding hairpin bends until you reach the majestic Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel. You’ll then see impressive rock formations in a remarkable landscape, one of the most impressive sights in the Checkerboard Mesa. And there’s more. You can get a better picture by reading the article we dedicated to the UT-9.

However, this is not the only thing you can do in this canyon carved out by Pine Creek. There is in fact a trail that I personally recommend, and I’ll describe it here below.

Canyon Overlook Trail

vista zion mount carmel highwayThis trail takes you to a beautiful overlook over the winding Zion Mount Carmel Highway and the immense landscape of Canyon Junction, where Zion Canyon meets Pine Creek Canyon. You will love the pictures that you can take from here, so take note!

Coming from Springdale, as soon as you emerge from the tunnel, you will see a parking lot on the right and on the other side of the road you will see the trail connection. It is a very small parking lot, so it is good to arrive early in the morning to have a better chance of finding a parking space. You could also look for a place in the clearing a little further on the left, although in theory the sign says “right-turn-only”. In any case, the hike to Canyon Overlook is short and there is frequent turnaround for parking, so you can also wait a while until a spot becomes available.

The trail is short but quite steep. You will hike an elevation of 443 ft in just half a mile of walking and cross a short and safe wooden walkway. The final view from the top of the Canyon Overlook Trail and in the shadow of the East Temple will be the reward… you won’t regret it! Along the way you will also see the Pine Creek Gorge, a very narrow canyon that can be explored taking a demanding hike (requires professional equipment and canyoning skills) with long stretches of walking in water.

Zion Observation Point

Observation Point ZionLocated at an altitude of 6519 ft, the Zion Observation Point offers one of the most incredible views of Zion Canyon, probably the most spectacular, but it’s also one of the toughest to reach, perhaps even more so than the infamous Angels Landing. However, not many people know that it is possible to reach it in a less challenging way by following a mostly flat trail that starts on the east side of the park. The Zion Mt. Carmel Highway is the only way to reach this trail. Read more in our guide of Zion Observation Point.

Kolob Canyons best hikes and things to see

kolob canyonsLocated northwest of Zion Canyon, this section of Zion National Park is the least known, but it is also the one that can get the most out of in the shortest possible time. Basically, you’ll just need to walk the few miles of Kolob Canyon Road to get to Kolob Viewpoint, an exceptional overlook over the canyons and red rock mountains in the area. The scenic road is very beautiful, and you will make many stops before you get to the top to take pictures and observe the surrounding views. There are also a couple of trails that can be done in Kolob Canyons.

  • Timber Creek Overlook: A short trail (1-mile round trip) that starts at the Kolob Viewpoint parking lot and leads to an even more exposed viewpoint over the Timber Creek valley.
  • Taylor Canyon: This trail that descends from road level and into the heart of Taylor Canyon is much more challenging. The trail’s connection is here, at a point 2.1 miles from the Visitor Center. You will have to walk for 5 miles (round trip) at an elevation of just 449 ft.
Kolob Terrace Road and Smith Mesa Road
In our article on UT-9 we also talked about these two scenic roads that are virtually unknown to tourists. Kolob Terrace Road also runs through Zion (but it’s free) and offers incredible views of the western side of Zion Canyon. Smith Mesa Road is an adventurous dirt road where you can see both Zion Canyon and Kolob Canyons on the horizon. There’s no other place where you will see this view!

Where to stay in Zion National Park

Where to stay in Zion National Park
You see now that it is not simple to organize a visit to Zion. The same can apply to an overnight stay! Since many factors have to be taken into account, I would like to refer you to our article entirely dedicated to the theme “where to sleep in Zion”. You will find specific recommendations for accommodations near Zion Canyon and Kolob Canyons, as well as tips for those who need to choose a town according to the next stop.

Our tips for where to stay in Zion

Zion National Park guided tours

zion tourYou also have the possibility to visit Zion National Park with guided tours. Most leave from Las Vegas and Salt Lake City and some packages allow you to combine the Zion National Park tour with visits to other parks. In the list below you will find some of the most interesting ones:

Tour of all parks in Utah

beauties around Zion

The border between southern Utah and Arizona is really a wonderful area to explore, so if you have a few days to spare, perhaps you can use this area as a base (Kanab is the best choice, but Springdale itself will do) to visit all the nature parks and hidden treasures in the surrounding area. Here I will describe the most fascinating ones and their respective distance from Zion National Park:

  • Bryce Canyon: The Zion-Bryce combination is a great classic. Given the proximity, many travelers want to visit them on the same day (this is a very common mistake), but the best thing to do is to dedicate one day to one and one day to the other. The geological formation of Bryce is completely different from Zion. Bryce is not a canyon; rather it is a natural amphitheater where you can see an incredible masterpiece. The so-called Hoodoos are commonly found; they are tall pinnacles of red rock eroded by the elements and sculpted by water. The distance between Zion and Bryce is about 76 miles (via the panoramic UT-9) or 143 miles (via the faster I-15).
  • Grand Canyon North Rim: It’s the least known side of the world-famous Grand Canyon and the least visited. As a result, all those who want to see the incredible National Park in Arizona without the ever-present crowds of tourists who flock to the South Rim and the various viewpoints during the high season. The only thing limiting when you can visit is the seasonal closing. At first snowfall, the North Rim closes and reopens in late spring. Additionally, the distance between Zion National Park and the visitor center of the Grand Canyon North Rim is 121 miles.
  • Cedar Breaks National Monument: If you are heading north after Zion (Salt Lake City), or if you have decided to head to Bryce via UT-14, you can also visit the Cedar Breaks National Monument. But the view that awaits you is quite similar to Bryce Canyon. There is a series of elevated viewpoints overlooking an amphitheater of hoodoos, with the verdant forests and valleys of High Mountain in the distance. Here again, pay attention to the seasonal park closing. UT-148, a scenic road leading to Cedar Breaks, is closed from November to May. The distance between the two parks is about 80 miles.
  • Vermilion Cliffs National Monument: This rugged and remote natural park, accessible only by 4×4, is the forbidden dream of many on-the-road enthusiasts in the wildest USA. And what is the main reason? Concealed in this national monument is the mysterious The Wave, a sandstone rock formation that can only be visited after winning a lottery (Literally. This is not a figure of speech, read more here). The Wave is not the only reason why the Vermilion Cliffs is worth visiting. The important thing is to be aware that to visit this area you must be well-equipped, drive a suitable vehicle and have time at hand. The drive from Zion National Park to the north entrance of Vermillion Cliffs is about 87 miles.
  • Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park: This state park in Utah is smaller and closer than the national parks and monuments mentioned above. For those who choose to stay overnight in Kanab or Mount Carmel Junction, this is a recommended stop that is very easy to visit. The characteristic feature of Coral Pink Sand Dunes is the pinkish color of the sand dunes, created by the effect of erosion of the red rocks in the area (Navajo Sandstone). The distance between Zion and Coral Pink Sand Dunes is “just” 39 miles.
  • Sand Hollow State Park: Of the many natural attractions around St. George, this is the closest to Zion and can be easily visited by taking UT-9. If you’re eager to visit Lake Powell, you’ll find some similarities in this state park. There is a beautiful expanse of water in which Utah’s typical rock formations are calmly mirrored. Sand Hollow State Park is located 32 miles west of Zion National Park.
  • Page and the surrounding area: For convenience, I want to point out this town that is a strategic point of reference for the countless natural attractions in the area. In the article on Page, you will find information and advice on how to visit beautiful places such as Lake Powell, Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend. In fact, in many cases it is worth it to stay overnight in Page for logistical purposes. It is a short distance from Zion (from Zion to Page there is a distance of 115 miles) and deserves a mention in this paragraph.

Ready for adventure? Video of the park


Our Tip:
Looking for accommodations for your trip from California to other parts of the Southwest? Read our guide that contains reviews of hotels and strategic tips for finding accommodations near major attractions: Where to Stay: Our Tips for the SouthWest Area

Warning: Operating hours can change and closures for extraordinary events can occur, so we strongly suggest to check the venues official websites.

lorenzo puliti
lorenzo puliti

I am fascinated by the wonders of the world I never tire of going in search of them.

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