Spring (April through May)
Waterfalls run, cottonwoods leaf out green against red walls, and hiking weather is superb. Snowmelt can keep The Narrows closed with high water, so hold that plan loosely.
Park Guides · Utah
Zion National Park
A canyon you hike up into, a river you hike through, and walls half a mile high.
Zion inverts the usual canyon experience: instead of peering down from a rim, you stand on the canyon floor while sandstone walls rise 2,000 feet on either side, then you pick a route up into them or straight up the river between them. It is the most immersive of the big Utah parks, and its two signature hikes — Angels Landing and The Narrows — are on more bucket lists than almost any trails in the world.
That fame comes with systems: a mandatory canyon shuttle most of the year, a permit lottery for Angels Landing, and flash-flood forecasts that decide whether The Narrows is open at all. None of it is complicated once you know the shape of it, which is what this guide is for.
Top things to see in Zion
The stops worth planning a day around.
The Narrows
A hike with no trail: you walk up the Virgin River itself between walls that narrow to a hallway of stone light. The bottom-up day hike from the Riverside Walk requires no permit — just water shoes, a walking stick, and a clean flash-flood forecast. Even a mile upstream is unforgettable.
Angels Landing
The famous chain-assisted ridge climb to a summit perched 1,500 feet above the canyon floor. It now requires a permit issued by lottery, and it earns its reputation in both directions: extraordinary and genuinely exposed. Scout Lookout, just below the chains, is permit-free and nearly as scenic.
Riverside Walk
A paved, gentle two-mile round trip from the last shuttle stop into the mouth of the canyon's narrowing, ending where The Narrows begins. Hanging gardens weep from the walls, and it is the best easy hike in the park.
Canyon Overlook Trail
On the east side just past the tunnel: one mile round trip to a ledge overlooking the whole main canyon. Huge payoff for small effort, no shuttle required, and the park's best value at sunset.
Emerald Pools
A family-friendly network of trails linking three pool terraces fed by dripping springs and seasonal waterfalls. Lower Emerald Pool passes behind a curtain of falling water in spring — a good half-day with kids.
Zion-Mount Carmel Highway and tunnel
The 1930 switchback highway that climbs the canyon wall and passes through a 1.1-mile tunnel into slickrock wonderland on the east side, where bighorn sheep pose on checkerboard domes. The drive itself is a top-five park experience.
Kolob Canyons
Zion's quiet northwest wing, forty minutes away off Interstate 15, with crimson finger canyons and a fraction of the main canyon's crowds. Taylor Creek and the Timber Creek Overlook make an ideal escape-day.
Pa'rus Trail at dusk
The paved riverside path from the visitor center — the only trail in the park open to bikes and leashed dogs. Mule deer graze it in the evening while the last light climbs the Watchman. A perfect first-night walk.
Know before you go
The logistics that surprise first-time visitors.
The shuttle is how the canyon works
For most of the year, private cars are barred from Zion Canyon Scenic Drive and the free shuttle from the visitor center is the only way in. Lines start early in peak season. In the depths of winter the road usually opens to cars; check the current schedule before your trip.
Angels Landing takes a permit now
Hiking the chained section beyond Scout Lookout requires a permit issued via online lotteries — a seasonal advance lottery and a day-before lottery. Apply for flexibility across days if you can, and remember Scout Lookout needs nothing but legs.
Park in Springdale and walk in
The visitor center lot fills by early morning most of the year. Springdale's paid lots plus the town shuttle, or a lodging within walking distance, is the low-stress play. The pedestrian entrance puts you straight onto the shuttle line.
Gear up for The Narrows in town
Outfitters in Springdale rent canyoneering shoes, neoprene socks, and sticks — worth it in any season and essential in cold months when dry suits enter the picture. The river is the trail, so cotton is misery and phones ride in dry bags.
The east side is a different park
Beyond the tunnel, crowds thin and the landscape turns to petrified dunes and slickrock domes. Oversized vehicles and RVs need a paid tunnel escort and have size limits, so check yours before routing through.
Heat planning is part of the itinerary
Summer canyon-floor highs pass 100°F, and classic trails like Angels Landing have long exposed stretches. Hike at dawn, carry more water than you want to, and let The Narrows — the coolest place in the park — be your afternoon.
Watch out for
The safety notes rangers repeat for good reason.
Flash floods are the park's deadliest hazard
The Narrows and every slot canyon flood from storms that may be falling miles upstream under blue local skies. Check the flash-flood potential rating and river flow at the visitor center the day you hike, and if the rating is high or the water turns murky and rising, get out immediately. No forecast, no Narrows.
Exposure on Angels Landing
The final half mile is a fin of rock with thousand-foot drops on both sides and chains for handholds. It is safe for careful, unhurried hikers in dry weather and a bad place for bravado, storms, ice, or anyone uneasy with heights. Turning around at Scout Lookout is a respectable summit.
Cold water and hypothermia in The Narrows
The Virgin River runs cold even in summer, and hours of wading drains heat quietly. Outside high summer, rent neoprene or dry gear, pack a warm layer in a dry bag, and watch the shivering member of your group — that is the signal to head down-canyon.
Rockfall and slick sandstone
Canyon walls shed rock, especially after rain and freeze-thaw cycles, and wet slickrock is treacherously slippery. Heed closure signs — they usually mark recent rockfall — and give wet chained sections extra patience.
Squirrels, of all things
Zion's boldest wildlife hazard is the rock squirrel, whose bites from hand-feeding are the park's most common animal injury. Keep snacks zipped, fingers to yourself, and enjoy the bighorn sheep from a distance on the east side.
Best time to visit Zion
What each season actually feels like on the ground.
Fall (September through November)
Many regulars' favorite: warm days, cold clean nights, golden cottonwoods by late October, and The Narrows usually at its friendliest flows in early fall.
Summer (June through August)
Long days and full operation, traded against serious heat and peak crowds. Dawn starts, river time, and east-side evenings make it work.
Winter (December through February)
The quiet season: snow dusts the peaks above red rock, the scenic drive often opens to private cars, and lodging is cheapest. High trails can ice over, so traction spikes earn their pack space.
From the gift shop
Independent park-inspired designs from our studio. Park-inspired, never official NPS merch.
T-Shirt
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Grand Teton Moose Wild by Nature Comfort Colors Tee
For Grand Teton road trips and wildlife people.
$38.00
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Zion FAQ
Quick answers to the questions people actually ask.
Do I need a permit to hike The Narrows?
Not for the classic bottom-up day hike from the Riverside Walk — you simply walk upstream as far as you like and turn around. The top-down through-hike from Chamberlain's Ranch does require a permit. Either way, the river must be below flow limits and the flash-flood outlook clean.
How do I get an Angels Landing permit?
Through online lotteries: a seasonal advance lottery months ahead and a day-before lottery while you are in the area. Odds improve with flexible dates and off-peak seasons. No permit is needed to hike to Scout Lookout, which includes most of the climbing and much of the view.
How many days do you need in Zion?
Two full days covers the essentials: one for a marquee hike like The Narrows or Angels Landing, one for Emerald Pools, Riverside Walk, and the east side through the tunnel. A third day adds Kolob Canyons or a second marquee hike, and pairs beautifully with Bryce Canyon nearby.
Is the Zion shuttle free, and do I need tickets?
The shuttle is free and runs on a simple first-come line from the visitor center — no tickets required. It is mandatory for the scenic drive most of the year, with cars typically allowed only in the winter off-season. Check the shuttle calendar for your dates.
Can kids hike The Narrows?
Water-confident kids do the first stretch happily in warm months — the riverbed is rocky but gradual, and you can turn around anywhere. Keep children close, skip it entirely when flows are up or storms threaten, and rent them proper footwear; sneakers full of river rocks end trips early.
Conditions, reservation systems, and fees change. Always check the official National Park Service site for current information before your trip. National Park Gift Shop is an independent brand and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the National Park Service or any government entity.