One Day in Zion National Park
After visiting Capitol Reef National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park, we wrapped up our week park-hopping in southern Utah by visiting Zion National Park: the very first national park designated in Utah and the last Mighty 5 park Korri and I needed to visit! After the cold in Bryce Canyon, the warmer weather in Zion was much appreciated. That said, out of the three parks, Zion was the busiest of the three. I’m not surprised since it’s by far the most visited park in Utah and the closest to regional airports (St. George, Cedar City, and even Las Vegas).
We arrived at Zion through the east entrance, which is absolutely gorgeous and I highly recommend (more on that below). The view coming out of the Zion—Mount Carmel Tunnel was breathtaking. I could not believe how large the rock cliffs were! And so pretty, too. Korri and I were both like, “Yep, I can see why this is a national park.” LOL. We drove through the park and stayed two nights in Springdale, Utah, spending one full day exploring the park in between.
Before leaving Zion, we drove through the park again and turned around before exiting the east entrance. On that last morning, the line to get into the south entrance was stopped a mile from the entrance gate, but once we got up to the gate they were waving cars through. At the time, there was construction that closed some of the lanes. Most people were parking at the large parking lot at the visitor center and then grabbing the shuttle to Zion Canyon Scenic Drive.
Below, I shared the hikes we did (plus one we’d like to do next time), other things to do and see that may or may not involve hiking, where to eat near Zion, and where to stay (including the closest towns to Zion). Let’s dive in!
One Day in Zion National Park
Quick Facts about Zion
Best Time to Visit Zion
It’s probably easier to talk about the worst time to visit Zion, in which case, I’d say summer. It’s hot in southern Utah during the summer months, and since it’s a common vacation time, it’s also busier in summer than other times of year. That said, southern Utah gets the monsoon and I bet the thunderstorms are fun! (You just don’t want to be outside hiking or in a slot canyon when one hits—lightning and flash floods are deadly.)
The best times to visit Zion are the three other seasons of the year: spring, fall, and winter. Spring and fall have nicer weather than winter but are busier. Zion gets snow but the main areas of the park are at a lower elevation (~4,000 feet), and it wasn’t snowy at all when were there in mid-March. When I was doing research before our trip I read a few posts about going in January that said it was great and not too snowy! Of course, the amount of snow on the ground at any given time likely varies from year to year. The parking lot at the visitor center did looked packed when we were there. The shuttle system was running and shuttles were pretty full.
Because Zion is lower in elevation and also lower in latitude, it warms up in the spring sooner than some other parks, but you do need to be mindful of flash floods as upstream snow melts and as snow/rain showers impact the area.
Zion National Park shuttle
As mentioned, Zion has a shuttle system, and when it’s operating, it’s the only way you can go up the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive. (You can access the lodge if you have a reservation, but you need to hop on the shuttle to drive beyond the lodge.) The Zion shuttle is FREE to ride, and while you’re on it, the ranger driving points out things about the park or tells stories about its past (I couldn’t tell if it was live or pre-recorded because we always sat in the second car and not with the ranger, but either way it was cool). We learned that—like the other Utah parks we visited—Zion was “founded” and named by the Mormons.
The town of Springdale also has its own shuttle system to keep the number of cars on the road down (and because there is limited parking at the visitor center). It’s free to ride and drops you off close to the park entrance; you just walk across a bridge and pay at the pedestrian pay station (or show your pass) to enter the park! I definitely recommend taking advantage of this shuttle. Their schedule tells you when the last shuttle picks up near the visitor center.
Zion Entrance Fee
Zion has traditional national park entrance gates at both entrances: the south entrance and the east entrance. There is also a separate entrance for the Kolob Canyon portion of the park (off of I-15 to the northwest of the main portion of Zion). The entrance fee is $35 per private vehicle, $30 per motorcycle, or $20 per pedestrian/bicyclist. I highly recommend purchasing the America the Beautiful Interagency Annual Pass for $80 if you plan to visit other parks; you can purchase one at the entrance gate if you didn’t grab one elsewhere.
If you plan to drive an oversized vehicle through the Zion—Mount Carmel Tunnel, you’ll need to purchase a $15 permit that is good for two trips through the tunnel within 7 days. Note that you can only drive an oversized vehicle through the tunnel during certain hours of the day.
Where to Hike in Zion
Riverside Walk | 2.2 miles round-trip (easy)
Korri and I hopped on the park shuttle with the intention of going to the very far end of the park first (Stop 9: Temple of Sinawava) and then working our way back. The first “hike” we did was the Riverside Walk, which is more like a walk but with some slight elevation changes. The path is relatively flat, and it’s wheelchair accessible with some assistance (much of it is sandy and some parts may be wet from snowmelt depending on when you go).
There is one waterfall next to the path and at least one other you can see from across the Virgin River; this hike follows the river and is what gives it its name. You can make the walk slightly more difficult by walking adjacent to the river in some spots (we did this because the crowd was thinner along the river). This hike ends at the Virgin River, and if you were to hike The Narrows this is where that hike starts (much of it is wading through the river). The river was too high for folks to hike through it when we visited in mid-March, and it looks like it’s still closed as of the date I’m publishing the post. I personally have no desire to do The Narrows; flash floods freak me out too much!
Weeping Rock | 0.4 miles round-trip (easy)
If I see a short, easy hike on the map, I’m pretty much always going to do it LOL. I’ll take the small wins when I can get them! The Weeping Rock hike is indeed short and sweet, but it has kind of a killer elevation gain (almost 100 feet) on the way up to see the weeping rock. I don’t know how the weeping rock looks in the summer, fall, and winter, but there was a pretty decent waterfall going when we were there. There is a solid rock wall as you approach the lookout area that is indeed “weeping”—the whole area is wet, so watch your footing. It was pretty!
Kayenta Trail | 2 miles round-trip (moderate)
The Kayenta Trail was highly recommended by Korri’s friend (the same one that gave us recommendations for the other two parks—love it when other people do the vetting, haha!). This hike starts at the same trailhead as the West Rim Trail that takes you to Angel’s Landing (accessible from shuttle stop 6: The Grotto). Instead of following the signs for West Rim and Angel’s Landing, follow the arrows for the Emerald Pools. There was no sign that indicated you were on “Kayenta Trail” but that is the name in the park map. It’s about a mile to the junction to the Emerald Pool trails, and we connected Kayenta to the Upper and Lower Emerald Pool trails instead of doing an out-and-back. The trail itself was rugged, with lots of rocks and even some minor water crossings, and I really enjoyed it! The views were outstanding.
Upper Emerald Pool Trail | 1 mile round-trip (moderate)
Once you reach the junction with the Emerald Pool Trails (if you come from Kayenta), you have options: you can head down to the Lower Emerald Pool or up to the Middle and Upper Emerald Pools. I would recommend hiking to the Upper Emerald Pool first and then deciding between Middle and Lower based on what is accessible and how much of an elevation change you want to hike down (Lower is easier than Middle). (If you are coming from the south, the only way you could access the Upper Emerald Pool when we were there was to take the Lower Emerald Pool trail because the water was too high to cross it at the end of the Middle Emerald Pool Trail.) The Upper Emerald Pool Trail features an elevation change of 200 feet, and we were definitely feeling it! There’s a beautiful waterfall and pool at the end of the trail, but they do not allow people to swim in it or any of the pools.
Middle Emerald Pool Trail | 2.2 miles round-trip (moderate)
The Middle Emerald Pool Trail starts across the street from shuttle stop 5: Zion Lodge. It parallels the Lower Emerald Pool Trail (you can kind of see them in the first photo below) to the junction with Kayenta Trail. It requires a 150 foot climb to the upper ledge. It ends at a water crossing (at the waterfalls above the Lower Emerald Pool Trail), and it was too deep to cross when we were there. We had intended to take this trail back but couldn’t!
Lower Emerald Pool Trail | 1.2 miles round-trip (easy)
The Lower Emerald Pool Trail also starts across the street from shuttle stop 5: Zion Lodge and parallels the Middle Emerald Pool Trail (you can see it pretty clearly in the first image below). We opted to take this trail from Kayenta (after hiking to the Upper and Middle Emerald Pools). The trail goes under the waterfalls, and you will get a little bit wet! The trail was also pretty muddy due to the water, but the mud wasn’t thick and you could walk fairly easily (just had to be careful not to slip). The rest of the hike was nice and easy, which was great after the more moderate hikes we did before! You had to descend quite a few stairs to get to the Lower Emerald Pool Trail from the junction with the other trails (and on the flip side, if you start with the Lower Emerald Pool Trail, you’ll be walking up a lot of stairs to get to the junction with the other trails).
Canyon Overlook Trail | 1 mile round-trip (moderate)
We didn’t do the Canyon Overlook Trail hike for a multitude of reasons: didn’t have time, it freaked us out too much, and it was always too busy to even park in the area. But…I don’t know, the views overlooking Zion Canyon might be worth the discomfort. I definitely recommend doing this hike as early or as late as you possibly can because every time we drove by it, there was no place to park near the trail or along the side of the road for miles. The trailhead is located just before you enter the tunnel on the east side and overlooks the Zion—Mount Carmel Highway.
Other Things to Do and See in Zion
Zion Canyon Scenic Drive
The only way you can access the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive (if you’re not staying at Zion Lodge) is via Zion’s free shuttle. Even if you don’t plan to get off and hike, it’s a drive worth doing. You’ll be able to take all the photos and videos and listen to the ranger point out cool features and tell stories about the geology and the people that used to call Zion home. You will be required to exit the shuttle at the last stop headed up canyon (Stop 9: Temple of Sinawava), but you can get back on the next shuttle to head down canyon if you don’t want to do the Riverside Walk.
Zion—Mount Carmel Highway and Tunnel
I highly recommend driving through Zion from the south entrance to the east entrance (or vice versa). You’ll be driving the Zion—Mount Carmel Highway, which features four switchbacks as it brings you up in elevation on the east side of the park (or down into the valley). You’ll also drive through the 1-mile-long tunnel carved into the rock. There are large windows that look out over the valley and rock cliffs. It is a two-lane highway, and the lanes are narrow in the tunnel, so be sure to pay attention. Stopping in the tunnel is not permitted. Also, prepare to wait because the tunnel is closed periodically to allow oversized vehicles to travel in the middle of the road.
Dine at Zion Lodge
I noticed when we stopped at Zion Lodge that there were people eating on a patio! There are two restaurants at Zion Lodge, the Castle Dome Café and Red Rock Grill. The Castle Dome Café is open seasonally for breakfast and lunch, and that’s the one with the outdoor patio. Red Rock Grill is open year-round for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, though hours may vary in the winter.
Zion Human History Museum
The Zion Human History Museum displays artifacts about the people that used to call Zion home. There is a small parking lot at the museum (some of it is reserved for museum visitors only), and the shuttle stops there on the way down the canyon.
Ranger Programs
There are two 30-minute Ranger Talks that occur daily near the visitor center: 10-10:30 am and 2:30-3 pm. The rangers go over the geologic and human history and also discuss animal and plant life you’ll see in Zion. They also offer a daily Pa’rus Trail Guided Walk from 1:30-3:30 pm that starts at the visitor center. This is the only multi-use trail in the park; pets and bicycles are allowed. It is 3.5 miles round-trip.
Kolob Canyon
Kolob Canyon is another part of Zion National Park that is accessible from I-15 to the northwest of the main portion of the park. There is a small visitor center, and when it’s open, the road will take you to more beautiful canyons and rock formations! There are also a few hikes you can do off of the road. The road was closed due to rock fall when we were there—sad! Hope to make it next time.
Where to Eat Near Zion
Zion Pizza and Noodle (Springdale)
Korri and I ate at places within walking distance of our hotel. Zion Pizza and Noodle was packed both nights of our trip; we showed up about an hour before they closed and they said it would be a 45 minute wait. We wandered across the street to the Bumbleberry Gift Shop to browse, and luckily the wait ended up being much shorter than 45 minutes! (There’s an ice cream shop within Bumbleberry that was also absolutely PACKED.) The restaurant itself is on the top level of an old church, so the indoor space is small and there’s also a small-ish patio.
We picked the Angel Fire Sticks to start. I am not positive what was on them, but they were basically cheesy bread with some sort of hot sauce and honey drizzled on top. I remember them being sweet and not really that spicy. We also ordered the combo man pizza. It was pretty good!
Zion Park Gift and Sweet Treats (Springdale)
After a full day of hiking, and since the weather was so nice, I convinced Korri to get some ice cream! Bumbleberry was packed again, so instead we went to Zion Park Gift and Sweet Treats (it’s located close to Zion Pizza and Noodle, across from Bumbleberry). I got huckleberry because I’m a sucker for that flavor and get it pretty much anytime I see it! It was delicious and I definitely should have gotten a bigger scoop. The shop also had chocolates, truffles, other sweet treats, and an area full of souvenirs and gifts.
MeMe’s Cafe (Springdale)
On the second night, we decided to try something different and eat at MeMe’s Cafe (I believe it’s pronounced like “Mimi”, not “Meme” lol). It was a lot quieter than Zion Pizza and Noodle, but lots of people came in after us, I think because it was one of the only places open later. I ordered the garden vegetable grilled cheese sandwich, and Korri got a bacon cheeseburger. My meal was a bit of a mess but it was good! I really loved the waffle fries.
Deep Creek Coffee Company (Springdale)
Before we left Springdale on the second morning, we stopped by Deep Creek Coffee for Korri’s mandatory mocha, and I grabbed a chai. It was a pretty standard drink.
Where to Stay Near Zion
Springdale
Springdale is the town closest to Zion National Park; it’s located just outside the entrance and feels very similar to Moab if you’ve ever been there. There’s one main road and pretty much everything is off of that main road: hotels, restaurants, gift shops, artist studios, etc. It’s also just as expensive to stay in Springdale as it is to stay in Moab. I wanted to be close to Zion, so I was okay with the extra cost. Because Springdale is right there in the canyon, the views are gorgeous anywhere you look! There are lots of options for places to stay, including chains and locally-owned properties. We ended up staying at La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham at Zion Park/Springdale. It’s a large property and all of the rooms are situated over two levels in multiple buildings. All of the rooms are accessed from outside. There’s also a nice outdoor pool that was closed during our stay. Parking and breakfast was included; the breakfast was located in a separate building near the lobby. We didn’t drive once during our full day in Zion!
Towns West of Springdale
There is no shortage of places to stay to the west of Springdale. It just depends on how much you want to spend on lodging (it will likely be less expensive the farther you are away from Zion) and how much time you want to spend commuting to Zion. Hurricane (pronounced HURruh-cuhn) is about a 30 minute drive from the visitor center, and St. George is a little less than an hour away.
Towns East of Zion
Staying east of the park is a less popular option but still one you should consider. We drove through Orderville, and it’s a super cute town that would be a fun home base during your time in Zion. Korri’s friend stayed in Kanab, which is about an hour from Zion, so it’s a little far but it might work well if you are also planning to visit Grand Staircase—Escalante National Monument and even Vermillion Cliffs National Monument.