Utah Est. 1919

Zion National Park

Canyon River Desert Mountains

Plan a visit Check conditions

Established

1919

Size

147,243 acres

Visits in 2025

Entrance

$35

Best season

April through October

Nearest airport

SGU St. George Regional

Information: Zion Mount Carmel Highway - Nightly Road Closures +5 more Details Wildfire Tracker

Why Zion is worth the trip

Utah · Established 1919

There are parks you visit and parks that rearrange you. Zion is the second kind. You drive through a tunnel bored into a cliff, round a corner, and the canyon opens below you like the earth split itself apart and forgot to close. The walls are 2,000 to 3,000 feet of Navajo sandstone, stained red and orange and cream by iron oxide and desert varnish, and in late afternoon light they glow like something that should not be geologically possible.

Established on November 19, 1919, as Utah's first national park, Zion protects 147,243 acres of canyon country in the southwest corner of the state. The park sits at the intersection of the Colorado Plateau, the Great Basin, and the Mojave Desert, which gives it a biological diversity most desert parks cannot match. You will find ponderosa pines growing on the same ridgelines as prickly pear cactus. You will see California condors circling 2,000 feet above the canyon floor. Few national parks draw more folks through the gates. That crowd should not scare you away. It should tell you something about the place.

Zion National Park drew 4.98 million visits in 2025, the 2nd most visited of the 63 national parks.

Start with our full Zion guide, then use the planning below.

Visits are 2025 recreation visits from NPS Visitor Use Statistics (irma.nps.gov), read July 30, 2026.

Conditions today Check before you go

WeatherHigh 59°F · Partly Sunny

Air qualityAQI 32 Good

WildfireNo active fires nearby Clear

NPS alerts1 closure posted 1 active

Air quality map Wildfire tracker

See live Zion conditions in the all-parks tracker

The park reports a partial closure.

Top things to do in Zion

Where we would start, and what we would plan a day around. Read the full guide.

Start here

20 Things to Do in Zion National Park (2026 Guide)

Read the guide

Hiking · nps.gov La Verkin Creek Trail to Kolob Arch The La Verkin Creek Trail to the Kolob Arch allows hikers outstanding opportunities for solitude in a primitive area of Zion Wilderness. The trail... 02

Hiking · nps.gov Upper Emerald Pools Trail Upper Emerald Pools Trail is a moderate, 1 mile (1.6 km) trail that can be accessed via the Kayenta Trail, Lower Emerald Pools Trail,... 03

Hiking · nps.gov Sand Bench The Sand Bench Trail travels atop the remains of an ancient rockfall. This trail leads hikers along the Virgin River and then ascends a... 04

Hiking · nps.gov Lower Emerald Pool Trail Lower Emerald Pool trail is a rough, paved trail that leads through pinyon-juniper woodland to the Lower Emerald Pool and ephemeral waterfalls.The pools are...

Best hikes in Zion

The trails that define the park, with the distance and elevation numbers that decide your day.

1 The Narrows Wade the Virgin River between massive red rock canyon walls. 2 Angels Landing The park's most famous hike, ending at its most iconic view. 3 Canyon Overlook A short trail to one of Zion's most spectacular overlooks. 4 Timber Creek Overlook Perhaps the most overlooked trail in Zion, out in Kolob Canyons. 5 Observation Point Via East Mesa, with views some argue are the park's best.

All Zion hikes

Before you go

Get the Zion heads-up

Permit windows, closures and seasonal alerts, plus our best Zion guides, in your inbox before you go. Free, no spam.

Planning day by day? Zion Itinerary: How to Spend 1 to 5 Days

Plan your trip

Our guides for the big decisions, plus the gear, maps and lodging we would actually use for Zion.

Things to Do Best Hikes When to Visit Itinerary

Where do people stay when visiting Zion?

Lodging, food and outfitters are in the gateway towns of Springdale, Hurricane and Kanab, and inside the park you can camp at Watchman Campground, South Campground and other park campgrounds.

Springdale, UTGateway town
Hurricane, UTGateway town
Kanab, UTGateway town
Watchman Campground 184 sites · Reserve
South Campground 124 sites · Reserve

Compare stays near Zion

Maps & guides

Carry paper. Cell service dies fast inside most parks.

Zion Trails Illustrated map

Waterproof National Geographic topo of the park.

View on Amazon

Zion field guide

Trail-by-trail detail and planning help in print.

View on Amazon

America the Beautiful pass

$80 a year. Covers entrance fees at more than 2,000 federal recreation sites.

Get the pass

What to bring

Field-tested picks we bring on park trips.

Sun Hat

Full-brim coverage for exposed trails with zero shade. View on REI
Water Bottles

Carry at least 2 liters. More in desert heat. View on REI
Hiking Boots

Ankle support and grip for rocky, uneven terrain. View on REI
Sun-Protective Shirt

UPF 50+ fabric keeps you cool and blocks UV all day. View on REI

Getting there

SGU St. George Regional 46 mi
CDC Cedar City Regional 57 mi
LAS Las Vegas McCarran 170 mi

NPS Official Page Reservations Google Maps

Some links in this section are affiliate links. If you book or buy through them we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend what we would use ourselves.

Zion map

VC Visitor Center CG Campground Nearby Park

When to go

Read our seasonal guide

Loading weather...

Month-by-Month Conditions

Tap any month for details

Month

High

Low

Crowds

Roads

Jan

54°

30°

Low

Open

Feb

58°

34°

Light

Open

Mar

66°

39°

Moderate

Open

Apr Best

73°

44°

Heavy

Open

May Best

84°

52°

Heavy

Open

Jun Best

95°

62°

Heavy

Open

Jul Best

100°

70°

Heavy

Open

Aug Best

98°

69°

Heavy

Open

Sep Best

91°

61°

Heavy

Open

Oct Best

78°

49°

Heavy

Open

Nov

64°

37°

Moderate

Open

Dec

52°

29°

Light

Open

Best months to visit Crowd level (low to peak)

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