Visiting Zion National Park

U.S.A, Utah

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Introduction

If today the American West is associated with dramatic landscapes characterized by canyons, orange rocky formations and desertic landscapes, Zion has surely played a role in giving that picture. Established in 1919, Zion National Park was Utah’s first national park and the 15th of the United States. Known for its abundant vegetation and the tall Navajo sandstone walls that make the Zion Canyon and nearby Kolob Canyons, the national park is among the most popular with the second most visits of any national parks in 2025. There are a lot of things to say about the park, and talking about these things is exactly what we will do in this article!

Updated on: 5/11/2026

Jumpt to:

Please note that this article is not officially affiliated with Zion National Park or the National Park Service. We always encourage you to visit their website for the latest updates on the activities of the park.

Location & Entry of Zion National Park

The Zion Canyon part of the park (most popular) is located in southwestern Utah at about a 2:15H drive from Las Vegas, NV, and a 30min drive from St. George, UT. Although the nearest town is Springdale, the biggest city nearby is St. George. The park is separated into two main areas, Zion Canyon and Kolob Canyons. Zion Canyon is the most well known part of the park and has two gates, south and east. Kolob Canyon is accessible via the exit 40 of the I-15 near Cedar City. Note that the two areas are not connected by any roads, meaning that you need to get out of the park to travel from one side to the other with your vehicle. If you plan on traveling to Bryce Canyon from Zion, you should exit by the east gate.

Address of South Gate (Zion Canyon): 153-161 Zion – Mount Carmel Hwy, Springdale, UT 84767

Address of East Gate (Zion Canyon): Orderville, UT 84758

Address of Visitor Center (Kolob Canyons): 3752 E Kolob Canyon Rd, New Harmony, UT 84757

Did you know?

Although the park is widely known as Zion National Park, the area was first designated as a National Monument with the name of Mukuntweap National Monument. Mukuntweap means “straight canyon” in Southern Paiute. However, in 1918 a proposal was made to change the name for Zion, the name given by Mormon settlers to the area. The change was operated because of the unpopularity of the Paiute name. Thus, Mukuntweap became Zion National Monument and shortly thereafter when the park was redesignated as national park — Zion National Park. Since then, the name remained.

As we mentioned in the “location” section, Zion National Park is made of two areas, the Zion Canyon and Kolob Canyons. The two were initially different parks. The Zion Canyon portion was first a national monument in 1909 and later became a national park in 1919. On the other hand, Kolob Canyons was proclaimed as a monument in 1937 and joined Zion National Park in 1956. Since then, both have remained joint while not being linked by any roads within the park.

Things to Do in Zion National Park

Zion National Park has plenty to offer when it comes to activities. The most common are surely hiking and bicycling, but the park is also a renowned destination for climbing. The interior of the park also features a museum and things like horseback riding and other activities are offered along some trails of the park. Let’s dive a little bit deeper in the topic:

Hiking

Among the handful of national parks in the United States, Zion is without doubt among the best in terms of hiking trails. The park features more than a hundred official trails which includes a variety of environments, difficulties and length.

Bicycling

Bicycling in Zion is only authorized on the Pa’rus Trail and park roadways (except the Zion-Mt. Carmel Tunnel). The Pa’rus trail is a popular route for those desiring to bicycle in the park. The trail is about 1.75 miles long and goes from the Visitor Center to Canyon Junction. Be careful and considerate as this trail is also used by pedestrians. Another route available to those cycling is the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive. Nonetheless, riding on this road requires you to follow some rules available on the National Park Service Website. When it comes to the bikes, you can come with your own bicycle or rent one in the area of the Zion Canyon. Note, however, that bikers are required to pay an entrance fee like any other vehicle (or pedestrian).

Climbing

With its tall canyon walls, Zion is a great place for climbing lovers. It features several big wall routes and a limited amount of bouldering options. A day ascension does not require a permit, but a bivy does. Generally, the park is not easily accessible for beginners, and guided climbing is not available (forbidden within the park). Please, note also that some climbing routes are seasonal.

Horseback Riding

Animal lovers, this is for you! From March to October, the company Canyon Trail Rides offer visitors the opportunity to travel through the trail of Zion Canyon on the back of a horse. Two routes are available, one lasting 1H and the other 3H. You can book a ride online ahead of time.

Boating

Boating is possible, but not always. What we mean by that is that the possibility of boating on the Virgin rivers depends mostly on the volume of water flowing. When enough water is present, visitors can apply for a permit (which is required) and use a boat specifically designed for whitewater to get through the water of the canyon (note that these boats are not provided). Some areas necessitate a free permit while others a paid one. You can learn more here.

Staying at Zion National Park

There are several options to stay in or around the park. Within the park itself the two main options are the three campgrounds and the Zion lodge. Both are within the Zion Canyon. Kolob Canyons does not have any official campground or hotel. The other options available are located in the nearby cities. Let’s add a little bit more details:

Zion Lodge

The Zion Lodge was originally designed in 1924 and has since experienced several reconstructions or renovations. It can accommodate multiple hundred people across a variety of rooming options like regular rooms, suites or cabinets. It also features three restaurants (open at different times of the year) and is open year round. Although it is a great and convenient way of staying in the park, it is pricey and requires a reservation long ahead of time.

Zion Lodge in Fall | Picture by ZionNPS | Public Domain

The Campgrounds

The Zion Canyon part of the park contains three campgrounds. Two of them are located near the south gate entrance, and one is located in the Kolob Terrace Section of the park. All three campgrounds necessitate a reservation. Here is more details

- Watchman Campground

The Watchman campground is located near the south entrance gate of the Zion Canyon. It is open year-round and can accommodate both tents and RVs. Reservations are required and can be made up to 6 months in advance. The campground features water, electricity (in some sites) and bathroom, but no showers.

- South Campground

The South Campground is next to Zion Canyon visitor center. It offers space for tents and RVs. Similarly to Watchman, it features restrooms, water, and no shower. But it has no electricity and is open only during specific periods of the year.

- Lava Point Campground

The Lava Point Campground is open seasonally and located approximately 80min from the south entrance of Zion Canyon. It cannot accommodate RVs and has no running water. It mostly serves as a sleeping point for those hiking in the surrounding trails.

Other privately run campgrounds can be found in the area surrounding the park.

Around the Park

Zion National Park is surrounded by several cities which all offer housing options. Here is a breakdown of the different cities and their distance from the park.

Biggest in the area: St. George – 60min
Closest to Zion Canyon: Springdale – 10min
Washington – 50min
Hurricane – 35min
Closest to Kolob Canyons: Cedar City – 20min

Some hotels are also located right next to the south entrance gate of Zion National Park. These include:

Cable Mountain Lodge
Cliffrose Springdale
Flanigan’s Resort and Spa
Zion Canyon Cabins
Harvest House Bed & Breakfast
Desert Pearl Inn
Best Western Plus Zion Canyons Inn & Suites
Zion Park Motel
Bumbleberry Inn
Zion Canyon Lodge

There are many more housing options available in the area close to the park. If you stay in one of the hotels close to the park, you can easily take one of the shuttles to get to the park’s gate. This will save you the waiting time to park with a vehicle.

Find Hotels

Entrance Fee of Zion National Park

How much is Zion National Park? This all depends on your status. US-resident and Non-residents pay significantly different entrance fees. Some discounts may be available for visitors with special circumstances, you can find those on the website of the NPS. In the meantime, here is a list of regular costs for the park.

Fees:

Standard Entrance Pass -- $35 for Private Vehicle
Standard -- $30 Motorcycle
Standard -- 20$ p/person on foot or bicycle
Standard Entrance (for non-US residents) -- Fee above + $100 p/person unless admitted with annual/America the Beautiful Pass

Standard Entrance Passes are avalaible for 7days.

Passes:

Resident America the Beautiful -- $80
Non-Resident America the Beautiful -- $250
Annual Entrance Pass (US-Residents Only) -- $70

More Information

Before you Visit

Parkings

As the second most visited national park, Zion is often crowded, and even more in the summer. But more than the many people found throughout the park, the real issue with that high attendance rate is the struggle to find parking spots. It is not uncommon to spend several dozen minutes first entering the park and then finding a parking spot. In order to avoid that issue, you may park outside the park and take the free shuttle (Springdale Line) which will drive you to the Zion Canyon Village. From there, you enter the park, pay your fee and walk to the visitor center.

Shuttles

During the shuttle season, visitors are not allowed to drive their vehicle into the Zion Canyons Scenic Drive. To access the couple of hikes and activities located along this road, visitors need to take the Zion Canyon Line shuttle which goes from the visitor center to the Temple of Sinawava where the Narrows are located. This shuttle is free and does not require any reservations.

Both the Springdale and Zion Canyon Lines are opened seasonally.

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