Hiking & park tips for Zion

Self-serve orientation for Zion National Park in southwestern Utah. Most visitors use the South Entrance at Springdale and ride into Zion Canyon. The east side (Zion–Mount Carmel Highway) and Kolob Canyons are the same park, different gates. We do not run hikes, issue permits, or sell park passes.

Hours, fees, shuttle schedules, and closures change. Confirm on the official Zion page, the fees & passes page, and current conditions before you go. This site does not publish shuttle dates.

Entrance passes

If you enter Zion, even to drive through, NPS says you need a recreational pass. Figures below are from the official fees page (last updated on that page June 6, 2026). Recheck it — do not treat this list as a receipt.

  • Private vehicle (15-passenger capacity or less) and occupants: $35, valid 1–7 days.
  • Motorcycle: $30, valid 7 days (NPS: up to 2 motorcycles, up to 4 total passengers).
  • Person entering on foot or bicycle, age 16+: $20, valid 1–7 days. Youth 15 and under are admitted free.
  • Non-U.S. residents age 16 and older: an additional $100 per person unless admitted with an Annual or America the Beautiful pass.
  • Zion annual pass (park only, in person, U.S. citizens and residents): $70. Other America the Beautiful options are on the same fees page.

Park phone listed by NPS: 435-772-3256. Mailing address: Zion National Park, 1 Zion Park Blvd., Springdale, UT 84767. Questions can also go to zion_park_information@nps.gov. Rangers answer calls 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mountain Time when they are free.

Shuttle, without a calendar

NPS describes free shuttles in Zion Canyon and in the town of Springdale for much of the year. You do not need a ticket, permit, or reservation just to ride the shuttle, but you still need a park entrance pass to enter the park. During shuttle season, private vehicles are not allowed on Zion Canyon Scenic Drive, including before the first bus and after the last one. We are not printing a start date or daily timetable here. Use the Zion Canyon shuttle page and current conditions.

Popular routes (overview)

These are orientation notes, not a trail brochure. Distances, closures, and water levels change. Full descriptions: Zion Canyon trail descriptions.

Riverside Walk

A paved, easier walk from the Temple of Sinawava (shuttle stop 9) along the Virgin River to the start of The Narrows. NPS describes it as about a mile. Good first look at the canyon when longer hikes are a bad idea.

The Narrows (bottom up)

Beyond Riverside Walk you are in the river. Hiking upstream from the Temple of Sinawava as far as Big Spring does not require a permit. It can be a short wade or a long day. Flash floods, cold water, slippery rock, and (when posted) cyanobacteria are real hazards. Read The Narrows and current conditions the morning you go.

The Narrows (top down)

The roughly 16-mile through-hike from Chamberlain’s Ranch to the Temple of Sinawava needs a wilderness permit, and you arrange your own ride to the start. That is a different trip from the bottom-up walk. See Narrows permits.

Angels Landing

Everyone who continues from Scout Lookout onto Angels Landing — including the chains — needs a permit from Recreation.gov. You can hike the West Rim Trail from the Grotto (shuttle stop 6) to Scout Lookout without that permit; NPS calls that climb strenuous (about 1,000 feet). The chain section is exposed. Details: Angels Landing permits.

Shorter canyon walks

Emerald Pools, the Watchman, and the Pa’rus Trail are the usual easier or moderate options near the canyon floor and visitor center. Which segments are open, and whether dogs are allowed, is a conditions question — check NPS rather than a blog. The east-side Canyon Overlook is a separate, shorter hike near the tunnel, not a shuttle-stop walk.

Permits beyond these

Canyoneering, wilderness camping, The Subway, and some overnight routes need permits. Most of Zion Canyon does not need a timed-entry ticket just to visit. Start at permits & reservations.

Heat, water, and leave no trace

Zion Canyon is desert country with a river in it. Summer afternoons are hot and exposed. The Narrows can be cold enough for hypothermia even when the rim feels warm. Narrow side canyons flood fast.

  • Check the forecast and current conditions the day you hike. Do not enter closed trails or the river when NPS says not to.
  • Carry more water than a city walk needs, plus salty snacks. Drink before you are thirsty. There is little shade on many routes.
  • Hat, sunscreen, and layers. A river hike needs shoes that can get wet and grip slick rock — not cotton that stays soaked.
  • Tell someone your plan. Cell service in the canyon is unreliable.
  • Stay on trail. Sandstone crust and hanging gardens do not recover from shortcuts.
  • A guided trip still does not waive a park permit. If your plan includes Angels Landing or a top-down Narrows day, sort the permit before you pay a guide.

Packing detail lives on the canyon packing list. Sample half-day and full-day shapes are on Plan your trip.

Optional guided hikes

As an affiliate, we may earn from qualifying bookings if you use a partner link. We do not guide these trips. Affiliate disclosure.

Guided hike in Zion

Placeholder only — no live partner URL yet. You would book on Viator, not here. The guide does not replace an NPS permit.

Check on Viator (add link)