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Zion National Park is an oasis in the desert, with spectacular green scenery throughout a deep canyon. It’s located in southern Utah.
Introduction to Zion National Park
Zion National Park is an area of unique geography and an unusual plant and animal diversity. There are four different life zones: desert, riparian, woodland, and coniferous forest. Nearly 300 species of birds, 75 species of mammals, and over 30 species of amphibians call the park home.
Humans first arrived in the area now making up the park in the 6th millennium BC. Ancestral Puebloans around the arrived around the beginning of the 4th century. The first people of European descent to pass through were Silvestre Vélez de Escalante (c. 1750-1780) and Francisco Atanasio Domínguez (c. 1740-1803/05), on October 13, 1776, during the Domínguez-Escalante Expedition. Fur trapper Jedediah Smith (1799-1831) explored some areas in 1825.
Mormon farmers arrived in 1847 and began using the Kolob Canyons area for timber and grazing. Nephi Johnson founded the town of Virgin in 1858, and Isaac Behunin settled Zion Canyon, the main section of today’s national park, in 1863. Two more families followed. Behunin is credited with naming Zion.
John Wesley Powell (1834-1902) visited Zion Canyon in 1872, naming it Mukuntuweap, believing it was the Paiute name. John K. Hillers (1843-1925) and James Fennemore (1849-1941) spent the spring of 1872 photographing Zion Canyon, and Hillers returned in April 1873 to take more photos.
Conservation of Zion National Park
The canyon was farmed until 1909, when President William Howard Taft created Mukuntuweap National Monument on July 31 of that year. The remoteness of the park made it difficult to reach. Old wagon trails were upgraded to accommodate automobiles in 1910, and the road into Zion Canyon was built in 1917.
The park boundaries were expanded when Zion National Park was established on November 19, 1919, with the name changing to the one used by the local Mormon community. The popular Angels Landing Trail was constructed in 1926.
Work on the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway began in 1927, allowing for access from the east. It opened in 1930, connecting the park to US 89 at Mount Carmel Junction. The Civilian Conservation Corps made improvements to park infrastructure and built more trails between 1933 and 1942.
A separate Zion National Monument was created on January 22, 1937, encompassing the Kolob Canyons area. It was incorporated into Zion National Park on July 11, 1956. Scenes from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid were filmed at the park in 1969. Finally, in March 2009, President Barack Obama designated 124,406 acres, about 85% of the park land, as the Zion Wilderness.
Planning Your Trip to Zion National Park
In each national park we visited in Utah, at least one person we met said “wait until you get to Zion”. After spending a day there, I can’t say it met the hype but it’s easily one of the best national parks in the country.
I spent one full day at Zion. It’s obviously not nearly enough time to see all the highlights. In fact, I only visited the main section of the park at Zion Canyon and didn’t venture out to the lesser-known areas to the north. I could have easily spent a week at the park.
During my visit, the weather didn’t cooperate but it didn’t take away from the scenery, either. My main reason for visiting, the Angels Landing Trail, was closed.
If you only have a few hours, you can take the shuttle through Zion Canyon and stop at all of the scenic viewpoints along the way. With a half or full day, you can get in a couple of hikes. With a couple of days, you can visit the Kolob Canyons section in the north. Check the official website for more info.
Before getting into some of the trails and highlights of the park, here’s some essential information to help you plan your trip:
Visitor Centers at Zion National Park
There are two visitor centers at the park. The Zion Canyon Visitor Center is located near the entrance to Zion Canyon. The Kolob Canyons Visitor Center is located at the entrance to Kolob Canyon Road. Both are typically open year-round.
Entrance Fees to Zion National Park
The entrance fee to Zion varies depending on your mode of transportation. Prices are current as of September 2025:
- For private vehicles, it’s US$35.
- For motorcycles, it’s US$30.
- For visitors entering on bicycle or on foot, it’s US$20 for adults and free for kids under 16.
- Holders of any interagency pass are covered for one vehicle or four per person fees.
Entrance fees are good for seven days. There are fee stations on either entrance along the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway. To access Kolob Canyon Road, you’ll have to pay the entrance fee at the Kolob Canyons Visitor Center. You’ll also need to pay the fee to access parts of Kolob Terrace Road that fall within park boundaries.
Zion National Park Lodge
Zion National Park Lodge is the only lodge at the park. It’s located along Zion Canyon Scenic Drive. The original lodge was built in 1924 by architect Gilbert Stanley Underwood (1890-1961) and includes king or double queen rooms, suites, and 15 separate cabins. It was destroyed by fire in 1966 and rebuilt in 100 days. Restaurants include the Red Rock Grill and the Castle Dome Café. There’s also an outdoor beer garden and a gift shop.
Camping at Zion National Park
There are three developed campgrounds at Zion. Fees are current as of September 2025:
- Watchman Campground is located south of the Zion Canyon Visitor Center. It has 176 total sites that are open year-round. It costs US$35 for a tent only site and US$45 for an electric site. Reservations are required.
- South Campground is located north of the Zion Canyon Visitor Center. It has 117 sites that are open from March through October but it’s currently closed for rehabilitation.
- Lava Point Campground is off Kolob Terrace Road and typically open from May through September. It has six primitive sites available for reservation on a two-week rolling window. Cash is not accepted at the site and fees are US$25 per night. It’s highly recommended to reserve ahead of time.
Where to Stay Outside Zion National Park
Because the campsites were fully booked, we stayed outside the east entrance of the park. There are several more options just outside the park in Springdale.
Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort
Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort is a little out of the way but well worth the effort to get to. They have tent sites, cabins, conestoga wagons, glamping, cowboy cabins, and a lodge. Our tent site was huge and there was a clean bathroom facility a short walk away.
Zion Ponderosa is a great place to stay with friendly service and a good restaurant. There are also several activities available, such as a swimming pool, horseback riding, miniature golf, paintball, rock climbing, and many more. I would happily stay there again.
Shuttles at Zion National Park
A free shuttle bus runs along Zion Canyon Scenic Drive from March through November and the holiday season near the end of December. This is the only way to get through the canyon during those times, and no cars are allowed on the road while the shuttles are in operation. The park may also decide to use them during other busy times of year.
The shuttle runs on a loop leaving from a shuttle station at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center and traveling all the way to the end of Zion Canyon Scenic Drive. Buses run every 7-10 minutes and there are 9 stops in total. There’s also another shuttle that leaves from the visitor center and stops at hotels and restaurants in the neighboring town of Springdale.
Private vehicles are allowed in other sections of the park and on Zion Canyon Scenic Drive when the shuttle isn’t in operation. Overnight guests at the Zion National Park Lodge can receive a permit to drive on Zion Canyon Scenic Drive and must park in the lodge parking lot only.
Parking at Zion National Park
The parking lot at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center fills up early. We arrived at around 9am and were very lucky to find a spot after waiting about 15 minutes. Either use the Springdale line or get there early before it fills up.
Activities at Zion National Park
Hiking, stargazing, photography, horseback riding, bicycling, canyoneering, whitewater rafting, rock climbing, and other outdoor activities are available. Check the official website for more information on these activities. Information about ranger guided programs can be found at the visitor center.
Safety at Zion National Park
My best advice is to be very careful on the trails and wear proper footwear. Deaths from falling are unfortunately a rare occurrence at Zion, especially on narrow trails and steep cliffs. Also heed flash flood warning levels while hiking in canyons and watch for falling rocks.
Drink plenty of water. There are water bottle filling stations at the visitor centers, campgrounds, and some shuttle stops.
