Zion National Park is a bucket list destination for adventurous trail seekers around the world. From easily accessible day hikes to multi-day backpacking trips, this national park really has a lot to offer. While Angels Landing and The Narrows may be the park’s most renowned hikes, the circumstances can sometimes hinder you from experiencing those iconic trails firsthand. Luckily, Zion has many other unforgettable hikes to offer! Lace up your hiking boots and discover the best hikes in Zion National Park.
Table of contents
- 1. Angels Landing
- 2. Emerald Pools Trail
- 3. The Narrows
- 4. Canyon Overlook Trail
- 5. Pa’rus Trail
- How to get around in Zion National Park
- Where to stay near Zion National Park
1. Angels Landing
Angels Landing is one of the most popular day hikes in Zion National Park, and it’s an experience you won’t forget. The climb is steep and a little nerve-wracking at times, especially when you’re gripping onto chains along narrow ledges. But that’s what makes the hike so special. It’s not just about reaching the summit – the journey itself is an adventure. It’s challenging, but the sense of accomplishment when you finally reach the top is unbeatable. Just remember to take your time, watch your step, and soak in every moment – it’s not every day you get to hike something as thrilling as Angels Landing! Most people take around 4 hours to complete the hike.
If you’re thinking of doing the hike, just keep in mind that you need a permit now. You can try your luck with the day-before lottery, or plan ahead and apply for a seasonal permit. For hikes between December 1 and February 28, 2025, you’ll need to apply between October 1 and October 20, 2024. It costs $6 to apply for a seasonal permit (covering up to 6 people), which is roughly € 5,50. If you’re successful in getting the permit, there’s an additional $3 fee per person. Be sure to check the dates for the seasonal lottery and apply in time through the official website.
Distance: 8,7 km round trip (5,4 miles)
2. Emerald Pools Trail
We started our day with the Emerald Pools Trail. Spanning an approximately 5 km round trip, this trail promises an incredible adventure with its varying levels of difficulty and enchanting rewards awaiting at each pool. Although this doesn’t seem like a long trail, the elevation difference still makes it take you 2 to 4 hours.
Upper Emerald Pool
We started by hiking all the way to the end to the Upper Emerald Pool. This was the best idea we’ve had! The hike is steep and sandy, making it quite challenging. Nevertheless, we really had so much fun, this is one of the coolest hikes we’ve done. Climbing the sandstone cliffs and rocks brings a sense of adventure and playfulness to the journey. Not to mention the magical views we encountered all along the way! Thysia stopped every 5 minutes to take pictures, and we urge you to do the same.
Once you reach the Upper Emerald Pool, you’ll be greeted by a mesmerizing scene. A majestic waterfall located in a small oasis of serenity, straight out of a fairytale. We stood here for more than half an hour admiring the waterfall, since it is quite high our neck even began to hurt towards the end. Still worth it though!
If you start early like we did, chances are you’ll have this place to yourself (at least for half an hour). Just you and 100 squirrels, isn’t that amazing?
Lower Emerald Pool
After admiring the Upper Emerald Pool, it was time for the next stop. On the way we passed Middle Emerald Pool, we must admit that this was a little bit disappointing. Maybe it’s because we just came from Upper Emerald Pool, but this is really nothing more than a really small puddle. It might be more beautiful during another season, but for us it was nothing special. After 5 minutes we had seen it and moved on to Lower Emerald Pool. The Lower Emerald Pool, on the other hand, pleasantly surprised us! Here you can literally walk behind the sparkling waterfall and feel the drops of water falling down on you. Talk about a unique experience! Don’t forget to take a moment to pause and soak in the serenity of this incredible gem.
Distance: 4,8 km round trip to Upper Emerald Pool (3 miles)
3. The Narrows
The Narrows is one of the most unique hikes in Zion National Park, and it’s an adventure you won’t soon forget. It’s a hike that’s both challenging and beautiful, offering breathtaking views at every turn. Walking through the Virgin River, with towering canyon walls rising high above you and the canyon’s winding path, creates an unforgettable experience.
There are three ways to do this hike, depending on your time and adventure level. The Bottom-Up hike is the most accessible, letting you hike in and out from the Temple of Sinawava. The hike can extend up to 16 kilometers (10 miles) round trip to Big Springs. For those seeking more of a challenge, there’s the Top-Down hike, either as a one-day trek of 27 kilometers (17 miles) or as an overnight backpacking trip. For the Top-Down hike you’ll need to make a reservation through the official website. The fee is $6 per permit (non-refundable) and $10 per person (refundable). For the overnight trip, the permit fee is $20 (non-refundable) and $7 per person per night (refundable). No matter how you choose to hike The Narrows, it’s an unforgettable experience that gives you a whole new perspective on Zion’s incredible landscape.
We really wanted to hike The Narrows, but unfortunately, Zion had other plans. When we arrived, high runoff prevented us from hitting the trail. The current was around 9 m³/s (300 CFS), double the 4 m³/s (150 CFS) threshold that closes The Narrows to hikers. It was disappointing, but now we’ve got a great reason to return someday!
The Narrows permits example: Let’s take a group of four. For a day hike in the Narrows, you’ll pay a $6 application fee plus $10 per person, totaling $46. For an overnight backpacking trip, the cost includes a $20 permit fee plus $7 per person per night, which adds up to $48.
4. Canyon Overlook Trail
The Canyon Overlook Trail in Zion takes you on a 1,6 km round trip journey to some of the most breathtaking views the park has to offer. The hike is short, fun, and rewarding, making it a must do when visiting Zion.
Although it is a rocky and uneven dirt trail, we found this to be a really fun hike. Along the way there is plenty of shade, ensuring a more comfortable hiking experience. We really loved the cave we encountered along the way. We stopped here for at least 15 minutes to admire the picturesque scene (and take lots of pictures of course).
As you approach the end of the trail, be prepared to be stunned by the grand finale. The panoramic views that greet you are simply breathtaking. We really couldn’t believe that after half an hour of hiking we would be treated to such a view! Make sure to spot the “windows” of the tunnel at your left-hand side as well, it is incredible to see this from the other side.
With its compact distance and unforgettable views, the Canyon Overlook Trail is one of the best hikes in Zion with the most reward. Even if you only have a few hours to explore Zion, Canyon Overlook Trail is a must do!
Distance: 1,6 km round trip (1 mile)
Where to park
If you’re coming out of the Zion Tunnel, the Canyon Overlook Trail is on your left hand side. On your right hand side, however, there is a (small) parking space for “compact” cars that you can use. If you don’t know about this, you’ll miss it! There is no way to get back to it, apart from turning around, going into and coming back out of the Zion Tunnel again. Another alternative is to park near the restrooms 500 meters away.
Pro tip
The entrance fee per vehicle for Zion is a little more than € 30. If you plan on visiting multiple national parks, we recommend purchasing the America The Beautiful pass! For € 70, you have access to a lot of national parks, including Zion, Bryce Canyon, Joshua Tree, Yosemite, Grand Canyon, and so many more!
5. Pa’rus Trail
The Pa’rus Trail offers an accessible hiking experience with beautiful views along the way. This easy and flat trail follows the Virgin River, including several bridges that cross above the river. It is the perfect way to end your day in Zion, you can admire all the beauty Zion has to offer one last time without having to put in too much effort.
Although this hike is not challenging at all, we found it a really enjoyable hike. You can descend to the riverbanks in several places, this is also very fun! There are a lot of lizards crawling in the bushes, which can be a very amusing sight. Whether you choose to walk the trail one way (like we did) or complete the loop, the Pa’rus Trail is a perfect option for all skill levels and provides a wonderful opportunity to immerse yourself in the natural beauty that Zion has to offer.
It is also the only trail in Zion that is open to bicycles and pets! We saw a lot of people walking their dogs and riding bikes, so much fun!
Distance: 5,6 km round trip (3,5 miles)
How to get around in Zion National Park
Zion has its own free shuttle service from March through November. When the shuttle is in operation, there’s no private vehicle access to the park. So this means parking your car somewhere and taking the shuttle bus to get around.
Although Zion is one of our favorite national parks, they do have one thing that we dislike about it: lack of parking space. It can be really challenging finding parking at Zion. There is only one “big” parking lot near the Visitor Center, and this one fills up fast. On our first day, we passed through Zion around 11 AM hoping to already cross maybe one hike of our list. The parking lot had other ideas! We tried for over half an hour to park our car, but failed miserably. A little frustrated, we gave up and continued to our Airbnb.
On our way to the Airbnb in Hurricane, we drove through Springdale. There are countless parking lots available here, but they are all paid ones. Prices range from € 18 to € 32, but there are ways to “avoid” paying. In Springdale there are countless shops, convenience stores and rental places. Some places, like convenience stores, offer “free parking” if you buy for more than € 20 of goods. There are also places that rent hiking gear that let you park for free for the day if you’re a customer. If you’re planning on doing any of those things (renting gear/buying food), it might be worth it to park in Springdale and take the free shuttle into Zion. This way you avoid the struggle of finding a parking space in Zion.
If you’re like us and don’t want to pay for parking, get ready to wake up early! We read “horror stories” online where people say that the parking lot in Zion is full by 7 AM, but this was not the case for us. We arrived around 7 AM to start our Emerald Pools Trail, and at least 80% of the parking lot was still available. Our suggestion is to arrive before 8 AM, and you should be good to go. Of course, if you’re planning a visit during the weekend and during high season, 7 AM would probably a better bet. Another thing we saw frequently were illegally parked cars. Don’t do this as they will give you a ticket! We saw a lot of cars with a ticket on their windshield, so this is not a good idea.
Where to stay near Zion National Park
We booked a guestroom in Hurricane (30 minutes drive from Zion) through Airbnb. What started as a “budget option”, turned out to be one of our best stays of the whole road trip! We arrived a little early (check-in at 3 PM), so we started exploring the neighborhood to kill some time. Located in a beautiful community, called “Zion Vista”, we immediately fell in love. Beautiful houses, calm streets, and amazing views – heaven! We said to each other “This is where we want to live”, and that feeling only grew when we actually entered the room.
We met Ned (the host) on our way in as he was putting some welcome-candy on our pillows. A lovely gesture! On to the room, then. Quite simply put, the room was incredible. A spacious room with a large bed, a small kitchen, (fast WiFi!) and an amazing bathroom. On top of that, we finally had a washing machine and dryer at our disposal! A very welcome surprise after being on the road for some time. And if that wasn’t enough, the views we woke up to were absolutely stunning. It is really difficult to describe how magical it is to wake up such a beautiful sight and have breakfast on the patio with those mountains staring back at you.
We’d come back in a heartbeat, even if it were only to experience those views again. We were quite sad when we had to leave this place, just because everything was perfect!
Guesthouses aren’t your thing? No worries! Here are our hotel recommendations in and around Zion National Park – suited for every budget.
More helpful United States posts
- 6 of our favorite things to do in Yosemite National Park
- Top 5 best things to do in Death Valley National Park
- 6 best Grand Canyon views at the South Rim
- The ultimate guide to Bryce Canyon National Park
- 6 best things to do in Joshua Tree National Park
We may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through our links at no extra cost to you. This helps us maintain our site and create more useful content for you. We appreciate your support! ❤️
