One of the most popular road trip destinations in the USA is Zion National Park. Known for its swooping red cliffs, this nature preserve in southwest Utah is distinguished by the scenic 2,000 feet deep Zion Canyon and the popular wading hikes, The Narrows and The Subway.

During normal, non-pandemic times, Zion is very popular and difficult to gain access to. But what’s it like to visit Zion while the COVID pandemic is raging on? In this blog, we’ll give you some tips on how to navigate Zion, including where to stay, things to do, and the best ways to experience Zion with minimal crowds. Many of these tips apply during non-COVID times as well, but this post is based on our June 2020 visit, which is documented in the video below.

Zion during COVID — what’s different?

The rules and restrictions at Zion National Park change periodically, so it is best to check their website for the latest information. When we visited in June 2020, most of the park and its trails were open, but there were some exceptions. The biggest disappointment was that half of Angel’s Landing, the most popular hike at Zion, was closed. You could still do the hike, but the last section where you use chain handles to climb to the top for 360-degree views was closed due to the chains being a major contact surface.

Another blow was that the shuttles that operate around Zion were closed. Parking is extremely limited throughout the whole park, so shuttles are the most convenient way to get from one trailhead to another. No shuttles and no parking meant that many hikes were off-limits for us simply because there was nowhere to leave our car. According to the Zion website, shuttle service resumed on July 1, 2020, but it is by reservation only. Be sure to reserve your spot in advance.

When is the best time to visit Zion?

Typically, Zion National Park is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The weather is the most moderate during the spring (April and May) and fall (September and October). Temperatures during those times are typically between 60 and 90 degrees. By far the most popular time of year to visit is the summer time, but be warned that midday heat tends to be high (over 100 degrees) and crowds are large. Whenever you choose to visit, be mindful of flash flood warnings, especially if you plan to hike in the slot canyons. Flash floods are most rampant during the spring. Thus, for the best climate and fall color, autumn is arguably the best time of year to visit Zion.

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How to Get to Zion National Park

For most people visiting Zion, they arrive by car. The closest airports are McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas (located 170 miles away), and Salt Lake City International Airport (311 miles away). If you fly in, rent a car and plan to stay overnight in or near Zion. There are also many other natural attractions nearby including Bryce Canyon National Park, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, and Monument Valley. During our road trip, we reached Zion after spending the night in Bryce Canyon, and proceeded on to Lake Powell and Monument Valley afterward.

There are two park entrances to Zion, both located on Utah state Route 9: the west entrance, and east entrance.

Where to Stay in Zion National Park

Location-wise, the most ideal place to spend the night is the Zion National Park Lodge. It’s conveniently located right next to the main trailheads to some of the most popular hikes in the park including the Riverwalk Trail, The Narrows, Emerald Pools Trail, and more. If you stay at the lodge, you are more or less guaranteed a parking spot, which is highly coveted among daytime visitors.

However, booking a room at the lodge is very hard to do, so here are some other alternatives:

Stay in Springdale

The town closest to a Zion National Park entrance is Springdale. It’s a small town catering mainly to tourism for park visitors. There are many accommodations in Springdale including chain hotels, boutique hotels, and bed and breakfasts. We stayed in the La Quinta by Wyndam and loved it — the hotel is spacious and the rooms are very modern, spacious, and clean. The hotel’s proximity to Zion made it very easy to get into the park just after sunrise and beat many of the crowds. Springdale also has lots of restaurants, ice cream shops, and gift shops. The main grocery store is Sol Foods Supermarket where you can stock up on water, snacks, and food. Further down the road are Hoodoos General Store and Happy Camper Market.

Sunrise view from the La Quinta Inn in Springdale.

Stay in Hurricane

About 30 minutes away from Springdale is the town of Hurricane, which offers more lodging options. Many of the hotels and motels are more affordable in Hurricane. Here you’ll find chains such as Super 8, Days Inn, Quality Inn, to name a few. You’ll also find more shops and services in this area.

Camping in Zion

There are three campgrounds inside of Zion National Park. The two main ones are South Campground and Watchman Campground. Lava Point Campground is the third option, but it is located on Kolob Terrace Road, 1-hour away from Zion Canyon. Note that Kolob Canyons has no campgrounds. If you choose to camp, reservations via recreation.gov are highly recommended as camping spots fill up quickly. Find out more information about camping at Zion here.

What to Do in Zion National Park

By far the most popular activity at Zion is hiking. There are just over 100 hiking trails in Zion. They range in distance from under 1 mile to over 60 miles; some are easy, many are moderate, and some are hard. Thus, there’s a hiking trail to suit just about every hiking preference out there.

Top Easy Hiking Trails at Zion

The Zion Narrows Riverside Walk. This 2-mile out and back hike has an elevation gain of just 193 feet. It takes place on a paved trail and leads you to the beginning of The Narrows hike. When you reach The Narrows, you’ll need proper water shoes as it involves wading into a canyon with a rocky river bottom. Note the current weather conditions when you visit as flash floods may cause The Narrows to close.
Zion Canyon Overlook Trail. A 1-mile hike, this trail is short and not very steep. It involves walking on rock steps and a wooden bridge and leads you to a stunning expanse of Zion Canyon.
Emerald Pools Trail. This 3-mile loop trail is popular for a reason: it features a waterfall and pools of water. That is, in theory. This hike makes it to many top hiking trail lists, but its views can be disappointing if there hasn’t been recent rainfall, resulting in little to no water at the falls or the pools.

Top Hard Hiking Trails at Zion
Angel’s Landing. This is easily the most popular trail at Zion. Although it’s a relatively short 5-mile out and back trail, it involves an elevation gain of 1,630 feet. There are 21 steep switchbacks that lead to a steep climb up a sheer cliff via anchored support chains. The result is a stunning view 1,500 feet above Zion Canyon, offering 360-degree panoramic views. Be warned that the chain climb is rather dangerous and as of June 2020, that section of the trail has been closed due to COVID.
The Subway. This 9-mile hike is considered difficult mainly because it requires technical rappelling and swimming through a slippery slot canyon trail. The reward is a view of a beautiful red waterfall and cave pools. Note that you need a permit from the Zion National Park Visitor’s Center to do this hike.

How to Experience Zion with Fewer Crowds

If you happen to visit Zion during the summertime like we did, you may encounter long lines just to enter the park. Then you’ll have a heck of a time trying to find a parking spot and may end up simply driving through the park. Don’t get me wrong, you can still get splendid views of Zion just by driving through. But the best way to experience Zion is hiking through the slot canyons and doing at least one popular hiking trail.

Arrive at a Less Popular Time of Day

To avoid crowds, consider arriving very early in the day, or later in the day. Zion is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It never technically shuts down, but the peak time of day will always be from 9am-5pm. Ironically, that timeframe also happens to be when the sun is highest in the sky and the temperatures are the hottest. Many hikers say that parking lot trailheads can fill up as early at 4:30am or 5:00am, but trying your hand before dawn is always a good idea. But heading into Zion when most people are having dinner is a better bet as the trails and parking lots will be significantly less busy.

Explore Less Popular Hiking Trails

Most people instinctively flock to the best or most popular hiking trails. If you’re seeking a more solitary or private experience, do the exact opposite. Check out AllTrails and look for the trails with fewer reviews, such as the Clear Creek Trail, which is the one we did on our last day at Zion.

In Conclusion

There you have it — and overview of travel tips to get to and enjoy Zion, as well as some tips to have a more private experience with fewer crowds. Do you have any Zion travel tips to add? Let us know in the comments below.