Zion Tips - What You Need To Know Before You Go!

Planning a trip to Zion National Park? Get ready to explore one of the most breathtaking destinations in the U.S. with these must-know Zion tips!

In this episode of Exploring the National Parks, we’re sharing five essential strategies to help you navigate Zion like a pro, avoid the crowds, and make the most of your adventure. Whether it’s the best time to visit, mastering the shuttle system, or stepping out of your comfort zone, we’ve got you covered. Tune in and let us help you make your Zion experience truly unforgettable!

Podcast Episode Overview

In this episode of Exploring the National Parks, we’re heading to Utah to dive into one of our all-time favorite destinations—Zion National Park!

We’re sharing five essential tips to help you navigate Zion like a pro and make your trip truly unforgettable. This park can be a bit tricky to explore, but don’t worry—we’ve got you covered. Tune in for must-know advice to make your Zion adventure the best it can be!

Here’s what we’ll cover:

Why timing is everything when visiting this park
The one season you’ll want to avoid
How far in advance you need to make reservations
What you need to know about park shuttles before you go
Why stepping out of your comfort zone at Zion is a must

We hope these tips help you plan an incredible trip! If you’re as excited about Zion as we are, don’t miss our Exploring Zion National Park and Zion Fun Facts episodes for even more insights.

Now, it’s your turn! If you’ve been to Zion, we’d love to hear your best tips for visiting the park. Let’s create a helpful thread for first-timers. Head over to the Dirt in My Shoes Facebook or Instagram page and share your Zion experience with us—we can’t wait to hear from you!

Listen to the Full Podcast Episode:

Listen here.

Tip 1: Timing is everything when you visit Zion National Park

Whatever you do, don’t show up in the middle of the day. This is a mistake a lot of first-time visitors make! Getting an early start is key if you want to have a great time in Zion. The middle of the day in Zion is around 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

If you show up in the middle of the day, you’ll spend your day circling the Zion Canyon Visitor Center for a parking spot. Even when you find a parking spot, you’ll end up in long lines for the Zion shuttle or the most popular hikes like the Emerald Pools Trail or The Narrows.

Zion is one big bottleneck. The park entrance from Springdale is a bottleneck. It was the third most-visited national park in 2023. Consider yourself warned!

Zion is a smaller national park, largely accessible only via the Zion Canyon shuttle. There is only one main road that follows the Virgin River. If you want to reach the best day hikes without getting overwhelmed by the crowds, you have to get into the park before 8:00 AM.

If you aren’t an early riser, our next tip might help you!

Tip 2: Travel to Zion in the off-season months

After decades of visiting Zion, we think the off-season is the best time to visit the park.

Peak season in Zion during the summer months is hot and busy. Temperatures reach over 100°F, and the crowds make handling the heat even harder. We know many people only have time to travel in the summer, but we highly recommend fall if at all possible.

We’ll add one caveat to this tip – avoid traveling to Zion in March, April, and May if you want to hike The Narrows. Snowmelt peaks during the spring, and the National Park Service will close down hiking The Narrows until water levels return to normal. You can hike The Narrows in the winter. You might run into some ice, but Zion Guru will get you all the right gear, so it’s an enjoyable experience.

In the fall or winter months, you’ll have an easier time getting a permit to hike Angels Landing. Other popular day hikes will also be less packed. Zion really is an ideal off-season park!

Tip 3: Book your lodging well in advance of your trip

If we haven’t said it enough yet, Zion is one of the most popular national parks. The Zion Lodge opens its booking 13 months in advance. We’re seeing this trend at many national parks. Most lodges open for booking at least a year early. That means you might need to be already thinking about your 2026 trips!

The free shuttle system runs right to the Zion Lodge. You’ll get a headstart on all your hikes before crowds make their way into the park from farther out shuttle stops.

Watchman Campground near the town of Springdale is open six months in advance for reservations. Though it’s closed as of early 2025, South Campground opens reservations only two weeks before your trip.

There are hotels throughout Springdale and farther out along the main highway, but we always recommend staying as close to or in the park as possible to beat the crowds.

Tip 4: Learn how to use the Zion shuttle system before you leave on your trip

To access Zion for most of the year, you need to hop on the free park shuttle to get into the main part of the park. There are areas open to private vehicles toward the east entrance, but accessing nearly every popular day hike – Angels Landing, The Narrows, Emerald Pools – requires the shuttle.

The shuttle does not run in January or February, nor does it run in parts of December. During those downtimes, you can drive your own car into the park. Make sure you check before you go!

You can park your vehicle in one of the parking lots in Springdale or at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center. Then, you can get on the shuttle at the visitor center. If you need help figuring out where to get off to do your hikes, ask one of the park rangers stationed at the visitor center. They’re more than happy to help you get where you’re going!

Before you leave on your trip, study the shuttle map and shuttle schedules. For a frame of reference, if you want to hike The Narrows, you need to get off at the Temple of Sinawava, which is a 45-minute ride.

You’ll want to group your hikes and other outdoor activities so you don’t have to take the shuttle on multiple days. Our Zion itinerary will tell you exactly how to group your activities to minimize your time navigating parking lots and shuttles. We also have secret hikes and plenty of activities to find solitude.

Not all hikes in Zion require you to use the shuttle. The Canyon Overlook Trail and all hikes along the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway are open to private cars.

Tip 5: Plan to get out of your comfort zone

The magic of Zion is in trying new things. You’ll find yourself asking, “Wait, am I really doing this?” multiple times if you’ve planned your trip well. Zion is one of the most adventurous national parks we’ve visited.

Angels Landing will put you at the edge of your adventure limit if you feel unsure about heights. But we know you can do it! Check out our full Angels Landing hiking guide to know exactly what you’ll get into. However, we also recommend not getting too detailed in your research. Go and try it before you decide it isn’t for you! You can turn around at any point.

The Narrows is a world-class hiking route that takes you into the Virgin River with sandstone cliffs on both sides. It’s slippery but stunning the entire time. You might have to swim or withstand water up to your shoulders, but we promise you’ll be staring up in awe the whole time. Baby steps get you to incredible places you never knew you’d get to see. Do what you can!

You can go canyoneering in narrow slot canyons, mountain bike, e-bike, rock climb, and or take on any number of other adventures in Zion!

We hope you try at least one activity outside your comfort zone. Even if you take just a few steps, you’ll feel incredible and see spectacular views you’ve never experienced before. If you’re feeling nervous, grab one of our Zion itineraries, and we’ll have your back while you explore!

Links mentioned in this podcast episode:

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Zion Tips – What You Need To Know Before You Go!