Hike the Watchman TrailThe Watchman Trail offers nice views over Springdale and the southern end of Zion National Park. This hike starts right at the visitor center, so no shuttle is necessary.
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The Narrows: Bottom-Up Hike from Temple of SinawavaThis is a unique and popular hiking route in Zion National Park, where approximately 60% of the journey is spent wading, walking, and sometimes swimming in the river. Unlike the Top Down hike, this route does not require a permit and is a good alternative.
Top ways to experience Zion Shuttle and nearby attractions. 92% of travelers recommend this experience. This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. 98% of travelers recommend this experience.
The Canyon Overlook Trail is an incredible alternative to the Angels Landing hike if you want to avoid the congestion and intense difficulty of Angels Landing! Views of lower Zion Canyon at the end of Canyon Overlook Trail in Zion National Park.
Angels Landing Trailhead ParkingParking for any trail in Zion Canyon is located either at the Zion Visitor Center, or the Zion Human History Museum. From either of these two locations, you need to ride the Zion Canyon Shuttle to the trailhead.
The best easy hikes in Zion are the Canyon Overlook Trail, the Riverside Walk, the Lower Emerald Pool Trail, the Pa'rus Trail, and the Timber Creek Overlook Trail.
Visit Kolob CanyonsKolob Canyons is a smaller section of the park that sits to the north of Zion Canyon Scenic Drive. This area has a few hiking trails and its own visitor center. If you want to avoid the crowds along the shuttle route, this is a great area of Zion to explore.
Even without the shuttle, you can still get to those Zion must-see spots (like Angels Landing, The Narrows, and Emerald Pools) by biking the Scenic Drive into Zion Canyon. Don't want to bike into Zion Canyon? Hire a private shuttle. There are also a handful of Zion hikes that do not require the shuttle to get to.
Absolutely! While Angels Landing is a popular and iconic hike at Zion National Park, there are still plenty of other amazing sights to see in the park. We rarely hike Angels Landing when we visit, and yet we visit every year.
In preparation for this hike, many people decide to rent specialized gear like canyoneering shoes, neoprene socks, walking sticks, waterproof pants, and even full zip-up dry suits. While this gear can be absolutely essential during winter and early spring, it can be a little overkill during the warmer summer months.
Best Time to Visit Zion National Park for Smaller CrowdsIf you have the flexibility, making the trip during the park's off-peak months of October through March means less crowded hiking trails and fewer view-blocking selfie sticks. If you're looking for a really quiet escape, January is the best time to visit.
As with most national parks, Zion's busiest season is when the kids are off school and most people take their vacations. That means weekends much of the year and the most crowded time between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Despite the hot temperatures — and 100-degree days are common — summer draws the biggest crowds.
Both of these Parks offer great outdoor activities for all ages. For canyoneering and rappelling, Zion beats Bryce. You'll find world-class hiking in either Park, but in Zion you can find yourself hiking through streams or on sandstone ledges, like Angels Landing – one of the scariest hikes in the world!
From the deep canyons to the high plateaus of Zion roams a large, stealthy predator: the mountain lion, or cougar. Mountain lions can be six to nine feet long from nose to tip of tail, weighing 80-180 pounds.
Angels Landing is first on the list of the most difficult hikes in Zion. It is one of the most popular hikes in Zion as it attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. However, it is also the most dangerous hike in Zion and one of the most dangerous hikes in the U.S.
The entire hike is 16 miles long. From the top-down, the hike begins at Chamberlain's Ranch and the Narrows ends 15 miles later at the top end of the Riverside Walk. One more mile of walking on the Riverside Walk gets you to the finish line of the hike, the Temple of Sinawava.
With moderate elevation gain and a relatively limited mileage, the Angels Landing hike is in some ways beginner friendly. However, the Chains Section will be too intimidating for most beginners or anyone who struggles with vertigo or a fear of heights.