Zion National Park Travel Guide: Where to Stay, What to Do & When to Go

Zion National Park & Greater Zion, Utah

Featured Stay: Open Sky Zion

Ideal Stay: 5–7 nights

Best For: Hiking • Canyoneering • Adventure • Nature • Couples • Families

Why Should You Visit Zion National Park?

We’ve been exploring Zion and the surrounding canyons for years, and we still find new reasons to come back.

The towering red cliffs are spectacular, but Zion is a place we think is best experienced by getting out into it. Hike up a river between canyon walls. Climb to a viewpoint high above Zion Canyon. Rappel through a slot canyon. Ride horses through the desert. Then find somewhere beautiful to recover and do it all over again the next day.

That combination of scenery and adventure is what keeps bringing us back.

Zion is perfect for hikers, adventurous couples and families, canyoneers, and anyone who loves being surrounded by nature. If your ideal vacation is spending the day relaxing at the beach, this probably isn’t your trip.

Where Should You Stay Near Zion National Park?

Our latest stay at Open Sky Zion completely changed what we thought a Zion stay could be.

Calling the accommodations “tents” is a major understatement. Open Sky takes glamping to a whole new level. We stayed in the Stargazer, secluded among the surrounding landscape with floor-to-ceiling windows framing the red-rock scenery, and one room with a full window ceiling. We fell asleep looking at the brilliant starry sky and woke up to beautiful vistas all around us.

The attention to detail with the space they’ve created and all the amenities was impressive. After a long day of hiking and canyoneering, the private outdoor shower was perfect. The huge brass soaking tub was even better.

One night we used the telescope provided with our tent to look at the moon and stars. With the secluded location and dark sky, it was one of those simple experiences that made the stay memorable.

There’s a refrigerator and grill as well. We brought snacks and drinks but never got around to grilling. Next time, we’re bringing meat and vegetables and planning one evening around staying in.

Open Sky is reached by a gravel road and is about a 15-minute drive from Zion, but for us, that separation is part of the appeal. The privacy, scenery and dark skies are worth it.

Where Should You Eat Around Zion?

Black Sage, right at Open Sky, was the perfect ending to an adventure day. The food was delicious, and I ordered the Black Sage Lemonade because sage, charcoal and their own honey-based syrup sounded too unusual not to try. I wasn’t sure what to expect. I’ll order it again next time.

Other dinner favorites are Switchback Grille and Wild Thyme Cafe. We still have plenty of restaurants in the area we want to try.

If you’re headed toward La Verkin or Hurricane in the morning, River Rock Roasting Company is a great breakfast stop before horseback riding or another day outside.

What Are the Best Things to Do in Zion?

For a first Zion trip, we would start with The Narrows.

Go early. Really early. We like starting around 5 a.m., before the crowds arrive. Hiking directly up the Virgin River with towering red cliffs rising on both sides is the classic Zion experience. Hiking poles make negotiating the river rocks much easier. Depending on the temperature, we also recommend good footwear and neoprene socks for the cold water.

Angels Landing is for someone looking for more exposure and adventure and who is comfortable with heights. We’ve done it together and love it, but it requires a permit, so plan ahead.

When our legs need a break, we also love driving Kolob Canyons. The drive itself is beautiful, with gorgeous overlooks and a different perspective on Zion. We haven’t hiked the trails there yet, so our recommendation is specifically for the scenic drive.

What Is Our Signature Zion Experience?

Canyoneering.

We’ve explored several technical canyons in and around Zion over the years, and rappelling through these landscapes is still our favorite way to experience the area.

On our latest trip, we had a couple of dry days during monsoon season and went with Rock Odysseys Adventure Tours. They picked us up at Open Sky at exactly 7 a.m., and our guide, Jackson, took us up Water Canyon before we descended the technical Upper Water Canyon route.

The hike up was spectacular. Coming back down meant rappelling through beautiful slots and overhangs with a couple of swims along the way.

We generally prefer going with a guide or someone more experienced than we are—someone skilled in rigging, canyon safety and rescue techniques. A good local guide also knows which canyon best fits the group and the conditions that day.

We’ve done the top-down technical route through The Subway together. The hike in is spectacular, the canyon is beautiful and unique, and the hike out is grueling.

Diana also loves Pine Creek, especially the free-hanging rappel at the Grotto and dropping into the water in the Great Cathedral.

When Is the Best Time to Visit Zion National Park?

We would choose late spring into early summer, before the hottest part of summer.

Our most recent trip was in late August during monsoon season. We got lucky with a couple of dry days and had an incredible trip, with the added benefit of somewhat lighter crowds. But rain and flash-flood potential can make canyon plans unpredictable.

Flash flooding should always be taken seriously in Zion. Rain can fall far from where you are and still affect a narrow canyon. Before entering The Narrows or any slot canyon, check weather and flash-flood forecasts for the surrounding drainage, not just the sky overhead.

Conditions, closures and access can change. Rather than relying on a destination guide for current conditions, we recommend checking the National Park Service before every trip.

Insider’s Secret

Zion gets dramatically better when you stop limiting the trip to the national park boundary.

Some of our favorite experiences are in the surrounding area. Give yourself enough time to explore Greater Zion rather than treating every day as another race to a park shuttle.

Founder Favorite

Start before everyone else does.

Whether we’re hiking The Narrows, Angels Landing or heading into a canyon, we would rather sacrifice a little sleep and experience Zion in the quiet of early morning.

There is something completely different about standing between those enormous canyon walls before the crowds arrive.

What Else Should You Do Around Zion?

Go horseback riding at Jacob’s Ranch. This isn’t just following the horse in front of you down a trail. They help you get to know your horse and ride according to your ability, and you may even finish the day riding independently. Their signature “Gauntlet” is something you need to experience for yourself.

After a hard adventure day, book three hours at Zion Canyon Hot Springs in La Verkin. We loved moving between the different pools and soaking away the soreness from the previous days’ adventures.

What Would We Do With 5–7 Nights in Zion?

We wouldn’t schedule a major hike every single day.

Start with The Narrows early in the trip. Spend another day canyoneering with a local guide. Give your legs a break with horseback riding or the Kolob Canyons scenic drive. Hike Angels Landing if you have a permit and are comfortable with heights, then build in an afternoon or evening at the hot springs.

Most importantly, leave some flexibility. Weather and canyon conditions sometimes get a vote in what you do that day.

Member Tip

Get up early.

Parking fills, trails get busier and the feeling of Zion changes as the day progresses. An early start is one of the simplest ways we know to experience more of the grandeur and less of the crowd.

For The Narrows, bring hiking poles. Walking through the Virgin River over submerged rocks is much easier with the extra stability, and proper footwear makes a big difference.

What Do We Want to Try Next?

We’re nowhere near finished with Zion.

Observation Point is high on our list. We’d also like to explore Zion Canyon by e-bike and see the greater Zion landscape from the air on a helicopter flight.

That may be one of our favorite things about Zion: after years of adventures here, we’re still planning what we want to do next.