Zion National Park is a Utah gem, and there are so many beautiful sights and things to do that it can be overwhelming to figure out the best sights for a 1-day trip to the park.  As one of the most unique and popular parks in the United States, Zion offers something for everyone. If you’re wondering what to see in Zion National Park in one day, this guide has you covered for the perfect one day trip.

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The Basics: Zion National Park 

Where Is Zion?

Zion is in the southwest corner of Utah, around an hour from St George and 2.5 hours from Las Vegas. 

How To Get To Zion National Park

By Air

The closest airport to Zion National Park is St. George Regional Airport. This is a smaller airport and will come at a very steep price. Your best bet is to fly into Salt Lake City, but the downside to flying into SLC is that you have a 3.5-hour drive to Zion National Park. The good news? The drive is absolutely stunning! 

By Car

A rental car is a must! No matter where you are coming from, you’ll need to drive to Zion National Park. The roads in Zion are well-paved, so you don’t necessarily need a 4-wheel drive to get in and around Zion.  

Doing a Utah National Parks Road Trip? Here are the estimated Drive time to Zion National Park from nearby National Parks

• Bryce Canyon National Park – 1.25 hours
• Capitol Reef National Park – 3 hours
• Arches National Park – 4.75 hours
• Canyonlands National Park – 5 hours

(Post on how I did all 5 Parks in 7 days coming soon)

Getting Around Zion 

Zion is incredibly easy to navigate, but there are a few rules for getting around the park depending on what time of year you will be visiting. 

If you visit Zion National Park in December or January, the only way to get around the park is with your own car because the shuttles do not run. Keep in mind that this makes parking a free-for-all. Winter is the less busy season at Zion, but you won’t be the only one in the park, so wake up early to grab a parking spot!

If you’re visiting the park between February and November, your only choice for geting around the park is by using the free shuttle service. The service is first come, first serve, and you will need to park your car somewhere in Springdale and then board the shuttle into the park. 

The first shuttle leaves the Zion Visitor’s Center at 7 a.m., and the last shuttle leaves the Temple of Sinawava at 6:15 p.m. When you arrive, look for a full schedule at one of the park’s shuttle stops. The shuttles are used to reduce emissions and parking issues, and they do a great job of doing just that. However, the shuttles do make it a bit more difficult to be spontaneous in the park, and you will have to plan your visit around the schedule. 

Entrance Fees and Reservations At Zion National Park

Zion Standard Entrance Fee: $25-$35 these passes are good for 7 consecutive days (this includes the day you purchased it). You cannot purchase Zion National Park entrance fees before arriving at the park. 

2024 Free Entrance Days in the National Parks

All National Parks that charge an entrance fee will offer free admission to everyone (other fees may apply). Mark your calendar for these entrance 2024 National Park fee-free dates:

• Monday, January 15 — Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
• Saturday, April 20 — First Day of National Park Week
• Wednesday, June 19 — Juneteenth
• Sunday, August 4 — The Great American Outdoors Act
• Saturday, September 28 — National Public Lands Day
• Monday, November 11 — Veterans Day

You can also purchase the America The Beautiful Pass if you are visiting more then one of Utah’s National Park, I highly recommend this. 

Best Time To Visit Zion National Park

Zion is open every day of the year, but the best time to visit is anytime outside of summer. Summer can be very hot (an average 100℉), and the crowds are insane. I visited at the beginning of June, and it wasn’t bad, but the crowds were really starting to grow. May through September tend to be the park’s busiest months with very large crowds. 

Spring & Fall

The shoulder seasons of spring or fall are the best times to visit Zion, but each season has its own special allure depending on what you want to do in the park. For instance, if you are looking to hike and adventure in the park, spring and fall are the best times to visit. The temperatures are more pleasant, and the park is a little less crowded. 

If you want to hike the Subway and the Narrows, consider visiting in September; it’s the best time to hike through the river.

Summer

If you visit Zion in the summer, be ready for temperatures in the 90s and possibly over 100. It’s a good idea to take breaks and prepare to escape the heat. From mid-July to September, it’s also monsoon season, so you’ll want to use a bit more caution if you do any canyon hikes, such as the Narrows or the Subway.

Winter

Zion in winter is stunning, but it’s not for everyone. While snow isn’t likely, it is a possibility if you visit during a winter storm. Snow blanketing Zion makes it really spectacular, and there are also fewer crowds during the winter months.

Know Before You Go – Zion National Park

• Zion National Park is one of the most visited parks in the United States, meaning it’s always crazy busy! 
• Check the Zion National Park website for closures and current information before you head to the park. 
• Don’t rely on your phone because many places in Zion do not have cell service. 
• Arriving at the park early is a great idea because parking is very limited. 
• Plan your hikes ahead of your visit to the park. 

Heading to Zion National Park soon? Don’t forget to download this handy FREE packing checklist!

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Now let’s get into it – the perfect one day itinerary for Zion National Park…

One Day In Zion National Park

There are so many things to do in Zion that it is difficult to pick the highlights of the park if you only have one day like I did.  Here’s the perfect 1 day Zion itinerary to help you plan exactly what to do in Zion National Park: 

First things first, be prepared because the beauty of Zion will have you oohing and aahing all day long! 

Also, it’s going to be a jam packed day, so if you are a caffeine junky like myself, you might want to consider grabbing a cup of coffee before heading to the park. Check out Feel Love Coffe and Cafe if you are coming from St. George. They offer full breakfasts, pastries, and yummy lattes. 

Hike One Of Zion’s Amazing Trails To Start The Day 

The absolute BEST way to experience Zion National Park is to go on a hike! The trails in Zion are some of the best in the entire world, so you must get out and take at least 1 scenic hike.

With just one day in the park, it’s difficult to get a permit for Angels Landing, but you can apply for a permit before your trip. You will get to pick seven ranked days and times or windows of days and times you want to hike.

Instead, I recommend one of the less popular hikes, where you still get amazing views, and the hike won’t take you most of the day. 

I loved the Canyon Overlook Trail (although parking can be an issue here, I was able to find a spot in June). The trail is good for any skill level, although if you have kids keep an eye on them because the sand on the rocks makes sections pretty slippery. 

Canyon Overlook Trail  

Distance: 2 Miles

Rating: Easy 

Elevation Gain: 157 Ft 

Time: Takes Between 20-30 mins 

Another great option is to start your morning at the Zion Narrows Riverside Walk Trail. The Riverside Walk trail is a beautiful short hike in Zion that runs along the Virgin River.  The hike is about 2.2 miles round-trip and will take you through some gorgeous canyon and river scenery. The Temple of Sinawava is the final stop of the Zion Canyon Shuttle, so there’s no chance that you will miss it.  Get off the shuttle here and follow the signs towards the Riverside Walk trail.

Riverside Walk Trail 

Distance: 1.9 Miles Out and Back 

Rating: Easy 

Elevation Gain: 193 ft 

Time: Generally Around 90 Minutes 

At the end of the Riverside Walk Trail is where the Narrows hike begins.  If you only have one day in Zion National Park, you probably won’t have time to hike the Narrows.  You can add it to your next trip to Zion!

Hungry? Grab Lunch! 

There are plenty of options at Zion, whether you packed a picnic lunch, ate lunch at the Zion Lodge (the only hotel inside the park), or checked out Springdale. 

If you pack a picnic lunch, there is a nice picnic area by the Pa’rus Trail, and others are scattered throughout the park. 

Check out the Zion Lodge for lunch within park boundaries, where you can dine at the Castle Dome Cafe or the Red Rock Grill. The cafe serves a variety of bar-type quick-bite items such as coffee, espresso, and cinnamon buns in the morning and burgers, hot dogs, and French fries for lunch. Local microbrews are served on the Beer Garden Cart on the patio as well. Love it! 

If you are looking for an actual dining experience then check out the Red Rock Grill, open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. With large picture windows that overlook the floor of the canyon and the soaring stone walls, the views combine perfectly with the entrees like steaks, pecan-crusted trout, and Authentic Navajo Tacos (get these and thank me later).

You can also visit nearby Springdale for lunch, but you will need to leave the park and reenter to do that. 

Next, Take A Stroll From Zion Lodge To The Emerald Pools 

The Emerald Pools actually refers to three different pools, and you can hike to all 3. The Lower Emerald Pool, the Middle Pool, and the Upper Pool.  For this one day trip to Zion National Park, I recommend hiking to Middle Emerald Pool. This was one of my favorite hikes in Zion National Park. 

The Lower Emerald Pool Hike will take you about an hour, and goes about 1.5 miles total to the lower pool and back.  Once you reach the lower pool, you have the option of hiking further up to the middle pool, and for a one day trip, I absolutely recommend going to the middle pool. 

Lower Emerald Pool 

Distance: 1.5 Miles 

Rating: Easy 

Elevation Gain:  127 ft

Time: Generally 45(ish) Minutes

Middle Emerald Pool

Distance: 2.2 Miles 

Rating: Moderate 

Time: 1-2 Hours 

A Stop At The Patriarchs To Take In The Views  

Court of the Patriarchs is stop #4 on the Zion Shuttle, but you won’t be doing any hiking here. Instead, take some time to marvel at the majesty of the Court of the Patriarchs, a group of sandstone cliffs that are named after the biblical figures of Abraham, Jacob, and Isaac. This is also a great sunset and stargazing spot if you are staying in the Springdale area. Just make sure to double-check the last shuttle time before staying at this stop to watch the sunset here.

If You’re Up For 1 Final Hike

The Watchman Trailhead is right off the Visitor Center and is about 3 miles round-trip. Hiking this easy trail typically takes between 1-2 hours as you ascend to the canyon and are rewarded with an amazing view of Zion Canyon from above.  

Watchman Trail 

Distance: 3.1 Miles 

Rating: Moderate

Elevation Gain: 636 ft 

Time: 1 – 2 Hours

Not Up For Another Hike? Do This Instead 

Check out the Zion National Park Visitors Center. If you didn’t get the chance to explore the Visitor Center at the start of your day, take some time to do it.  Get off the shuttle at stop #1, and explore the Visitors Center. Here you will find plenty about Zion’s history, along with souvenirs you may wish to bring home with you. You know I have to grab at least 3 stickers at every National Park. 

That concludes your one day in Zion National Park! You’re probably starving by now! 

No need to worry if you are starving after your crazy busy day in Zion, you can stop in Springdale for dinner after exiting the park. Check out Bit & Spur Restaurant & Saloon for delicious poblano mac & cheese and sweet potato tamales.  

I hope this One-Day Itinerary for Zion National Park helps you plan your trip! Zion is an amazing National Park and is well worth a visit if you are in Utah. Have you been to Zion? What was your absolute favorite thing in the park?

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