Get ready for your trip to Zion with these Zion National Park Travel Tips You Never Thought Of!
Whether you brave Angel’s Landing, hike through the chilly water in the Narrows, or just want to enjoy the epic viewpoints that will take your breath away, here’s what you need to know before you go!
Check out the Utah Zion National Park Travel Tips and guide to fun below so you don’t miss out on anything this gorgeous park has to offer…
Related: Easy Ways to Earn Free Travel Gift Cards!
So You’re Planning a Trip to Zion?
To keep your vacation budget-friendly, you’ll need to plan ahead. One of the first things you’ll want to do is start stashing cash away for your ‘Zion Trip Fund’. Need to increase your travel fund stash? One of the easiest ways is to make extra money on the side in your free time! Here’s my favorite trick for ramping up the vacation budget…
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Zion Road Trip Tips: Before you head out on the road, don’t leave home without these 11 Road Trip Must Haves and 34 creative Ways To Entertain Kids On A Trip! Save money on your rental with these 18 Ways To Save Money On Rental Cars.
Now keep reading for all the very best Zion National Park travel tips and things to do I know you’ll love…
Zion National Park Travel Tips
Zion National Park is one of my families favorite places to visit. We will drive up from Phoenix, and usually stay somewhere inexpensive, like the Comfort Inn in Kanab, Utah. This way we can visit Zion, Bryce Canyon National Park, the north rim of the Grand Canyon, and explore different slot canyons.
When visiting Zion, you will ride a park shuttle that will drive you up through the canyon to different shuttle stops. If visiting the park in the late spring or summer, be sure to bring plenty of water, sunscreen and water shoes so you can easily get wet and cool off!
Here are some of our top Zion National Park travel tips and favorite spots you won’t want to miss:
The Narrows: This is my family’s favorite part of Zion. We have walked up through the Narrows in late summer and also in October. You start by walking a mile long paved trail that begins at the final park shuttle stop: Temple of Sinawava.
If you are feeling adventurous, in late summer and fall you can continue beyond the paved trail. By this time, the Virgin River levels will usually be low enough to walk in and along. Be sure to check the weather for water levels, and flash flood warning.
Don’t forget to take some sturdy water shoes and a walking stick! You will be walking in and through the water, but if you can bring a camera, the views are absolutely breathtaking!
Checkerboard Mesa: Driving on the East park road, all you need to do to enjoy this view is… Stop The Car!!
You won’t be playing any checkers here, but the unusual 900 foot tall white rock that looks like a checkerboard makes for a fun stop!
Hang on to that rail!!! The trail starts right at the East entrance to the Zion-Mt. Carmel Tunnel, which is always a highlight of driving through the park! Don’t forget to bring sturdy shoes!
Weeping Rock: Look up and you will have water dripping on you that took over 1,000 years to filter through rocks. If you go in the summer and its hot outside, you might just want some of that water to drip down on you!
Lower and Upper Emerald Pools: There is something special about the combination of thousand foot tall cliffs, waterfalls, pools of cool water, and lush green vegetation.
The Emerald Pools are a refreshing place to stop and relax for awhile.
Angels Landing: If you are a thrill seeker and don’t mind a bit of a climb (Walter’s Wiggles), this is probably one of the most thrilling hikes you can imagine! Did I mention holding onto chains while walking along a narrow trail with thousand foot drop offs?
This is the place to get the best views, both up and down the canyon… or just straight down!
Walters Wiggles on the way to Angel’s Landing.
Chains for your walk out to Angel’s Landing – hold on!
Angel’s Landing view looking up the canyon.
View straight down to the park road and Virgin river from Angel’s Landing.
Angel’s Landing looking to the South and the park entrance.
Hidden Canyon: If you like the description of Angels Landing, this is more of the same. A slot canyon at the top of the canyon, and so worth the climb! The trail head for Hidden Canyon is even at the same bus stop as Angel’s Landing.
Red Cliffs Campground: If you like to camp, try driving West from Zion to the Red Cliffs Campground. We love it there, so beautiful and you have never seen so many stars at night!
Frugal Zion National Park Travel Tips: Don’t forget to cash in your Swagbucks for Free Gas Cards, Free Hotels, and Free Airfare, too!
Hotel Tip: I use my Choice Hotels points to score Free Hotel Nights the Comfort Inn and Suites in Kanab, Utah!
RV Recipes: Heading to Zion in your RV? You’ll love these 100+ RV Recipes for some easy RV Meal Planning! After a big day exploring Zion, you’ll be hungry hungry hungry!
Camping Food: If you’re planning on camping on your trip to Zion, load up with tasty campout ideas with these 59 Easy Camping Menu Tips! Enjoying a good old fashioned S’mores in Red Rock country tastes amazing!
Zion Camping Tips: Use these 201 genius Camping Tips and Tricks on your next camping trip to Utah.
Zion Packing List
–> Trekking Poles for walking up The Narrows through the Virgin River. These walking sticks are going to come in handy, helping you keep your balance while you walk up through the shallow river over slippery rocks!
–> Hiking Backpack for food and extra layers. Once you leave the parking lot at the Zion Visitors Center and head up into the canyon on a park shuttle, it will take some time before you will be back to your car or food or civilization. I recommend you take a backpack for the day loaded with lunch, plenty of drinks, and extra layers in case the weather changes.
–> Use Free REI Gift Cards to score your hiking and camping gear free!
–> Bug Repellent to keep all those bugs away. Be extra frugal when you try one of these 17 DIY Bug Repellent Tricks. Having some repellent handy is a must when you stop to have a snack on the trail. You really don’t want your food to make you too popular with the flying insect world!
Want to make the most of your trip to Zion National Park? Then try visiting some of the other amazing locations nearby. Read these Fun Travel Tips and these tips for the Most Spectacular National Parks.
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Now that you’ve scored all of these fun Zion National Park Travel Tips, don’t miss out! Catch all the latest fun Frugal Girls Tips, Recipes + more right here…
So… do you have some Zion National Park Travel Tips to share?
What are some of your favorite places to see, things to do, etc? Leave a comment & share!
Taylor Hansen says
I liked that you said to bring a hiking backpack to store water and snacks in. My friends and I are planning on going to Zion this weekend to do some hiking and enjoy the weather. I’ll be sure to pack enough water since we will be walking and hiking a lot.
Heidi says
Yes… having plenty of water at Zion is so important – especially in the Summer. You won’t regret it! 🙂 Have a great trip, Taylor!
De baker says
We are not able to hike, but would like to drive and see as much as possible, is this possible.
We are going to rent a car ,where could we get a map sent to us, thanks for the nice article, can’t wait to go in the fall
Heidi says
Hi De,
Yes, this is an easy National Park to enjoy without hiking.
As this is a very popular park, there are buses that run up through the canyon with stops along the way. Simply get off along the way at each of the stops and you will be able to enjoy a large portion of the park without having to walk too much.
When you pay to enter the park, they provide a free map. ~ hope this helps, Heidi
Nash Rich says
I’ve only been to Zion National Park twice, and that’s when I was at a nearby college. It’s really fun though. We hiked Angels Landing, and though it looks intimidating at first, it’s not that bad. There’s no room for being rowdy though. I’ve always wanted to do the Subway there, but I’ve only ever been there in the spring, and the run-off was too strong. It’s a great place for natives and foreigners because it’s so unique!