Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
We visit Zion National Park often, and it’s one of my favorite places in Utah. So we’ve had many adventures through the canyons.
It’s filled with beautiful landscapes, and I always marvel at the stunning views. Pink layers of sediment swirled amongst red rock formations are what I remember the most.
I’ll tell you about our experience, what to know and expect, and share personal photos from our trips. You’ll want to put this place on your bucketlist for sure!
Getting There
We have to travel through three states on the I-15 to reach Utah. Travelers pack the highways on the weekend, so we try to leave during the week.
Once, we left in the evening and stayed overnight at a rest stop in the Mohave Desert. This was during the summer, and it got very hot in the morning!
We usually stop at places of interest along the I-15. And we always run into interesting people.
One time, a man on a motorbike asked us for $31. He said he needed money to stay in a Motel 6 while traveling.
But he didn’t have a backpack or any other gear. We saw him hanging around a rest area we had just left.
Camping Near Zion
Every time we visit Zion, we camp nearby. We prefer to stay at Zion River Resort, and it’s only 10 miles from the national park.
There are many options in Hurricane Valley. When we visited in the spring, all lodging was booked out. So, you’ll want to book well ahead of time.
Visiting Zion National Park
Zion National Park is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It never closes.
However, staff working at the entrance booths leave around 5 p.m. When we enter the park after this time, there’s no line.
Plus, with my national parks pass, we don’t worry about paying. Staff at the booths always give us a map and an information guide.
Parking at Zion
Since we’ve been here a few times, we know about the parking situation. We’ve visited here when it was very crowded.
You can park inside Zion if you can find a parking spot. If you come in a big rig like we do, it might be tricky.
Some people park on the side of the road haphazardly. I discuss the crowds, traffic, and parking in my other blog post.
Ways to Explore
There are a couple of ways to see the sights. We like to explore by vehicle, and it’s a great way to see a lot.
Zion Canyon Scenic Drive will take you to popular trails. You can’t drive your car on the scenic drive during shuttle bus season. So, you’ll need to catch the bus at the visitor center.
If you want to drive through in your vehicle, you can take the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway toward Bryce Canyon. We like going through the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel.
You can also drive on the I-15 to the northwest side of the park. Kolob Canyons Road will take you to a viewpoint.
Zion Canyon Visitor Center
If you stop at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center, it’s a hub. Located at the south entrance, this is where we always enter, coming from Springdale.
This is where you’ll also find a parking lot and the bus stop for the scenic drive. We saw many people with their trekking poles and waterproof hiking boots.
The visitor center is a great place to get information on exploring the park. You can learn more about the trails and ask questions.
Plus, it has decent bathrooms, so you can make a pit stop before going on your adventure.
We learned more about Zion’s nature and the trail conditions. Then we waited for the bus to travel up the scenic drive.
Human History Museum
The Human History Museum is a drive down the road from the visitor center. Parking here was a challenge as they only have a few spots.
The shuttle bus stops here on the way down. So, that might be an option.
On one trip, I looked around to find displays about the park’s history and Native Americans who lived in Zion. They had a short film, but they had technical difficulties when I went.
It took me about 10 minutes to look around without seeing the film. They also have a store where you can buy souvenirs.
Zion Canyon Scenic Drive
You’ll most likely access Zion Canyon Scenic Drive by shuttle bus. You can also ride bicycles through the scenic drive, but you must yield to buses.
Buses come throughout the day, and they make 9 stops at points of interest.
Pay attention to the bus schedule and don’t miss the last bus back. Or you’ll have to walk in the dark!
I wouldn’t call the bus ride up to the hiking trails very scenic. When you get off the bus to explore, that’s when it gets scenic.
Points of Interest
There are many points of interest you can access off the scenic drive. You can take the shuttle bus to find a place to picnic, visit the museum, check into the lodge, or go for a ride.
The staff at the visitor center can help you plan your adventure. If you want to hike, you’ll want to talk to them about finding trails you can physically handle.
For Angels Landing, you’ll need a permit. This is a strenuous hike.
Also, the bus driver announced that a few trails were closed when we visited. So, if you plan to do a particular hike, keep that in mind.
We did the easy, yet popular, Riverside Walk to The Narrows hike. I cover everything about our experience, from getting to the hike to the beauty we saw.
Zion-Mount Carmel Highway
This is the way to see the national park if you want to stay in your own vehicle. We love driving through on the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway.
There are many pull-offs to view the beautiful landscape. When we come after 5 p.m., there is usually plenty of parking. Otherwise, it’s difficult to come by.
Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel
It’s fun driving through this tunnel, and you’ll see how massive the mountains are. Yes, the height of a Sprinter van fits through the tunnel, even with the boxes and gear on top.
Note that if you walk or bike in, you will not be allowed to enter the tunnel. We noted this since we thought about biking through Zion one day.
Animal Spotting
While driving near the tunnel, we stopped on the side of a mountain. We found Bighorn sheep grazing on shrubs on the rocks.
A few people watched from a distance as the sheep moved gracefully. Then, some guy crept up closer and closer to the sheep.
We asked his girlfriend what he was trying to do. She didn’t seem to know what he was doing either.
I would advise staying a safe distance from animals in national parks unless you want to end up in the hospital. Just saying…
Checkerboard Mesa
With its majestic height, Checkerboard Mesa really does have a checkerboard design. It’s made of Navajo Sandstone with unique cracks.
This is one of the many places to take pictures and enjoy the views. There’s also a hiking trail in the area.
We pulled into the scenic spot to look at the mountain and enjoy some snacks. Some cars pulled in at times, but for the most part, few people stopped.
Beautiful Canyon Views
The scenic drive isn’t the only place where you’ll see amazing views. When we came on a less crowded day, we could pull over to take pictures in scenic spots.
Golden rays glowed over the red rocks and peeked through the beautiful mountains.
We walked on the rocks, looking at the layers of orange and red shades swirled with white. Green trees and shrubs dotted the mountains haphazardly.
Nature painted a beautiful scene that anyone could enjoy for hours.
We stopped to watch the sunset through the canyons. People lounged on top of their vehicles and waited for the sun to dip behind the mountains.
What a spectacular view!
Travel Notes
If you drive through the desert during the summer, bring water. We passed many people who had car trouble on the side of the road.
When we visited in the summer, the weather topped out at nearly 100° at the RV park. Within driving 10 miles to Zion, the weather dropped to a pleasant 75° in the park.
When we visited in the spring, the weather was much cooler with snow in the park. There were way more people visiting at this time.
You can see beautiful views at Zion all year round. Just bring a coat when it’s cooler!
Final Thoughts
I enjoy going to Zion National Park, and I still have a lot to discover. We will return to do more exploring and try some new hikes in the future.
So far this is one of my favorites and on my top places to visit list. Maybe you’ll like it just as much!
More Travel Adventures
I have more related posts on my blog. You might want to check them out.
- Don’t forget to read about Riverside Walk for an easy, scenic hike in Zion.
- You’ll also want to read about my experience with the crowds at Zion, as it’s a very busy place!
- We stayed at Zion River Resort, which is close by and makes a nice base camp for exploring.
- Quail Creek State Park is also nearby with amazing lakeside views and camping.
I’d love to hear about your travel stories!
Originally published: September 20, 2024
