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Zion National Park — Zion Canyon framed by red cliffs and green treesPhoto: Zach Betten bettenz · CC0 · edited
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Zion National Park

Nature reserves & national parks ·Zion National Park
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#12Things to do in Zion National ParkMost reviewed in Zion National ParkTravelers' Choice 2026
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About

Zion National Park near Springdale, Utah, covers 579 km² where the Colorado Plateau, Great Basin and Mojave Desert meet.

More photos 11

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Zion National Park — The Narrows with hikers wading through a narrow stream Trougnouf · CC BY 4.0 · edited
Zion National Park — The Narrows with hikers wading through a narrow streamZion National Park — Deep canyon and winding river viewed from Angel’s LandingZion National Park — Cross-bedded Navajo sandstone along the Canyon Overlook TrailZion National Park — Red sandstone cliffs rising above scrub in Kolob CanyonsZion National Park — Layered Zion mountains beyond a scrub-covered valleyZion National Park — Red sandstone formations above a grassy valleyZion National Park — Sloping orange and white sandstone cliffs with scattered treesZion National Park — Misty red cliffs and sandstone canyon formationsZion National Park — Zion Canyon Scenic Drive beside a rocky hillsideZion National Park — Road winding between towering cliffs beneath dramatic cloudsZion National Park — Zion Canyon road beneath tall sunlit sandstone cliffs

Why go

  • The Narrows: a gorge just 20 feet wide in places, with walls up to 2,000 feet tall.
  • Zion Canyon’s red and tan Navajo Sandstone walls, carved by the North Fork of the Virgin River.
  • Kolob Arch, one of the world’s longest natural arches.
  • The Subway slot canyon and panoramic views from Lava Point in Kolob Terrace.

Don't miss

  • The WatchmanThe peak rises above the visitor center and South Entrance.Above the visitor center and South Entrance, Zion Canyon
  • Towers of the VirginThe towers are visible from the Human History Museum.Human History Museum, Zion Canyon Shuttle Stop #2
  • Sandstone formationsView the formations from overlooks and trails along the highway.East of Zion Canyon, along the Zion–Mount Carmel Highway
  • Kolob Canyons geologyTrails and scenic overlooks reveal the area's geology.Northwest corner of the park, near Cedar City
  • Temple of SinawavaThe Zion Canyon road ends here.End of the six-mile Zion Canyon road

With kids

  • The Junior Ranger Program is for children aged four and older. It runs year-round at visitor centers and other park facilities.

Tips for your visit

  • Rangers at the Zion Canyon and Kolob Canyons visitor centers can help plan your stay.
  • Designated picnic sites are the Grotto, the visitor center, and the Kolob Canyons Road viewpoint.
  • Riverside Walk leads to the river approach to The Narrows; reaching the gorge means following the river beyond the walk’s end.

Best time to visit

  • The Zion–Mount Carmel Highway can be travelled year-round.
  • Kolob Canyons Road often closes in winter.

Know before you go

  • The park is open 24 hours a day, year-round.
  • An entrance pass is required.
  • Permits are required for Angels Landing and overnight camping in Zion Wilderness.

History

People camped, hunted, and gathered plants and seeds here about 8,000 years ago. Cultivation began about 2,000 years ago; Basketmaker communities used storage cists and partly underground pithouses. From about 500 CE, Virgin Anasazi communities built settlements on terraces above the Virgin River and left petroglyphs. Anasazi and Fremont people left around 1300 for unknown reasons. Paiute people travelled seasonally along the river and still visit for religious reasons and to gather rare plants.

  1. 1776Francisco Antanasio Domínguez and Silvestre Vélez de Escalante made the first documented European exploration of the region.
  2. 1863Isaac Behunin settled the canyon floor, farmed corn, tobacco and fruit trees, and gave the canyon its present name.
  3. 1909President William Howard Taft proclaimed Mukuntuweap National Monument to protect the canyon.
  4. 1919On November 19, Congress designated the monument as Zion National Park, and President Woodrow Wilson signed the act.
  5. 1925Zion Lodge was built on the former Wylie tent-camp site. Gilbert Stanley Underwood designed it in a rustic style.
Show all
  1. 1930The Zion–Mount Carmel Highway opened, improving access between Springdale and the park’s east side.
  2. 1956Kolob Canyons, previously a separate monument, became part of the park.
  3. 2009Congress designated 124,406 acres, about 85% of the park, as wilderness.

How to get there

  • BusFree shuttles serve Springdale and Zion Canyon. The Zion Canyon Road service runs from early April through late October; private cars use that road in other months.
  • CarUtah State Route 9 crosses the park’s south via the Zion–Mount Carmel Highway and tunnel, joining US 89 at Mt. Carmel Junction.
  • CarReach Kolob Canyons from Interstate 15 at exit 40; Kolob Canyons Road runs for five miles.
  • CarAddress: 1 Zion Park Blvd., Springdale, UT 84767.

Accessibility

  • Accessibility information The National Park Service provides accessibility information for visitors.

Shorts

Interesting facts5

1/5

  1. The park has four life zones: desert, riparian, woodland and coniferous forest.

    Zion National Park - Wikipedia
  2. 15 miles

    Zion Canyon stretches 15 miles and reaches depths of 2,640 feet.

    Zion National Park - Wikipedia
  3. 3,666 feet

    Elevations range from 3,666 feet at Coal Pits Wash to 8,726 feet at Horse Ranch Mountain.

    Zion National Park - Wikipedia
  4. 150 million

    Nine exposed rock formations represent about 150 million years of sedimentation.

    Zion National Park - Wikipedia (part 2)
  5. 289 bird

    Park habitats support 289 bird species and 79 mammal species.

    Zion National Park - Wikipedia (part 2)

Sources: Zion National Park - Wikipedia · Zion National Park - Wikipedia (part 2) · Zion National Park - Wikipedia (part 3) · Zion National Park (U.S. National Park Service) · Plan Your Visit - Zion National Park (U.S. Nati… · Basic Information - Zion National Park (U.S. Na… · Zion-Nationalpark - Wikipedia · Parc national de Zion - Wikipedia · checked 28 Sep 2026

Where
UT, Zion National Park, Springdale

Plan from here: Evening walk →

Questions and answers

Why is Zion National Park called Zion?

Isaac Behunin named it after a biblical place of peace.

What is distinctive about the Zion–Mount Carmel Highway tunnel?

The tunnel is 1.1 miles long and has six windows cut into sandstone.

Why was the Zion shuttle system introduced?

It began in 2000 to address traffic congestion in the narrow canyon.

What other landmarks are in Zion Canyon?

Angels Landing, the Court of the Patriarchs, Weeping Rock and the Emerald Pools.

How did visitor accommodation begin in Zion Canyon?

Wylie Camp opened as a tent camp in 1917.

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