Zion National Park is fairly small compared to other national parks, but it does have a wide range of hiking opportunities for hikers of all abilities, from short family-friendly strolls to longer and more physically demanding hikes. If this is your first visit to Zion, you will likely want to spend a day or more in the popular Zion Canyon, riding the free Zion Canyon Shuttle to the various trailheads and hikes.
While most tourists come to Zion National Park obsessed with hiking the insanely popular Angels Landing and Zion Narrows, do not be disappointed if these options are not available to you; there are many other stunningly beautiful hiking opportunities in the park if you're willing to pick something different! See a list of hikes in Zion Canyon organized by shuttle stop.
Specific hikes are discussed on the following Best Hikes in Zion National Park page and many more obscure options can be found on the Many More Hiking Ideas page.
No fees or wilderness permits are required for most day hikes along any of Zion's trails, but permits are required for:
Due to the epit popularity of several routes that require permits (most notably Angels Landing and the Subway), an advance lottery is put in place, so you can try to win a permit for a specific day several months in advance. More information can be found on the NPS's Zion Wilderness Permits page. Permit fees tend to be $10 per person for a canyoneering route and $20 per person for an overnight route, not including various recreation.org fees and an extra reservation/lottery fee.
During peak tourist season in the summer months, Zion Canyon is hot and dry with temperatures often exceeding 100°F. Be prepared with plenty of water and protection from the sun (hat, sunblock, etc.) to prevent heat exhaustion and dehydration, especially on clear sunny days. On really hot days, consider hiking only during the cooler morning and evening hours.
Spring and autumn have milder temperatures (highs in the 70s and 80s, lows in the 40s and 50s) and during winter, highs are often in the 50s with temps dipping just below freezing at night. (Temperatures in the higher elevations of Zion can be 10 to 20 degrees cooler.) Although southwest Utah is mostly arid, storm systems can result in significant precipitation and sudden temperature drops. Dress in layers so you can adapt to the significant temperature changes that can occur during the day.
Most of Zion Canyon's historical trails were blasted out of the sandstone walls to make a route that climbs up to the rim, so be prepared to hike on trails of hard cement and pavement, some with a steep uphill incline. These trails tend to be hard on the feet and knees, but most of the constructed trails also go over natural slabs of sandstone and through sections of soft sand and dirt. If you plan on hiking the Zion Narrows or other slot canyons, be prepared to get your feet wet and hike in a streambed littered with large rocks.
In the summer desert heat, you could potentially need to drink a gallon of water or more a day, so plan appropriately for your hike(s). While many people get away with taking only a small bottled water with them on long hikes, it isn't recommended. Bringing water in Nalgene bottles or hydration reservoirs in a compatible backpack are both good solutions. The Osprey Stratos 24 is a great little hydration-compatible backpack for day hikes and it still has quite a bit of room for supplies.
It's a good idea to bring a headlamp on day hikes as well as backpacking trips, just in case you get caught out after dark. Two excellent lightweight models are the Petzl Actik Core (dual LEDs with settings up to 300 lumens) and the Black Diamond Cosmo 350 (dual buttons to turn on/off without having to cycle through different modes and IPX8 waterproof rating).When hiking along Zion's popular "frontcountry" trails like the Emerald Pools Trail, Riverside Walk, Angels Landing, etc., please obey all posted "do not hike here" signs and use designated restrooms. Due to the vast amount of visitors, it is quite easy for human activity to have a devastating effect on Zion's fragile desert and riparian areas. In contrast, exploring the less-visited backcountry gives much more opportunity for random off-trail exploration, but you must still be conscious of treading as lightly as possible. Stick to solid sandstone or the watercourse of a drainage as much as possible and try to avoid trampling vegetation and cryptobiotic soil. And of course, please practice the "leave no trace" ethic wherever you hike! See more tips to minimize your impact...
While commercial canyon guiding is not permitted within Zion National Park beyond short hikes up the Narrows, several outfitters in the town of Springdale, including the Zion Adventures, Zion Guru, and Zion Guide Hub offer services including hiking equipment rental, bike/e-bike rental packages, canyoneering day trips and training in interesting canyons just outside the national park boundary, and shuttle service to various remote trailheads.
Do not rely on cell-phone coverage when hiking in Zion National Park. While you can get reception in the town of Springdale, the Zion Canyon Visitor Center, and at the Zion Lodge, you are unlikely to get service on most of Zion's trails, in any canyons, or most locations deep in the wilderness. You can get reception from many highpoints in Zion, including Angels Landing, Observation Point, several peaks in the Upper East Canyon, the Left Fork Trailhead, and the Hop Valley Trailhead. If you are in the wilderness and need to make an emergency call, try to get to a highpoint (if possible) and you might just be able to get through.
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