Zion is a canyon of soaring sandstone cliffs, hanging gardens and the emerald-green Virgin River winding through it all, one of the most spectacular and beloved parks in the American Southwest. From the paved valley floor beneath 2,000-foot walls to the vertigo-inducing spine of Angels Landing and the river-walking adventure of the Narrows, Zion packs world-class scenery and hiking into a single, dramatic gorge.
The Virgin River has cut Zion Canyon deep into the Colorado Plateau, exposing towering walls of Navajo sandstone streaked red, cream and pink. Springs seep from the cliffs to nourish hanging gardens, cottonwoods line the river, and the terrain climbs from desert canyon floor to high plateau. Beyond the main canyon lie slot canyons, the high country of Kolob, and habitat for bighorn sheep, mule deer and California condors.
Spring and fall offer the most comfortable hiking and beautiful light, with spring bringing high water and fall pleasant temperatures. Summer is hot and crowded, with monsoon storms raising serious flash-flood danger in the slot canyons. Winter is quiet and cold, sometimes snowy, with the shuttle often not running and a peaceful, uncrowded canyon.
The park is reached via SR-9 with the main entrance at Springdale. For most of the year private vehicles cannot drive up Zion Canyon, a mandatory, efficient shuttle serves the canyon stops instead, so plan around it. The scenic Zion–Mount Carmel Highway and its tunnel offer a spectacular drive through the east side.
Hike the thrilling, permit-only Angels Landing for its knife-edge finale, wade the Virgin River through the soaring Narrows, and walk gentler paths to the Emerald Pools and the Riverside Walk. Canyoneer the slot canyons with a permit, drive the Mount Carmel Highway, and watch for condors soaring above the cliffs.
Flash floods are the deadly hazard here. Never enter the Narrows or a slot canyon when storms threaten, and always check the flash-flood forecast. Heat and dehydration are serious in summer, so carry ample water; Angels Landing and other routes have severe, exposed drop-offs; and the river runs cold with slippery footing, so plan and equip carefully.
A park pass is required, Angels Landing needs a permit via lottery, and canyoneering and backcountry trips need permits. Plan well ahead. The canyon shuttle is mandatory in season. This page is a general overview, not a live conditions report; always confirm current conditions, flash-flood forecasts, shuttle status and permits with the National Park Service before your trip.
Set this declination on your compass, then align it to the map's north lines; it is the angle between true north and magnetic north, refreshed each year.
