Angels Landing
The trail that defines Zion. A knife-edge ridge 1,488 feet above the canyon floor with chain-assisted sections along sheer dropoffs. The summit offers a 360-degree panorama from a knife-edge ridge 1,488 feet above the canyon floor.
- **Distance**: 5.4 miles round trip
- **Elevation gain**: 1,488 ft
- **Difficulty**: Strenuous
- **Time**: 4-5 hours
- **Permit**: Required — book at recreation.gov. Seasonal lottery + day-before lottery.
- **Best timing**: Start early morning to avoid heat and crowds. Golden hour descent is transcendent.
- **Safety**: Not recommended in wet/icy conditions. Chain section requires comfort with exposure. Rockfall risk exists; multiple fatalities have occurred on this trail. Exercise caution and check NPS alerts.
The Narrows (Bottom-Up)
Walk upstream through the Virgin River as thousand-foot walls close in around you. The canyon narrows until there is only water, stone, and sky. You will be walking in the river — sometimes ankle-deep, sometimes waist-deep. Rental gear (dry suit, neoprene socks, canyoneering boots, walking stick) available in Springdale.
- **Distance**: Up to 10 miles (most turn around at Wall Street, ~5 miles)
- **Difficulty**: Moderate to Strenuous (depending on distance and water level)
- **Time**: 4-8 hours
- **Permit**: Not required for bottom-up day hike
- **Seasonal**: Closed during flash flood risk. Generally open May-October, but varies.
- **Flash flood warning**: Flash floods can occur with little warning. Check NPS alerts before entering. Never proceed if thunderstorms are forecasted upstream.
- **Gear**: Rent canyoneering shoes + walking stick in Springdale. Essential, not optional.
- **Best timing**: Start by 8am. Afternoon light creates dramatic interplay of shadow and reflection in the narrows.
Canyon Overlook Trail
The best effort-to-awe ratio in the park. The trailhead is at the east end of the Zion-Mt. Carmel Tunnel — a different approach than most canyon trails, offering views from above.
- **Distance**: 1 mile round trip
- **Elevation gain**: 163 ft
- **Difficulty**: Easy to Moderate
- **Time**: 30-60 minutes
- **Permit**: Not required
- **Best timing**: 45 minutes before sunset. The canyon ignites.
The Watchman Trail
A gentle trail. Views of Watchman Peak, the Towers of the Virgin, and the town of Springdale far below. Best experienced at sunrise when the canyon walls light up one layer at a time.
- **Distance**: 3.3 miles round trip
- **Elevation gain**: 368 ft
- **Difficulty**: Moderate
- **Time**: 1.5-2 hours
- **Permit**: Not required
- **Best timing**: Arrive at trailhead before first light for sunrise.
Observation Point (East Mesa Trail)
The view that makes Angels Landing look small. At 6,521 feet, this is the highest overlook in Zion Canyon — you look DOWN on Angels Landing. The East Mesa approach avoids the strenuous canyon-bottom trail and is relatively flat.
- **Distance**: 6.5 miles round trip (via East Mesa trailhead)
- **Elevation gain**: ~300 ft (East Mesa approach)
- **Difficulty**: Moderate (via East Mesa)
- **Time**: 3-4 hours
- **Note**: Requires driving to the East Mesa trailhead (outside the park, dirt road — check conditions). The canyon-bottom trail via Weeping Rock has been closed due to rockfall since 2019; check NPS for current status.
Pa'rus Trail
A paved, flat, riverside trail connecting the Visitor Center to Canyon Junction. Bikes allowed. Dogs allowed (only trail in Zion proper). Suited for early morning walks, gentle movement, or a mindful start to the day.
- **Distance**: 3.5 miles round trip
- **Elevation gain**: 50 ft
- **Difficulty**: Easy
- **Time**: 1-1.5 hours
Taylor Creek Trail — Kolob Canyons
The canyon that most Zion visitors never see. The trail follows the Middle Fork of Taylor Creek through two historic homestead cabins to Double Arch Alcove — a massive natural amphitheater. Multiple creek crossings through a narrow canyon lined with cottonwood and Gambel oak. Kolob delivers canyon beauty without the shuttle, without the crowds, without the permit lottery.
- **Distance**: 5 miles round trip
- **Elevation gain**: 450 ft
- **Difficulty**: Moderate
- **Time**: 3-4 hours
- **Permit**: Not required. Free with Zion park pass.
- **Best timing**: Morning light in the canyon. Pair with Timber Creek Overlook for a full Kolob half-day.
Timber Creek Overlook — Kolob Canyons
A brief trail with panoramic views — Kolob's finger canyons, Pine Valley Mountains, and on clear days, the distant Mojave. Drive the 5-mile Kolob Canyons Scenic Road to the end, walk ten minutes, and stand at the edge. Sunset here is extraordinary.
- **Distance**: 1 mile round trip
- **Elevation gain**: 100 ft
- **Difficulty**: Easy
- **Time**: 30 minutes
- **Permit**: Not required. Free with Zion park pass.
- **Best timing**: Sunset — the finger canyons glow red from a viewpoint you'll likely have to yourself.
Kanarra Falls
A slot canyon creek hike to a t...