How to Explore Zion National Park in 1 Day

For anyone planning a trip around Utah to visit some amazing national parks, you must add Zion National Park to your list. Here is how to have an amazing day in Zion National Park.

Zion National Park has beautiful views and tons of outdoor activities that all nature lovers would enjoy.

Many people know Zion National Park for its well known hikes including the Narrows and Angels Landing. But there are lots of other amazing things to do in Zion National Park.

This post is all about how to spend one amazing day in Zion National Park.

1 Day in Zion National Park

Transportation

How to Get to Zion National Park

When I visited Zion National Park I travelled from Las Vegas. Flights to Las Vegas can be very affordable compared to other places in the United States, so this is a great option for those travelling on a budget. We rented a campervan from Escape Campervans in Las Vegas and drove to Zion. The drive from Las Vegas to Zion takes just over 2 hours.

Click here for Google Maps from Las Vegas Airport to Zion National Park.

How to Get Around Within Zion National Park

Once you arrive at Zion National Park I recommend you park at the Zion Canyon Visitors Center and then you can take the shuttle into the park. The shuttle bus is free and takes you to 9 different stops along the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive.

Zion Canyon Line Route:

Accommodations

Zion Canyon Campground

During our road trip, we used The Dyrt which is a website to find campgrounds. The Dyrt was super helpful because you can use filters to find the right campsite for you. Zion Canyon Campground was right by the entrance to Zion National Park, it had super clean facilities including showers and also had a pool. Because of its location and amenities, it was a bit more expensive but there are lots of campgrounds in Zion so find one that is right for you.

Activities 

Hikes

West Rim Trail

The first hike we did in Zion National Park was the West Rim Trail. To get to the trail head for the West Rim Trail you take the shuttle to Stop 6, The Grotto. The trail is a moderate/difficult hike, relatively steep on the way up and downhill on the way back. The West Rim Trail to Lava Point is 13 miles (around 20 km) but if you are like us and don’t have the time or energy to hike that long I recommend taking the West Rim Trail to Scout Lookout which is the beginning of Angels Landing to get the beautiful lookout. This shorter version of the West Rim Trail to Scout Lookout takes around 3 hours and is 2 miles each way (a total of 4 miles/ 6.4 km).

If you want to hike Angels Landing which is a popular hike in Zion, you need a permit that you must get at least the day before you hike. Angels Landing starts off along the same trail as the West Rim Trail but then gets difficult at the end where you use a rope to climb up. For those afraid of heights I wouldn’t recommend it, I’m not afraid of heights and I don’t think I would enjoy it. The trail is 2.5 miles each way (a total of 5 miles/ 8 km).

Emerald Pools Trail

The Second Hike we did of the day was the Emerald Pools Trail. This hike was an easy/moderate level of difficulty depending what your final destination way, there were lower, medium, and higher Emerald Pools. The trail was 1 mile each way (a total of 2 miles/ 3 km). We walked to the Lower Emerald Pools where we got to walk underneath the waterfalls.

Picnic

I would recommend in between hikes to have a picnic for lunch at one of the shuttle stops. If you are planning on hiking the West Rim Trail and Emerald Pools Trail there are picnic tables at The Grotto shuttle stops where you can rest and enjoy the views while eating your lunch in between hikes. The Grotto shuttle stop also has bathrooms and water fountains to refill your water become starting your next hike.

Zion Canyon Scenic Drive

If you are like me and you can only do so many hikes in a day but you still want to see everything you can in the short amount of time you have, that is when scenic drives come in. If you have time I recommend going on the shuttle and taking it all the way to the last stop, Stop 9 Temple of Sinawava, and then taking it all the way back down to the Visitor Center. The views from the shuttle are amazing and there are also announcements throughout the ride that tells you about the park and the different trails. You get to see the views and learn a lot, it’s a win-win.

Zion was an amazing destination and I recommend it to all the hikers and outdoor lovers out there. I hope these tips on how to explore Zion National Park in 1 day were helpful. I know 1 day doesn’t seem like a lot of time but you can see lots and still have an amazing trip.

 

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