Zion National Park is beautiful and can be visited all year round. While many travelers focus their trips on summer and shoulder seasons (I personally recommend traveling in fall), Zion is still open to visitors in winter. However, before you pack up for a trip to Zion National Park in the winter, there’s a few things you should know so you can have a great trip.
About Zion National Park
Zion National Park sits in southern Utah and is one of the most visited national parks in the United States. The scenery is fantastic and the hikes can be epic.
Benefits of Traveling to Zion in Winter
By far the biggest benefit of traveling during the winter season is the lack of other visitors. Don’t get me wrong, there are still plenty of visitors at Zion National Park all year round, but during the winter months, that number drops dramatically. In fact, it drops so much that the National Park Service doesn’t even run the complementary shuttle.
Therefore, during the winter months, you get to use your own vehicle for everything. It’s the only time of the year where you can take your own vehicle onto the Canyon Scenic Drive. The benefit there is you can stop at a handful of pullouts to take photos, something that isn’t possible when the shuttle is running.
The lack of crowds also come with lower pricing at local hotels, which is huge.
Disadvantages to Traveling to Zion in Winter
While the lack of crowds may be tempting, there’s some definite downsides to visiting Zion National Park during the winter months. First, and perhaps most obvious, is the weather. Temperatures drop and there can be snow and ice. That snow and ice can make for some difficult trails and in some instances, the National Park Service may even close areas of the park due to weather.
Next, you must have your own vehicle as the shuttles aren’t running. For some travelers, this is no big deal, but if you were planning on utilizing the shuttle, you need to be aware that the free shuttle (both the Canyon Shuttle and the Springdale Shuttle) stop operations during the winter months.
Tips for Zion National Park in the Winter
Now that we’ve talked about the advantages and disadvantages of traveling to Zion in winter, let’s get into my top tips for visiting during winter.
Pack Layers
In general, it’s always a good idea to pack layers, but I think winter travel is even more important. The weather will change frequently and you need to have options. Plus, when you spend your entire day outside (like you will at Zion National Park), it’s cold in winter.
Now, I should mention that I’ve lived in Wisconsin my whole life. Therefore, I like to consider myself pretty prepared for cold weather. I visited Zion National Park in the first days on March and while it was cold, I found it completely manageable. I wore a pair of leggings with a pair of joggers over the top. I had a long sleeve shirt, a fleece, and a good wind/rain jacket on top. Plus a hat and gloves and I felt comfortable all day long. And this was on a day with 20 mile per hour winds.
Obviously you will want to check the forecast before you visit, but pack clothing that can easily be layered. You likely won’t know exactly what you need until you’re there.
Be Prepared for Snow and Ice
If your main goal is hiking, it’s not a bad idea to come prepared. While I had no snow during my visit to Zion National Park (nearby Bryce Canyon was a whole different story), I still brought items to help me hike. Hiking poles and micro spikes are both good ideas if you’re planning to go hiking at Zion National Park during the winter. Of course, you may not need these items (I never used these at Zion), but these items don’t need to be expensive and if it turns out you do need them, you’ll be thankful that you have them.
The Shuttle May Not Be Running
I’ve already mentioned that the Zion shuttle stops running in the winter, but it’s important to pay attention to the actual dates. Honestly, the schedule may not make that much sense.
For example, I visited in March 2024. On Saturday, March 2, the shuttle was not running. On Sunday, March 3, the shuttle started running.
The bottom line is if you visit during the summer months, you’ll be fine if you don’t have your own vehicle. As long as you can get to Springdale, you can utilize the provided shuttles and get to a lot of the most popular areas in the park. But in winter, having your own car is a must.
Check the NPS Website for up to date information about the Zion Shuttle Schedule.
The Main Scenic Drive Can Close
The shuttle does not run in winter, so you need bring your own vehicle so you can access some of the best parts of Zion National Park. The Canyon Scenic Drive is spectacular and home to many trailheads. However, park rangers monitor this area. If too many people have entered the scenic drive, the park service will actually close the scenic drive. In this instance, you need to find parking for your vehicle outside of the scenic drive and then hike in from there.
I visited on March 2, 2024, the last day before the shuttle started running. I entered the park early in the morning and had no issues accessing the scenic drive. The most popular area was the trailhead for Angel’s Landing (Shuttle Stop #6 at the Emerald Pools), but rangers were posted to help direct traffic and get tourists to efficiently park. I hiked a few trails and exited the scenic drive a few hours later.
When I exited, it was about 1:00 pm and the scenic drive was closed. It wasn’t even a one car exits and another car can enter. The rangers prevented anyone from entering with a vehicle. So those that wanted to access a trailhead needed to find another place to park and walk in, adding extra miles to wherever they were planning to visit.
I always advise getting an early start, but if you have a nice day and particularly if you’re visiting on a weekend, you’ll want to visit early to ensure you don’t have to add a few miles of road walking to your Zion National Park experience.
Different Elevations Have Different Conditions
This may seem obvious but I think it’s important to note. Hiking within the Zion Canyon is going to have different weather and temperatures than elsewhere in the park. This isn’t just about temperature but also about conditions.
I initially wanted to hike to Observation Point (I had to skip it because there was no shuttle and I did not have the recommended 4×4 vehicle to reach the trailhead). As I read reports from other travelers who managed to hike, they all mentioned snow, ice, and mud. I didn’t see these things mentioned in reviews of other trails. So, do your research and bring plenty of layers.
How Long Do You Need at Zion National Park
How long you need depends on how much hiking you want to do. I’d say for the average visitor, you could see and do most of the main sights in one, very busy day. Two days at Zion will give you a bit more time so you can explore more in depth and not feel as rushed. For those you love hiking, you could spend a week at Zion and have plenty of interesting hikes to do.
Where to Stay on Your Visit to Zion National Park
Springdale, Utah is right outside the main entrance to Zion National Park and has its own shuttle that links up with the main Zion shuttle. This makes Springdale the ideal place to base yourself for Zion National Park. However, Springdale is expensive, particularly during peak and even shoulder seasons. For those on a budget, there’s a few other options.
On my first visit to Zion, I spent the night in Mount Carmel Junction which is just a 15 drive from the eastern entrance of the park. Prices can be high but are significantly more reasonable than Springdale.
On my second visit to Zion, I based myself in Hurricane which was a 35 minute drive from Springdale and the western entrance of the park. I stayed here during the off season (the first weekend in March) and got a fantastic deal on a hotel. Prices here were significantly less than what I saw in Springdale.
Other budget options include La Verkin (30 minutes from Springdale) and Kanab (35 minutes from the eastern entrance).
Getting to Zion National Park
Your best option for getting to Zion National Park is having your own vehicle. If you do not have your own vehicle, you’ll likely need to utilize an expensive shuttle service that connects Springdale with one of the nearby airports. St. George, Utah is just an hour from Springdale but has limited flights. Las Vegas is a 2 and a half hour drive from Springdale (although there is an hour time change on the way).
My Visit(s) to Zion National Park
So far, I’ve visited Zion National Park twice. My first visit was very rushed as I didn’t have enough time to dedicate to the park. I was visiting Zion as part of my 10 Days Utah National Parks road trip and I only ended up with a half day at Zion. This was not ideal, but I did get to drive the Mount Carmel Highway, hike the Canyon Overlook Trail, and see a bit of scenery on the Pa’Rus Trail.
Two and a half years later, I visited Zion again. This time I gave myself one full day to explore and was able to hike Emerald Pools, The Grotto Trail, Riverside Walk, and the Canyon Overlook Trail again. This second trip was all about redemption and trying to figure out why everyone ranks Zion National Park so high on their list of favorite parks. After this trip, I figured it out. Zion is beautiful.
My advice to a great visit is to hike the Canyon Overlook Trail and try to do a hike on the Canyon Scenic Drive (I recommend Riverside Walk).
Final Thoughts
Zion National Park is wonderful and the scenery is unlike anything else I’ve ever seen. That uniqueness brings crowds, but those crowds are significantly more manageable if you visit in winter. But, you still need to adequately prepare before a winter visit to Zion National Park. As long as you prepare yourself, you can still have a fabulous visit to Zion National Park, even in the winter months.
Continue Your Adventure
Zion National Park: Zion National Park is full of amazing hikes and there’s sure to be one that piques your interest. For those short on time, learn how to plan a one day visit to Zion National Park.
More in Utah: Zion is one of Utah’s “Mighty Five” National Parks. Hike to the iconic Delicate Arch at Arches National Park, visit the other worldly landscape of Canyonlands National Park, or travel through the stunning canyons and scenery at Capitol Reef National Park. At Bryce Canyon National Park, you can hike through the canyon and still get some stunning views on a winter visit. And don’t overlook state parks like Snow Canyon State Park which features an incredible hike.
Itineraries: My 10 Day Utah road trip covers all five national parks in Utah and remains one of my favorite trips ever. For those with less time, consider a visit to Zion and Bryce Canyon on a long weekend.