Best Hikes in Zion National Park

Emerald Pools Trail:

Emerald Pools Trail is a great introductory hike with lush green oases, surrounded by red rock cliffs. Choose from the lower, middle, or upper pools, tailoring the hike to your desired difficulty level.

• Distance: Lower Pool – 1.2 miles round trip, Middle Pool – 2 miles round trip, Upper Pool – 3 miles round trip.
• Difficulty: Easy to moderate.
• Features: Lush pools surrounded by red rock cliffs, waterfalls.
• How to Get There: Take the Zion Shuttle to the Zion Lodge; the trail begins near the lodge.
• Trailhead Info: Well-marked trailhead near the Zion Lodge.
• Amenities: Bathrooms available at the Zion Lodge.
• Dog Friendly: no.

Riverside Walk:

This easy, paved trail follows the Virgin River into the stunning Narrows. Riverside Walk is perfect for all ages and provides a taste of the towering canyon walls that await those venturing further into the Narrows. If you’re wanting to see views of the narrows without doing the full narrows hike, this is a good trail for you!

• Distance: 2.2 miles round trip.
• Difficulty: Easy.
• Features: Paved trail along the Virgin River leading to the Narrows.
• How to Get There: Take the Zion Shuttle to the Temple of Sinawava; the trail starts there.
• Trailhead Info: Clearly marked trailhead at the Temple of Sinawava.
• Amenities: Bathrooms available at the trailhead.
• Dog Friendly: no.

Busy Bee Tip: This trail is a great way to see the Narrows without actually getting into the water & hiking the Narrows trail.

Busy Bee Tip: This trail is one of the easier & more accessible hikes in Zion. We saw lots of families with younger children, as well as people in wheelchairs on this trail. If you’re looking for a secluded trail, this is not the trail for you.

Weeping Rock Trail:

Short and sweet, the Weeping Rock Trail leads to a natural alcove where water seeps out of the sandstone, creating a “weeping” effect. The trail is accessible and rewards hikers with a unique geological spectacle.

• Distance: 0.4 miles round trip.
• Difficulty: Easy.
• Features: Weeping Rock alcove, stunning geological formations.
• How to Get There: Take the Zion Shuttle to the Weeping Rock shuttle stop; the trail begins there.
• Trailhead Info: Clearly marked trailhead at the Weeping Rock shuttle stop.
• Amenities: Bathrooms available at the trailhead.
• Dog Friendly: no.

Busy Bee Tip: Keep your eyes peeled for wildlife on this trail! We saw a few mountain goats!

Offering a fantastic payoff for minimal effort, Canyon Overlook Trail provides stunning panoramic views of Zion Canyon. The trailhead is located on the east side of the park’s famous tunnel.

• Distance: 1 mile round trip.
• Difficulty: Easy to moderate.
• Features: Panoramic views of Zion Canyon.
• How to Get There: Park at the east end of the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel; the trailhead is on the opposite side.
• Trailhead Info: Signposted trailhead near the tunnel entrance.
• Amenities: Limited facilities; no bathrooms at the trailhead.
• Dog Friendly: no.

An easygoing stroll along the Virgin River, Pa’rus Trail is a paved path suitable for walking, jogging, and biking. Enjoy the scenic beauty of the canyon without the elevation gain found on other trails.

• Distance: 3.5 miles round trip.
• Difficulty: Easy.
• Features: Scenic views of the canyon, accessible for walking, jogging, and biking.
• How to Get There: Accessible from the Zion Canyon Visitor Center; start at Canyon Junction.
• Trailhead Info: Well-marked trailhead at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center.
• Amenities: Bathrooms available at the trailhead.
• Dog Friendly: Yes, dogs on a leash are allowed.

Busy Bee Tip: I HIGHLY recommend renting bikes one day during your trip. If you plan to do that, you’ll bike along this trail and have awesome views of the red rocks.

Busy Bee Tip: This is one of the very few dog friendly walks in Zion!

Nestled within Zion Canyon, the Watchman Trail presents a moderate hike with panoramic vistas of Watchman peak and lower Zion Canyon. Accessible from the Zion Canyon Visitor Center, this medium-difficulty hike provides a perfect blend of challenge and scenic beauty.

• Distance: 3.3 miles round trip.
• Difficulty: Moderate.
• Features: Panoramic views of the Watchman and lower Zion Canyon, diverse flora.
• How to Get There: Start at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center and cross the Virgin River to access the trailhead.
• Trailhead Info: Well-marked trailhead near the Visitor Center.
• Amenities: Bathrooms available at the trailhead.
• Dog Friendly: no.

Starting at the Temple of Sinawava shuttle stop, this moderately strenuous hike takes you through towering walls, while you wade through the river. The unique slot canyon experience, coupled with the dynamic beauty of the Virgin River, makes this medium-difficulty trail an unforgettable journey into Zion’s natural wonders.

• Distance: Variable, up to 9.4 miles round trip (depending on turnaround point).
• Difficulty: Moderate to strenuous, wading through the river.
• Features: Unique slot canyon experience, towering walls, and the Virgin River.
• How to Get There: Begin at the Temple of Sinawava shuttle stop.
• Trailhead Info: Clearly marked trailhead at the Temple of Sinawava.
• Amenities: Bathrooms available at the trailhead.
• Dog Friendly: no.

Busy Bee Tip: This is the most popular way to hike the Narrows (as opposed to top down). Bottom up takes you to some of the most scenic points & can be done as a day hike. The top down direction is much longer and can be done as a backpacking experience.

Scout Lookout is the closest you can come to hiking Angel’s Landing without a permit & you get a lot of the same views without the fear-inducing chain section of the hike. The trail gains elevation quickly and requires you to work for the awesome views you’ll be rewarded with! At the top, you’ll get to watch people navigating the chain section of Angel’s Landing while you relax with panoramic views of Zion’s red rocks.

• Distance: 4.2 miles roundtrip.
• Difficulty: Moderate to strenuous, quick elevation gain.
• Features: panoramic views of Zion Canyon & a preview of the iconic Angels Landing pinnacle.
• How to Get There: Begin your journey at the Grotto shuttle stop & cross the footbridge.
• Trailhead Info: The trailhead is well-marked at the Grotto shuttle stop. Follow the signs for the West Rim Trail, and you’ll progress towards Scout Lookout along the Angels Landing route.
• Amenities: Limited amenities available.
• Dog Friendly: no.

Busy Bee Tip: If you can’t get Angel’s Landing permits for your trip, this is the hike for you! We couldn’t get permits either, but absolutely loved this trail. Angel’s Landing follows this same trail until they split apart at the chain section, so the hike is very similar until the end. By hiking this trail we got to have a snack and watch people climb Angel’s Landing, which was cool! The views on this trail were awesome enough that I don’t feel like I missed out by not getting to climb Angel’s Landing.

Busy Bee Tip: Get an early start! We were on the very first shuttle that morning around 730 am & still had quite a few people on the trail with us, but nowhere near the amount of people we saw as we were leaving around 1pm.

Conquer the iconic Angels Landing, a strenuous trail that ascends to breathtaking heights and requires hiking the spine of a tall rock formation with panoramic views of Zion National Park. You must have a permit to hike this trail – see the park website for details.

• Distance: 5.4 miles round trip (including West Rim Trail).
• Difficulty: Strenuous, especially the final half-mile with steep switchbacks and sheer drop-offs.
• Features: Iconic narrow ridges, breathtaking views of Zion Canyon.
• How to Get There: Start at the Grotto shuttle stop & cross the footbridge.
• Trailhead Info: Clearly marked trailhead at the Grotto shuttle stop.
• Amenities: Bathrooms available at the trailhead.
• Dog Friendly: no.