When Is the Best Time to Visit Zion National Park? Find Out the Answer!

By Alice Ross | NORTH AMERICA

Nov 18
best time to visit zion national park

Located near Springdale, in the Southwest of Utah, the Zion National Park is no doubt worth including on your travel bucket list. It’s not surprising that there are many things to do in and around this natural wonder. However, a question commonly asked by those considering a trip to the park, is when is the best time to visit Zion National Park?

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Zion National Park is consistently ranked among the top 20 national parks in North America. In fact, many lists of best national parks in the US place it within their top 5. It's not hard to see why: it's an incredible playground for outdoor-lovers and thrill-seekers to escape the stresses of city life, to retreat in nature, and to have exciting adventures amid breathtaking landscapes.


Zion National Park has a lot of well-maintained camping grounds set in stunning scenery. When visiting, you’ll also have a chance to spot a wide range of wildlife that can be found in the state of Utah. You could also hit the picturesque hiking trails, where you’ll get to experience all the striking sights and attractions the national park has to offer.

when is the best time to visit Zion National Park

Make sure to plan your vacation before going on a trip there. Try to download online maps that are going to help you see where you’re going and which areas are worth your time.

Best Time to Visit Zion National Park 

The Zion National Park is open 24 hours a day, all year round. April to October are the best months to visit, as this is when shuttle buses run in Zion Canyon. You can expect the summer, spring, and fall seasons to be much busier than winter. As the spring crowds can make hiking in the canyon hard or even impossible, and the summer temperatures can prohibit hiking in the middle of the day (or make it dangerous), the best time to visit Zion National Park is in the fall.

To put it simply, however, there really isn't a bad time of year to go to Zion National Park. It mainly depends on your personal interests and preferences.

mountain sheep

Take Note of the Weather

Maybe the most challenging activity to do here is to hike in the desert in extreme weather. On the hottest days, temperatures can reach up to 120°F.

If you’re hiking in the summer, make sure to wear wide-brimmed hats, long-sleeved tops, and comfortable pants in order to protect yourself from the scorching desert sun. In addition, don't forget to cover your exposed skin with sunscreen lotion. It’s also wise to check the weather. You don’t want to be caught unaware if it starts raining.

How to Avoid the Crowds

The best time to visit Zion National Park is in the less-crowded months, which fall mostly outside of spring and summer. At those times, you can easily avoid the hordes of tourists, and you can sometimes find great deals on accommodation, as well as discounts on tours.

Beat the crowds and enjoy a better travel experience by following the tips below.

Plan an Off-Season Visit

best time to visit zion national park in off season

The most effective way to avoid the crowds is to plan your trip for the off-season, when fewer people make the trip. The quietest time is during the weeks before and after Thanksgiving! The holiday season and the cold weather discourage people from coming to this beautiful place. Expect to have the hikes almost to yourself and to avoid the burning hot weather.

Go to the Northwest Section

Another effective way to avoid the crowds is by hiking in from the less-frequented northwestern part of Zion National Park. All campsites are open to backpackers with permits. With fewer people on the trails, more wildlife can usually be spotted. In that area, you can see a lot of deer and coyotes. Go to this part of the park and enjoy the peace and privacy that are harder to find on the park’s major trails.

Choose a Weekday and Wake Up Early

visit Zion National Park when quiet

Of course, you can also choose to hike the popular trails if you prefer to. But in order to avoid the crowds, try to do it on a weekday, and set the less-popular hikes aside for the weekend.

It will also make a huge difference if you decide to wake up and start your hike early. Choose to camp rather than stay in town or in a cabin. During this time of year, especially when it’s snowing, people don’t like to camp and tend to go to the nearest rented accommodations.

Hike at Night

The last tip we can give you to avoid the crowds is to put your headlamp on and trek at night! Hiking at night may sound scary. However, it is not really different from hiking during the day, as long as you are prepared. Make sure that you are using a good headlamp, a reliable flashlight, extra batteries, and then wait for the moon to shine on you.

Don’t forget to check what time the moon will rise. During full moon, you will probably not even need to use a flashlight. Carry a quality camera for wildlife photography, and once you've had a chance to capture some long-exposure pictures, hiking at night is likely to become your new favorite thing! It offers opportunities to take spectacular pictures and to enjoy the trails alone, which is priceless.

Top tip: visit Zion National Park and other nearby attractions on one of our favorite, top-rated tours from Las Vegas:


As you can see, there are a lot of factors you need to consider when deciding on the best time to visit Zion National Park. Those who are planning to visit with kids in school will normally have their travel plans dictated by the school calendar, which means that they’ll be visiting the park at the busiest times of year. However, it’s not necessarily bad, since that is also the time when both parks offer the largest number of activities for children.

Zion Canyon gorge

On the other hand, those who are looking for a quieter experience may want to avoid going there during the school holidays, as you can expect it to be more crowded with families during school breaks.

Hopefully, this article helped you figure out the best time to visit Zion National Park. If you have other tips that you think should have been mentioned here, let us know in the comment box below!

Rating: 3.83 (6 votes)

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About the Author

Hi, I’m Alice Ross, a long-term traveler who left the corporate world to travel the world. I chose to live life on my own phase and live day by day while immersing myself in new experiences, new knowledge, and new people in a different walk of life I met along the way.

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