Things to Do Near Zion National Park

If you're planning a vacation in Utah, here are 20 different ideas for things to do near Zion National Park!

Visiting Zion? There’s a lot to do! Between beautiful rock formations, intriguing slot canyons, an International Dark Sky designation, and over 100,000 acres of wilderness, you can count on a memorable trip to this Utah park.

And while we like to leave a bit of room for spontaneity, it's exciting to gather ideas for how to fill the days. Planning is half the fun.

With that in mind, here are some of our favorite ways to explore Zion. Maybe some of them will end up on your own list!

1. Go For a Hike

Let's start with the most obvious of choices: hiking.

Zion has easy trails, hard trails, and everything in between! We loved Watchman Trail as a moderate and very scenic hike, and West Rim Trail for something challenging.

Some hiking routes require permits. It can be a bit confusing to figure out the system, so check out my guide to Zion permits.

2. Rent an E-Bike

With an e-bike, you can travel the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive on your own schedule without waiting on a shuttle. (Cars are not permitted during peak season.)

There are lots of bike rental shops just outside the park entrance.

3. Explore the Zion Wilderness

Zion has thousands of acres of unmanaged wilderness, and if you want to get away from the crowds either as a day trip or backpacking trip, this is the way to do it.

Not all areas of the park require a permit, but day trips to the Subway do require a permit, and any overnight trip in the backcountry requires a permit.

If you're arriving to the area via airport, check out this guide for how to pack for backpacking when flying.

4. Go Camping

There are lots of campgrounds, including two within the park. We stayed at Watchman Campground, near the park's south entrance.

Or you can camp for free on BLM land.

5. Go Glamping!

While we're first in line for a good backpacking experience, there's also a time and place to splurge. If you love the glamping life, or want to splash out on a special occasion, there are resorts close to Zion.

At Under Canvas you can book comfortably furnished tent suites with private bathrooms. And Zion Wildflower Resort offers tents, bungalows, and even covered wagons with lots of special luxury touches.

6. Drive the Kolob Canyon Scenic Road

The Kolob Canyon Scenic Road is a five-mile stretch, about one hour northwest of the main Zion visitor center.

Kolob Canyons are known for their stunning red sandstone. There are hiking trails, but overall it is a less crowded area.

7. Drive the Zion-Mount Carmel Scenic Highway

This highway covers 25 miles, starts on the eastern side of the park, and includes a one-mile-long tunnel with scenic "windows" cut through sandstone. It was all engineered in the early 20th century in an effort to link up Zion, Bryce Canyon, and the Grand Canyon.

There are a few hiking trailheads along the Zion-Mount Carmel route, and there’s also the Checkerboard Mesa overlook. But the drive is worth it even if you don’t get out of the car.

If you drive through the Zion-Mount Carmel tunnel in an oversized vehicle, such as an RV, there’s a fee because they have to pause traffic and create a one-way tunnel for you.

8. Go Horseback Riding

Several trails in Zion permit the use of horses or mules.

You can book a one- to two-hour guided ride with a company like East Zion Adventures, with one option being a sunset experience!

9. Get Canyoneering Lessons

Canyoneering is a broad term for exploring canyons in a variety of ways. It could include rappelling, hiking, or wading. If you've never tried this before and it sounds fun, you can get some training on a guided trip with East Zion Adventures.

If you're experienced enough to tackle this on your own in Zion, you'll need a Wilderness Permit. There's an advance lottery system for canyoneering in the Left Fork (Subway) and Mystery Canyon, and other canyons can be reserved one month in advance.

10. Sign up for a Via Ferrata Adventure

A via ferrata is a climbing route with fixed points of assistance like ladders, cables and bridges. Angels Leading Ledgewalk, which is on private property near Kolob Creek, is a relatively new via ferrata offered as a guided trip.

Although via ferrata might sound intimidating, the developers of this route have designed it with novices in mind. That said, bear in mind that it could be nerve-wracking for those who fear heights!

11. Take a Tour of Antelope Canyon

Antelope Canyon in Arizona is about two-and-a-half hours away, but is a popular day trip from Zion. It's a slot canyon with stunning colors and wave-like formations: you've almost certainly seen photos of it at some point!

You can only visit Antelope Canyon on a guided tour, so book ahead with one of the many tour operators.

12. Visit Buckskin Gulch

Another day trip is Buckskin Gulch, the longest and deepest slot canyon in the southwestern United States. At about two hours' driving, it's (slightly) closer to Zion than Antelope Canyon, but doesn't require a guided tour.

You'll need a day-use permit for Buckskin Gulch, which allows you access to multiple trailheads. Most people use Wire Pass for access to the gulch, which only takes a couple of hours to hike in and out.

13. Hike Kanarra Falls

Kanarra Falls is on private land just outside the northern reaches of Zion, about an hour's drive from the Springdale end of the national park.

This water route in a slot canyon requires a permit to hike, which as of 2024 is $15 per person.

The trail is about four miles, round trip, with ladder ascent required at the first waterfall! Some hikers consider this route a good alternative to The Narrows in Zion.

Keep in mind that if the water levels are very high, any slot canyon can become dangerous and is subject to closure.

14. Go Kayaking or Paddle Boarding

If you take a side trip to nearby Quail Creek State Park, you can do some water sports. This is about a 40-minute drive from Springdale and Zion.

You can rent a kayak or stand-up paddleboard on site, or reserve them ahead of time. (There are also boat and Jet Ski rentals available from an on-site vendor.)

The water can be frigid, so you might want to rent some protective gear at one of the outfitter shops back in Springdale. If you're able to bring your own cold-water gear, we recommend these NRS neoprene pants, along with a neoprene jacket, shoes that can get wet, and NRS Hydroskin 0.5 socks.

15. Visit a Nearby Park

The state parks Sand Hollow, Snow Canyon and Quail Creek (mentioned above) as well as Red Cliffs National Conservation Area are all within about an hour’s drive of Zion.

Nevada's Valley of Fire State Park, Utah's Red Canyon and Bryce Canyon National Park are about two hours away.

16. Visit a Nearby Vineyard

Wine-making is still a young industry in Utah, but some local vineyards are making a great reputation for themselves.

Zion Vineyards is a short drive from the park, and it's a wonderful, laid-back tasting experience! About an hour away is Water Canyon Winery.

17. Go Stargazing

Zion is an International Dark Sky Park, so there are lots of amazing spots to stop for the evening and enjoy the night views.

Checkerboard Mesa pull-out, Lava Point Overlook, or Timber Creek parking lot are good places to set up a telescope. For tips on what you can expect to see at different times of year, check the park service's stargazing webpage.

18. Take a Helicopter Tour

Zion Helicopters offers aerial tours of the park, from a 10-minute flyover to a 100-mile tour (and multiple options in between), all with pilot narration.

Some of the tours feature a butte landing experience, where you have 30 minutes to relax or explore your own isolated corner of the park.

19. Take a Photography Workshop

Enlighten Photography hosts workshops for new to intermediate photographers, helping you get the best shots at sunset, or in a slot canyon, or of the night sky! They're highly personalized experiences.

Each tour comes with a list of suggested gear, but if you don't have camera equipment, you can rent it.

20. Explore the Small Towns

Springdale, which is located right on the border of Zion, has several little galleries featuring photography, pottery, and other artwork. And the delicious food and canyon views at Zion Canyon Brew Pub are hard to beat.

Hurricane and St. George, both larger cities, are less than an hour west of the park. Besides being hubs for restaurants and hotels, these cities also have small museums, dinosaur track sites, historic sites, and petroglyphs nearby.

See my guide for where to eat in Zion National Park for more food suggestions.

Are there other things to do near Zion that you would add to the list? Let us know in the comments!