Zion's Main Canyon
Zion's Main Canyon
5
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The most popular route through Zion, which includes the famous top-to-bottom Narrows Hike, Weeping Rock, Emerald Pools, and Hidden Canyon.
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Top ways to experience Zion's Main Canyon and nearby attractions

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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles1,422 reviews
Excellent
1,198
Very good
170
Average
32
Poor
15
Terrible
7

TravelerCentralFLA
Clermont, FL1,781 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2022
Zion Canyon is the primary attraction at Zion National Park. There are other beautiful parts of Zion National Park like Kolob Canyon. However, the major attractions at Zion like Angels Landing and The Narrows are part of Zion Canyon. There are many good hikes of all levels in Zion Canyon. Some like The Riverside Walk or the Pa'rus Trail are pretty easy. Others like Angels Landing are very difficult and can even be dangerous.
The main way to get around Zion Canyon is on the Zion Canyon Scenic Road. During most of the year only the Shuttles that leave from the visitor center are allowed on the road. At times the park can be crowded and Zion Canyon is the part that is most crowded.
This is a wonderful place, but it takes some planning to work around the crowds.
Written May 30, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sue B
12 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2020
One of the most beautiful of all of Utah’s parks. We were amazed to see so much beauty in one place. They offer a nice bus service so you can get off/on at the various points of interests. Every part of this place is gorgeous. It deserves more than a 5!
We stayed in the town of Springdale and enjoyed it also. So many good shops and restaurants and everywhere you were you had incredible views of the park.
It is a must see.
Written April 1, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

sylboh
Calgary, Canada162 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019
Zion is wonderful, smaller than I thought, but beautiful. Just as stated...the drive up and down the canyon is actually not that far but it is BEAUTIFUL! If you are o;n the shuttle, take the time to awe at the impressive walls and orange colour. A true marvel. Get out and do a hike or a walk.
Written February 11, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

lindzk22
Greendale, WI24 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2022
My family and I were supposed to visit the National Park, but we couldn't get into the Park, and we were supposed hike the trails, but we didn't. The only complaint was the Parking, which was a little disappointing. We can't wait until we can visit the National Park again.
Written August 11, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

blphx
Phoenix, AZ31 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2020
The canyon was beautiful! The shuttle tickets were impossible to get. Thanks to covid and limiting the amount of people! We took a private jeep tour so we were able to get up to the narrows drop off.
The drive on highway 9 is a nice way to see parts of the canyon!
Written September 29, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Grover R
Pensacola, FL22,143 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2023 • Couples
Yes, Angel's Landing and the Narrows get the hype, but it is the canyon that you come to see in Zion National Park. It is unlike other canyons in the National Park system in some many ways that it makes Zion special. The thing you will notice here first compared to so many other canyons is the green vegetation and the way the colors contrast against each other. Other canyons are grey or red with much less vegetation. However, the most significant difference is you experience Zion from the bottom looking up as opposed to all the others like Grand Canyon, Canyonlands or the Black Canyon where you are above looking down. The beauty and perspective have so much to do with creating one of the most amazing natural locations within the US or for that matter the world. It is something you have to experience, and I highly recommend.
Written June 20, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Hermes_NL 🇳🇱
Amsterdam, The Netherlands21,567 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2019 • Friends
The main Canyon of Zion is otherwordly beautiful, with its towering red shear cliffs, meandering Virgin river and ethereal vegetation. About half of it is car-free but can be visited by the excellent shuttle which comes every 5 minutes or so. A number of key hikes were closed due to recent rockfall -erosion is going on at a high pace- but we enjoyed ourselves hugely on the Kayenta trail to Upper Emerald Pool, and likewise on The Riverside walk to the Narrows. Exceptional if not unique in the world.
Written November 17, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Marty F
Plymouth, MI632 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2015 • Couples
Zion National Park is a "Bucket List" item. The fact that you're on this site says that you already know that for sheer majestic beauty, Zion is really hard to beat. Just riding the National Park Service bus (sorry, no private vehicles) from one end to the other will give you lots of vistas, but the real beauty is best seen when you get off the bus and hike one or more of the many trails. Here are some tips that will help you plan your trip;

1) If you're staying in Springdale (recommended!), leave your car at your motel and hop on the free Zion shuttle bus that runs through town every few minutes. Your wait won't be more than 15 minutes. (Be aware that there's major construction at the park entrance itself and that parking is very limited as a result. Way better to leave your car in town and use the shuttle.) The shuttle will take you to the Visitor Center at the park entrance where you'll pay for your ticket and then be directed to one of the National Park Service (NPS) buses that takes you to the first stop in the park, the Human History Museum, where you can see an introductory film about the park. (Film is worth seeing!)

2) After the film, you'll hop on another NPS bus that takes you ("upbound") through the park itself. You'll have the opportunity to get off the bus at any of several stops along the way, each stop accessing various hiking trails. Some of the stops do have restroom facilities. Only one or two have water available -- wouldn't hurt to bring some water along.

3) You will have received a guide that shows all the hiking trails, rates their difficulty from easy to strenuous, and tells you how long the hike would be, both in distance and time. Judge for yourself which are most appropriate, based on your interest and physical condition. In the "easy" category, we found the "Weeping Rock" trail very worthwhile and the Riverwalk trail at the end of the line ("Temple of Sinawava") fun to do. The Riverwalk follows the Virgin River for about a mile to "The Narrows". If you choose to go into The Narrows, be advised that you'll be walking in the river itself. To do this, you'll want proper boots and clothing -- see the recommendations by other reviewers as found in "The Narrows" part of Zion reviews. Some really good advice there! Boots, etc., can be rented from shops in Springdale.

4) Unless you get involved in serious hiking and exploration, you'll find that 4 - 6 hours will be plenty of time for a Zion visit. If you have two full days, consider a day-trip to Bryce Canyon -- about 2 hours there, 2.5 hours in the park, and 2 hours back to Springdale. Well worth it!!!! (See my separate review of Bryce Canyon National Park.)

5) We were at Zion in late March, 2014, and the crowds weren't bad. Other reviewers have noted that Zion gets crowded in summer months -- no surprise. Hotel reservations WELL in advance are a must for late spring/summer/early fall.. See my separate review for Majestic View Lodge for that recommendation and more info about Springdale.

6) Suggestion for an alternate plan (This is what we did.). Day 1 -- drove from Salt Lake City (4.5 hours), toured Zion in the afternoon. Day 2 -- breakfast in Springdale, drive to Bryce, tour, then drive the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument route back to Salt Lake City. See this website for Escalante: www.utah.com/nationalsites/grand_staircase.htm. Beautiful drive!!! We arrived back in SLC around 7:30 p.m. Makes for a long day, but SO worth it!

You will LOVE the majestic beauty of Zion (Bryce and Escalante,too)! Have a great time!! :-)
Written April 3, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Chuck
Santa Cruz, CA468 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2018 • Couples
My wife and I had only half a day at Zion, and we worried that we wouldn't even get through the entrance before we had to leave. Not so! Here are some relatively obvious pointers if you only have a few hours:

1. Wait until you're over 62, since the price drops to $20. This gives you a Senior Pass to all National Parks. That's a super deal. Even if you have to pay full price for a carload of kids, it's worth the $35.

2. Go early. I know this is obvious, but you HAVE to get there before 9:00, and preferably before 8:00. However, you will be in shadows for much of your visit until the sun gets overhead. On the other hand, it's not blistering hot.

3. Take the shuttle all the way to the end (Narrows), which is Stop 9. Even if you want to see the other places, see them on the way back down. Check out which locations look good on the way up, but don't get off.

4. Give the Narrows a chance, even if you don't want to battle the crowds or go too far up. Wear water shoes, pack light, bring one or two walking sticks if you're unstable, and walk upstream for at least 15-20 minutes. It's fascinating!

5. The shuttles are so frequent, and relatively "unpacked" that you can get off at, say, Big Bend and be on the next shuttle in 8 minutes.

6. We didn't go to the museum, but we would have understood a lot more had we watched the movie. You can easily walk from the museum to the parking area at the entrance to the park.

7. Finally, and I know this takes some planning, but absolutely, 100% drive out the east entrance. I found it to be the most amazing highway/driving experience ever. Incredible rock formations, vistas, and highway-construction makes this in many ways as interesting as the canyon. Yes, it's a long way from the east entrance to the next "thing" (probably Bryce Canyon National Park, or the north rim of the Grand Canyon), but it's a wonderful drive.
Written August 11, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

CrankingChick
Tucson, AZ7,681 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2017 • Couples
Zion Canyon is where the action is- it's the home of the lodge and all the famous trails and sights like Angel's Landing, The Narrows, Court of the Patriarchs and Emerald Pools (see separate reviews for these points of interest). It's an incredibly beautiful environment with sheer red-rock canyon walls towering above the picturesque Virgin River passing below.

The canyon is located off Utah State Route 9 near Springdale, about 34 miles east of Interstate 15 and 23 miles west of US89 at Mount Carmel. To reach the canyon, you must enter the park via either the south or east entrance and show a pass or pay admission ($30/car, valid for 7 days). Note that if you arrive via the east entrance you will pass through a tunnel that is over a mile long and has height and width restrictions. Vehicles like RVs that are 11'4" high by 7'10" wide or larger require a permit and traffic control to use the tunnel (see park website and separate reviews for Zion-Mt. Carmel tunnel).

The road that goes through Zion Canyon is called Zion Canyon Scenic Drive (6.1 miles one-way, see separate reviews, a.k.a. Floor of the Valley Road) and it begins at Canyon Junction about 1.5 miles north of the south entrance. During the winter the canyon is open to private passenger vehicles, but between mid-February and the end of November visitors must ride the park shuttle into the canyon unless they have reservations at the lodge. The free shuttle travels south to north between the visitor center near the south entrance and Temple of Sinawava at the north end of Zion Canyon and makes 9 stops (see park website and separate reviews for Zion Shuttle). Although the buses have glass ceilings and there is some basic narration during the shuttle ride, the focus is on transportation and it is not really a sightseeing tour. Note that there is no parking at Canyon Junction (the mouth of Zion Canyon); most of the available parking is near the south entrance at the visitor center and shuttle station. Bicycling is permitted in the canyon but cyclists must yield to the shuttle buses.

Zion Canyon gets very crowded, particularly in summer. I recommend avoiding summer months and trying to arrive early in the morning on a weekday. When we visited on a Monday in mid-September, we drove to a parking lot near the Nature Center and South Campground about 8:00am and parked our car, avoiding the visitor center and shuttle station altogether. We accessed the nearby paved Pa'rus Trail (see separate reviews) and walked an easy, scenic 1.2 miles north to Canyon Junction (stop 3) to catch the shuttle into the canyon. We had to wait about 15 minutes because the first bus that passed was full. The shuttles are wheelchair accessible for standard-sized manual chairs and provide a ramp and lock-downs (if you have a very large wheelchair or scooter that may not fit on the shuttle, inquire at the visitor center or entrance gate about size limitations and passes that will permit you drive into the canyon). Once we were on board the shuttle, we rode all the way to the north end of the route at Temple of Sinawava (stop 9). We followed the Riverwalk Trail (see separate reviews) for a mile along the Virgin River to the beginning of The Narrows Trail. The trail was mostly shaded by the canyon walls in the morning and it wasn't too busy when we started but foot traffic was increasing significantly by the time we returned. We boarded the shuttle again and rode to the lodge (stop 5). We disembarked and walked across the road to the trail head for Emerald Pools (see separate reviews). We hiked the Lower Emerald Pools Trail to a small waterfall, about 1.5 miles round-trip. This trail was rated easy but was challenging for a wheelchair user with able assistance, also quite popular due to its location near the lodge. Winding up the side of a hill, it was more exposed than the Riverwalk and getting hot by mid-day. We rode the shuttle back to Canyon Junction and then walked back to our car on the Pa'rus Trail. We were in Springdale for lunch about 12:30. The only food services inside the canyon are at Zion Lodge (shuttle stop 5). Restrooms are located at Zion Lodge, The Grotto (stop 6), Weeping Rock (stop 7), and Temple of Sinawava (stop 9).
Written March 2, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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ZION'S MAIN CANYON - All You MUST Know Before You Go (2024)

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