One Day in Zion National Park

A realistic single-day plan for Utah's red-rock canyon.

By Chris Hayworth, Nestward

One day in Zion is enough to see the canyon's best parts, but only if you respect the shuttle and the heat. The cliffs of cream, pink, and red soar straight up from the canyon floor, and you'll spend most of your time looking up. Here's a route that hits the highlights without leaving you stranded at a shuttle stop at closing time.

First: the shuttle is the whole game

For most of the year you cannot drive the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive yourself. It's shuttle-only, and the buses are free. You board in Springdale or at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center, then ride up-canyon and hop off at numbered stops. There's no skipping this. Plan your day around the shuttle, not the other way around.

• Arrive early. By mid-morning in summer the visitor center lots fill and the shuttle line gets long. A 7–8 a.m. start is the difference between a relaxed day and a frustrating one.
• Entrance is $35 per private vehicle, good for up to seven days.
• Summer temperatures regularly top 100°F. Carry far more water than feels reasonable.

Morning: Riverside Walk into the Narrows

Take the shuttle to the last stop, Temple of Sinawava, and do this first while it's cool. The Riverside Walk is a flat, mostly paved mile that follows the Virgin River to the mouth of the Narrows. It's easy enough for kids and grandparents, and the canyon walls close in dramatically as you go.

At the end, the paved path stops and the river becomes the trail. This is the Narrows. If you're up for getting wet and the water level is safe, you can wade upstream as far as your time and legs allow. Even a short distance in is worth it. Skip it entirely if there's any flash-flood risk; Zion's monsoon season runs mid-July into September and those storms are no joke.

Midday: the Emerald Pools

Ride back down to the Zion Lodge stop for the Emerald Pools. The Lower Emerald Pool Trail is the gentlest option, paved, shaded, and ending at a pool fed by a trickling waterfall over an overhang. If everyone still has energy, continue to the Middle and Upper Emerald Pools trails for more climb and bigger views. This is a good midday choice because the canyon walls throw shade and you're never far from the shuttle if a kid melts down.

• Lower pool: easy, paved, short. Good for any group.
• Upper pool: steeper and rockier, but the payoff is a tall amphitheater of cliff.
• Nearby, the short Weeping Rock walk leads to a dripping rock alcove, quick and worth it if the trail is open.

If you have the legs: Scout Lookout

Strong hikers with an early start can tackle the West Rim Trail to Scout Lookout from the Grotto stop. It's a steep, paved-then-switchbacking climb to a high platform with a commanding canyon view. Scout Lookout is the turnaround point before the chains section of Angels Landing, and Angels Landing requires a separate permit you almost certainly don't have on a day trip. Scout Lookout alone is a serious workout and a genuine reward. Don't attempt it in the afternoon heat with young kids.

Late afternoon: Watchman Trail and golden hour

End near where you started. The Watchman Trail leaves from near the visitor center and climbs to an overlook of the lower canyon and the town of Springdale, a moderate few miles that's manageable once the day cools. As the sun drops, the sandstone towers light up; the Towers of the Virgin and the Watchman itself glow red. It's the kind of last hour that makes a single Zion day feel complete.