Stretching almost 230 square miles across Utah, Zion National Park has sweeping canyons, towering red cliffs, spectacular hanging gardens and wildflower meadows in season, making it a must-visit when you pass through Southwest America. Zion National Park tours are all about getting into the wilderness, exploring the landscapes on foot thanks to the network of excellent trails and easy access on the free shuttle bus.
Options are plentiful. Hike alongside the Virgin River or journey down the Narrows, the tightest section of of Zion Canyon, in which you need to get your feet wet as you travel upstream! Zion National Park is well-known for its incredible wealth of landscapes that have formed over thousands of years. Viewing the countless mountains, canyons, buttes and natural sandstone arches will make your Zion National Park tour a truly unforgettable experience
Visit the Emerald Pools – You’ll find Zion’s fabled Emerald Pools to be as accessible as they are enchanting. From scenic rest stops to sublime swim spots, this is one of the park’s most best-loved locations. There are 3 main pools to be found amongst the ferns and cotton wood trees.
Hike to Angels Landing – This trail, with a series of superbly named switchbacks (Walter’s Wiggles) has to be up there with the best of them. The last stretch from Scout Lookout to the summit of Angels Landing is truly a breathtaking adventure.
Hike the The Narrows – Aptly named but none the less a surprise, the Zion Narrows present just over 15 miles of carved sandstone walls that stretch towards a thin ribbon of blue sky some 2000 feet up. Chances of getting wet feet are pretty much par for the course!
Horseback riding – Zion National Park hikes are one thing but the chance to explore on horseback presents another sort of fantasy altogether. Imagine following a trail through steep sandstone walls before appearing at a hidden grotto, to alight and refill your water canteen.
Cool off in the Virgin River – If you don’t mind getting wet then undoubtedly the best means of staying cool in the summer is to get kitted out with a pair of old trainers, a swim suit and waterproof sunscreen before jumping on-board an inflatable tube and floating down the Virgin River. Fast-flowing rapids and lazy old meandering means that tubing in Zion is the only way to travel.
Best time to visit Zion National Park
Zion National Park experiences normal seasonal changes throughout the year, and as such, you’ll experience a range of temperatures and ever-changing foliage depending on when you choose to visit. Summers in Utah can get pretty hot, with average temperatures around 29-38°C. The likelihood of short afternoon thunderstorms increase during the months of July and August. With these factors in mind, the best times of year to visit is largely in spring and autumn as there are less crowds, less heat and more favourable weather conditions. If you prefer even fewer people and even milder temperatures, then winter is ideal. Although snowfall in this region is rare, if it does happen, you’ll likely to get the park all to yourself.
This was a great trip, made better by a fantastic guide who went out of her way to ensure everyone had a great time.
The itinerary was very well-balanced, including a combination of various sightseeing and walks. For us, first-time visitors to these parts of the USA, every day brought something new and amazing, and we enjoyed it thoroughly. Mike, our guide, is a consummate professional – he ensured everything went like clockwork and without doubts or worries, he gave us all the information we needed, told us in an attractive storytelling manner short historical, geographical, and social narratives, enabling us to understand better the places we saw. His permanent optimism and sense of humor made everything look easy and every minute pleasant and worth remembering. The whole atmosphere was relaxing and as magical as the sites we visited. Thanks! Suggestions for improving the experience: 1. It should be noted that the seats in the van are quite narrow, especially in the last row. There were 11 of us and we fit in the van relatively comfortably. A party of 13 would feel very tight, especially on the longer drives. 2. The best accommodations were in Tonopah and Zion. I understand that there are few other options in most of the locations, but at the price we paid, better motels would have been welcomed. Sorry if I seem a bit picky – all in all, it was a trip to remember, an experience of a lifetime.