Zion is a landscape of towering sandstone walls, narrow canyons, and home to unique plants and animals. From iconic routes like Angels Landing to quiet side canyons tucked away from the crowds, Zion offers unforgettable hiking experiences for everyone.
But hiking in Zion can be confusingโ some hikes require permits and getting to most trailheads in the main canyon requires understanding the shuttle system. Itโs easy to feel unsure where to begin.
- Which hikes are right for me?
- Ho do I get a permit for Angels Landing?
- Will the shuttle take me to the trailhead?
Plan, hike & explore with confidence
Zion is incredibly diverse with its luscious canyons to high desert plateausโ and weโre here to help you make the most of every moment.
Whether youโre here for a day or a full week, these planning resources will help you choose the right hikes and navigate the park with confidence.
We’re here to help!
Jake’s ranking of every day hike
After hiking the trails in Zion, Jake created a ranked list of every day hike. The ranking system is based upon which hikes Jake feels will give you the most “bang for your buck” โ starting with the Narrows which is an amazing walk up the Virgin River.
Use the table below to learn more about the park regions and corresponding hikes.
Trip reports & trail videos
See what the hikes actually look and feel like. Our Zion trip reports and videos show trail conditions, scenery, and what to expect before you step foot on the trail.
Day hike Map guide
Your all-in-one planning and hiking resource!
All the visual information of a topographic map paired with expert recommendations and all the trail and park specific details of a guidebook โ it’s waterproof, lightweight and fits into any backpack.
Regions of Zion National Park:
- ER – East Rim
- KC – Kolob Canyons
- NA – The Narrows
- NC – North Creek
- SD – Southwest Desert
- WR – West Rim
- ZC – Zion Canyon
Note: All of this information and MORE is included in the Day Hikes of Zion National Park Map Guide โ make sure you have it in your backpack when you hit the trail!
- Click each trail name to learn more about the hike
- Click on table headers to sort by that column
Jake’s Rank Hike Name Distance Group Area 1 The Narrows 5-10 NA 2 Angels Landing 5-10 ZC 3 Observation Point 5-10 ZC 4 Emerald Pools Loop 0-5 ZC 5 Riverside Walk 0-5 ZC 6 Lower Emerald Pool Trail 0-5 ZC 7 Canyon Overlook Trail 0-5 ER 8 Hidden Canyon Trail 0-5 ZC 9 West Rim Trail 10-15 WR 10 Scout Lookout 0-5 ZC 11 Taylor Creek Trail 0-5 KC 12 Timber Creek Overlook Trail 0-5 KC 13 Northgate Peaks Trail 0-5 WR 14 Weeping Rock Trail 0-5 ZC 15 Echo Canyon 0-5 ZC 16 East Rim Summits 15+ ER 17 Bear Trap Canyon 15+ KC 18 Kolob Arch 10-15 KC 19 Watchman Trail 0-5 ZC 20 Paโrus Trail (bike & pet friendly) 0-5 ZC 21 Cable Mountain 15+ ER 22 Deertrap Mountain 15+ ER 23 Jolley Gulch 5-10 ER 24 Chinle Trail – Scoggins Wash 10-15 SD 25 Court of the Patriarchs 0-5 ZC 26 Chinle Trail 15+ SD 27 The Grotto Trail 0-5 ZC 28 Archeology Trail 0-5 ZC 29 Sand Bench Trail 5-10 ZC
Angels Landing – How to get a permit
Angels Landing puts you right in the middle of Zion Canyon. Not only is it breathtaking in beauty, but the scramble along the knife-edge ridge is not for the faint of heart. Due to its popularity, people were waiting for hours for others to go up and come back down. This caused people to trample the area, overuse the toilet, and run out of water making the whole thing not very enjoyable.
Zion has gradually been tweaking a program to reduce the number of visitors to the top of Angels Landing, thus making it an enjoyable experience once again.
NOTE: You do not need a permit to hike to Scout Lookout.
SEASONAL LOTTERY
Seasonal lotteries open approximately two months in advance.
Depending on when you plan to hike will determine when you can apply for a permit. Visit the Zion permit and hiking page to view a handy chart with dates for each permit window. Then to apply, head over to the Angels Landing page on Recreation.gov and pick seven ranked days and times or windows of days and times, then youโll be notified by the 25th after the lottery ends.
DAY-BEFORE LOTTERY
For those that didnโt get a permit in the seasonal lottery, you can apply for the Day-before Lottery, once again at the Angels Landing page on Recreation.gov. Apply between midnight and 3pm Mountain Time the day before you wish to hike up Angels Landing. You will be notified by 4pm that day if you got your permit for the following day.
For the official details and any changes, visit the parkโs page on Angels Landing Permits.
