Zion National Park with Kids: A Complete Guide
Visiting Zion National Park with your kids can be a life changing experience for the entire family!
This beautiful park has world famous hiking, one of the prettiest scenic drives in any national park, excellent ranger programs, and an adorable town just outside the gates.
In short, your family will have more to do here than you can accomplish in any one vacation.
Below, you’ll find everything you need to know to plan the perfect family vacation to Zion National Park from hiking suggestions to how to avoid the crowds.
It’s one of the best national parks for family vacations in the West, and I promise that you won’t come away disappointed.
Let’s go explore!
The Camping Kiddos on the Kayenta Trail in Zion National Park
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Visiting Zion National Park with Kids: An Overview
My kids, my dad, and I at the East Entrance to Zion National Park
Where is Zion National Park?
Zion National Park is located in Springdale, Utah, in the southwest part of the state.
Springdale is about 4 hours south of Salt Lake City on I-15, and it’s about 2.5 hours northeast of Las Vegas on I-15.
Zion National Park has 2 main sections: Zion Canyon and Kolob Canyon. Zion Canyon’s the one you’ve likely seen photos of and it’s the part of the park that contains the famous Angel’s Landing and the Narrows hikes. It’s also the part of the park that you’re most likely to spend your vacation in.
Kolob Canyon is not accessible via Zion Canyon and Springdale; instead, you’ll need to go to the separate Kolob Canyon entrance via I-15. Kolob Canyon has fewer visitors, it’s own visitors center, and several great hikes. It’s well worth an extra day if you have it.
In its entirety, Zion National Park covers 146,500 square acres and is part of the Utah Mighty 5, which is the collection of 5 incredible national parks in the Beehive State:
Arches National Park in Moab
Canyonlands National Park in Moab
Capitol Reef in Torrey
Bryce Canyon in Bryce Canyon City, and
Zion National Park in Springdale.
These park are incredible, and visiting the Mighty Five national parks with kids is an experience your family will never forget.
Zion is also Utah’s most visited national park with an average attendance of 4.6 million people—that’s just behind the Grand Canyon’s 4.7 million annual visitors!
When is the best time to visit Zion National Park with kids?
Since Zion is so incredibly popular, you have to be careful with the timing of your visit.
PIN ME!
Crowds surge during the spring and summer, which, unfortunately, overlays most school breaks—and is when most families would be visiting.
So, should you NOT visit during those times?
Don’t let the crowds deter you if May-August are the only times you can visit. There are ways to work around most of them, which I’ll share in a moment.
First, let’s talk about the weather. Zion National Park is semi-arid, and it has very hot, dry summers with a distinct monsoon season in late July and August.
You’re not going to be able to take advantage of the park’s hikes when its over 100 degrees at noon as that’s both miserable and unsafe.
The perfect time of year to go would be in late September or October when the weather is cooler and you’ll be able to hike to your heart’s content. This is also when the monsoon season is over, so you’re less likely to encounter flash flooding or afternoon rain storms.
If you’re able to go to Zion during your child’s fall break (or, if you’re able to take them out of school entirely for the duration of your trip—it’s educational!), that’s when I would recommend going. Springdale is still fully open, you won’t see snow, and the park will be less busy.
However, if you don’t have time in the fall and can ONLY go in those spring or summer months, I’d recommend focusing your time between late March and early June. This would place your visit during your child’s spring break or very early summer break.
I don’t recommend going during late June or July because the mid-day heat becomes unbearable, and there just isn’t tree cover to keep you cool while hiking during the day. If you go during the peak of the summer, prepare to wake up very early to do your hikes and be back inside or at the pool in the afternoon.
The incredible long range views of Zion Canyon from the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway
Does Zion National Park require reservations?
Unlike Arches National Park (also in Utah), Glacier National Park in Montana, and others, Zion has, so far, resisted a timed reservation entry system.
This decision has pros and cons. The current system means you can simply show up, wait your turn to pay the entrance fee, and go about your day in the park.
The downside to not having a reservation means that “waiting your turn” can sometimes equate to hours in the line at the entrance gate. On peak summer weekends, the park will close to visitors as early at noon and only reopen as people begin to move out.
You literally need to be out of the bed at sunrise and in the entrance lane no later than 7 am on those days to even hope to get one of the few parking spaces near the visitors center.
[NOTE: There is a way to get around this problem for now, which is to use the pedestrian entrance. More on that below!]
I’m not sure what the best solution to this problem is, but Zion National Park is definitely feeling some growing pains as more and more visitors flock to this incredible part of Utah.
How should I get around Zion with kids?
The author with her son on their Rad Wagon outside the pedestrian entrance of Zion National Park
There are 3 ways to get around Zion National Park’s Zion Canyon area when you’re visiting.
Drive into the park, nab a spot at the visitors center, and use the shuttle buses.
Enter the park on foot via the pedestrian entrance, and use the shuttle buses.
Bike into the park via the pedestrian entrance, and get around on your bike.
Before I go any further, let’s talk about the shuttle buses for a second.
Park Shuttle Buses: Pros and Cons
They are free to any park visitor, and you don’t need a reservation or ticket to access one. Just show up at the shuttle stop outside of the visitors center, hop in line, and get on one.
From there, the buses will take you to one of 9 stops throughout the park, with the termination point being the Temple of Sinawava and Riverside Walk. The stops are clearly marked, and the bus system is the park’s attempt to alleviate some of the traffic on the Zion Canyon scenic road.
The shuttles run year round, and, from March-September, are the only way to access the majority of the park as car aren’t allowed beyond the fork of the scenic road and the Zion-Mt. Carmel highway.
Now, back to the three options above. Of these, I CANNOT recommend the third one enough.
Let me be clear: at peak times, the parking at Zion is crazy. The lines for the shuttle buses are equally crazy. Think Disney World in the summer lines, minus the theme park music and characters. That kind of busy. Your kids will be hot, sweaty, and grumpy, which is not the way to start out your time here.
When visiting during spring break or the summer, you can expect to wait upwards of an hour to get onto a shuttle bus. The buses do come frequently, but there are so many people wanting to get onto them that the line gets long around 8 or 9 am, and doesn’t let up until 2 or 3 pm.
This isn’t so much of a problem in the late afternoons, even at peak season, and you have far better luck during the low season of November-February.
Biking the Park: Pros and Cons
My son and I cruising on the Zion Scenic Drive with my dad and daughter in the back
But many of us can’t go then, so that’s when the 3rd option comes in: biking your way through Zion National Park.
And specifically, e-biking your way through Zion National Park!
E-biking rather than a traditional biking experience will allow you to zip up and down the hills in the park without tiring you out for those hikes.
The scenic road past Zion Lodge is nearly all uphill with several section being steeper than the average biker would want to endure before a hike or two.
If you don’t already own an e-bike, there are several outfitters in Springdale that rent them by the day or week.
We went with Greater Zion E-bike Rentals for our rentals of their fully outfitted Rad Wagons, which allowed my dad and I to each carry one of my children behind us on the bikes. (See the Rad Wagon here. Not an affiliate, just a happy customer!)
Since the scenic road through Zion Canyon is closed to cars during the warmer months, it’s just you, your bike, and the occasional shuttle bus.
It’s truly a magical experience, and with NO waiting around for the shuttle buses.
Learn EVERYTHING you’ll need to know about biking through Zion National Park in my comprehensive post here.
What food is available in the park?
When it comes to eating inside of Zion National Park, you have extremely limited options.
And by that I mean that you have exactly two options, both of which are at the Zion Lodge.
The Zion Lodge on Zion Canyon Scenic Drive has a sit down restaurant, the Red Rock Grill, and a coffee bar-style snack shop, Castle Dome Café. Red Rock Grill offers reservations, and it is open for all three daily meals. Castle Dome Café is open for breakfast and lunch, with a beer garden and live music in the afternoons.
Both can get quite crowded mid-day, especially if a tour group has stopped for lunch.
Otherwise, you’ll need to pack a picnic and eat al fresco. There is a lovely picnic area at the Grotto (shuttle stop #6) with about a dozen large tables, many of which are shaded. You’ll also find a large public bathroom here, making it an excellent mid-day stop for families.
(I like this picnic area much better than the one at the visitors center, which is in direct sunlight and amidst the hustle and bustle of the park.)
Where should we stay at Zion National Park when visiting with kids?
The beautiful Zion Lodge near shuttle stop #5
Hotel Suggestions
If you want to stay directly inside the park, your best and only bet is the Zion Lodge. This is the only hotel within the park’s borders.
However, it stays booked up year round and it can be difficult to nab a room if you’re not planning far in advance.
Just outside of the park boundaries—and right across the Virgin River from the park—are the cabins at Zion Canyon Campground and RV resort. These adorable cabins might be better than a hotel room since they sleep up to 6, have their own kitchen and outdoor grill, and have access to the campground’s other amenities like the laundry room and pool.
Campground suggestions
Currently, the only campground available within Zion National Park is the Watchman Campground. The park’s second campground, the South Campground, is currently being rebuilt, essentially from the ground up.
It’s closed for the entirety of 2024, and, after looking at the work still left to do, I’d be surprised if it’s open in 2025. Keep up to date on the project at the official NPS campground page for Zion.
Pros for the on-site Zion National Park campgrounds include proximity to the park and nearby Springdale. Plus, they guarantee parking since each camping spot has room for a vehicle. (You’ll still need to use the internal park shuttle system or a bike to get around.)
Cons for the on-site campgrounds include a lack of showers in the park and no hook-ups for RVs. There are public, paid showers available in Zion Village, but that can be a pain if you’re visiting with kids and have to wrangle them into a car or on a bike alongside all of their shower stuff and PJs.
Our truck and Winnebago Micro Minnie 1800BH at our campsite in Zion Canyon Campground
We stayed in the Zion Canyon Campground and RV Resort, which is less than 1/4 a mile to the pedestrian entrance, and our site came with full hook-ups and free access to hot showers.
When I’m RV camping with kids—especially on a 2 month road trip like we were doing!—I wanted the path of least resistance when it came to showering and bathrooms and the like.
How long should I plan to visit Zion National Park with kids?
To truly get a handle on the park in the most basic way, you’ll need at least 3 days.
A three day itinerary to Zion will allow you to do much of what I’ve suggested below, but it will be a busy trip.
Honestly, I’d suggest a full week in the Springdale area to be able to do more hikes inside Zion, explore the town of Springdale, visit the ghost town of Grafton, and do a day trip to Kanab. A longer visit will allow allow you and your family time to explore this incredible place at a calmer pace.
Best Things to Do in Zion National Park with Kids
Since most families are on a strict schedule when on vacation, I’ve limited my suggestions below to the main area of Zion National Park, which is accessible via Zion Park Boulevard in Springdale.
However, if you have an extra day to spare and don’t mind a bit of a drive, I also suggest visiting the Kolob Canyon section of Zion, which is accessible only from I-15. From Springdale, the Kolob Canyon Visitors Center is 45 minutes by car.
It’s much less crowded than the main area of Zion since it’s cut off from that more popular part of the park. Still, Kolob Canyon is beautiful in its own right and honest deserves more attention that it gets.
For those families who are focusing their time in the Zion Canyon area of the park, here are my favorite things to do with kids there!
Hiking
You can’t visit Zion National Park without doing at least one or two hikes!
This national park is known for its incredible beauty and wide variety of hiking opportunities, so be sure to plan one of these with your kids.
You’ll notice that I don’t have the world famous Angel’s Landing hike on this list as it’s just not something that I’d recommend for kids. If you’re traveling with teens who are experienced hikers, you might want to add it to your itinerary, but the sheer drop-offs, chain sections, and elevation gain just aren’t great for most younger hikers.
Instead, plan to go to one of these great hikes within the park!
The Narrows
Distance: up to 14 miles
The author's son hiking the Narrows
Yes, you can hike the Narrows with kids! Zion’s other famous hike takes place nearly entirely within the Virgin River, and it’s an experience like none other.
Kids love to splash around in the water, so a hike that allows them to do that at every step is sure to be a hit. One thing I love about this trail is that it’s a bit of a choose-your-own-adventure situation, as most people don’t hike the entire 14 miles.
Go as long as your kids are having fun, and then head back.
Take the shuttle to stop #9 and follow the Riverwalk Trail to get to the trailhead.
The Emerald Pools
Distance: up to 3.1 miles, depending on the route taken
These beautiful pools can be accessed by the Kayenta Trail (shuttle stop #6) or the Emerald Pools Trail (shuttle stop #7).
The Kayenta Trail approach is longer (3.1 miles round trip) but with better views. The Emerald Pools approach isn’t as steep, but doesn’t have the incredible views of the Kayenta Trail.
If you’re hiking with little ones, I’d recommend the Emerald Pools approach, while older kids can handle the rockier Kayenta Trail.
Both lead to the beautiful little pools and waterfall known as the Upper, Middle, and Lower Emerald Pools. Visit one or all three if you have time.
All are well marked along the way, though there are several different ways to get to each. Just pay attention to the wooden markers each time you come to a fork in the trail.
Canyon Overlook Trail
Distance: 1 mile out-and-back
Located off of the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway, the Canyon Overlook Trail offers up incredible long range views of Pine Creek Canyon without the tough hike that comes with similar views over at Angel’s Landing.
There’s no shuttle to this part of the park, so you’ll have to drive your own vehicle to the trailhead.
Also, note that the parking here is extremely limited, and it often fills up by 8 AM. Come early in the morning or late in the afternoon to beat the crowds and the heat.
Archeology Trail
Distance: 0.5 miles out-and-back
This short trail is located near the visitors center parking lot, which means it’s a great place to start your hiking at Zion.
You’ll get some pretty views of the canyon cliffs as you learn about the native people who lived here. Interpretive signs share information about the pottery, tools, and other archeological finds from this part of the park.
Overall, the trail is flat and easy, making it perfect for even younger hikers.
Pa’rus Trail
Distance: 3.2 miles out-and-back
If you and your family only have time for one trail in the park, make it this one. You don’t even need to get on a bus to access it! If you’d like to take the shuttle and walk back to the visitors center, get off at shuttle stop #3.
The Pa’rus Trail begins across the street from the visitors center and it follows the Virgin River through the park for about 2 miles.
Along the way, you’ll be treated to the expansive views of the canyon that Zion is known for. They’re not quite as dramatic here as they are deeper in the park like at Court of the Patriarchs, but the views from the Pa’rus Trail are still pretty great.
The entire trail is paved, so it’s accessible to bikes, walkers, and families with strollers.
Along the way, you can learn about the flora and fauna of the park, thanks to the many interpretive signs. There are also covered sitting areas throughout this area.
Get actionable ideas on how to make hiking fun for kids with this guide, and download a printable hiking scavenger hunt!
Nature Center
The exterior of the Zion Nature Center
This unassuming little building needs to be on your vacation itinerary when you’re traveling with kids.
My daughter dressing up as a park ranger
Inside, you’ll find information on Zion’s most prevalent birds, reptiles, and mammals on the colorful, photo-heavy displays.
There are several areas in the Nature Center where your kids can sit and color one of the many available activity sheets. A couple of the centers can earn your kids a sticker or small prize when completed!
One corner has a shelf of books about native animals, plants, and the parks service.
There’s also a fun dress up center where your kids can live out their park ranger or park firefighter dreams. That same corner has information about the careers within the NPS that help keep the parks running.
On site is a park ranger who can answer questions about the animals and plants you’ll see, help you with a Junior Ranger booklet, or guide you through the interpretive materials.
All in all, it’s an excellent place to visit with your children while in the park. Plus, it’s air conditioned if you need a few minutes to get out of the heat!
Zion-Mt. Carmel Tunnel
I didn't think this tunnel was ever going to end!
My kids love it when we drive through a mountain tunnel on our road trip, and the Zion-Mt. Carmel Tunnel is the granddaddy of them all.
Built in the late 1920s, the tunnel stretches 1.1 miles long and is pitch black dark for much of its length. The ceiling is uncomfortably low for most modern vehicles, and the road even has to be converted to a one lane road when larger buses and trailers make their way through.
All in all, it’s an experience that can’t be missed when visiting Zion. The entire Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway, of which the tunnel is just a small part, offers up some of the best views in the park.
The highway connects the Zion Canyon part of the park with Highway 89, which will lead visitors to Bryce Canyon National Park to the north and Grand Canyon National Park to the southeast.
The Camping Kiddos next to the brilliantly colored Checkerboard Mesa
Checkerboard Mesa
This towering mesa on the eastern side of Zion really does look as if someone scored it into perfect checkerboard squares.
It’s actually the result of some complex geological forces, but the unique visuals of this stone structure make it an iconic one within the park.
Pull off of the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway to get out and walk around the base of the mesa.
You’ll be able to see Checkerboard Mesa before you get to the turn-off, and there’s also a small sign on the side of the road to help orient you.
You’ll find a small pull-off area at the base of the mesa, and a larger one across the street and slightly away from the mesa.
Doing so gives you a better perspective at how big this structure is, and how steep it is.
Try hard to get a photo that includes the entire thing!
Junior Ranger program
We love the Junior Ranger programs when we visit the national parks!
If you’re unfamiliar with this program, these are (generally) free, though a few of the park do charge a dollar or two for the booklets. Learn more in our national parks for beginners guide.
The booklets at Zion National Park are free, and they can be picked up at the visitors center or the Nature Center.
The Zion National Park books are some of the prettiest I’ve seen yet, with watercolor-style graphics and engaging activities for each of the age groups.
The kids also have to do a hike and attend one of the ranger programs before turning the booklet in and getting sworn in. You’ll get a badge once you’ve completed the program!
Ranger-led programs
Each day, the park offers up an incredible array of free programs, including guided hikes, bus tours, interpretive talks, and hands-on demonstrations.
You’ll want to check at the information desk in the visitors center for that day’s activities, but here are a few that my family loved:
The animal program outside of Visitors Center
This was a casual drop-in style program that was specifically aimed at the kids working towards their Junior Ranger badges, but anyone could join in.
The kids could examine the skulls of native animals, touch their pelts, and learn about the animals that live in the park.
The ranger leading the program was incredibly patient with all of the kids, and made sure that each person at the table got a chance to examine the materials and ask questions.
Dinosaur talk at Nature Center
This program was one of our favorites! The ranger at the Nature Center provided an hour-long talk and project focused on the dinosaurs of Utah.
We traveled back in time to learn about some of the species discovered here, took a dinosaur walk around the museum, and then learned how to cast our own dinosaur footprints.
This free program had kids from 2 to 12 in attendance, and the ranger was great at engaging each of them on their level.
“Ride with a Ranger” Bus Tour
This bus tour takes about 25 people along on an interpretive ride with a ranger, who will explain detailed information about the various ecosystems and geology at 3 different areas of the park.
You’ll make multiple stops to get out and see examples of those ecosystems before ending at the Temple of Sinawava.
You do have to sign up ahead of time—I recommend a day before—but the program is free and well worth an hour of your time.
Zion Human History Museum
The Camping Kiddos at the Human History Museum
Explore the long history between humans and this spectacular corner of Utah in the free Zion Human History Museum.
Learn about the earliest Native Americans who lived here, including the Hopi, who still revere this area as sacred ground for their people.
Follow in the footsteps of the early Mormon settlers, who also found the area captivating. They settled throughout this area, including in nearby Virgin and the now-ghost town of Grafton, even setting up a logging operation at one point to bring trees from the canyon rim down to the valley below.
There’s also information about the fascinating process of building the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway, and the ever evolving cast of characters who shape the park for future generations.
If you’re taking the shuttle to this museum, note that the buses only stop here when heading down canyon towards the visitors center. You’ll need to ride the bus to stop 9, then take another bus back to stop 2.
Alternatively, you can walk along the Pa’rus Trail from the visitors center to access it. The museum is also within the part of the park where you can drive into it, and there are a couple dozen parking spots here.
Splashing in the Virgin River
The Camping Kiddos check out the refreshing water of the Virgin River near the visitors center
One of the best way to beat the scorching heat on a summer day in Springdale is to head to the Virgin River.
The river flows directly through the park, and there are several areas where you can get into the river and splash around.
There is a rope swing along the Pa’rus Trail, along with multiple river access points. They’re noted with wooden signs, so you can use the established paths.
There are also several areas with ankle deep water near the visitors center. The water doesn’t run very fast here, so even little ones can get in and splash a bit.
You can also access the Virgin River at the back of the Watchman Campground, which backs up directly to the river. There is a wide, sandy beach here with ankle deep water.
NOTE: There is currently a high level of cynanobacteria in the Virgin River, so be careful not to ingest any of the water. Generally, you’ll be okay as long as you keep your head out of the water.
Final Thoughts on Visiting Zion National Park with Kids
Zion National Park is incredible, and I cannot recommend it enough for a family vacation.
We visited Zion for the first time as a part of an 8-week road trip covering 11 national parks, and Zion was easily one of the standouts for my kids.
We loved the e-biking through the canyon, the beautiful and varied hiking opportunities, and the gorgeous canyon setting. Having the Virgin River there to cool off in is a huge draw when you’re traveling with kids, too.
Overall, don’t let the stories of crowds at Zion scare you. Rent that e-bike to avoid the shuttles, hike early in the mornings, and make use of the lesser known places like the Nature Center to keep your kids engaged.
I hope you and your family have a wonderful time at this incredible national park!
