Best hikes in Zion

Our picks for the best hikes in Zion, in order, are Riverside Walk, the Narrows from the bottom, Scout Lookout, Canyon Overlook, the Pa'rus Trail, Lower Emerald Pool, the Grotto Trail, Weeping Rock, Observation Point from the east and Timber Creek Overlook.

Every figure comes from the park's printed Information Guide, a PDF last changed on 15 October 2026, except Observation Point, which comes from the park's East Rim trail page. The park's trail pages give other figures for several of these walks, and we print one source for each number. Angels Landing has its own page and is left out of the table.

Which Zion hikes are closed in November 2026?

Zion's closed hikes in November 2026 are the Watchman Trail and Hidden Canyon. The Narrows and the slot canyons leading into it close at short notice when the river rises, so check the park's alerts on the morning you plan to go.

The Watchman Trail has been closed since 31 August 2026 pending repairs, with no end date. The park's conditions page also lists Hidden Canyon as closed, with no reopening date. The East Rim Trail no longer connects to Zion Canyon after a rockfall.

Weeping Rock is open by the park's alerts, although its own trail page still carries an older closure line. We read the figures below on 5 November 2026 on the park's trail pages, alerts and Information Guide.

How did we rank the best hikes in Zion?

The ranking is ours: the park publishes none. It groups its Zion Canyon hikes into easy, moderate and strenuous bands, and names Angels Landing and the Narrows among its most popular trails. We put first the open hikes that need no permit and give the most canyon for the time. The Narrows stays second because of that popularity and because its closure is dated.

The park's bands are its own rating, and its trail pages sometimes contradict them. The easy band is capped at 100 feet of climb, yet the park's pages give Lower Emerald Pool and Riverside Walk more than 130 feet.

Which easy hikes in Zion suit a short visit?

The easy hikes in Zion are the park's advice for a short visit: the easy band, which it calls a great option for those with a limited amount of time. The easy walks run from 0.4 miles to 3.5 miles and are all reached by shuttle.

For about 1.5 hours, walk Riverside Walk to the end of the paved path at the Temple of Sinawava. For an hour, walk Lower Emerald Pool from Zion Lodge. The park says a visitor can also wade in the Narrows for an hour, once it reopens, and have a good experience.

Which Zion hikes work for children and wheelchairs?

The Pa'rus Trail is the park's most accessible trail, paved and open to wheelchairs, bicycles and leashed dogs. Riverside Walk is wheelchair accessible with assistance, by the park's accessibility page. The Pa'rus Trail runs 3.5 miles round trip with 50 feet of climb between the visitor centre and Canyon Junction.

The park tags the Grotto Trail as kid friendly: a flat, shaded mile between Zion Lodge and the Grotto. Timber Creek Overlook in Kolob Canyons carries a family-hike tag. Scout Lookout is not for young children or anyone afraid of heights, per the Information Guide. The park publishes no age limit for any hike.

Weeping Rock is short and steep: 0.4 miles, paved, with steps at the end, to a rock alcove with dripping springs.

How hard is the Narrows hike from the bottom?

The Narrows hike can be done from the bottom without a permit, from the Temple of Sinawava at shuttle stop 9 up to Big Spring and back, 9.4 miles round trip. The river is the trail: at least 60 percent of the hike is spent wading, walking and sometimes swimming.

The park closes the Narrows when the river flows above 150 cfs. It also closes during any Flash Flood Warning and stays closed for at least two hours after one ends. The Narrows page and the conditions page give 150 cfs; one older trail page says 140, so use 150.

Water temperatures average 56 to 68°F in summer and 38 to 45°F in winter. The park sells and rents no gear, and outfitters are private. Flash floods can happen at any time in Zion, and storms can form 15 to 20 miles upstream.

For a dry visit, walk Riverside Walk and turn around at the end of the pavement.

How far can you hike toward Angels Landing without a permit?

You can hike to Scout Lookout without a permit, and only the half mile of chains beyond it needs one. The park rates the West Rim Trail to Scout Lookout strenuous: 4.2 miles round trip and 1,000 feet of climb by the Information Guide, from the Grotto at stop 6, with 21 switchbacks called Walter's Wiggles.

There is no water at Scout Lookout, so carry it from the Grotto. The park's trail page gives 1.9 miles one way and 1,187 feet of gain, so expect a bigger climb than the table shows. Permit rules, the lottery and the chains are in our Angels Landing guide.

How do you reach Canyon Overlook outside the shuttle?

The Canyon Overlook trail is reached by car: follow State Route 9 through the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel to the trailhead on the east side. The trail is 1 mile round trip with 163 feet of climb, steps and a handrail, above a dark slot canyon.

The park warns that parking is extremely limited and that visitors should be ready to try more than once. There is no water, only pit toilets. The east side is a different drive from the canyon floor, so allow for it; our best time to visit Zion page covers the tunnel and the seasons.

What is there to hike in the Kolob Canyons?

The Kolob Canyons section has its own trails, 40 miles north of Zion Canyon, at Exit 40 on Interstate 15, with no shuttle. The park puts the drive from Zion Canyon at about an hour. Everyone stops at the Kolob Canyons Visitor Center to show a pass or pay the entrance fee.

Timber Creek Overlook is the short one: 1 mile round trip, 100 feet of climb, about an hour. Taylor Creek Trail runs 5 miles round trip into a box canyon. Kolob Arch via La Verkin Creek Trail is 14 miles round trip and takes about 8 hours.

No pets are allowed on any Kolob Canyons trail. The Kolob Canyons Road can close in winter for snow or ice.

Can you hike to Observation Point from the east?

Observation Point can be reached only by hiking from the east, because it cannot be reached from Zion Canyon. The East Mesa route is 6.8 miles round trip with 300 feet of climb, about 3 hours, and the park lists no permit for the day hike.

The trailhead is reached by high-clearance or four-wheel-drive dirt roads off the North Fork Road, which can be extremely muddy and impassable in winter, spring and after rain. The park asks visitors to respect private property nearby and to park only in designated spaces. There is no water at the trailhead.

How much water does a Zion hike need?

A Zion hiker should carry at least one gallon of water per person per day, by the park's safety page. Water is available at the visitor centre, Zion Lodge, the Grotto and the Temple of Sinawava. There is none at the East Rim and East Mesa trailheads, at Scout Lookout or at Lee Pass in Kolob Canyons.

A toxic-cyanobacteria caution was in the park's alerts on 5 November 2026: do not drink instream water or submerge your head. Dogs should be kept out of the river.

When does the Zion Canyon shuttle run for hikers?

The Zion Canyon shuttle runs until 28 November 2026, with the last bus into the canyon at 5 p.m. and the last bus out of the Temple of Sinawava at 6:15 p.m. From 29 November to 25 December there is no service. Private cars can then drive the Scenic Drive, though parking can fill and the road can close for the day.

A hiker who misses the last bus may have to walk nine miles back to the visitor centre. Buses leave every 5 to 10 minutes, and the ride from the visitor centre to the Temple of Sinawava takes about 45 minutes.

What do the best hikes in Zion cost?

Zion hikes share one entrance fee: $35 per car for seven days, and none of the hikes above carries a separate fee or permit apart from Angels Landing. Zion is one of the eleven parks that add $100 per person aged 16 or over for visitors who do not live in the United States, unless they hold an annual or America the Beautiful pass.

The park prefers cards and accepts cash. The $250 non-resident America the Beautiful pass covers the car and the surcharge; our guide to national park fees for international visitors has the arithmetic. For the park itself, see Zion National Park.