One Day in Zion National Park for Hardy Hikers
Are you planning a quick trip and wondering what to do in one day in Zion National Park?
In this guide, I’ll cover exactly how I recommend spending your day in Zion National Park. The itinerary will touch on all the highlights, like Angel’s Landing, multiple lookouts, the scenic drive and where to eat after all that hiking.
Of course, 1 day isn’t enough to fully experience Zion (that would take multiple days), but with one day in Zion National Park, you’ll scratch the surface. This iconic park will have you wanting to come back… and, honestly, you might just stay longer.
So, keep reading for an action-packed one-day Zion itinerary for people who love to hike!!
Zion Trip Planning at a Glance
Don’t have time to read on? Here’s a quick mini guide to Zion National Park to help plan your adventure!
Best hikes:
– Angel’s Landing/Scout’s Lookout (apply for a permit here)
– Canyon Overlook
– Many Pools
– Watchman Overlook
Where to stay:
– Free camping coordinates: 37.207249, -113.240181
– Watchman or South Campground ($20-50 per night)
– Zion Park Motel (budget)
– Cliffrose (luxury)
First Things First: Permits
Odds are you want to hike Angel’s Landing.
While you don’t need a permit to get into the park, you do need one for Angel’s Landing.
To get a permit for Angel’s Landing, go to the Recreation.gov website. Their instructions are very clear, but here’s the gist of it.
You have two options:
- Apply in advance (dates are on the website) and rank the 7 days you could hike Angel’s Landing, from most ideal to least ideal. It costs $6 to apply and you’ll be charged $3 per hiker if you’re issued a permit.
- Apply for a permit the day before and see if you’ve been selected by 4 p.m! It costs $6 to apply and you’ll be charged $3 per hiker if you’re issued a permit.
I recommend you plan your trip based on when you get to hike Angel’s Landing. This is because you may not get your most ideal date, so it makes sense to plan around the hike. I know, it isn’t very convenient for spending one day in Zion National Park. I guess that’s the price of hiking one of the world’s most popular hikes!
I applied the day before on two different days and wasn’t issued a permit either day.
How to Get to Zion National Park
Most people traveling to Zion National Park fly to Las Vegas and rent a car to drive 3 hours to the park.
This is a great option not only for Zion, but to make a road trip of it and visit several mind-boggling destinations. The Grand Circle road trip is the best road trip through the American southwest. You get to see some of the best American national parks and other iconic destinations, like Valley of Fire State Park.
Alternatively, you can fly to the St. George regional airport (1 hour from Zion). However, the airport only receives flights from Salt Lake City, Denver, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Dallas.
You could book a tour with roundtrip transportation from either of these airports, but I don’t recommend it. The best way to explore Zion is driving yourself.
Free Camping near Zion National Park
Now that you know how to get there, let’s talk about where to stay close to Zion. When I visited Zion National Park for 2 days, I camped for free, as I almost always do!
I camped between Virgin and La Verkin, just behind the Hurricane Mesa Test Propulsion & CCC Historical Marker.
It’s a dispersed campground with a TON of sites!
But there are LOTS more places to camp for free close to Horseshoe Bend!
If you’re planning any sort of trip in the Southwest, I actually made a free map with 70+ free car camping spots I found and vetted during my 2 years on the road. It’s my go-to resource whenever I’m planning where to sleep for the night.
👉 Grab the map for free below – I’ll email it to you right away!
Lodging for Zion National Park
Good news! There’s a beautiful town right next to Zion, Springdale, with lots of hotel and dining options. And if you’re spending one day in Zion National Park, you might want to stay as close as possible. (The free camping is a little far from the park).
You really can’t go wrong with any of the lodging options, and they cost between $250 and $900 per night. There are also campgrounds!
In terms of specific lodging recommendations in Zion, here are some to consider.
- Watchman or South Campground ($20-50 per night, book 6 months in advance)
- Zion Park Motel (budget)
- Red Rock Inn (mid-range)
- Cliffrose (luxury)
Getting Around Zion National Park
Zion National Park has two main roads. You can drive through the east on Zion-Mount Carmel Highway, but the west (Zion Canyon Road) is closed to cars. You have to take a shuttle!
The drive from the Visitor Center to the East Entrance is gorgeous, with a bunch of must-see stops on the way. Don’t skip it!
But Zion Canyon Road is the true scenic drive of Zion National Park, where you can find the most popular landmarks in Zion.
You can take the shuttle through Zion Canyon from the Visitor Center. They arrive every 5-10 minutes from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. during busy season and 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. during low season. The schedule can change, so check out the official page to plan your trip accordingly!
There’s also a shuttle to and from Springdale you can use to get into the park.
FYI, the shuttle line gets extremely long. Be there early if you’re going to explore Zion Canyon. When I was there in low season, I had to wait 1 hour and 15 minutes in line at 9 a.m!!
Itinerary: One Day in Zion National Park
Get ready to spend 1 amazing day in Zion National Park. This itinerary works whether or not you’re hiking Angel’s Landing!
1. Rise and Shine
Start your one day in Zion National Park early to be able to fit everything into this jam-packed day!
You also want to get on one of the first shuttles, because the line only gets longer as it gets later. Hop on the shuttle into Zion Canyon and get off at The Grotto.
2. Angel’s Landing or Scout Lookout
From The Grotto, cross the street and follow the sign to hike the West Rim Trail to the right. This trail will take you through Walter’s Wiggles (the most painful switchbacks EVER) and eventually to Scout Lookout.
If you get to Scout Lookout, congratulations! You just hiked most of Angel’s Landing.
The part you need a permit for is just the very end – the possibly dangerous part.
The view from Scout Lookout isn’t quite as spectacular as the view from Angel’s Landing, but it’s still amazing. You can walk to the cliff edge and, believe me, you’re going to feel the butterflies in your stomach.
Angel’s Landing stands out from where you stand at Scout Lookout. To the right is a narrow cliff falling over a thousand feet on each side to the valley below. That’s Angel’s Landing – where you’ll be hiking.
The Angel’s Landing hike is also much longer than it seems from there. It winds up and down for a while as you cling on chains you can use for balance. It can take an hour to get to the end… and then you have to hike back!
It’s no wonder why Angel’s Landing is one of the world’s most popular hikes – it’s a combination of beauty and adrenaline like no other!
3. A Well-deserved Lunch
Have a sandwich or whatever lunch you packed to replenish some calories, because we’re not even close to being done.
There are picnic tables outside the Visitor Center. Enjoy a meal with an amazing view.
4. A Scenic Drive and Stops on the Road
Next up is the scenic drive on Zion-Mount Carmel Highway to the East Entrance.
This isn’t THE scenic drive through Zion Canyon proper, but it’s still one of the most scenic drives in the USA. Take in the beauty of Zion. If you’re driving, be careful not to crash as you gaze at the landscape around you. I say that from experience (I fortunately didn’t get into an accident).
On the way back, stop a lot wherever you see something beautiful!
That’s what I did one the way back along the scenic drive. I stopped at Checkerboard Mesa, Keyhole Canyon, Many Pools and Canyon Overlook.
Checkboard Mesa is a quick stop to see a beautiful formation.
Keyhole Canyon has a short trail with some awesome tunnels you can walk through.
Many Pools is an area with lots of trails and… you guessed it… many pools. We spent almost an hour just wandering around, and though it’s not that popular, it was one of my favorite hikes.
Canyon Overlook is the most accessible gorgeous overlook in the canyon. It’s only a 1-mile hike through an incredible landscape.
If you’re really tired already, Canyon Overlook is the perfect place to relax and watch the sunset. But if you have one more short hike in you, next up is where I watched the sunset. It was spectacular!
5. Watchman Overlook
Park at the Visitor Center and walk back towards the main entrance. When you get to a crosswalk, turn right to hike by the river. Then, follow the signs to hike up Watchman Trail to see an amazing sunset.
This is where we enjoyed the sunset, and I promise it will NOT disappoint. Impressive white peaks, partially hidden behind Zion’s towering red cliffs, turn a golden orange in the sunlight.
I visited in March, when there was still snow on the peaks, which just added to the allure. It was the perfect way to finish off an action-packed one day in Zion National Park.
6. Dinner back in Springdale
Time to really replenish calories and enjoy the excellent dining options in Springdale. I seriously love having cool towns or cities right by national parks.
Here are my recommendations:
- Thai Sapa (my favorite)
- Hangry Goat
- Oscar’s Café
Cheers to an amazing day!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes and no. Yes, because Zion is always worth visiting. It’s one of my favorite national parks, and one of the most visited every year. If you only have one day, definitely make the most of it and get to know the park!
No, because 1 day in Zion isn’t quite enough. There’s so much to see and do that you’ll be left wanting more. Plus, such a busy day will leave you very tired for the rest of your road trip. More days means you can enjoy at a slower pace.
I would recommend spending at least 3 days in Zion to experience everything it has to offer. You could spend over a week there and not get bored. With 1 day, you’ll just scratch the surface.
The American Southwest is full of natural wonders. You can go to:
– Bryce Canyon, just two hours away.
– Page, Arizona to see Horseshoe Bend, Antelope Canyon and more, just 2 hours away.
– The Grand Canyon, 4 and a half hours away (and passing through Page)
– The Grand Circle road trip, to see the best of Arizona, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico.
Yes, but their access is very limited.
The only trail that allows dogs is the Pa’rus Trail. They’re not allowed on shuttles or buildings and should always be leashed.
Whatever you do, don’t let them drink water from the rivers, since it’s toxic!!
MAP – One Day in Zion National Park
This is my map for this exact itinerary to one day in Zion National Park. It includes the itinerary, free camping sites in this article and others, and 2 paid campgrounds. Use it to plan your trip and know where you’re going to be, what the roads look like, how far things are – anything you think is useful!
To browse the individual points on the map, tap the icon on the top left of the map. It’ll show you what each point is.
Final Thoughts
That’s a wrap on my itinerary to one day in Zion National Park! As you may have noticed, it’s impossible to fit everything into just 1 day in Zion. However, this itinerary will give you a good feeling for what the park has to offer.
If you have more time to spend in Zion National park, some honorable mentions I would add to this itinerary are:
- The hike to Observation Point
- The hike to Cabin Spring (one of my all-time favorite hikes)
- The Narrows
- Visiting the Emerald Pools
Or, you can check out my itinerary for 2 days in Zion National Park, which includes everything on this itinerary plus some more, but at a slower pace!
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