How to Spend a Perfect 2 Days in Zion National Park

If you have 2 days in Zion National Park and love hiking, this itinerary is for YOU!

Zion is paradise for hikers of all levels. You can do easy hikes on the canyon floor, there are intermediate hikes to several overlooks, or you can challenge yourself to hike all the way to the rim.

The best part? They’re all gorgeous.

You really can’t go wrong in Zion National Park. 2 days is enough time to get to know the national park well.

All it takes is a little bit of good planning to take advantage of your time. That’s what I’m here for!

This 2-day Zion National Park itinerary will cover:

• The best hikes to do
• 3 must-see stops on Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway (the drivable section)
• Where to camp for free and 3 hotel options
• An alternative to Angel’s Landing (which I think is a better hike)

I visited Zion while completing the Grand Circle road trip. It was one of the first national parks I ever visited and was my favorite for a long time.

The hike I did instead of Angel’s Landing was a big reason I had such a good time – I went from disappointment from not getting a permit to pure bliss hiking without crowds. But I also just LOVE impressive features in nature.

Zion is definitely impressive, with it’s red 2,000 foot cliffs towering above you.

Without further ado, this is how to spend a perfect 2 days in Zion National Park.

Day 1 Itinerary: Many Pools Trail, Canyon Overlook and Watchman Overlook

Day 1 of these 2 days in Zion National Park is the easier day. It involves several hikes and viewpoints, while day 2 is mega-hike day. I didn’t do much after day 2 because I was so tired, but I’ll give you some ideas anyway in case you have the energy!

Breakfast in Springdale

One of the pluses of visiting Zion National Park is the cool town right at its gate, Springdale.

Apart from its gorgeous hotels and adventure tour guides, the best thing about Springdale might just be its restaurants. It’s got a bit of everything.

These are some highly rated breakfast spots in Springdale:

• Meme’s Café (reviews here)
• The Park House Café (reviews here)
• Feellove Coffee (reviews here)

Then, head over to the Visitor Center. It’s only a 4-minute drive away.

Visitor Center

I always start my visit to a national park by going to the visitor center.

I just love learning how the park was formed and about the things I’m going to see. It makes the experience of getting to know them even better once you’re out there hiking.

Definitely watch the park film at the Visitor Center. It’s worth watching before heading out for the scenic drive.

Scenic Drive (2 Stops)

Zion National Park has two particularly different roads.

Officially, the scenic drive is the road through Zion Canyon, which is only accessible by shuttle. Zion Canyon Road is the one that gets you to the iconic spots like Angel’s Landing and Observation Point.

But the other scenic drive goes right at the fork along Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway. And that’s how I recommend you start your trip. As you cruise the winding roads, the towering cliffs above you will hold you in awe.

What I did was drive all the way to the East Entrance without stopping and then make my slow way back to the Visitor Center, stopping everywhere I wanted.

Parking is easy along the scenic drive, and the road gets wider in several areas for overflow parking.

We stopped at a bunch of spots, but two of them especially stood out:

1. Many Pools Trail

The first spot was the Many Pools Trail.

This trail isn’t very well-known (it isn’t even on Zion’s official map), but there is a sign for the trailhead in the park. If you enter “Many Pools Trailhead” into Google Maps, it’ll get you there.

The trail goes north through a canyon, but you can also go south towards the creek bed and walk around there. The trails eventually link up.

Definitely try walking in the creek bed, because you go through some tall, narrow slots. It was super fun and we eventually found the trail and got to Many Pools!

The hike was easy and short, but really adventurous. It had some very steep sections, but it was all on very grippy rock. And sometimes you lose the trail because there’s only rock, but there’s no getting lost – follow the canyon and the pools.

We ended up scrambling on steep rock and stepping over some deep slots. It was just a gorgeous place to be!

2. Canyon Overlook

Canyon Overlook needs to be a part of any good Zion National Park itinerary.

If Angel’s Landing and Observation Point had a baby, it would be Canyon Overlook.

The hike is only a mile each way, and the view at the end is amazing. We spent a whole hour there, just gazing down into the canyon.

There was even a couple taking their wedding pictures up there – a testament to how accessible the outlook is. They hiked in, her in her wedding dress (but not the heels!) and him in his suit.

The hike is 1 mile roundtrip, with 150 feet of elevation gain. Most of the stairs are at the very beginning, and then its mostly flat the rest of the way, with a few ups and downs.

These aren’t the only worthwhile stops on Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway!

You could also stop at Checkerboard Mesa Viewpoint, Keyhole Canyon, and Pine Creek Canyon Overlook. Plus, once you’ve gone through the tunnel, stop at the Zion Scenic Drive Viewpoint to see Zion Canyon Overlook (where you just were) from below.

A horseshoe of gigantic cliffs surrounds you there and it is STUNNING!

Watchman Overlook

Back at the Visitor Center, we were wondering what to do to end the day.

We saw a big prow rising into the clouds right above the Visitor Center and decided that was the way to go.

It turned out to be a 3.3-mile hike with 480 feet of elevation gain.

So get on the trail you walk towards the main road from the Visitor Center. Then, you turn right at the crosswalk, where you’ll see directions to Watchman Trail.

The hike starts out flat while you walk towards the cliff and suddenly gets kind of steep.

The Watchman Trail goes about halfway up the cliff to a flat area with an impressive view. If you stop there, it’s a 2.9-mile hike round trip. But there’s a 0.4-mile loop at the top that you can do for an even better view.

The sun shines down through the canyon at sunset. It lights up the orange rock with a golden hue. There was still snow on the peaks when I went, and the combination of colors was astounding.

It’s a wonder to behold!

Dinner

After a lovely day with short hikes and even better views, it’s time for dinner. Springdale has some amazing food options.

Here are some great restaurants in Zion National Park:

• Thai Sapa, my favorite (reviews here)
• Hangry Goat (reviews here)
• Oscar’s Café (reviews here)

Cheers!

Time for a good night’s sleep because tomorrow’s hike is the real kicker.

Where to Stay in Zion National Park

In addition to great food, Springdale has great hotels. Unfortunately, they aren’t exactly budget-friendly, with a price range of about $200 to $900 per night.

What I would do, since I don’t mind driving to save on lodging, is stay in La Verkin. The city is 29 minutes from the Zion Canyon Visitor Center, but has much more affordable hotel options.

So, here are some hotel recommendations:

📍Budget: Best Western Plus Zion West

This is a simple, classic hotel in La Verkin that’s very affordable. It’s 28 minutes from Zion, and has a pool, hot tub and continental breakfast. It’s the one I’d choose.

📍Mid-range: Zion Canyon Cabins

This is the most affordable, highest rated stay in Springdale. It’s 4 minutes from the Visitor Center and has a pool (no hot tub or breakfast, though). Each unit is private.

What I did (Free Camping near Zion)

There are paid campgrounds in Zion, but it’s nearly impossible to make a reservation. You have to make it 6 months in advance.

I visited Zion during my 2-year road trip across the USA. During that time, I car camped for free all over the country.

And, though the free camping near Zion isn’t the most convenient because it’s such a popular area, it’s worth looking into because… well, it’s free!

I car camped Between Virgin and La Verkin, at these coordinates: 37.207249, -113.240181. You’ll see a bunch of RVs, but anyone can drive in and find a spot.

But there are LOTS more places to camp for free close to Zion National Park!

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!

Whatever you choose, make sure you do your own research on apps like Campendium or iOverlander. You can see people’s reviews of sites and see even more options.

Day 2 Itinerary: Angel’s Landing or Cabin Spring and Onward to Bryce Canyon

Day 2 of your 2 days in Zion National Park is simple – you’re hiking.

There’s no better way to immerse yourself into Zion without a long hike in the wilderness, and I’m going to present you with 2 options.

Angel’s Landing

This is Zion National Park’s flagship hike.

Hikers scramble up and down the cutting edge of a narrow, 1,500 foot formation. The cliff is so sheer, and the drop so close by that there are chains you need to hold on to as you walk.

I love that stuff.

And so do thousands of other avid hikers, which is why you need a permit to hike Angel’s Landing.

How to Get a Permit for Angel’s Landing

It’s not difficult to apply for a permit to hike Angel’s Landing but it’s difficult to get selected for it.

Thankfully, there are two ways to get one.

The first way is to apply months in advance. You choose 7 days for which to apply, ranking them from your top choice to lowest. If you’re selected, it can be any of those days, but they’ll try to prioritize your top choices first.

Applying costs $6, and then you pay another $3 per person on the permit if you’re selected.

You can also apply the day before for a smaller number of slots, and it costs the same.

How to Hike Angel’s Landing

Get up early and grab a shuttle from the Visitor Center to Zion Canyon. Shuttles run from 6 am to 8:15 pm in the summer and 7 am to 7:15 all other seasons (subject to change).

Stop at The Grotto, cross the street and the river (you can probably follow the crowd) and turn right following directions to the West Rim Trail.

This trail will have you hiking through Walter’s Wiggles to Scout Lookout, gaining some serious elevation.

Take in the view but then look right: Angel’s Landing awaits.

From Scout’s lookout, Angel’s landing looks short. But it’s than it seems. The narrow edge goes on and on. It can take an hour or more to get to the end (depending on your fitness level and the crowd).

At the end of Angel’s Landing, you get to a downward-sloping shelf of rock with a view right down the middle of the canyon.

It’s worth the sweat and possible tears along the way!

Alternative: Cabin Spring

Don’t even worry if you can’t get a permit to Angel’s Landing!

The most common alternative to Angel’s Landing is Observation Point. It’s a longer hike, from which you get the same view as Angel’s Landing, but from higher up.

But I’ll do you one better: the hike to Cabin Spring.

The hike takes you up to Scout Lookout. That means you get to do most of the Angel’s Landing hike. But then take the road less traveled… quite literally.

How to Hike to Cabin Spring

Turn left at Scout Lookout, following the sign to the West Rim. It begins with a few switchbacks and from there it just gets better.

The hike takes you through changing rock colors, from the classic orange rock, to yellow to white and black. It’s much longer than Angel’s Landing, and it takes you away from the crowds.

It feels wild!

Though Angel’s Landing is amazing, I preferred this hike because it was insanely beautiful and had SO fewer crowds (we only saw like 10 more people after Scout Lookout).

Plus, if you’re sad you missed out on the adrenaline of Angel’s Landing, this hike has a sketchy section at the end. The trail climbs up a sheer cliff, with a 200+ foot drop on your right.

If you love the wild beauty of nature, this is the hike for you. Don’t worry about the popular hikes.

Bonus points if you go while it’s still cold. This hike gets so high up the canyon that you’ll be hiking in the snow at times.

The Road to Bryce

The road to Bryce Canyon takes you through the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway once again.

Gaze at Zion’s cliffs longingly. I know you will… you’ll already be thinking of coming back.

Bryce Canyon National Park is only 2 hours (80 miles) away.

If you’re on the Grand Circle road trip or visiting the Utah Mighty Five, there’s a long road ahead of you and lots of wonders yet to behold.