One Day in Zion National Park: The Perfect Itinerary for First-Time Visitors
If you are planning on visiting Zion National Park and only have time to spend one day in Zion National Park, then it can be hard to decide what you can fit in to that day or what are the best things to see with just one day in Zion.
I am going to through what you can and can’t do in one day and be very realistic with how much time you have there. It also needs on the time of year that you are visiting Zion, because if you visit in summer, the days are longer but you can also expect more people in the park, whereas if you do visit in winter, the days are shorter so you won’t have as much time.
Zion is an amazing park to visit and whether you just have one day or more in park, there is certainly a lot that you can do in a day.
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Can you see Zion In One Day
It is impossible to see everything within Zion National Park in One day as there is a lot to see and do. It is best to plan ahead to decide on the things you want to do in the park while you are there. The time of year you are visiting too, will determine how much you can do, as the days are longer in summer but if you visit in July or August you may have to spend time queuing for the Zion Shuttle to get around the park.
If you are not planning on doing the two most popular hikes of The Narrows and Angels Landing, then you will be certainly able to see a lot of the park and do many of the hikes in a day. Those two hikes you need much longer to hike them and so it will limit how much time you have left to do any of the other hikes.
Don’t try to rush your time in Zion, it is a beautiful park and you need to make sure that you enjoy the beauty of it while you are there.
Can you do both Angels Landing and The Narrows in One Day
It is possible to do both Angels Landing and The Narrows in One day, but you will struggle to do anything else in the park. Angels Landing and The Narrows are the two most popular hikes in the park that people want to do, but there are things you need to consider before deciding whether to do both.
No matter which order you are planning on doing the hikes, you are going to have to carry the gear you need for The Narrows with you to Angels Landing (unless you plan on visiting in winter when you can drive the Zion Canyon Scenic Road). If you hike The Narrows first then you will need to carry your wet clothing with you up to Angels Landing, unless you have a friend who can look after all your stuff for you.
If you are planning on doing both, then it is best to get on the first shuttle down the canyon of the day to make sure that you have enough time to enjoy both. It will take you around 4 hours to hike Angels Landing, but you need to make sure that you have your Angels Landing permit before doing the hike.
The Narrows can take anywhere from 2-6 hours, you can decide when to turn around and hike back. Remember once you are out of the river it is another 15-20 minutes to the trailhead. During summer the last shuttle leaves at 8.15pm, and in Spring and Fall it is 7.15pm.
Recommended Short Hikes for a Day Visit
Zion National Park has a lot of hikes and also for different abilities. If you are looking for some short hikes to do on your one day visit to Zion, then make sure to include these on your list.
Riverside Walk at Zion National Park
The Riverside Walk is at the final shuttle stop, number 9, Temple of Sinawava. It is the hike that you would do if you want to get to the start of the Narrows. It is just 2.2 miles and while it is fairly flat there are certain places with steep inclines.
Here you are walking close to or next to the river until you find yourself faced with the river in front of you and to continue you need to enter the river.
It is an easy hike but a beautiful hike as the canyon narrows the closer you get to the end of the hike. It is one of the most popular hikes to do and it includes all the people who want to hikes the Narrows too, but it is certainly one of the must do hikes in the park.
Weeping Rock Trail *Closed since November 2023 due to a rockfall*
Another popular hike to do and just 0.5 miles roundtrip is the Weeping Rock Trail. This takes you up to a cliff inside the canyon that is literally weeping. In reality the water is soaking through the rock and then dripping down. Depending on the time of year and the amount of rainfall it can be dripping more at certain times of the year.
This is a paved path, but it can be slippery after a lot of rain, just take care if it is wet or icy when you are visiting.
This trail suffered a massive rockfall in 2019 and was closed until November 2022 when it reopened, unfortunately though there was another rockfall in November 2023 and it is currently closed.
The Grotto Trail
The Grotto Trail is a short walk in the park that goes from the Grotto to Zion Lodge, though you can do the hike the opposite way. The Grotto is at Shuttle stop 6 and Zion Lodge at Shuttle Stop 5.
It is just 1 mile long and is flat as it follows the route of the road, but a few metres more inland, if you do this hike at dusk then you may even get to see a few deer as this is the time the animals come out to look for food. If you do see any of the animals, do not feed them as these are wild animals and feeding them can can cause them harm.
Emerald Pools Hike
There are three Emerald Pools hike for you to choose from, differing in length, difficulty and time taken. The Lower Emerald pools is a 1.2 mile round trip, it is a paved path that you follow to a pool behind a waterfall. Depending on the time of year there may not be very much water in the waterfall but it is still a beautiful hike.
The Middle Emerald Pools Trail is 2.2 miles roundtrip and is on an unpaved path, which runs parallel to the lower pools hike but at a higher altitude. Here you will see the most amazing view of the pool and through the trees the Zion Canyon.
The Upper Emerald Pools hike is the hardest and longest of the hikes and is on an unpaved path that takes you up to pool in the wall of the canyon. Depending on the time of year and how much rain there has been, you may see a waterfall going into the pool. If you are planning on doing Angels Landing, then you can combine this hike with it as there is a path linking the two.
Pa-rus Trail
The Pa-rus Trail is a 3.5 mile roundtrip hike or 1.75 miles if you just hike one way as you will be coming back along the same path. It starts at either the visitors center or at Canyon Junction, shuttle stop 3. You follow a path alongside the river, either to Canyon Junction or to the visitors center.
I personally would recommend doing this as your last hike of the day on the way back to the visitors center, just get off the bus at shuttle stop 3 and then walk back the rest of the way.
It is a beautiful hike and if you are walking back to the visitors center, make sure to stop and keep looking back and enjoy the stunning views of the river with the canyon walls in the background.
FAQ’s about Spending One Day in Zion National Park
A: You cannot see everything in one day, but it is possible to see a lot and to do a few of the short hikes within the park.
A: There are three entrances to Zion, and the most popular entrance is the south entrance, as this is where the visitors centre and Zion Canyon are located. If you are coming from Bryce Canyon, you will want to enter at the east entrance but drive along the Mount Carmel road to the south entrance.
A: While it is possible to enter both parks in one day, as they are around a 1.5 to 2 hours drive apart, you are not going to get any time to spend in the parks and to see them. It is not recommended to try and see them both in one day.
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