How to Spend One Epic Day in Zion National Park

Zion National Park, one of America’s oldest and most visited National Parks, is one of the most spectacular places in the USA. The park boasts soaring red and cream cliffs, a maze of narrow slot canyons, and a picturesque gorge cut by the raging Virgin River.

hiking the west rim trail in zion national park

You could easily spend weeks exploring this beautiful park and not even put a dent into its vast wilderness, but if you only have one day in Zion, this is the guide for you!

In this guide, I’m going to share the ultimate Zion one day itinerary! One day in Zion isn’t a lot of time, but this Zion day trip that I have planned for you is jam-packed with some of the best highlights of this epic Utah National Park!

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ZION NATIONAL PARK AT A GLANCE

Before diving in, here are a few highlights for planning a trip to Zion National Park.

Getting There: The closest airport to Zion is Harry Reid International in Las Vegas, about 3 hours from Zion Canyon. Find affordable flights here.
Entrance Fee: $35/vehicle or FREE with an America the Beautiful Pass
Where to Stay: Camp in the park, reserve a room in the Zion Lodge, or stay right outside the park in the town of Springdale.
How to Get Around: Take the shuttle around Springdale and Zion Canyon. You’ll need to rent a personal vehicle for Kolob Canyons and the East side.
Best Time to Visit: August – October
How Long to Visit: 3-5 days OR keep reading this blog post for what to do if you only have ONE day!

Table of Contents

How to Spend One Epic Day in Zion National Park

hiking the pa'rus trail in zion national park

hiking the narrows in zion national park

Tips for One Day in Zion National Park

The best time to visit Zion National Park is spring and fall. If you want to hike the Narrows, I’d visit in the fall.
Vehicles aren’t allowed in the Zion Canyon between March and November. The free shuttle buses are in operation during these months, so you must either utilize them or rent e-bikes to do many of the things on this itinerary.
The best place to stay the night in the park for this itinerary is Watchman Campground. You can also stay at a hotel in Springdale, which is conveniently located right outside the park entrance.
Pack in your food so that you can maximize your time spent in the park. If you decide to leave, there are plenty of food options in Springdale.
Bring your park pass to avoid paying the $35/vehicle fee at the entrance station.

One Day in Zion National Park Itinerary Overview

hiking to the emerald pools in zion national park

For one day in Zion, ideally, you’d need to stay two nights in or near the park so you can spend a full day exploring.

If you don’t have the time for that, and you’re just coming for the day from somewhere else, you can start with the e-bike rental and end with Angel’s Landing hike.

Camp at Watchman Campground.
Watch the sunrise at Canyon Overlook.
Rent e-bikes and ride them through the Zion Canyon.
Ride to the Temple of Sinawava and hike the Narrows.
Enjoy a picnic at the Grotto Picnic Area.
Hike Angel’s Landing and/or West Rim Trail.
Hike the Watchman Trail at sunset.
Camp at Watchman Campground.

Sunrise at Canyon Overlook

Just 6 miles from the Zion Canyon Visitor Center is the Canyon Overlook Trail. This hike is 1 mile total (out & back), so try to arrive at the viewpoint by sunrise for a spectacular view of the Zion Canyon.

Access the trailhead via the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel. You can drive your vehicle directly to the trailhead; the shuttle doesn’t operate on this side of the park. Arrive as early as possible; the small parking lot fills up quickly!

Rent E-bikes

After your sunrise hike at Canyon Overlook, head over to Springdale and rent e-bikes.

While you can certainly utilize the free shuttle bus to get around the Zion Canyon (cars are not allowed), biking gives you the ultimate freedom to cruise the road at your own pace.

Since you won’t be subject to the shuttle bus’s limited schedule, you can stop whenever and wherever you want.

Hike the Narrows

With your e-bikes secured, head into the park, following the route that the outfitter gives you:

Springdale > pedestrian entrance > Pa’rus Trail > Zion Canyon Scenic Drive

Pedal to the very end of the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive to the Temple of Sinawava. This is where you’ll enter the Narrows!

The Narrows is the narrowest section of Zion Canyon, with towering rock walls stretching a thousand feet into the blue sky.

The beauty of this trail is that you can hike as deep into the canyon as you want (up to Big Springs) or as shallow as you want. But whatever distance you hike in, you must hike back out the same way! There’s no emergency exit to bail.

The hike begins with an easy, scenic 1-mile riverside walk. Once the paved portion ends, you’ll enter the canyon and begin your trek through the river!

The narrowest portion is Wall Street, which is, in my opinion, the most scenic part of the Narrows. Getting to this point requires a 3-mile trek (one-way).

Picnic at Grotto Picnic Area

After your morning hike through the Narrows, pedal back to the Grotto Picnic Area to enjoy a picnic. You’ll need nourishment before attempting the next hike!

Hike Angel’s Landing and/or West Rim Trail

hiking the west rim trail at zion national park

Next, I have another classic hike for you, one that’s just across the street from the Grotto Picnic Area: Angel’s Landing. This dangerously-narrow chained peak features some of the best views in Zion National Park.

IMPORTANT: Everyone who accesses Angel Landing must have a permit. Visit recreation.gov to enter the lottery and apply for a permit in advance. Lottery applications cost $6, and you aren’t guaranteed to win a permit.

If the chains scare you or if you can’t snag an Angel’s Landing permit, I’d recommend just hiking a portion of the West Rim Trail instead.

You’ll start at the same trailhead as the Angel’s Landing hikers, but when you reach Scout’s Landing, instead of ascending the chains off to the right, you’ll head left and continue on the West Rim Trail.

You can take this trail as far as you feel comfortable – the entire trail is 14.5 miles point-to-point. You won’t have time for the entire trail on your one-day Zion itinerary.

Alternative option: If you don’t want to hike the West Rim Trail or Angel’s Landing, you can hike the easier Emerald Pools Trail instead. Continue pedaling past the Angel’s Landing trailhead and back to the Zion Lodge. The Emerald Pools trailhead is directly across from the Zion Lodge!

Hike the Watchman Trail at Sunset

hiking the watchman trail in zion national park

hiking the watchman trail at zion national park

Cap off your day with a beautiful sunset. Depending on the season and what time your outfitter requires your e-bike rentals to be returned, you may have time for one more sunset hike.

If you aren’t exhausted and you are up for one more hike, I’d recommend hiking the 3.1-mile Watchman Trail! It’s the perfect ending to your amazing day in Zion.

What I love about this trail is that it’s not super busy (especially compared to the other two on this itinerary).

And if you have to return your bike before sunset, don’t worry. This hike doesn’t require a shuttle bus, so you can walk right up to the trailhead from the Visitor Center!

The trail itself is super scenic – I felt so tiny amongst the towering mountains – but if you make it to the last viewpoint at sunset, you will be in awe. You’ll be treated to panoramic views of Springdale and imposing views of Watchman Spire.

Don’t forget your headlamp since you’ll likely be heading back down in the dark!

If you’re staying at Watchman Campground, ending your day in Zion on the Watchman Trail couldn’t be more convenient. The trail and campground are neighbors!

Camp at Watchman Campground

Watchman Campground is located next to the Zion Canyon Visitor Center. Tent and electric campsites are available year-round, and group campsites are available from March through November.

All campsites in Watchman Campground require reservations year-round. Reservations may be made six months in advance. Book your campsite here.

If you’d prefer to stay in Springdale, here are my recommendations:

See where Zion ranks in my Utah National Parks Ranked Best to Worst blog post!

One Day in Zion National Park FAQs

watching the angel's landing hikers from the west rim trail in zion national park

Is One Day in Zion National Park Enough?

You can see the highlights of Zion National Park in one day. If you have more time, I’d recommend staying at least three days to be able to see the lesser-known attractions, hike the longer trails and backcountry routes, and explore the other side of the park – Kolob Canyons.

Can I Drive into the Zion Canyon?

Vehicles are prohibited from entering the Zion Canyon from March through November. The shuttle buses are in operation during these months.

As an alternative, you can bike into the Zion Canyon any time of year.

Can I See Zion and Bryce Canyon in One Day?

Seeing both parks thoroughly in one day isn’t realistic.

But if you wanted to skim through the parks, you could technically make this happen. You could enter Zion before sunrise, hike a trail or two, and then drive two hours to Bryce Canyon, where you would have time to drive the scenic road or hike part of the Rim Trail.