Zion FAQ

Yes, at the Zion Lodge, on the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive. Additional lodging is just outside the boundary in Springdale. See the Lodging Page for details.

Yes. There are two campgrounds in the Zion Canyon section, located 0.2 and 0.5 miles from the South Entrance. A small primitive campground is also located at Lava Point, over an hour from Zion Canyon. See the Camping Page for details.

Yes, there is a restaurant at the Zion Lodge.

No, but it is available in nearby Springdale.

The park has two visitor centers. The Zion Canyon Visitor Center is located 0.2 miles from the South Entrance. The current hours are 8:00AM to 6:00PM (spring), 8:00AM to 7:00PM (summer), 8:00AM to 6:00PM (autumn) and 8:00AM to 5:00PM (winter). The Kolob Canyons Visitor Center is located just inside the Kolob Canyons Entrance. The current hours are 8:00AM to 5:00PM (spring & summer) and 8:00AM to 4:30PM (autumn & winter). They are closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.

The park can be visited all year. June through September is popular, hot, and very crowded. Spring and autumn are the ideal times to visit. Winter can be cold but is generally cool.

The Zion Canyon Scenic Drive is generally open all year except during brief periods of snow or ice. The Kolob Terrace Road is closed about November through April by heavy snow.

A ride up and down the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive on the Zion Shuttle takes about two hours. However, at least one full day should be allowed for an in-depth stop at all of the shuttle stops and a few short walks. A second or third day is highly recommended to hike a few of the Zion trails. The Riverside Walk and the Scout Lookout & Angel's Landing Trail (very difficult) are especially recommended.

Mule deer are the major large mammal as usual for this region. Their top predator, the mountain lion, is present but almost never seen. Smaller mammals include ringtails, skunks, and chipmunks. Reptiles are abundant, with the most likely to be seen being lizards, especially the eastern fence and short horned varieties. Several snakes also live here, though only one, the rarely seen western rattlesnake, is venomous. At least 271 species of bird spend at least part of the year in Zion. Among them are roadrunners, whch can be seen in the open desert areas, and golden eagles and red-tailed hawks riding thermals high above.

Zion's wide variety of elevations and moisture levels gives it probably the most diverse plant life in southern Utah, with over 900 species identified. At the lower elevations near the Virgin River plant life is abundant near the banks. Water seeps all along the canyon walls, such as at Weeping Rock, create large hanging gardens. Outside of the Zion Canyon area, the low elevations are dominated by the more expected desert brush and cacti. On the high plateaus ponderosa pine gives way to white fir. These conifers also exist further down on the canyon walls, when shade and other conditions create just the right microclimate for their survival.

In the early 1900s people began to recognize that southern Utah's scenery itself might be its greatest asset. In 1909 Mukuntuweap National Monument was created to protect Zion Canyon. Nine years later it was renamed Zion National Monument and expanded. The following year Congress elevated it to full national park status.

A propane-powered shuttle system providing service between the visitor center and the Temple of Sinawava at the end of the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive. March through October it is the only way to access the road, as it is closed to all private vehicles.