Top Hikes in Zion National Park: 1 Day Complete Guide and Itinerary
The top hikes in Zion National Park are easily: Angel’s Landing, The Narrows, The Subway, Scout Lookout (also part of Angel’s Landing), Emerald Pool Trail, and The Watchman Trail. Finding the top hikes in Zion National Park is easy with Google, or by checking AllTrails, but if you’re looking for how to fit the best hikes into an itinerary with tips, tricks, and information to prepare you for a trip to Zion, you’ve come to the right place. If you’re considering, or open, to hiking Zion in winter, check out 10 Reasons and 10 Tips to Visit Zion in Winter!
Top Hikes in Zion National Park
Let’s start with going over the top hikes in Zion National Park, especially hitting on which ones need permits, gear, how long to spend at each one, or which trails can be at risk of closing (in which case you should have a backup plan).
Angel’s Landing
- Distance: 4.4 miles out & back
- Time to Hike: 3-4 hours
- Difficulty: Very hard
- Elevation Gain: 1604 ft
- AllTrails Link
- Advice: only proceed if you feel comfortable, bring crampons in the winter
Angel’s Landing is one of the most popular hikes in Zion National Park, but also one of the most dangerous hikes in the United States. It originally got its name from a Minister who was so in awe of the cliff that he claimed only an angel could ever land on it. Well, challenge accepted, now humans climb onto it all the time.
Because of it’s popularity, Angel’s Landing has recently entered into a permit and lottery system. You can apply for a permit here on the NPS website. Permits for Angel’s Landing are new as of 2022, in response to the dangerously high levels of people trying to hike a one-way trail. There are two lotteries you can apply for:
- Seasonal Lottery: apply ~2-5 months before and pick 7 ranked days and times for your visit. There are “cycles” for the lottery, meaning for June through August, there are only 3 days in April where you can apply.
- Day Before Lottery: apply the day before and hear back 4pm MT that same day.
You’re more likely to get a permit if you apply through the seasonal lottery or if your plans are flexible and you apply for multiple days through the day-before lottery.
The Narrows
- Distance: 8.9 miles out & back
- Time to Hike: 6-8 hours
- Difficulty: Hard
- Elevation Gain: 695 ft
- AllTrails Link
- Advice: get the full gear (shoes, backpack, bib, stick) and check the weather for rain, which causes flash flooding
If you’re planning on hiking The Narrows, you’ll need to rent gear. This isn’t just a recommendation, it’s a necessity if you don’t own the equipment already. At a minimum, you need special hiking shoes that grip the rocks in the river so you don’t slip and fall. There are a few rental shops in Zion Village, Zion Outfitters worked well enough for my trip. During January there was no problem getting a night before or day-of reservation. I got the full bib (basically waterproof overalls), a waterproof backpack, the hiking shoes, and the stick. Don’t forget the stick!
Zion Outfitters was also kind enough to warn me about the potential closure of The Narrows. The morning I picked up my gear, they recommended I get out of the river by 10am, as rain was forecasted for that afternoon. It never ended up raining, but, nevertheless, I was out of the river by 11am in case of flash flooding.
The Narrows is one of the most popular and top hikes in Zion National Park, which means in peak season it can get pretty crowded. If you’re interested in smaller to almost no crowd, consider hiking The Narrows in winter. Check out 10 Reasons and 10 Tips to Visit Zion in Winter! for more info.
Since The Narrows is an out and back hike, and can take up to 9 hours, if you’re short on time, consider only doing half. You get about 80-90% of the experience by turning back early, and it leaves time to hike other scenery in Zion.
Protip: if The Narrows are closed, or you’re not comfortable hiking in a river, there’s a paved trail called The Narrows Riverside Walk, 2 miles, only takes 45 minutes, super easy and flat.
The Subway
- Distance: 9.1 miles out & back
- Time to Hike: 7-9 hours
- Difficulty: Hard
- Elevation Gain: 1305 ft
- AllTrails Link
- Advice: block off a full day for this hike
The Subway gets it’s name from the shape of the canyon walls along the trails – they resemble walking through a subway tunnel. This hike can be pretty intense for a few reasons: it takes all day, the elevation gain, and you really need to download the AllTrails map to make sure you’re still going the right direction. If you do make the trek, know that it is beautiful and well worth it.
Just like Angel’s Landing, The Subway requires a permit.
Scout Lookout via West Rim Trail
- Distance: 3.6 miles out & back
- Time to Hike: 2-3 hours
- Difficulty: Hard
- Elevation Gain: 1115 ft
- AllTrails Link
- Advice: you can still do this hike if you don’t have a permit for Angel’s Landing
Contrary to the fact that this trail is rated as hard, a lot of it is paved with either concrete or pavers, which makes the hike pretty pleasant. The difficulty mostly comes from the elevation gain. Towards the end of the trail, or the turn around point, there are a decent amount of switch backs.
The really important thing to know about this trail, is if you can’t get a permit for Angel’s Landing, or you’re reading this post during last-minute planning for Zion, know that you can hike this trail up to Angel’s Landing without a permit. You’ll get about 70% of the same views as you would at the top of Angel’s Landing and feel much safer doing it. I would even claim that a decent number of people with permits to Angel’s Landing actually turn around at this point due to nerves.
Emerald Pools Trail
- Distance: 3.0 mile loop
- Time to Hike: 1.5 hours
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Elevation Gain: 620 ft
- AllTrails Link
- Advice: do this hike if you’re short on time or need something not super dangerous
One of the easier hikes relative to Angel’s Landing and The Narrows, Emerald Pools Trail offers spectacular views of waterfalls, scenery, and the emerald pool.
The Watchman Trail
- Distance: 3.23 mile loop
- Time to Hike: 1.5 hours
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Elevation Gain: 636 ft
- AllTrails Link
- Advice: save this hike for last and add it in if you have time
The Watchman Trail is typically overlooked by visitors headed straight to The Narrows or Angel’s Landing. It’s a great hike for beginner hikers, so could be a good warmup. Also supposedly gorgeous for sunrise. We recommend saving this hike for last if your priority is Angel’s Landing and The Narrows.
1 Day Itinerary for Zion National Park
If you only have 1 day for Zion National Park, we recommend doing The Narrows, Angel’s Landing (with permit), and one of either The Watchman or Emerald Pools (if you have the energy). All of these trails are located via the main entrance through Springdale, Utah.
When the Shuttles Are Running
When the shuttles are running, you typically have the advantage of more sunlight than when they are not. The first shuttle leaves the Zion Canyon Visitor Center at 7:00 am, putting you at the trailhead of The Narrows (Temple of Sinawava, Stop 9) by 7:30 am. To save time in the morning, we recommend picking up your gear the night before for The Narrows.
Note: if parking around the Visitor’s Center is full, there is a Springdale shuttle that starts at 8am that runs through Springdale to the Visitor’s Center. There’s paid parking all through Springdale. If you get your gear from Zion Outfitters, there’s paid parking there, and it’s walking distance to the park entrance.
We recommend exiting The Narrows by 11am, to give you time to return your gear and head over to Stop 6 for Angel’s Landing. You likely won’t be able to complete the entirety of The Narrows, but you can try. When you’re done with The Narrows, you’ll need to take the shuttle back to Zion Canyon Visitor Center to return your gear in Springdale. Afterwards, hop back on the bus to Stoop 6 for Angel’s Landing. If you have time leftover, you can hike Emerald Pools Trail at Stop 5, or head back to the Visitors Center to hike The Watchman trail.
- Day before: Collect gear for The Narrows
- 7:00 am: Hop on shuttle from Zion Canyon Visitor Center
- 7:30 am: Hop off at Temple of Sinawava
- 8:00 am: Hike The Narrows
- 11:00 am: Exit The Narrows, hop on bus back to Visitor Center
- 11:30 am – 12:30 pm: Return gear, eat lunch
- 12:30 pm: Hop on bus to Stop 6, The Grotto
- 1:00 pm: Begin Angel’s Landing hike on Scout Lookout via West Rim Trail
- 4:30 pm: Finish Angel’s Landing, walk or bus to Stop 5, Zion Lodge or Stop 1, Visitors Center
- 5:00 pm: Hike Emerald Pools Trails or The Watchman Trail
- 7:00 pm: Exit park (absolutely exhausted)
When the Shuttles Aren’t Running
When the shuttles aren’t running, you have the advantage of driving your car through the park. However, daylight is shorter, which means you’ll likely have to wrap up your day in Zion by or around 5pm. The shuttles typically don’t run from January – mid March during winter, which is a great time to visit. Check out 10 Reasons and 10 Tips to Visit Zion in Winter! for more reasons!
Zion Outfitters told me that the parking lot at Temple of Sinawava only opened at 8:30 am, but I heard others had gotten there earlier. So, we recommend getting up early in the morning to get your gear, and heading straight to the Temple of Sinawava for arrival around 8-8:30 am.
We recommend exiting The Narrows by 11am, to give you time to eat lunch and head over to The Grotto for Angel’s Landing. You likely won’t be able to complete the entirety of The Narrows, but you can try. If you have time leftover, you can hike Emerald Pools Trail at Stop 5, or head back to the Visitors Center to hike The Watchman Trail.
- 7:30 am: Collect gear for The Narrows
- 7:45 am: Drive through the park to the Temple of Sinawava. The park will be the least crowded at this point, so you may want to stop and take pictures on this super scenic drive.
- 8:15 am: Park at Temple of Sinawava and begin The Narrows
- 11:00 am: Exit The Narrows, have lunch and head to The Grotto
- 12:00 pm: Begin Angel’s Landing hike on Scout Lookout via West Rim Trail
- 3:30 pm: Finish Angel’s Landing, drive to Stop 5, Zion Lodge or Stop 1, Visitors Center
- 4:00 pm: Hike Emerald Pools Trails or The Watchman Trail
- 5:30 pm: Exit park (absolutely exhausted) and return gear
Know Before You Visit Zion National Park
Cell Service and WiFi
Once you’ve gotten deep into the park, cell service is near impossible to get. There were moments at the beginning of West Rim Trail where I got service (via AT&T) but I wouldn’t count on it. For emergencies, WiFi is available at visitors centers and the Zion Lodge.
Where to Stay
Springdale is by far the most convenient place to stay whether you’re visiting Zion in winter or any other season. All of your typical hotels will be situated alone one main road with easy access to the park entrance. You’ll have access to restaurants, bars, and gear rental shops. If you’re planning on camping, Springdale also has camping grounds.
If cabins or glamping is more your vibe, check Airbnb or other vacation rental websites, there’s some really cute, private and secluded cabins and glamping options over to the east of the park.
Shuttles and Parking
You should check the shuttle schedule depending on when you’re visiting Zion. During certain winter moths, the shuttles do not run. On months where they do not run, we recommend getting to your hiking destination early. The parking lot by The Narrows, only fits 25 or so cars, so I would plan on doing that one first if its on your list. The parking lot only opens around 8:30 am, so it’s not ridiculously early. Bus stop 6 marks the parking lot by Angel’s Landing (Scouts Lookout via West Rim Trail). This one is much larger and easier to find spots.
When the shuttle is operational, it’s actually pretty easy to navigate. The shuttle goes out-and-back, and it’s easy to find which trail heads are closest to which shuttle stop on the map. For example, the Narrows can be found at shuttle stop 9 and Angel’s Landing trail head is found at shuttle stop 6.
Like we mentioned above, if parking around the Visitor’s Center is full, there is a Springdale shuttle that starts at 8am that runs through Springdale to the Visitor’s Center. There’s paid parking all through Springdale. If you get your gear from Zion Outfitters, there’s paid parking there, and it’s walking distance to the park entrance.
Entrance Times and Tickets
Zion National Park is open all year, thanks to Utah and the NPS. The visitor’s centers are open around 8am – 5pm every day. The cost to enter is $35 for a private vehicle, which is valid for 7 days. Or, you can purchase an annual America The Beautiful pass for $80 to enter into any National Park for the year.
Packing List for Hiking in Zion
Here’s what I recommend packing for a trip to Zion in winter. As an Amazon Associate, note that I get paid commission on links (they help support the blog to make sure it’s free for you!).
- Navigation Device: we prefer to download AllTrails maps to our cell phone
- Water! We bring a camelback.
- Backpack: a camelback to store water, layers, hats, gloves, and snacks. I personally love this smaller Osprey bag for shorter hikes.
- Layers depending on the season/weather: thermal long sleeve, light jacket, heavier jacket, thin long sleeve for layering, hiking pants with shorts underneath, etc
- Raincoat: love this one from Columbia (men’s option).
- First Aid kit just in case!
- Snacks, snacks, and more snacks!
- Toilet paper: you just never know.
- Plastic bag for trash.
- Hiking spikes for winter is a must!
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