🏜️ The 5 Best Hikes in Zion National Park (And What to Know Before You Go)
Zion National Park stops people in their tracks. Towering sandstone cliffs in shades of red, orange, and cream. The Virgin River cutting through a narrow canyon at the bottom of walls that rise nearly 2,000 feet straight up. Light that changes everything depending on the time of day.
It's one of the most visited national parks in the United States — and for good reason. But with so many trails on the map, figuring out which ones are actually worth your time is where most people get stuck.
Here are the 5 best hikes in Zion National Park, ranked honestly. 👇
🥾 1. Angels Landing
Distance: 5.4 miles round trip Difficulty: Strenuous Permit required: Yes (lottery system)
Let's start with the one everyone's heard of — because the reputation is completely deserved.
Angels Landing is one of the most iconic hikes in the United States. The trail climbs through Walter's Wiggles — a series of 21 tight switchbacks cut directly into the rock face — before reaching a narrow ridge where you pull yourself up the final stretch using chains bolted into the sandstone. The drop on either side is significant. This is not a hike for anyone uncomfortable with heights.
But if you can handle it, the summit view is extraordinary. You're standing on a fin of rock with the entire Zion Canyon spread out below you in every direction. There's nothing quite like it.
The permit system was introduced to manage crowds on the final chain section, so check the National Park Service lottery well in advance of your visit. Morning starts are strongly recommended both for cooler temperatures and better light.
Don't miss: Walter's Wiggles on the way up — they're an engineering feat as much as a trail feature.
🥾 2. The Narrows
Distance: Up to 9.4 miles one way (most do 3-4 miles) Difficulty: Moderate to strenuous Permit required: Only for overnight or top-down
The Narrows is unlike any other hike you'll do in Zion — or possibly anywhere. You're not hiking on a trail. You're hiking in the Virgin River itself, wading upstream through a canyon so narrow in places that the walls are only 20 to 30 feet apart and the sky above you is just a thin strip of blue.
The walls are extraordinary — layered, sculpted, and streaked with desert varnish in deep reds and blacks. The water is cold even in summer, so waterproof boots or rental canyoneering shoes from one of the outfitters in Springdale are genuinely worth it rather than just hiking in whatever you brought.
Most visitors do a bottom-up day hike, starting from the Temple of Sinawava shuttle stop and heading as far up the canyon as they feel like going before turning back. You don't need to do the full length to have a memorable experience — even two hours in the canyon is unforgettable.
Check before you go: Flash flood risk is real in slot canyons. The park service posts daily conditions and closes The Narrows when upstream weather makes it dangerous. Always check. 🌊
🥾 3. Emerald Pools Trail
Distance: 3 miles round trip (all three pools) Difficulty: Easy to moderate Permit required: No
If Angels Landing and The Narrows are Zion's showstoppers, Emerald Pools is its most accessible highlight — and it's genuinely beautiful in its own right.
The trail system connects three pools fed by waterfalls dropping off the canyon walls above. The Lower Pool is an easy paved walk suitable for almost anyone. The Middle and Upper Pools require a bit more effort but reward you with increasingly dramatic scenery — hanging gardens clinging to the cliff faces, reflections in still water, and views back across the canyon that are hard to beat.
This is the best option if you're traveling with mixed fitness levels, have limited time, or simply want something stunning without a full-day commitment.
Best time to visit: Spring, when snowmelt makes the waterfalls run at full force. 💧
🥾 4. Canyon Overlook Trail
Distance: 1 mile round trip Difficulty: Easy to moderate Permit required: No
Here's the one that surprises people. Canyon Overlook Trail is just one mile round trip — but it punches well above its weight in terms of the views it delivers.
The trailhead sits right at the east entrance tunnel, and the path winds along ledges and through ponderosa pines before opening up to a panoramic view of Pine Creek Canyon and the broader Zion landscape. You can see Towers of the Virgin, the West Temple, and the canyon spreading out toward the park entrance far below.
It takes about an hour. It requires no permit. And the payoff-to-effort ratio might be the best of any trail in the park.
This is the one to do when you arrive and want an immediate hit of Zion scenery without committing to a full day on the trail. 🌄
🥾 5. Watchman Trail
Distance: 3.3 miles round trip Difficulty: Moderate Permit required: No
Watchman Trail doesn't get the same attention as Angels Landing or The Narrows, but it's one of the most rewarding moderate hikes in Zion — particularly for the views it offers of the Watchman formation and the Virgin River Valley below.
The trail starts near the visitor center and climbs via a series of switchbacks to a mesa with sweeping views in multiple directions. Because it starts right at the main park entrance rather than requiring a shuttle, it's also one of the more logistically straightforward hikes in the park.
The best time to do Watchman Trail is late afternoon. The light hits the red canyon walls at a low angle and the whole landscape goes golden. Bring your camera and plan accordingly. 📸
🗺️ Zion Is Just One of Five
Here's the thing about Zion. As extraordinary as it is, it's just one stop on one of the greatest road trip routes in the American Southwest.
Utah's Mighty 5 — Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands, and Arches — are five of the most spectacular national parks in the country, all within driving distance of each other. Most people who visit Zion don't realize how close they are to four more parks that are just as breathtaking.
But doing the Mighty 5 properly takes planning. Which order to visit them in. Where to stay between parks. Which trails in each park are worth your limited time. How to avoid the worst of the crowds. How many days to budget for each stop.
That's exactly what the Utah Mighty 5 RoadBook is built for.
A complete, ready-to-use road trip itinerary covering all five parks — every day mapped, every must-do trail highlighted, and every logistical decision sorted before you leave home.
What's inside:
✅ A full day-by-day itinerary through all 5 Utah national parks
✅ The best hikes in Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands, and Arches — mapped and explained
✅ Google Maps links for every single route
✅ Hotel and accommodation recommendations for every budget
✅ Restaurant picks and practical tips at every stop
✅ Crowd-beating advice, permit guidance, and seasonal tips
✅ Instant digital download — on your phone before you even pack your hiking boots
Five parks. One road trip. Zero days wasted figuring out logistics. 🏜️