One Day in Zion National Park (with Easy Hikes for Beginners)

For those planning a trip through Utah, a stop in Zion National Park should definitely be on your itinerary. If you only have one day in Zion, you must do these 3 easy hikes to see three unique parts of Zion National Park.

Zion is so much more than The Narrows and Angels Landing, two of the most famous and challenging hikes in Zion. If you’re not an advanced hiker, don’t worry, there are some amazing yet easy hikes to do that will leave you in awe.

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About Zion National Park

It’s one of the most visited U.S. national parks. Zion National Park consistently ranks in the top 10 most visited U.S. national parks, and it was even top 3 in 2022 and 2023.

It’s beautiful. Canyon walls surround you inside Zion National Park, a different experience from the Grand Canyon where you look down from the top. There are beautiful trees and rocks all around you. Zion is a gorgeous place and definitely worth at least one visit in your lifetime.

Help protect the beauty of Zion National Park by taking the Zion Pledge.

Yellow fall trees next to canyon at Riverside Walk in Zion National Park — Riverside Walk

How Many Days to Stay in Zion?

Though this itinerary is for one day’s worth of activities, you’ll need two nights at Zion so that you can take full advantage of that single day.

Essentially, you’ll need three days:

First day to arrive and settle in
Second day to explore
Third day to head home

One Day in Zion: 3 Easy Hikes to Do at Zion National Park

What I love about easy hikes is that they’re usually short, so you can fit several into your one day in Zion. We were able to do three easy hikes in three different areas of Zion, allowing us to experience more of what Zion has to offer.

I’m not an advanced hiker but I still managed to really enjoy Zion’s beauty even though we didn’t do the two most famous hikes — Angels Landing and the Narrows. Of course, I would like to try these hikes one day if I can ever prepare for them. It’s on my bucket list when I return to Zion.

These three easy hikes below are incredibly beautiful and well worth doing while in Zion National Park.

1. Riverside Walk

Length: 2 miles RT
Elevation gain: 57 feet (flat)
Difficulty: Easy
Trailhead: At the Temple of Sinawava shuttle stop #9

The Riverside Walk trail is also the start of the trail for The Narrows. It goes for a mile on flat ground, and then you turn back once the trail merges with the river.

There are some beautiful canyons and trees that you’ll pass by on the trail, and it does go alongside the Virgin River (though you won’t have to walk through it).

In autumn, many of the trees’ leaves turn yellow and it is a very beautiful sight.

Author near yellow fall tree at Riverside Walk in Zion National Park — Riverside Walk

Author's mom near yellow fall tree at Riverside Walk in Zion National Park — Riverside Walk

2. Emerald Pools

Length: 2.5 miles RT to all three pools (lower, middle, and upper pools)
Elevation Gain: 350 feet
Difficulty: Easy to moderate (depending on how many pools you hike to)
Trailhead: At either shuttle stops #4 or #6 (#6 is recommend) — see note below

Note: Though this trail is usually accessed via the Zion Lodge shuttle stop #5, note that the bridge to the trailhead is currently closed. You can access the trail via shuttle stops #4 (Court of the Patriarchs) or #6 (The Grotto).

The Emerald Pools Trail is an incredible hike. We originally planned to just visit the lower pools but decided to keep going because we were enjoying the trail so much.

You’d normally start at the Lower Emerald Pool Trailhead, which is right across the bridge from Zion Lodge, but as mentioned, this bridge is currently closed. Instead, you can start at shuttle stop #6 (The Grotto), which won’t add much more time to your hike as you’ll be reaching the lower pool via a back way.

There are connecting trails to reach the middle and upper pools.

You’ll pass behind waterfalls, see pools of water, climb stone/dirt steps, and walk among gorgeous trees.

In autumn, the trees’ leaves are red and yellow, just gorgeous.

Highly, highly recommend this trail!

One of the Emerald Pools in Zion National Park — Emerald Pools

author's mom on the Emerald Pools trail in Zion National Park — Emerald Pools

Fall trees on the Emerald Pools trail in Zion National Park — Emerald Pools

3. Canyon Overlook

Length: 1 mile RT
Elevation Gain: 163 feet
Difficulty: Moderate
Trailhead: Off of Zion Park Blvd. (UT-9), just after exiting the Zion Mt. Carmel Tunnel’s east entrance, about a 15-minute drive from Zion Lodge

Canyon Overlook is a really interesting trail with a lot of fun obstacles — crossing bridges, walking under canyons and along cliff sides.

At the end, you’ll reach the overlook with amazing views of Zion below.

It’s only a mile-long, fairly flat hike, but it’s rated as moderate because of all the obstacles. My grandma did this hike with us and struggled a bit.

How to park near this trail: No shuttles go to this trailhead and parking is very limited. Try to get here as early in the morning as possible if you decide to do this trail. We ended up parking on the side of the road a ways back from the trailhead (there is room on some parts of the road to do this). The parking headache is worth it.

author on the Canyon Overlook trail in Zion National Park — Canyon Overlook

author's mom and grandma on the Canyon Overlook trail in Zion National Park — Canyon Overlook

Getting Around and Using the Shuttles

During shuttle season (roughly May to the end of November), cars are forbidden on Zion Canyon Scenic Drive. You’ll have to park at one of the designated parking lots and use the shuttles to get around.

Shuttles are free, and reservations are not required.

Cars can drive up the UT-9 (for example, to access Canyon Overlook).

Zion Lodge guests are allowed to drive into the lodge’s parking lot on Zion Canyon Scenic Drive but can’t go past that. Guests are given a gate access code to do this.

Definitely arrive early during shuttle season as parking lots can fill up.

See the NPS website for more information on the shuttles.

shuttle bus on the road near canyons in Zion National Park — Shuttle bus at Zion National Park

Before You Go: Check Current Conditions

Always check current conditions at Zion National Park before setting out, especially if rain is on the horizon. Flash floods are known to sweep through the park, and you don’t want to get caught in that. You’ll also need to stay in the know of any trail or road closures, so check the NPS site often before your trip.

Entry Fees

It costs $35 per vehicle to enter Zion National Park, and your entry is valid for one week.

If you plan to visit more than three national parks in a year, definitely get an America the Beautiful pass to save money.

When to Visit Zion National Park

Summer: Summer is the most popular time to visit Zion, although it gets pretty hot with July temperatures reaching 100 ℉ on average.

Autumn: Visitation drops in November, which is the month we visited, so it was a nice little break from the crowds. But the temperatures are colder, in the 60s on average, which may be too cold to do hikes through water such as The Narrows. Still, I’d like to make a case for visiting in autumn as the fall colors are spectacular.

Deers grazing near a canyon at Zion Lodge in Zion National Park — Deer in Zion Lodge (View from Back Porch)

Where to Stay Near Zion National Park

Reasons to Stay at Zion Lodge

I highly recommend staying at Zion Lodge, the only in-park lodging at Zion National Park. It gets booked far in advance, so try to book as soon as possible.

You’ll be staying in the park. Zion Lodge is right there in the middle of the beautiful canyons, among deer and wildlife.

You’ll see LOTS of deer. At night, dozens of deer come up on the hotel’s front lawn to graze. And we even spotted a deer (as well as rock climbers) from our room’s porch, which looked out to the canyon.

You’ll have a prime parking spot. Only guests of Zion Lodge are allowed to drive on Zion Canyon Scenic Drive up to the lodge, when shuttles are operating from May-November, so you’ll be given an access code to enter the gate.

You can dine in the lodge’s restaurants. The restaurants at the lodge (Red Rock Grill and Castle Dome Cafe) are great. We stayed during the pandemic so it was take-out only, but we found an empty table in front of a flickering fireplace in one of the lobbies. It’s a fond memory eating dinner there with the rest of my family.

I can’t say how much we loved our stay at Zion Lodge.

author's mom and grandma on their porch at Zion Lodge in Zion National Park — Zion Lodge (Back Porch)

Stay in Springdale, UT

If you’re unable to book a room in Zion Lodge, your next best option is to book a hotel in Springdale, UT.

Here are some of the best-rated hotels in Springdale:

Explore Springdale, UT

Springdale, UT is a beautiful little town just outside Zion National Park. There are several great restaurants, coffee shops, and souvenir stores to check out.

Here are some restaurants we tried and would recommend:

Deep Creek Coffee Company
Cafe Soleil — cute ambience, great breakfast, and vegetarian options
Oscar’s Cafe

Map of Activities in Zion National Park

Frequently Asked Questions about Zion National Park

What not to miss at Zion National Park?

Don’t miss the Emerald Pools, the Riverside Walk, and the Canyon Overlook.

Can we do Zion National Park in one day?

It really depends on what time you’re able to arrive and how late you can stay. You can definitely do Zion in one full day. But you have to take into consideration how far you are driving to reach Zion and where you plan to stay the night afterward.

Is it worth going to Zion National Park?

Yes, it’s definitely worth visiting Zion National Park. It’s such a beautiful place!

Is Zion National Park open 24 hours?

Yes, Zion is open 24 hours, every day of the year.

Why is Zion National Park so popular?

Zion has gained a lot of popularity in recent years.

In 2023, over 4.6 million people visited Zion National Park, a truly staggering number.

I guess word has gotten out about how beautiful this national park truly is.

What is special about Zion National Park?

Zion has some of the tallest sandstone cliffs in the world as well as famous hiking trails that draw in the crowds.

It was designated a national park in 1919, but its history goes back much further as indigenous people once inhabited Zion thousands of years ago.

There is so much to learn and say about Zion. I’d recommend seeing it for yourself to truly understand how special it is.

What is the best month to visit Zion National Park?

I am partial to the month I visited — November — because the fall foliage was truly stunning and there were little crowds. I haven’t visited in any other month, so take my opinion with a grain of salt.

Does Zion National Park require reservations?

No, reservations are not required to enter Zion National Park. You do, however, need to pay a fee upon entering.

Does Zion National Park have waterfalls?

There are some waterfalls on the trail to Emerald Pools, but they will be fuller in the spring and just a trickle later in the year. There are also waterfalls in the Narrows and at Archangel Falls near the Subway.