Zion National Park’s canyons, cliffs and slot canyons drew almost 5 million visits in 2025, making it the second most visited national park in the US. With crowds like that, and summer temperatures that regularly top 100°F, when you go makes a huge difference to your trip.
Our short answer: spring and autumn, roughly April to May and late September to early November, are the best times to visit for most people. But the right time depends on what you want to do, from hiking The Narrows to driving the canyon yourself. This guide breaks it down season by season and area by area. Before you go, see our things to know before visiting Zion too.
When’s the Best Time to Visit Zion National Park?: At A Glance
Zion’s weather varies a lot, both through the year and with elevation, and the difference between day and night can be 30°F or more. In Zion Canyon, average highs range from around 52°F (11°C) in December to 100°F (38°C) in July, with lows below freezing in midwinter.
| Season | Average high (Zion Canyon) | What to expect |
| Spring (March to May) | 66°F to 84°F (19°C to 29°C) | Wildflowers, waterfalls, busy from late March; The Narrows often closed by snowmelt |
| Summer (June to September) | 91°F to 100°F (33°C to 38°C) | Hot, busy, The Narrows open; flash flood risk peaks in July and August |
| Autumn (October to November) | 64°F to 78°F (18°C to 26°C) | Great hiking weather and autumn colour; October is still busy |
| Winter (December to February) | 52°F to 58°F (11°C to 14°C) | Quietest season; drive the canyon yourself; icy trails and cold nights |
If you ask us, spring and autumn are the sweet spot: comfortable hiking temperatures, the shuttle running and scenery at its best. Just don’t expect them to be empty. For the fewest crowds, go in winter.
The Best Time to Visit Zion National Park
What is the Best Month to Travel to Zion National Park?
The best month to visit Zion National Park depends on which part of the park you’re planning to explore. The park ranges from 3,666 feet to 8,726 feet above sea level, so conditions in the high country can be very different from the canyon floor.
Here’s our pick for each area, based on the weather, access and the things to do in Zion.
Best Month to Visit the Main Canyon
Zion Canyon is the park’s most popular area, home to Angels Landing, the Emerald Pools, Weeping Rock (reopened in 2025) and the Visitor Center.
For warm but not scorching weather, April and late September to October are the best months, with average highs in the 70s and 80s°F. They aren’t quiet, though: May and October are among the busiest months of the year. For fewer people, go in November or early March, when it’s cooler but still good for hiking.
Best Month to Visit the Upper East Canyon
We’ll make a bold statement: Zion’s east side has the best scenic drive in the park. The Zion-Mount Carmel Highway (Route 9) climbs through the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel into a world of swirling slickrock, past Checkerboard Mesa, with bighorn sheep often seen on the rocks.
Because you mostly explore it by car, with a few short walks like Canyon Overlook, you can visit the east side all year. Spring and autumn are the most pleasant, and winter brings a dusting of snow on the slickrock. Since June 2026, vehicles over 35 feet 9 inches long, 7 feet 10 inches wide or 11 feet 4 inches high have been banned from the highway, and a rockfall closed it from 30 September to 9 October 2026, so check conditions before you go.
Best Month to Visit The Narrows
Late June to September is usually the best time to hike The Narrows, one of Zion’s best hikes, where you wade up the Virgin River between canyon walls more than 1,000 feet high. The water is at its warmest, and spring snowmelt has usually passed.
The park closes The Narrows whenever the river flows above 150 cubic feet per second, which often happens from March to early June during the snowmelt, and during flash flood warnings. Most of the hike is ankle- to knee-deep, sometimes deeper, so you don’t need to be a strong swimmer, but you do need to check the flow and forecast on the day.
Best Month to Visit Kolob Terrace
Kolob Terrace is home to The Subway, a strikingly tunnel-shaped slot canyon with pools of green water, as well as quiet trails, the small Lava Point campground and one of the highest viewpoints in the park.
Because of its height, the Kolob Terrace Road usually closes for several months from autumn to spring because of snow, and Lava Point is closed in winter. Late spring to autumn is the time to go; the summer months offer welcome relief from the heat in the canyon below.
Best Month to Visit the Kolob Canyons
The Kolob Canyons are Zion’s quietest corner, about 40 miles north of Zion Canyon at Exit 40 on Interstate 15, with their own visitor center. A 5-mile scenic drive leads past deep red finger canyons of Navajo Sandstone.
Being higher than Zion Canyon, the Kolob Canyons are cooler, with more trees. Spring to autumn is the best time to visit, as the road closes frequently in winter. In October 2026 the road was reported closed beyond the South Fork Trailhead after a rockfall, so check current conditions.
Best Month to Visit the Southwest Desert
The low-lying Southwest Desert, south of the main canyon near Rockville, is Zion’s hottest and driest area and its least visited. It deserves a place in a longer Zion itinerary.
Its low elevation makes summer far too hot for long hikes, so go from autumn to spring, roughly October to April. Trails like the Chinle Trail offer real solitude, but avoid them after rain, when they get very muddy.
When’s High Season in Zion National Park?
Zion’s high season runs from spring to autumn. According to the park’s visitation figures, about two thirds of visits fall between April and September, and March to October accounts for more than 80%. In 2025, May was the busiest month, just ahead of June, and October was busier than August or September.
Summer is also the hottest time, with average highs of 95°F to 100°F (35°C to 38°C) from June to August. If you visit then, hike early, drink plenty of water and use high-factor sun cream to avoid heatstroke and dehydration.
The Cheapest Time to Visit Zion National Park
If you’re looking to save money and avoid crowds, winter, from December to February, is the time to go. Only around a tenth of the year’s visitors come in these three months, so you’ll often find lower rates at hotels in and near Zion outside the holiday period.
Just be ready for cold nights, icy trails in the shade and some restaurants and facilities closing or cutting their hours. See our guide to visiting Zion in winter for more.
To See Zion’s Wildlife
Spring is a great time for spotting wildlife in Zion. Bighorn sheep lambs can be seen from mid-January to the end of April, mostly on the east side between the tunnel and the East Entrance, and mule deer fawns are born in late May or early June. Lizards and other reptiles become active as the weather warms up.
Winter is also good for wildlife, thanks to the quieter trails, and in summer animals are most active in the cooler early mornings and evenings. Keep an eye out, too, for California condors soaring around Angels Landing.
To See The Narrows
Summer is the best time to hike The Narrows, but there are drawbacks. As one of the best Zion National Park hikes, it gets very crowded, so take the first shuttle of the day to the Temple of Sinawava.
Mid-to-late summer is also monsoon season, with thunderstorms peaking in July and August. Storms miles away can send a flash flood down the canyon, so always check the forecast and obey closures. Autumn can be a good compromise: fewer people and a lower flash flood risk, though the water is colder, so many hikers rent dry gear in Springdale from October onwards.
To See The Best Hiking Views
You can hike in Zion all year round (and we think you should), but spring and autumn bring the most comfortable temperatures.
For us, autumn just edges it. The summer heat has gone, the monsoon storms have usually passed, most trails are open, and the cottonwoods along the Virgin River turn gold, usually from late October into November.
To See The Best Sights of Zion
Zion is one of the best Utah national parks, and it’s easy to see why: red cliffs, slot canyons, emerald pools and scenic drives, all in one place.
For a front-row seat to the best of it, spring and autumn are the best times to visit. Desert wildflowers are at their best in early to mid-April, and the waterfalls run strongest with the snowmelt. In autumn, golden cottonwoods glow against the red canyon walls.
But allow us to play devil’s advocate: winter has its advantages too. When the shuttle isn’t running, roughly from late November to early March apart from the holidays, you can drive the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive in your own car and plan your day exactly as you like.
Zion National Park by Season
Spring in Zion National Park
March – May
Spring is one of the best times to visit Zion National Park. Average highs climb from around 66°F (19°C) in March to 84°F (29°C) in May, wildflowers bloom and the waterfalls are at their fullest. Crowds build quickly from late March, and the shuttle season starts in early March.
Key Events and Things to Do in Zion National Park in Spring
- Wildflowers: desert wildflowers are at their most colourful in early to mid-April.
- Waterfalls & Emerald Pools: thanks to snowmelt and spring rain, Zion’s waterfalls and pools are at their most impressive.
- Wildlife Sightings: look for bighorn lambs on the east side until the end of April, and reptiles coming out to bask.
- Tulip Festival: if you’re flying into Salt Lake City in April or early May, Thanksgiving Point’s Tulip Festival in Lehi, about four and a half hours north of Zion, is a colourful stop on the way (it ran from 6 April to 16 May in 2026).
Pros to Traveling to Zion National Park in Spring
- Excellent daytime temperatures for hiking
- The shuttle, visitor centers and campgrounds are open
- Wildflowers and full waterfalls
- Excellent time for nature photography
Cons to Traveling to Zion National Park in Spring
- Snowmelt often closes The Narrows from March to early June
- Crowds build from spring break onwards, and May is one of the busiest months
- You need to use the shuttle to get around Zion Canyon
- Nights can still be cold for camping in March and April
Summer in Zion National Park
June – September
Summer is hot and busy in Zion. Average highs reach 95°F (35°C) in June and 100°F (38°C) in July, but long days, warm nights and an open Narrows make it a popular time for families.
Key Events and Things to Do in Zion National Park in Summer
- Ranger Programs: most of the park’s ranger-led programs take place in summer. Rangers staff the air-conditioned Zion Nature Center, by South Campground, in the afternoons, and kids aged 4 and up can earn a Junior Ranger badge.
- The Narrows Hike: once the snowmelt has passed, usually by late June, the river is at its calmest and warmest, the perfect time to explore one of the park’s most spectacular hikes.
- Zion Canyon Scenic Drive: see the canyon’s best sights from the shuttle, with buses running from 7am until as late as 7pm in high summer.
Pros to Traveling to Zion National Park in Summer
- Warm nights, ideal for camping and stargazing
- Long daylight hours to fit everything in
- All park services and facilities are open
- The free shuttle means no traffic or parking in the canyon
Cons to Traveling to Zion National Park in Summer
- The park is crowded
- Accommodation prices are at their highest
- Midday temperatures often reach 100°F (38°C) or more
- Monsoon thunderstorms, peaking in July and August, bring a real risk of flash floods
Autumn / Fall in Zion National Park
October – November
Autumn is one of the best times to visit Zion National Park. Average highs drop from around 78°F (26°C) in October to 64°F (18°C) in November, perfect for hiking, and the canyon’s cottonwoods turn gold. October is still one of the busiest months, but November is much quieter.
Key Events and Things to Do in Zion National Park in Autumn
- Southwest Desert: cooler weather makes autumn a great time to explore Zion’s lesser-visited low country.
- Autumn Photography: bring your camera for golden cottonwoods against the red canyon walls.
Pros to Traveling to Zion National Park in Autumn
- The Narrows is usually open, with fewer people than in summer
- Comfortable hiking temperatures
- Vibrant autumn colours against the red canyon walls
- The shuttle runs until late November
Cons to Traveling to Zion National Park in Autumn
- Nights and early mornings get chilly, especially in November
- October is still very busy
- Early snow can close high-elevation roads and trails, such as the Kolob Terrace Road
- The water in The Narrows gets cold, so you may need to rent dry gear
Winter in Zion National Park
December – February
Winters in Zion Canyon are mild by day, with average highs of 52°F to 58°F (11°C to 14°C), but nights usually drop to around freezing. It’s the quietest time of the year, and often the cheapest. Snow on the canyon floor usually melts within hours, but it builds up on the high plateaus.
Key Events and Things to Do in Zion National Park in Winter
- Snow Activities: after a good snowfall, the higher ground on the east side can be good for snowshoeing.
- Self-Drive: when the shuttle isn’t running, roughly late November to early March apart from a holiday service from 26 December to 2 January, you can drive the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive in your own car.
Pros to Traveling to Zion National Park in Winter
- Far fewer people, so you can enjoy trails in relative solitude
- Wildlife is easier to spot at lower elevations
- Hotel rates are often lower
- You can drive yourself into Zion Canyon for much of the season
Cons to Traveling to Zion National Park in Winter
- Below-freezing nights
- Short days, and some facilities and restaurants close or cut their hours
- Shady trails, including parts of Angels Landing, can be icy, so you’ll need traction devices for your boots
- The Narrows is very cold, and you’ll likely need a dry suit; high-elevation roads like the Kolob Terrace Road close for snow
When to Travel to Zion National Park: Practical Tips + Tricks
- Utah’s national parks are relatively close together, and the best times to visit Zion and Bryce Canyon are similar. Bryce is much higher, though, so it’s colder and can be snowy well into spring.
- From spring to autumn, book your accommodation months in advance for the best choice and prices.
- Springdale, Utah, is right outside the South Entrance, and the most convenient place to stay if you can’t get a room at Zion Lodge inside the park.
- Whenever you go, budget for the $35 vehicle entry fee. From 1 January 2026, non-US residents aged 16 and over also pay $100 per person, unless they hold an annual pass.
