5 Simple Steps To Plan Your Trip To Zion National Park

July 10, 2019
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If you have never been to Zion National Park, you may have a lot of questions about how to spend your time and what you should see. Visiting one of the most visited US National Parks is an incredible experience. To help you make the most of your visit, we’ve created five steps to help guide you to an amazing visit.

Step One: Decide how you want to spend your time

What you want to do at Zion will be an important factor in when you want to visit, where you will want to stay, what type of gear you will need to pack, and the type of transportation you will be using. 

While there are plenty of hikes for you to enjoy, such as The Narrows, Angels Landing, and the Emerald Pools, there are several other hikes that are lesser known, but provide spectacular views. Consider Observation Point or Cable Mountain hikes as options for your visit.

If you hope to go canyoneering, you will need to book permits, guides, buy or rent gear, and so on. Zion Ponderosa offers guided canyoneering tours, but it’s one of the most popular activities and can fill up quickly. 

For those who are planning their first visit to Zion and are still unsure what they want to do, no worries. There are plenty of activities there that do not require advanced reservations.

Step Two: Find lodging

lodging in zion national park

Lodging can be difficult to find last minute, especially during the busy season. Zion Ponderosa has plenty of options for lodging in Zion National Park. Vacation homes and cabins to glamping or campsites, you can find lodging that fits your needs.

Step Three: Pack your gear

Especially if you are planning on participating in high adventure activities, it is extremely important to bring the proper gear. And even if you are simply exploring popular day hikes, forgetting proper hiking gear can leave you with blisters that may cut your visit short. 

Also, consider the weather during your visit to Zion National Park. Each season brings its own set of challenges when it comes to the weather. With the proper apparel, you can be sure to have a good time and not be caught in unexpected weather.

Step Four: Food

man eating food while camping

While many people like to bring their own food to prepare over the campfire, others like to visit restaurants or other options to enjoy someone else’s cooking. 

Zion Ponderosa has plenty of options with Ray’s Restaurant available for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You can even order meals to-go. During the summer months, a Dutch Oven dinner and a wagon ride is the perfect way to end the day, especially with kids. 

Be sure to pack plenty of water and food on your daily excursions. While the Virgin River keeps Zion relatively green, Southern Utah is a desert. Daytime temperatures can rise rapidly, and being prepared with plenty of water is important.

Step Five: Plan transportation

Some popular areas of Zion National Park require you to take the complimentary shuttle service. These shuttles operate throughout the day, but it is important to plan your activities around the schedule

The shuttle only operates within the park. Getting in and out of Zion, as well as visiting other sites and locations in the area, will require other forms of transportation. Be sure to do some research into taking your own transportation, renting a car, or joining a tour company.

As you prepare your visit to Zion National Park, make sure that you remember that you will not want to pack everything into one day. There is so much to see in Zion National Park that you can keep returning and visiting again and again.


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