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Can you go to Zion National Park in winter? Yes, you possibly can!
This gorgeous Utah park stays open year-round, and there are a number of benefits to visiting within the colder months. Most importantly, there are far fewer individuals round.
We completely liked our journey to Zion in February. We had been blown away by the unimaginable surroundings—hovering pink rock cliffs, lush hanging gardens, slim canyons, and expansive vistas.
We hiked by means of a river, acquired up near frozen waterfalls, and admired Zion Canyon from each angle—squeezing by means of its narrowest sections and admiring it from 1000 ft above.
In this put up, we share our high ideas for visiting Zion in winter together with what to put on, the perfect winter hikes, and why that is the perfect time of 12 months to go to.
At the tip, you’ll discover a map with all of the locations talked about.
Contents
Why Visit Zion in Winter?
Lower Crowds
Zion National Park has turn out to be more and more widespread in recent times. In 2021, it exceeded 5 million annual guests for the primary time (up from 2.8 million a decade earlier than).
Overcrowding has turn out to be a major problem with lengthy waits for shuttles and busy trails.
By visiting Zion National Park in February, we didn’t have any of those issues, although.
70% of Zion guests arrive within the busiest six months (April to September). June to August is very crowded with round 500,000 guests per thirty days.
In distinction, January is the quietest month with 91,000 guests. February is the second quietest month adopted by December. By March, customer numbers are greater than triple these of January.
If you need to take pleasure in quiet trails and have the fantastic thing about Zion to your self, it’s clear that winter is the perfect time to go to. Just keep away from Christmas/New Year week.
No Mandatory Shuttle
For many of the 12 months, you have to take Zion’s free shuttle bus to entry Zion Canyon (the principle a part of the park). This is smart to scale back visitors and keep away from crowded parking heaps.
But, it’s inconvenient. You’ll spend extra time attending to your vacation spot—the drive from Zion Canyon Visitor Center to the final cease, Temple of Sinawava takes 45 minutes on the shuttle vs 20 minutes driving your self.
Plus, queues for the shuttles could be lengthy, and also you’ll be restricted by the bus schedule.
Winter is the one time you possibly can drive the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive your self. If you need to keep away from the necessary shuttle, go to in December (aside from the vacation week on the finish of the month), January, or early February.
From mid-February, shuttles often begin working at weekends after which each day from March.
Lower Accommodation Prices
Zion lodging will get very costly in summer season, and chances are you’ll be pressured to remain farther from the park, making it more durable to get early begins (and keep away from the crowds).
Zion Lodge is the one place to remain contained in the park. It’s extra inexpensive in winter and far simpler to search out availability. Rooms begin from $220 an evening (together with tax) in winter and rise to $272 in summer season.
But that’s when you may even get a room. June was already solely booked after I seemed in January. In the winter months, you possibly can ebook final minute.
Springdale is one other nice location for visiting Zion. This small city is true subsequent to the park entrance and has an array of eating places and out of doors gear shops.
We stayed at Cable Mountain Lodge in Springdale. The location was excellent, proper subsequent to the park entrance and we had been in a position to stroll to a few of the trails.
All rooms have kitchenettes, so that they’re nice for self-catering, and a few have separate bedrooms. There’s additionally a pool, scorching tub, river seashore, and beautiful Watchman mountain views. We liked it.
But costs fluctuate broadly for Cable Mountain Lodge. A King Studio is $183 an evening (together with tax) in winter and doubles at $367 from April to October. Check the newest costs at Cable Mountain Lodge right here.
Easier to Get Angels Landing Permit
Angels Landing is Zion’s most infamous path. The unimaginable views excessive above Zion Canyon draw the crowds, however getting there entails scrambling on a slim rocky ridge with steep drop-offs.
We didn’t do it because it seemed terrifying, however if you wish to courageous it, you’ll must plan upfront.
Zion launched an Angels Landing allow system in 2022 to scale back crowding. To get a allow, it’s a must to enter a lottery a number of months earlier than your go to.
For instance, for a go to from December to February, the seasonal lottery is open from 1 October to twenty October, with permits issued on 25 October.
You also can enter a day-before lottery.
You’ll have a a lot better probability of successful the allow lottery throughout winter in Zion National Park when fewer individuals are getting into.
See Bryce Canyon in Snow
Zion Canyon solely sees snow a number of occasions a 12 months, and it doesn’t often final lengthy.
We did see some snow at increased elevations in Zion, however for extra of a winter wonderland, I like to recommend taking a day journey to Bryce Canyon National Park (1 hour 45 minutes from Springdale).
Bryce is at 2000 ft increased elevation than Zion and infrequently sees snow in winter.
On our mid-February go to, Bryce hadn’t had snow in weeks, however there was nonetheless sufficient round to make the magical hoodoos (rock spirals) much more scenic than typical.
For extra locations to go to within the space, see our Southwest street journey itinerary.
Zion Winter Weather: How Cold Is It?
Southern Utah has pretty gentle winter climate.
December and January are the coldest months with afternoon highs of round 50ºF to 60ºF (10ºC to 15ºC), whereas night time temperatures can drop beneath freezing (on common 23ºF or -5ºC).
It can fluctuate, although. As I write this in January, Zion goes by means of a chilly snap with temperatures starting from 16ºF ( -9ºC) to a most of simply 36ºF (2ºC).
February is often hotter, particularly by the tip of the month. When we visited in mid-February, the climate was surprisingly gentle.
While it did get near freezing on some mornings, it often warmed up rapidly with afternoon temperatures reaching 57ºF (14ºC) and even 72ºF (22ºC) on a number of days. We had not anticipated to be sitting outdoors within the solar in t-shirts.
Although the winter months are the wettest, Zion’s precipitation ranges are nonetheless pretty low. Be ready for rain, however we didn’t have any throughout our week within the park.
As Zion’s winter temperatures are by no means too excessive, climbing within the park is ok with the best garments.
Tips for a Zion Winter Trip
Consider An America the Beautiful Pass
Entrance to Zion National Park prices $35 per car and is legitimate for seven days.
If you’re prone to go to two different nationwide parks (together with close by Bryce) within the subsequent 12 months, it’s value getting the America the Beautiful annual nationwide parks go for $80. You solely want one per household/car.
You should purchase the go from Zion’s entrance gate or to avoid wasting time, purchase it upfront from REI.
Some Roads May Close
Driving by means of Zion Canyon shouldn’t be an issue in winter. Even if it does snow (not often), roads are ploughed rapidly afterwards.
The solely street that at all times closes in winter is Lava Point Road, which is often solely accessible from May to September attributable to its increased elevation.
It’s situated within the quieter Kolob Terrace space of the park, an excellent place to search out solitude. Kolob Terrace Road and Kolob Canyons Scenic Drive are often open in winter, however there could also be ice. Check the situations earlier than you drive up there.
Trails Can be Icy
Some Zion climbing trails could be icy in winter, particularly at increased elevations or in shady areas.
Occasionally, some (reminiscent of Lower Emerald Falls) shut as a result of hazard of falling ice, so test the Zion NP web site or with rangers earlier than you head out.
We discovered the AllTrails app actually helpful for current hike experiences to see what the present situations are.
We additionally downloaded an offline map of each path we did and by no means acquired misplaced. You want an AllTrails+ subscription for this, but it surely’s nicely value it if you’re an everyday hiker.
As it was pretty gentle after we visited, we didn’t have any points with ice. There had been patches round, but it surely was simple to keep away from them. Just a few weeks earlier many trails had been icy, although.
If you’re a eager hiker, I like to recommend packing Kahtoola Microspikes in case of ice. You put these on over your climbing sneakers for glorious traction. We used them on our hike in Bryce Canyon.
Hiking poles are additionally a good suggestion in slippery situations. I used these cheap TrailBuddy collapsible poles.
Days Are Shorter
At Zion National Park in January, the solar rises round 7.45am and units round 5.30pm. By mid-February, this extends to 7.20am and 6pm.
As the times are shorter than in the summertime, you’ll have much less time on your hikes, so it’s a good suggestion to get an early begin. Hiking trails are quieter when you begin round dawn too.
I additionally discovered that gentle was restricted. We favored to start out early to keep away from the crowds, however Zion Canyon is in shade for the primary few hours of daylight. The gentle is a lot better for pictures within the late afternoon, however trails are busier.
Parking Can Fill Up
The draw back of the shuttle not working in winter is that it’s a must to take care of probably busy parking heaps.
Parking is proscribed in any respect the trailheads, particularly The Grotto (for Angels Landing) and Temple of Sinawava (for The Narrows).
If the parking fills up, they’ll cease letting automobiles drive into the park, so your solely possibility shall be to cycle in (e-bikes are really useful).
When we had been there the weekend earlier than President’s Day weekend, they stopped letting automobiles into Zion round noon.
This was the primary time in two months the park had been that busy, although, and was doubtless as a result of milder climate and proximity to a vacation. This shouldn’t be an issue in January or on weekdays.
It’s another excuse why getting an early begin at Zion is so vital. I like to recommend arriving at The Grotto earlier than 7.30am and Temple of Sinawava or Zion Lodge (for Emerald Pools) by 9am.
Water Stations Close
There are water bottle refill stations at many of the parking heaps, however these shut in winter. If you want a refill, there’s one in Zion Lodge (subsequent to the restrooms within the foyer).
Some Campgrounds Close
South Campground and Lava Point Campground shut within the winter.
Watchman Campground, subsequent to the South Entrance, is open year-round. We didn’t see many tents in winter, however there have been some RVs.
What to Wear to Visit Zion National Park in Winter
As the climate is so variable with chilly mornings and infrequently gentle afternoons, layers are your finest guess.
My typical outfit for climbing in Zion was:
Simon often wore:
He additionally had a Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer down jacket, however solely wanted the additional layer for Bryce.
We each had light-weight, packable rain jackets however didn’t want them.
See my information to climbing The Narrows in winter for what we wore on this chilly river hike.
When we visited Bryce Canyon, which is far colder, we each wore 4 higher layers, and I wore two pairs of leggings.
Best Zion Winter Hikes
We discovered Zion National Park in winter very best for climbing. Yes, the mornings had been chilly, however we quickly warmed up on the path.
We by no means acquired too scorching, as we might have in summer season, and we had been in a position to comfortably hike within the afternoon (when it turned t-shirt climate).
Here are the Zion hikes that we liked.
The Narrows Bottom Up
Distance: 6 – 10 miles return (flip round everytime you need)
Time: 4 – 7 hours
The Narrows was our favorite Zion hike and one in every of our high journey experiences ever.
You stroll within the Virgin River by means of the narrowest part of Zion Canyon beneath towering pink rock partitions.
You are assured to get moist (no less than to waist top in components) and sure, the water could be very chilly, however the Narrows is likely one of the finest issues to do in Zion in winter.
The proper gear is crucial within the colder months (we rented dry fits), however you’ll keep away from the overwhelming summer season crowds and luxuriate in this beautiful place in peace. We additionally liked seeing the frozen waterfalls.
Read my information to climbing The Narrows in winter for every little thing you want to know.
West Rim Trail (Angels Landing Alternative)
Distance: 3.6 miles+ (5.8km) return
Time: 2 hours+
The Narrows and Angels Landing are the most well-liked hikes in Zion. So a lot so that you just now must enter a lottery to hike Angels Landing.
Even when you handle to get a spot, Angels Landing isn’t for everybody. The ultimate part entails scrambling on a slim ridge 1400 ft above the canyon ground with steep drop-offs. There is not any room for error right here!
It’s positively not appropriate for younger kids or anybody frightened of heights or unsteady on their ft.
Hiking Angels Landing in winter is even scarier as there’s typically ice on the path.
It seemed too terrifying for us, so we skipped it.
The excellent news is that you would be able to nonetheless expertise a lot of the path and not using a allow. The hike begins from The Grotto and follows the West Rim Trail to Scout Lookout.
It’s a steep climb up on a principally paved path with stunning views again all the way down to the canyon. As you get increased, the chance of ice will increase, particularly at Walters Wiggles, a collection of quick, steep switchbacks.
For a lot of the winter, you’ll want traction units like Microspikes to rise up right here safely. Check the AllTrails web page for the newest situations.
On our go to, we noticed huge chunks of ice, but it surely had melted sufficient to stroll round.
Even with out ice, correct climbing sneakers quite than sneakers are vital because it’s steep and slippery in components.
At Scout Lookout, you possibly can proceed up the slim backbone to Angels Landing (with a allow) or watch individuals make their manner up.
While you would flip again right here and it’d be a worthwhile hike, I extremely advocate persevering with up the West Rim Trail. It goes on for miles so go so far as you’d like.
It’s very peaceable up right here, and after about 10-Quarter-hour, you’ll get an excellent view of tiny individuals on the impossibly slim ridge of Angels Landing.
We walked a couple of mile previous Scout Lookout earlier than turning again (for a complete hike of two hours 40 minutes). We wished we’d introduced lunch for an extended hike because it’s beautiful and feels distant from every little thing.
Keep in thoughts it’ll be snowier up right here so traction units could also be useful.
Parking at The Grotto fills up rapidly (we noticed it full at 8am), so I like to recommend beginning at round 7am.
Canyon Overlook Trail
Distance: 1 mile (6.6km) return
Time: 35 minutes
Don’t miss this quick and pretty simple path with a panoramic view excessive above the canyon.
The Canyon Overlook Trail is in East Zion. It’s not removed from the South Entrance however isn’t on the shuttle route so that you’ll must drive your self year-round. Unfortunately, parking is proscribed so arrive early (earlier than 9am in winter).
We discovered the stroll up simple, however there are some steep drop-offs and it may be icy (it wasn’t for us). Wear sneakers with good traction and contemplate spikes/poles.
The view on the finish is unimaginable!
Emerald Pools Trail Loop
Distance: 2.3 mile (3.8km) loop
Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Some guests are dissatisfied in Emerald Pools (they’re extra brown than inexperienced), however we actually loved the pretty simple loop hike we did to the Middle, Upper after which Lower Pools.
You also can go to simply one of many swimming pools for a shorter stroll, however every has its personal character and is value seeing.
Parking is reverse Zion Lodge. We began with the path as much as Middle Emerald Pool, which is steep at first then ranges out with beautiful views down into the canyon and river.
The Middle Pool isn’t that thrilling, however we loved the journey there. About 10 minutes on, up some steep sandy steps that get the center going, we reached the Upper Pool.
These are extra dramatic with a skinny waterfall streaming down a large rock wall.
Heading again down the path we reached the Lower Emerald Pool. This is the busiest pool because it’s simply accessible and really dramatic.
The slim falls run down the cliff face, and you’ll stroll beneath the overhang behind the water.
As the trail behind the Lower Pool will get moist, it may be icy and the path could shut. In this case, you possibly can nonetheless see it from the lookout above.
Watchman Trail
Distance: 3.3 miles (5.3km) return
Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
The Watchman Trail is good on your first hike in Zion. It begins just some minutes’ stroll from the customer centre, so you possibly can stroll right here from Springdale. It was simply 5 minutes from our lodge, Cable Mountain Lodge.
We discovered it more durable than we anticipated as we went at 4pm on a sunny day, and it was a scorching climb up with none shade.
The afternoon gentle is nice, although, because the Watchman mountain (a Zion icon) is totally lit up in its vibrant glory.
For us, this hike wasn’t a lot concerning the vista on the high and extra concerning the gorgeous views the entire manner.
Note that this hike could be very muddy. It was dry for us, however test the situations earlier than you go and maybe take climbing poles.
The Watchman isn’t often busy, so you possibly can hike it later within the day when parking contained in the park is troublesome.
Pa’rus Trail
Distance: 3.5 mile (5.6km) return (or much less)
Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
The Pa’rus Trail is the best hike in Zion. It’s a flat paved path alongside the river that you would be able to stroll or bike and go so far as you want.
Like The Watchman, this begins close to the customer centre so it’s simply accessible. As we had been staying so shut, we walked components of this a number of occasions and I ran the entire thing one morning with hardly anybody round.
While it’s not a must-do, the Pa’rus Trail is an efficient choice to stretch your legs and benefit from the mountain views, particularly if you’re staying in Springdale. It’s particularly stunning within the late afternoon.
Map of Zion National Park
Is It Worth Visiting Zion in Winter?
Yes, Zion National Park is 100% value visiting in winter! It’s by far the perfect time to keep away from the overwhelming crowds you’ll discover the remainder of the 12 months.
Temperatures are pretty gentle so climbing is gratifying (even in The Narrows!) and lodging is extra inexpensive.
While Zion is spectacular at any time of 12 months, there’s one thing further particular about having fun with this epic magnificence in peace.
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