This article is Part 4 of the Mighty Five series!
When to Go and Where to Stay
As a native Utahn, I’ve visited Zion in every season—and I can confidently say it’s stunning whether blanketed in snow or blazing under the summer sun. Like much of southern Utah, spring and fall are the best times to go, but with some planning, you can make any season work.
We took this trip in late July. To beat the heat, we started early and spent the hottest part of the day in the water. The trails were crowded and the shuttles packed and stuffy—but even so, it was incredible.
We usually stay in St. George since Jake’s family has a house there. It’s about an hour from Zion’s entrance, which makes it perfect for a day trip, but not ideal if you’re planning several days of hiking. There are closer towns to stay in, including Springdale, which sits right at the park entrance.
What we did in Zion
Observation Point
Since we had done Angels Landing so many times, we were looking for something new and this was such an amazing hike. I actually thought the view was better than iconic Angels Landing for a lot less work!
The trail from the main road in the park has been closed since 2021 because of damage from rockfalls, so we hiked via the East Mesa Trail (here is the AllTrails link). It takes a while to drive out to the trail head and it is best to start early to avoid the heat and get a parking spot. We left St George at 5am and started the trail at 7am. It was short, basically flat, and had plenty of pine tree shade. The view at the end has to be one of the best in the world!
Drive Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway
Most of the park is closed to private vehicles during the summer, but you can take the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway with your own car. Because shuttles don't service this area of the park, we had never been here, but we drove through it on the way to the East Mesa Trail for Observation point. It was stunning! The road does all of these twisty switchbacks, there are multiple tunnels, and the whole landscape is white, orange, and red whorls of sandstone. There are plenty of places to pull off and walk a bit or just enjoy the view. I really recommend spending time over here if you've been to Zion a few times and are looking for something new, or if this is your first time and you are looking for an off the beaten path experience.
The Narrows
The Narrows are one of the most iconic parts of Zion. It is essentially just a walk in a massive river between thousand foot tall sheer cliffs. It is really cool! It is literally cool too, making it a great hike to do in the summer. I recommend wearing sneakers rather than sandals to protect your toes from the rocks under the water. I also recommend a walking stick to help keep your balance.
In the middle of the day in late July, we found the trail to be PACKED full of people. But as is true with all trails, the further you go, the less people there are and the more pleasant it becomes.
Nearby Activities
St George
St George is one of the biggest cities in Southern Utah and has tons to do and see. There are historical buildings, great food, and plenty of hikes. It makes a really fun base for exploring this part of Utah. Talk to anyone from Utah and I'll bet they have spent a long weekend here, especially in the winter or early spring!
Sand Hollow State Park
One of Jake and my favorite spots is Sand Hollow State Park, specifically Sand Hollow Reservoir which is great for boating but not ideal for swimming (read up on Swimmer's Itch). The fine red sand is really striking in contrast to the blue water.
Snow Canyon State Park
I also love Snow Canyon State Park where you can spend the day (or night) trekking across petrified sand dunes or exploring deep lava tubes. I really love state parks if you can't tell! I think they are the hidden gems of Utah.
Tuacahn Ampitheatre
Right by Snow Canyon is the coolest theatre I've ever been to. It is an outdoor theatre built right into a gorgeous red rock canyon. The shows are high quality (and often involve water and fireworks which is always a good time). On this trip my friend Nat and I saw Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat! It was fantastic aaaand David Archuleta was playing Joseph which was so sick.
Check out the first 3 articles of the Mighty Five series here!
