Activities in Zion National Park
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Kolob Canyons Road
In the northwestern section of the park, the easiest trail is at the end of the road: Timber Creek Trail (0.5 miles) follows a 100ft ascent to a small peak with great views. The main hike is the 2.7-mile-long Taylor Creek Trail, which passes pioneer ruins and crisscrosses the creek. The 7-mile one-way hike to Kolob Arch has a big payoff: this arch competes with Landscape Arch in Arches National Park in terms of being one of the biggest in the world. Fit hikers can manage it in a day, or continue on to make it a multiday backcountry trans-park connector.
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Kolob Terrace Road
Fourteen miles west of Springdale, Kolob Terrace Rd takes off north from Hwy 9, weaving in and out of BLM and national park highlands. (The road is closed due to snow from at least November to March.) Wildcat Canyon Trailhead lies about 28 miles north, after a hairpin turn. From here, follow the Wildcat Canyon Trail till you get to the turnoff for Northgate Peaks Trail. You'll traipse through meadows, filled with wildflowers in spring, and pine forests before you descend to the viewpoint overlooking the peaks. It's a whole different – and much less visited – side of Zion. Wildcat Canyon to Northgate Peaks overlook is 2.2 miles one-way. About 5 miles north of Wildcat…
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Mystery Canyon
Mystery Canyon lets you be a rock star: the last rappel drops into the Virgin River before admiring crowds hiking the Narrows. It's accessed off Zion Ponderosa Ranch roads in East Zion; ask rangers for more information. Backcountry permit required; hiker shuttle necessary.
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Pine Creek Canyon
A popular route with moderate challenges and rappels of 50ft to 100ft, Pine Creek has easy access from near the Canyon Overlook Trail. A backcountry permit is required.
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Red Rock Shuttle & Tours
Private van tours of Zion, $100 per person for six hours.
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Ride Along With A Ranger
Reservations are usually required for the entertaining 90-minute, ranger-led Zion Canyon shuttle tour that makes stops not on the regular route. It's a great non-hiking alternative for those with limited mobility.
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Subway
This incredibly popular route (9.5 miles, 1850ft elevation change) has four or five rappels of 20ft or less, and the namesake tube-looking slickrock formation. Start at the Wildcat Canyon trailhead off Kolob Terrace Rd. Hiker shuttle required.
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Zion Canyon
Spring to fall, the mandatory shuttle stops at all major trailheads along Zion Canyon Scenic Dr, allowing one-way hikes. In low season you can park at these stops, but you'll have to hike back to your car.
Of the easy-to-moderate trails, the paved, mile-long Riverside Walk (1 mile) at the end of the road is a good place to start. When the trail ends, you can continue along in the Virgin River for 5 miles to Big Springs; this is the bottom portion of the Narrows – a difficult backpacking trip. Yes, you'll be hiking in the water (June through October), so be prepared.
A steep, but paved, half-mile trail leads to the lower of the Emerald Pools. Here water tumbles from above…
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Zion Canyon Field Institute
Explore Zion by moonlight, take a wildflower photography class, investigate Kolob Canyon's geology or help clean up the Narrows. All courses and tours include some hiking.
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Backcountry
Zion has hundreds of miles of backcountry hiking trails, wilderness camping and enough quiet to hear the whoosh of soaring ravens overhead. The most famous route is the unforgettable Narrows, a 16-mile journey into skinny canyons along the Virgin River's north fork (June through October). Plan on getting wet: at least 50% of the hike is in the river. The trip takes 12 hours; split it into two days, spending the night at one of the designated campsites you reserved or finish the hike in time to catch the last park shuttle. The trail ends among the throngs of day hikers on Riverside Walk at the north end of Zion Canyon. A trailhead shuttle is necessary for this and other…
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Zion Tubing
Two-hour tubing float trips on the Virgin River.
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Zion Adventure Company & Zion Outdoor Center
Leads rock-climbing and canyoneering trips and classes and guided cycling tours. Pre-trip planning info and shuttle service for The Narrows. The shop sells outdoor-activity gear, clothing, guidebooks and maps.
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Canyon Trail Rides
Zion's official horseback-riding concessionaire operates across from Zion Lodge. Take a one-hour ($40) or three-hour ($75) ride on the Sand Bench Trail along the Virgin River.
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