Recently we went to Zion National Park and it was the first time Mike and I had taken all the kids. As you know we’ve tackled plenty of national parks and hikes with our kiddos in tow, but I was a little curious how Zion National Park with kids would be. One thing we love about Zion is how much there is to do for all skill levels. Check out our tips for what to do while your family explores!
all about Zion National Park
Zion was made a national park in 1919 and was Utah’s first national park (they now have five). The main section of the park is Zion Canyon, which is accessed from the west through the town of Springdale, or from the each through the mile long Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel. There is a separate section of the park known as Kolob Canyons that is about 45 minutes away and accessed by driving north on I-15.
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Note: “Zion” is pronounced like “lion” and not like “ion”. It comes from the scriptures and is used to describe a type of idealized and sacred place.
Zion National Park with kids
Zion is fun to explore with kids because it is located in the town of Springdale. This means you have all the convenience of a small town like restaurants and hotels, with the natural beauty of a national park. In fact, both of our main days in Zion we motivated the kids on hikes with the promise of ice cream afterwards. Springdale also has a shuttle that picks up from several locations in town and drops off at the Visitor Center. From there you must take another shuttle up the canyon from early March to mid-November. The rest of the year (or if you’re staying at Zion Lodge) you can drive your vehicle up the canyon.
Insider tip: there are tons of ice cream places in Springdale but we love Bumbleberry Inn. It has been family owned for 50 years and they just completed a huge remodel! Their strawberry lemonade float is very refreshing and their ice cream flight is a great deal for kids to share!
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take an “easy” hike
Riverside Walk is probably the most popular, family-friendly hike in Zion National Park, and for good reason! It’s only two miles roundtrip with basically no elevation change. The trail is also paved so it’s stroller and wheelchair accessible. The turnaround point ends in the Virgin River so everyone can cool off and relax for a bit.
Pa’rus Trail is also paved and incredibly flat. However, unlike the Riverside Walk it’s mostly in sun so plan to do it early or late. The trail stretches from the Visitor Center to Canyon Junction (where the access to the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel is). The total distance roundtrip is 3.5 miles but you can also opt to turnaround wherever you want.
Emerald Pools Hike is another hike that allows you to pick the length based on your abilities. The hike to lower Emerald Pool is paved. From there you can go on to the Middle Pool or Upper Pool. The total length to do all three is about 2.5 miles and once you get past the Lower Pool involves a lot of rock scrambling.
Canyon Overlook Trail is only 1 mile, out and back trail but is not for the faint of heart. There are long drop-offs and some narrow ledges and rock scrambling involved. However, our whole family was able to do it with no trouble. Best of all, we were rewarded with incredible views of Lower Zion Canyon! Access to this trail is from the east side of the park.
become a junior ranger
I always suggest you take your kids to pick up a Junior Ranger booklet. It’s the best free souvenir they can get from a National Park! You can pick up your booklet from the Visitor Center from either Zion Canyon or Kolob Canyons.
drive to Kolob Canyons
The Kolob Canyons district of Zion National Park is located at Exit 40 on Interstate 15, 40 miles north of Zion Canyon and 17 miles south of Cedar City. A five-mile scenic drive along the Kolob Canyons Road allows visitors to view the crimson canyons and gain access to various trails and scenic viewpoints.
https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/kolob-canyons.htm
Have you ever been to Zion National Park?
