Zion National Park

Zion was Utah's first national park (1919) and remains the state's most-visited — roughly 4.5 million people a year funnel into a narrow Navajo sandstone canyon carved by the Virgin River. The signature drive runs from the gateway town of Springdale up the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive past the Court of the Patriarchs, the Zion Lodge, and the Temple of Sinawava trailhead at the mouth of the Narrows. From late February through November the scenic drive is closed to private cars and runs on a free shuttle system, with through-trips to the East Entrance possible only via the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway and its 1.1-mile, 11.5-foot-tall, 13-foot-wide tunnel — strict size limits apply. From I-15 the practical access is Exit 16 at La Verkin: 22 paved miles east on UT-9 puts you at the gate.

• Utah's first national park (designated 1919)
• Approximately 4.5 million visitors per year — fourth-most visited US national park
• Zion Canyon Scenic Drive is closed to private vehicles February–November (free shuttle)
• The Mount Carmel Tunnel imposes the strictest height/width restrictions of any park road in the US
• Elevation ranges from 3,666 ft at the south entrance to 8,726 ft at Horse Ranch Mountain

• The Narrows (wading hike up the Virgin River)
• Angels Landing chain section (permit required)
• Court of the Patriarchs
• Emerald Pools
• Canyon Overlook Trail

Best months: April–May and September–October — comfortable temperatures, manageable crowds, low flash-flood risk in the Narrows.

Closures: No seasonal road closures in 2026 on the main UT-9 corridor. The Kolob Terrace Road (north Zion) and Lava Point Road typically close November through May.

Notes: Summer afternoon thunderstorms cause Narrows flash-flood closures with little warning; check the daily flash-flood forecast at the visitor center before any canyon hike.