Visiting Zion National Park: The Complete Guide

Planning a trip to Zion National Park and need some help planning your trip?

Zion National Park is located in southweastern Utah. It is one of thirteen National Park Service sites in the state of Utah.

Here is the National Park Obsessed guide for visiting Zion National Park.

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The Quick Guide to Visiting Zion National Park National Park

Map of Zion National Park

Click on the Zion Map above to download the official brochure map. If you’d like a PDF copy of this Zion Map click here.

Zion National Park Basics

Region: Intermountain / Rocky Mountains

Park Size: 146,597 acres (229.06 sq miles) (593.26 sq km)

Location: Washington, Kane, and Iron counties

Closest Cities: Springdale and Orderville, Utah

Busy Season: May to September

Visitation: 3,437,286 (in 2019)

How much does Zion National Park Cost?

Zion National Park costs the following:

7-day Passenger Vehicle Pass – $35
7-day Motorcycle Pass – $30
7-day Individual Pass – $20

An annual Zion National Park Pass costs $70 but it is not recommended you buy this pass. For an extra $10 you can get an American the Beautiful Pass. This $80 pass offers free admission to all 116 fee-charging National Park Units.

When is Zion National Park Open?

Zion National Park is open year-round.

Are dogs allowed in Zion National Park?

Yes, pets are welcome in Zion but are limited to developed areas such as roads, parking areas, picnic areas, campgrounds, and Pa’rus Trail. Pets are not allowed on any other trails in the park. Please review the Zion Pet Policy before bringing your dog to Zion.

Where are Zion National Park’s visitor centers?

Zion Canyon Visitor Center – Open Year Around

Zion Human History Museum – Open Year Around

Kolob Canyon Visitor Center – Open Year Around

Land Acknowledgment

The National Park known as Zion National Park sits on Southern Paiute and Pueblos land.

Thank you to the Native Land Digital for making the Indigenous territories accessible to all. They have mapped the known territories to the best of the current knowledge and is a work in progress. If you have additional information on the boundaries of the Indigenous nation, please let them know.

Native Land Digital is a registered Canadian not-for-profit organization with the goal to creates spaces where non-Indigenous people can be invited and challenged to learn more about the lands they inhabit, the history of those lands, and how to actively be part of a better future going forward together.

When was Zion National Park Created?

Zion National Park was created on July 31, 1909 as Mukuntuweap National Monument by President Howard Taft. In 1918, Horace Albright, then acting director of National Park Service, proposed expanding and renaming the monument to Zion National Monument. In 1919, the park was elevated to National Park status as Zion National Park.

The Kolob section of Zion National Park was proclaimed a Zion National Monument in 1937 (the second Zion National Monument to exist). In 1956, it was incorporated into the existing Zion National Park.