Should I spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Zion National Park?

Should you spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Zion National Park?

Most visitors spend three to seven days in Zion National Park when visiting. The world-renowned park offers so many things to see and explore, so you'll want to take full advantage of the limited time you have. Highlights include the hiking and the beautiful scenery.

Zion National Park is one of those destinations that is on most traveler's list. It has truly spectacular natural beauty and a dramatic canyon with impressive views. Within the park, Zion Canyon Scenic Drive carves its way through the most frequently visited areas. The park is filled with world-famous hiking trails as well as wildlife and beautiful landscapes.

Do you have one or two days to visit Zion National Park? Here's our comprehensive breakdown of how much time you might need for your trip along with some suggestions for things to do.


Is one day enough time in Zion National Park?

With one day, you'll probably feel rushed to experience the outdoors to its fullest extent. You really need more time to appreciate the gorgeous scenery that this park has to offer. Many visitors stay for at least 3 or as many as 7 days to see everything such as Angels Landing and the hiking and the beautiful scenery. If you have one day or less, we still have some great ideas for what to do while you're visiting.

How to spend a day in Zion National Park

When visiting Zion National Park, you absolutely can't miss Angels Landing as it's one of the most famous places in the world. Make sure you allow yourself enough time to fully experience it.

Zion National Park is known to be such a beautiful destination, so just exploring and taking it all in should be one of the top things to do on your list. This park will have you feeling as if you're in a painting. There are spectacular views and a stunning natural beauty that will take your breath away.


A few tour suggestions include:

  • Sunset Sandboarding Peekaboo Slot Canyon UTV Adventure (Private) ($128)
  • Zion Sunset Jeep Tour ($81)

The public transit in Zion National Park is fast and efficient. Over the course of a few days, you should be able to explore the park quite easily and affordably. There are free shuttles that travel around the park. They operate during the most popular seasons but the service isn't available during most of the winter months.

Is a weekend (two to three days) enough time in Zion National Park?

A weekend is generally not enough time to experience everything in Zion National Park. A shorter schedule may leave you with a sense of urgency to discover the nearby hiking trails and admire the wonderful scenery. To genuinely appreciate the highlights, a more lengthy visit is recommended. Many travelers opt for at least 3 or as many as 7 days to experience the outdoors here. However, if you're working with limited time, we have some great ideas for making the most of your stay below.

The valley of Zion National Park The valley of Zion National Park

How to spend 2 days in Zion National Park

If you have more than a weekend (two to three days) in Zion National Park, you'll appreciate the added time for everything the park has to offer.

Known for it's hiking, Zion National Park sees plenty of visitors looking to get outdoors. Spend a day exploring the natural beauty and scenery on a nearby hike. This park is known for its iconic hikes, which include Angels Landing, the Narrows, and the Emerald Pools Trail. There are hikes that range from easy to incredibly difficult, and many visits see this destination as a bucket list hiking opportunity.


A few tour suggestions include:

  • Peekaboo Slot Canyon UTV and Hiking Adventure ($104)
  • Guided Hike through Peek-a-Boo Slot Canyon (Small Group) ($70)
  • Guided-Hike through Peekaboo + Great Chamber/Cutler Point Combo (Small Group) ($125)

More Info

If you're looking for more information about Zion National Park, we have even more advice to help you plan your journey.

Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.

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