Maximize Your Zion National Park Fee-Free Day

Here’s the Inside Scoop

National Park fee-free* days occur throughout the year, and they generate a lot of buzz, but it doesn’t need to keep you from enjoying your trip. Whether it’s your first trip or your tenth,  Zion National Park has plenty of trails that welcome you the moment you arrive, no lottery or permit required.

Angels Landing and the Narrows are definite bucket-list experiences. If you already have permits and plans, enjoy your time. Those will take the majority of your day. If you haven’t made arrangements and you’re going on a wing and a prayer, we have you. This travel plan is built to get the most out of your National Park fee-free day, with an early start in mind. 

Our advice: book a stay in Springdale the night before so you can find parking and enjoy cooler temperatures.

Day One

Start Before the Sunrise

Drive through the Zion–Mount Carmel Tunnel to the Canyon Overlook Trailhead, about 15 minutes from the Zion Canyon Visitor Center.

Private vehicles can take this route year-round, even during shuttle season. Warning: the trailhead parking lot is small, so arrive before first light to grab a spot. 

The trail is one mile round trip, and it rewards you with a canyon view that feels like a well-kept secret, even though it’s open to everyone. 

From there, drive back through the tunnel and park at the Visitor Center. Since more visitors take advantage of the fee-free day, getting there early means you might snag a great parking spot. If parking is new territory for you, this guide to parking walks you through the best times to arrive and where to go if your first-choice lot is full. 

Just beyond the Visitor Center, hop on the Zion Canyon Shuttle – it’s free. No ticket or reservation required. Ride all the way to Temple of Sinawava, the last stop on the line. 

Mid-Morning Jaunt

At Temple of Sinawava, walk the Riverside Walk, a paved, 2.2-mile round trip that follows the Virgin River right up to the beginning of the Narrows. It’s shaded and welcoming for nearly every fitness level, which makes it one of the best ways to get a true feel for the canyon. 

This is the water that carved the whole canyon. You can wade into the mouth of the Narrows without committing to the longer upstream hike. 

Afternoon Adventure

Hop back on the shuttle toward the Visitor Center and treat yourself to one or two more stops along the way. Weeping Rock is a short, steep 0.4-mile round trip, climbing about 100 feet to an alcove where water seeps through the sandstone and drips into a hanging garden below. It’s a fan-favorite for its quiet, otherworldly feel. 

If you have time, stop at the Zion Lodge for the Lower Emerald Pool Trail, an easy 1.2-mile round trip on a paved trail leading to a peaceful pool tucked beneath a rock overhang. It is entirely plausible to complete both hikes, one, or none. Pick whichever option fits your day. 

Evening

Wrap up the day with dinner in Springdale before settling in for the night. You’ve earned it after a full day of exploring.

Day two

Shopping & Hot Springs

Don’t rush out of Springdale the moment you wake up. Have breakfast, wander through town, and enjoy the small-town shops.

Sitting just outside Zion National Park’s south entrance, Springdale makes it easy to spend another day with park views. If shopping isn’t your thing, rent an e-bike and take a seven-mile ride to Grafton Ghost Town. 

When you’ve spent enough time shopping or biking, make the roughly 25-minute drive to Zion Canyon Hot Springs in La Verkin. The springs draw from the historic Pah Tempe mineral springs, with pools ranging from cooler temperatures to a 104-degree soaking pool. It’s a very different way to experience the landscape after a day on your feet.

Day three & beyond

Stay a little longer

Enjoying a Zion National Park fee-free day may be the reason you came, but it doesn’t have to be the only thing you see. Greater Zion has more places waiting to surprise you.

Spend a day on the water at Sand Hollow or Quail Creek, wander the trails of Snow Canyon, play a round of golf, or find space to slow down. Give the park the time it deserves, then stay another night and see where the road takes you.

When you leave with a list of things you didn’t get to, that’s okay. Greater Zion will be here, ready to impress you on your return trip.

*Free entry covers U.S. citizens and residents only. International visitors pay the required entrance fees, and camping and backcountry permits run at their usual cost.