Safety and Preparedness

The following safety and preparedness recommendations will help you avoid taking unnecessary risks and staying safe as you explore the wild beauty of Zion National Park. Many times, being over-prepared will give you the opportunity to help someone else who wasn’t adequately prepared. It’s important to remember this is a wilderness area, not a theme park. Each visitor is ultimately responsible to keep themselves safe and prepare for what Mother Nature will throw at them.

• Don’t feed wildlife and maintain 25 feet of separation from wildlife at all times
• Carry a first aid kit with you, even on short hikes
• Stay hydrated; drink one liter of water for every hour of excursion
• Carry extra food and snacks
• Use sunscreen and wear a hat to keep the sun at bay
• Never enter a narrow canyon when rain is forecasted and quickly exit should any unplanned rain begin to fall

Hiking and canyoneering tips:

• Do your homework on any trail you plan to undertake, know distance and elevation gain and have a map of the route
• Know your physical limits and don’t undertake a trail longer or steeper than you are capable of
• On popular trails with lots of exposure, like Angels Landing or Hidden Canyon, be patient and wait for your turn to pass narrow sections of the trail
• Never leave the designated trail