How to Spend One Day in Zion National Park with Kids

About Zion National Park

Located in Southwest Utah, Zion National Park welcomes 4 million visitors each year. We had a series of issues and frustrations during our day in Zion (crowds, heat, closed trailheads), but we still enjoyed the scenery. Thankfully, we prepped our kiddo beforehand for the need to be flexible and she rolled with it.

Although I had read not to attempt parking at the visitor center, we somehow thought we’d get lucky and tried anyway. We ended up wasting 30 minutes trying to do that and parked in Springdale anyway. We paid to park at a coffee shop where we caffeinated and ate a picnic lunch. We visited in July as part of our Fourth Grade Pass tour.

History

Native American tribes, such as the Anasazi and Paiute, inhabited the region for centuries, leaving behind evidence of their presence in the form of petroglyphs and artifacts. European exploration of the area began in the 18th century, with Spanish missionaries and trappers venturing into the region. In the late 19th century, Mormon pioneers settled in the nearby town of Springdale and recognized the area's natural beauty. In 1909, President William Howard Taft designated the region as Mukuntuweap National Monument, which was later renamed Zion National Park in 1919. The construction of the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway and the establishment of trails and infrastructure allowed for increased accessibility to the park.

East Entrance

As far as entering the park, the East Entrance is not crowded. You also get the chance really soon to see Checkerboard Mesa right away, which is covered in square lines in the rocks. The long tunnel through the mountain is fun to drive through and the views on the descent on the other side are breathtaking.

Scenic Shuttle

You can’t drive in most of the park, but the shuttles are efficient and take you where you need to go. After the parking debacle and a stop at the visitor center, we took the shuttle to the last stop at the Temple of Sinawava. There’s some nice narration on the shuttle with perspectives from indigenous people, rock climbers, rangers, and photographers.

Riverside Walk Trail

Riverside Walk Trail is a relatively easy one (it’s accessible with a wheelchair with assistance) that takes you to the start of the famous Narrows Trail. The Virgin River follows alongside the shady route. It’s very crowded, but it keeps moving along. You see a few springs and hanging gardens on the walls.

We had already decided that we were not up for the Narrows trail (it’s long and takes place entirely by walking in the river). But we waded in maybe a quarter of a mile to get a sense of it. Because of the towering sandstone walls, the trail is cool. The bit of slot canyon we walked through was quite the sight. Even on that little bit, though, I found it hard to keep my balance in the water and the crowds were difficult to navigate.

Back down Riverside Walk, my 9yo found more than one spot to jump in the shallow river and play! Bonus: it’s so dry and hot that she dried in no time.

*In the Virgin River at the start of the Narrows trail*

Pa’rus Trail

We took the shuttle to the lodge with the intention of taking the Emerald Pools trail. However, the footbridge leading to the trailhead was out. We learned later that we could have taken a few different routes to get to the pools, but it was not obvious from the map or from posted information.

So, we took the shuttle to the Court of Patriarchs and walked along the Pa’rus Trail. It’s a paved trail that takes you along the river and some lovely plants and views of the summits. It is hot, though, and the stretch from the museum to the visitor center is not very scenic.

I want to give Zion another go in the off-season, especially since I learned some tricks and tips this time!