Our Favorite Hikes in Zion National Park

Here at ATV & Jeep Adventure Tours we like to help people experience and appreciate the exquisite natural beauty that is here in Southern Utah. When we aren’t guiding adventurers on ATV excursions or scenic van tours, you might find us hiking through this stunning terrain that we are fortunate enough to call home. We are just a short half-hour drive from Zion’s national park so we frequent the area and want to share with you some of our favorite trails.

Narrows Riverside Walk

The Narrows is one of Zion’s famous trails and is often listed for experienced hikers only. However, the Narrows Riverside Walk, the trail leading up-to the narrows, is the perfect hike to take great grandma and your toddler on! This hike is just shy of two miles and is almost completely flat until you reach the narrows. This hike provides scenic views of lush greenery which is rare in the park, and rewards you with sandy areas at the entrance to the narrows where you can splash around and cool off in the water. We recommend hiking later in the evening as crowds start to die down around 7 PM. If you are hiking this trail early in the season high water levels may restrict how close to the narrows you can get, so be sure to watch for trail closures before you go.

Many Pools

Many pools, also known as root canal for its shape on a topographical map, is another family friendly hike that has a fun water element. The name comes from several pools of water that you pass by throughout the hike that are formed from snow run-off. This hike is special for the fact that it is not a typical maintained trail so it gives the illusion that you are not even on one! For this reason, we suggest bringing a map of the canyon along. This hike is great for kids and provides several scenic views and fun scrambles over the rocky landscape. This hike is rated easy-moderate and is approximately 2.3 miles. Be sure to wear shoes with good grip and have lots of water and sunscreen with you as much of this trail is out in the open.

Canyon Overlook

This hike is short but spectacular. The Canyon Overlook is only about a mile long but provides exhilarating heights and extraordinary views. Because of the rocky paths and steep drop offs we don’t recommend this hike for young children. This is a Zion’s highlight so expect heavy traffic during the middle of the day. This trail is open year-round and is considered a moderate level hike. You can often see big horned sheep in the canyon while hiking this trail which can make for some memorable photo-ops. The trail head is a short distance from the parking lot so it is a perfect “warm-up” or “cool-down” hike. (Note: you cannot turn left into the parking lot when traveling west, so be sure to plan accordingly).

East Rim Trail to Observation Point

This trail leads to the highest point in the park and provides a breathtaking view of the canyon. This trail is only open March to October and is only for the experienced hiker. The Hike is rated difficult and is about 7 miles long. Be sure to start early as there are several spots on the trail (particularly the second set of switchbacks) that are in direct sun. We recommend bringing lots of water and lathering up in more than your fair share of sunscreen before tackling this trail. Be sure to take a protein bar or snacks to sustain yourself as this hike tends to take a while to reach the top. Rattle snakes are sometimes near the peak so be sure to keep an eye out for those as you go. The climb is tough but the views are worth it.

We hope you will check out some of these trails and have fun exploring this beautiful park. When your feet are tired but you still want the adventure to continue come see us for an exhilarating ATV ride and we will show you some of our other favorite spots here in Utah!

Do you have a favorite trail in Zion? Drop us a comment below!