The Best Time To Visit Zion National Park

Above, can you spot Darth Vader's helmet on this Zion rock wall? Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The first time I visited Zion National Park in Utah was in August 1969 with my parents. It was while we there we heard over the radio about the Sharon Tate murders. We were camping in my grandfather's old canvas umbrella tent.

Those were the days before everybody else decided to head over to Zion all at once during the summer months.

Are there times when crowds can be avoided and still have good weather to enjoy the park? Yes, there is. Travel + Leisure has an article on the best and worst times to visit.

They begin with:

There are some places in the U.S. that are just a bit more jaw-dropping than the rest — corners of the country with landscapes that have us reaching for our phones and habitats that support life not found just anywhere. 

One of these magical places is Zion National Park. Utah’s first and oldest national park, Zion encompasses 232 square miles and boasts narrow sandstone canyons, soaring red cliffs, and pockets of lush vegetation in otherwise desert-like terrain. Thanks to the park’s 5,000 feet of elevation change — from Coalpits Wash at 3,666 feet to Horse Ranch Mountain at 8,726 feet — the terrain is varied, offering something for everyone, including serious rock climbers and casual day hikers. 

But the varied elevation also means the park sees drastic weather changes, from sun-scorched afternoons to summer thunderstorms and cold winter nights. In addition to weather, visitors have to consider the park’s apparent popularity; Zion saw four and a half million tourists in 2019, making it the fourth most-visited national park. These factors make deciding when to go crucial. And since the best time to visit Zion National Park will be different for everyone, we’ve gathered the data, so you can make that decision for yourself. 

To read the article, go here.