Discover Zion National Park : A Self-Guided Tour

Duration6h 30m

Free cancellationFull refund up to 24 hours before

Instant confirmationYour booking is confirmed right away

TicketMobile or paper ticket accepted

LanguagesEnglish

Private tourOnly your group will participate

Overview

Discover Zion National Park with our self-guided tour, allowing you to explore Utah's most dramatic canyon landscape at your own pace. Wade through The Narrows where the Virgin River carves between 1000 foot walls glowing amber and crimson in the desert light. Grip the chain-assisted ridge of Angels Landing for panoramic views across the canyon. Walk the Riverside Walk beneath towering cliffs dripping with hanging gardens of fern and columbine, hike to the Emerald Pools where waterfalls cascade over sandstone ledges into glowing green pools, drive the dramatic switchbacks of the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway through its mile-long tunnel carved in the 1920s, and watch the Watchman peak glow deep crimson at sunset from the valley. Discover the hidden finger canyons of Kolob, a separate section of the park where some of Zion's tallest sandstone walls rise in solitude far from the main valley, and explore Checkerboard Mesa's extraordinary geological patterns on the park's quieter east side.

What's included

Enjoy audio guide access for more than 50 sites across Zion National Park
Self-guided walking tour (app)
Bonus Audio Guide: Zion Canyon Scenic Drive
Digital Map
NO in-person guide or physical equipment (bring your own device & headphones)

Private transportation
Entrance fees, in-person guide, headphones, transport, parking, food,Wi-Fi or cellular data, rentals
Hiking permits (e.g. Angel's Landing) — issued separately by the National Park Service via lottery

What to expect

Court of the Patriarchs
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Three massive sandstone peaks named Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob — towering above the valley in formation like ancient sentinels. The viewpoint is a short walk from the shuttle stop, offering one of the first dramatic perspectives of Zion Canyon's layered red and cream Navajo Sandstone walls rising vertically from the green valley floor.
Zion National Park
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The only lodging inside Zion Canyon — a historic lodge surrounded by towering canyon walls with emerald lawns and cottonwood trees lining the Virgin River. The lodge serves as a trailhead for the Emerald Pools trails and the Grotto, with views of the Great White Throne and Red Arch Mountain framing the valley.
Angel's Landing
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The starting point for Zion's most legendary hike — Angels Landing, a 8.7-kilometer round trip ascending 453 meters via Walter's Wiggles (21 tight switchbacks) to a knife-edge ridge with chains bolted into the rock. The final half-mile along the narrow spine offers vertigo-inducing drops and views that rank among the best in any national park.
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A natural alcove where water seeps through 2,000 feet of Navajo Sandstone and emerges as a curtain of dripping springs, creating lush hanging gardens of ferns, columbine, and golden columbine clinging to the overhanging cliff face. The short paved trail to the alcove reveals the geology of Zion's permeable sandstone layers.
1h 30m

A dramatic horseshoe bend in the Virgin River offering the best upward views of Angels Landing's knife-edge ridge and the Great White Throne — a massive 732-meter monolith of Navajo Sandstone that is one of the largest freestanding rock formations in the world, glowing white and gold in the afternoon light.
Temple of Sinawava Trail
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The end of the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive and the gateway to The Narrows — a natural amphitheatre where the canyon walls close in and the Virgin River emerges from the slot canyon ahead. The paved Riverside Walk follows the river upstream for 1.6 kilometers between towering walls draped with hanging gardens and seeping springs.
The Narrows
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Zion's most iconic experience — wading upstream through the Virgin River between thousand-foot sandstone walls that narrow to just 6 meters in places. The sculpted canyon walls glow amber, crimson, and gold as sunlight filters down from above. Water depth varies from ankle to waist-deep depending on season and flow conditions.
Canyon Overlook Trail
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A short but spectacular 1.6-kilometer trail starting at the east end of the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel — climbing to a viewpoint overlooking Pine Creek Canyon and the switchbacks of the canyon floor far below. The trail passes through sandstone slots, over natural bridges, and along cliff edges to one of Zion's most rewarding views for minimal effort.
Checkerboard Mesa
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A striking sandstone formation along the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway — its surface etched with a distinctive crosshatch pattern created by the intersection of horizontal bedding planes and vertical stress fractures, weathered over millions of years into a natural checkerboard. One of the most photogenic geological features on the park's east side.
Emerald Pools
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A series of three pools fed by waterfalls cascading over red sandstone ledges — the Lower Pool is reached by an easy paved trail, while the Middle and Upper Pools require progressively steeper climbs through a sandstone grotto with dripping overhangs. The pools glow emerald green from algae and reflected canyon light.
Kolob Canyons
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Zion's hidden gem — a separate section of the park accessed from I-15, where towering red finger canyons carved by Timber and Taylor Creeks rival the main canyon in dramatic beauty with a fraction of the crowds. The 8-kilometer scenic drive ends at a viewpoint overlooking some of Zion's tallest sandstone walls.
Watchman Trail
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A 5.2-kilometer trail climbing to a viewpoint overlooking Springdale, the Towers of the Virgin, and the Watchman — the distinctive peak guarding Zion's South Entrance. The trail is ideal at sunset when the canyon walls glow deep red, and offers a quieter alternative to the busier canyon trails with expansive desert and mountain panoramas.

Meeting and pickup

Meeting point

Meet at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center just inside the South Entrance — the main gateway to Zion Canyon with exhibits, ranger programs, and the shuttle bus departure point. The center sits at the base of the Watchman and the Towers of the Virgin.
GPS Coordinates: 37.1980, -112.9843

End point

Meet at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center just inside the South Entrance — the main gateway to Zion Canyon with exhibits, ranger programs, and the shuttle bus departure point. The center sits at the base of the Watchman and the Towers of the Virgin.
GPS Coordinates: 37.1980, -112.9843

Additional information

Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Cancellation policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

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