Zion in One Day

Begin your visit at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center, where outdoor exhibits inform you about the park's geology, wildlife, history, and trails. Catch the shuttle or drive—depending on the season—into Zion Canyon. On your way in, make a quick stop at the Zion Human History Museum to watch a 22-minute park orientation program and to see exhibits chronicling the human history of the area. Board the shuttle and travel to the Court of the Patriarchs viewpoint to take photos and walk the short path. Then pick up the next bus headed into the canyon. Stop at Zion Lodge and cross the road to the Emerald Pools trailhead, and take the short hike up to the pools themselves.

Before reboarding the shuttle, grab lunch in the snack shop or dining room at Zion Lodge. Take the shuttle as far as Weeping Rock trailhead for a brief, cool walk up to the dripping, spring-fed cascade. Ride the next shuttle to the end of the road, where you can walk to the gateway of the canyon's narrows on the paved, accessible Riverside Walk.

Reboard the shuttle to return to the Zion Canyon Visitor Center to pick up your car. Head out onto the beautiful Zion-Mount Carmel Highway, with its long, curving tunnels, making sure your camera is loaded and ready for stops at viewpoints along the road. Once you reach the park's east entrance, turn around, and on your return trip stop to take the short hike up to Canyon Overlook. Now you're ready to rest your feet at a screening of Zion Canyon: Treasure of the Gods on the giant screen of the Zion Canyon Theatre. In the evening, you might want to attend a ranger program at one of the campground amphitheaters or at Zion Lodge. Or you can follow a relaxing dinner in Springdale with a stroll downtown.