How to have the trip of a lifetime to Zion National Park without the stress and hassle.
You’re here because you’re looking for ideas on how to plan your days in Zion National Park.
Planning a trip to Zion is tricky and can be overwhelming. I get it…
✅ You want to plan your trip yourself. ❌ You don’t want to be stressed by the whole planning thing.
✅ You want to see the highlights. ❌ You don’t want to miss out on the best parts.
✅ You want to maximize – and enjoy – your time in the park. ❌ You don’t want to wait in line to get in, waste part of your your day driving around looking for a parking space, or spend hours waiting for a shuttle.
✅ You want to use your time as efficiently as possible. ❌ You don’t want to waste time backtracking or figuring out where to go.
✅ You want to do the best hikes. ❌ You don’t want to get to a popular hike when absolutely everyone else in the country is on the same trail (or at least it seems like it).
✅ You want to have an amazing trip. ❌ You don’t want to worry that you missed something amazing.
Maybe you’re traveling with several people all who have different energy levels or abilities. ✅ You want to make everyone happy. ❌ You don’t want to give up on the things you really want to do.
Well, you’re in the right place.
I’ve used all my years of experience planning and traveling to create your detailed – and flexible – Zion National Park itinerary planner.
You’ll know exactly how to spend each day – what to do, where to be, and when to go for the best views and to avoid the crowds.
But you’ll also have the flexibility to choose options for your own comfort level and interests.
You probably came here looking for a free itinerary. Why should you pay for one?
Well, itinerary blog posts are invariably pretty general. My itineraries are completely different from a typical blog post. They have a detailed minute-by-minute, hour-by-hour breakdown of what to do, so that you can use it to guide your whole trip. They also include detailed driving directions, hike descriptions, information about each of the viewpoints and attractions, adjustments if you stay in different places, and all the bonus extras.
They’re a lot of work to create and keep updated. Which is why I can’t give them away for free.
What’s the difference between this itinerary and a guidebook?
Blog itineraries have little detail. Guidebooks, on the other hand, have LOTS of details. But for some things they have too much information and for others, not the information you need.
They provide information about every place to stay and place to eat and lots of things to do. However, they don’t curate all that information into a workable itinerary. You need to do that yourself, and with so much information to digest, it can be hard to know exactly the best things to do / see and when.
On the other hand, they also lack really helpful information such as detailed driving directions from each point in your itinerary to the next, and detailed hike descriptions.
These itineraries have done all the heavy lifting for you. I’ve sifted through all the information you’d find in guidebooks (from my personal experience) to create a step-by-step schedule – and added in all the practical information you need to know when you get there.
WHAT IT INCLUDES
🗺️Park Overview
👍Essential tips for visiting the park
📅Daily ‘Day at a Glance’ detailed schedule
⚠️Warnings and useful information
🗒️Detailed breakdown of each step of the itinerary
🕙Hour-by-hour overview for each day
🏞️Options for different interests and activity levels
🚗Detailed driving directions with maps
🥾Detailed hike descriptions and trail maps
📷Recommendations on where – and when – to find the best views
🛶 Additional attractions and activities
🎛️How to adjust your schedule depending on where you stay
✈️Useful links for booking your trip
🔗Links to exclusive Updates section with current conditions affecting the itinerary
PLUS FREE BONUS EXTRAS:
All the accommodations inside the park plus a hand-curated list of additional options near the park
All the dining choices inside the park plus a carefully selected list of additional places nearby
A complete guide to all the shuttle routes in the park and in Springdale
CHOOSE YOUR ZION NATIONAL PARK ITINERARY
ZION NATIONAL PARK 1 DAY ITINERARY
$9
ZION NATIONAL PARK 2 DAY ITINERARY
$19
ZION NATIONAL PARK 3 DAY ITINERARY
$29
HOW IT WORKS
>> Buy the itinerary.
>> Get instant access to a downloadable PDF + access to downloadable PDFs of the free bonus extras + access to frequent updates.
>> Save the PDFs to your computer then upload them to your phone or print them out for your trip. [Note this is NOT a physical product mailed to you- it’s a PDF that you can download and print.]
>> Have an awesome trip to Zion National Park!
A SNEAK PEAK OF THE ZION NATIONAL PARK ITINERARY
FAQS
What happens if my plans change and I can’t use the itinerary this year?
This itinerary is specifically designed so you can use it any year. You’ll get access to an exclusive section of my website with major updates that may affect the itinerary. So, you can use it this year, next year or in five years’ time, and still have access to any current updates that might affect your trip.
What happens if my plans change after I’ve bought the itinerary and I have more (or less) time to spend in the park?
The itineraries are designed for the length of time you plan to be in the park, but they can be adjusted.
If you think you might end up with less time, I recommend getting a longer itinerary and trimming down if needed. You can always email me at james@parkscollecting.com for suggestions on how to do that if you find yourself in this situation.
However, if you decide to stay longer and want to upgrade, just email me and for the difference in the regular price, I’ll send you the longer itinerary. So you don’t need to pay for two itineraries when you only need one!
Does this itinerary include the Kolob Canyon sections of the park?
No. These itineraries focus on the main section of the park, Zion Canyon. The 2- and 3-day itineraries also include other sections of the park, but not Kolob Canyons. That section of the park is accessed through a separate entrance that is more than an hour away. If you want to visit Kolob Canyons, then I would recommend staying there and adding this itinerary beforehand or afterwards.
What if I’ve already started to plan my trip? Is this helpful?
Yes. You can check your self-planned trip against this itinerary. You are bound to pick up some extra tips and get some extra ideas for when and where to go.
What if I want to go for longer than 3 days?
The three-day itinerary has you seeing all the major park highlights, but there are loads of extra activities, hiking trails, and options for leisurely days enjoying the park. If you have more time, I recommend doing the three-day itinerary then checking out my Parks Collecting guides for extra things to do.
I’m planning to go to Zion in winter. Can I use this itinerary?
Yes. The main section of the national park is open all year. However, the free shuttle doesn’t operate most of winter, so you can drive the Scenic Drive yourself. To do any hiking in winter, you should have microspikes or crampons over your hiking boots to give you extra traction, as it can be snowy/ icy.
This is not my first trip to Zion. Will this itinerary be helpful for me?
This itinerary is designed for first timers to the park. If you’ve been before, you will probably pick up some new tips, but overall, it may not be the best option for you.
I don’t like being stuck with a really rigid plan. Is this itinerary for me?
Yes! This itinerary has been specifically created to give you choices. There are options for those who like to be active and hit the trails but also for those who want to experience the park in a more leisurely way.
Also, while the itineraries are designed to be a complete ‘plug-and-play’, many people create their own version by using all the detailed information and mixing and matching to suit their own unique trip. This works too.
I don’t like to hike. Does this itinerary have options for me?
Yes. There are options for people who like to hike and alternate options to experience the same general areas of the park for those who either can’t or prefer not to hike.
I like to hike and want to do some long hikes. Will this itinerary be useful for me?
Yes. The 3-Day Itinerary includes an option for a longer and more strenuous hike.
I am traveling for 2.5 days (or 1.5 days). Which itinerary should I get?
If you have a half day, the easiest way to adjust the itinerary is to go with the longer itinerary and then trim down. You can change the order of the days and choose which day you wish to cut some time off. This is easy to do.
Alternatively, you could get the 2-day itinerary and then go back to a favorite spot for half a day on your third day.
How long do I need to see Zion National Park?
You can see the highlights in one very full day, but I recommend three days if you can. And definitely add on a trip to Bryce Canyon, too. It’s so close and is truly spectacular.
Why should I pay for this? There are lots of blogs with free itineraries and even ai.
While that’s true, itinerary and ai-generated blog posts are invariably pretty general and not always correct. This itinerary is completely different from a typical blog post. It has a detailed minute-by-minute, hour-by-hour breakdown of what to do, so that you can use it to guide your whole trip. It also includes detailed driving directions, hike descriptions, information about each of the viewpoints and attractions, adjustments if you stay in different places, and all the bonus extras.
What’s the difference between this itinerary and a guidebook?
Guidebooks provide information about every place to stay and place to eat and lots of things to do. However, they don’t curate all that information into a workable itinerary. You need to do that yourself, and with so much information to try and digest, it can be hard to know exactly the best things to do / see and when.
On the other hand, they also lack really helpful information such as detailed driving directions from each point in your itinerary to the next, and detailed hike descriptions.
My itineraries have done all the heavy lifting for you. I have sifted through all the information you’d find in guidebooks (from my personal experience) to create a step-by-step schedule – and added in all the practical information you need to know when you get there.
How does this itinerary work when I might stay somewhere different from other people buying it?
The itinerary assumes you will stay in Springdale, which is the main gateway town to Zion National Park. However, it includes details on how to adjust the timing based on where you stay. If you stay somewhere else nearby, you will know exactly how to tweak the timing for where you are staying.
WHO AM I?
I’m James and I totally get how stressful planning a trip to the national parks can be. You want to have the trip of a lifetime, but it’s hard to know exactly how to plan it all.
I’ve traveled to most of the US national parks (and 82 countries, all 7 continents, and most of the states in the US).
Through all those travels, I’ve learned exactly how to plan complicated vacations. And in my travels to Zion, I’ve discovered the park’s hidden secrets, where the best views are, when to take the best photos, all the other great attractions and activities, and how to avoid the crowds.
And I’m sharing all this with you in these itineraries.
CHOOSE YOUR ZION NATIONAL PARK ITINERARY
ZION NATIONAL PARK 1 DAY ITINERARY
$9
ZION NATIONAL PARK 2 DAY ITINERARY
$19
ZION NATIONAL PARK 3 DAY ITINERARY
$29