Sightseeing in Zion

Narrow fin summit reached by chained switchbacks with sheer drops over Zion Canyon; lottery permit required.

Best at midday

Shuttle stop with a sweeping view of the Great White Throne and Angels Landing from the canyon floor.

Best at sunset

Railing perch over lower Zion Canyon and Pine Creek, a 1-mile round-trip hike east of the Mt. Carmel tunnel.

Best at sunset

Short paved climb to a vista of the three sandstone peaks named for biblical patriarchs.

Best at sunrise

The end-of-road overlook in Zion's separate Kolob Canyons district, off I-15 exit 40. The 5-mile Kolob Canyons Road climbs to a viewpoint and picnic area looking across the red Finger Canyons and Timber Creek; a 1-mile round-trip trail continues to the Timber Creek Overlook for a wider view. The cliffs glow late in the day. The district is about a 40-mile drive from Zion Canyon and draws far smaller crowds.

Best at sunset

High rim viewpoint looking down on Angels Landing and the canyon, reached via the East Mesa Trail or East Rim.

Best at midday

Riverside Walk leads to the mouth of the slot canyon where the Virgin River squeezes between towering walls.

Best at midday

A hanging-garden alcove where water that has seeped through the Navajo sandstone for over a thousand years drips from the overhang, feeding ferns and wildflowers on the rock face. The short paved trail to the alcove and the Weeping Rock shuttle stop have been closed since a 2019 rockfall — check the park's current conditions page before planning around it.

Good all day