The best times to visit Zion are April to May and September to October, when the park's climate chart shows average highs of 75 to 91 F. From Las Vegas it is about 160 miles north on I-15, and the Park Service lists the airport as 170 miles from the park. We read NPS's Zion pages on 14 October 2026.
Weather and crowds by month
Note: Temperatures, days above 100 F and thunderstorm days come from NPS's "Climate in Zion National Park" chart (2021 PDF, read 14 Oct 2026). Visitors are the 2019 to 2023 monthly average from NPS's Zion visitation page (updated 10 Aug 2024, read 14 Oct 2026)
| Month | Average high / low (F) | Days above 100 F | Thunderstorm days | Average visitors | What to expect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 54 / 30 | 0 | 0 | 130,503 | Quietest month. 20 days below freezing |
| February | 59 / 34 | 0 | 0 | 139,039 | Quiet. Shuttle not running |
| March | 66 / 39 | 0 | 0 | 343,141 | Spring break. NPS says almost three times February |
| April | 75 / 45 | 0 | 1 | 364,993 | Mild. Snowmelt can close the Narrows |
| May | 86 / 54 | 0 | 4 | 474,301 | Warm. Narrows may still be closed in a snowy year |
| June | 95 / 63 | 6 | 5 | 556,426 | Busiest month, hot |
| July | 100 / 70 | 16 | 14 | 554,096 | Hottest. Monsoon starts |
| August | 99 / 68 | 10 | 15 | 469,603 | Most thunderstorm days |
| September | 91 / 61 | 2 | 5 | 486,413 | Hot early, easing. Monsoon ends |
| October | 79 / 48 | 0 | 2 | 484,521 | Comfortable. Colors late in the month |
| November | 64 / 37 | 0 | 0 | 286,923 | Quieter. Shuttle stops 28 Nov in 2026 |
| December | 54 / 30 | 0 | 0 | 200,044 | Cold. Shuttle only 26 Dec to 2 Jan |
NPS's visitation page says 65% of visitors come from April to September. Its seasons page adds that parking is often full by 9:00 a.m. in summer, and that Memorial Day, the Fourth of July and Labor Day are the busiest weekends.
Which month for which plan
Note: NPS seasons page (updated 27 Jul 2024, read 14 Oct 2026): spring nights are cold and the daily swing can be 32 F or more. Summer has "temperatures regularly over 100 F". Fall colors reach the canyon in late October or early November, and highs and lows can differ by 30 F in a day. In winter, highs are 50 to 60 F and lows are well below freezing, nearly half of the canyon's yearly precipitation falls from December to March, trails can be icy, and the Narrows needs a drysuit
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Hiking in comfort: April, May, late September and October.
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Fewest people: January and February, with cold nights and icy shade.
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The Narrows: in a snowy year, after the spring closure ends, which was 19 to 22 June in 2019 and 2023 and May in other years. Watch the monsoon forecast from July to September.
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Fall colors: late October or early November, per NPS.
The Narrows and flash floods
Note: The Narrows is closed to all travel when the river flow is above 150 cubic feet per second (cfs). Spring snowmelt can push it over that. NPS's table lists closures of 6 April to 22 June in 2019, 9 April to 18 May in 2020, 8 April to 19 June in 2023 and 11 April to 19 May in 2024. In 2021, 2022, 2025 and 2026 it was open most of the time. It also closes during a Flash Flood Warning and stays closed at least two hours after one ends (NPS, The Narrows page, updated 18 Sep 2026, read 14 Oct 2026)
Note: Monsoon season runs July through September. Storms can form 15 to 20 miles upstream, so rain may fall far from where you stand. Flash floods are more frequent in the monsoon season, but NPS says they can happen at any time (NPS monsoon notice posted 29 Jul 2026, and The Narrows page)
Check the NPS conditions page and the river flow on the day. We did not check today's flow.
Angels Landing permits
Note: A permit is needed for the chains section from Scout Lookout to Angels Landing. The hike from the Grotto to Scout Lookout, about 2.25 miles, needs none. The seasonal lottery has four windows: hikes 1 Mar to 31 May (apply 1 to 20 Jan), 1 Jun to 31 Aug (apply 1 to 20 Apr), 1 Sep to 30 Nov (apply 1 to 20 Jul) and 1 Dec to 28 Feb (apply 1 to 20 Oct). Application $6 for up to 6 people, non-refundable. Permit $3 a person. A day-before lottery takes applications until 3 p.m. Mountain Time the day before the hike. Times are Mountain Time (NPS Angels Landing page, updated 8 Oct 2026, read 14 Oct 2026)
The NPS table does not print years. Read as this season, the winter lottery takes applications until 20 October 2026, with results on 25 October. We did not confirm that on Recreation.gov.
Fees for 2026
Price: Private vehicle $35. Motorcycle $30. On foot or by bike $20 a person, free for ages 15 and under. All valid for 1 to 7 days. Annual Zion pass $70. America the Beautiful pass $80 for residents and $250 for non-residents. Non-US residents aged 16 and over pay an extra $100 each, unless they hold an Annual or America the Beautiful pass (NPS fees page, updated 6 Jun 2026, read 14 Oct 2026)
Note: Fee-free days for US citizens and residents on that page include 27 October and 11 November. Permits and reservations still cost extra on those days (same page)
Las Vegas to Zion
Note: NPS lists Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) as 170 miles from the park (NPS directions page, updated 14 Sep 2026). A travel guide gives 160 miles and a 2.5 hour drive. Most of it is on I-15. About 10 miles north of St. George, take exit 16 onto Utah Route 9, which runs 30 miles east to the park past Hurricane and Rockville to Springdale (jameskaiser.com, Driving from Las Vegas to Zion National Park, read 15 Oct 2026; not an official source)
Note: I-15 crosses a 29.43 mile corner of Arizona between Nevada and Utah (Wikipedia, read 14 Oct 2026)
Start early in summer and on holiday weekends. NPS says parking in the park is often full by 9:00 a.m. in summer.
The time change. Las Vegas is on Pacific Time. Zion is on Mountain Time, and NPS gives its ranger phone hours in Mountain Time. Arizona does not change its clocks, and I-15 passes through its corner, so where the clock jumps on the road depends on the season. This part is general knowledge, not from a source we read. Set your phone to the local time and plan the last shuttle by Mountain Time.
Fuel. We did not check fuel prices or stations on the route.
Without driving. We did not check any private shuttle or tour operators from Las Vegas for this page. For the free park buses and the SunTran bus from St. George, read our shuttle page.
Hours: 2026 canyon shuttle: first Zion Canyon bus 7:00 a.m. from 13 Sep to 28 Nov. Last canyon bus from the Visitor Center is 6:00 p.m. to 24 Oct and 5:00 p.m. from 25 Oct. No service 29 Nov to 25 Dec. A short season runs 26 Dec to 2 Jan (NPS shuttle page, updated 4 Oct 2026, as read on 12 Oct 2026 for our shuttle page)
Where to stay
Note: Zion Lodge is the only lodging inside the park, with 76 hotel rooms, 6 suites and 40 historic cabins. Red Rock Grill is open all year (NPS lodging page, updated 12 Feb 2026, read 14 Oct 2026)
Note: Springdale is at the south entrance. The walk from Lion Boulevard to the entrance is about 10 minutes, and a free Springdale shuttle runs to Zion Canyon Village (UDOT guide and NPS shuttle page, as read for our shuttle page). Hurricane and St. George are farther along the SunTran line. NPS lists St. George Regional Airport 49 miles from the park (NPS directions page)
| Where | Why pick it | Price level (our estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| Zion Lodge | Inside the park, the shuttle stops at its door | Highest. We did not check rates on zionlodge.com |
| Springdale | Walk or shuttle to the park, many restaurants | High, and higher in the busy months |
| Hurricane | About 20 miles from Springdale on Route 9, by our guide | Lower than Springdale |
| St. George | Largest town, near the airport and I-15 | Lowest of the four |
The price column is our ranking, not a quote. We did not check any booking site. Zion Lodge is the only place to sleep inside the park, so book it early.
What we checked and what can change
Checked on 14 October 2026: NPS's Zion pages on fees (6 June 2026), directions (14 September 2026), lodging (12 February 2026), The Narrows (18 September 2026), the Angels Landing permit (8 October 2026), seasons (27 July 2024), the monsoon notice (29 July 2026), visitation (10 August 2024) and the climate chart (2021).
Not confirmed: drive time from any official source, the road distance from central Las Vegas, the Nevada to Utah time change, fuel prices, hotel rates, the Zion Lodge rates and booking window, shuttle and tour prices, today's Narrows flow, and whether the Angels Landing dates apply to this year. Temperatures and visitors are averages from the years named. The 2026 shuttle dates can change, so check the NPS shuttle page.
