‘It’s spectacular’: Tips for visiting Zion National Park in the winter

During much of the year, visitors to Zion National Park must hop on a shuttle to visit the popular Zion Canyon. In the offseason, though, parkgoers can drive their own car on the scenic drive that weaves along the path of the Virgin River under towering rock walls.

“It’s spectacular,” said Carmella Hoeft, co-owner and guide with Land Beyond Zion. “When the shuttles are down, we get special privilege because we get to drive down that road, and you’re with your immediate family or friends; you’re not stuffed in a shuttle.”

That’s just one of the perks of a winter trip to one of the country’s most frequented national parks that saw about five million visitors last year. A visit to Zion during slower months also includes smaller crowds, opportunities to hike exposed trails in colder temperatures — and if you’re lucky, some tranquility.

“It’s a time for the park to kind of be in hibernation, if you will, almost like strengthening and healing, giving it some peace and quiet to rejuvenate for the spring,” Scott Williams, owner of Zion Guide Hub and Zion Cycles, said. “That goes the same for the people that live and work up there as well. I think everybody enjoys the slower moments and quietness.”

Shuttles will return to service on March 7 in time for the spring break rush.

With a month left to visit Zion before the crowds pick up and the canyon closes to cars, here’s what local guides and the park recommend for those looking to avoid the busy season.

Crowds may be smaller, but they still exist

Even though the park is quieter in the winter, Hoeft still recommends getting to the trailhead by 9:30 a.m. at the latest.

“The trailheads do have some parking spots near them, but they’re pretty limited and so depending on how late you get there, those trailhead parking spots may fill up,” she said.

If a desired lot is full, there are more parking spaces at Zion Lodge, with paths that connect to other trailheads throughout Zion Canyon.

Parking at the lodge also gives visitors the opportunity to do one of Hoeft’s favorite winter activities in Zion: enjoy a meal by the large bay windows at the lodge restaurant.

“It’s nice to be able to go in there and sit and relax and unwind and see the beauty of the canyon just from the windows,” she said.

If all the lots fill up along the scenic drive, the park will close access to cars, Matt Fink, spokesperson for the park, told The Tribune.

“Scenic drive closures are not all that common,” Fink said. “They definitely happen, but it’s not an everyday or every-other-day thing.”

Closures are more likely on holiday weekends, such as President’s Day, which is a fee-free day for national parks.

If there is a closure, visitors to Zion Canyon can park at the visitor center, the pullouts between the south entrance and the scenic drive and the human history museum. If all those spots fill up too, visitors will have to park in the town of Springdale, Fink added.

Hiking tips

Colder winter months are a good time to visit less shady trails, such as Sand Bench, Fink said.

“It’s beautiful, but sandy and very exposed to the elements,” he said. “When it gets hot out, we do see a lot of heat-related illnesses that happen on the Sand Bench Trail.”

While winter hiking in Zion brings less risk of heat exhaustion, the cold presents other dangers.

The Narrows Trail, which requires trudging through the Virgin River, has a “higher risk of consequences” due to the cold temperatures and shorter days, said Williams.

“It’s never really sunny in there, and it’s never really warm,” he added, “But it is quiet, and there’s not a lot of people in there.”

Various shops around the park, including Williams’ Zion Cycles, offer gear rentals, including splash jackets and waders, which Hoeft said are “absolute necessities” to stay dry and safe in the Narrows in the winter.

Ice also creates risk on some trails in the park. Hoeft recommends bringing microspikes along to attach to the bottom of hiking shoes. This becomes extra important on trails such as Angel’s Landing where “there’s no room for failure,” Hoeft said.

Sometimes the park will temporarily close trails due to icy conditions, either on the path or overhead, Fink said. “Falling ice does happen,” he added.

Just a few weeks ago, the park had to close the “Walter’s Wiggles,” a series of steep switchbacks on the West Rim Trail leading up to Scout Lookout. “There was actually so much ice on the wiggles that you could not climb them without slipping and falling,” Fink said.

The West Rim Trail to Scouts Lookout is one of “three main culprits” for icy conditions, Fink said. The other two are the Lower Emerald Pools Trail and the Weeping Rock Trail.

This has been an abnormally dry winter in the park — and much of Utah — but Fink emphasized that ice is still possible.

Beyond personal safety, the park also has tips for respecting wildlife during the winter season.

Visitors may see lambs in the park as Desert Bighorn sheep give birth. “We do ask people when they’re driving the Zion Mount Carmel Highway on the east side of the park to please be on the lookout and don’t speed through there because there may be Desert Bighorn sheep crossing the road,” Fink said. “Keep in mind, because it is lambing season, it’s a particularly sensitive time for that species.”

It’s also mating season for condors, and Fink said making excessive noise can stress out these endangered birds.

To stay up to date on the latest park info, Fink recommends stopping by the visitor center before venturing further into the park.

“At the end of the day, the best bet for anybody is to go to our visitor center front desk, present your plan for the day to the ranger there, and they’ll let you know what the current conditions are,” Fink said. “That’s definitely the safest way to recreate here.”