Hiking with the Angels: Everything to know about RVing around Zion National Park

Hop on board Nature’s Highways as we travel through Mukuntuweap National Monument. Never heard of it? You probably know it as Zion National Park. Established in 1919, Zion ranks third of the most-visited national parks, and has some stunning camping areas. This may be your first visit, but others have camped, hunted, and lived there for more than 8,000 years. Let’s take a look as to why Puebloans, Paiute and Ute Indians, Franciscan missionaries, and Mormons saw the canyon as a sanctuary.

Getting there

If you are coming off IH-15, take the Toquerville/La Verkin exit 27 onto UT-17 for 6 miles to La Verkin. At La Verkin turn onto UT-9E for 26 miles to Springdale. That will bring you to the Zion Canyon Visitor Center. 

If you are coming in from the east via US-89, turn onto UT-9W at Mount Carmel Junction. This is the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway and Tunnel completed in 1930. Beware: The tunnel has restrictions on height and width. Once through the Tunnel you will find several tightly winding switchbacks along the canyon’s rim.

Tunnel Escort

Most buses, RVs, trailers, and dual-wheeled trucks require an escort to travel through the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel. There is a $15 fee per vehicle in addition to the entrance fee. Visitors should pay this fee at the park’s east entrance before proceeding to the tunnel. Required for all vehicles and trailers 7’10” (2.4 m) in width and/or 11’4″ (3.4 m) in height or larger. The fee is good for two trips through the tunnel for the same vehicle within a 7-day period.

Camping in Zion National Park

The only two campgrounds offering RV sites are just outside of Springdale. These are Watchman Campground and South Campground. Watchman has 92 RV sites with only nine 50-amp; the rest are 30/20/15 amp. No other hookups are available. A quick check shows no availability until May end. South Campground has 99 sites, none released for 2024 as of yet, with NO hookups; generators OK with limited hours. All sites must be booked through recreation.gov well in advance.

Your best bet is to stay outside of the park. If you are coming in from the south side, Zion Canyon Campground sits just outside the entrance in Springdale. Just down UT-9 in Virgin, UT, you will find Zion River Resort. Both of these come with good reviews. Remember, this is the popular side of Zion, so it comes with lots of visitors and higher prices.

Be patient, as Springdale sports bumper-to-bumper traffic and few parking spots. It offers plenty of eats from fine dining to cheap eats. Get ready to wait a while as most fill up quickly. For breakfast, we like Oscar’s Cafe. For dinner, there is a plethora of choices, but do not pass up the Bit & Spur Restaurant, especially the Chile Verde Pot Pie.

On the east side, a couple of parks are worth considering. East Zion RV Park in Mount Carmel is right on UT-9 with close access to Zion. Just up the road on US-89 is Mount Carmel Motel and RV Park. Being on the east side means both are reasonably priced. However, spaces are tight. Additionally, you have to drive the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway to get to and from Zion.

You are there, now what?

Visitors Centers

There are two Visitors Centers: Zion Canyon Visitor Center just inside the South Entrance of the park near Springdale and Kolob Canyon Visitor Center at the West Entrance of the park. 

• Zion Canyon Visitor Center. If staying in Springdale, you definitely should take the Zion Canyon Shuttle to the Visitor Center. If you plan on driving in, the parking lot fills up early, by 10 a.m. Keep in mind that in 2022, Zion hosted 4.7 million visitors. Peak times find the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive accessible only by shuttle. It stops in 9 different locations, 6 up-canyon and another 3 down-canyon.

  

• Kolob Canyons Visitor Center. Located at the far northwestern corner of Zion, it takes about an hour’s drive from Zion Canyon Visitor Center. The five-mile drive down Kolob Canyons Road gives panoramic views along with all-out points at trailheads. If you are on the east side, take US-89N to UT-14 at Long Valley Junction for a 41-mile drive through the Dixie National Forest. If you have time, travel up UT-148 to Cedar Breaks National Monument.

Hiking trails

Most visitors come to Zion for the hiking. Trails abound ranging from the easy Riverside Walk (2.2 miles, paved) at Temple of Sinawava to Canyon Overlook (1 mile, scenic) to The Narrows (16 miles, strenuous). You can stay on the relatively flat paved trail of Pa’rus (3.5 miles) following the Virgin River. For the adventurous, the infamous Angels Landing (5.4 miles) brings you along a narrow Ridgeline with 500-foot drop-offs on either side.

Always check in at the Visitors Center for trail conditions. Angels Landing requires a permit available by lottery and only online.

Flora and fauna

Any source of water in a desert draws attention from plants to wildlife. Of course, the Virgin River hosts a myriad of riparian plant life like cottonwood trees, cattails, and willows. However, the true uniqueness of Zion’s flora lies in the hanging baskets. One can find a complex garden along the rock walls thanks to seeps and springs found in the Navajo Sandstone.

Most Zion wildlife smartly keeps its distance from humans. Likewise, you will not come across much wildlife as many are nocturnal. Nightfall brings out the mountain lion, porcupine, skunk, raccoon, ringtail cats, and bats. Look for their tracks and scat near the water’s edge.

During the day you may see a desert bighorn sheep or mule deer. More likely, you will run across rock squirrels and chipmunks. And, do not overlook the Plateau Lizard or the Western Whiptail Lizard, both common along the trail.

Wait. What?! The Zion snail (Phyla zionis), found only in the hanging gardens of Zion, is the smallest snail in the world, the size of a pinhead.

This is our second national park along the Escalante Staircase. We will take a respite during December. Join Nature’s Highways in January for travels to Bryce Canyon. 

Until then, Happy Travels, and if you find yourself in Zion National Park, happy camping.

More from Dale:

• The beautiful Grand Canyon National Park: A guide for RVers
• Traveling New Mexico’s U.S. Highway 64: Stops, sights, eats, and more
• An in-depth look at traveling by RV at Great Smoky Mountains National Park

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