If you’re planning a trip to Zion National Park in 2026 (or beyond), there’s a new reason to consider the park’s less-visited east side. That’s because if work stays on schedule, the new Zion National Park Discovery Center should open in late 2026.
Why build a Discovery Center?
Zion Canyon’s main South Entrance gets most of the traffic during peak seasons. This often means overcrowding on trailheads, shuttles, and parking. The new Discovery Center was planned to give visitors a place to slow down, learn, and launch adventures from the quieter east side.
The National Park Service (NPS) aims for the new building to balance visitor traffic and ease pressure on the canyon. Running educational programs at the crowded rim is difficult, so the NPS hopes the Discovery Center will attract visitors and reduce congestion.
The Discovery Center project also includes plans for a transit hub and EV-shuttle connections so visitors can start their Zion day from the east rather than funneling into Springdale.
How to get there
The Discovery Center campus sits just outside Zion’s East Entrance along State Route 9 (the Zion–Mount Carmel corridor).
If you’re coming from Interstate 15, follow SR-9 east from La Verkin toward Mount Carmel Junction and continue on SR-9 into the park. The East Entrance branch is the route that takes you through the scenic Zion-Mount Carmel area.
For exact turn-by-turn directions from your starting point, use the National Park Service directions page before you leave. It’s the authoritative map for road conditions, distances, and current access rules.
Discovery Center highlights
Visitors can expect a low-profile, conservation-first campus with indoor and outdoor learning spaces. Design firms and park partners describe a roughly 20,000- to 25,000-square-foot building with hands-on exhibits, spaces for ranger-led programming, natural playgrounds, and outdoor classrooms that celebrate East Zion’s geology, plants, and Indigenous histories.
The site is being developed as a departure point for trails and as a transit hub so visitors can explore the high plateau and east-side trailheads without packing into the canyon. The center is built on donated private acreage.
Other East Zion activities
The east side of Zion is where you’ll find a very different mood from the crowded canyon. The area offers ponderosa pine plateaus, quieter trailheads, big overlooks, and outfitters that run horseback rides, jeep and UTV tours, canyoneering, and zip-line or ATV adventures nearby.
Popular hikes reachable from the east include the East Mesa/Observation Point route and the East Rim system. Both trails feature epic views with fewer crowds.
Nearby private resorts and outfitters offer adventure options on the east side if you want something beyond classic day hikes.
Practical tips for RVers
Think about the tunnel and route rules before you go. Zion-Mount Carmel Highway and its historic tunnel are scenic but have vehicle-size limits. Also, starting mid-2026, park rules are changing to limit large vehicles on that route. This means longer alternative drives for oversized rigs. Planning your route and timing is essential.
Also, keep in mind that the Discovery Center sits outside the park fee gate on privately donated land. Some of the facilities and interpretive programming may be accessible without immediately paying the canyon entrance fee.
Finally, if you rely on EV power, the park and partners are building charging and shuttle infrastructure. Confirm charging availability and RV-suitable parking in advance.
You should go
If your goal is a more relaxed Zion experience, visiting after the Discovery Center opens is a great plan.
The center aims to redirect crowds, add educational programming, and create new trail access and shuttle options that should reduce the need to fight for parking at the South Entrance.
You can also expect gradual development around the East Zion hub. Lodging, interpretive trails, and local services are already in the planning stages. These will make multiday stays and safer RV access more convenient over time.
Park managers caution that it may take a year or two after opening for visitor patterns to shift substantially, so planning a trip in 2026–2028 gives you the best chance to see East Zion’s quieter side while still enjoying the new amenities.
Planning tips
- Check the National Park Service pages for current trail closures, shuttle rules, and vehicle restrictions before you roll out.
- If you want to avoid peak crowds, target weekdays outside holidays.
- Consider staging a base at an east-side lodging or RV park so you can hit early-morning trails.
- Remember that many east-side adventures require reservations. Book in advance if they’re on your wish list.
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