How To Use The Zion Shuttle System

How to use the Zion Shuttle System

If you’re planning a trip to Zion National Park, you MUST know how to use the shuttle system before you go.

The Zion Shuttle System is composed of two systems: the Springdale City Shuttle (which gets you TO Zion National Park), and the Zion Shuttle System (which gets you around IN the park). Both shuttle systems are free to use!

There’s a lot more to know if you want to be prepared, so keep on reading to learn how to use the Zion shuttles!

Can You Drive Anywhere in Zion National Park?

Yes! You can drive on all roads in Zion year-round, except Zion Canyon (the most popular section).

However, during the busy season — February (ish) to November (ish) — Zion Canyon (also called the Zion Scenic Drive) can only be accessed by shuttle.

It’s important to understand there are 4 main roads in Zion National Park:

• Zion Scenic Drive (This is the main Zion Canyon)
• Zion-Mt Carmel Road
• Kolob Terrace Road
• Kolob Canyons Road

Zion Scenic Drive is the most popular, but do not underestimate the other roads. They are full of amazing sites as well, and they are much less crowded. See below.

• Visiting Zion and need a game plan? Download our Zion itinerary & audio guide.
• Find out: When Can You Enter Zion National Park?

What Shuttles Are There at Zion?

There are two kinds of shuttles you will encounter when visiting Zion:

• Springdale Shuttle, which transports people to the park.
• Zion National Park Shuttle, which transports people into Zion Canyon.

Don’t fear, we are here to simplify it for you. Here’s what you need to know:

The Springdale Shuttle

Springdale, UT is a gorgeous little town that sits right outside the main entrance to Zion National Park.

Zion National Park has some parking, but it fills up very early in the morning. If you arrive before 7:30 am, you might get a parking spot in Zion.

Otherwise, you’ll need to park in Springdale and walk or take the Springdale Shuttle to the park.

Zion doesn’t have enough parking to accommodate most of its visitors, so Springdale works with the National Park Service (NPS) to facilitate the over 4 million visitors coming to the valley every year.

Here’s what you need to know:

• The shuttle is FREE.
• It picks you up from one of 9 stops in the city and drops you off at the park entrance.
• It is 2.8 miles from the 1st stop (Majestic View Lodge, the furthest south) to the last stop (the park entrance).
• Shuttles come every 15-30 minutes, depending on the season and time of day.
• It starts at 8:00am and ends at 6:00pm. SO PLAN ACCORDINGLY.
• If you are able to park near the park, it may be faster to walk, especially considering that by the time the Springdale shuttle gets to your stop, it may be full from all the prior stops.
• You may consider parking farther away from the park so you are one of the earlier stops and more likely to get a seat.
• Parking usually costs about $25. There are many parking lots in town, and also roadside parking (still $25ish).
• You still have to pay for your Zion park entry pass. Pay for your park entry when you walk into the park (if you haven’t already purchased a pass online before your visit).
• Once you enter the park, you’ll be at the visitor center, where you’ll catch the Zion National Park Shuttle.

The Zion National Park Shuttle

This is the official Zion Shuttle, and it takes you from the visitor center to the end of Zion Scenic Drive (Zion Canyon). There are 9 stops on this shuttle as well. Recently certain stops have been closed due to natural disasters or COVID.

Here are some basic things to know about the shuttle:

• The shuttle takes about an hour to get from the visitor center to the last stop, the Temple of Sinawava.
• Shuttles run every 5-10 minutes during the busy times.
• Sometimes they have a second shuttle (just to make it even more confusing!) called THE CIRCULATOR. It stays in the canyon, rather than returning to the visitor center. See the map below. Check the park website to see if this is running while you’re there.
• Make sure you know when the last shuttle leaves the Temple of Sinawava, and make sure you catch a shuttle BEFORE that time, in case the last one fills up before you can board it. If you miss the last shuttle, you will have to walk 7 or 8 miles out of the canyon.

Always remember to check the official park website before your trip to double check the dates and times of shuttle operation. Here is a link to Zion’s official shuttle page.

There Are Nine Stops on the Zion Shuttle

You’ll need to be prepared to know which stop to exit for the particular hike or activity you want to do. Here are the stops and activities at each stop.

1. Visitor Center.
2. Zion Museum. Great stop for the Zion Human History Museum and viewing the Altar of Sacrifice when open.
3. Canyon Junction. It’s rare to get off here. Also, the Pa’rus trail connects the Visitor Center with Canyon Junction.
4. Court of the Patriarchs. This is mostly a scenic viewpoint. Get out and look at the formations, then wait for the next shuttle.
5. Zion Lodge. This is the only place to eat inside the park. It’s also the trailhead for Emerald Pools Hike.
6. The Grotto. Trailhead for Angels Landing and Kayenta Trail.
7. Weeping Rock. This is closed because of a rockslide; long-term closure.
8. Big Bend. This is mostly a scenic viewpoint.
9. Temple of Sinawava. This is the trailhead for the Riverside Walk and the Narrows (same hike).

• For even more details about the shuttle stops read What to Expect at Each Shuttle Stop in Zion Canyon.
• Need a hotel? We use booking.com often and find great deals.

Can You Get into Zion Canyon Without Using the Shuttle?

Yes! It was common to walk or ride a bike into Zion Canyon during the time of the ticketed shuttle system, and the legacy effect is that people realized it can be a fun way to see the canyon.

Can You Walk into Zion Canyon?

Yes, you can walk into the park from the visitor center! I wouldn’t recommend it, but I have seen plenty of people do it. It’s about 8 miles from the visitor center to the Temple of Sinawava.

For the first 1.5 miles, from the Visitor Center to Canyon Junction, you can walk on the Pa’rus Trail rather than the road. But as you walk in Zion Canyon, you’ll walk along the shoulder of the road. There is NOT a sidewalk.

Cars can drive from the visitor center to Canyon Junction. If you can get someone to drop you off at Canyon Junction, you’ll cut off the 1.5 mile Pa’rus Trail.

• Do you love learning about the West? Sign up for our free newsletter and get interesting information sent right to your inbox.

Can You Ride a Bike into Zion Canyon?

Yes, you can also ride a bike into the canyon — either a regular road bike or an eBike. It probably takes about 1 to 1.5 hours to bike from the visitor center to the end of Zion Canyon.

As with walking, you can ride a bike on the Pa’rus Trail to Canyon Junction. After that, you’ll be biking on the road in Zion Canyon.

The road’s shoulder is a little narrow, so I personally wouldn’t recommend this option. Just be cautious if you do it.

One nice thing is that there aren’t a lot of vehicles on that road, since vehicles aren’t allowed on the road. But last time I was in the canyon, there were more cars than I would have thought. I guess this is because people can drive into the canyon to get to Zion Lodge and Canyon Trail Horse Rides.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Bikers must pull over to the shoulder of the road and give way to shuttles that are coming from behind them. Bikers do NOT have the right-of-way in Zion Canyon.

Where Can You Rent eBikes for Zion Canyon?

There are many bike rental stores in Springdale, UT. The nice thing about the eBikes is that it doesn’t require much energy to bike an extra mile or two, so location doesn’t matter much — they are all located in Springdale, within easy biking distance of the park.

Many of them also offer pull-behind strollers if you want to pull your kids.

Business	Cost	Notes
Outta Here Bikes	$95 full-day, $75 half-day	Pick up at Zion Guru
Zion Guru	$95 full-day, $75 half-day
Zion Cycles	$50 full-day, $40 half-day	Can choose a nicer bike for more money
Zion Adventures	$45 to $95 per day, depending on the quality of the bike	Offers pull-behind trailers for extra
eBike Rental Zion	$95 per day
Zion Peddler	$95 per day

Can You Drive into Zion Canyon?

Yes, but only in the off-season. This lasts from November(ish) to February(ish). The approximation is due to the fact that in November and February, the canyon is typically closed on weekends due to heavy traffic.

Also, the canyon is closed to vehicles during Christmas and Presidents’ Day. It’s shuttle-only during that time.

If you do visit in the off-season and drive into the Canyon, you need to know that the parking in the canyon can fill up. If it does, you’re out of luck. The shuttle doesn’t run in the off-season.

Also, be aware that Zion can get cold in the winter and even receives snow.

• What you need to know about driving in Zion.

What Other Things Can You Do in the Park Without a Shuttle?

The shuttle is a wonderful system and honestly, I would prefer to use the shuttle rather than drive into the canyon.

But let’s say crowds stress you out and you would rather do some activities that don’t require the shuttle.

There are MANY things to do IN Zion National Park, as well as OUTSIDE of Zion National Park.

• Find out Is Zion Too Crowded? What Every Traveler Needs to Know.

Things to Do in Zion National Park Besides Zion Canyon

I mentioned earlier there are 3 other roads you can visit besides Zion Scenic Drive.

The Zion-Mt Carmel Highway is the most popular, as it is closest to the visitor center. Simply drive through the main gate at the visitor center and it will lead you up the switchbacks, through a tunnel, and through one of the most scenic drives you will ever experience! You can also do the Canyon Overlook Trail on this road.

Kolob Terrace Road is also a very scenic drive. It rides through the plateau above Zion Canyon, and has a nice mixture of red rock, trees, and meadows. The hikes along this road are typically backcountry hikes, such as the famous Subway Hike, Wildcat Canyon, and Hop Valley.

But the drive itself is really nice and ends at Kolob Reservoir, where you can boat, fish, or swim.

Kolob Canyons is a less-visited section of the park but is closest in nature to Zion Canyon. It has a series of slot canyons that are stunning. It is located about an hour away from Zion Canyon. We really like Kolob and we have included some tips for visiting Kolob in our Zion Multi-day guide.

Things to Do Near Zion

You need to think of Zion as part of Canyon Country. There are LOTS of amazing sites and hikes nearby!

Here are some of our favorites (links are to videos or articles):

• St. George (video of things to do in St. George)
• Bryce Canyon
• The Grand Canyon
• Cedar Breaks National Monument
• Snow Canyon (video; Snow Canyon is like Zion Jr.)
• Red Cliffs Conservation Area
• Candy Cliffs
• Sand Hollow State Park (rent ATVs and ride them in the sand dunes)
• Quail Creek State Park (boating)
• Las Vegas (needs no explanation, lol)

• Don’t miss out on The Best Dining Spots In Zion & Springdale!

Is There Anything Else I Should Know?

Need a game plan to use the shuttles and see the BEST of Zion? We’ve got you covered! 

Most travelers want to visit the most popular sites and still avoid the crowds. We have a detailed itinerary that gives you a step-by-step game plan so you can get to the best places at the right times!