Zion National Park is an experience no one should miss out on. But we realize that traveling with children or babies or children to any national park can be daunting, so we have put together this handy guide for a Family Friendly Zion Trip.
Tips for Family Friendly Zion
#1 Use a Hiking Backpack Carrier
We were planning on just using our Lillebaby carrier for Zion, but the night before we left Meagan found a hiking backpack carrier on a second hand sale site and we bought it. It is probably one of the best decisions we made. Hiking with a baby is hard, but it is much easier if you can easily carry the baby. We never could have survived hikes like the Watchman or made it to the middle Emerald Pool without a hiking carrier.
#2 Bring Plenty of Snacks and Water
You are going to get hungry and thirsty while you hike in Zion. So come prepared with plenty of snacks and water. This will make it much less likely that your children become hangry as well as tired which can lead to a more pleasant trip. If you can have each child wear their own small backpack with their snacks in it so you don’t end up carrying everything. Older children should be able to carry their own water as well.
#3 Arrive Early
I know this is not a fun piece of advice for parents with children who want to sleep in, but really Zion is 100% better if you arrive before the crowds. This will make parking and riding the shuttle much easier. Children hate standing in line for a long time and so you don’t want their first experience with Zion to be standing in line to ride the Springdale shuttle so that they can then stand in line to ride the canyon shuttle. Arrive early so you can have a better experience.
#4 Stay Within Your Group Skill Level
You might want to hike Angel’s Landing, but your 4 year old probably doesn’t. You will have a much better family trip if you all have fun hiking rather than making it so hard that everybody gets tired and upset, or even injured.
Itinerary for Family Friendly Zion
Zion is a big and incredibly beautiful national park. We suggest having two days to take it all in.
Start with the River Walk
Arrive early and ride the shuttle all the way to the end and start with the River Walk and a little bit of the Narrows which we talk about here. The water will be cold, but it won’t warm up that much by the afternoon and the crowds will be much worse later.
Hike the First Emerald Pool and the Weeping Rock with Young Children
Both the hike to the first Emerald Pool and to Weeping Rock start with steep inclines, but they are very short and paved so that they can be easily done with children. They both end at rocks that seep water which is cool, refreshing and fun for kids.
Hike the Pa’rus Trail or the Grotto Trail When You are Tired
When you are tired and need something easy hike part of the Pa’rus Trail, especially if you have come back to the visitor center for lunch. You can also hike the Grotto Trail and have lunch at the picnic area. These are both flat and easy trails.
Spend Some Time in the Shade
There is a giant tree outside of the Zion Lodge that is a great place to rest and spend sometime enjoying the beautiful surroundings of the canyon.
Sum Up
Zion is a more intense park than its neighbors, Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef, but it can still be enjoyed as a family. You may not be able to do the most iconic hikes (some of them require permits anyway), but you will still have a marvelous time in this amazing place.
