Discover Zion National Park : A Self-Guided Tour

1.0 (one review) 6 h 30 min Free cancellation Private tour

out of 5

one review

1.0

Discover Zion National Park : A Self-Guided Tour — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

Discover Zion National Park : A Self-Guided Tour, photo 2 — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

About this activity

Discover Zion National Park with our self-guided tour, allowing you to explore Utah's most dramatic canyon landscape at your own pace. Wade through The Narrows where the Virgin River carves between 1000 foot walls glowing amber and crimson in the desert light. Grip the chain-assisted ridge of Angels Landing for panoramic views across the canyon. Walk the Riverside Walk beneath towering cliffs dripping with hanging gardens of fern and columbine, hike to the Emerald Pools where waterfalls cascade over sandstone ledges into glowing green pools, drive the dramatic switchbacks of the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway through its mile-long tunnel carved in the 1920s, and watch the Watchman peak glow deep crimson at sunset from the valley. Discover the hidden finger canyons of Kolob, a separate section of the park where some of Zion's tallest sandstone walls rise in solitude far from the main valley, and explore Checkerboard Mesa's extraordinary geological patterns on the park's quieter east side.

Day Trips Full-day Tours Private and Luxury Private Sightseeing Tours Audio Guides Cultural Tours Historical Tours Walking Tours

At a glance

Duration: 6 h 30 min
Confirmation: Instant confirmation
Ticket: Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Group: Your group only
People per booking: 1–15
Audio guide: English
Written guide: English
Operated by: CloudGuide S.L

Ages: Adults (15–65 years)

What is included

Included

Included: Enjoy audio guide access for more than 50 sites across Zion National Park
Included: Self-guided walking tour (app)
Included: Bonus Audio Guide: Zion Canyon Scenic Drive
Included: Digital Map
Included: NO in-person guide or physical equipment (bring your own device & headphones)

Not included

Not included: Private transportation
Not included: Entrance fees, in-person guide, headphones, transport, parking, food,Wi-Fi or cellular data, rentals
Not included: Hiking permits (e.g. Angel's Landing) — issued separately by the National Park Service via lottery

Itinerary

Court of the Patriarchs

Passing by

Three massive sandstone peaks named Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob — towering above the valley in formation like ancient sentinels. The viewpoint is a short walk from the shuttle stop, offering one of the first dramatic perspectives of Zion Canyon's layered red and cream Navajo Sandstone walls rising vertically from the green valley floor.
Zion National Park

Passing by

The only lodging inside Zion Canyon — a historic lodge surrounded by towering canyon walls with emerald lawns and cottonwood trees lining the Virgin River. The lodge serves as a trailhead for the Emerald Pools trails and the Grotto, with views of the Great White Throne and Red Arch Mountain framing the valley.
Angel's Landing

Passing by

The starting point for Zion's most legendary hike — Angels Landing, a 8.7-kilometer round trip ascending 453 meters via Walter's Wiggles (21 tight switchbacks) to a knife-edge ridge with chains bolted into the rock. The final half-mile along the narrow spine offers vertigo-inducing drops and views that rank among the best in any national park.
Stop 4

Passing by

A natural alcove where water seeps through 2,000 feet of Navajo Sandstone and emerges as a curtain of dripping springs, creating lush hanging gardens of ferns, columbine, and golden columbine clinging to the overhanging cliff face. The short paved trail to the alcove reveals the geology of Zion's permeable sandstone layers.
Stop 5

1 h 30 min

A dramatic horseshoe bend in the Virgin River offering the best upward views of Angels Landing's knife-edge ridge and the Great White Throne — a massive 732-meter monolith of Navajo Sandstone that is one of the largest freestanding rock formations in the world, glowing white and gold in the afternoon light.
Temple of Sinawava Trail

Passing by

The end of the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive and the gateway to The Narrows — a natural amphitheatre where the canyon walls close in and the Virgin River emerges from the slot canyon ahead. The paved Riverside Walk follows the river upstream for 1.6 kilometers between towering walls draped with hanging gardens and seeping springs.
The Narrows

Passing by

Zion's most iconic experience — wading upstream through the Virgin River between thousand-foot sandstone walls that narrow to just 6 meters in places. The sculpted canyon walls glow amber, crimson, and gold as sunlight filters down from above. Water depth varies from ankle to waist-deep depending on season and flow conditions.
Canyon Overlook Trail

Passing by

A short but spectacular 1.6-kilometer trail starting at the east end of the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel — climbing to a viewpoint overlooking Pine Creek Canyon and the switchbacks of the canyon floor far below. The trail passes through sandstone slots, over natural bridges, and along cliff edges to one of Zion's most rewarding views for minimal effort.
Checkerboard Mesa

Passing by

A striking sandstone formation along the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway — its surface etched with a distinctive crosshatch pattern created by the intersection of horizontal bedding planes and vertical stress fractures, weathered over millions of years into a natural checkerboard. One of the most photogenic geological features on the park's east side.
Emerald Pools

Passing by

A series of three pools fed by waterfalls cascading over red sandstone ledges — the Lower Pool is reached by an easy paved trail, while the Middle and Upper Pools require progressively steeper climbs through a sandstone grotto with dripping overhangs. The pools glow emerald green from algae and reflected canyon light.
Kolob Canyons

Passing by

Zion's hidden gem — a separate section of the park accessed from I-15, where towering red finger canyons carved by Timber and Taylor Creeks rival the main canyon in dramatic beauty with a fraction of the crowds. The 8-kilometer scenic drive ends at a viewpoint overlooking some of Zion's tallest sandstone walls.
Watchman Trail

Passing by

A 5.2-kilometer trail climbing to a viewpoint overlooking Springdale, the Towers of the Virgin, and the Watchman — the distinctive peak guarding Zion's South Entrance. The trail is ideal at sunset when the canyon walls glow deep red, and offers a quieter alternative to the busier canyon trails with expansive desert and mountain panoramas.

Meeting point and pickup

Everyone meets at the meeting point.

Meeting point

Meet at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center just inside the South Entrance — the main gateway to Zion Canyon with exhibits, ranger programs, and the shuttle bus departure point. The center sits at the base of the Watchman and the Towers of the Virgin.

GPS Coordinates: 37.1980, -112.9843

End point

Meet at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center just inside the South Entrance — the main gateway to Zion Canyon with exhibits, ranger programs, and the shuttle bus departure point. The center sits at the base of the Watchman and the Towers of the Virgin.

GPS Coordinates: 37.1980, -112.9843

Using your ticket

INSTRUCTIONS

1 – Download the CloudGuide App

The first step is to install the CloudGuide app. The app can be found under the name CloudGuide in the app stores (iOS and Android). You can also get our app here: cloudguide.me/get. Review how to use: cloudguide.me/l/howtouse_en_web.

2 – Get the guide

Once downloaded, open the app. Click "I HAVE A CODE". Type using the keyboard or paste the code that can be found above your ticket on the left, just below the barcode (a 12-digit number starting with “A”, one code per visitor).

Click "START TOUR". You can pre-download or use your guide in streaming. Once activated on your phone, the guide grants access to content for the following 30 days.

3 - Go to the starting point

When you're ready to start the guide, head to the suggested starting point (or feel free to customize the order of your tour).

4 - Need help?

If you have any issues with access codes or in-app purchases, please contact us at [email protected]. We have also prepared a list of the most common issues and the ways to solve them: cloudguide.me/l/issues.

5 – Didn’t receive your code?

If you haven’t received your access code (a 12-digit number starting with “A” — one code per visitor), please contact us at [email protected]. Be sure to include your booking number and the name of the tour, and we’ll assist you as soon as possible.

TIP: Having troubles? Apps and phones aren’t perfect. Sometimes they freeze or crash. If this happens, simply close the app (don’t just minimise it!) and reopen it. In most cases that should help.

All stops, routes, and points of interest in this app are recommendations only. Conditions can change — please check local weather, road conditions, and official sources (such as national parks, tourism boards, visitor centers, and municipal websites) before and during your trip. CloudGuide and its publisher are not liable for any loss, injury, inconvenience, or damages resulting from use of this information or decisions based on it.