Entering Zion vs. the permit.
You do not need a reservation to enter Zion in 2026. You pay the park fee and drive or ride in. The only permit the park requires is an Angels Landing permit, and only to hike past Scout Lookout onto the chained final stretch. Everything else in Zion is open without a permit.
| Park entry | No reservation needed. Pay the entrance fee to get in. |
| Angels Landing permit | Required past Scout Lookout (the chains). You can reach Scout Lookout with no permit. |
| How to get one | Recreation.gov lottery: a seasonal lottery months ahead, plus a day-before lottery. |
| Cost | $6 per application (up to 6 people), plus $3 per person if you win. |
| Everything else | No permit needed for the rest of Zion's trails and sights. |
How the Angels Landing lottery works.
There are two ways in, both on Recreation.gov. The seasonal lottery lets you enter ranked days and times months in advance. The day-before lottery opens early each morning and closes mid-afternoon, with permits issued that same afternoon, so it is the option for a last-minute plan. As an example of the seasonal timing, permits for the fall block (September through November 2026) were drawn from a lottery that ran in July. The exact windows shift, so check the park page for the current schedule before you plan.
Getting around Zion Canyon.
One more thing worth knowing: for most of the year you cannot drive your own car up the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive, and you ride the park shuttle instead. The shuttle does not need a reservation. It is not a permit and not a booking, just the way you get up the canyon in the busy season. Check the park's current shuttle dates before you visit, since the season shifts a little year to year.
When it matters most.
Permit demand tracks the crowds. June is the busiest month of the year here, with about 601,680 visits in a typical recent year and 585,040 in 2025. The summer stretch from June through September carries roughly 43 percent of the whole year's visits, so that is when lines, parking, and any booking pressure are heaviest. For the full month-by-month picture, see the crowd calendar linked below.
Common questions.
Do you need a reservation to enter Zion in 2026?
No. You just pay the entrance fee. The only permit required is for hiking Angels Landing past Scout Lookout, and it comes through a Recreation.gov lottery.
Do you need a permit for Angels Landing?
Yes, to go past Scout Lookout onto the chained section. Hiking to Scout Lookout needs no permit. Beyond it, everyone needs an Angels Landing permit from the Recreation.gov lottery.
How much is an Angels Landing permit?
It is $6 per application, which covers up to six people, plus $3 per person if you are drawn. You enter through either the seasonal lottery or the day-before lottery.
Can you drive through Zion Canyon?
For most of the year, no. You ride the free park shuttle up the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive instead. The shuttle needs no reservation. Check the park's current shuttle season before you go.
Reservation rules change from year to year, and sometimes mid-season. Confirm the current rule on the official park page before you book or travel. Zion Angels Landing permit page (NPS)
Rules on this page last verified against the official NPS pages on July 13, 2026.
How we read the crowds
The monthly visit counts on this page come from the official NPS Visitor Use Statistics. "Share of peak" compares a month against the park's own busiest month, so 100 percent marks the single busiest month of the year. The reservation and permit rules come from each park's official NPS pages, linked above and last verified on July 13, 2026. We are an independent site and not affiliated with the National Park Service.
Independent site. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the National Park Service. Data comes from the official NPS Visitor Use Statistics Data Package, 2025; editorial analysis is ours. The NPS Arrowhead and other NPS marks are not used.