Zion with kids.

Which summer month with kids?

June is Zion's busiest month, averaging about 602,000 recreation visits, and it is still our pick for a school-break trip. It is the driest month of the year at the Zion NP weather station, with 0.2 inches of precipitation, and it comes before the monsoon, which NPS dates July to September. Average highs are 95°F in June and 100°F in July. NPS says summer temperatures are regularly over 100°F, so plan kids' hikes for the morning.

• June. The busiest month. Average high 95°F, low 62°F, 0.2 inches of precipitation.
  Watch for: parking full by 9 a.m., per NPS. NPS also says the river often closes to hiking during spring snowmelt, in April, May, and possibly later.
• July. 8% fewer visits than June. Average high 100°F, low 70°F, 1.1 inches of precipitation.
  Watch for: the start of the monsoon and the hottest days of the year.
• August. 23% fewer visits than June. Average high 98°F, low 69°F, 1.6 inches of precipitation, the wettest of the three.
  Watch for: monsoon flash floods. NPS says to ask about the risk at the visitor center.

Temperatures are NOAA 1991-2020 normals at the Zion NP station (USC00429717, 4,038 ft), near the Zion Canyon Visitor Center. Treat them as a preview: we have not finished reviewing that station for this park.

Outside the school break, NPS says visitation drops more dramatically in November, and the shuttle runs into the end of November. By then the Nature Center has closed; it is usually open late May through early September. The best time to visit Zion page compares every month.

Junior Ranger.

Zion's Junior Ranger program is for ages 4 and older. NPS says the self-guided booklets are free at park visitor centers, the Zion Human History Museum, and the Nature Center, and you can download one ahead of time. The Zion Canyon and Kolob Canyons visitor centers have them all year; the museum and Nature Center have them in season (NPS Junior Ranger page).

To earn the badge, kids complete pages in the booklet and attend a ranger-led program. NPS asks you to allow several hours, because the activities send you around Zion Canyon, and the booklet is designed to be finished inside the park. Left before you reached a visitor center? NPS will mail a badge if you email photos of the completed pages and your mailing address.

Youth ranger programs are designed for families and children, and they run at the Nature Center and other Zion Canyon spots through the summer. The park calendar has the schedule, and youth must be with an adult. The Nature Center is an interactive children's museum near South Campground, reached on the Pa'rus Trail, with habitat exhibits, canyon tree frog calls, and flash flood videos. It is usually open late May through early September, and parking there may be limited (NPS Kids and Youth page).

Two more options: a separate Jr. Ranger Night Explorer booklet, and a Virtual Ranger page where kids who can't visit complete activities and print their own certificate and badge.

The safety rules kids need to hear.

Heat and water. NPS says summer is hot, with temperatures regularly over 100°F. Carry at least one gallon of water per person per day, and drink it. Water is available at visitor centers, campgrounds, Zion Lodge, and some shuttle stops. Do not drink untreated water: park biologists have found toxic cyanobacteria in the Virgin River. Learn the signs of heat exhaustion before the trip: nausea, vomiting, fatigue, headaches, a pale look, stomach cramps, and cool, clammy skin. If a child shows them, NPS says to stop the hike, rest in shade with feet up, and both drink and eat (NPS safety page).

Cliffs. Falls from cliffs on trails have resulted in death, and NPS says loose sand or pebbles on stone are very slippery. Its rules are short: stay on the trail, stay back from cliff edges, observe posted warnings, and please watch children. Angels Landing is the hike we would leave off a family list. NPS calls it a steep, physically challenging route, gives no minimum age, and suggests anyone with a fear of heights split off at Scout Lookout. Everyone needs a permit to go past Scout Lookout onto the chains; the rules are on Zion permits and reservations.

Flash floods. Flash floods can happen at any time in Zion, and NPS says they are common in the July to September monsoon. In a narrow canyon the water can rise within seconds or minutes, and many hikers have been stranded, injured, and even killed. The Narrows closes above 150 CFS and whenever the National Weather Service issues a Flash Flood Warning, and it stays closed for two hours after the warning lifts. NPS says to check the weather forecast and flash flood potential before any trip into a canyon, because floods have come on days they were not expected (NPS Narrows page).

Wildlife. NPS says to stay at least 100 feet from deer, bighorn sheep, California condors, and mountain lions, and at least 50 feet from smaller animals like squirrels, birds, and reptiles. If any animal comes toward you, back away. An NBA court is 94 feet long, which makes 100 feet easy to picture. Never feed wildlife, including at the picnic tables (NPS wildlife viewing safety page).

Paved trails and a first step into the Narrows.

NPS rates several Zion Canyon trails as Easy and names three as a good fit for families, all on paved surfaces. It also warns that some sections are steep or have minor drop-offs. Here is how they compare, from the park's own trail measurements (NPS trail access information):

Pa'rus Trail. 1.6 miles one way, 93.6% paved and the rest wood decking, with a typical grade of 2.6% and a maximum of 11.4%. With a stroller, this is the easiest of the three. It reaches the Nature Center and the Human History Museum, so it doubles as the way to both, though NPS says the short link up to the museum has stairs and sandy ground.

Riverside Walk. 1 mile one way from the Temple of Sinawava, all concrete, though sand can make it slippery. The typical grade is 4.6%, with a maximum of 25.9%. It ends where the Narrows begins.

Lower Emerald Pools Trail. 0.6 miles one way from Shuttle Stop #5, the shortest of the three but the steepest: a typical grade of 7.1%, a maximum of 25.3%, and 34% of the trail at 8.3% or steeper.

A first step into the Narrows. Past the end of Riverside Walk you walk in the Virgin River, and no permit is needed to go upstream. NPS says an hour in the river is a great experience. It also compares the riverbed to wet bowling balls: wear closed-toed shoes and bring a sturdy stick, never sandals, crocs, or bare feet. Below 70 CFS, NPS describes knee-deep crossings and frequent pools up to waist deep. Picture those depths on your smallest child before you go, and remember the water is often colder than the air.

Rest stops. The Human History Museum, about 1 mile from the South Entrance, is open from spring to fall with exhibits on geology, plants, animals, and survival, and the park film is free online. From spring through fall a narrated tram ride through Zion Canyon starts and ends at Zion Lodge, which is an easy way to see the canyon with tired legs (NPS lodging page).

Logistics that make or break the trip.

The shuttle. In shuttle season you cannot drive the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive, so the bus is how you reach these trails. NPS says a stroller rides on the bike rack on the front of the bus and you have to load it yourself, and that drinking water is allowed on board but eating is not. Times and stops are on our Zion shuttle page.

Parking. NPS says summer parking in the park is often full by 9 a.m.; after that, park in Springdale and ride the town shuttle in. Our Zion parking page has the options.

Food. Inside the park, Zion Lodge is the only place to buy food. Springdale has restaurants and grocery stores. Picnic areas with tables, benches, or lawns are at the Nature Center, Zion Lodge, and the Grotto, so packing lunch is the easy choice.

Where to stay. Zion Lodge is the only lodging inside the park, with 76 hotel rooms, 6 suites, and 40 historic cabins. Otherwise you will be in or near Springdale. The South Entrance and the Pedestrian Entrance are at the north end of town, and from early spring to late fall a free shuttle runs from Springdale to the Pedestrian Entrance (NPS directions page). Campgrounds are on Zion camping.

In the car. Seat belts and child safety seats are required for everyone in a vehicle, and the speed limit is 35 mph unless posted.

Money. A $35 vehicle pass admits everyone in the car for up to 7 days, and visitors 15 and under enter free on foot. A U.S. fourth grader can get a free 4th Grade Pass. Keep your pass, because you need it to reenter, including on foot from Springdale. Details are on Zion fees.

Common questions.

How many days do you need in Zion with kids?

NPS gives no recommended length, so this is our read. One full day covers the three family trails by shuttle: Riverside Walk and a short wade into the Narrows, Lower Emerald Pools, and the Pa'rus Trail with a stop at the Nature Center in summer. A second day gives you room for a longer wade if conditions allow, the Human History Museum, and a slower pace in the heat.

Can an 8-year-old hike the Narrows?

NPS sets no minimum age, so the river decides. The first mile is the paved Riverside Walk. After that you walk in the Virgin River on slick, uneven rocks that NPS compares to wet bowling balls, in closed-toed shoes with a sturdy stick. Below 70 CFS it describes knee-deep crossings and pools up to waist deep, and the water is often colder than the air. The Narrows closes above 150 CFS and during Flash Flood Warnings. NPS says an hour in the river is a great experience, so a short wade and a turnaround is a fair goal. Check the flash flood potential at a visitor center first.

Where these facts come from

The family trails, picnic areas, food, the Nature Center, youth programs, the shuttle eating rule, and the Virtual Ranger page come from the NPS Kids and Youth page. Junior Ranger ages, the free booklets, pickup places, the badge rule, time needed, the mailed badge, and the Night Explorer booklet come from the NPS Junior Ranger page. Heat exhaustion, carrying water, untreated water, cliffs, flash floods, the monsoon dates, child safety seats, and the speed limit come from the NPS safety page. Summer heat, summer parking, and the November drop come from the NPS seasons page. Wildlife distances come from the NPS wildlife viewing safety page. Trail lengths, surfaces, and grades come from the NPS trail access information page. Riverside Walk to the Narrows, the no-permit wade, river depths, footwear, closures, flash floods, and cyanobacteria come from the NPS Narrows page; cold water from the NPS Narrows safety page; snowmelt closures from the NPS Virgin River Narrows page. Angels Landing comes from the NPS Angels Landing permits page. Zion Lodge, its food, and the tram come from the NPS lodging page; the museum from the NPS Human History Museum page. The stroller rule and shuttle season come from the NPS shuttle page; entrances and the Springdale shuttle from the NPS directions page, its early-spring-to-late-fall season from the NPS current conditions page; the stairs on the museum link from the NPS accessible activities page; fees, the 4th Grade Pass, and reentry from the NPS fees page. Visits are five-year means (2021 to 2025) from NPS Visitor Use Statistics. Temperatures and precipitation are NOAA 1991-2020 normals at the Zion NP station (USC00429717), a preview station. Zion publishes its wildlife distances in feet; the graphic converts them exactly (3 feet to a yard). An NBA court is 94 feet long and is shown only for scale. The month pick, the morning hikes, the Angels Landing advice, and the day plan are our judgment. Crowd numbers are five-year monthly means (2021 to 2025) of recreation visits from the NPS Visitor Use Statistics Data Package on NPS IRMA Stats. Independent site, not affiliated with the National Park Service.