Zion west-side guide
The Ultimate Guide to Entering Zion National Park From the West: Why Jellystone Park™ Zion Is Your Strategic Base Camp
Three ways into the park, and a lot more control over your day.
Most people picture Zion as one canyon and one crowded parking lot.
It's not. If you come in from the west, you get three ways into the park and a lot more control over your day. Here's how to use all three, from a base camp that sits right on that western approach.
Why the west side changes your Zion trip
Zion's main canyon gets the headlines. It also gets the traffic. Our Zion National Park insider guide covers the whole park. Here we focus on the western approach and the options most crowds never use:
- Kolob Canyons: a 5-mile scenic drive into red Navajo sandstone finger canyons, with no shuttle and no Springdale parking.
- Kolob Terrace Road: a high road north from Virgin toward trailheads, overlooks and dark skies.
- The South Entrance: the classic Zion Canyon route via SR-9, made easier with transit that starts in Hurricane.
Key takeaway: when you base yourself west of the park, you can pick the entrance that fits the day. You don't fight the same line every morning.
Entrance 1: Kolob Canyons, Zion's quiet northwest corner
Kolob Canyons sits at I-15 Exit 40, about 40 miles north of Zion Canyon. From Jellystone Park™ Zion it's about 35 minutes, which makes it the closest part of Zion to camp.
What to do there
- Drive the 5-mile Kolob Canyons Road. Pullouts face sheer Navajo sandstone walls that glow at sunrise and late afternoon.
- Hike Timber Creek Overlook. It's 0.6 mile each way with about 117 feet of gain, with views of the Pine Valley Mountains and, on clear days, Mount Trumbull about 100 miles away.
- Hike Taylor Creek to Double Arch Alcove. It's 2.6 miles each way past 1930s homestead cabins. Plan 3–4 hours.
- Go big on Kolob Arch. The 287-foot span is about 14 miles round trip via the La Verkin Creek Trail: 7–9 hours and strenuous.
Know before you go
- Everyone stops at the Kolob Canyons Visitor Center (8 a.m.–noon and 1–5 p.m.) to pay the $35 vehicle fee or show a pass. Checked November 5, 2026
- No pets on any Kolob Canyons trail.
- The road may close in winter for snow or ice. Check NPS conditions first.
Base camp play: leave after breakfast, drive the road and hike Timber Creek. You can be back at camp by lunch, then spend the afternoon by the pool.
Entrance 2: Kolob Terrace Road from Virgin
Kolob Terrace Road starts in Virgin, 13.5 miles west of the Zion Canyon Visitor Center. It's about 29 minutes from our gate.
- The lower road is open year-round. The upper road is "usually closed for several months from fall to spring due to snow."
- Lava Point Campground is closed until May 31, 2027. Vehicles over 19 feet aren't allowed on the road to it. Checked November 5, 2026
- Trailhead lots are mostly dirt or gravel and can be rough after heavy rain.
Dark-sky bonus: NPS lists Lava Point Overlook, Wildcat Canyon Trailhead and Left Fork Trailhead as stargazing spots. Go in season and bring layers.
Entrance 3: the South Entrance, without the parking fight
This is Zion Canyon: Angels Landing, The Narrows and the Scenic Drive. It's also where crowd tactics matter most.
The shuttle rules
- During shuttle season, private cars can't drive the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive. The shuttle is free, but you still need a park pass.
- Through Nov 28, 2026: shuttles leave the Visitor Center 7 a.m.–5 p.m., and the last bus leaves the canyon at 6:15 p.m.
- No shuttle Nov 29–Dec 25, so cars can use the Scenic Drive until legal parking fills. Holiday shuttles run Dec 26–Jan 2.
- NPS warns: "You should not wait for the last shuttle of the day." Miss it and you may walk nine miles. Checked November 5, 2026
Heading for The Narrows? It closes when the river runs over 150 cfs or under a flash flood warning. When we checked on November 5, 2026, NPS listed The Narrows and the slot canyons leading into it as closed until flow drops. Check before you go.
Five crowd-evasion tactics that actually work
- Leave Jellystone Park™ Zion around 6:00–6:15 a.m. to park before the first 7 a.m. shuttle.
- Check UDOT's Zion Area site before you go. It posts road status and parking updates.
- Ride SunTran from Hurricane (Mon–Sat). The Walmart stop at 3400 W is about 6 minutes from camp. The first bus leaves around 6:15 a.m. and reaches Springdale's Lion Blvd around 7:02 a.m. It's $5 each way, and the last bus back leaves Lion Blvd around 9:10 p.m. There's no Hurricane service on Sundays or holidays.
- Use the free Zion Corridor Park & Ride in Virgin, with room for large vehicles and a $5 daily bus to Springdale.
- Leave the big rig at camp. Since June 7, 2026, vehicles over the size limits can't drive the Zion–Mount Carmel Highway between Canyon Junction and the East Entrance. Unhook at your site and drive the tow car, including on a Bryce Canyon day trip.
Key takeaway: Zion is most frustrating at 9 a.m. at the Visitor Center lot. It's easiest at 7 a.m. on a shuttle, or at Kolob, where there's no shuttle at all.
Angels Landing permits, simplified
The chains section is about half a mile along a knife-edge ridge from Scout Lookout. You need a permit every day. There are two ways to win one.
| Hike dates | Apply | Results |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 1 – May 31 | Jan 1 – 20 | Jan 25 |
| Jun 1 – Aug 31 | Apr 1 – 20 | Apr 25 |
| Sep 1 – Nov 30 | Jul 1 – 20 | Jul 25 |
| Dec 1 – Feb 28 | Oct 1 – 20 | Oct 25 |
Day-before lottery: apply 12:01 a.m.–3 p.m. Mountain Time the day before you hike. Results come after 4 p.m.
Costs and strategy
- $6 per application (covers up to 6 people), plus $3 per person if you win. NPS permit page
- NPS says you're more likely to get a permit if you apply mid-week.
- Carry your permit printed or downloaded. Cell service at the checkpoint is unreliable.
- Be at The Grotto (Stop 6) by your permit's start time.
- No permit? Scout Lookout needs none. You still get Refrigerator Canyon and the 21 switchbacks of Walter's Wiggles.
The hike is about 5.4 miles round trip, about 1,488 feet of gain and about 4 hours. Carry a gallon of water per person.
Base camp play: apply in the day-before lottery from your cabin or RV site the morning before. Win, and you're up early and on the first bus. Lose, and Kolob Canyons is about 35 minutes away as plan B.
Your Southern Utah base camp
Why Jellystone Park™ Zion is the strategic west-side base camp
Jellystone Park™ Zion is the ultimate luxury base camp for all things Southern Utah adventure. On a Zion trip, the location does the heavy lifting.
- It sits on the western approach. Kolob Canyons, Kolob Terrace Road and SR-9 to Springdale are all a short drive from one address: 505 S Sand Hollow Rd, Hurricane. See more things to do near our Southern Utah base camp.
- You recover in style after the hike. In season, the Yogi Bear™ Water Zone has slides, a lazy river and a floating obstacle course on the lake; it reopens March 13, 2027. In the off-season, campers get a heated lap pool and hot tub.
- You sleep well. Choose a glamping cabin, like the Yogi Bear™ Two Bedroom Glamping Cabin with two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a sky deck, or a full-hookup RV site for rigs up to 75 feet.
- Evenings stay simple. Light the campfire, plan tomorrow's entrance and skip the Springdale dinner rush.
Key takeaway: you don't need to sleep next to the canyon to see it well. You need a base that lets you choose the right entrance at the right hour. Comparing options? Read our guide to the best campgrounds near Zion.
Make Jellystone Park™ Zion your west-side base camp.
People also ask
Is there a west entrance to Zion National Park?
Not a gate with that name. From the west you enter three ways: Kolob Canyons at I-15 Exit 40, Kolob Terrace Road from the town of Virgin, and the South Entrance at Springdale via SR-9.
How far is Zion from Jellystone Park™ Zion?
About 35 minutes to the Kolob Canyons entrance and about 45 minutes to the South Entrance. Those are approximate drive times without traffic, so entrance lines and Springdale traffic add time.
Do you need a permit for Angels Landing?
Yes. Every hiker needs a permit for the chains section past Scout Lookout, every day. You can win one in a seasonal lottery or a day-before lottery. It costs $6 to apply, plus $3 per person if you win.
What is the least crowded part of Zion?
Kolob Canyons is widely considered the quietest district. It has no shuttle and no Springdale parking, and it's about 35 minutes from Jellystone Park™ Zion.
Can you drive into Zion Canyon?
Not during shuttle season, when the Scenic Drive is shuttle-only. In late 2026, private vehicles can use it from November 29 to December 25, when the shuttle doesn't run, until legal parking fills.
Do you need a reservation to enter Zion?
No entry reservation is needed. You pay the entrance fee or show a pass. Angels Landing and some wilderness routes need separate permits.
Next up on the west side: Snow Canyon's lava tubes and dunes.
Sources & official links
- Kolob Canyons (NPS) · Hours · Entrance fees · Current conditions
- Zion Canyon shuttle · Angels Landing permits · The Narrows · Large vehicles
- UDOT Zion Area · SunTran Zion route
Facts were checked on November 5, 2026. Drive times are approximate and assume no traffic. This guide is published by Jellystone Park™ Zion and is not affiliated with the National Park Service. Book now.