The park’s seasons page treats March and April as spring in the canyon: days warming up, nights that can still be cold, and a daily swing that can be 30°F or more. Trees leaf out. Early wildflowers show up. Higher roads and trails can still be snowy or closed depending on the winter. Snowmelt raises the Virgin River. In wet years The Narrows is likely closed for a long stretch. The park’s flow history shows some Aprils and Mays shut for weeks and other years mostly open. You cannot book a Narrows morning in March and assume the gauge will cooperate. Have the paved Riverside Walk as the backup.

Spring is also when visitation jumps. NPS says March sees almost three times as many visitors as February, in part because it is spring break for a lot of schools. The shuttle is back for the scenic drive. For 2026, a news release set the shuttle start at March 7, subject to change. Confirm on the shuttle page rather than on this sentence. The Human History Museum often opens in spring on shorter hours. South Campground opens in this period. Both of those are “usually,” not a reservation. Check current conditions.

Summer, on that same seasons page, runs May through September. Temperatures regularly go over 100°F. The park tells you to carry a refillable bottle and to take heat seriously. Monsoon storms from July through September raise the flash-flood risk. Ask at the visitor center on the day you hike a narrow canyon. Facilities are on their longest hours, and the canyon shuttle is how you reach most Zion Canyon trailheads. Summer is the busiest season. The seasons page says to be prepared to share the park with around half a million other people each month, and that parking is often full by 9 a.m. Holiday weekends, especially Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, and Labor Day, are called out as the most visited weekends of the year.

What that means for a hike: spring favors layers, an early start because of crowds more than heat, and a flexible Narrows plan. Summer favors an even earlier start because of heat, a full gallon of water, and no slot canyon in the afternoon if storms are in the forecast. Angels Landing’s permit seasons split the year into blocks. Spring hikes and summer hikes use different application windows, listed on the permit guide. A summer permit does not make the chains safe in a thunderstorm.

We are not declaring a single best month. Fall, on the park’s page, is cooler and less crowded than summer, with shuttle service still running on a shorter day. Winter is a different trip again, often without the full shuttle except around holidays. If you are choosing only between spring and summer, choose spring for hiking comfort and accept the snowmelt gamble on the river. Choose summer only if you will start early, carry the water, and treat afternoon storms as a reason to change the plan. Read NPS seasons and weather and climate. Crowd tactics are on avoid crowds.

A spring dusting of snow on the peaks above Zion Canyon under white clouds.
Spring weather above Zion Canyon, Zion National Park. Photo: NPS Photo, public domain (U.S. National Park Service work), via Wikimedia Commons.
A dusting of spring snow on the Towers of the Virgin, Zion National Park.
Spring snow on the Towers of the Virgin, Zion National Park. Photo: NPS Photo / Sarah Stio, public domain (U.S. National Park Service work), via Wikimedia Commons.

Practical takeaway

Pick spring if you want easier hiking temperatures and can give up The Narrows when the river is high. Pick summer only with a pre-dawn start, a gallon per person, and no afternoon slot canyon if storms are forecast.

Related on this site: Hiking and park tips, day-pack loadout, and a sample trip plan. More guides: guides index.

Quick FAQ

How hot is Zion in summer?

NPS says summer daytime temperatures regularly exceed 100°F.

When is monsoon season?

July to September, per the NPS safety page.

When does the shuttle run?

In most years, daily from March through November and for the holiday season near the end of December. Check the current schedule.