Zion Canyon Visitor Center
The Visitor Center lot is the only large free parking in the park, and it fills early. NPS publishes over 350 spaces (a dozen-plus accessible) at the South Entrance, and says plainly that from February through November parking often fills by early or mid-morning. Entrance is $35 per vehicle for 7 days; America the Beautiful covers it.
When it's full, the answer is Springdale: metered on-street zones at $25 (Zone A) / $20 (Zone B) / $15 (Zone C) per day, plus a free town shuttle to the park's pedestrian entrance. Note for SoCal hikers: an Adventure Pass is not valid at Zion — it's a national-forest pass, and this is a national park.
The facts
- Trail served
- Shuttle hub for all of Zion Canyon — Angels Landing (via The Grotto), The Narrows (via Temple of Sinawava), Emerald Pools, Watchman Trail from the lot itself
- Cost / pass
- Parking free; park entrance $35/vehicle (7 days), $30 motorcycle, $20/person. America the Beautiful ($80) accepted. Zion annual $70. Non-US residents 16+ pay a $100 surcharge unless holding an annual or America the Beautiful pass
- Lot size
- Over 350 spaces, more than a dozen accessible (NPS figure). Human History Museum adds 51; Nature Center is down to 16 during construction
- When it fills
- NPS: "parking often fills by early or mid-morning" February–November. Visitor reports put the free lots gone between 7 and 9am on busy days
- Overflow option
- Springdale paid parking ($15–$25/day by zone) + free Springdale town shuttle to the pedestrian entrance; SunTran bus from St. George/Hurricane
- Tow / citation risk
- NPS states illegally parked vehicles are subject to citation and/or towing. Do not park on vegetation, roadsides, or wait idling for a space
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Road to the lot
- Paved — SR-9 through Springdale to the South Entrance
- Busy season
- Shuttle season March 7 – Nov 28, 2026. Private vehicles get the Scenic Drive back Nov 29 – Dec 25 and after Jan 2
Getting there
Zion Canyon Visitor Center, 1 Zion Park Blvd, Springdale, UT 84767
Get directions →The one thing to understand about Zion
You cannot drive the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive during shuttle season. That's the whole system. From March 7 through November 28, 2026, the road to The Grotto, Zion Lodge, and Temple of Sinawava is closed to private vehicles — you park once, at the Visitor Center or in Springdale, and ride the free shuttle from there.
So "parking at Zion" really means parking at the South Entrance. NPS lists over 350 spaces at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center, 51 more at the Human History Museum, and 16 at the Nature Center during construction. That's it for free parking inside the park, and NPS is blunt about the math: February through November, it fills by early or mid-morning. In December, January, and February the park sometimes closes the Scenic Drive outright once no legal parking remains.
Plan B: Springdale
Springdale is engineered for exactly this. Paid on-street parking runs 6am–5pm daily in three zones — Zone A $25/day (closest to the entrance, through town shuttle stop 4), Zone B $20 (Sundance Rd to Anasazi Way), Zone C $15 (Lion Blvd) — with half-day rates after 1pm and meters that accept up to three consecutive days. The Bit and Spur off-street lot at 1212 Zion Park Blvd is $20 all day, 6am–4pm. Oversized vehicles are Zone C only, $30. After 5pm on-street parking is free.
The Springdale town shuttle is free, runs nine stops along Zion Park Boulevard every 10–15 minutes, and drops you at the park's pedestrian entrance where you walk in and catch the canyon shuttle. A round trip on the town line is 20–30 minutes. Private hotel and business lots in town also sell day parking, typically in the same $20–$30 range.
Honest version: if you're not in the Visitor Center lot by about 8am in season, budget $20 and skip the circling.
The pass question (read this if you came from a SoCal forest page)
Zion charges a national park entrance fee: $35 per private vehicle good for 7 days, $30 motorcycle, $20 per person on foot or bike. An America the Beautiful interagency pass ($80) covers it, as do the Senior, Access, Military, and 4th Grade interagency passes. A Zion-only annual pass is $70.
What does not work: the Adventure Pass. It's a Southern California national forest day-use pass and has no standing at a National Park Service entrance station. If you've been hiking on an Adventure Pass all spring and are driving to Zion, you're paying at the gate or upgrading to America the Beautiful. There is currently no timed-entry or reservation system to enter Zion — the only reservation in the park is the Angels Landing permit.
Frequently asked questions
Where do you park at Zion National Park?
At the Zion Canyon Visitor Center just inside the South Entrance — over 350 free spaces — and then ride the free shuttle into the canyon. If it's full, park in Springdale ($15–$25/day depending on zone) and take the free town shuttle to the pedestrian entrance.
What time does Zion's parking lot fill up?
NPS says parking often fills by early or mid-morning from February through November. Visitor reports on busy summer and fall days put the free lots gone somewhere between 7 and 9am. Arrive at opening or plan on Springdale.
Can you drive your own car in Zion Canyon?
Not during shuttle season. In 2026 the shuttle runs March 7 through November 28, and the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive is closed to private vehicles that whole time. Private vehicles are allowed on the Scenic Drive from November 29 to December 25 and after January 2, until the shuttle restarts in spring.
How much does it cost to enter Zion National Park?
$35 per private vehicle for 7 days, $30 for a motorcycle, or $20 per person on foot or bicycle. An America the Beautiful pass ($80) covers entry. Non-US residents aged 16 and older pay an additional $100 surcharge unless they hold an annual or America the Beautiful pass.
Is an Adventure Pass valid at Zion?
No. The Adventure Pass is a Southern California national-forest parking pass and is not accepted at any national park entrance, including Zion. You need the $35 vehicle entrance fee or an America the Beautiful interagency pass.
Facts on this page last verified July 21, 2026. Fees, hours, and access rules change seasonally — confirm with the official source before a long drive.