If you’re short on time, 2 days in Zion National Park is better than none. That’s what we did for our first trip to Zion. However, we’d recommend spending more time in Zion if possible. We’ve visited Zion a couple of different times, but nothing beats the first views of the red cliffs. This post is our first experience in Zion where we spend 2 days in Zion National Park.
We made it to Utah!!
Before we got to Zion we stopped and camped out at one of the best free campsites in the states we’ve experienced! So, before you get to read about Zion National Park, you get to hear about our awesome camping experience.
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Petroglyphs
We took off from Great Basin National Park after dinner and were wanting to get a couple of hours of driving in before stopping to set up camp. Once we started getting sleepy, we looked on freecampsites.net to find a place to sleep. Now, you all know our last story about using this website.. we ended up camping in a parking lot, that was a bit strange at first, however, worked out fine.
This time we pulled off on a random road, drove for a little bit, and found the “campsite” in a road construction dirt parking lot. Neither of us felt too comfortable about staying there, so we decided to not set up camp. As we were pulling out, another car from California was pulling in we decided to turn around and ask them if they were looking for a spot to camp as well.
They weren’t camping there, but instead were looking at the Petroglyphs. The guy gave us a tour of the Petroglyphs — which are really old carvings in rock from hundreds and hundreds of years ago. Even though the campsite didn’t work out, the Lord totally lead us there to see something really cool!
We got back to the car past 11:00 pm, but the Petroglyph tour gave us another wind, so we searched again for free campsites, just praying a good one would come up. And it certainly did!!
Ice Cold Showers | Free Camping at Cold Creek
We pulled off the highway to this little turnout with a huge mound of dirt. At first, both of us were like are you kidding me, we don’t want to camp literally on the side of the highway. Then the lights lit up a little sign that said camping with an arrow.. and WAHBAM!!!… there it was.. a free campground.. like a real one.. with a creek going through it, that worked perfectly as a shower in the morning. We were so ecstatic.
We woke up in the morning and took our first shower in several days in the creek, Cold Creek. And it was called that for a reason! But woo did the cold water feel so refreshing on our sore bodies. And the “shower” was awesome! After our “showers,” we had a nice breakfast by the creek and took off to Zion National Park.
Kolob Canyon | The First Sightings of Zion National Park
Waking up and heading to Zion we were not expecting what we saw when we first pulled into the national park. We nearly passed the first stopping point on the very northern part of the park, but we are so glad we didn’t!
We pulled into the park and took the 10-mile (round trip) scenic route to Kolob Canyon. This drive was spectacular! And this is when it hit us.. wow.. we are on this fabulous adventure and holy cow.. God created some really cool things for us to enjoy!
The reality of our road trip finally set in, and sadly the pictures we will post will not do anything near justice for how beautiful this place really was.
{Traveler’s Tip… If you have more time to explore Zion National Park, this is a great area to add one day! Obtain a backcountry camping permit from the visitor’s center at Kolob Canyon and then hike into the canyon for the night! Otherwise, you may just skip this area altogether as it’s not part of the main park entrance and would actually add another hour of driving north from Zion to reach.}
Day One in Zion National Park | Hiking the Narrows
After leaving the Kolob Canyon area of Zion, we were stoked to drive down to the main entrance. We drove in, found a spot in the shade, and decided that we should get out and hike to really take in the beauty of this place.
Zion is such a busy park, that it has a free shuttle service to get people to and from the different hiking spots and viewpoints. This causes less traffic and car emissions in the area. The car lots can get really packed, but getting to the shuttle stations early allows for more opportunities of finding shade to park under!
{Traveler’s Tip… Parking in the shade keeps your car cooler and helps the ice in your ice chest last longer!}
After much debate, we decided to hike The Narrows for our first proper hike in Zion.
The Narrows is a hike where you literally hike in the river up a canyon, which at points gets to be only 22 feet wide. We were lucky enough to only have to get waist-deep in the water, if we continued further up we would have literally had to swim through The Narrows. Again, pictures won’t do justice.. but you can get the idea of how awesome this hike was.
Hiking the Narrows at Zion National Park in a Day
As you can see in the pictures, hiking the actual Narrows isn’t accessible to all. And is honestly, quite a technical hike for the sheer fact of walking in the Virgin River. However, there is a mile-long paved trail called the Riverside Walk that leads to views of the Narrows. From there, you can decide to continue up the Narrows (walking in the Virgin River) for 5 miles to Big Spring.
Hiking to Big Spring, a ten-mile round trip hike, does not require a permit. With only 2 days in Zion National Park, our idea was to get all the way to Big Spring then turn around to make it back to camp. However, with the levels of the water, we turned back after getting in waist-deep. The hike is still gorgeous and an experience to have even if you don’t make it to Big Spring.
Alternatively, you can hike the Narrows top-down by getting a permit for the hike. This permit allows you to start the hike at Chamberlain’s Ranch and from there is a 16-mile hike down the river. While this can be done as a day hike in one super full day if you are in fantastic shape, it’s not recommended.
Instead, with only 2 days in Zion National Park, we recommend that you simply hike along the Riverside Walk and up the Virgin River until you want to turn around. This way you’re not rushed and can enjoy the Zion Narrows more.
Hiking the Narrows also allows you to ride all the way down the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive. While this road is only open to vehicles at certain points of the year, the shuttle bus takes you all the way to the end. This is a great way to enjoy more views of Zion Canyon too!
Free Camping Near Zion National Park
After the hike, we went back outside the park to camp free on BLM land. We made steak and veggies for dinner and even cracked open the wine.
Day 2 in Zion National Park | Hike Angels Landing
Day two in Zion was just as great as day one! Driving into the park we found a shady parking spot near the Zion Lodge and hopped on the shuttle to the Angles Landing trailhead, stop #6 at The Grotto. The hike we decided to do for day two is called Angels Landing.
This hike is the most treacherous, magical, unsafe hike we have ever done. But oh, so worth it!
You hike up the West Rim Trail, then up Walter’s Wiggles, a switchback system that seems to be never-ending. At the top of Walter’s Wiggles, is Scout Lookout — A good place to stop if you have a fear of heights.
From there, you must scramble up rocks with a totally shady chain railing that is there to keep you from falling to your death.
You think we’re joking, but we aren’t. There are maybe two feet, if you’re lucky, on one side of you keeping you from falling off the mountain. And, 10 people have died on this trail since 2004. Not a trail to mess around with!
The Top of Angels Landing
After that, you continue up the cliff to the top.
Getting to the top the view is breathtaking, but whoo.. were we, and everyone else on the trail, nervous about losing our lives the whole hike! We enjoyed lunch on the top of Angels Landing and then headed down the mountain.
{Traveler’s Tip… Pack a lunch for this hike to enjoy at the top of Angels Landing. We suggest something light, but filling, like avocado, crackers, and tuna! Also be sure to pack loads of water, as this is a hot hike!}
Taking a Refreshing Dip in the Virgin River
Once completing the descent from Angels Landing, we 100% recommend taking a dip in the Virgin River. It doubles as a nice ice bath and a place to clean off some of the sweat!
We met some awesome Germans in the river who join in on our refreshing dip and referred us to an awesome burger joint in Boulder. Two days later we stopped at the burger joint for dinner on our way to Capitol Reef.
Pine Creek Canyon Overlook | The End of 2 Days in Zion National Park
After our two days in Zion, we hit the road heading to Bryce Canyon National Park, another national park in Utah. Heading east from Zion, down Mount Carmel Highway, you get to experience a mile-long tunnel carved out of the cliffs, and if you have time and energy, you can even do a small hike — The Pine Creek Canyon Overlook trail.
READ MORE | Driving Through the Tunnel And Zion National Park to Bryce Canyon
So happy we got to experience such a great park and amazing views of the Lord’s Creation. Even if only for two days! Leaving Zion after two days, we were sure we’d return. We’ve since been back to Zion and hiked the Hidden Canyon, Zion Observation Point, and the Weeping Rock Trail. All of those are great hikes too… but that’s for another post. This two day Zion National Park itinerary is perfect for a quick trip to Zion.. hitting the most famous hikes in the park!
Recommended Gear for Visiting Zion National Park
Cameras | We first visited Zion National Park before we had our DSLR camera or our new GoPro. Most of the photos in this post were taken with a GoPro, which we totally recommend bringing with you to Zion. For better pictures, we’d recommend this camera instead.
Hydration | Hikes in Zion National Park can be long and super hot. We recommend bringing some sort of CamelBak with you in a backpack like this, to keep snacks in as well. At the very bare minimum pack at least a Nalgene full of water.
More Travel Adventures to Have
This post is a quick guide to all National Parks in the United States. We’ve been blessed with visiting nearly half of them! So many great parks to explore in the US!
We camped for two nights in Bryce Canyon, and even though Heather was feeling quite ill, we were able to hike through the Hoodoos and drive the entire canyon scenic drive.
During our two-month road trip across the United States, we only paid for camping twice. Once in Bryce Canyon and once at Joshua Tree. Learn how to camp for free in the states here.
Everything you need to know when driving between Bryce and Zion. Things like bathroom stops, tunnel regulations, and sites to see.
Bryce Canyon is truly so difficult to shoot. Probably not as hard as Zion National Park, but still rough. These are our 13 tips to help you get better photos at Bryce Canyon.
Save the Zion National Park 2 Day Itinerary Here
If you liked this 2 days in Zion itinerary, we’d love for you to save it and share it with others! Sharing shows us you thought this post was useful! If you think we should add something more to this post or totally missed your favorite bit of the park, let us know in the comments below!!
