Arches National Park vs. Zion: Which One Should You Visit?

If you’re planning a trip to Utah and only have time to visit one national park, how can you decide whether to visit Arches National Park or Zion? Both parks offer stunning landscapes, unique rock formations, and incredible hiking opportunities, but they provide very different experiences. In an ideal world, you would visit both. Let’s dive into a comparison of the landscape and scenery, hiking trails, scenic drives, and accessibility and crowds. Based on our many Utah trips, here is our comparison of Arches National Park vs. Zion to help you decide which park is best for you.

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Landscape and Scenery

Arches National Park Landscape

Arches is famous for its 2,000+ sandstone arches, including Delicate Arch, Landscape Arch, and Double Arch. In addition to these amazing arches, the park’s landscape features red rock formations, balanced rocks, and stunning views of the LaSal mountains. The terrain is mostly open with few towering cliffs, making for spectacular panoramic views. The Colorado River winds along the south border of the park, providing fun water-based activities after a day in the park.

Landscape in Zion National Park

Unlike Arches, Zion is best known for its slot canyons, sandstone cliffs, and the Virgin River valley. The Virgin River runs right through the park. The massive rock walls rise dramatically on both sides of the canyon. Unlike the open desert feel of Arches, Zion offers a mix of greenery, flowing water, and red rock cliffs.

Arches National Park vs Zion Landscape and Scenery Winner?

For those who enjoy wide, open spaces and striking rock formations, Arches is your best bet.
Those who prefer greenery and towering canyon walls, Zion is for you.

Hiking Opportunities

We’ve highlighted just a handful of the many hiking opportunities in the parks to give you a sense of what types of hikes are available.

Hikes in Arches National Park

• Park Avenue (2 miles round trip) – This is one of our favorite easy, family-friendly trails. It can be done as a 1-mile one way hike or as a round trip. It’s a scenic walk through towering rocks such as Courthouse Towers. Don’t miss Sheep Rock when you reach the north trailhead.
• Double Arch (0.6 miles (1 km) round trip) – This is another easy, family friendly hike, providing access to the incredible Double Arch. Just to the south of Double Arch, look out for the rock formation that looks like a herd of elephants.
• Delicate Arch (3 miles (4.8 km) round trip) – This moderate hike leads to the iconic arch. The trail leads over uneven sandstone, and has 489 ft. (146 m) of elevation gain. For those not comfortable with this, consider the shorter Delicate Arch overlook hike. Don’t miss the petroglyphs near the start of the trail.

• Devil’s Garden (7.9 miles round trip) – This is a longer and more technical hike, passing numerous arches along the way. The trail has steep drop-offs, rock scrambling, and is not very well marked. For those experienced at hiking and confident at following a GPS, this is a beautiful trail passing Landscape and Double O arch, among others.
• Fiery Furnace – This hike consists of a maze of red rock roughly 1 mile long and a bit less than 1/2 mile wide. We’d strongly recommend taking a ranger led tour for the safest and most enjoyable experience. Despite a marked path, it’s very easy to get lost as you hike and scramble over rocks in this maze. You can hike this independently but only with a permit from the park service.

Hikes in Zion National Park

• Pa’rus Trail (3.5 miles (5.6 km) round trip) – This is an easy paved multi-use trail, following the Virgin River with stunning views. In addition to being dog-friendly and handicap-accessible, you’ll also find bikers on this trail.
• Canyon Overlook Trail (1.0 miles (1.6 km) round trip) – This moderate trail has minimal elevation gain, but has rocky and uneven terrain. The trail ends at a beautiful overlook of Pine Creek Canyon and lower Zion Canyon.
• Emerald Pools (up to 3 miles (4.8 km) round trip) – There are 3 emerald pool trails to choose from. They are all unpaved, and have uneven footing and some drop-offs to be aware of. They end at beautiful emerald pools and waterfalls..

• Angels Landing (5.4 miles (8.7 km) round trip) – This is one of Zion’s bucket-list hikes, which requires a permit to climb. It is challenging, with 1,488 ft (453 m) of elevation gain and a thrilling final ascent along a narrow ridge. We’d recommend taking a guided tour for the best (and safest) experience.
• The Narrows (up to 9.4 miles (15.1 km) round trip) – A unique hike through the Virgin River, surrounded by towering canyon walls. There is little elevation gain, but expect to hike through water on this stunning hike. Be sure to carefully check water levels on the park’s site before heading out. This is another hike that is best done with a guide.

Arches vs Zion Hiking Winner?

If you prefer shorter or family-friendly hikes with rewarding views of stunning red rock formations, Arches is a great choice.
For adventurous hikers wanting dramatic cliffs and canyons, Zion is the clear winner.

Scenic Drives

Arches National Park

The Arches Scenic Drive is a 36-mile roundtrip road that takes you past many of the park’s key features, including Balanced Rock, Courthouse Towers, The Windows, and Delicate Arch viewpoints. There are many pull-offs and short walks to explore the park’s famous formations. This drive is open year-round.

If you’re traveling with a dog, they can be on any of the paved roads and parking lots in the park. Because so many of the formations are visible from the parking lots and roads, you can easily enjoy the sights on a scenic drive with your dog traveling along. They are not allowed on any of the trails in the park.

Zion National Park

The Zion Canyon Scenic Drive is not to be missed, with its breathtaking views of towering cliffs, the Virgin River, and green valleys. If you visit in winter (December to February), you can drive through the canyon, taking your time to explore at each of the pull-offs and parking areas. From March to late November, you can only take this scenic drive via shuttle.

Another great drive is the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway, which features switchbacks, a long tunnel, and stunning vistas. Private vehicles are allowed on this stretch of road year-round.

If you visit Zion in winter with a dog, they can join you on your scenic drives, enjoying the views at the various pull-offs. In summer, they cannot join you on the canyon drive, since you’d be taking the shuttle.

Zion vs Arches Scenic Drives Winner?

If you love wide-open landscapes with easy access to rock formations from your drive, Arches is the better choice.
If dramatic canyon scenery and winding roads excite you, Zion is the winner.

Accessibility, Crowds, and the Best Time to Visit

Arches National Park

Arches is a smaller park, and most of its key attractions are easily accessible via a scenic drive. Spring (March–May) and fall (September–November) offer the best weather. Summers can be extremely hot, making hiking more difficult. Winter can bring beautiful weather, but also days with snow, rain, and wind.

The park can get crowded, especially during peak seasons (spring and fall), but you can still find quieter spots by visiting early in the morning or later in the afternoon. We’ve found that early March and late October-November have the best balance of ideal weather and fewer crowds. Late March, with Jeep Week and many spring breaks, can be the most crowded. Don’t miss our tips on avoiding the crowds in Moab. We’ve used these tips to enjoy a relaxing visit to Arches and the surrounding area during the busiest March spring break weeks.

In addition to your park pass, timed entry permits are required (see Recreation.gov),  to enter the park between 7 am to 4 pm daily April 1 through July 6 and August 28 through October 31, 2025. If you don’t have a permit, you can always enter the park before 7 am or after 4 pm. Outside of the dates listed, timed entry permits are not required.

Zion National Park

Zion requires more planning due to its shuttle system in the main canyon (March to late November). The park is one of the most visited national parks in the U.S., and popular trails like Angels Landing and The Narrows can be crowded. However, you can still find quiet areas such as Kolob Canyons.

April-May and September-October are generally considered the best time to visit Zion, in terms of weather. Summers can be brutally hot. We prefer to visit in winter, which gives visitors easy access to explore the whole park with mild temperatures and fewer crowds.

Unlike Arches, you do not need a timed entry permit to enter most areas of Zion National Park at any time of year. Park passes are required for entry.

Arches National Park vs Zion Accessibility Winner

Arches is more convenient if you want to drive to most sites, though you will need to reserve timed entry permits in high season.
Zion requires more planning to use the park shuttle, but this makes this much more accessible for those traveling without a car.

Activities Beyond Hiking and Scenic Drives

Arches National Park

• Visiting neighboring Canyonlands National Park and Deadhorse State Park
• Stargazing (certified Dark Sky Park)
• Photography of unique rock formations
• Road biking through the park, or mountain biking on the many trails around Moab
• White-water rafting, paddle boarding, or kayaking the Colorado River
• For those days when you want to avoid the crowds in Arches, head off the beaten path in Moab and explore the many arches off of Potash Road and the incredible Fisher Towers on the River Road.

Zion National Park

• Visit neighboring Bryce Canyon National Park.
• Rock climbing and rappelling
• Canyoneering
• Biking or e-biking through the park
• Horseback riding
• Wildlife spotting and bird watching along the Virgin River
• For a break from the crowds in Zion National Park, don’t miss a visit to the Snow Canyon Petrified Sand Dunes or Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park

If you love stargazing and photography, Arches wins. If you’re into canyoneering, rock climbing, or wildlife, Zion is the better choice.

Arches National Park vs Zion National Park Final Verdict

Both Arches and Zion are incredible national parks with unique features. If time allows, try to visit both parks, as well as some of the neighboring national and state parks. Arches National Park is the best choice for those who prefer arches, panoramic landscapes, and shorter hikes. Zion National Park should top your list if you enjoy canyons, dramatic cliffs, and thrilling hikes.

Best choice:

• Families & casual hikers: Arches National Park
• Thrill-seekers & experienced hikers: Zion National Park
• Photography & scenic drives: Arches National Park
• Diverse landscapes & canyoneering: Zion National Park

No matter which park you choose, you’ll enjoy seeing some of Utah’s most spectacular scenery. Try to visit both if time allows!

Arches and Zion National Parks Travel Tips

Getting to Arches National Park

Moab, Utah, is accessible by car, plane, or shuttle, making it a convenient gateway to Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. The closest airport is Canyonlands Field Airport (CNY), just 20 minutes from Moab, though it has very limited commercial flights. Another option is Grand Junction Regional Airport (GJT), a 1.5-hour drive away. Grand Junction has regional commercial flights. The nearest major airport is Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC), about a 4-hour drive north of Moab.

From either airport, renting a car is the most convenient way to enjoy the scenic journey to Moab, allowing for stops along the way to take in the stunning landscapes of the American Southwest. It is beneficial to have a car when visiting Moab. If you are driving from Denver or points East, check Top 10 Stops on Your Denver to Moab Road Trip for more information. For those who prefer not to drive, there are shuttles and Flix Bus runs from Salt Lake City to Moab.

Amtrak runs the California Zephyr with daily service between Denver and Green River, Utah. From Green River, you’ll need to rent a car or get a transfer to Moab. The Rocky Mountaineer has multi-day train trips from Denver to Moab if you are looking for a unique train experience.

Getting to Zion National Park

Zion National Park is located in southwestern Utah and is easily accessible by car, plane, and shuttle. The nearest major airport is Las Vegas McCarran International Airport (LAS), which is about a 2.5-hour drive from the park. For a closer option, St. George Regional Airport (SGU) is just an hour from Zion, offering limited domestic flights.

From either airport, renting a car is the most convenient way to enjoy the ride to Zion National Park. Shuttle services and Flix Buses run from Las Vegas are also available for travelers without a car.

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