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Pet Friendly Lodging Zion Ut – With red and white Navajo sandstone walls rising 2,000 feet above sea level, hiking with your pet in Zion National Park is an experience you’ll never forget.
Zion was Utah’s first national park. And walking along the Virgin River, looking up at the massive sandstone cliffs rising up into the bright blue sky, it’s easy to see why. But how much of Zion National Park can you see with your pets? To answer this question, we conducted some groundbreaking research.
Pet Friendly Lodging Zion Ut
Located in southern Utah, not far from Bryce Canyon National Park and Dixie National Forest, Zion is simply stunning. With elevations ranging from 3,600 to 8,700 feet, the park protects an amazing variety of wildlife, plants, and stunning scenery.
Zion National Park Trip Itinerary
The best time to visit Zion National Park with pets is anytime except summer. Five million tourists visited the park in 2021, making it the second most visited national park in America. And besides the crowds, Zion’s summer temperatures can be downright dangerous. During our visit in late August, the canyon floor reached 104 degrees.
For a quieter visit, consider visiting Zion in the winter. While more than 550,000 visitors descend on the park during the peak months of July, December and January, it historically sees about one-fifth as many people. And even though it’s the middle of winter, daytime temperatures often reach up to 54 degrees, perfect weather for exploring with your tail off.
For our RVing friends. Plan to reach the south gate of Zion. To get to the eastern part of the park, you have to go through the historical tunnel. Almost all RVs, buses, trailers, semi-trucks, utility vehicles, motorhomes and boats require traffic control, which means a ranger must stop oncoming traffic for you.
Leashed pets can join you on all paved surfaces in Zion National Park. This includes public roads and parking lots, developed camping areas, Hwy 9 (Zion – Mount Carmel Hwy) to all 22 highways, and the Pa’rus Trail. Additionally, pets are welcome in Zion Lodge’s picnic areas and grounds.
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Pets are not allowed on other trails, which means walking together in Zion is limited. But read. we have a pet-friendly camping solution you’re sure to love.
Finally, pets are not allowed in wilderness areas, shuttle buses, or park buildings, including the Zion Lodge.
There are two entrances to Zion National Park, the East Gate and the South Gate. When you reach the eastern gate, you are almost immediately in a monumental landscape. If so, go to the visitor center. But stop at every turn to see huge cliffs of cream, pink and red sandstone.
When visiting Zion National Park with pets, be sure to visit the visitor center. Pets are not allowed, so take turns watching the 22-minute orientation film and exhibits. Grab your pet’s BARK Ranger tag and it’s time to hit the trail.
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From the Visitor Center, visit the bridge that crosses the road and river to reach the pet-friendly Pa’rus Trail. Following the Virgin River through the canyon, the trail continues 1.8 miles to Canyon Junction.
Plan to spend several hours hiking the trail. Or have a party and spend more time. And for a longer hike, read the Zion Canyon section.
If you’re visiting Zion with your pets in the summer, plan to hike the Pa’rus Trail early in the morning or around sunset.
It will be hot. And there isn’t much shade. And cooling off in the river is not an option. Zion monitors the presence of harmful blue-green algae and cyanotoxins in the park’s Virgin River. These toxins can appear at any time, so keep your dogs on a leash and away from water.
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It’s also a good idea to pack your dog’s shoes. The Pa’rus course has several bridges and the composite deck gets very hot on sunny days. Before your pet walks on bridges, touch the surface to make sure it doesn’t burn its paws.
Once you reach Zion’s South Gate, after exploring the visitor center and taking the Parous Trail, drive to the East Gate and enjoy the ride.
The main attraction of Zion National Park is Zion Canyon. It is home to the world famous Hanging Gardens, waterfalls and Zion Lodge. Most of the year, Zion Canyon is open to shuttle buses only. And pets are not allowed on the shuttle.
Of course, you can take turns seeing Zion Canyon by shuttle. Or you can find a local pet daycare or boarding facility for your traveling buddy. But if you want to see Zion Canyon with your pets, you have two options.
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The first is to walk or bike. Pets are welcome on all paved roads in Zion. And for most of the year, the only traffic on Zion Canyon Scenic Drive is shuttle buses. Visit the Pa’rus Trail, 1.8 miles from the Visitor Center to Canyon Junction, where the road closure begins. From this point it is 14.9 miles to Temple Shinawawa at the end of the road.
Another option is to visit Zion when the shuttles are not operating. (This is why I originally recommended planning your trip in December or January.)
The shuttle service from Zion is closed from late November until Christmas. And during this time, Zion Canyon Scenic Drive is open to private vehicles. This is your window to ride the famous canyon with your best friend. Remember that pets must stay on roads or paved surfaces.
The town of Springdale is conveniently located near Zion’s southern gate. With pet-friendly hotels, campgrounds, restaurants, and dog parks, it’s a welcoming destination for pet travelers.
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Stop by the visitor center for some recommendations, then lunch or dinner. We found the pet-friendly patio at Oscar’s Café to be the perfect place to eat.
If you want to see a lesser-known part of Zion National Park with your pets, continue west on Hwy 9 to Kolob Terrace Road, then head north. The 25-mile ride climbs from 3,550 feet to 818 feet and weaves in and out of the national park. But it’s the scenery that makes the trip so enjoyable.
Drive several trails along the way. Unfortunately, pets are not allowed on all of these trails. But Lava Point has a picnic area and a view worth seeing.
At the end of the road is the Kolob reservoir. Besides being a gorgeous body of water, the temperature here was almost 20 degrees cooler than Springdale on the day we visited.
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A private campground surrounds the reservoir, but most sites were open the day we visited. There is also a boat launch and kayak, canoe and paddle board rentals. This would be a great place to spend the day.
Please note: we didn’t have cell phone coverage at the reservoir, so I recommend calling ahead to rent a kayak, canoe, or paddle board.
If your stay in Zion inspires you to do more hiking with your pet, we can help. As mentioned, there is only one pet-friendly trail in Zion. But there is a great solution on the way.
Two areas of the Dixie National Forest are very easy to drive from Zion. The Pine Valley Ranger District is located on St. North of George. And the Cedar City Ranger District is east of Cedar City, Utah. Both areas offer fantastic hiking. Or head to our favorite area of ​​Dixie, Red Canyon. The good news is that ALL Dixie trails are pet friendly.
Where To Stay In Zion National Park
Stop by any visitor center for trail conditions and maps. Then get out and enjoy the hike together.
We hope our visit to Zion National Park inspires you to plan a trip with your pets. Although pets are only allowed on one trail here, Dixie National Forest has great hiking just down the road. And Southern Utah is a great place for pet-friendly adventures.
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