Utah · Rock climbing · Virgin

Zion National Park

Near Virgin

Zion National ParkPhoto: Don Graham from Redlands, CA, USA - God bless it!, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
91 routes
5.0 – 5.13
Trad · Mixed · Sport

Is Zion National Park open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Zion National Park. It doesn't name Zion National Park, so check the source for the area it covers.

  • Watchman Trail closed

    Park closure covering Zion National Park · NPS · Zion National Park

  • Toxic cyanobacteria in rivers, streams, and pools

    Park alert covering Zion National Park · NPS · Zion National Park

  • Large vehicle restrictions on Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway

    Park alert covering Zion National Park · NPS · Zion National Park

As of · Source: NPS · Zion National Park. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Best time to visit Zion National Park

Best months: April–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

  1. Jan

    43° / 20°

    6 wet

  2. Feb

    45° / 22°

    6 wet

  3. Mar

    53° / 27°

    7 wet

  4. Apr

    60° / 32°

    6 wet

  5. May

    69° / 40°

    5 wet

  6. Jun

    80° / 48°

    3 wet

  7. Jul

    85° / 56°

    5 wet

  8. Aug

    84° / 55°

    5 wet

  9. Sep

    77° / 47°

    4 wet

  10. Oct

    65° / 36°

    4 wet

  11. Nov

    51° / 27°

    4 wet

  12. Dec

    42° / 19°

    6 wet

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Cedar City 5e, UT, 27.9 mi away at 6,465 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Zion National Park in Utah is a National Park Service unit that also includes the Zion Wilderness, and it is a climbing area with a wide range of routes. The park charges a fee for entry, so plan for that before you go. The climbing here is mostly traditional, with 79 trad routes among the 92 listed. The grades run from 5.0 up to 5.13, and a few mixed routes and one boulder problem round out the options. Emerald Corner is one of the harder routes at 5.13, while West Face is a straightforward 5.0. For a shorter outing, the Grotto & Base of Great White Throne climbing area is about half a mile away, and the Lower Emerald Pool Trail is under a mile off. Watchman Campground, about 3.7 miles away, is the closest place to camp.

Routes (91)

Castle Dome(1)

East FaceEasy 5th

Deertrap Mountain(1)

South ButtressEasy 5th

Mountain of Mystery(1)

Northeast Buttress5.2

Mountain of the Sun(1)

Eye Shadow5.9

North Guardian Angel(1)

East Ridge4th

Northgate Peaks(1)

Particle Man5.6

Pine Valley Peak(1)

Northeast Face5.5

Red Sentinel(1)

The Toad5.8

Sanctuary, The(1)

Rat Salad5.7

South Guardian Angel(1)

Northeast Ridge3rd

Sub Peak of Meridian Tower(2)

The Omen5.11bNa-Gah’s Wall5.12

Sunny Slabs, The(1)

Tower 965.2

Facts about this crag

Rules & access

Fee
Yes

Source: National Park Service API

Keep exploring — more climbs worth the drive

Grotto & Base of Great White ThronePhoto: buzzard525, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Grotto & Base of Great White Throne

~1 min drive

12 traditional climbing routes at Grotto & Base of Great White Throne in Utah.

SentinelPhoto: Don Graham from Redlands, CA, USA - God bless it!, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Sentinel

~2 min drive

Sentinel in Utah has 6 climbing routes across 5 difficulty grades.

Red Arch MountainPhoto: Don Graham from Redlands, CA, USA - God bless it!, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Red Arch Mountain

~3 min drive

Red Arch Mountain in Utah has 6 climbing routes with mixed and trad styles.

Angel's LandingPhoto: Pavel Špindler, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Angel's Landing

~3 min drive

Angel's Landing in Utah has 11 routes ranging from moderate to hard difficulty with mixed and traditional climbing styles.

Moonlight ButtressPhoto: Outdoor Craziness, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Moonlight Buttress

~4 min drive

Moonlight Buttress in Utah has 7 climbing routes with mixed and trad styles.

Cerberus GendarmePhoto: Frans-Banja Mulder, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Cerberus Gendarme

~4 min drive

Cerberus Gendarme in Utah offers 18 climbing routes across 13 difficulty grades in mixed and traditional styles.

Short Stuff CragPhoto: Don Graham from Redlands, CA, USA - God bless it!, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Short Stuff Crag

~4 min drive

Short Stuff Crag in Utah has 12 climbing routes with 10 distinct difficulty grades.

Leaning WallPhoto: Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Leaning Wall

~4 min drive

Leaning Wall in Utah has 8 routes with 7 difficulty grades, offering mixed, sport, and trad climbing.

East TemplePhoto: Capt' Gorgeous, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

East Temple

~4 min drive

East Temple in Utah has 8 climbing routes across 7 difficulty grades, offering mixed and traditional styles.

Temple of SinawavaPhoto: Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Temple of Sinawava

~5 min drive

Temple of Sinawava in Utah has 15 climbing routes with 10 difficulty grades, offering mixed and traditional climbing.