A Dog-Friendly Trip to Zion National Park

On our April 2025 road trip from Colorado to California, we visited Zion National Park.

We went to Zion from Kanab, where we spent the night at the incredible Best Friends Roadhouse and Mercantile. Kanab is not as conveniently close to Zion as Springdale or Virgin, but I think it was well worth the stay (and still pretty close).

Is Zion National Park Dog-Friendly?

Not particularly – dogs are only allowed on one trail (Pa'rus Trail). Unlike some other parks, like the Grand Canyon or Bryce Canyon, the dog-friendly trail didn't give us a lot of views.

We were able to see a lot while driving through, but we did feel like we barely scratched the surface of what Zion had to offer. When we go back, we'll probably board the dogs, so we can see more of the trails.

Where Are Dogs Allowed?

• Pa’rus Trail
• Public roads and parking areas
• Developed campgrounds and picnic areas
• The grounds of the Zion Lodge
• In your car for a scenic drive

Where Aren't Dogs Allowed?

• Any trails other than Pa'rus Trail
• Wilderness areas
• Shuttle buses
• Inside buildings

Zion-Mt. Caramel Highway

We used the East Entrance and took Zion Park Blvd to the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway, then we exited through Springdale.

Because Zion is so popular, traffic on the drive was pretty heavy, and there was one way traffic at one of the tunnels, so we had to wait a while. 

We didn't mind the traffic though, because it just gave us more time to appreciate the beauty of Zion.

Pa’rus Trail

After the scenic drive, we walked the dogs along the Pa'rus Trail. We parked at the visitor center to get to the trail, which was pretty difficult to do with the crowds. We almost gave up on parking, until someone kindly gave up their spot for us as they were leaving!

If you are staying in Springdale, you may want to consider walking into the park to go to the visitor center.

Pa'rus Trail was nice, but probably not one of the most exciting trails in the park. It was busy with people, and due to some construction, we didn't get the perfect walk while we were there. If you're interested in a slightly longer walk than we did, you can use this trail to walk to the Zion Nature Center and Zion Human History Museum.

Note: Pa'rus Trail takes you along the Virgin River, but you'll need to check the status of water in the park. While we were there, the water was unsafe because of cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins, so the dogs didn't get to splash in the water (they really wanted to).

Kolob Canyons

After we left Zion, we went to Kolob Canyons, which is technically also part of Zion National Park, but not connected. 

If you want to add this stop, you'll need to plan ahead, because it has a separate entrance from the main park about an hour away. You have to go to the Kolob Canyons Visitor Center, in New Harmony, Utah.

For us, this additional stop was well worth it. We took E Kolob Canyon Rd to Kolob View Point (this is an out-and-back road). The views were amazing and almost no one was there. It was great to get to see more of the natural beauty of the area without the crowds!

Reflections

I don't think that Zion would be at the top of my list of recommendations for dog-friendly travel, but I'm so glad we got to see as much as we could on this trip. Zion is stunningly beautiful, and we have it at the top of our list for human-focused travel!