Planning a visit to your favorite Zion National Park resorts in 2023? There’s no bad time to visit Flanigan’s Resort! While summer remains one of the most popular times of year to visit Southern Utah, every season has something unique to offer.
Winter is one of Zion’s best-kept secrets. Fewer crowds, cooler temperatures, and the chance to experience the park covered in the snow make this a unique time for a visit. But spring and fall have plenty to see, too, with many of the park’s waterfalls coming to life during the spring, and fall bringing bright, vibrant-colored leaves to the Canyon.
If you are planning to make your way to Zion National Park this year, there are a few dates that you’ll want to know ahead of time. These dates might impact when you choose to visit or help you to snag a reservation for the park’s most popular hiking trail. Keep reading as we dive into what you need to know if you’re visiting Zion in 2023.
National Park Free Entrance Days
Each year, the National Park Service designates several days as Free Entrance Days. The chosen dates usually have a connection to the National Park Service or are national holidays.
In 2023, the Free Entrance Days include:
- January 16: The birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
- April 22: The first day of National Park Week
- August 4: The anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act
- September 23: National Public Lands Day
- November 11: Veterans Day
On these dates, all entrance fees to national parks and other National Park Service sites, like national battlefields, landmarks, or monuments, are waived. While not all national parks charge an entrance fee, many of the most popular do. All five of Utah’s national parks charge an entrance fee, ranging from $20 to $35.
At Zion National Park, you’ll pay $35 for a private vehicle with up to 14 passengers. Or, if you choose to hop on the Springdale Shuttle and ride to the entrance of the park, you’ll pay $20 for each individual over the age of 15.
Of course, the Free Entrance Days will only get you access to national parks for a single day. If you’re planning a stay at your favorite Zion National Park lodge, you’ll no doubt want to spend more than a day exploring the park. Because all entrance fees to Zion include seven consecutive days of visits, planning a trip just to take advantage of a Free Entrance Day may not make sense. But you can use one of these dates to visit a national park closer to home free of charge!
Angels Landing Pilot Permit Dates
In April 2022, the National Park Service launched a new Pilot Permit Program for Angels Landing. The popular hiking trail had been drawing more than 300,000 annual hikers each year. This was leading to crowding on the trail, which was dangerous for visitors and damaging to the natural ecosystem.
To reduce the crowds, the National Park Service now requires permits for hikers looking to hike past Scouts Lookout. To get a permit, you’ll need to enter one or both of the two lotteries. The first is the Seasonal Lottery. There will be four Seasonal Lotteries in 2023. You’ll need to enter this lottery the season before you plan to visit Zion National Park. Here are the dates you’ll need to know:
- For hiking dates between March 1 and May 31, 2023, the lottery ran from January 1 to January 20, 2023, with permits issued on January 25.
- If you want to hike Angels Landing between June 1 and August 31, 2023, you’ll need to enter the lottery between April 1 and April 20. Permits will be awarded on April 25.
- For hiking dates from September 1 to November 30, 2023, the lottery will be open from July 1 to July 20, with permits awarded on July 25.
- If you want to hike Angels Landing between December 1 and February 29, 2024, you’ll need to enter the lottery between October 1 and October 20. Permits will be issued on October 25.
If you don’t get a permit in the Seasonal Lottery or you miss the window to open, you can still enter the Day-Before Lottery. As the name suggests, this lottery is held daily, and awards permits for the following day.
Planning Your Visit to the Best Zion National Park Resorts
Unlike many other national parks, Zion won’t require reservations or timed-entry tickets to visit this year. This makes it a breeze to plan a last-minute visit to Flanigan’s Resort, or to plan a visit during the busiest times of the year! But if you’re planning a visit to the best Zion National Park resorts in 2023, the above dates, and especially the Angel Landing permit lottery dates, are important to keep in mind.
Ready to start planning your first trip of the new year? Book your next stay at Flanigan’s Resort today!