Families and groups
Leans DIY on entry cost
One $35 vehicle fee covers everyone in the car, so a party of five pays $7 each to enter. A per-seat tour price has no such discount, so compare it with your whole-car cost.
Source: NPS fees, Oct 26, 2026
Utah · National Park
Zion: tour or DIY?
Checked Oct 26, 2026 · Source: NPS
Zion charges $35 per private vehicle, good for 7 days, according to the National Park Service (checked Oct 26, 2026). Visitors 16 and older who live outside the US pay an extra $100 unless they hold a pass. One fee covers the whole car, so a party of four pays $8.75 each to enter, which favors driving yourself.
Our verdict, from the fee data
DIY wins on entry cost for groups
The $35 vehicle fee is paid once for everyone in the car. A tour only beats driving yourself if it saves you real money or time on fuel, parking, shuttles and planning.
We do not print tour prices here because we do not have a live, licensed feed for them. Enter a real quote in the calculator and we prefill this park’s fee.
| Party | Entrance total | Per person |
|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $35 | $35 |
| 2 people | $35 | $17.50 |
| 4 people | $35 | $8.75 |
| 6 people | $35 | $5.83 |
Arithmetic on the NPS fee of $35. The vehicle fee covers all passengers, so cost per person falls as the group grows. Non-US residents 16+ add $100 each.
Entrance fees
| Fee | Cost | Notes from NPS |
|---|---|---|
| Entrance - Private Vehicle | $35 | Admits private, non-commercial vehicle (15 passenger capacity or less) and all occupants to Zion National Park. Valid for 1-7 days. |
| Entrance - Motorcycle | $30 | Valid for 7 days. Admits up to 2 private, non-commercial motorcycles with up to 4 total passengers. |
| Entrance - Snowmobile | $20 | Admits one individual with no car to Zion National Park. Typically used for bicyclists, hikers and pedestrians. Youth 15 and under are admitted free. Valid for 1-7 days. |
| Entrance - Per Person | $20 | Admits one individual with no car to Zion National Park. Typically used for bicyclists, hikers and pedestrians. Youth 15 and under are admitted free. Valid for 1-7 days. |
| Entrance - Non-commercial Groups | $20 | $20 per person. Non-commercial vehicles with a capacity of 16 or greater. Fees will not exceed the commercial fee for the same-sized vehicle. Youth 15 and under are free. |
| Commercial Entrance - Van | $70 | A commercial tour is defined as consisting of one or more persons traveling on an itinerary that has been packaged, priced, or sold for leisure or recreational purposes by an organization that realizes financial gain through the provision of the service. |
| Commercial Entrance - Mini-bus | $80 | A commercial tour is defined as consisting of one or more persons traveling on an itinerary that has been packaged, priced, or sold for leisure or recreational purposes by an organization that realizes financial gain through the provision of the service. |
| Commercial Entrance - Motor Coach | $190 | A commercial tour is defined as consisting of one or more persons traveling on an itinerary that has been packaged, priced, or sold for leisure or recreational purposes by an organization that realizes financial gain through the provision of the service. |
| Commercial Entrance - Per Person | $20 | A commercial tour is defined as one or more persons traveling on an itinerary that has been packaged, priced, or sold for leisure or recreational purposes by an organization that realizes financial gain through the provision of the service. |
| Nonresident | $100 | Each non-US resident aged 16 and older visiting Zion National Park must pay a $100 nonresident fee (in addition to the standard entrance fee), unless admitted with an Annual or America the Beautiful Pass. |
Source: nps.gov fees and passes for Zion via the NPS API, checked Oct 26, 2026. Fees change; confirm before you go.
Visiting from outside the US? Zion is one of 11 parks that charge non-US residents aged 16+ a $100 nonresident fee on top of the regular entrance fee, unless they hold an annual or America the Beautiful pass. The Non-Resident Annual Pass costs $250. Source: nps.gov passes, checked Oct 26, 2026.
Pass math
- The $80 America the Beautiful Resident Annual Pass equals 3 visits at $35 per vehicle, here or at any other fee site.
- Seniors 62+ pay $20 for an annual pass or $80 for lifetime.
- Zion also sells its own pass: Annual Entrance - Park, $70.
When it is busiest
NPS recreation visits by month, 2025. May had 12% of the year; January was the quietest month, with about 25% of the busiest month’s visits.
BusierQuietest month
Show the numbers
| Month | Recreation visits |
|---|---|
| January | 149,768 |
| February | 162,438 |
| March | 425,780 |
| April | 538,541 |
| May | 589,279 |
| June | 585,040 |
| July | 529,798 |
| August | 476,657 |
| September | 475,492 |
| October | 504,122 |
| November | 310,439 |
| December | 237,171 |
Source: NPS IRMA Stats, recreation visitors, 2025, pulled Oct 26, 2026.
Alerts right now
7 active NPS alerts when we checked on Oct 26, 2026, including 1 closure. Showing the most serious first.
Park Closure Watchman Trail closed
The Watchman Trail is closed pending repairs. Details on nps.gov
Caution Zion Mount Carmel Highway - One way traffic
Expect one way traffic and minor delays on Zion Mount Carmel Highway, due road construction starting on October 26th. Details on nps.gov
Caution Large vehicle restrictions on Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway
Vehicles that exceed length, width, height, or weight limits cannot travel between Canyon Junction and the park's East Entrance. See the current limits on the page linked below. Details on nps.gov
Caution Toxic cyanobacteria in rivers, streams, and pools
Do not submerge your head in or drink instream water in Zion National Park. Details on nps.gov
Information Zion Mount Carmel Highway - Nightly Road Closures
Overnight tunnel closures are set for the tunnel on the Zion–Mount Carmel Highway (SR-9) inside Zion National Park starting Monday, Oct. 26 for fiber optic installation. See Utah Department of Transportation website for more information. Details on nps.gov
Information Angels Landing Pilot Permit Program
All hikers need a permit to hike Angels Landing. Learn why you need a permit and how to get one using the link below. Details on nps.gov
Source: NPS API alerts, checked Oct 26, 2026. Conditions change by the hour; check the park page before you drive.
Hours and access
Zion National Park is open every day of the year.
Source: NPS API operating hours, checked Oct 26, 2026.
What NPS lists to do here
- Arts and Culture
- Astronomy
- Backcountry Camping
- Biking
- Birdwatching
- Bookstore and Park Store
- Camping
- Canyoneering
- Car or Front Country Camping
- Climbing
- Front-Country Hiking
- Guided Tours
- Hiking
- Horse Camping (see also Horse/Stock Use)
- Junior Ranger Program
- Museum Exhibits
- Park Film
- Road Biking
- Rock Climbing
- Shopping
- Stargazing
- Wildlife Watching
Source: NPS API activity tags, checked Oct 26, 2026.
Got a tour quote for Zion?
Put it next to your own costs and see the break-even.
Open the calculator for ZionWho fits what at Zion
Built from NPS and NOAA data, not opinion. “Leans” is a plain reading of the fee model, not a recommendation.
Seniors (62+)
A senior pass cuts DIY cost
US residents aged 62 and over can buy an annual pass for $20 or a lifetime pass for $80. The NPS API we use has no per-park accessibility data, so check the park page for trail and shuttle accessibility before choosing.
Source: nps.gov passes, Oct 26, 2026
Visitors without a car
Check transit first
The NPS data we pulled lists no shuttle or transit service for Zion. It does tag Guided Tours, Horse Camping (see also Horse/Stock Use) and Junior Ranger Program. If you will not have a car, confirm how to get around before assuming DIY works.
Source: NPS activities, Oct 26, 2026
First-timers
Start at a visitor center
The NPS lists 4 visitor centers, 3 with passport stamps. It also publishes 1 self-guided tour, taking 1 h to 2 h, which cost nothing beyond entry.
Source: NPS visitor centers and tours, Oct 26, 2026
Short visits
Entry is valid 7 days
The vehicle fee is good for 7 days, so a one-day trip pays the same gate fee as a long one. NPS self-guided tours here run up to 2 h. January was the quietest month in 2025, which helps if you only have a day.
Source: NPS fees and IRMA Stats, Oct 26, 2026
What to book ahead
Check reservations early
NPS alerts mention reservations, permits or shuttles: “Angels Landing Pilot Permit Program”. The NPS campground listings (3) tag 306 sites as reservable and 0 as first-come; those tags can lag, so confirm on the park page.
Source: NPS alerts and campgrounds, Oct 26, 2026
Season
May is busiest
May drew 12% of 2025 recreation visits; its average high is 84°F at the nearest NOAA station. January was quietest, with an average high of 54°F. Mild months below the average crowd: January, February and December.
Source: NPS IRMA Stats; NOAA normals 1991–2020 (ZION NP, 11 km away)
Parking and shuttles
1 related alert
“Please park legally and responsibly” (active NPS alerts on Oct 26, 2026).
Source: NPS alerts, Oct 26, 2026
Questions
How much does it cost to enter Zion by car?
The NPS lists $35 per private vehicle for 7 days (checked Oct 26, 2026). The fee covers every passenger in the vehicle.
Is there an extra fee for visitors from outside the US at Zion?
Yes. Zion is one of 11 parks where non-US residents aged 16 and over pay a $100 nonresident fee on top of the entrance fee, unless they hold an annual or America the Beautiful pass (NPS, checked Oct 26, 2026).
When is Zion busiest?
May had the most recreation visits in 2025 (12% of the year). January had the fewest, so May drew about 3.9 times as many visits. Source: NPS IRMA Stats.
More parks in Utah
TourOrDIY is independent and not affiliated with the National Park Service. Numbers are copied from NPS public data on Oct 26, 2026 and may have changed. See the accuracy disclaimer and our method.