ZION AREA RECREATION // UTAH STATE PARKS
Just a short drive from the grandeur of Zion National Park, several Utah State Parks offer their own unique flavors of the Southern Utah landscape. Snow Canyon State Park boasts vistas of red and white Navajo sandstone cliffs, ancient lava flows, and hiking trails for exploration. Sand Hollow State Park invites boating, swimming, and even off-highway vehicle adventures on its expansive sand dunes. Nearby, Quail Creek State Park offers a reservoir experience for fishing, kayaking, and enjoying the surrounding red rock scenery. Also not to be missed are Coral Pink Sand Dunes and Gunlock.
These state parks provide diverse opportunities to complement a visit to Zion.
Each state park requires an entrance fee, with the cost varying by park. An annual pass giving access to all parks is available for Utah residents. The parks will post alerts about closures or restrictions on their individual websites and social media pages; check that before traveling.
CORAL PINK SAND DUNES STATE PARK
Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park is about a 30-minute drive west of Kanab, or an hour drive from Zion National Park’s south entrance (for vehicles able to drive through the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel).
Day use entrance fees:
- $15 per vehicle
- Utah resident senior: $10 per vehicle
GUNLOCK STATE PARK
Gunlock State Park is about a 35-minute drive northwest of St. George, or an hour-and-a-half drive from Zion National Park’s south entrance. It is popular for its waterfalls, which only appear in spring during years with enough snow runoff. Expect crowds when the falls are flowing.
Day use entrance fees:
- Utah resident: $15 per vehicle
- Utah resident senior: $10 per vehicle
- Non-resident: $25 per vehicle
QUAIL CREEK STATE PARK
Quail Creek State Park is located on SR-9, just off I-15; it’s a 50-minute drive from Zion National Park’s south entrance. Quail Creek is the third most popular state park in southwestern Utah.
Day use entrance fees:
- Utah resident: $15 per vehicle (8 people max)
- Utah resident senior: $10 per vehicle (8 people max)
- Non-resident: $25 per vehicle (8 people max)
SAND HOLLOW STATE PARK
Sand Hollow State Park is located on SR-7 between Washington and Hurricane; it’s a 50-minute drive from Zion National Park’s south entrance. Sand Hollow sees the highest annual visitation of all the Utah State Parks, so prepare for traffic and crowded parking lots during the peak season of March through October.
Day use entrance fees:
- Utah resident: $15 per vehicle weekdays, $20 per vehicle Friday-Sunday, $5 walk in
- Utah resident senior: $10 per vehicle
- Non-resident: $30 per vehicle
SNOW CANYON STATE PARK
Snow Canyon State Park is about a 15-minute drive northwest of St. George on SR-18, or a little over an hour drive from Zion National Park’s south entrance. It’s the second most popular state park in southwestern Utah and can get as busy as Zion National Park on some days.
Day use entrance fees:
- Utah resident: $10 per vehicle (8 people max), $3 walk/bike in
- Utah resident senior: $5 per vehicle (8 people max)
- Non-resident: $15 per vehicle (8 people max), $3 walk/bike in
- Commercial vehicles/vehicles with 9+ people: $4 per person
