Although Zion National Park is known for it’s hiking, there’s so many epic things to do in Zion National Park besides hiking! From eating delicious local food, to canyoneering, to wine tasting, to a via ferrata, we’ll break down 6 epic things to do beside hiking in this guide.
E-bike Zion Canyon Road
E-biking the scenic canyon drive was one of our favorite things we’ve done at Zion National Park! You can rent bikes from several outfitters near the park. During March-November, no personal vehicles are allowed on Zion Canyon Road and visitors must take the Zion Canyon Shuttle. This allows for the unique experience of biking the road without cars. When we went in November, we were some of the only bikers on the road! It was incredible to experience the feeling of being alone between the giant canyon walls. You do need to pull over for the Zion Canyon Shuttle as it passes, but we didn’t find that to be a big deal. This is a must do activity besides hiking for adventure lovers! E-bikes make this activity very accessible for all levels of fitness.
Canyoneering
If you’ve never tried canyoneering before, it’s the perfect thing to do in Zion besides hiking. We went canyoneering with Rock Odysseys in the Water Canyon area in Hildale, Utah. Because this is about an hour from Zion Canyon, it’s a lot less crowded. We only encountered a few people on our adventure! Our knowledgable guide from Rock Odysseys set up several rapells for us, some vertical and some traverse. We had never gone canyoneering before and it was the best introduction in a stunning setting! Anotehr option for canyoneering is with Paragon Adventures in St. George. We did the 3/4 day Multi-Sport Red Rock Adventure where we got to do canyoneering, rock climbing, and a zipline!
Go Wine Tasting
Most people don’t realize this area has several nearby wineries! Wine tasting is such a relaxing and fun thing to do besides hiking at Zion National Park! We went to Water Canyon Winery in Hildale and it’s definitely a place where visitors would enjoy relaxing for a couple of hours. The wine was absolutely delicious and is all natural. We got to meet the daughter of the owners who shared the history of the winery and the winemaking process. We loved the wine so much that we bought a bottle! There are other wineries in the Greater Zion area like Zion Vineyards, IG Winery, Chanela Vineyards, and Bold & Delaney Winery. If you’re a wine lover, you could make a full day out of wine tasting in the region!
Kolob Canyon Scenic Drive
The Kolob Canyon section of Zion National Park is so underrated! We highly recommend the 5 mile scenic drive. There are a lot of overlooks and scenic viewpoints where visitors can hop out of the car — no hiking required! If you do want to stretch your legs, there are some very short hikes on this drive as well. If you are looking to hike, Timber Creek Overlook is a great short (1 mile) trail option with great views. However if you’re looking for something to do in Zion besides hiking, the Kolob Canyon Scenic Drive is a fantastic option.
Above Zion Via Ferrata
You don’t need any climbing experience to climb this epic via ferrata above Zion National Park! Although some walking is required, it should be very manageable for most levels of fitness. Via ferratas originated in Europe and mean “iron rung” in Italian. They consist of fixed anchors, rungs, cables, and ladders along rock faces to assist in climbing. They’re one of the most accessible ways to climb and anyone with a decent level of fitness should be able to complete this absolutely stunning climb over Zion National Park. The Above Zion Via Ferrata was one of our favorite things besides hiking that we did at Zion!
Hang out at a Glamping Resort
Did you know Zion National Park is known as the glamping capitol of the world? Glamping made our trip feel so special and we loved having a cozy place to relax after adventuring all day. We stayed at both Zion Wildflower and Zion Autocamp and we enjoyed hanging out for hours at both properties. Both properties are only 20 minutes from Zion National Park and offer lots of amenities including a pool, scenic lounging areas, and firepits. Autocamp Zion even has bike rentals on property. Click here to read our full review of both glamping resorts. If you don’t want to stay at a glamping resort, you can visit one and hang out! We ate dinner at Black Sage at Open Sky Zion and it was our favorite meal of the trip! You’ll eat in a cozy shipping container turned restaurant and if it’s warm enough, there’s also outdoor seating and lounging areas.
We hope this list of things to do in Zion National Park besides hiking was helpful! If you’re short on time during your visit, check out our guide on what to see in Zion National Park in One Day!
