Zion Canyoneering Permits
If you are wanting to descend a technical canyon that is within the Zion wilderness, then you must apply for and be awarded a permit. Even if any part of the canyon is in the park boundary, you must get a permit. Take, for example, Englestead Canyon, the Left Fork of North Creek, or Orderville Canyon. They both start outside Zion NP boundary but end inside. As of January 2023, there are a few ways to apply for wilderness permits. The park updates the permitting page of its website, so the most recent canyon conditions, details, and pricing information can always be found there. Here is the basis of Zion National Park’s canyoneering permit lottery system:
Zion Express Membership
If you are an avid Zion National Park canyoneer, it is probably wise and convenient to get the Zion Express Membership. The people who are regulars and aware of the park’s rules and regulations not only apply for permits online but convert their online reservations to printable permits from home. Members still have to apply for the permits but once they own the reservations, they can print the permit they were awarded.
The caveat to being a member is that you have to watch three orientation videos at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center Wilderness Desk. It is a short and small price to pay for the benefits received. The orientation takes around two hours and is well worth it. You will not have to pay for the membership. The membership last for the rest of the current year you receive it and two calendar years after.
Advance calendar reservation
On the 5th of every month Zion NP opens its permitting system for reservations for the majority of the park’s canyons. This is when you can apply for reservations for the following month. Reservations for the following month are accessible starting at 10:00 AM on the 5th and will remain open for the current month as well.
- Click the link to “Apply for a calendar Reservation”.
- Choose a canyon from the dropdown (Not all of Zion’s canyons are on this list).
- Select a date to complete the canyon and select your group size. (Most permits will only allow for 6 people per group, but others, like Pine Creek Canyon, will allow up to 12).
- If the canyon you wish to obtain a permit for is not on the list, you must obtain that permit in person at the permitting office near the visitor center.
Last-minute drawing
The last-minute permit drawing allows people to obtain a wilderness permit within 7 to 2 days before their trip. This drawing will only occur if all the slots have been filled already. If there are still open spots after the last-minute drawing, then visitors can apply and pick up permits on the day of. Do not rely on this, however. You don’t want to show up on a day you were planning and not be able to get a permit.
- Drawing is held at 1:00 PM MST two days before the day of your trip
- Requests per individual and canyon can only be made once
Advance Lottery
Different from the advance calendar reservation, the advance lottery application is only for the Subway and Mystery Canyon. This is because these are two canyons within park boundaries that are VERY popular.
While these applications can be sought after on the advance calendar reservation page, the likelihood of being granted a permit is lower. The advance lottery allows people to apply for permits up to TWO months in advance and if there are remaining spots after the lottery, those spots will be available via the calendar reservation.
The keyword here is that this application is not guaranteed to get you a permit. It is a lottery. This means that after an application is submitted, the applicant will be informed duri
ng the next month whether or not they won the lottery and were awarded the permit. The process of applying for this permit requires applicants to choose three prioritized dates for their trip.
If they are not awarded their first priority date, they might still get lucky and get their second or third date. One last note regarding the lottery; it does not run from November through March.
Picking up your permit
You can only pick up your permit the day before your trip or the morning of at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center Wilderness desk or at the Kolob Canyons Visitor Center. This is because there is some paperwork that the park needs you to sign to obtain the permit. The rangers at the permitting office will also want to make sure they have verbal confirmation that you are well-equipped for your adventure. They won’t go through your bags or anything like that to make sure you have the right gear, but they will ask you a series of questions about what gear you have and if you are aware of proper canyon etiquette. A common question is “What length of ropes are you bringing?” The rangers just want to make sure that you have enough rope for the length of rappels in your permitted canyon. Make sure you know the wilderness desk hours!
**An important note; the permit holder must be the one to pick up the permit! Too often people think they can have a friend pick up their permit and then they are not given their permit. Zion permits are NON-TRANSFERRABLE. It will take about 15-20 minutes to get your permit. Pricing for the permits is…
$15 for a group of 1 or 2
$20 for a group of 3 to 7 people
$25 for a group of 8 to 12 people.
Why do I need a permit?
Many people wonder why they need a permit for canyoneering in Zion National Park. There are multiple reasons. One of the big ones is safety. Flash floods can be fequent during the summer, so the park only issues permits when they know it is safe for people to be traveling through the canyons. If you have a permit, are traveling through a canyon, and get stuck or need help, Zion NP will know the relative area that you are in and will be able to facilitate a rescue more easily and quicker. Another reason is that you will need your permit to get on the Zion Shuttle after having descended a canyon that finishes in the main Zion Canyon. Since cars are not allowed on the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive, you will want to take the shuttle back to the visitor center parking lot.
Special Cases
There are some instances in which you will be allowed to park at the last parking lot of the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive. Typically these instances will include those in which you will be compelled to get to the shuttle stop after the last shuttle has likely left. The park is stingy about giving these permits out so it is incumbent upon you to plan your trip so that you always get back before the last shuttle leaves, or you will have a nice long walk back to the visitor center.
Please check the Zion Shuttle schedule before your trip. Instances in which the wilderness desk will give you a permit to park along the scenic drive are if you are doing the Full Imlay Canyon and will likely not get back in time for the last shuttle. Even if you are doing such a canyon, you will need to ask the ranger at the desk when you pick up your permit if you can get a pass to park at the Temple of Sinawava parking lot.