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4 Days in Zion National Park: Angels Landing, Hop Valley, and The Narrows Itinerary
This 4-day itinerary explores Zion National Park, Utah, through a mix of hiking, backpacking, and camping. It begins with the iconic Angels Landing climb and a night at Watchman Campground, then heads into the backcountry via Kolob Terrace Road for an overnight trek into Hop Valley. The trip returns to the main canyon to wade upstream through The Narrows to Wall Street, and wraps up with a short hike to Canyon Overlook before the drive back to the Las Vegas area. A 4x4 vehicle is recommended for the remote road access, and this is a moderate-level trip suited to hikers comfortable with exposure, water crossings, and one night of backcountry camping.
Built stop by stop, not written as an article.
Xavier starts with this location and helps you build your own version of the trip.
- Days
- 4
- Stops
- 23
- Driving
- 393 mi
- On foot
- 19.3 mi
- Overnights
- 3
- Level
- moderate
Published by Xploreum · August 2026
ARE YOU XPLORER MATERIAL?
The average Xplorer every year...
Sleeps outside 24 nights
Explores 1,800 miles
Covers 500 miles on foot, skis, bikes, boats and trails
Experiences a 120°F temperature difference
Discovers 18 new places
Does something for the first time 18 times
Sees the Milky Way 11 nights
Takes 6 people on their first adventure
Spends 240 hours away from notifications
Creates stories remembered for decades
The shape of it
How the route moves
4 days and 23 stops, covering 393 mi of driving, 19.3 mi on foot. Every distance comes from the route records behind this Xpedition.
Route overview, not navigation
Stops are shown at place level. Each leg is coloured by the travel mode we infer from the stops at either end, then drawn along that network: blue for driving and magenta for walking. The mode is our inference, not a confirmed record of how the route was travelled. A grey dashed leg is one we could not route, shown as a straight overview instead. This is an overview of the route, not a turn-by-turn track, and it is not suitable for navigation.
The itinerary
Day by day
All 23 stops, free to read. Every day is editable once the route is yours.
Photo by Eelco Böhtlingk on Unsplash
Angels Landing and a First Night in Zion
- 173 mi drive
- 5.3 mi on foot
- Night: Watchman Campground, Zion area
The trip starts with picking up a 4x4 vehicle and loading gear for the drive to Zion National Park. After around 160 miles on the road, the first stop is the Zion National Park Visitor Center, where you can pick up permits, check current trail conditions, and review shuttle information before heading into the canyon. From there it is a short shuttle ride to The Grotto Trailhead, the starting point for the day's main event: the climb to Angels Landing. This iconic hike covers 5.4 miles round trip with about 1,488 feet of elevation gain, following a narrow ridge with a chain-assisted section leading to sweeping views from the summit. After descending back to The Grotto Trailhead, it's a short trip to Watchman Campground near the park entrance, where you'll spend the first night. Nearby options are available for dinner within walking distance of camp.
Car Rental CenterDrive
Pick up vehicle and load gear for Zion.
+160 mi along the route
Zion National Park Visitor CenterDrive
Park entrance and visitor center. Obtain permits, check trail conditions, and review shuttle information.
+6.8 mi along the route
The Grotto TrailheadDrive
Shuttle stop for Angels Landing. Restrooms and water available.
+2.7 mi along the route
Angels Landing SummitHike
5.4 mi round trip, 1,488 ft gain. Iconic ridge hike with chain section to summit.
+2.7 mi along the route
The Grotto TrailheadDrive
Return to shuttle stop.
+6.8 mi along the route
Watchman Campground, Zion arealodge
Campground near park entrance. Walk to nearby area for dinner.
Photo by Zach Betten on Unsplash
Into the Backcountry: Hop Valley
- 26.1 mi drive
- 4.5 mi on foot
- Night: Hop Valley Backcountry Camp
After breaking camp at Watchman Campground, the route heads north on Kolob Terrace Road, a remote drive of roughly 26 miles through ponderosa forest and high country scenery, leading to the Kolob Terrace Road Trailhead. From here begins a 7.2-mile one-way backpacking trek into Hop Valley, gaining about 1,200 feet along the way. A permit is required for this route, which winds through slickrock mesas and ponderosa groves into a remote and quiet stretch of the park. The night is spent at the Hop Valley Backcountry Camp, a primitive site with no facilities, offering a true backcountry experience away from the main canyon crowds.
Watchman Campground, Zion arealodge
Break camp and pack backpacking gear.
+26.1 mi along the route
Kolob Terrace Road TrailheadDrive
Northern entry via Kolob Terrace Road. Remote high country access with ponderosa forest scenery.
+4.5 mi along the route
Hop Valley Backcountry CampHike
7.2 mi one-way, 1,200 ft gain into Hop Valley. Permit required. Slickrock mesas, ponderosa groves, and remote scenery.
Hop Valley Backcountry Camplodge
Backcountry camp overnight. No facilities.
Photo by Sonaal Bangera on Unsplash
Hiking Out and Into The Narrows
- 36.7 mi drive
- 8.5 mi on foot
- Night: Watchman Campground, Zion area
The day begins with breaking camp at Hop Valley, packing out carefully and practicing leave no trace principles. The return hike covers the same 7.2 miles back to the Kolob Terrace Road Trailhead, this time losing about 800 feet in elevation along the way. Once packs are loaded, it's a drive of roughly 30 miles back toward the main canyon, ending at the Temple of Sinawava Shuttle Stop, the starting point for one of Zion's most famous hikes. From here, the route follows The Narrows, wading upstream through towering canyon walls for 3.2 miles one-way to a section known as Wall Street, before turning around and retracing the route back to the shuttle stop. The day wraps up with a return to Watchman Campground, where shower facilities are available nearby, a welcome comfort after a long day in the water and on the trail.
Hop Valley Backcountry Camplodge
Break camp and pack out. Leave no trace.
+4.5 mi along the route
Kolob Terrace Road TrailheadHike
7.2 mi hike out from Hop Valley. 800 ft elevation loss back to trailhead.
Kolob Terrace Road TrailheadDrive
Load packs and drive back toward main canyon.
+29.8 mi along the route
Temple of Sinawava Shuttle StopDrive
End of scenic drive. The Narrows trailhead and shuttle stop.
+2 mi along the route
The Narrows - Wall StreetHike
3.2 mi one-way wading upstream through canyon walls. Turn around at Wall Street.
+2 mi along the route
Temple of Sinawava Shuttle StopDrive
Return from Narrows hike.
+6.8 mi along the route
Watchman Campground, Zion arealodge
Return to campground. Shower facilities available nearby.
Photo by Stig-Ove Pettersen on Unsplash
Canyon Overlook and the Road Home
- 157 mi drive
- 1 mi on foot
- Night: Las Vegas area
On the final morning, camp is broken early at Watchman Campground for the drive to the Canyon Overlook Trailhead on the park's east side, about 9 miles away. Parking here is limited, so an early start helps. The short but rewarding Canyon Overlook hike covers just 1 mile round trip with about 163 feet of elevation gain, leading to views over Pine Creek Canyon and the Great Arch. After returning to the trailhead, the route continues to a local cafe for a breakfast stop and a chance to refuel before the longer drive ahead. From there, it's a final stretch of about 120 miles back to the Car Rental Center, where the vehicle is returned and the trip comes to a close.
Watchman Campground, Zion arealodge
Break camp and pack out. Early morning departure.
+9.3 mi along the route
Canyon Overlook TrailheadDrive
East side trailhead. Limited parking available.
+0.5 mi along the route
Canyon OverlookHike
1 mi round trip, 163 ft gain. Views over Pine Creek Canyon and the Great Arch.
+0.5 mi along the route
Canyon Overlook TrailheadDrive
Return to vehicle.
+28 mi along the route
Local Cafemeal
Local breakfast stop. Fuel up before the return drive.
+120 mi along the route
Car Rental CenterDrive
Return vehicle and end trip.
4 days does not quite fit?
Take this route as your starting point and reshape it around your dates, your pace, and the stops you care about most.
WHAT XPLORERS ARE SAYING
I discovered Xploreum yesterday while searching for an app to plan a road trip to Newfoundland and Labrador. The conversational approach allows us to pinpoint exactly our needs and expectations and build an ideal itinerary. Highly recommended!
I took a look at the program and found it quite cool to use. I did not give it a lot of prompts and it gave me a really neat place to hike in my home state. I think it works really well.
I’m sitting and planning summer vacation trips. This year, Christian and I are going on a road trip, most likely to Eastern Europe. That also gives me a reason to tell you about this insanely cool AI model. Xploreum.io has developed a model that can help you find the coolest places that aren’t touristy, and it can actually put together an entire trip for you. It’s insanely smart. Not an ad. Just a genuine recommendation.
Before you go
What this route assumes
Only the fields this route actually holds data for.
Where you sleep
Overnight areas in route order: Watchman Campground, Zion area, Hop Valley Backcountry Camp, Las Vegas area. Xavier pairs each with live lodging options once the route is yours.
Vehicle
Built as a 4x4 route, hiking, backpacking, and camping. Xavier adapts it to what you actually drive.
Level
Paced for moderate travelers. Days can be split or merged to change the load.
How this Xpedition was built
Assembled from structured route and waypoint records, not written as an article, and reviewed before publication. Confirm conditions, closures, and permits before you travel.
- Route structured
- Distances calculated
- Reviewed before publication
- Published August 2026
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Make this Xpedition yours.
Dates, pace, lodging, vehicle, and who is coming can all be rebuilt around you, starting from this exact route: 4 Days in Zion National Park: Angels Landing, Hop Valley, and The Narrows Itinerary.
You keep
- The full 4 day route, editable day by day
- Distances and pacing recalculated around you
- One conversation to change anything