Road under an arch in Zion National Park

Ditch The Zion Crowds And Visit This Utah State Park Instead

By Katie Downey

VACATIONS

Within the Red Rocks Reserve are 7,400 acres making up Snow Canyon State Park, which isn't nearly as well known as the more popular Zion National Park, located about an hour away.
Zion National Park saw 4.62 million visitors in 2023, while Snow Canyon State Park saw just 954,572 people. Snow Canyon also has more diverse hiking trails for every type of hiker.
Snow Canyon State Park gives its visitors equally magical views as Zion, with room to breathe. Parking is much easier compared to the more crowded natural park.
Snow Canyon State Park has more than 38 miles of trails that lead to a number of remarkable sights like petrified dunes, panels of petroglyphs, lava fields, and cinder cones.
Shades of red, orange, and cream make up the Navajo sandstone in every direction with carved-out trails, like Jenny's Canyon Trail, which goes through a shady slot canyon.