Zion National Park Visitor Center

This was our first time at Zion so we definitely had to stop here for some directions and guidance. The staff were nice and friendly. The most useful thing they provided us was a map with shuttle routes and stops that made our life much easier when planning our hikes! Recommend stopping here if its your first time.

This was our first visit to Zion so we had no idea where we were going or what we were doing. We decided to stop at the visitors center to get more info and it was the best idea we had. They informed us of the shuttles that were running on the weekends due to parking issues on the road. So we parked at the visitor center and hopped on a shuttle. The shuttles hit all the major stops and trails.
The visitor center had bathrooms and a bookstore. It was just a good source to have being new to the experience of Zion.

Got oriented here just after entering the park. Get your maps, brochures or wilderness permits. Also has a small gift shop, restrooms, and a water fountain. Outdoor exhibits exist but other than that not much information about the park.
It’s staffed by friendly rangers or volunteer docents but you can expect a long line to talk to them.
The VC is adjacent to watchman campground and the south campground but you have to go there separately to get a spot. So be prepared to wait in another line.

Der Zion National Park ist von Las Vegas ca. 250 Kilometer entfernt und in 3 Stunden zu erreichen. Obwohl wir schon um 10.00 Uhr eintrafen, waren alle offiziellen Parkplätze am Südeingang des Parks bereits besetzt und wir konnten uns noch ein Plätzchen an der Straße in Springdale sichern.
Von hier konnte man in wenigen Minuten zum Visitor Center gelangen, das ganzjährig geöffnet ist. Vor dem Gebäude befindet sich eine interessante Ausstellung mit Schautafeln über den Nationalpark und seine Geschichte.
Der Zion Canyon Scenic Drive kann in den Sommermonaten nur mit einem kostenfreien Busshuttle abgefahren werden. Vor dem Visitor Center fahren alle 10 Minuten die Busse ab. An den Haltestellen befinden sich die beliebtesten Sehenswürdigkeiten des Nationalparks und gut ausgeschilderte Trails.
Im Besucherzentrum stehen Karten, Broschüren und Bücher zur Verfügung, um sich einen ersten Eindruck zu verschaffen. Die freundlichen Ranger sind sehr hilfsbereit und beantworten alle Fragen der Besucher. Darüber hinaus werden geführte Spaziergänge und Vorträge angeboten. Ein Souvenirshop, sowie Speisen und Getränke komplettieren das Angebot.
Wer in den Zion Narrows im Wasser waten möchte, kann in der Nähe des Visitor Centers spezielle Wasser-​Wanderschuhe leihen. Im Sommer hat das Visitor Center von 08.00 — 19.00 Uhr geöffnet, im Winter sind die Öffnungszeiten kürzer. Der Eintrittspreis für den Park beträgt pro PKW und 7 Tage 25 Dollar.

Informative and helpful staff full of information and tips to make your trip to Zion as good as it possibly can be!
This area also includes outdoor exhibits, information desk, wilderness
permits, bookstore, restrooms, picnic area, and water bottle filling station. As well as seasonal ranger-​led educational presentation programs, mostly geared toward kids.
Access to the Pa’rus Trail and Watchman Trail is also here– believe this is the only area where dogs (on leashes) are permitted access.
This is where the shuttle begins running through the park to the other major attractions and trail access points.