Month guide

Zion in April: Weather, Crowds & What's Open

The most comfortable hiking temperatures of the spring, and the month the river is most likely to keep you out of the Narrows.

Zion weather in April, in short

De un vistazo

La versión corta

Zion in April averages a high of 73°F and a low of 44°F on the Zion Canyon floor (about 4,000 ft), with 1.22 in of precipitation and no measurable snow for the month, by NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals. April is close to ideal for hiking in Zion, and the crowds know it: 538,541 visits in April 2025, the third-busiest month of the year. The catch is the Narrows. Snowmelt peaks in the second half of April, and since 1989 the river has been over the closure line on about half of those days.

April normals

Average high	73°F
Average low	44°F
Precipitation	1.22 in
Snowfall	None measurable

Información útil

Normal range 44°F to 73°F; 1.22 in of precipitation; no measurable snow.
538,541 recreation visits in April 2025, about 17,951 a day.
Sunrise 6:58 AM, sunset 8:07 PM on April 15, 2027.
Duck Creek Village, at 8,400 ft, runs about 24°F to 52°F in April.

Average high: 73°F at about 4,000 ft
Average low: 44°F
Precipitation: 1.22 in for the month; no measurable snow
Daylight on the 15th: 13 hr 8 min, sunrise 6:58 AM
Visits, April 2025: 538,541, about 17,951 a day
Duck Creek Village: About 24°F to 52°F at 8,400 ft

What April weather is actually like

The normal temperature range on the canyon floor is 44°F to 73°F. By late April it is warming toward the May normal of 84°F.
Precipitation drops to 1.22 in, and the snowfall normal for the canyon floor is zero.
Nights are still cool enough that an early start needs a jacket, and the higher ground at the East Entrance runs colder than the canyon.

Zion: Zion Canyon floor, about 4,000 ft
Duck Creek Village, 8,400 ft

NOAA 1991 to 2020 normals: normal daily low to normal daily high. The park bars are the Zion NP station on the canyon floor (USC00429717). The village figures are interpolated between the Alton (7,100 ft) and Brian Head (9,770 ft) stations, which bracket it, so treat them as estimates.

Up on the plateau

Duck Creek Village is still at the tail of winter in April. Highs are around 50°F, nights go well below freezing, and the median snow depth in the village is over a foot, melting fast by the end of the month. The roads down to the parks are usually clear, but a spring storm can still put snow on SR-14 and US-89, so check conditions on the morning you drive.

Duck Creek weather and forecast Road conditions and cameras

What is open in April

Checked against National Park Service pages on November 9, 2026. Dates that change every year are given for 2026 where 2027 has not been announced yet. Confirm on the park's conditions page before you go: Zion conditions.

Zion Canyon shuttle Open

Running all month. The 2026 spring schedule (March 7 to May 16, 2026: first bus 7 a.m. from the visitor center, last bus up-canyon 6 p.m., last bus out of the Temple of Sinawava 7:15 p.m.) is the best guide until the park posts 2027 times. Private cars are not allowed on the Scenic Drive while it runs.
The Narrows Check first

April is the month most likely to close it. Since 1989 the North Fork has been above the 150 cfs closure line on 32% of days from April 1 to 15 and 53% from April 16 to 30. In the NPS list of snowmelt closures for 2012 to 2026, seven of the fifteen springs had one that began in April. The Riverside Walk stays open either way. Details
Angels Landing permit Check first

Required past Scout Lookout. The spring lottery for hikes March 1 to May 31 takes applications January 1, 2027 to January 20, 2027, with results January 25, 2027. Miss it and the day-before lottery runs every day. Details
Kolob Canyons road Open

Open. NPS notes the road can close for snow or ice in the winter months, so check current conditions early in the spring. Separate entrance at I-15 exit 40.
East side (SR-9, Canyon Overlook) Open

Open all year, no shuttle. Canyon Overlook parking is very limited, so arrive early. Details
Cedar Breaks (SR-148) Closed

The road through Cedar Breaks closes for snowpack from about mid-November to mid-May on average, and the visitor center from mid-October to late May (NPS). Details

Snowmelt closures of the Narrows, by year

The dates the National Park Service lists for when the North Fork of the Virgin River ran consistently above 150 cfs from snowmelt. Flow can still dip below the line inside these windows, and storms close it at other times. Live flow is on our Narrows guide.

Narrows snowmelt closure dates by year, 2012 to 2026
Year	Closed	Reopened
2026	Open most of the time
2025	Open most of the time
2024	April 11	May 19
2023	April 8	June 19
2022	Open most of the time
2021	Open most of the time
2020	April 9	May 18
2019	April 6	June 22
2018	Open most of the time
2017	March 11	May 21
2016	April 3	May 22
2015	Open most of the time
2014	Open most of the time
2013	April 30	May 2
2012	April 17	April 28

How busy Zion is in April

Zion had 538,541 recreation visits in April 2025, about 17,951 a day, which made April the third-busiest month of the year. Over 2022 to 2025 April ranged from 450,819 to 538,541. Easter is early in 2027 (March 28, 2027), so it falls in March rather than April, but spring breaks continue into April.

2022 491,625

2023 450,819

2024 473,570

2025 538,541

Recreation visits in April (solid bar) against that year's busiest month (pale bar). NPS visitor use statistics; 2025 is the latest full year published.

Daylight and the April calendar

Sunrise and sunset at Zion in April 2027
2027	Sunrise	Sunset	Daylight
April 1	7:19 AM	7:54 PM	12 hr 36 min
April 15	6:58 AM	8:07 PM	13 hr 8 min
April 30	6:39 AM	8:20 PM	13 hr 41 min

Computed for the Zion visitor center with the standard sunrise equation, Mountain Time. Zion Canyon’s walls hide the sun for some time after sunrise and before sunset, so direct sun on the canyon floor is shorter than this.

The shuttle runs daily all month.
The second half of April is the peak of snowmelt on the North Fork of the Virgin River.
Angels Landing spring permits cover March 1 to May 31. Apply January 1, 2027 to January 20, 2027.

Best hikes in Zion in April

With the Narrows often closed, April is the month for the trails that climb out of the canyon and for the east side and Kolob, which take the pressure off the shuttle.

West Rim to Scout Lookout

Walter's Wiggles to Scout Lookout needs no permit. Only the chains section beyond it does.

3.8 mi round trip, 1,187 ft of climbing, 3–4 hours
Angels Landing guide
Canyon Overlook

On the way in from Duck Creek, no shuttle, and the best view for the effort in the park.

1 mi round trip, 163 ft of climbing, 1–2 hours
East Entrance guide
Watchman Trail

From the visitor center, no shuttle needed. Do it early or late; there is little shade.

2.8 mi round trip, 479 ft of climbing, 1–2 hours
Taylor Creek, Middle Fork

In Kolob Canyons, a separate entrance off I-15 and far quieter than Zion Canyon. Expect creek crossings.

5.2 mi round trip, 799 ft of climbing, 3–4 hours
Riverside Walk

The paved mile to the mouth of the Narrows. When the river is too high to wade, this is as far as anyone goes.

2 mi round trip, 154 ft of climbing, 1–2 hours
The Narrows guide

Distances and climbing are National Park Service figures. The full list is on our best hikes in Zion page.

What to pack for Zion in April

A light insulating layer and a wind shell. Mornings are cool and the afternoon can be 30 degrees warmer.
Sun protection. The canyon floor gets strong sun and little shade on the popular trails.
At least two liters of water per person for any trail longer than an hour.
Drysuit or dry pants for the Narrows if it is open, rented in Springdale.
A warm jacket for the evening if you are staying on the plateau.

Staying at Duck Creek Village in April

From Duck Creek Village it is 46 miles and about 55 minutes to the East Entrance, and roughly an hour and a half to the main visitor center through the tunnel.

In April the plateau is cold at night and the parks are mild by day. That suits people who want a quiet base for both Zion and Bryce. If Zion is the whole trip and you want the first shuttle every day, Springdale is closer.

Duck Creek Village Inn Hotel rooms Cabins The Zion to Bryce Canyon drive

Other months

Zion in April: common questions

Answers drawn from the same NOAA, NPS and UDOT sources as the rest of this page.

What is the weather like in Zion in April?

The NOAA 1991 to 2020 normals for the canyon floor are a high of 73°F and a low of 44°F, with 1.22 inches of precipitation and no measurable snow. It is mild and mostly dry, warming steadily through the month.

What is the temperature in Zion in April?

An average April day runs from about 44°F at dawn to 73°F in the afternoon on the canyon floor. The higher ground at the East Entrance and Kolob Canyons is cooler, and Duck Creek Village, an hour east at 8,400 ft, is closer to 50°F by day and well below freezing at night.

Is the Narrows open in April?

Sometimes. April is the month most likely to close it, because snowmelt pushes the river over the 150 cfs closure line. Since 1989 that has happened on 32% of days in the first half of April and 53% in the second half. Some years it barely closes at all: NPS lists 2025 and 2026 as open most of the time. Check the live flow before you go.

Is April a busy month in Zion?

Yes. April 2025 had 538,541 recreation visits, the third-busiest month of the year, and the shuttle lines and Springdale parking reflect it. Weekdays and early starts make the biggest difference.

Do I need a permit for Angels Landing in April?

Yes, past Scout Lookout. April hikes come from the spring lottery (applications January 1, 2027 to January 20, 2027, results January 25, 2027) or from the day-before lottery. The hike to Scout Lookout itself needs no permit.

9 November 2026

Why trust this page

Temperatures, precipitation and snowfall are NOAA 1991 to 2020 monthly normals for the Zion NP station on the canyon floor (USC00429717). Duck Creek Village figures are our estimate, interpolated from the NOAA normals of the stations above and below it, with snow depth from the NRCS SNOTEL record. Visitor numbers are National Park Service recreation visits by month. Shuttle, road and trail conditions were checked on the National Park Service pages on November 9, 2026, and sunrise and sunset are computed. Where we could not confirm a 2027 date, we give the 2026 one and say so.