Zion National Park Kicks Off Spring with Return of Shuttle Service

When is the first day of Spring? While most would say March 19 is the first day of Spring for 2024, the same day as the Spring Equinox, the staff at Zion National Park are treating March 3 as the first day of Spring with the start of the shuttle service. 

Communication Specialist Ally O’Rullian from Zion National Park confirmed the start date for when visitors can take the shuttle to their favorite trails. 

O’Rullian said, “During the month of March, we get visitors from all over the world and especially all over the U.S. to come to Zion and use their spring break to visit Zion National Park, which is great, but there’s a few things you should know before visiting the park.” 

O’Rullian said the shuttle service would begin on March 3 in Zion Canyon and Springdale, but visitors can use their personal vehicles in the park until the start date. The first shuttle will leave at 7 a.m. while the last shuttle of the day will leave at 7:15 p.m. 

O’Rullian said, “Keep that in mind when you’re traveling and when you’re visiting so that you know when to take the shuttle for your trip here, and we always want you guys to remember to not plan on taking the shuttle of the day because there could be lines or busyness. So, always plan to get there a little bit earlier before the last shuttle so you don’t miss that shuttle because that would be a long walk back.” 

Why does Zion only use the shuttle system during certain times of the year? O’Rullian said it’s to limit the traffic flow heading into the park, especially since there is a very limited number of parking spaces. 

O’Rullian said, “Zion National Park gets millions of visitors every year, and we do not have millions of parking spaces for people to park. So, during the season, starting in March, we do have an increase in visitation. To make sure that everybody is able to get to the hikes that they want to go to and they’re able to do so smoothly without running into traffic, we use the shuttles.” 

More details regarding the shuttle system can be found on the official website of Zion National Park. You can also find updated conditions for the park through the site.