Amazing Winter Activities in Utah (Near Zion National Park)

When you think of winter in Utah, you might think of the snow in Salt Lake City and the ski resorts in Park City. But there are so many fun winter activities in Utah down in the southern corner of the state, too! From ice skating to snowshoeing – and don’t forget the hot springs! - you’ll discover lots of amazing winter activities in Utah near Zion National Park. As a local I try to do at least a few of these every winter with my kiddos.

The Best Winter Activities in Southern Utah

Zion National Park is beautiful in winter when it’s dusted in snow, and you can find plenty of winter activities in Utah in the areas near Zion at higher elevations with even more snow. Here are a bunch of the best winter activities in Utah and where you can enjoy them in southern Utah.

Snow Tubing

Sliding down snowy hills on a tube is winter fun for kids of all ages! I love to head up Cedar Canyon searching for snow or make your way up to Duck Creek for more snowy hills.

You can also head to the resort at Brian Head and go tubing at the Giant Steps. Here you don’t even have to walk to the top of the hill – you can take the escalator instead, so you can spend more time tubing! Not gonna lie, that is a huge bonus.....haha!

Note: Tubing at Brian Head is $25/person for 1.5 hours, and ticket price includes the tube rental.

Skiing

Speaking of Brian Head, this is the place to ski in southern Utah! Brian Head is at higher elevation with a base at 9600’, so it gets an average of 218 inches of snow each winter. The resort features 71 runs with 1,320 feet of vert, and the lift tickets at Brian Head are a steal compared to the major ski resorts.

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And more than anything, hitting the slopes at Brian Head with snow-dusted red sandstone hoodoos in the distance is truly a special experience that you won’t find anywhere else!

I took my kiddos snowboarding last winter in Brian Head for the first time and we had so much fun. This is where I learned to ski growing up so it was fun reliving those memories while watching them learn.

Ice Skating

If you prefer skating to skiing (or just want to do both!), lace up your ice skates and glide through trees on the unique figure eight rink at Brian Head Ice in a beautiful forested mountain setting.

Over Christmas break this year (2024) I went ice skating at Brian Head Ice for the first time with my kiddos and we loved it. It didn't really plan on giving it much of a try because I'm too scared of breaking something....haha, but after using the plastic skate helper, I actually got the nerve up to do it on my own!!! Proud moment!

Tickets to skate are $20 per adult and $15 per child, and skate rental is an additional $5 if you don’t have your own. The rink at Brian Head is only open for a limited time in winter, typically late November through February, but it’s a good idea to call ahead to see if it will be open.

Snowmobiling

For more motorized winter fun, go snowmobiling in southern Utah! Snowmobiling is one of the best winter activities in Utah to get off the beaten path and some adventure to your winter getaway near Zion.

Thunder Mountain Sports offers a 1.5 hour snowmobile tour through the backcountry around Brian Head, and my whole family and I loved our experience on the tour. I had a great time driving the snowmobile, while the kiddos really enjoyed the ride…and stopping to play in the snow sometimes. The views, especially from the Bear Canyon overlook, were incredible, too.

If you want to go off on your own, Utah Off Road Outfitters in Duck Creek Village rents snowmobiles so you can choose your own adventure. When I rented a snowmobile there, we went to Strawberry Point, which had absolutely stunning views, and the whole ride was so much fun.

Snowmobile rental pricing ranges from $175 for 2 hours to $595 for hours to $895 for 8 hours. It was super quick and easy to rent a snowmobile, and the staff was very friendly and gave us a quick lesson on the ins and outs of snowmobiles and a map of the area so we could pick our route.

Winter Hiking

Winter hiking in southern Utah is lovely with snow contrasting against the red sandstone. Plus, you don’t have to worry about the desert heat…but make sure to bring layers for the chillier weather.

A few of my favorite winter hikes are Riverside Walk in Zion which takes you to the entrance of The Narrows, Taylor Creek in Kolob Canyons which is a scenic trail with a cool closed arch at the end, and Spring Creek Canyon in Kanarraville which is a hidden gem of a slot canyon.

Check out this blog post for my tips for winter hiking in southern Utah!

Snow Shoeing

For even more fun on snowy trails, strap on some snowshoes and explore! Duck Creek is an awesome area for snowshoeing near Zion, and my favorite place is at the Navajo Lake exit, just 5 miles from Duck Creek.

The parking area is typically kept clear and has plenty of spots. From there, you can hike west and head down toward Navajo Lake or you can hike from the east side of the parking lot where the trees are a little denser.. We have snowshoed each side and both are beautiful and fun to explore.

Note: You can rent snowshoes in Cedar City at Cedar Sports for $10/day.

Soak in the Hot Springs

If you want to warm up after your cold weather adventures, a nice soak in the hot springs is a perfect winter activity. About a 2-hour drive from Zion, you’ll find Mystic Hot Springs in Monroe, UT.

Mystic Hot Springs is a special place with an eclectic hippy vibe that adds to its charm. It features two pools and six soaking tubs which range in temperature. The unique cast iron tubs surrounded by mounds of red mineral deposits are perfect for soaking, and the larger pools at the bottom are great for swimming and playing. Though it isn’t fancy, there is definitely something magical about Mystic Hot Springs.

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Ever since Pah Tempe Hot Springs closed, Mystic has been the closest hot springs to the Zion area (and absolutely worth the drive!). But plans are now underway for the brand new Zion Canyon Hot Springs in La Verkin, which should be completed mid-2025…and I can’t wait!

Find out more about visiting Mystic Hot Springs in my full guide here!

Drive the Main Canyon in Zion

Most of the year (typically from March through November), the Zion shuttles are the only vehicles allowed to drive through the main canyon of Zion National Park. But in the winter, the shuttles aren’t running, so you can drive your own vehicle through Zion Canyon.

This gives you the opportunity to explore the canyon at your pace without having to think too much about logistics. Just be aware that the park still gets pretty busy at certain times in the winter, so you might have to get to the popular places early to snag a spot in the parking lots.

Note: Another wonderful scenic drive in Zion is Kolob Canyons, which is open to private vehicles year-round, though it sometimes closes in the winter due to snow and ice. Get all the info about Kolob Canyons Scenic Drive here.

E-Bike in Snow Canyon

While I love e-biking in Zion Canyon, winter isn’t an ideal time to do that with all the cars allowed to use the road. But you can head over to Snow Canyon State Park in St. George instead!

Right outside the park entrance, Rampage Rentals offers reasonably priced daily e-bike rentals. You can ride directly from the rental parking lot into Snow Canyon State Park and through the canyon.

Note: You will need to pay the park entrance fee ($15 for non-residents) or show your day-use pass at the gate even if you are cycling in.

Go Canyoneering

For one of the most unique winter activities in Utah, go canyoneering with All Ways Adventure! Canyoneering lets you feel like a legit hardcore adventurer without requiring much skill, as long as you go with a guide who can set up the technical rappelling systems and implement proper safety precautions.

All Ways Adventure is a canyoneering guiding service based out of Kanab that can show you the ropes (literally, when you’re rappelling)...all you need is a bit of courage! On one of my canyoneering trips with Nathan from All Ways Adventure, I felt like a true adventurer as we started out trudging through the snow and bushwacking our way down to the first rappel. The canyon that we did had six or seven rappels, and we even got to rappel down a frozen waterfall.

Tips for Enjoying Winter Activities in Utah

Wondering when in the winter to visit Zion and southern Utah? Visiting in December, January and beginning of February is going to be your best bet for beating the crowds, but don’t even think about visiting during holidays if you are looking for less people. Zion attracts plenty of people during the longer holiday breaks like Thanksgiving and Christmas (especially if the weather is nice).

If you have to visit during the holidays because of extra vacation time, I highly recommend trying to book an extra day on the tail end of your trip so you can enjoy some solitude in the park after it clears out.

Here are some more tips for enjoying all the winter activities in southern Utah:

If the forecast shows a cold snap coming in, that is an ideal time to head to Zion because the cold will keep lots of people away. Just be sure to bring extra layers and bundle up!
If you encounter more snow than you expected in southern Utah, look for trails without much elevation gain for easier hiking. Two great all-weather trails in Zion are the Pa’rus Trail and Riverside Walk. Both will give stunning views, but won’t feel treacherous in winter.
Avoid trails with water features during winter because they can get extremely icy. Traction like Yaktrax or microspikes for your shoes can help, but some trails can practically turn into skating rinks when the water freezes.
Winter in southern Utah will offer you more solitude at the most popular places, but that also means that many of the shops and restaurants in Springdale, the town closest to Zion National Park, close down in the winter due to fewer people. While plenty of restaurants and shops do stay open, don’t expect a busy, bustling tourist town. It’s a good idea to call ahead to places you plan to visit to see if they have limited winter hours.

For more tips about visiting Zion in winter, check out my blog post here!

Hope this post inspires you to visit southern Utah in the winter and enjoy a different season in this desert landscape!