Zion National Park in Utah offers backpackers a rugged playground carved from red rock canyons and streaked with hidden trails waiting to be explored. The park’s towering cliffs push the limits of the sky while narrow slot canyons dare hikers to squeeze through their winding passageways. Whether you’re stepping onto the iconic Angel’s Landing or charting a course through Kolob Canyons, Zion demands respect from its visitors—it is fiercely itself, challenging every step with shifting terrain and sudden elevation changes.

Start with the West Rim Trail, a classic 14-mile trek that rises 2,400 feet from the canyon floor. The trail’s surface varies between packed dirt and rocky scrambles, forcing you to stay alert. It rewards your effort with expansive views that unfurl over Zion Canyon’s vastness—sheer sandstone walls appear to hold the horizon in place. For those craving seclusion, the Kolob Canyons loop delivers 8 miles of quieter paths through forested stretches where pinyon pines and junipers frame red rock formations, their bark whispering ancient stories as the sun glances off them.

Among the hidden gems lies the Orderville Canyon trail—an adventurous route that runs 7 miles with moderate elevation gain. You’ll navigate water pools and boulder fields where the stream insists on slowing you down, forcing a pace that feels in tune with the landscape’s rhythm. Hikers should be prepared for slippery surfaces and sudden climbs, but the canyon’s silty walls and cool shadows provide a refuge from the desert heat.

Water is non-negotiable here. Zion’s dry climate means rivers and streams take every opportunity to vanish beneath sandstone slabs or to swirl purposefully downstream. Carry more water than you think you’ll need, and plan your hikes for early mornings or late afternoons when the temperature is kinder. Footwear should have solid grip for scrambling over slick rock ledges and gritty trails. Layered clothing prepares you for temperature swings between blazing midday sun and cool canyon nights.

Every step in Zion involves an exchange with a landscape that is as alive as it is ancient. The trails test not only endurance but awareness—the sudden bark of a raven, the whisper of wind curling around a rock chimney, or the stinging sun overhead reminding you that out here, nature sets the pace. Pack accordingly, move steadily, and the reward is a clear-eyed experience of one of America’s most fiercely beautiful national parks.