The Grotto Trail in Zion National Park

The Grotto Trail is a super-short, flat and easy hike in Zion Canyon National Park. This scenic walk runs through an idyllic forest along the base of a towering canyon wall. The Grotto Trail is also one of the best places in Zion Canyon to see wildlife, due to the flat, open, riverside forest opposite the canyon wall.

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Grotto Trail Hike Stats

Distance: The one-way distance of the Zion Grotto Trail hike is 0.5 miles / 0.8km.

Elevation Gain: This easy Zion hike is very flat with hardly any noticeable elevation gain. The elevation gain for the Grotto Trail is a mere 35 feet / 11m.

Difficulty: The Zion Grotto Trail is super-easy. Our 3 & 5 year old kids easily did the entire hike themselves.

Duration: Despite being short and flat, the Grotto Trail took us around 50 minutes of walking time, which is about half the speed we usually do.

This is likely because of the 8 billion caterpillars the kids found on this kid-friendly Zion hiking trail. Or… it could be that Mom was off hiking Angels Landing by herself and I was being too lenient with the kids?

Grotto Trail – Zion NP Location

How to Get There: To find a Zion National Park parking spot, you’ll need to arrive quite early in the day, especially during peak times. We got there at 8am on several days in April and the lot was nearly full each time.

If you aren’t an early riser, you can take a free shuttle bus from many spots in the town of Springdale to the park gates. There are plenty of paid parking spaces in Springdale, but these too fill up early during peak times.

Between spring and fall, there are no private cars allowed on Scenic Drive within Zion National Park. The park operates a free shuttle bus service instead, which takes you to the major spots within the park.

The Grotto Trail runs between Shuttle Stops 5 & 6. You can get off at either and do a one-way hike. It’s approximately a 25 minute drive on the shuttle from the Zion Visitor Center to the trailhead.

Parking Location

Grotto Trail Trailhead Locations: Zion Shuttle Stop 5 or Shuttle Stop 6

Grotto Trail Highlights

• This easy Grotto walking trail parallels a big, flat and open forested area, making it one of the best hikes for Zion National Park wildlife viewing.
  
  
• Just north of the Zion Lodge the trail passes a large lake, which on a still day, will provide some pretty epic reflections of the massive Zion canyon walls. There are plants and tree roots etc. in the lake, so you won’t get a perfect reflection, but it’s still an impressive sight.
  
  
• Water is a magnet for wildlife in a desert environment, so keep a close eye for deer or other wildlife near the lake and on the far side of the forest where the Virgin River runs. Nature is fickle and we didn’t see any wildlife on our hike, but the habitat is perfect for wildlife viewing, so hopefully you’ll have better luck!

Hiking Grotto Trail with Kids

• The Zion Lodge is at Shuttle Stop 5 and you will find all services here, including a cafeteria. In addition, there are bathrooms and a water filling station for your hydration packs at Shuttle Stop 6.
  
  
• This short Zion Canyon hike is on a wide, packed dirt trail with a short, narrow stretch over some large rocks. You can get by with normal shoes, but we wouldn’t recommend wearing flip-flops.

• The Zion Grotto hike is in the shade in the morning, making it a good option for families looking to escape the hot Zion Park weather. If you are going later in the day, bring lots of water and sunscreen.
  
  
• The Grotto Trail is not great for strollers due to the need to carry it over the rocky section. The most popular option for parents hiking with a baby or toddler in Zion was to put kids in a backpack carrier.
  
  
• No dogs are allowed on The Grotto Trail.
  
  
• Park officials say this is the best trail in Zion for wildlife viewing. Keep your eyes peeled in the adjacent forest, especially as you near the lake near Zion Lodge.

We have an entire post full of all our best tips for hiking with kids and this one with all the best hiking gear for kids.

Where to Stop for Lunch or a Break

There are benches or even big, flat rocks to stop for an extended break along the Grotto hiking trail. If you plan to have a meal after the hike, we recommend starting at shuttle stop 6 and hiking towards Zion Lodge, where you will find a cafeteria with outdoor seating.

If you pack your own lunch, the Lodge has a huge grass lawn to spread out a picnic blanket under the shade of a massive tree and enjoy a picnic with amazing views.

Some Zion History

The small brick building near the Shuttle Stop 6 trailhead is the original Visitor Center for the park.

Grotto Trail Safety Cautions

The sun can get intense in southern Utah, so bring lots of sunscreen and more water than you think you will need. A popular option we use to have plenty of water hiking in Zion is a hydration backpack.

What to Bring Hiking in Zion

• Hiking hats
• Sunscreen
• Water bladders for the adults and kids
• A small garbage bag to carry out your trash

Other Zion Canyon Hikes

Other kid-friendly Zion Canyon hikes you may enjoy are:

• Enjoy the cooler air and pine forests hiking along the Northgate Peaks Trail
• Walk through a narrow, towering canyon with kids on the Riverside Walk
• Break a sweat for some incredible views while hiking Watchman Trail
• Walk behind a waterfall at Lower Emerald Pool Trail with kids

If there is an adventurous parent in your family, they could treat themselves to a kid-free day of adventure on the world famous Angels Landing. The other parent can take the kids for three easy hikes back-to-back (Weeping Rock, Grotto Trail and Pa’rus Trail).

Zion National Park with Kids

For more Zion National Park things to do with kids, family friendly Zion hotels and campgrounds, visit our Zion National Park with Kids post.

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