Hiking Pa’rus Trail with Kids in Zion National Park

Those looking for a fun, easy hike in Zion National Park should look no further than the Pa’rus Trail. This flat, paved path begins at the Zion National Park Visitor Center and ends at Canyon Junction (shuttle stop #3).

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If you begin the hike near the Zion National Park Visitor Center, the canyon is nice and wide and gradually narrows as you head north.

The best thing about the Pa’rus Trail is that it runs along the center of the canyon floor, offering jaw-dropping vistas of some of Zions most famous rock formations, including the Watchman and the Towers of the Virgin.

The fact that it runs alongside the beautiful Virgin River for most of the way is a nice bonus.

Considering there is very little effort involved, Pa’rus Trail delivered some of the best Zion National Park scenery we enjoyed during our entire 5-day stay.

The scenery is especially good north of shuttle stop #2, heading toward shuttle stop #3.

Pa’rus Trail Stats

How Long is the Pa’rus Trail?

Given you can start/end the Pa’rus trail hike at any of three locations, the distance depends on your chosen route. The full round trip distance of the Pa’rus Trail from the Visitor Centre to shuttle stop #3 is 3.5 miles / 5.6 km.

How Steep is the Pa’rus Trail?

This hike is very flat with no periods of strenuous elevation gain. The elevation gain for this hike is a mere 50 feet / 15 m.

How Hard is the Pa’rus Trail?

If you do the full round trip of this hike, the trail can be a decent length. But given it is all paved and flat, we can rank this as an easy hike in Zion National Park. Our 3 & 5 year old’s could easily do this entire hike themselves.

How Long Will the Pa’rus Trail Take?

The kids were just itching to get their Zion National Park Junior Ranger badges, so we didn’t force them to do the full hike. At our normal hiking pace with kids pace, the entire round-trip length of this hike would take us just under 3 hours. Without kids, it would take us 60 – 90 minutes.

Pa’rus Trail Location

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

If you aren’t an early riser, you can take the free Springdale shuttle bus from many spots in town to the park gates. There are plenty of paid parking spaces in Springdale, but these also 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 Pa’rus Trail trailhead starts at the Zion National Park Visitor Center (i.e.: no shuttle required), or at shuttle stops 2 or 3. It’s a short drive on the shuttle to either of these stops.

Pa’rus Trail Highlights

The best part of this hike is the spectacular views of the Zion Canyon. This walking trail is in the middle of the canyon floor, with little vegetation to spoil the view. The wide open terrain found here provides some of the best vistas of Zion Canyon we’ve seen anywhere in the park. All of this, with very little effort required!

Watch for the side pathways which take you to nice spots along the Virgin River.

This is the only shared use trail in the park, meaning dogs and bikes are allowed. If you have bikes, this is an excellent bike trail for kids in Zion National Park!

Hiking Pa’rus Trail with Kids

There are restrooms and water bottle filling at the Visitor Center. The Human History Museum (stop #2) also has restrooms and water bottle filling. You will not find these amenities at shuttle stop 3.

This short hike is paved all the way. You can wear anything you’d like on your feet, including flip-flops.

Pa’rus trail is in the middle of the canyon with little vegetation for shade. Bring plenty of water and sunscreen and make sure the kids have hats.

Pa’rus trail is stroller accessible and plenty of people were enjoying a walk with their baby.

As mentioned above, you may be surprised to learn that the only trail trail in Zion National Park which allows on-leash dogs is the Pa’rus Trail. If your kids love dogs, as ours do, they will get to pet an endless stream of families out walking their dogs on this shared use trail.

We saw lots of small lizards scurrying across the trail. We also saw several large clown beetles, also fondly known as stink bugs. Beware that these stink bugs will, if threatened, lift their behinds in the air and fire a noxious liquid at you.  

As you walk back towards the Zion National Park Visitor Center, keep your eyes on the sky as you may get lucky and see a California Condor soaring overhead with its massive 9.5′ wings.

If you are limited on time and can’t do the whole walk, the stretch between shuttle stops 2 & 3 is the nicest. The stretch between 1 & 2 follows the South Campground for most of the way, which dampens the nature feel slightly.

Zion National Park has a fun and educational Junior Ranger Program. Get a workbook from the Visitor Center early in your visit so your kids will have a chance to complete their assignments during your visit and hopefully earn their Zion National Park Junior Ranger badge.

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

Where to Stop for Lunch or a Break

There are plenty of benches to stop and have a break on, but the best Zion Canyon picnic spots are the river access trails. Watch for signs along the trail which point out the places where you are allowed to leave the trail and walk down by the river.

Many of these approved river access areas have trees, providing a rare opportunity to rest in the shade.

Interesting Information

Pa’rus means “bubbling waters” in the indigenous Paiute language.

Pa’rus Trail Cautions

The sun can get intense in southern Utah, so bring more water than you think you will need.

Where to Stay in Zion National Park with Kids

After a long day of exploring Zion’s incredible trails, you’ll want a comfortable place to rest. Check out our guide to the best family friendly hotels near Zion National Park to find the perfect stay for your adventure!

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