Zion National Park (Zion) weather in January
January in Zion National Park: cold, a little rain, with clean air — a good time to visit.
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
#12 of 12 months in Zion National Park · #783 of 1413 destinations to visit in January · comfort 68/100 (tier C)
- Days
- 5°C
- Nights
- -8°C
- Wet days
- 5
- Sun
- 8 h
- Humidity
- 62%
- Daylight
- 10 h

Traveller notes on Zion National Park in January
Zion-forum threads on a January visit describe this as genuinely quiet, off-season, posters naming accommodation costs running roughly half of summer rates as a real advantage of visiting now. Regulars call weather genuinely variable day to day, several posters naming anything from ten degrees Fahrenheit and snowing to a sunny fifty-degree day as realistic. Posters call Angels Landing genuinely condition-dependent, several regulars naming it either dry or icy and dangerous, with traction devices standard gear either way. Regulars call most lower trails like Taylor Creek genuinely still walkable regardless of higher conditions, several threads naming this a real fallback when Angels Landing looks too risky. Posters recommend checking current trail conditions before a January hike, several regulars calling this standard given how much a single storm can change things. The record: 4.9C days, -7.9C nights, 60.3mm across over 5 days and 62 percent humidity.
Other months in Zion National Park
Zion National Park-forum threads on a November visit describe daytime highs as typically running in the fifties to sixties Fahrenheit with nights dropping into the thirties, posters calling real layering essential given how much conditions shift after sunset. Regulars call mid-November days often warm enough for shorts while hiking, though warmer clothing becomes necessary once the sun starts dropping. Posters call crowds noticeably lighter from November through early March, Thanksgiving week itself a real exception given how busy it gets. Regulars call the free shuttle still running through the end of November, the only way to reach Angels Landing given visitor volume rules that stay in effect into late autumn. Posters recommend booking Watchman Campground online ahead of a November trip, South Campground remaining first-come, first-served instead. The record: 12.4C days feeling like 11C, -2.5C nights, 32.4mm across nearly 3 days and 51 percent humidity.
Zion-forum threads on February hiking describe nights as reliably below freezing, posters calling daytime highs capable of staying near zero Celsius on a cold stretch even though a mild day is entirely possible. Regulars call trail conditions genuinely variable, some sections staying clear while others hold real ice depending on sun exposure. Posters call the lower East Rim Trail the one route with a consistent ice problem, real traction devices standing advice there specifically. Regulars describe the three Emerald Pools trails, the Grotto Trail and Angels Landing as popular February hikes, the latter genuinely requiring traction cleats for the final chained section if icy. Posters call February a genuinely rewarding month for fewer crowds, trails otherwise just as good to hike as any other time barring ice. Regulars recommend checking current trail conditions with rangers first. The record: 7.5C days feeling like 4C, -6.6C nights, 42.6mm across over 4 days and 60 percent humidity.
Zion-forum threads on September conditions describe early-month days as genuinely intense, temperatures regularly pushing well into the nineties Fahrenheit, though posters call the low humidity a real factor making that number feel less brutal than the same reading somewhere muggier. Regulars describe visitors from more humid regions as consistently finding it manageable even on a ninety-degree day. Posters call the back half of September a genuine turning point, water in the Narrows still comfortably warm for canyoneering while crowds and daytime intensity both ease off. Regulars recommend an early park entry to catch the coolest hours, saving the hottest midday stretch for a hotel break rather than a trail. Posters call thinner crowds and good light real advantages of a late-September visit. Regulars recommend real sun protection regardless of the dry heat. The record: 26.5C days feeling like 24C, 10.6C nights, a very low 33 percent humidity and 11.2 hours of sun.
Zion-forum threads on late July conditions are direct this sits inside the region's summer storm pattern, fast-moving afternoon thunderstorms capable of dumping a serious amount of water in a short burst, sometimes miles from where a hiker actually stands. Posters are consistent The Narrows and other canyon routes carry the real flash-flood exposure, while trails climbing out of the valley floor like Angel's Landing sit outside that specific hazard. Standing safety advice repeated across threads is checking current conditions and posted warnings at the Visitor Center each morning before committing to a canyon route, and turning back immediately if water color or level changes suddenly mid-hike. A light waterproof shell in the pack is called sensible even on a clear morning, since afternoon storms build fast this time of year. The record: 32.1C days feeling like a punishing 30C, 16.5C nights, a low 27 percent humidity and 12.9 hours of sun.
Year-round notes are on Zion National Park's overview. Add your own note from Zion National Park's card on the map.
Zion National Park climate normals — January
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in Zion National Park in January
How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.
BusyWinter / Christmas break in United States, school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Best months for Zion National Park's weather
Ranked by this destination's own climate comfort score across the year — a different thing from how busy it gets (see Crowds above).
Toughest weatherZion National Park's best weather comes in April, May and October — separate windows, not one continuous season.
January coincides with Ice on the high trails.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in Zion National Park in January
Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.
- Rule
Angels Landing permit lottery
1 Jan – 31 DecBook earlyThe chains section needs a permit, all year, won in a seasonal lottery months ahead or a day-before lottery at long odds. Turning up without one is not an option here. Source ↗
- Rule
Permits for the Subway and Narrows
1 Jan – 31 DecBook earlyClosuresThe Left Fork, the top-down Narrows and every canyoneering route need a wilderness permit, drawn in a monthly lottery three months out with a last-minute round two days before. Angels Landing is a separate draw. Source ↗
- Nature
California condors over the canyon
1 Jan – 31 DecBirdlife seasonThe reintroduced birds nest in the cliffs and ride the thermals over Angels Landing and the Kolob Terrace area most days, tagged with numbered wing markers. Rangers set scopes on them at the lodge in the afternoons. Source ↗
- Opening
Winter: drive the canyon yourself
29 Nov – 6 Mar · usuallyOff-season shutdownWith the shuttle parked you can take your own car up the scenic drive, which is the only time of year that is possible. Ice on the shaded trails is the trade. Source ↗
- Hazard
Ice on the high trails
1 Dec – 28 Feb · usuallyExtreme coldClosuresThe shaded switchbacks up to Angels Landing and the East Rim glaze over for weeks and the park closes sections outright after a storm. Traction devices are the difference between a walk and a rescue. Source ↗
Nearby, and something's on
Within 300 km of Zion National Park — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.
Where is Zion National Park?
Zion National Park in January — FAQ
- Is January a good time to visit Zion National Park?
- January in Zion National Park: cold, a little rain, with clean air — a good time to visit. It ranks #12 of 12 months for Zion National Park on SeasonMap's comfort score (68/100).
- What is the weather like in Zion National Park in January?
- In January, Zion National Park averages a daily high of 4.9°C and a low of -7.9°C, with about 60.3 mm of rain over roughly 5.3 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in Zion National Park in January?
- Zion National Park has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 36 in January.
- Does it snow in Zion National Park in January?
- Zion National Park sees roughly 28.4 cm of snowfall in January.
Within 300 km: Las Vegas' Desert hiking season around 15 Oct – 15 Apr, and Bryce Canyon National Park's Wall Street closed for winter around 1 Nov – 10 Apr.