This was my first time taking engagement photos at Zion National Park and it blew my mind! Nikki and Jorge live in St. George and knew they wanted to take engagement photos at Zion National Park. Since I recently moved to Southern Utah I had dreamed of doing an engagement session at Zion Canyon Overlook and we found a date in May that worked!
Zion Canyon Overlook Trail Engagement Photos
For Jorge and Nikki’s session, we met at the Visitors Center and drove up to Zion Canyon Overlook Trail. On the way up we stopped at a pull-off for quick photos. Then we continued up the mountain and through the tunnel. Luckily, we easily found parking along the road not far from the trailhead entrance. Since it was May, the park was busy, but things were still manageable.
To get to the actual overlook spot it’s a half-mile hike up the Canyon Overlook Trail. It’s pretty easy, but I recommend wearing decent shoes to get up the trail and even for walking among all the rocks and sand at the Overlook. Once we got to the top we took in the views and then wandered around different spots for their photos.
Once the sun set, it created a totally different look with the background of the canyon and I couldn’t get enough! I could have kept shooting, but I knew we needed to start the hike back to the car before it got too dark.
About Photos at Zion National Park
Zion National Park is located in the southwest corner of Utah. Springdale is the town right outside of the park and St. George is the larger town about 30+ minutes away. I’m a photographer based in Cedar City, UT, and it’s an hour drive for me (super easy)! Las Vegas is the closest airport (aside from a few regional ones) and it’s about a 2.5 hour drive from there.
Zion is a super popular national park and busy season is typically from May-October. The park uses a shuttle system during the busy time of year, so you can find parking and use the shuttles to see most of the park. Zion Canyon Overlook Trail is actually one of the locations you can drive to in the park (shuttles do not take you to the Canyon Overlook trail). Actually driving to the canyon overlook and parking up at the top can get hectic during busy season. Scheduling your session for a week day or doing your session at sunrise is a good idea!
Do you need a photo permit for photos at Zion?
No permit is needed for normal photo sessions in Zion like couples, family or engagement photos. However, if you are getting married in Zion then there is a special use permit for weddings and elopements. Zion also has specific locations where you can have your ceremony. You can find more info about having your wedding in Zion National Park here!
Overall, finally photographing this engagement session at Zion National Park was a dream and I’m excited to book more sessions here now that I’m local!
Zion Engagement Photographer
I’m a local Zion Engagement Photographer and I would love to chat with you about planning an engagement session in Zion National Park! Get in touch with me about taking photos in Zion through my contact form here!
For more Utah engagement session inspiration, check out this session in the mountains!
