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Zion: 55-Mile Helicopter Tour with Canaan Cliffs Views

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/9

Duration30m

GroupUp to 6

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Red rock spires, wild canyons, and the hush only a helicopter brings

You’ll lift off near Springdale for a 55-mile helicopter tour around Zion’s wildest edges—Smith Mesa, Kolob Canyon, Red Butte Mountain—and sweep past Canaan’s sheer cliffs with your pilot sharing stories along the way. Expect moments of awe (and maybe some nerves), plus views you’ll remember every time you see red rock again.

30m

Step-by-step itinerary

Check in at private heliport
Board helicopter with pilot
Fly north over Smith Mesa and Zion
View Kolob Canyon and Red Butte Mountain
See Canaan Mountain Wilderness cliffs
Return to heliport safely

The Experience

The first thing I noticed wasn’t the view—it was the low thrum of the rotors and the way my seat vibrated as we lifted off just outside Springdale. Our pilot, Mark (who looked like he’d been flying these skies forever), grinned back at us and pointed out Smith Mesa almost right away. There was this moment where the sun hit the red stone just so, and honestly, I forgot to take a photo. It smelled faintly of engine oil and desert air—strange mix, but it stuck with me.

We curved north, skirting Zion’s edge. Mark started telling us about Kolob Canyon—how those dark red fingers were shaped by floods older than any of us. I tried to imagine it but mostly just stared out at the cliffs. The scale is hard to get until you’re up there; you see lines and folds in the rock that don’t make sense from below. At one point, someone asked if we’d fly right over Zion National Park itself—Mark explained you can’t, not legally anyway, but you get these wide-open views looking in from above Smith Mesa and Red Butte Mountain. He even slowed down a little so we could all catch a glimpse (I think he liked showing off his favorite spots).

Flying over the Canaan Mountain Wilderness was quieter than I expected—just wind and that distant hum of blades. The cliffs drop away suddenly, almost two thousand feet straight down. It made my stomach do a weird flip; I laughed out loud (nervous habit) and caught someone else doing the same. There’s something about seeing those sheer faces from above that makes you feel both tiny and kind of lucky at once. The whole flight only took about half an hour but felt longer in a good way.

I still think about that patchwork of color—the rust reds, pale stripes, shadows moving as clouds drifted by. When we landed back at the heliport, my ears were ringing a bit and my hands smelled like metal from gripping the seat too tight (don’t judge). If you’re thinking about a helicopter tour around Zion, just know it’s not really about photos or bragging rights—it’s more like being let in on something big for a little while.

What’s included

Your day includes a 55-mile scenic helicopter flight departing from a private heliport near Springdale with all landing fees covered; your pilot shares local history as you soar past Smith Mesa, Kolob Canyon, Red Butte Mountain range, and Canaan Mountain Wilderness before returning safely to base.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleStroller friendlyNot for heart conditionsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Zion Helicopters