Zion National Park's two headline hikes — the knife-edge ridge of Angel's Landing and the slot canyon wade up the Virgin River Narrows — have become victims of their own fame. Angel's Landing requires a hard-to-win permit, the Narrows regularly closes when rain raises flash-flood risk, and both are packed in season. The good news: some of the park's best scenery sits on trails where you might pass only a handful of people.

Start with Observation Point, a 7-mile out-and-back from the East Mesa Trailhead near the park's eastern entrance. Only 650 feet of climbing gets you to a viewpoint above 6,500 feet where you literally look down on Angel's Landing. Nearby on the same East Rim, the Cable Mountain hike tops out even higher, though reaching the Stave Spring Trailhead needs a 4x4 or the $7 East Zion Adventures shuttle. For a classic point-to-point day, the West Rim Trail drops 14.8 miles from the rim to the canyon floor — longtime locals call it their favourite — and the free canyon shuttle whisks you back to the Visitor Center.

The quietest corner of the park is Kolob Canyons, about 50 minutes' drive from the busy south entrance. The 5.1-mile Taylor Creek Trail passes abandoned cabins and finishes at the Double Arch Alcove, a huge eroded sandstone grotto — expect wet feet, much like the Narrows but without the crowds. For a longer outing, the 14.2-mile La Verkin Creek Trail leads to Kolob Arch, one of the largest natural spans on earth; it works as a tough day hike or a gentler overnight backpacking trip.

Want the slot-canyon thrill without the queue? The Subway is Zion's most popular backcountry route — you'll need a permit, likely a helmet and wetsuit, and some basic canyoneering skills, which local outfitters teach. Closer to the mainstream, Scout Lookout shares the first stretch of the Angel's Landing route: a steep paved climb with 1,000 feet of gain in under two miles via the famous Walter's Wiggles switchbacks, ending at a viewpoint nearly as dramatic as the summit — no permit, no exposed ridgeline. And if you fancy true solitude, the 2-mile Many Pools route wanders unmarked slickrock on the East Rim; download a GPS track before you go.

For travellers, the practical takeaway is simple: Zion's crowds cluster on two trails, while the East Rim and Kolob Canyons offer the same red-rock drama in peace. If you couldn't get an Angel's Landing permit, or flash floods close the Narrows, you're not missing out — you're getting a better hike.