Zion National Park (Last Updated 7/1/15)
Rising to near 8700 feet, Zion National Park (UT) is one of the
Might Five that has been referred to in many of the advertisements that been used over the past few years. As time has gone by, the popularity of these parks has grown and slowly but surely, it means that you need to plan well in order to make sure you have a successful trip. It is also a part of the
Grand Circle that has a number of fabulous sites within a small area in the Southwest.
Zion can be seen by driving from one end of the park to the other through windy roads which includes a long narrow tunnel that many drivers may find a little too tight for comfort. However, even in my F-150, I made it through without any issues and I saw others with much larger vehicles that made it through the pass. If the lots are full, you might have to park in Springdale and take the shuttle into the park. Remember, there is a fee to enter the park. Your best bet if you are visiting multiple parks is to purchase the
National Park and Federal Recreation Area annual pass.
If you plan on visiting the park, come early, as the parking lots can get fairly crowded especially in the summer from 10pm to 4pm (depending on the time of year). While the main parking lot is a great options since it starts by the visitors center which can provide you with the information you may want, if you know where you are headed, you can venture one stop up to the museum and catch the tram from there but during peak times, it may also mean that you might not make it onto the tram. Remember that many of the hikes are accessed through the use of the tram system.
Campsites in the park can be secured up to six months prior to your arrival and it is encouraged that you do so as early as possible. Same day site access is probably not likely, so plan accordingly. I ended up staying at
Zion Mountain Ranch which was just a few miles outside of the park and a great little place to rest and relax, especially after camping the nights prior. What's so cool about this place? It's located adjacent to a buffalo reserve and when I was there, at just about 3pm, the Buffalo came over the hillside to feed. They also have horses and other animals on site, which made it a great place to rest and relax. Regardless, especially in the summer, make your reservations as early as possible.
The Narrows is one of the most famous hikes in Zion that spans about 16 miles (however you do not need to go the entire route to enjoy its beauty). In order to hike the entire route of the Narrows, you'll need to secure a permit. Many of the requirements can be found in the Narrows link. Since the Narrows travels through a fair amount of water, having water shoes or boots would be a wise idea! The
Emerald Pool hike is also another popular trail because it is accessible and a fairly easy hike for everyone. Depending on the water level, the hike can be even more majestic than it was than when I went. The lower pool is the easiest to access. You can continue up the trail to the middle pool which feeds the waterfall to the lower pool and ultimately can end up to the more secluded upper pool, which has it's own pool that you might just want to wade it. Just be careful as there are a few drop offs in the pool. For those who want something more challenging,
Angel's Landing may be the hike for you. If you want something almost as scenic, but a little bit easier, give the
Canyon Overlook a try.
There is a lot more to Zion and you can read about it on the
Zion website! Please read the site carefully and use common sense when visiting these areas. Most importantly, leave the park better than you found it so that the experience can last for everyone that visits after you.
