Written by Kim
Third time is a charm. When we did our big road trip in Sept/Oct we cut Zion from our itinerary because lodging was very expensive and rangers in Bryce told us it would be very crowded. We schedule to come a second time when we went to Vegas in November to see Billy Joel but our flight got cancelled and we had to cut Zion again. The silver lining on try #2 was that we got flight credits for the cancellation so we decided to go early Spring before the park got too crowded. We did some research on how to best use our time to enjoy the park in one day and our plans worked great for our visit.
We stayed in Hurricane which is about 30 minutes away because the hotel costs were significantly less expensive. Many people stay in Springdale which is right outside the gates. It’s basically a town built for Zion visitors. We wanted to stop for lunch there on our way out but parking in all lots is organized by different payment schemes (blue fees,, black fees, etc) and we were just too tired to figure it out. 😂
We arrived at the park a little before 7 (before sunrise) and took one of the first shuttles on a 30 minute ride to the back of the park.
The road into Zion Canyon is 6 miles long, ending at the Temple of Sinawava, which is named for the coyote god of the PaiuteIndians.. The canyon becomes more narrow near the Temple and a hiking trail continues to the mouth of The Narrows, a gorge only 20 feet wide and up to 2,000 feet tall.
We did the Riverwalk Trail to the bottom of the Narrows. It was an easy 2.2 mile round trip trail which was paved with only slight elevations. This flat, paved trail follows the Virgin River and ends where the Narrows begins. This easy hike is perfect for all ages and all ability levels.
The canyon was gorgeous. The Narrows at the end of this trail is one of the most famous hikes. This hikes takes you up the gorge in the river. We saw many groups with their rented waders, waterproof shoes and poles. There was one family with 3 small kids probably like 10, 7, and 5 ready to do the Narrows but 2 of the 3 kids weren’t having it. The 5 year old was about 50 yards behind everyone on the paved trail. I don’t think that went too well.
After the Riverwalk we took the shuttle back to the lodge because the sun was coming up and we forgot to pack sunscreen. We had a small snack of peanut butter crackers and grapes we brought before heading out on a leisurely walk if the 1 mile Grotto Trail.
Our next adventure would be the Emerald Pools. The trail to the Emerald Pools is one of the most popular hikes in Zion. The bridge from the lodge to the lower pool was closed so we took the Kayenta Trail from The Grotto to the middle pool. This is a trail that starts off easy and gets more strenuous the farther you go. It is considered a moderate trail and stretched my abilities but I took my time on steps or elevated sections and did fine. It was about 3 miles round trip.
We didn’t see much wildlife in the canyon but caught a glimpse of these
Angels Landing is the most popular hike in Zion National Park. The final climb of the hike involves scaling a narrow ridge high above the valley floor. With chain-assisted rock scrambling sections, stunning views, and vertigo-inducing heights, this really is a thrilling hike. This hike was clearly above our abilities but also requires a permit to ensure you are capable. No permit needed was never in our dreams.
We had a great day in Zion. It was gorgeous but Bryce is still our favorite. We left the park around 1 pm and we were beat. The park was beginning to get crowded so we were glad we got an early start to avoid most of the crowds. I can’t imagine what it is like in the peak season. They don’t allow cars in the park and the parking by the shuttle fills up very early if you want a spot there. The shuttle buses early in the day weren’t crowded but we had to stand the whole way out – our hogs were burning. We walked about 7 miles. Phew! We stopped to grab a bite to eat on the way back to the hotel and then crashed hard for an afternoon nap.
After a nap we had recovered a bit so decided to walk next door to the hotel to end our day with a well deserved treat.
Tomorrow we will head back to Vegas for a few days. Until then…..
