Day 49 & 50: Zion National Park
National Park #19
Not for nothing is Zion consistently ranked near the top of any list of National Parks. Located around the stunning Zion Canyon in Southeast Utah, everything about the park just feels, well, monumental.
It’s also a park that requires time and planning to do right.
First thing you need to know: to get into the canyon you’ll need to get shuttle tickets. These can be booked at set times months in advance, or starting at 5:00 PM on the day before. They go fast - we’re talking PS5/X-Box X online sales fast. If you don’t get them, your only way into the canyon is via bike or chartered tour. No private vehicles are allowed in. The good news is that once you have your ticket the shuttles themselves inside the canyon run frequently so you can make the most of your trip.
Our first day here (when we didn’t have the shuttle tickets) we spent most of the day doing the hikes near the visitors center. These included the scenic uphill Watchman Trail and the exceedingly flag (and fairly boring) Pa’rus Trail. We also spent some solid time Day 1 at the Zion Brew Pub, which has good beer and some of best (IPA-Siracha) chicken wings I’ve ever had.
Shuttle tickets in hand (thanks Maggie), on Day 2 we set out for a full day in the Canyon. And quite the full day it was. We started out with a solid 1,100 foot uphill climb to Scouts Lookout, which is also the halfway point up to the famous Angel’s Landing Trail. And no, sadly, we didn’t end up doing Angel’s Landing this trip. It was completely clogged with humans who were barely inches from each other slowly making their way up the slope - and honestly in COVID-19 world we wanted nothing to do with it. Next time.
Luckily, the views from Scout and the connected West Rim Trail were spectacular in their own right with significantly less deadly viral interactions.
Fun Zion fact: there are a large number of very human friendly chipmunks living up on top of Scout’s Lookout.
After our morning on Scout’s Lookout & West Rim Trail, we headed over to the Zion Narrows, the point where the canyon narrows around the Virgin River. We then finished the afternoon with the Emerald Pools Trail hiking to each of the three “pools”…which are only barely pools so adjust your expectations accordingly.
13 miles. 2,500 feet of elevation. 30,000 steps. All capped off with more wings, beer, and one of the largest and best bread pudding deserts Sondra has ever had.
Tired, but happy.
All in all, Zion is as advertised. It’s spectacular, momentous, and utterly exhausting if you do it right - all the hallmarks of a great national park.
What you need to know:
Spectacular park that should be near the top of your list when you’re out west.
As one of the most popular National Parks, planning for Zion is key. Make sure you book your shuttle tickets early (or roll your dice in the 5:00 online queue), or be ready to explore other options such as biking or chartered trips into the canyon.
You’ll want to spend at least 2-3 days here.
Wear good hiking socks and hiking shoes, lest you end up like Sondra with blisters for days.
Zion is located near the town of Springdale, and it’s well worth spending time exploring the local restaurants, shops, and galleries.
Go the Zion Brew Pub and have the IPA-Siracha wings. And the bread pudding.
Beware of cyanobacteria in the Virgin River. While we were there numerous signs were posted warning people against going in the water - especially children and dogs.
Cell service was spotty to nonexistent inside the canyon. It was a bit better near the visitors center, and the Brew Pub did have Wi-Fi for customers.