Zion National Park
Plan your trip to Zion National Park !
Zion National Park is the most popular of the five Utah National Parks. The likely reason for this is close proximity to a freeway (Interstate 15) and because of the multitude of adventures in the park. Visitors come to go hiking, mountaineering, and canyoneering or to just to become awe-inspired by the mountain grandeur.
photo courtesy of Callie Tatum |
"Zion: a place regarded
as devoted to God: a sacred city."
Webster's Dictionary
Entrance Fee--The fee to enter the park is $25 per car (for a pedestrian, bicycle, or motorcycle it is $12 per person). This pass is good for 7 days.
Copyright 2007 photo by Howard Knudsen |
Annual National Park Pass--We decided to buy an annual pass to all national parks for $80 as
we plan to also visit all the Utah National Parks (Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef and Zion again) later this year. We also plan on
visiting bordering national parks, like: Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, and Great
Basin. And, we will be going to a family reunion in Yosemite later this
Summer.
photo courtesy of Patrice Caudill |
Open year-round--Zion National Park, Zion lodge and some dining facilities are open year-round. We recently visited Zion for a Winter adventure. We only visited the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive and Zion-Mount Carmel Highway sections of the park. This is the main tourist area of the park where the Zion Canyon Visitor Center and Zion Lodge are located.
Copyright 2007 photo by Howard Knudsen |
The entrance to Kolob Canyons is right off the freeway on our way back home (exit interstate 15 between St. George and Cedar City). We did not stop this time, but plan to visit later this year.
Zion Canyon Scenic Drive shuttle system--From April through late October, visitors are not allowed to drive their vehicles along this 6-mile stretch of road called Zion Canyon Scenic Drive. The only exception to this rule is for guest who have reservations at Zion Lodge. No vehicles are allowed to drive past the lodge when the shuttle is in operation. During the winter months, however, private vehicles are allowed access to the scenic drive.
photo courtesy of Patrice Caudill |
As an alternative to driving, visitors must ride the free shuttle into the park from the bordering town of Springdale to reach all trailheads along Zion Canyon Scenic Drive. This shuttle has been in operation since 2000.
Nearest National Park Neighbor?--Bryce Canyon is the closest neighboring National Park and you may expect some similarities, but each is unique. So we actually drove through Zion on our way to Bryce Canyon and later returned to Zion after a two-day stay. Check out this Zion and Bryce Canyon map for details.
One major difference between the two is the starting point to access hikes or views in each park. Bryce Canyon is situated at the rim of the canyon and you hike down from there. The opposite is true of Zion National Park, where most everything starts from the canyon floor and you hike up from there.
Copyright 2007 photo by Howard Knudsen |
"", Copyright 2007 photo by Howard Knudsen
Where did we stay January 2007?--While visiting Zion National Park, we stayed in a Bed and Breakfast in Springdale, Utah the first night. Then we moved on to Zion Lodge (located in the park) for the next night.
Copyright 2007 photo by Howard Knudsen |
"" Copyright 2007 photo by Howard Knudsen
Previous trips--Previous to this trip, I had been to Zion twice. In fact, my earliest vivid memory is of a vacation my family took with my grandparents to Zion National Park in their Winnebago motor home. (My mom tells me I was 3 years old.)
And, yes, we actually spent part of our honeymoon vacation in Zion. We ran out of gas on our way out of Zion National Park as we were driving to Bryce Canyon National Park. Another couple on a romantic getaway (we share the same anniversary) went out of their way to help us get gas in a town 30 miles away.
photo courtesy of Patrice Caudill |
What do you do while visiting Zion National Park?--Zion has trails and hikes for all levels: Easy (10-minute walk) to strenuous. And, some that require a two-day backpacking trip with backcountry camping. I have listed the park's most popular trails in the table below.
|
TRAIL & TRAILHEAD |
ROUND TRIP | ASCENT | DESCRIPTION |
| Zion Canyon | (mi/km) (avg. time) | (ft/m) | |
| Pa'rus Trail
Zion Canyon Visitor Center |
33.5/5.6
1-1/2 hrs. |
50/15 | Easy. Paved trail follows Virgin River from South Campground to Canyon Junction. |
| Weeping Rock Zion Canyon Scenic Drive- Weeping Rock parking lot. |
0.5/0.8
1/2 hour |
98/30 | Easy. Short but steep. Minor drop offs. Self-guiding paved trail. Ends at Weeping Rock, a rock alcove with dripping springs. Hanging gardens of wildflowers decorate the walls in spring and summer. Trailside exhibits. May be icy, closures possible. |
| Archeology Trail Zion Canyon Visitor Center |
0.4/0.6
1/2 hour |
80/24 | Easy. Short but steep. Trail climbs a small hill to the outlines of small prehistoric storage buildings. Trailside exhibits. |
| Riverside Walk Zion Canyon Scenic Drive- Temple of Sinawava |
2.0/3.2
1-1/2 hrs. |
57/17 | Easy Minor drop offs. Paved trail follows Virgin River upstream to Zion Canyon Narrows, where paved trail ends. Trailside exhibits. May be closed because of falling ice. Access for persons with disabilities with some assistance. You may continue hiking beyond the end of this trail. The route through the Virgin River involves walking in up to 4 feet of water and climbing over rocks. Wear ankle supporting shoes. Avoid carrying items in your hands and protect cameras in plastic bags. Talk to a ranger before making this hike and check the Narrows Danger level before starting. |
| Lower Emerald Pool Zion Canyon Scenic Drive- cross scenic drive road opposite Zion Lodge. |
1.2/1.9
1 hour |
69/21 | Easy Minor drop offs. Paved trail to lower pool and waterfalls. May be closed in Winter because of ice on trail or falling from above. Accessible to persons with disabilities with assistance. |
| Middle Emerald Pools to Upper Emerald Pools Zion Canyon Scenic Drive- cross scenic drive road opposite Zion Lodge. |
1.2/1.9 1 hour |
69/21 | Easy to moderately strenuous. Long drop offs on upper route. Lower route ends at lower pool and 3 waterfalls. To reach upper pool, hike another 1 mile; this is more strenuous. Upper pool is larger and sits at the base of high cliffs. |
| Canyon Overlook Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway- small parking lot just east of long tunnel. |
1.0/1.6
1 hour |
163/50 | Moderately strenuous (but, much easier after the extreme elevation change at the beginning of the hike using stone stairs). Long drop offs. Mostly fenced. Self-guiding trail. Rocky, uneven trail ends at spectacular view of lower Zion Canyon and Pine Creek Canyon. May be snow covered and icy during Winter. |
| Watchman Service road- east of Watchman Campground Registration Station near Zion Canyon Visitor Center |
2.7/4.3
2 hours |
368/112 | Moderately strenuous. Minor drop-offs. Ends at viewpoint of lower Zion Canyon and Oak Creek Canyon. May be muddy. Mostly minor drop offs. Recommended for early and late in the day. Ends at viewpoint of lower Zion Creek Canyon and town of Springdale. |
| Hidden Canyon Zion Canyon Scenic Drive-Weeping Rock parking lot |
2.0/3.2
3 hours |
850/259 | Moderately strenuous to strenuous. Long drop-offs. Not for anyone fearful of heights. Ends at narrow canyon. May be snow covered and icy. Long drop offs. Not for anyone fearful of heights. Leads to narrow side canyon in joint of rock. Trail ends at Canyon mouth; can hike beyond end of trail for another 0.6 mile. |
| Angels Landing Zion canyon Scenic Drive- Grotto Picnic Area |
5.0/8.0
4 hours |
1488/453 | Strenuous Long drop offs and narrow trail. Not for anyone fearful of heights. Last 0.5 mi (0.8 km) follows steep, narrow ridge; chains have been added. May be snow covered and icy during Winter. Ends at summit high above Zion Canyon Floor. |
| Observation Point Weeping Rock |
8.0/12.9
5 hours |
2148/655 | Strenuous. Climbs through Echo Canyon. Trail gives access to other East Rim plateau trails: Cable Mountain and Deertrap Mountain. Snow and ice likely. |
| Sand Bench Zion Lodge |
3.6/5.8
3 hours |
500/152 | Moderate. Loop trail passes ancient landslide and Streaked Wall. Good views of lower Zion canyon and the Three patriarchs. Good winter hike. Trail used by horses in summer. |
| The Narrows End of road on Zion Canyon Road |
up to 16 miles up to 1 full day |
minimal | Easy to strenuous. This depends on how far you go... There is a paved trail that ends at the Virgin River, where if you choose to continue, you must enter the water. The Narrows of Zion Canyon (see video) is one of the park's most popular, and most strenuous, off-trail hikes. Hiking through the Narrows all the way is a 16-mile trip requiring at least one full day. Sixty percent of the trip involves wading through the Virgin River where it may be up to 4 feet deep. The Narrows may be closed because of the threat of flash floods. Permits are required for trips through the length of the Narrows and its tributaries. (Zion Adventures can provide everything necessary to make your hike a great adventure) |
| Kolob Canyons | (mi/km) (avg. time) | (ft/m) | |
| Timber Creek Overlook Kolob Canyons Road- 2 miles from Kolob visitor center at picnic area. |
1.0/1.6
1/2 hour |
100/30 | Moderately strenuous. Follows ridge top to small peak with views of Timber Creek, Kolob Terrace and Pine Valley Mountains. Commonly snow covered. |
| Taylor Creek 2 mi. east of Kolob Canyons Visitor Center |
5.0/8.0 5.4/8.6 4 hours |
450/137 | Moderately strenuous. No drop offs. Follows Middle Fork of Taylor Creek past two homestead cabins to Double Arch Alcove. Commonly snow covered. Footwear may get wet fording the creek. |
| Kolob Arch Kolob Canyons Road- Lee Pass |
14/22.5 14.4/23.0 8 hours |
699/213(descent) | Strenuous. No drop-offs. A hot midday hike in summer. Follows Timber and LaVerkin Creeks and ends at Kolob Arch, possible the world's largest freestanding arch. |
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Courtesy of Zion National Park Newspaper |
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Backcountry camping permits--Backcountry camping require a free permit that you may acquire at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center or the Kolob canyons Visitor Center.
Suggestions:
1. Visit Zion National Park Service website.
2. Plan your Winter trip by reading the Zion NP Map and Winter Guide (pdf format, Adobe reader).
3. Bring your camera to take some great pictures.
4. Check the Zion Weather Forecast before you go!
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