Zion National Park was the first National Park in the state of Utah and has something for everyone. Whether you’re camping nearby or staying in one of the hotels, or even Zion Lodge, this is a great family destination. It offers hikes of all different levels and skill sets, and when the Virgin River isn’t running too fast, you can even wade through The Narrows.
We recently stayed near Zion National Park so that we were only about twenty minutes to the entrance to the park.
If you want to know more about where we stayed and learn the tips and tricks we found, click on these links:
Zion White Bison – Luxury Glamping for the Whole Family
Zion National Park – Tips for the Perfect Trip
Transportation
The Zion Canyon Line takes visitors all throughout the park. At each stop there are hikes and beauty all around you. Aside from walking or riding your bike, this is the best way to get around. Vehicle traffic is limited on the route to those staying at Zion Lodge (stop 5).
As of this post Stops 7 and 8 were closed due to construction.
Springdale, Utah is the small town at the entrance to Zion. Here you’ll find lodging, shops and restaurants. This is also where you can rent bicycles to ride in the park and equipment to hike the Narrows if you’re interested.
Along the road leading to Zion you will also see paid parking, and a wonderful shuttle system that you can hop on to take you to the pedestrian entrance to the park. (This shuttle does not go into the park, however.)
The Springdale Line is completely free to use. Not only is it a great way to get to the entrance to Zion, but is also great way to get around the town.
Hiking Zion
While the views looking up from the canyon floor are amazing, the views from the various hikes are breathtaking. Here are a few that we did.
Riverside Walk
Ride the Zion Canyon Shuttle all the way to the end (Stop 9) and you’ll find the Riverside Walk and entrance to The Narrows.
The Riverside Walk is a 2.2 mile round trip walk that is paved. There are some steep sections that could be slippery when it rains, but it is wheelchair accessible. This hike is on the easy scale. Be advised that as with most hikes in Zion, pets are not allowed.
At the end of the Riverside Walk is the entrance to The Narrows. While we chose not to do The Narrows, plenty of people donned the wetsuits and were making their way into the slot canyon via the Virgin River.
Sandbench and Kayenta Trails
Get off on Stop #4 Court of the Patriarchs to do this hike which actually connects you to the Emerald Pools Trails (Kayenta Trail). Both of these hikes are on the moderate scale, with climbing, a bit of rock scrambling, and some sand. But the views from start to finish are worth it! My GPS mapping wasn’t the most accurate, but I believe this hike is around 6 miles and will take you to The Grottos.
We then took the 1/2-mile Grottos Trail over to Zion Lodge. There you’ll find a gift shop, dining, restrooms, and a water filling station.
Scout Lookout via West Rim Trail
Access to this trail is at shuttle stop #6 The Grottos. This trail is a strenuous hike. Round trip is around 5 miles, but the views are worth every sore muscle you’ll have the next day! We attempted this trail on our first hiking day after we’d already done the Riverside Trail, and it was too much for me. After a mile, I decided to tackle it another day.
We went back a few days later and accomplished that goal. And once our family arrived, they wanted to do this trail. Even our grandsons, 4 and 7, finished this hike. Mike, our son and son-in-law completed it twice!
Angels Landing
At the top of Scout Lookout is the beginning the premiere hike for Zion – Angels Landing. As you can see from this picture I took at the start of Angel’s Landing, you’ll be scrambling up a rock face with only a chain to hold onto.
You have to have a permit for this hike, which you can apply for through a lottery system the day prior to when you want to hike it. Here is the link for information on obtaining the required permit. Angels Landing Permit
We did not hike Angels Landing, but our son and son-in-law did — in the snow! This hike is definitely not for the faint of heart. Just the small part we could see from the top of Scout Lookout was enough for me.
The distance from the shuttle stop at The Grottos to the top of Angels Landing and back is roughly 5.4 miles. Take plenty of provisions with you as this hike could take four hours or more.
Conclusion
There was more to do in Zion than we had time for, and we will definitely be back. The shuttle system makes getting around so easy, and after a long hike, it was nice to let someone else drive. As I said in our last post, get there early! The shuttle filled up later in the day, and if you’re coming back to the main visitor’s center, many times those shuttles were standing room only later in the day.
One More Thing
As I said before, less than a year from breast cancer surgery, we made it to this spectacular location. If you’d like to read about our journey, here’s our story.
We’re Mike & Jennifer Skinnell, and together we are The Rambling Quilter. We travel the country full-time in our 42 ft. fifth-wheel pulled by our F-350. Jennifer writes our blog, travel articles, contemporary romance, cozy mysteries, and “Don’t Wait – Our Full-Time Journey Through Breast Cancer”. Our blog is purely for information and entertainment purposes. However, if you’d like to support Jennifer’s writing career, her author link to her books is below.