Zion National Park
Zion was pure magnificence! From the moment we parked the car, to the second we dozed off to sleep that evening, I was astonished by the brilliance of such wonder!
The park lies at the end of a quant town called Springdale. The community seems to thrive on trendy vegan yogurt shops shops and natural local co-ops. My kind of place! Each corner offers a parking lot for guests to leave their vehicles, while they walk, bike, or take the shuttle into the nearby national park.
Due to Covid, the park is currently running at limited capacity, which means that entrance into the park is only available via ticket entrance time, which can be purchased 24 hours in advance for $1 each. A ticket is required for boarding the shuttle, which is the only way into the park. The shuttles were well run, and we were all around impressed by the flow of the park, despite the rules.
Most national parks are currently running on skeleton rangers, meaning that amenities such as gift shops and cafes are often closed. One tip is to always pack in food, as these days can be long, and it would be very easy to get hungry with all the hiking!
So we packed a picnic, found a cozy spot on the grass, and enjoyed a lovely lunch! These have quickly become some of my favorite moments of the trip.
On the way to our first hike, we spotted a big hole inside of the tree. The boys were so excited by the find, and spent quite a bit of time exploring it.
Our first hike was to the lower falls at Emerald Pools. It was the first time of the entire trip where we witnessed mass amounts of masks while outdoors. It was both sobering and sad, but we kept our distance and enjoyed all of God’s creations!
Dixon found some sticks that he used throughout the hike to play music.
From our first hike, we headed back to the shuttle stop and got on the bus for the hike we had all been looking forward to: The Narrows Slot Canyon!
The views from the shutter were incredible! From the left, right, and straight up! We saw mountain climbers, birds, and rock formations of all sizes and colors. The commentary from our driver made things even better! What a fun ride!
The Narrows is a 16 mile Slot Canyon. Flash floods have killed many hikers in the past, so being aware of the forecast is critical. Thankfully, Utah was warm and dry on this beautiful October day!
There is a 1.5 mile hike to get to the entrance of the slot canyon. It is called the Riverwalk, and was beautiful! For those not wanting to get wet, this is a perfect option in itself.
But, of course, we wanted to get wet!!! So we opted for the full experience!
Those first steps into the Virgin River are COLD! But we had learned from our time in the Montana Lake that you quickly go numb to the cold, so pushing through is well worth it!
The river bottom was SLIPPERY! I’d compare it to walking on slimy bowling balls! Walking sticks were available to rent for $7 a piece, but we saved a few dollars and found our own.
The kids took a few breaks along the banks while Adam and I explored further up the canyon. The water would have been up to their chests at points, so we only made it a mile or so in, but very much look forward to going back when they are taller!
We ended our day with a beautiful ride back to the truck, full bellies, and another day filled with memories to last a lifetime. Zion quickly became a top three on my list of favorite parks, and I’d encourage everyone to make it a bucket list!
Next stop, Bryce Canyon! Thanks for following along!
