Zion National Park

The word Zion means a place of peace and refuge, a sanctuary. I cannot think of a more perfect description for this park. It is one of those national parks that, despite its popularity, still feels wild and untouched. In fact, over 84% of its land is considered pristine wilderness; and we had three full days to explore it all.

David and I left Bryce Canyon before the sun came up, and were hit by an unexpected and unsettling rainstorm. Flash floods have constantly been in the back of our minds when hiking through the desert, and we were just inside the canyon the day before. Happy to leave the rain behind, we began the trek to Zion. En route we passed Butch Cassidy’s old stomping grounds of Red Canyon, and remote farmland around towns so small you’d miss in a blink. 

Our jaws dropped the second we reached Zion National Park. Its eastern entrance began with a one-mile tunnel lit only by a few picture windows teasing us with a glimpse of what was to come. Upon exiting, a series of tight switchbacks gradually descended to the canyon floor. Each hairpin turn offered breathtaking views of the enormous sandstone cliffs that soared high above us. We followed the scenic highway into Springdale, where we had a great breakfast at Oscar’s Café.

To protect vegetation and restore tranquility to Zion Canyon, a shuttle system was established to take visitors from Springdale to designated stops throughout the national park. The only other vehicles allowed in were those belonging to the guests staying at Zion Lodge. We had planned our entire vacation around the lodge’s availability, and it was well worth it. We felt pretty special being one of the only cars on the road, getting a more personal experience of the canyon.

It was too early to check into our room, so we set off to explore the park. We took a scenic path to the Grotto shuttle stop, spotting a snake nearly three feet long in the grass! The bus arrived pretty quickly, and within minutes we were at Weeping Rock. A short trail led to the lush hanging garden, created by dripping water from a slot canyon up above. We found a dry spot to stand and admire the incredible view down the canyon.

The second stop was Big Bend. From here we could see the brave souls hiking Angel’s Landing 1,500 feet above us. We wandered around, trying to find a trail to Menu Falls, but had no luck. Instead, we walked along the river, where we spotted a large buck keeping cool in the tall grass.

The third stop was the Temple of Sinawava, where you can find the infamous Narrows trailhead. We walked a short way in, but wanted to save the rest for the next day when we planned to do the entire hike.

With still a few hours left until check in, David and I went back to Weeping Rock and hiked to Hidden Canyon. The trail was very steep, with several long switchbacks. But every angle offered outrageous views of Zion Canyon. And to top it off, the trees were at their peak with beautiful red and yellow fall leaves.

The trail transitioned from lengthy switchbacks to a narrow cliff with only a few chains to hold on to. The steep drop off actually discouraged a couple hikers from continuing on. We thought it would get easier reaching the canyon, but in order to proceed we had to climb over large boulders and maneuver around a few piles of debris. All of these obstacles made the 1.25-mile trail feel much longer.

By the time we returned to the valley floor, it was time to check into our cabin. It was in such a beautiful setting with the canyon wall just outside our front door. We freshened up and headed to the lodge for dinner. A large herd of deer had the same idea, grazing in the big lawn just outside the entrance.

Before turning in, we drove back to Springdale to rent gear for the Narrows. Equipped with waterproof pants, neoprene socks, boots and hiking sticks – we were more than ready to tackle the trail!

The next morning David and I woke up very excited. Our entire day was dedicated to hiking The Narrows. The trail is basically the Virgin River, where hikers wade upstream inside the narrowest section of Zion Canyon. Its walls are over 1,000 feet tall, with a span at times of just 20 feet. And the water levels ranged from a few inches to well over waist high. 

We reached the trailhead early in the morning, and had the canyon nearly all to ourselves. It was an absolutely perfect day to hike through the river, with blue skies and not a cloud in sight. Our gear also kept us dry and warm in the chilly 40-degree water. 

It was a truly remarkable trail. We loved getting such a unique perspective of Zion’s incredible landscape. We were surprised at how much plant life was growing on the canyon walls; from large, fall-colored trees to patches of green ferns dangling off the cliff. And the contrast of the icy-blue color of the water against the orange walls was picture-perfect. 

The famous Wall Street section was appropriately named after the sheer 1,500-foot cliffs enclosing the river. In fact, the walls were so tall that they almost completely blocked out the sunlight. Soon the water was too deep to cross, forcing us to turn around and head back downstream. We didn’t realize how much energy it took to get to this point. Walking with the flow of the river enabled us to reach the trailhead in half the time. And once we reached the trailhead, we were so glad we got an early start to the day. The trail was so crowded that there was actually a line of around 15 people waiting to pass through one of the technical sections of the trail!

David and I were famished by the time we arrived back to the cabin. We hung up our wet gear, and headed straight to Oscar’s Café for a massive lunch. We were so exhausted from the hike that we pretty much stayed in bed for the rest of the evening, only getting up to grab dessert at the lodge. 

Sadly, it was our last day in Zion. We started with breakfast at the lodge, followed by an easy hike to the Emerald Pools. The 2.5-mile loop passed by three different seasonal pools at the base of a large cliff. Unfortunately, since it was late in the year the water levels were pretty low. But the views of the morning light hitting the canyon were unbelievable. And the fall foliage of the surrounding forest was stunning. Autumn is my favorite season, and I loved that we got to spend it in such an amazing national park. 

We left the canyon, and drove the less traveled Kolob Terrace Road. It dipped in and out of the park as it slowly gained in elevation. Lava Point marked the end of the road, and was the highest spot in the park at nearly 8,000 feet. It offered sprawling views of Zion’s wilderness just outside of the main canyon.

After lunch and a quick nap, we simply relaxed for the rest of the evening. Dave wandered off to explore the river, and I sat in a rocking chair just outside the lodge. As the day slowed down, the deer returned again to the big lawn for dinner. Tourists scrambled to catch the last shuttle out of the park. And the sun cast a warm glow inside the canyon. I was so thankful to be staying in a cabin. Every evening felt as if the park was our own private backyard; it was a calm and tranquil side that not everyone gets to experience. And as if our time in Zion couldn’t get any better, later that evening on the front porch of our cabin, we watched the Orionid Meteor Shower streak across the night sky.