Travel: Utah Zion National Park

One of the biggest and most popular sights in Utah is the Zion National Park.  It is 229 square miles of massive mountains and canyons, with rivers cutting through it and forests covering the land all around.  The place represents 150 million years of natural erosion and sedimentation, carving the landscape into towering monoliths of colorful stone.  Within this colorful, picturesque place, thousands of visitors come from all over the world to hike, camp, bicycle, rock climb, or take scenic drives.

I learned the hard way that a good amount of planning and preparation is required to visit this place in-depth.  I made my plans pretty quickly to spend two nights in Springdale, and I'd spend one whole day at the park to hike around.  There are quite a few lodges and resorts in Springdale, just a mile or so from the park's entrance, and a lot of them are really nice places with lots of space, pools, restaurants, and other amenities.  They can also be rather expensive, and hard to get into at short notice.  I opted to stay at a Quality Inn, because it was the cheapest, and it still had all the comforts I really needed.  Even then, it was still a pretty decent room.  I figure that the other, more expensive lodges in the area would be more ideal for longer stays (such as a week-long trip).  There is a lodge within the park as well, but you will need to make reservations for that one well in advance.

In addition to securing lodging, visiting the park may require additional planning, depending on what you want to do.  Overnight camping, hiking, or mountaineering requires permits.  Conditions in the different areas can be treacherous; the Narrows is a hike that requires you to wade through the river, up to chest-deep, and there is a potential for flash-floods.  The Angel's Landing is a strenuous hike that goes on for something like 15 miles, with narrow paths and steep drop-offs.  If you intend to recreate on a more advanced level around these places, you'd have to be sure to check up on the weather conditions, and come prepared with the right gear.  The park's visitor's center has resources available to help in planning, and the town of Springdale has a few places that can offer gear to buy or rent.

This was as far as I could go into the Narrows.  Didn't come prepared to go wading through the river.

On this trip, I came prepared with my handy walking stick, a backpack full of food, water, and a first-aid kit, and the most important thing, my camera.  As the day progressed, it was clear to me that I was in no way prepared to traverse something like the Narrows, but there are still a ton of trails all around the park, and tons of sights to see, even in a casual passing.

Getting to the park, or to Springdale, is not too hard at all.  You just take the I-15 to either exit 16 or exit 27, and follow the roads to Springdale.  Springdale is a small town with only one road that leads straight into the park.  When you get to the park, you will have to pay a fee to enter with your personal vehicle.  It can be difficult to find parking inside the park in the middle of summer in the middle of the day; I came to the place early and found plenty of spots open, but they looked completely filled by the time I left.  Alternatively, you can take a shuttle bus from Springdale into the park, and I believe it is free.

The park's visitor's center is a decent place to find more information, to purchase permits, and there is a gift shop there.  Visitors are allowed to drive their cars along the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway, but from March to October, the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive is restricted.  Fortunately, free shuttle buses run all day from the visitor's center all the way to the Temple of Sinawava.  They make stops all along the way at the different sites and trailheads, and they run very frequently (you can expect a bus to come around every few minutes).  Most, if not all, of these stops have restrooms and water fountains available.  The bus was quite full on the way up, but there was substantially less people on the way back.

First, I took the bus all the way to the Temple of Sinawava, where the hike through the Narrows start.  There is a paved trail that cuts into the canyon, offering some decent views of the surrounding cliffs and the Virgin River.  At the end of the path, the only way to proceed further is to actually set foot into the river.  I determined that I was ill-prepared for this specific part of Zion, and I turned around.

The Big Bend

Taking the bus back, I passed by a placed called the Big Bend, and got off at the Weeping Rock.  A paved trail led uphill part way, and I came across a long, curved area that was carved out of the stone wall.  From the overhanging rock, water dribbled all along the ledge, splattering all over the surrounding stones and on the ground.

View from the Weeping Rock area.

Returning to the shuttle, I passed by the stop for The Grotto, and got off at the Zion Lodge stop.  The lodge is not terribly big, but it does have a small place for getting food on the go.  From there, I followed the trail for a placed called the Emerald Pools.  The path was fairly more treacherous than the paved paths I previously walked on; these were natural dirt paths with stones and uneven steps all over.  The trail eventually took me beneath another rocky overhang, where more water fell in small streams.  These small waterfalls collected into a pool, which I assumed to be the Lower Pool.  The trail continued upward, but was closed at places due to construction and restoration, so I followed the detour.  Winding around and further up the mountain, I eventually came to the Middle Pool, which was a cool green pool of water on top of the stone plateau.  There was a myriad of tadpoles in the water, in addition to dragonflies and those water-walking insects.  There was also an abundance of human beings everywhere; the place proved to be quite popular for visitors.

Following the path away from the pools, I trekked for a couple of miles to the Grotto bus stop.  The path provided a few more decent views of the area, but I had to be careful, because there was a sharp drop-off to the side.  The Virgin River followed the path in the canyon floor far below; it looked really green and funky from afar.

I eventually reached the bus stop again, and was thoroughly exhausted by this time.  It was somewhere between 90 - 100 degrees, so heat exhaustion was always a threat.  I did bring an ample supply of water, and was drinking it often, but I seriously needed to sit and rest for a while.  The bus ride proved to be cool and relaxing.

Next, I stopped at the Court of the Patriarchs, for a quick picture.  From that vantage point, multiple mountains are clearly visible to the west, all appearing as giant red and white towers of stone.  They were named after the Biblical patriarchs:  Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Court of the Patriarchs:  Isaac and Jacob shown here.  Unfortunately, the view was so huge that Abraham couldn't fit into one shot.

Returning to the visitor's center, I decided to drive along the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway (State Route 9), to see what else could be seen in the park.  The road winds up into the eastern side of the park; there are dozens of places where you can pull over and see more views of the surrounding mountains.  Further up, there is a mile-long tunnel; I found that traffic may have to stop and wait for larger vehicles, such as buses, to pass through.  On the other side, the road winds among solid red and white rock formation, with scattered trees all around.  Along the way, the Checkerboard Mesa can be seen:  a massive cone of rock with squares gouged into it.  Eventually, the road meets up with the US-89, which can lead either to Kanab, or to Bryce Canyon National Park.

The Checkerboard Mesa

Additionally, there is one other site you can visit off of the I-15.  Further north, you can access another side of the Zion National Park, at a place called Kolob Canyons.  You're still required to pay a fee to get through, but if you purchased your pass on the southern or eastern gates, then your pass is good for the Kolob Canyons as well (and vice-versa).  After passing through the visitor's center there, you follow the road up some hills and mountains, and you can get even more views of the surrounding landscape.  There are a few trails to be found there as well.  It's a short 5-mile drive, and it's good if you want a quick look at the area.

As I understand it, there is an abundance of wildlife all over the park.  I personally saw quite a few squirrels, lizards, and birds all around.  There are condors and hawks living in the area.  There have been rare sightings of coyotes, cougars, and bighorn sheep.  The park is also a host to organisms unique to the area.  The ecology of the area is most impressive.

Returning to Springdale, it was the afternoon, and I was thoroughly tired.  Even though I had only scratched the surface of Zion National Park, I came away with scores of impressive photos and video clips, and I felt I had seen plenty of splendid sights.  Whether you're making a casual visit or planning an extensive trek across the wilderness, this park is certainly worth while, especially for the well-prepared traveler.