Zion has to be our favorite national park so far. It’s just incredibly unique. From trudging through the Virgin River in The Narrows to facing your fears at the top of Angel’s Landing, it has something for everyone and some truly unforgettable experiences. We can’t recommend this park highly enough.
The Narrows
Our favorite hike in Zion, the walk through The Narrows is one of a kind. You’re literally hiking in a river through a slot canyon. That’s amazing! Even though this hike doesn’t have any real elevation gain, you’ll be feeling it the next day. Walking through water and stabilizing yourself on the slippery rocks takes a lot out of you. There are a lot of things you need to keep in mind about this hike if you want to maximize your experience.
What you wear matters. As you might have figured, it’s hard to walk through a river without getting wet. Luckily, there are gear rental stores in Springdale, the town just south of Zion, to sell you what you need. We chose to go through Zion Outfitter, and we were very happy with our experience. Since we visited in June, we got the Warm Weather Package that included canyoning shoes, neoprene socks, and a walking stick. Each of these items proved incredibly useful during the hike. While many people get away with wearing their own socks and shoes and not using a walking stick, we thought the gear rental was well worth the money. On top of the rental clothes, we recommend wearing swimwear and a shirt that you don’t mind getting wet. Some of the water is chest-deep. Check the forecast, too, because it may be colder in The Narrows than elsewhere in the park, and you may want a jacket. If you’re visiting in cooler weather, having appropriate attire becomes even more important because the water gets very cold.
Parking at The Narrows trailhead can be a nightmare. Normally, the shuttle service remedies this issue by transporting visitors along the scenic drive to the trailhead at the Temple of Sinawava. If the shuttles aren’t running due to a pandemic, though, you need to plan ahead. There are roughly 80 parking spots at the trailhead for the bottom up hike (which does not require a permit and is the more common hike), and access to the scenic drive where the lot is located opens at 6:00am each day. If you want one of these spots, you need to line up early. We got to the access point at 2:30am on the day of our hike, and we were number 17 in line. If we had to guess, we’d say there were 80 cars there by 3:30am. You’re out of luck if you’re not in the first 80. Once the lot is full for the day, it’s almost impossible to get a spot later because the park rangers gradually close off portions of the scenic road that have reached capacity. Honestly, sleeping in the car for a few hours until the gate opens isn’t that bad. It is well worth it for The Narrows. Zion Outfitter also lets you get your gear the night before your hike, so you’ll have everything you need for your early start.
Orderville Canyon
At the fork in the river, keep left. Once you reach this fork at about the two-mile mark, you’ll have two options. To the left is the continuation of the standard hike through The Narrows. To the right is the path to Orderville Canyon, which is a tributary that flows into The Narrows and requires a permit past a certain distance. We (mistakenly? luckily?) took this path and explored Orderville Canyon for a while. It requires some tricky climbing at parts, but it is very pretty and has more greenery than you’ll see in The Narrows. Still, if we hadn’t gone this route and had to double-back, we likely would have gone deeper into the main trail than the four or so miles that we did.
Bring a waterproof backpack even if you don’t plan to go through the deepest sections. There is a decent likelihood of slipping as you walk through the river, especially if you don’t have a walking stick. You’ll also want to bring sunscreen and some food, as you may choose to stay in the canyon longer than you were originally planning.
On a related note, keep in mind that there are no toilets along the trail. Leave no trace, and bring what you need to make sure you properly dispose of any waste.
Check weather warnings. The Narrows can flood quickly when it rains, and you don’t want to experience that. Stay safe.
Observation Point
More Hiking Trails
Observation Point via East Mesa Trail: This viewpoint offers some of Zion’s most iconic scenery. There are a number of ways to get there, but we chose to do the East Mesa Trail because the other hikes to Observation Point were closed due to COVID-19. This trail represents a classic case of the ends justifying the means. The hike is long (7 miles) and really quite dull. However, once you make it the 3.5 miles to the viewpoint, you are greeted with some truly incredible scenery. Take some time to enjoy it, and bring bug spray for your walk. You’ll be happy you did. As far as parking is concerned, you’ll want a high clearance vehicle to get to the trailhead. If you’re driving something with lower clearance like we were, you’ll be better off parking in a dirt lot that is right before the road gets really bumpy.
The Watchman
View from The Watchman Trail
The Watchman Trail: This shorter hike (3 miles) from the park’s visitor center offers great views of The Watchman mountain and the canyon ridge. There is essentially no shade, so we recommend doing this hike earlier in the day to stay cool. Overall, it’s a pretty easy hike that is uphill at the beginning until you get to a loop at the top of the trail. All the best views come from the loop.
Great Arch
Canyon Overlook
Canyon Overlook Trail: If you’re short on time or just don’t feel like hiking more than a mile, then this trail is a great option for you. It is a bit uphill, but you’re treated to some pretty vast views of the canyon as well as the Great Arch seemingly etched into the side of a mountain. Again, there is very little shade on this hike, so bring water and sunscreen.
Other Tips & Tricks
Angel’s Landing: We unfortunately couldn’t do the hike to Angel’s Landing, as it was closed due to COVID-19. This makes sense, as it would be virtually impossible to social distance on the narrow trail. Check before your visit to make sure the trail is open. If you are able to do the trail, get ready for some seriously steep drop-offs with little to no protection on the sides of the trail. Based on everything we have read and heard, this one is not for the faint of heart, but that makes the summit that much more worth it.
Sheep on Checkerboard Mesa
East Zion: This lesser-visited section of the park is your best bet to see some wildlife. We were lucky enough to see a family of desert bighorn sheep scaling Checkerboard Mesa. While in the area, you can also do the short Canyon Overlook Trail and explore some areas off-trail.
Where to Stay: We spent one night at the Majestic View Lodge in Springdale south of Zion and two nights camping at Zion Ponderosa east of Zion. For convenient access to most of the park’s attractions, Springdale is the place to be. It is quite a bit closer to the scenic drive and visitor center, and it has way more dining and shopping. We were also pleasantly surprised with the Majestic View. It definitely lives up to its name, and we’d recommend this motel as a budget-friendly option that is close to the park. If you want to camp, though, being east of Zion is pretty nice. The altitude is higher, so temperatures are routinely 10 degrees cooler. Zion Ponderosa is a great option for this area because their on-site restaurant is solid, it is close to the East Mesa trailhead, and tent campers get access to the resort’s amenities like a pool and basketball court. The only downsides are that it is a bit further from the park and you won’t get the same view that you do from primitive campgrounds in the park.
Where to Eat: For a good, cheap bite in Springdale, look no further than Oscar’s Cafe. We really enjoyed the shrimp tacos and appetizer salad, and they have nice patio seating. There is also a reasonably-priced grocery store (Sol Foods Supermarket) in town that can satisfy all of your snacking and to-go sandwich needs. For your coffee and milkshake (!!!) needs, we recommend visiting Deep Creek Coffee Company. It’s a small cafe in town where you order at the window and can enjoy your beverages on a patio. While you wait for your coffee (and milkshake), we highly recommend checking out Joy Craft & Design gift shop next door, which has local, handmade treasures that make great gifts for loved ones.