Zion National Park
Posted on: 08/1/2024 10 minute read
Introduction
On July 28th, 2024, my family embarked on a carefully planned 3 day long trip to Zion.
Zion is arguably the most breathtaking park in America, with it's red, orange, and green color palette.
In the words of my mother, it is as if you are living within a painting.
The park is a favorite for many in my family, being the 5th visit for my uncle and the third for me.
We stopped by Saint George for the first night and departed to Autocamp Zion for the next two nights.
Being the first visit for many in my family, this trip was bound to have created unforgettable memories.
What Makes Zion Special?
Zion is a dense park. And I mean that in a good way, all the amazing sights are all jam-packed into the small park. The Zion Canyon is surrounded by towering cliffs, with the Virgin River cutting straight through the middle. Animals including deer, squirrels, and exotic birds are common sights in the park. These animals have become accustomed to tourists and are not afraid to approach or be approached by humans. Visitors can get closer to wildlife than they could ever in any other park. The two most popular hikes in Zion include the Angel's Landing and the Narrows. These are must-dos when visiting the park and I will be going over the both of them in a later section.
Planning and Itinerary
My uncles planned the trip, haha. I had the privilege of being able to tag along and enjoy the parks. The first day was spent driving for 7 hours from Southern California to Saint George, Utah. This was so that we didn't have to wake up early morning, and so that we are well rested by the time we start exploring the park. On the following day we departed from the hotel and arrived in Zion at approximately 8:30 AM. Unfortunately by this time parking within the park has reached capacity. Normally this would be fine and we can wait for someone to leave, but my family is driving in 4 separate cars and repeating for all 4 could be time consuming. Instead, we opted to drive through the Carmel Tunnel en route to Bryce Canyon. This is the route within Zion that is open to private vehicles all year round and is not covered by the shuttle.Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon and Zion are both part of what is known as the Grand Circle. A collection of parks in the Southwestern United States that share the unique rocky geography. We didn't stop by Bryce Canyon for long, only enough to take a few pictures and complete the Navajo Loop Trail. My cousin and I were able to complete the trail in less than 30 minutes. The canyon trail was rated for 1-2 hours πππ.Perks of being young. One day I might not be able to hike like this anymore.
Autocamp Zion
Glamping, otherwise known as glamourous camping is when you get to experience all the best benefits of camping without having to worry about anything else. Autocamp Zion is the glamping site where we resided, located just 30 minutes from Zion. Autocamp Zion is easily the best glamping site I've been to, and I've been to two. Including Autocamp Zion. Lol.
The rooms are spacious and clean. I did not have to worry about dying under the summer heat because the rooms were well ventilated and air conditioned.
There is a main clubhouse that serves food with an adjacent pool and gift shop. If I had brought nothing except for money, I'd still have an amazing time at Autocamp.
Oh, by the way, the stars are great from Autocamp as well. Lights in Autocamp are Dark Sky friendly, meaning that they do not interfere with the night sky as much as typical ones do.
That photo was taken with my iPhone, see my previous Joshua Tree blog for a guide on how to recreate it!
Narrows
The Narrows is a round and back river walk through the Virgin River typically starting from the Temple of Sinawava station and ending at Orderville Gulch. Proper river-treading shoes and hiking sticks are highly recommended for this hike. Having a hiking stick helps you keep your balance in the face of running currents with 3 points of contact. If it helps to visualize, 90% of the people doing the hike will have a hiking stick and almost everyone will have proper river-treading shoes. Such equipment is available to rent just outside of the ticketing entrance to the park in Springdale. I did not have a hiking stick, and was easily able to complete the hike without it. However it is something nice to have, especially for the Narrows. When I went this week, the water was 65F (18C) making the hike quite cold. It was so cold, that most of my family were deterred and turned back early on. By the end, only me and my uncle completed the hike(after a lot of begging and just walking off with my uncle). This proved to be the right decision because completing the hike provided a sense of fulfillment and wonderful sights that I would not have seen had I not continued the hike.
Angel's Landing
Angel's Landing is widely considered to be the most dangerous hike in America. This is due to the narrow pathway en route to summit. As such, Zion limits the number of people who are eligible to hike via a permit system. Permits have to be acquired exactly a day in advance from 12 am - 3 pm local time. If you don't have a permit, you cannot legally hike Angels Landing. However, odds for winning the Angels Landing lottery are quite liberal, boasting an approximate 43%. My family stopped me from fully completing the hike due to the inherent risks associated with Angel's Landing. We did, however, make it to Scout Lookout which was half a mile from Angels Landing. If you are climbing Angels Landing for the view, the scenery from Scout Lookout and Angels Landing are quite similar. Many choose not to attempt the risky climb and instead to stop at Scout Lookout.
Despite this, Angel's Landing is the second most popular hike in Zion behind the Narrows.
I still consider it a must-hike trail for any able-bodied person visiting Zion.
On my next visit, I will definitely consider completing this hike.
oh and, one last, final note. buy an interagency pass. I was here in the states for one summer and I already made back my pass threefold. It is so worth the money, and you get to support America's wonders.