Zion National Park

Zion is comprised of over 2,000-foot sandstone cliffs that will leave you breathless, but that isn't the only amazing thing about this park. It's all the other little treasures you find along the way that the park holds.

Because of the park's unique diversity, you will experience the desert, woodlands, coniferous forest, and white sandy beaches all in one place! Yes, literal white sand, little beach oases with the most refreshing and beautiful waters.

As soon as I got to Springdale, UT, the adorable little town that holds Zion National Park, I was already planning my next trip back! I immediately fell in love with the town and the park.

Zion National Park is stunning and by far my favorite National Park. Its sheer cliffs are astonishing, but once you go deeper into the park, you find beautiful waterfalls, refreshing swimming holes, and lush green oases, and the hikes themselves are inspiring and challenging.

At the heart of Zion is Zion Canyon. This canyon is a 15-mile long, 2,600-foot deep canyon, which draws people to the park with its beauty and size. The best view of this masterpiece will be through the hike Angles Landing (more on this later). This hike is what the park is most known for.

Forwarning, this post is going to be long! There are so many great things about this park worth mentioning. But here are some of my favorite activities that the park is well known for (and for a good reason).

• Angels Landing

• The Narrows

• Zion Canyon Scenic Drive

• Hanging Gardens

• Canyoneering

From Right to Left: The view at the top of Angels Landing, me hiking Angels Landing, the Emerald pools.

Angels Landing

This hike is a must in my book; however, it can be challenging! You will hike 5.4 miles roundtrip, mostly comprised of sharp switchbacks, ascending 1,000 feet. Most of the trail is exposed with no cover, so I highly recommend starting at dusk or a little before to beat the heat and the people! Starting at noon, there are a lot of people on the trail, which causes bottlenecks, and it takes longer to finish the trail.

If you are afraid of heights, you should be fine until you reach the top. Once there, enjoy the views, but I don't recommend doing the last 488 feet up the chain-assisted climb. I am not afraid of heights, and I don't even do this last little bit. Grippy shoes are a must!

The Narrows

Known as Utah's most famous backcountry route, The Narrows follows the Virgin River through soaring walls of sandstone, scalloped alcoves, and chest-deep pools.

You can take two routes to hike The Narrows: top-down (easier but longer) or bottom-up. If you want to do the entire route from the top down, you must acquire a backpacking permit and plan accordingly, as this is a two-day trip, a total of 16 miles one way. If you choose to do the bottom-up, you can accomplish this in a day as you only do part of the route (only 10 miles total one way).

Top-Down: The permits for this option are the most sought-after and are limited to only 40 permits per day. Keep in mind that when the river is too full, the hike is closed (between March and June). The best time to go is going to be late June through September.

You will need a walking stick, canyoneering shoes and gear, neoprene socks, nylon clothing, extra fleece layers, bug spray, and at least one dry bag. You are also required to use human-waste disposal (WAG) bags. Because this is a one-way hike, be sure to make a reservation for the shuttle.

Bottom-Up: This is the most common route as you can spend the day exploring the canyon and hiking the more enjoyable parts of the route (and the hardest) as opposed to doing an overnight trip. And the best part is day hikers don't need a backpacking permit.

If you are doing a day hike, the farthest you can go is 5 miles to Big Springs, otherwise to do the entire 10 miles, you will need a backpacking permit and plan to camp overnight, as the bottom (or ending) part of this route is the hardest because you are hiking upstream.

The Narrows.

Zion Canyon Scenic Drive

After days of hiking, the scenic drive is an excellent activity! Not only does it give your body the rest it needs, but you still get to explore the park. Note that the road to private cars is closed from March through October, so you will be taking the shuttle. This allows you to sit back, relax, and sightsee to its fullest!

The route is about 45 minutes (multiple stops along the way) with a total of 6.2 miles one way and 12.4 miles round trip.

Hanging Gardens

Hidden within the park, you will find lush oases where you can escape the heat. These hanging gardens have been fed by the mesa-top precipitation throughout millennia. You will discover scarlet monkey flowers, mosses, golden columbines, maidenhair ferns, and purple violets.

More from the top of Angels Landing.

There is so much more information you need to know when planning your trip to Zion! Be sure to check out my post, "Zion National Park Itinerary," to learn more, and I highly recommend purchasing "Zion & Bryce Canyon" by Lonely Planet. This book covers everything you need to know!