One Week in Zion National Park
Southwest Utah is a spectacular high-desert landscape and Zion National Park is its main star. REad more about our adventure in this day-by-day recap that features highlights to add to your trip itinerary.
After fifteen months of only local travel, I boarded a plane that would whisk me to faraway lands. “Faraway” may be a stretch considering that Utah isn’t all that far from Washington, but my sense of distant travel is a wee bit skewed after this past year and Utah feels lightyears away. As the airport doors slid open with a loud whoosh, I was instantly hit with that wonderful and familiar wall of cold, sterile air. As I entered SeaTac airport my body knew exactly where we were and what to do.
I strode up to the check-in kiosks like I was greeting an old friend and made my way through security as I had a hundred times before. The stern frowns of unamused TSA agents felt like a homecoming and I handed over my passport with a smile that went unmatched. It was glorious. As I walked the narrow aisle to my seat, I kept a cool, straight face, but on the inside I was as giddy as a golden retriever in a park full of tennis balls. And that was just the beginning.
Get Oriented
To reach Zion, you have an array if airports to choose from, but be aware that all will require renting a car. Depending on what you want to see on the way, you may choose to arrive in Phoenix, Arizona and drive north with a stop at the Grand Canyon, or perhaps fly into Salt Lake City and drive south through the middle of Utah. If, like us, you are short on time and eager to get to Zion as soon as possible, Las Vegas will be your airport of choice. There is, of course, the added option to go wild and start your journey in one place and end in another. Either way, be sure to add in a day or two for Bryce Canyon National Park if you not been - it’s a haven of hoodoos that’s not to be missed.
When we finally arrived in Zion National Park it felt like entering a long-awaited natural paradise and we were keen to embark on the spectacular medley of adventures during our seven days in southern Utah. We navigated through rivers that snaked through deep canyons; climbed towering sandstone cliffs to epic views; and relished in the high desert greenery that adds a splash of color and life to the dusty red and orange landscape.
day 1: Zion via the Valley of Fire
We left behind the neon billboards of Las Vegas, the city we flew into, and hit the asphalt highway toward Utah. Soon we were surrounded by the barren Nevada landscape, beckoned forward only by distant plateaus and endless dirt fields dotted with shrubs no taller than our knees. We took a scenic detour through Valley of Fire State Park, a stunning area of red sandstone that seemingly sprouts out of nowhere. Every now and then we’d get out and meander past beehive-shaped rocks, stumble upon ancient petroglyphs, or cross searing hot sand in our sandals.
Near the end of the 4o mile drive, I spied what is now officially dubbed as my favorite rock. To be fair, there aren’t many contenders vying for this title but its exquisite coloring is seared in my memory and deserving of a shout-out. The vast majority of rocks in Valley of Fire are deep red sandstone, yet here was this small area of colorful rocks - colors I didn’t realize rocks even came in. This one in particular looked like a salt water taffy candy with its earthy orange ring and layers of soft yellow, white and pastel pink above it.
After our detour, we were back on the highway and off to our camp spot in Zion. We (and by “we” I mean that I was an excellent passenger) drove up the rocky, potholed dirt road to Zion Wright Family Ranch, a spot I discovered on Hipcamp. With its sprawling acreage, it was a free-for-all situation and we snagged a spot with a ready-made fire ring and a lovely plateau for a backdrop. Sure, hotels are cool (literally and figuratively), but having a cowboy on horseback trot up to your campsite to check your booking number was absolutely delightful.
With the sun setting, we built a fire and made dinner. For dessert, I had a hankering for banana boats, a childhood delicacy that I was eager to reveal to Jess, my trusty travel companion. I carved the peel off the top of each banana and showed her how to dig out some of the innards and delicately shove as many chocolate chips and marshmallow bits in as possible. We then wrapped them in foil and set them in the fire where our gourmet cuisine would warm up. Unfortunately, banana boats are much better in my memories and less so in practice. In the process, however, we learned that banana peels are essentially incombustible, so there’s that nifty discovery. After our not-very-successful banana boat experience, we hit the hay, eager to see Zion in the morning.
Day 2: North Zion
If there is anything to know about visiting Zion National Park it is the shuttle - the godforsaken shuttle of my nightmares. To be fair, the shuttle itself is fine; as a vessel to transport humans, I have no complaints. The headache-inducing process of obtaining tickets to get on it, however, is something I have a lot of thoughts on, but more on that another day.
The reason for bringing it up is that we forgot to snag shuttle tickets the night before, meaning we had one less opportunity to see the classic sights of Zion. Without tickets and considering we were staying up in the northern part anyway, we spent our first day exploring the Kolob Canyon area. This under-rated slice of Zion is free of crowds and we were able to find parking without any fuss or hassle. For a day hike, we chose South Fork of Taylor Creek, an easy trail smooshed between towering canyon walls. We admired the bevy of lizards and examined animal tracks along the way, all while craning our necks at the impressive rock walls around us.
Eager to get shuttle tickets for the next day, we needed to have WiFi at exactly 5pm. We found a nice bar and, with jalapeño margaritas in hand for good measure, we got our tickets for the next morning. The process wasn’t without its frustrations, but the margaritas helped and we celebrated a successful first day by watching sunset from the Wildcat Canyon Trail not to far of a drive from our camp spot.
South Fork of Taylor Creek Trail
An unamused lizard that would make a great TSA agent
Sunset at Wildcat Canyon
Day 3: Angel’s Landing
With shuttle tickets acquired, we joined the throng of cars at Zion’s south entrance and made our way to the visitor parking lot. We were shocked to find a spot almost immediately and took it as a divine sign from the universe that it would be a good day. After navigating the shuttle lines, we went to the trailhead and split ways; Jess opting for a less demanding hike before our backpacking trip, and I, ever the masochist, off to tackle Angel’s Landing.
After hiking Angel’s Landing, my assessment is that it is beautiful, amazing and epic - and I never want to do it again.
The first part to Scout’s Landing was fine, but the last half mile up to Angel’s Landing was absolute madness, taking about an hour to hike in each direction. Single file lines moved like molasses along a narrow path that had sheer drops on either side to the valley floor 1,000 feet below. To maintain balance, you can use the chains secured to the mountain side, though you inevitably play a game of leap frog with other hikers. Groups going up and down criss-cross each other as delicately as possible, often stopping and waiting for each other to pass.
At one point during my ascent, I stepped aside to let a group of down-hikers by. As I waited, I looked out at the epic view around me and watched as the condors soared far below - yes, below - me. I tried not to acknowledge that only a few inches stood between me and the edge as I held on to a rock in the cliffside. Should another person lose their footing while coming down and accidentally touch me, that’d be it. Poof, done. I’d be soaring with the condors.
Despite thirteen people falling to their deaths since 2000, including two men just two months prior to my visit, it wasn’t the danger factor that turned me off from Angel’s Landing (though its hazards are nothing to shrug off). Instead, it was the sheer number of people there. Even so, it remains Zion’s most popular day hike and I’m glad that I did it.
Day 4-5: Backpacking the West Rim Trail
Thanks in part to my speedy fingers and a pinch of luck, I was able to secure an overnight permit for the West Rim Trail a month prior to our visit. There are several ways to tackle it but I opted to make it an 18 mile out-and-back, thereby skipping the logistics of a thru-hike, like shuttling cars, and avoiding any excessive elevation since we’d have to carry all our water in.
Upon stepping foot on the trail, we were surrounded by solitude and silence, a welcome change of pace compared to the tomfoolery of Angel’s Landing just 24 hours prior. We hiked the first six miles through aspen lined meadows and along barren trail, eventually catching glimpses of the expansive valley ahead. Soon we we reached the crest of the ridge and found ourselves surrounded by deep canyons and rising plateaus topped with dark green trees. We were treated to this beautiful vista for the next three miles until we reached our campsite.
After setting up camp, Jess took a well-deserved nap and I headed off for a little side hike to watch the sunset. As the sun slowly dipped behind the mountains, it lit the yucca leaves, illuminated the canyon and splashed a warm glow across the sky. I sat in bliss on the hillside, taking in the dreamy scene and bidding adieu to another lovely day in the high desert.
The next morning, we made our way back to town and decided on a plan of action. First priority: showers. Next on the need-to-have-immediately list: beer and burgers. After our bodies were thoroughly cleansed with both water and ale, we headed south to our next camp spot where a fancy tent upgrade (also via Hipcamp) awaited us.
Day 6: MT. Caramel Highway
Our intention was to hang at the tent and relax after our backpacking adventure but we both agreed that we wanted to see more of Zion, but, you know, less so with our legs. Our compromise was to drive the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway, a 40 mile route through the park toward the south entrance. Along the way we administered the appropriate amount of “oohs” and “ahhs” to popular sights, like Checkerboard Mesa, and enjoyed the ride through the impressive tunnel.
Unfortunately, a few of the more enticing stops, like Observation Point, were closed due to rockfall and so our drive was short and sweet. If we’d had more gusto, we would have also hiked the easy Canyon Overlook Trail and Pine Creek Canyon, but alas, our legs said “no, thank you.”
In need of WiFi to get shuttle tickets for our last day, we then headed to St. George. Now if you’re thinking, “wow, your trip is basically centered around getting WiFi for shuttle tickets” you’d be exactly right, it essentially was. And the process is maddening, absolutely maddening. Ticket sales open at 5 pm and so at 4:59 we would log in and have a finger hovering over the “see availability” button, ready to go because right when it turned to 5:00, the race began. Sometimes we’d get to the payment page only to click “buy” and then get a message saying that the tickets were no longer available. Mind you, this was within 30 seconds of it turning 5:00. Having to restart at 5:01, we’d see that there were only a few tickets left for each time slot. Yes, literally a single minute after the shuttle tickets become available all 800 are gone. But I digress.
In any case, we had a few hours to kill between our Mount Carmel drive and joining the 5pm shuttle race, but luckily we are old pros at killing time and making the most of things. We decided to head to the Red Rocks Conservation Area, an area just outside of St. George, where we did a solid desert frolic. With no defined trails, at least my assessment, we were free to wander at our leisure and it was oodles of fun. We shimmied through mini slot canyons lined with wildflowers, tucked ourselves away in small caves and climbed up rocks to our heart’s delight.
Exploring small slot canyons in Red Rocks Conservation Area
Driving along the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway
Red Rocks Conservation Area
Day 7: The Narrows
For our last day in Zion, we wanted to walk through the Narrows, one of the most classic hikes in the park. Since we weren’t able to get the first shuttle time slot of the day, we weren’t as lucky in finding parking this time around so we took we had to take the shuttle in Springdale to the shuttle in Zion, sigh.
The trail to the Narrows follows the river and is a flat walk, meaning it is very busy. We passed heavily prepared people in wetsuits, walking sticks and waterproof booties but we were happy enough to tromp through in our sandals. As expected, the Narrows was crowded. It felt a little apocalyptic to see hoards of people wading through knee-deep water together, as if we were escaping a catastrophic event rather than taking a stroll through a river for the hell of it.
Since it was our last day, we decided to celebrate a successful trip with beers at Edge of the World Brewing in Colorado City, Arizona, which was down the road from the tent we were staying in. Yes, we popped down from Utah to go to Colorado City in Arizona. Now let’s back up a moment to get our bearings. Our fancy tent was in Hildale, Utah, which is on the Utah/Arizona border. As it turns out, Colorado City and Hildale are basically the same city, just with different official names on either side of the state border. In fact, locals just call the whole area Short Creek. Still with me?
I mention this because the culture of Utah, with its history of Mormonism and Mormon-inspired laws are so interesting, particularly in the city(s) we happened to be in. During our trip, I read the book “Under the Banner of Heaven” by Jon Krakuer which takes a deep dive into Fundamentalist Mormonism and polygamist communities, an extreme sect of the religion that is based in Short Creek/Colorado City/Hildale. It was fascinating to read about the religion while seeing it in action.
I bring all this up because, a) it’s interesting stuff, seriously Google “Hildale”, b) because we had to go to Arizona to enjoy a beer above 5% ABV, and c) I highly recommend reading the book if you are headed to the area.
Day 8: Home
After a delightful week of hiking and exploring, we drove back to the Las Vegas airport - where I won a whopping $27.10 on the slot machines, I might add - and began the short journey home. I should also add that I had to sprint through the airport to get my down jacket that I had accidently left in the car at the rental center. Yes, it required taking a shuttle to get there, so it felt like the trip had come full circle.
All in all, another successful adventure in the desert!
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