Zion National Park, UT
I was invited to a camping trip at Zion’s Watchman Campground on July 4th weekend (Independence Day). The 8-hour drive to Zion from Los Angeles meant that you got to experience unique, vast, dramatic landscapes like the Californian xeric desert, Nevadan steppe, and Utah’s iron-rich canyons and coniferous forest.
Zion is most visited in the summer despite its hot summers and gentle winters because most trails open this season. I personally would avoid going in the summer, but Watchman Campground is notoriously hard to reserve so it’s hard to say no to. However, after this trip we realized the blistering heat (up to 106 F / 41 C) and lack of shade might be the case.
Brief History
The name Zion had a controversial history. It was originally called Mukuntuweap in 1909 to honor Southern Paiute. It’s worth noting that they lived along the river and were agriculturally prosperous (petroglyphs can be found throughout the park). It was controversially renamed to Zion as hard-to-pronounce Spanish and Native American sounding names would disinterest visitors at that time.
Now it’s facing the opposite problem.
Geology
Like the Grand Canyon, Zion is a product of dramatic erosion and the rise and fall of mountains. Standing in between these canyons, I was overwhelmed by the volume. This case, each layer took millions of years. Time seemed immeasurable. Virgin River is partially responsible for this.
Zion is tucked between the Grand Canyon and Bryce Canyon which form The Grand Staircase. I recommend going to these places as well (and check out Glen Canyon).
Shuttle
Once cars were widely available for everyone, Zion faced congestion that made the experience extremely unpleasant. In 2000, the National Park Service implemented free shuttles-only to reduce congestion and lack of parking.
Today, the park is still struggling with a record-breaking increase of visitors every year from all over the world. Ways to control crowds are still being debated, but the shuttle program is an effective method and makes the visiting experience more pleasant. The free shuttle runs continuously from 6am to 8pm (7.45pm last call). Note that entrance to the park costs $35 per car (valid up to 7 days).
Itinerary
Zion is huge. One brief visit isn’t nearly enough to explore everything, but a long weekend is enough to catch a glimpse of its marvel and spark curiosity for future travel. Here is a solid 3-day itinerary:
Day 1
Los Angeles -> Zion National Park (Watchman Campground)
The Narrows hike (3 - 9.4 mi roundtrip)
Day 2
Canyon Overlook hike (1 mi roundtrip)
Lower Emerald Pool hike (1.4 mi roundtrip)
Dinner: Zion Pizza & Noodle Co.
Day 3
Pa’rus Trail: biking or a long walk (3.5 mi roundtrip)
Zion National Park -> Los Angeles
Accommodations
There is only 1 hotel in the park called Zion National Park Lodge, but there are plenty of hotels/motels within the vicinity
The nearest campground is South Campground and Watchman Campground, but there are many beautiful, but far campgrounds like Lava Point Campground and Kodachrome Basin State Park (named after Kodak’s film)
Recommended Hiking Trails in Zion National Park:
Pa’rus Trail (Easy, 3.5 mi roundtrip)
Lower Emerald Pool Trail (Easy, 1.2 mi roundtrip)
The Narrows (Moderate - Hard, 3 mi - 9.4 mi roundtrip)
Angels Landing (Hard, 5.4 mi roundtrip)
Canyon Overlook (Easy, 1 mi roundtrip, outside of the park)
Other Tips:
The park doesn’t allow pets (except for the campground and Pa’rus trail)
Hiking gears: hiking stick, boots, and hat are recommended for hiking thorugh The Narrows as you will walk through torso-deep river
Do your hike early to avoid the heat and crowd
Bring an empty large bottle as some popular hikes (The Narrows) offer free water refills
Zion National Park is huge, to enjoy your visit, it’s not recommended to do everything in a short amount of time
Angels Landing: to hike it, you don’t need a permit. Only the last part of the hike with chains requires a permit. Permits can be obtained in advance or same-day (lottery system) at the park’s website here
