Our Visit To Zion National Park
This is our third year of traveling full-time and each year we have tried to make it to Zion National Park and never quite got there.
This year we finally made it!
Zion is the eighth national park we’ve visited so far this year and the third new one.
The Zion Canyon Visitor Center is located near the South Entrance of the park.
It is open daily from 8 am – 5 pm. Outdoor exhibits talk about the various activities in the park as well as the geology and local wildlife.
A gift shop is located inside and an information desk where rangers can answer any questions you have about the park.
Be sure to pick up any maps or brochures you may want. You can also stamp your passport and sign up your little ones for the Junior Ranger program.
The visitor center is also the first stop for the shuttle bus.
You must use the shuttle buses to access 90% of the trails in the park. You can view the shuttle schedule online or pick up a schedule at the visitor center.
The Human History Museum is open every day from 10 am – 5 pm. Exhibits in the museum include topics such as geology, plants, animals, survival, and the local community.
There is a gift shop and they play the park movie all day. It’s a cool place to check out and should be added to your itinerary during your visit.
We hiked a number of the trails during our visit.
The Emerald Pools Loop Trail was by far our favorite and should not be missed. You will encounter small waterfalls and amazing views during the hike.
The Pa’rus Trail is a popular hiking and biking trail and the only one in the park that allows pets. It’s easy and fun for the whole family with a bunch of great views.
The Riverside Walk was very pretty and the Watchman Trail will get your heart pumping but you’re rewarded with great views.
Weeping Rock won’t take much time and is worth a stop and the Court of the Patriarchs overlook is extremely short and has a great view.
Angels Landing and The Narrows are the two hikes the park is most famous for. We would never do Angels Landing, because we just can’t handle that steep ending.
The hike we were most looking forward to doing was The Narrows, but unfortunately, it was closed during our visit.
Heavy amounts of snowmelt turned the Virgin River into raging rapids. The water was way too high and too dangerous to hike.
We were quite disappointed, but that just means another trip to Zion National Park is in our future.
We enjoyed our time at the park and would visit again in the future.
Before visiting I was afraid the shuttle system would be an issue, but they ran so smoothly and a shuttle arrives at each stop about every five minutes.
If you’ve never been I recommend adding Zion National Park to your list of future destinations. You won’t be disappointed.
