Zion National Park Travel Guide

Trails to the Emerald Pools are some of the most heavily traveled in the park, and not what we’d planned do again but with a heavy weather/flooding threat scratching the itinerary, what the heck: it’s a nice hike.There are three of them: lower, middle and upper, and you can choose to do as as many or few of them as you have time/energy/ability for....

From mid-March to the end of October, shuttles are just about the only traffic on this road winding through the bottom of the canyon. They make nine scheduled stops, and provide audio narration about some of the dramatic formations to be seen along the way: The Sentinel, Court of the Patriarchs, Towers of the Virgin, the Great White Throne, and...

We’ve probably been over this thing four or five times and it never ceases to amaze! Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway (also Highway 9) was an engineering miracle when it was built in 1927-1930, and is the high-drama route for entering/exiting the park. You’re most likely to travel this way if coming from or going to Page, Kanab, Bryce, Grand Canyon North...

(I forgot to take photos of these, sorry, so here's a shot of the red rocks which tower near the lodge)National Park grub is often sort of expensive and nothing to write home about but that's OK 'cause it's not why you're there, right?There are only two places to eat inside the Zion N.P, and both of them are at Zion Lodge. On trip #1, we tried both...

After a long, hot day of outdoor activities, we were looking forward to a nice lunch at the Zion Lodge. However, we were sadly disappointed to find out that the two items Hal and I were considering ordering were all out - the BLT and another kind of sandwich (don't recall which now) ran out. Ultimately, I went with the soup and half sandwich...

A great experience dinning there... there is 3 lounges.. one on the back yard, the main where you order with tables and stools and the best outside lookingat the boulevard, nice shelter terrace shape. the pizza is large and really good after a long day hiking or just driving.. its 4 min away from the main campground towards Springdale on the right...

Zion has a marvelous climate in spring. It's warm and sunny during the day but cools off perfectly in the evening. This is perfect for sleeping but also for having a few beers around camp. You can wear shorts but you'll need your fleece to stay warm. We liked to buy local beers at the grocery store and enjoy them outside. This allows you to enjoy...

In the evenings, park rangers host programs in the campground ampitheatres. The topics vary, but the lecture programs provide information concerning the park's history, plant and animal life and geology.

Zion is a mighty busy place during the warmer months; so busy that traffic and parking eventually became a real headache, and they had to find a way to make accessing the park a lot easier for all concerned. That answer was the Springdale and Zion Canyon free shuttle service. Zion Canyon Scenic Drive is off limits to personal vehicles from about...

There are two great shuttle bus services that are free. One shuttle bus drives up and down the main road from the park gates to the far end of Springdale. The second shuttle bus drives up and down the Zion Gorge between the park gates and the end of the gorge. Both shuttle buses stop frequently at hotels, RV Parks, restaurants, points of interest,...

There are two shuttle systems that serve Zion National Park. One runs between the town of Springdale (with several stops at various motels) and the park. The second shuttle system runs from the Visitors Center down the Zion Canyon Scenic Route. Shuttles run often and you can get on and off as often as you wish. They are the only way to tour the...

Visit the Zion Canyon’s Visitor Bureau Web site for a list of galleries, gift shops, bookstores, markets and rock shops. If you enjoy photography be sure to check out the Fatali Gallery, Photography of the Southwest, his work is outstanding. The gallery is open daily 4:00 P.M. to 10:00 P.M. Other times are by appointment only. The phone number of...

Asia to Zion is a unique shop that carries everything from imported items such as Asian Buddhas, to Zion National Park souvenirs. Open seven days a week this is a good place to purchase a gift for someone back home, or something special for yourself. I purchased a wonderful incense burner, two packages of incense, and a small shoulder...

The Worthington Gallery features a variety of artists, including wind sculptures, metal sculptures, paintings, pottery, and other items. If you visit their online store, you can view a number of the artists who are displayed in the shop, and see some of their work. As is all artwork in galleries, the items are expensive, but there are a number of...

Zion is one of a few parks which are relatively easy to access on foot or bike from a gateway town - which is great but can cause some confusion for groups arriving by car and sharing a vehicle entry pass. The scenarios are this:1. Say you are a group of 4 adults on a weekend camping trip at one of the park’s campgrounds. You arrive, all together,...

Showers are wonderful things and when camping for a few days and doing some fairly strenuous hikes, they become even more so. The campgrounds in Zion National Park do no offer showers but in nearby Springdale there are facilities that do. The visitor center can provide the exact locations of current businesses offering them. One was a climber's...

The very cool and rustic Zion Lodge is worth checking out in its own right but another bonus was free Internet. It's not advertised as generally for people staying in the hotel but they don't seem to mind anyone using it. They are in the lobby in a small cubby hole. You have to queue up and you can only stay on for ten or fifteen minutes if there...

I mentioned how important it was to check the forecast in my Narrows page but there’s nothing like a few visual aids?During this second trip, the region was hit with a record-books storm that turned the gentle, blue-green Virgin in my Riverside Walk review into the flooded, muddy, log-filled torrent you see here. It rose very, very quickly, and...

While flash floods and falls are the biggest concerns at Zion, nasty weather can cause a few challenges as well:• Even a light rain can make rocky trails very slippery• A heavy rain can wash away sections of a trail completely or make them unstable• High, exposed places - such as the rim trails - are bad places to be in a lighting storm• Dirt-road...

While the Zion-Mt Carmel Highway through the east entrance is drop-dead gorgeous, long delays may be experienced due to the 1.1-mile tunnel (built in 1920's) which is not wide enough for more than one large vehicle at a time. RVs or vehicles larger than 7'10" wide and/or 11' 4" high must pay an addtional $15 entry fee (good for a return trip) for...

A slug of little items make the hikes better, and does not detract form continuing the hike without troubles.

To do the West Rim Trail as an overnight trip you'll need a backpack. Sturdy hiking boots are a must and good socks, something people skimp on. Liner socks save you from blisters and if you haven't tried them you should. Sun screen is king at sunny Zion. Wide angle, Zion is BIG. Zoom for animal shots and flowers. Polarizer for mid-day shooting...

*Water shoes. Essential. You'll be spending 17 miles in the water, you want protection. Some can do with just tennis shoes, but I recommend renting some heavy-duty boots before going.*A hat. The sun overhead, however brief, can be brutal. Shade is also hard to come by. *Waterproof socks. To go with your shoes. *Sunscreen and insect repellent....

Snow Canyon State Park is located northwest of St. George, Utah, and about 53 miles from Zion. This park features interesting, and beautiful red Navajo sandstone formations, some which are capped by an overlay of black lava rock. Hiking along the trails within the park may be enjoyed year round; however early spring and fall are particularly...

A little over 80 miles north east of Zion is Bryce Canyon National Park. Here you will see some awe-inspiring landscapes. Hoodoos, pillar of rocks that have been formed by erosion rise skyward in fantastic shapes. Many of these are a beautiful red color and cover the landscape for miles. If you only drive over to Bryce for the day take the scenic...

The Wild West is synonymous with Ghost Towns and Zion has one, conveniently a short drive away. Grafton traces its origin to 1859 when its fertile surroundings gave birth to a cotton industry despite local Indian attacks. It seems the Indians liked the place too and for good reason; it's a gorgeous area with a good water source. Evidently the...

The east rim trail is a total of 10.8 miles long. It starts from the east entrance of the park and winds down to the canyon floor. There is no shuttle that takes you to the east entrance. So to do this hike you have to arrange transportation to the trail head. When I did it we had two cars but we opted to just do an in and out hike of the first 2...

The only access to the Northgate Peaks Trail is by the Wildcat Canyon Trail. It is an in and out trail a little more than 2 miles round trip. The trail is relatively flat and a very enjoyable hike. The beautiful pines and cooler temperatures makes this a very good late spring or summer hike.The trail ends at a point that over looks the Northgate...

This trail is in the northwest part of the park well above the canyon floor. The scenery is completely different from what people expect at Zion National Park. High grasslands and pondarosa pines scattered along the trail makes this area of Zion one of my favorites.Wildcat Canyon rail is 6 miles long. The trail head is at a hairpin turn on Kolob...

They go about their usual daily life. in spite of tourists gawking and looking at them. the animals seemundeterred and go on looking for food and rest.

Springdale is a tiny little town with about 300 residents, which sits, in a spectacular, scenic setting. Because of its location at the entrance of Zion National Park, the town is supported by tourism. Springdale has a number of accommodations and shops for tourists, and a Giant Screen IMAX theater. This theater is 6 stories high with an 82- foot...

Zion means sanctuary and peace. These are things I routinely feel every time I visit Zion's canyon. It is a refuge from the world, spend even a day here and the cares of the world disappear. I have camped, hiked and played here and felt like it was my own private park. Even during the heat of the summer crowds I have found quiet and peace off the...