Zion National Park
We spent our first Spring Break together at Zion National Park! It was such a fun and adventurous getaway! We decided we wanted to camp because we got a tent for our wedding (10 months ago) and we're poor college students so we vacation on a budget. LOL. But man, camping was sooooo fun and so worth it. I would however recommend camping in the warmer months. Our weekend in Zion was chilly, and we got rained and snowed on our last night there. So, I would think May-August would be the perfect time to camp.
Zion Canyon Campground & RV Park
Like I said, we decided we wanted to save some money and camp this go around. We ended up camping at Zion Canyon Campground and RV Park in Springdale, UT. We weren't ready (or prepared) to just camp out in the middle of no where so a camp site was perfect for us! It was nice; bathrooms
(holla), a picnic table, fire pit, small super market across the street, and great view of the mouth of Zion Canyon. It was within walking distances of several restaurants and a 2 minute drive to the entrance of the park too.
Day 1
Day 1 was a short day. We drove down from Provo and got to our camp site at about 4:00 in the afternoon. We set up our tent and then headed into the park to go to our first hike of the trip: Zion Canyon Overlook. After the hike we headed back to our little camp site, made a fire, and cooked up some tinfoil dinners (I may share that VERY SIMPLE recipe on here soon). We had a s'more or two and called it a day.
Canyon Overlook
The first day we hiked Canyon Overlook which is a trail that is famous for some of the most breathtaking shots of Zion Canyon ever photographed. The trail passes through shaded alcoves with ferns and trees, and over bare slickrock, wandering its way to the edge of the impressive cliff that makes up the overlook. It's an easy one mile round trip hike.
We loved this hike! It was actually one of our favorites and the perfect one to start our trip. We hiked it the first day we got there and arrived at the overlook as the sun was going down. It was incredible. We got great shots and views of the canyon and then even better views as the sun was setting. We even spotted a couple doing there wedding pictures there (why didn't we think of that!).
Day 2
This was our longest day. We got up and ate breakfast at a little joint right outside the park in Springdale. We drove into the park and parked our car at the visitors center so we could ride the shuttle futher into the park. We decided to start our hikes towards the back of the canyon and then work our way back to the mouth of the canyon and do some hikes along the way. We ended up doing four hikes this day: The Narrows, Weeping Rock, Hidden Canyon and Emerald Pools.
The Narrows
The Narrows is the most popular hike in Zion National Park, and one of the world's best slot canyon hikes. It is pure fun and can be tailored to suite any ability level. The trail is basically the Virgin River. The canyon is so narrow, the river covers the bottom in many spots, which means you have to wade or swim to hike it.
Our second day was a full day of hiking. We started off with The Narrows, well, the walk that leads to the Narrows. It was a (somewhat) flat and paved trail that winded through the canyon. The tall cliffs on either side would get closer and closer together, hence us walking to the most narrow part of Zion Canyon. The Narrows was our original plan but there was posted signs that notified us that this time of year was prone to flash floods, so we opted out and were satisfied with a view of the entrance of The Narrows.
Weeping Rock
Our second hike of the day was Weeping Rock. Weeping Rock is a very short (1 mile), yet steep hike. The destination of the hike is the moss and fern-covered eave of an overhanging cliff. Dozens of tiny cascades of water drizzle their way over the edge of the precipice, making their way down to the pools of water below.
This was a quick and short hike for us. We were actually surprised at how short it was for such a good view. The dripping water at the top gave the illusion that it was raining which was pretty trippy. We didn't spend much time at the top before heading down and on to the next hike.
Hidden Canyon
Hidden Canyon is a short, but steep hike, hidden away between two mountains. Situated where it is, the trail offers some great views—at an angle not seen from the standard hikes—of Angels Landing, Big Bend, Cable Mountain, etc. The trailhead coincides with the beginning to the Weeping Rock and East rim Trail routes, at the top of the Big Bend. It then climbs up steep switchbacks with some amazingly sheer drop offs. In some places it requires chains driven into the rock for support. It is a great hike, with exciting views and awesome rock formations.
This was probably one of my favorite hikes. It was such a good mix of switch-backs, stairs, climbing, and even chains to help you get around cliffs and ledges. There were different views at each part of the hike that were incredible.
Emerald Pools
Our last hike of the day was the Emerald Pools hikes. Several hiking options were available here, ranging from short and easy to strenuous. All hikes led to sparkling waterfalls and glistening pools. Majestic sights were all along the trails, including views of Lady Mountain, the Great White Throne, Red Arch Mountain and cliffs in all directions.
This hike was a steep climb. I needed my hands free so I could pulled myself up from rock to rock. It was beautiful to see so many pretty sights and see the Lower, Middle and Upper pools. There was lots of people, mostly families with kids yet we managed to get good pictures by the falls with no one in the background. Score!
Day 3
It had rained and snowed on our little tent all night so we woke up to snow on the tops of the _____. We packed up our campsite and drove into the park to catch the shuttle to _______. Here is where we started the hike to Angel's Landing... or I should say, to Scout's Lookout (the lookout right before you start the ascend to the summit of Angel's Landing. After our last hike of our trip we got in the dar and drove straight home to Provo.
Scout's Lookout (Angel's Landing)
Angels Landing is one of the world's most renowned hikes, and is an unforgettable "short" adventure hike worthy of all bucket lists. The views of Zion Canyon's 270 million-year-old rock layers are incredible. Anyone in an average physical condition can make the trek, but it can be mentally challenging with its steep switchbacks and sheer drop-offs. There are chains bolted into the cliff to provide secure handholds. People who have a severe fear of heights should not attempt the final stretch, but can enjoy the trail all the way to Scout Lookout.
Again it had snowed the night before so this trail was pretty wet and muddy to begin with so we didn't even want to think about doing the last mile that would led us to the summit of Angel's Landing. Maybe some other time. This was another one of my favorites hikes though.
I know it sounded like each hike was my favorite, but they were!! They were all so different with unique and beautiful views. It was such a fun weekend and I'm so glad we went! It was especially fun to camp just the two of us and spend some good quality time together. I joked our whole trip because I got Robby's undivided attention 24/7, which I loved. :) There was good views all around. We headed up with sunburned cheeks, sore legs, and lots of pictures (and even more memories). Spring Break 2018 was a hit.
Where did you go for Spring Break and what was your favorite part?
R + M
Here is a helpful guide on how to travel to National Parks and still save money!
