Two nights camping in Zion National Park

With five national parks and six national forests to its name, there’s no wonder Utah offers an unforgettable experience.  One of those national parks is Zion, home to imposing mountains, a picturesque desert landscape and an abundance of red rock formations.  It was to become home for two nights as a stopover before continuing my journey east.

Zion National Park

The park, which may strike you at first as a parched desert wasteland is no such thing.  To the north, rain-waters from the 11,000ft Colorado plateau speed their way downhill towards an area called the Grand Staircase. The staircase comprises of Bryce Canyon at the top followed by Zion and finishing with the Grand Canyon at the base.  Many years before the present day landscape, streams, oceans, deserts and even volcanoes left behind thousands of feet of mud, sand, lime and ash.  Over the years the immense pressures converted the lower layers to stone.  Underground energy then forced the layers upwards to form the plateau. Over time the effects of rain eroded the layers, until tiny cracks became the colossal canyons of Zion National Park.

Zion’s elevation reaches from 3,600 to 8,700 feet creating a rich biodiversity within rim, canyon and river ecosystems.  Along with many other species of animals and plants In the park can be found peregrine falcons, mountain lions, canyon tree frogs, hummingbirds, elk, mule deer, cottonwood and ash trees, marmots, rare black bear, several species of snake and the elusive Zion snail which can only be found here.

South Campground

The South campground works on a first come first served basis and although suggestions are it can fill up early in the day; this didn’t seem to be the case during my stay.  The campground is conveniently located just inside the park, next to a courtesy shuttle bus station. At $16 per site each night, it makes for an affordable way to stay in a beautiful National Park. The sites are very spacious and with a tent rather than an RV, there’s room to spare. The campground offers limited amenities of restrooms, picnic tables, fire grates, RV dump stations and drinking water. If you’re staying in a tent, be prepared to go without a shower unless you’re willing to jump in the frigid Virgin River to freshen up after a day of hiking.

Entrance Fees - Click here to view

Private Vehicle/RVs $25 per vehicle for a 7 day pass.
Pedestrian/Bicycle/motorcycle $24 per person for a 7 day pass (not to exceed $25 per family.

Zion Canyon Shuttle

With only one and a half days to spend in the park, we weren’t going to have time to hike all the main trails listed on the free trail map. Instead we opted to pursue just a few of them with the knowledge we’d return someday to do the rest.

The easiest and most accessible way to reach many of the park trailheads is to ride the Zion Canyon Shuttle which operates frequently throughout the day. The narrated round trip will take approximately ninety minutes and offers magnificent views of the surrounding terrain through the large windows and the open sunroof sections. Get on or off at any of the stops, hike and then jump back on the bus to take you to the next stop of your choice. The best part, the shuttle is free and the last one runs at 10:00pm.

Riverside Walk

This was my first hike or really what I would call a relaxing walk. This is certainly not strenuous as demonstrated by its family oriented popularity and ease of access for all ages. The hike follows the Virgin River, ending at the rivers edge and the launching off point for the narrows hike. The hike is listed as an easy 2 miles with an elevation gain of fifty-seven feet. To walk to the end and back should take approximately 1.5hrs although this would be at a very relaxed pace in my opinion.  There’s plenty of shade amongst the trees and its worth bringing footwear you can use in the water for some wading fun. I spotted a rattle snake right next to the trail so be careful.Shuttle stop: Temple of Sinawava

Weeping Rock Trail

The second hike of the afternoon and again this one is easy. The path is a little steep, but for most people it will do no more than raise your heartbeat a little.  At the end of the short .5 mile path you’ll discover the dripping spring water continually dripping overhead. It offers a nice opportunity to cool off in the shade from the heat.Shuttle stop:  Weeping Rock

Watchman Trail

Getting up early from a nights sleep in a tent is always easy, so we opted to get out on this hike first thing in the morning. It was worth it! The hike starts near the Zion Canyon Visitor center, crosses the road and then snakes its way up and around the mountain.   Gorgeous views of lower Zion Canyon and West Temple can be found from the top. It can get hot on this particular hike with little shade so do this one early and bring sun protection.

The hike is a moderate 2.7 miles with an elevation gain of 368 feet. It will take roughly 2 hours round trip  depending on how long you plan to enjoy the view.  Falcons enjoy soaring on the thermals here and several species of flowers and cacti grow on the steep rocky slopes. Its quite a humbling experience to sit atop a mountain with the wind gently whispering, the only sound to break the silence amongst the vastness of the area.  The original native American settlers in the area of Zion must have worshipped and adored this place.

Emerald pools

The second hike of the day involved a series of three emerald pools which can be completed as a roundtrip hike. I found them to be well worth the time and effort with beautiful views of the surrounding sheer cliff faces and colored rock formations. The pools are a popular hike with many people although this does not detract from the enjoyment.Shuttle stop: Zion Lodge

Lower Emerald Pool Trail - Click here to open

This is an easy 1.2 mile roundtrip hike with only a sixty-nine foot elevation gain on a paved trail which leads to the pool. There’s always a waterfall here cascading down from the middle pool although at certain times of the year it will only produce a misty trickle. The trail to the middle pool continues behind the water.

Middle Emerald Pool Trail - Click here to open

The second in the series of emerald pools is listed as a moderate 1 mile one-way trip with an elevation gain of 150 foot. The climb to this pool will involve some clambering over rocks and boulders, but a basic level of fitness and steady footing is all that’s required to get to it. The view from the middle pool is very picturesque and it’s tempting to get near the edge of the waterfall, but be warned deaths have occurred here as the wet stone and loose sand are very slippery. There’s a safety chain and low water level so exercising caution is all you need. Don’t be put off!

Upper Emerald Pool Trail - Click here to open

The last .5 mile, 200 foot elevation gain to the upper pool is not shaded and can get quite hot so take sun protection with you. Even though the trail is sandy and rocky in places it’s not very strenuous. I do think the heat on this section makes it more challenging than other sections. The end of this trail will take you to the base of the sheer cliffs, which offer a natural amphitheatre. Depending on the time of year this waterfall can either be flowing well or trickling. There’s ample shade and it provides a nice spot for lunch, just watch out for the cheeky squirrels who will hear a food bag rustle no matter how quiet you try to be.

Court of the Patriarchs

A very short walk of 100 yards from the roadside will bring you to a viewing area where you can take photos of the Sentinel and the Three Patriarchs formations.

The path here is steep, but shouldn’t pose any problems to anyone.

This spot will perhaps only take up about fifteen to twenty minutes in total, but it’s still worth getting off the bus for. Remember the buses are frequent so it won’t hurt to take a look.

Pa’rus Trail

This trail can be picked up near the Court of the Patriarchs and leads back to the south Campground. It’s an easy paved road which crosses the river several times and is a nice peaceful trail suitable for families, bikes  and is the only dog trail in the park. The hike is 1.7 miles from Canyon Junction to the campground and served as our last trail of the day.

Cooling off

Returning back to the campground without being able to shower was a shame, but after jumping into the Virgin River we quickly cooled off and felt refreshed. The waters here are very cold but there’s a soothing relaxing feeling that washes over you as you absorb the beauty of your surroundings and recount the days hiking.

Zion resources

There are a number of websites offering in depth details about Zion.  Here are a couple you might like to check out.

http://www.zionnational-park.com/
http://gocalifornia.about.com/library/weekly/aaziona.htm

Alternatively you might want to consider ZionQuest, a downloadable application for use with the Iphone or Itouch.  Watch the video below for more information.