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Writer's pictureGeorge Torres
May 28, 202111 min read

Trip to Utah, Zion National Park

Updated: Jun 3, 2021





I am no-expert on ZION NATIONAL PARK but as many others was nervous and intimidated by the amount of information out there and where to begin. You will not go wrong with planning around the Narrows and Angel's Landing but there are so many more trails available to explore. I wanted a month before to book our hotel and flights but the sooner you book the cheaper the cost and more availability of hotels. There are many cities you can choose like Washington, Hurricane, La Verkin just to name a few. You can stay in Springdale which is in Zion but may cost a little more.


Below is my itinerary as reference to help on planning your trip.

 

Day 1 (TRAVELING, VALLEY OF THE FIRE, ZION NATIONAL PARK) - Flew Spirit Airlines for the best cost and non-stop flight to Las Vegas which is about 2 hours away from ZION. You can fly into St. George Airport but limited flights and cost more. Salt Lake City is another option but about 4 hours away from ZION.

Arrived in Vegas around 9am and picked up Rental Car which was a Jeep Rubicon from NU CAR. Visited some of the Vegas strip, went to the Cosmo and tried to get breakfast but all locations were crowded (i.e. Egg Slut and Batch 16).

.......tried to get breakfast in Vegas that did not happen...😂


We planned in advance to visit VALLEY OF THE FIRE STATE PARK, but was also considering RED ROCK STATE PARK in Nevada. Both of these were on the way towards ZION NATIONAL PARK and wanted to get a quick hike in before the big park. VALLEY OF THE FIRE State Park was about $15 entry per car (Out of State) visitors. I researched this park here are some best spots to visit: White Domes Loop, Rainbow Vista Trail, Prospect Trail, Elephant Rock Loop & 7 Sisters.


VALLEY OF THE FIRE STATE PARK


After 2 hours made our way to ZION in advanced to purchase 7-day Park Pass for $35 and rented water gear at ZION OUTFITTERS which included water boots, socks and wooden pole the night before. There are waders available for rent as well but if the water is too high it will get into your waders. While at ZION Visitors Center, the closest trails are The Watchman (moderate) and Pa’rus Trial (easy).



ZION NATIONAL PARK (SOUTH ENTRANCE)



THE WATCHMAN TRAIL

Finished the hikes around 7pm-ish. Afterward, had dinner at Oscars, line was long, food was great. I had the smoked pork burritos, chip with salsa and fresh guacamole. My Son had bacon burger with homemade fries which he enjoyed.

Then made our way back to Hotel in Washington. Utah about 45 mins away. Other places to stay are close to ZION but need to book month in advance or Hurricane or La Veque. MY SON COULD NOT BELIEVE NO CHIPS AND QUESO ANYWHERE!!!


 

Day 2 (THE NARROWS) - There are 3 Narrows hikes:

  1. Bottom-Up Zion Narrows Day Hike – Hike in and out from the Temple of Sinawava via the Riverside Walk to Wall Street and back.

  2. Top-Down Zion Narrows Day Hike (One Day) - Hike the entirety of the canyon (17 miles) in one day from Chamberlain’s Ranch. Shuttle and permit required.

  3. Top-Down Zion Narrows Backpacking Trip (Overnight) - A more leisurely way to hike, enjoy, photograph, and explore. Depart from Chamberlain’s Ranch. Shuttle and permit required.


Get Familiar with the Understanding The Narrows Flow Rate Conditions. This will affect if you can or cannot access the area depending on the time of year and water flow.

Most research indicates to enjoy your hike plan and start early before 7am on the trail if possible. Due to COVID the ZION Shuttle (runs about $2 per person and Non-Transferrable) was limited to 14 and 19 people per shuttle so booked extremely fast. There are other shuttles like Red Rock and Zion Guru shuttles and run between $35-$40 but not a jump on. Jump off type of shuttle. They drop off at a designation spot and pick up at that spot but I think you could possible jump on somewhere else if you wanted to hike to another location. We were on the Narrows trail @ 6:50 am with little to no crowd and their is a paved walk way with brick wall that will lead you to Temple of Sinawava which is the beginnings of the Bottom-up Narrows Trail. Pictures do not do this place justice it is something you must see to believe and the sounds of nature and the clean fresh air are breath taking. Note this is a 6-8 mile hike which is moderate to hard at times and you WILL get wet, anywhere from ankle to shoulder height, it will just depend how far you go and the time of the year. As you hike on the trail you will be stepping 90% on rocks the entire time with a few areas clear of rocks. Watch for sections with streams as those areas are harder to see to place proper footing, your pole is your friend. On the way back, the crowds picked up and made it more challenging getting back trying to dodge people and working the ebb and flow of the traffic. People forget that the hikers on the way back have the right of way.

I did see some people attempting to hike with flip-flops, Crocs, sandals and barefoot which I would not suggest since I heard some tour guides mention broken and stained ankles are common every day.

Once we made it back we dropped off our gear around 1:30-2 pm. Had a late lunch at Cafe Soleil, my son had the Pepperoni Pizza and I had the Chicken-Parmesan panini with a side house salad and house ice coffee. Service was good and food hit the spot. After lunch we drove thru the park and went to the East side through the the tunnel to see the other side and what a view up the mountain.


TEMPLE OF SINAWAVA (ENTRANCE TO THE NARROWS)

BEGINNING OF THE NARROWS



...... go left at the Fork....(per Marc Chrusch Left, which is the Virgin River. The right branch is Orderville Canyon. You’re not supposed to go beyond the waterfall which isn’t that far up canyon from the junction with the Narrows.)



 

Day 3 (BELLY OF THE DRAGON, KANAB PEEK-A-BOO SLOT CANYON) - Towards the end of Day 2, I tweaked my knee trying to get around people so thought a simpler hike day would be better to give my knee some rest. We had a couple choices, such as Bryce Canyon State Park, Kanarra Creek Trail and Kanab but they are in different directions so plan accordingly and check to see what tours are available. I planned this day to visit the Kanab area and took the path that took us through ZION NATIONAL PARK which offers great views. First on our stop was something I heard called BELLY OF THE DRAGON which is not crowded and on our way towards Kanab. You can spend about 30 minutes to an hour and walk through the tunnel and towards the end. It is a very short hike.


BELLY OF THE DRAGON


After BELLY OF THE DRAGON, I wanted to visit KANAB PEEK-A-BOO SLOT CANYON which is about 30 to 40 minutes away. They are a couple other smaller parks to visit along the way but PEEK-A-BOO SLOT CANYON was on our list. NOTE: Please download a map or GPS tool to help you navigate because you can get lost and MUST have a 4-wheel drive vehicle or you can get stuck with the fine sand on your way to the canyon.


KANAB PEEK-A-BOO SLOT CANYON


We spent about 2-3 hours then made our way back to ZION to rent e-bikes. Note the e-bikes are very popular and can book weeks in advance so plan early. We used ZION Outfitters and the average daily rental is about $95 per day no matter when you pick them up, early in the morning or after lunch time. NOTE: These are NOT Scooters they are pedal-assisted e-bikes so you will pedal but have some assistance to get started. You must STOP when the main ZION Shuttle passes so be aware of your surroundings.


Finish up with an early dinner at Bit and Spur Restaurant which has a very eclectic and interesting menu with something for everyone.



 

Day 4 (ANGELS LANDING) - One of the highlights of our trips and a must-do when you visit ZION. There are many discussions about the safety of this hike and it is not too hard but if you have a fear of heights, high anxiety, nervous around people then I would caution you against attempting to do this. You can hike to the first major landing spot called Scouts Landing and views are amazing from there. Afterward, that is when the chains towards Angel Landing begin on the .05 mile hike. Be confident in your footing and have good hiking shoes which I highly suggest although I did see some people with flip flops and tennis shoes so apparently it can be done. Slow and steady get you there and many people are accommodating but middle of the day gets pretty hectic trying to maneuver around people. Going up was breath taking and not many problems but after we made it to the top my knee acted up again and it was pretty challenging to get back down but we did top to bottom under 4 hours.


ANGELS LANDING

GROTTO TRAILHEAD


WALTERS WIGGLES

THE SPINE (HOGBACK)


ANGELS LANDING SUMMIT

Decided after Angels Landing to rent e-bikes which are the biggest trend around the park and run about $95/day/person. NOTE these are peddle assisted bikes NOT scooters so you must peddle but get assistance from the battery pack on the bike. You will get a workout. 😂


Finished up with late lunch at Whiptail Grill with homemade beer and flavorful menu. Try the Poblano Pepper Appetizer and the Local beer.

We drove back to Washington, Utah where we stayed for the trip about 40 minutes away and booked a Sunset UTV tour through UTV Adventure Tours. (utvadventuretours.com) and our guide as Brad. Fun time and we drove for about 3 hours in an out of the dunes in Washington, Utah. Great fun time but if you have a fear of driving fast or up steep hills this may not be for you.


Day 5 - We went back to ZION to check out some last minute items like Canyon Overlook and Emerald Pools. Afterward, headed to Vegas to spend a day the and take in the sites since my son has never been to that area.

There is so much to do in Vegas for teens that it can be overwhelming so here are some of the things we did but there is much more like Hoover Dam, Grand Canyon. etc.


First we visited the Vegas Strip to see all the shops and hotels and weather was perfect to ride with the top of on the Jeep we rented.

After driving around town we visited the Strat (previously called the Stratosphere) to visit the top of the structure to see all of the city. The rides don't open until 2 pm so please keep that in mind. Cost for a viewing ticket is about $20 and you can upgrade to rides anytime and ticket is good till midnight that day.

Afterwards may son want something fun to do and we were thinking about AREA 15 indoor immersive playground or KISS Mini-Glow in the Dark Golf. We decided on the KISS Golf but if you do decide AREA 15, check for coupons on-line. The golf is fun and in the Rio Hotel, its an older hotel so not a lot of traffic. Fun time and extremely affordable.


Went back to the COSMO to rest for a couple hours before dinner and our late night Vegas Helicopter ride. Had dinner at the hotel at Scarpetta, which is an excellent meal and great service and attentive to our time for our ride that evening.

We booked our Helicopter ride with MAVERIK Tours and they picked us up at the hotel and dropped us off afterward. I was amazed the amount of people at the site for being late at night. Ride is great for kids and adults. Cost ranges about $80 per person for 20 minute ride at night.

Got back in time for a late night drink at the Chandelier Bar and I have heard so much about this cocktail called the Verbena I have to try it. I have been told this is truly a 'cocktail experience' and it is not on the menu so you need to know about this drink before ordering it. It is similar to a margarita.

I was told by the bartender that you first sip the drink to get a baseline. Then you take the Szechuan Buzz Button, chew on it for 20-30 seconds then swallow. Afterward you take another sip of the drink and your mouth will have this numbing tingling sensation and then a flavor explosion different from the original sip. As you continue drinking the flavors will become more intense.

Day 6 - Got breakfast at Egg Slut which is a must and made our way to the airport. Great trip and will look to do it again.


Hope this helps with your planning and if you like more info drop me a note.


TIPS AND TRICKS:

Apps:

  • AllTrails, Hike, Bike and Run

  • Expedia

  • Spirit Airlines


For iPhone Users:

  • Helpful trick: In Maps create a plot map for all the sites and location you want to visit so you can see everything in one place. This was extremely helpful for quick picks and getting directions to the sites.


ZION SHUTTLE SERVICES:


Products purchased for trips:


Shoes/Boots:


I did a bunch of research and purchased several pairs to wear for a couple days to test and make sure they were comfortable. I tried HOKA, Columbia, NorthFace, Salomon.


Other products tested:


NOTE: I am not making any recommendations or endorsements for any products mentioned in this blog. Just for reference only. When in doubt please practice safety.



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