"Fall Colours and Waterfalls at Zion NP " a Zion National Park Travel Page by windsorgirl

Apparantly seeing waterfalls at Zion NP is a rare and lucky event. We visited Zion National Park after the area's worst storm in 20 years had lingered over southern Utah for the last 3 days. For such a dry region, you can imagine the effect that this rainfall had on Zion Canyon. The Virgin River was running very high and fast and countless waterfalls appeared throughout the park cascading over the colourful sandstone cliffs, for which Zion is famous.

We noticed many of these falls on our drive along the Zion/Mt. Carmel Highway in the eastern section of the park. On several hikes, we were able to get up close and even walk beneath the falls as pictured here, on the hike to the Emerald Pools. In the photo you can plainly see the two lower waterfalls, but if you look up to the right you will see a third waterfall emerging from the cliff face.

Zion Canyon was sculpted by the powerful Virgin River and it's canyon walls rise up 2000 ft in colours of red, orange, and yellow. These cliffs are amongst the highest in the world.

Last Stop on Our Tour of Southwestern USA

We spent the last two nights of our 16 day tour of Southwestern USA here before driving back to Vegas for our return flight home. We even made a daytrip to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon from here.

Zion National Park is one of the most popular parks in southern Utah. It is located only 158 miles from Las Vegas and 86 miles from Bryce Canyon NP. The cost of admission is $20/vehicle or you can purchase a National Park Pass which is good for a year and allows entrance to all of the country's National Parks.

Zion has a wonderful shuttle service that delivers you to the trailheads of all the excellent hikes in the park. Many of the hikes are paved and are very well maintained. Bring lots of film for this park is a photographer's dream.

You should plan to spend 2 nights in nearby Springdale so that you have at least one full day to explore the park.