| Page Views: 1,634 Last Visit to Zion National Park: March, 2007 | Beautiful Zion by kazander - last update: Apr 16, 2007 |
Our 1st stop... | "The Watchman" at the South entrance to Zion |
Zion National Park was our first stop on our "Grand Circle" Tour of Utah. It Is often the first stop on a grand circle tour because of it's close proximity to Las Vegas (only a 3 hour car trip away) It can get quite crowded in the Summertime, but in winter is is relatively quiet. When we went the weather was unseasonably warm, so lots of people were out. Not to mention it was St. Patrick's day weekend and the "gateway" town to Zion, Springdale, has it's big St. Patty's day parade and festivities. By going early in the year, you can drive the scenic road in your own vehicle. During the season, you must take the Zion shuttle, which really isn't as limiting as one might think. The shuttle runs all day and frequently. This keeps traffic to a minimum which keeps you moving and lessens pollution in the park. As I mentioned, the shuttle wasn't running when we were there, and even in winter (though it was 80 degrees!) The parking lots were almost filled to capacity. |
| At the start of Riverside Walk before the Narrows |
|  | Zion is an Oasis in the desert. The Virgin river flows though the park and the Canyons have lush vegetation. There are so many beautiful trails that let you really experience the park. I found that most of the parks in Utah are not "drive by and take a shot out the window" type of places. You really have to get yourself out there and hike to get to see the really amazing things that each park is known for. The most famous of Zions hikes is the Narrows trail. One drawback of going in the wintertime is that this trail is not the best option unless you want frozen feet. It mostly consists of wading through the Virgin river, which is cold, even in summer. Going in Summer when it's over a hundred degrees, I imagine the cool shade of the canyon and the cool water of the virgin is a relief, but in winter when it was about 50 in the shade, we opted to skip it this time. When we return is is a definite! |
| Windswept sandstone on the East Side |
| | In Progress! More to come |
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| Cons: | "not enough time here" | | In A Nutshell: | "We'll be back!" |
kazander's Zion National Park Travel Tips
 kazander's Zion National Park Travelogues | | | |
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 Comments for kazander about Zion National Park | | | | |
Stephen-KarenConn Tue Jun 26, 2007 16:36 UTC
This sparkling page is a delight to read. Great descriptions and photos. I never have liked the taste of coffee, but you even tempt me to try it one more time. | chodearm Tue May 1, 2007 05:34 UTC
That here was my favorite park to date....I think. Thinking back, I have said that about all of 'em. | toonsarah Mon Apr 16, 2007 20:58 UTC
Great start Amy, with wonderful photos - I'll certainly be back to see the rest :) | goingsolo Wed Apr 11, 2007 00:55 UTC
Great photos! Zion is one of my favorites. It was fabulous in winter without the crowds. Can't wait to see your Antelope Canyon page. Didn't know about the change in the parks pass either. Thanks for sharing. |
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