Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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canyon past hanging gardens. Then head back to the lodge (total time: 2-4 hr.). At the
lodge, stop by the gift shop and perhaps have lunch in the excellent restaurant.
Near the lodge, you'll find the trail head for the
Emerald Pools.
Especially pleasant
on hot days, this hike is discussed below under “Outdoor Pursuits.” If you still have time
and energy, head back to the south park entrance and stop at
Watchman
(east of Watch-
man Campground) for the 2-mile, 2-hour round-trip, moderately strenuous hike to a
plateau with beautiful views of several rock formations and the town of Springdale.
OUTDOOR PURSUITS
Zion offers a wide variety of hiking trails, ranging from easy half-hour walks on paved
paths to grueling overnight hikes over rocky terrain. Hikers with a fear of heights should
be especially careful when choosing trails; many include steep drop-offs.
The
Weeping Rock Trail
, among the park's shortest hikes, is a .5-mile round-trip
walk from the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive to a rock alcove with a spring and hanging
gardens of ferns and wildflowers. Although paved, it's steep and not suitable for wheel-
chairs.
Another short hike, the
Lower Emerald Pools Trail
, is an easy 1-hour walk. If
you want to extend your trip to a moderately strenuous 2-hour hike, you can continue
along the loop. A .6-mile paved path from the Emerald Pools parking area, suitable for
those in wheelchairs with assistance, winds through a forest of oak, maple, fir, and cot-
tonwood to a waterfall, a hanging garden, and the Lower Emerald Pool. From here, a
steeper, rocky trail (not appropriate for wheelchairs) continues past cactus, yucca, and
juniper another .5 mile to Upper Emerald Pool, with another waterfall. A third pool, just
above Lower Emerald Pool, offers impressive reflections of the cliffs. The pools are named
for the green color of the water, which is caused by algae.
A particularly scenic hike is the
Hidden Canyon Trail,
a 2-mile, moderately strenuous
hike that takes about 3 hours. Starting at the Weeping Rock parking area, the trail climbs
800 feet through a narrow water-carved canyon, ending at the canyon's mouth. Those
wanting to extend the hike can go another .6 mile to a small natural arch. Hidden Can-
yon Trail includes long, dizzying drop-offs.
For a strenuous 4-hour, 5-mile hike—one that's definitely not for anyone with even a
mild fear of heights—take the
Angel's Landing Trail
to a summit that offers spec-
tacular views into Zion Canyon. But be prepared: The final .5 mile follows a narrow,
knife-edge trail along a steep ridge, where footing can be slippery even under the best of
circumstances. Support chains have been set along parts of the trail.
Hiking
The Narrows
is not hiking a trail at all. It involves walking or wading
along the bottom of the Virgin River, through a spectacular 1,000-foot-deep chasm that,
at a mere 20 feet wide, definitely lives up to its name. Passing fancifully sculptured sand-
stone arches, hanging gardens, and waterfalls, this moderately strenuous 16-mile one-way
hike can take anywhere from a day up to several days. The Narrows are subject to flash
flooding and can be very treacherous, and park service officials remind hikers that they
are responsible for their own safety and should check on current water conditions and
weather forecasts. This hike is
not
recommended when rain is forecast. Permits are
required for full-day and overnight hikes (check with rangers for details), but are not
needed for short day hikes, which you can begin just beyond the end of the 2-mile
Riv-
erside Walk.
Zion is one of America's few relatively bike-friendly national parks. It permits bikes on
the paved
Pa'rus Trail,
which runs several miles along the Virgin River. Bikes are also
allowed on the park's established roads, except in the Zion-Mt. Carmel tunnel; from
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