Zion has been on my bucket list since I first saw images of the Narrows a couple years back...A couple weekends ago, I finally had the chance to go! IT WAS AMAZIIIIIIING. It was my first time crossing the California border into Utah/Arizona--So stunning! I definitely look forward to checking them out more in the future. Special thanks to the very amazing roommate, Miya, for letting herself be dragged on my countless expeditions recently. You're the greatest, I love you!
Trying out our new tent :) Fun Fact: found a giant ass spider in our tent late at night. Fought the urge to scream. Camping..you are so scary sometimes.
Really, this all started when I randomly saw an opening at Watchman Campground. Those who know me know that I'm generally not a very spontaneous person (me and my calendar are best buds and things need to be planned out in advance), but I was like NATASHA JUST DO IT! STOP BEING LAME and I'm so glad I did!! Hahaha. I also might or might not have gone on a spending-craze and bought a crap ton of new camping equipment ^_^"
Back to Zion...I was honestly so surprised. Zion is really like the Disneyland of all campgrounds. There is a shuttle throughout the whole park, and the campground has running water, flush-able toilets, and a service sink! I felt so spoiled compared to our campsites in Big Sur :P Each campsite has their own table and fire-ring. Everything in the campsite was very well-kept and clean.
Read on for tips, tricks, and other sites to explore near Zion!
Tips & Tricks
1. Rent gear at Zion Outfitters. Make sure to reserve in advance. All the rental places are pretty much the same, but this is the closest to the entrance of the national park. You might not need a full-suit in the summer, but def get the shoes, socks, and hiking stick. They make a world of difference! You can pick up the gear the day before, or go early in the morning to pick it up (via park shuttle).
2. Start early (try to get on the first shuttle) to avoid crowds. You can even get the whole river to yourself--magical
3. Make sure to check the weather before you go. If it's going to rain, don't risk it! Flash floods are the surest way of being killed out there.
4. It will be colder on the canyon floor then the rest of Zion, so bring layers :)
It's the last stop on the shuttle and one of the funnest hikes I've ever been on. There are two ways to do this hike: Top-down (involves canyoneering but you get to check out the Subway) and Bottom-Up.
Bottom-Up is what we did and is most accessible to the public since you don't need a special permit. Depending on the time of year, you might need to rent gear to hike the Narrows (which is really just hiking up-stream a river). Since we went in March, the water was quite cold (37 degrees), so it was really great to have waterproof pants, waterproof shoes, and neoprene socks-- very helpful when you're waist deep in water. The most important part is the walking stick though! If you go early enough, there are some laid out for the public to take :) Just make sure to return it so someone else can use it the next day. You'll be walking on very uneven terrain/rocks, so having the walking stick in front of you will be crucial to you not falling in! I totally pulled a leg muscle, and I suffered for most of this hike...Stubborn me, insisted on going to at least Wall Street.
A Map of the Narrows. We started a little late (2 PM) so we only got as far as Floating Rock.
Since we left a little later (2 PM), we didn't get to go to the very end since we were worried about getting stuck there in the dark, but it was a surreal experience and one I'd highly recommend. There wasn't too many people when we were going up (a lot of people were coming back down), so there were many moments where we had the entire stretch to ourselves. The entire stretch is 4.5 hours, so make sure to allot yourself enough time to get back. Although going back is way easier since you're just going down-stream.
One word of warning: Flash floods are no joke! If it's going to rain, DON'T DO THIS HIKE. Even if it's a slight sprinkling, the water levels can rise in the canyon very fast and you can easily be swept away. Listen to the park shuttle recordings, it's really quite informative, haha!
The view, 1500' high
Tips & Thoughts
1. Water, water, water. Bring more water than you think. Snacks too!
2. Start early, like 7 AM early. The switchbacks are shaded early in the morning. But once you hit 11 AM, you're going to be walking in the heat and man oh man, does that suck. Plus the actual climbing of angel's landing always creates a traffic jam later on in the day.
3. Take it slow and don't be afraid to turn back once you get to Angel's Landing. You are not a scardy-cat for turning around! Also don't be a jerk and try to go around people while climbing, that's how people get hurt!
Wow, this 5 mile hike seriously kicked my ass. If you're taking a shuttle and looking up at all the rock formations around you, and you think to yourself: I'm going to climb that. Yeah, that's exactly what you're doing on this hike. I was extremely unprepared for this hike (DON'T BE ME!) mostly because I didn't know I was going to be doing this hike until I got there.
Back story: Pulled a muscle, was in a lot of pain. I had intended to just walk Miya to the trail head and see her off. It was also our last day there, so I was dressed like I was about to get in an 8 hour drive back home (jeans, long sleeve, and a vest). TMI but I wasn't even wearing a bra! Struggles, but the second I saw the trail I just HAD TO DO IT! I quickly stripped as many layers off as possible once we hit the switchbacks. Phewww, so hot!
Personally, I think the worst part of this hike is the first 4.5 miles just getting up to the Angel's Landing trail. You start off on the West Rim Trail, following up switchbacks (go early in the morning since it will still be in the shade). I had to walk backwards on some portions of this since I am crazily out of shape and was losing my mind. The next hard portion is the Walter's Wiggles, a series of 21 switchbacks that are very tight and gain elevation rapidly. Just get through this portion, and you'll be at Scout Lookout: a good place to chill and enjoy the view before you start the last 1/2 mile on Angel's Landing.
As you can see, Angel's Landing (above) is probably the funnest part of the hike. You'll be free climbing/scrambling over rocks on a path that is 2' wide with 1500' drop on either side of you. There are chains in some areas to assist, but I mostly went without since so many people were holding onto them that the chain kept moving. Make sure to take your time, this isn't the place to rush yourself! If you go early enough in the morning, you can probably avoid the inevitable traffic jam since people are going both ways on this trail. Trust me, the view at the end is worth it.
We also spent a day trip driving to Antelope Canyon! Stay tuned for that blog post :) If you have any questions on anything else in Zion, please do comment below! Overall, it was an amazing trip and highly recommended!
