Zion National Park has been on our list for quite some time, and it did NOT disappoint! The park itself is absolutely stunning, it offers some of my all time favorite hikes ever, and the surrounding towns are so stinkin' cute! Check out all of our recommendations below :)
Hiking The Narrows & Angels Landing
• The Narrows: This was one of my all time favorite hikes I've ever done! Not only was the canyon absolutely stunning, but it was so fun hiking through the river! To get to The Narrows you'll want to take the Zion bus shuttle all the way to the last stop (Temple of Sinawava), and from there you will follow signs to the Narrows. You'll walk alongside the river for about a mile before you reach where the Narrows hike actually begins in the water.
The good thing about hiking the Narrows is it's out and back, so you can choose how far to go. The furthest you can hike without a permit is Big Spring, which is about 10 miles round trip. We were planning to hike all the way there, but sadly ran out of time. We ended up hiking about 3 miles in, just past Wall street. I've heard Big Spring is incredible, so definitely hike it if you have the time and energy. But if not, we absolutely loved our hike to Wall Street and back. It ended up being just over 6 miles round trip, including the river walk, and took us about 4 hours.
I absolutely recommend renting some gear from Zion Outfitter (located just outside of the south park entrance) for your hike. We rented the "summer package" which included neoprene socks, boots, and. hiking poles. It definitely came in handy with the slippery rocks & cold water.
• Angels Landing: So I was actually too scared to do Angels Landing, but Luke did it solo and said it was the COOLEST hike with UNREAL views. He did it in about 1 and 1/2 hours, but he was booking it past a few people on the switchbacks (google recommends about 3 hours to do the hike). If you're SUPER afraid of heights, like myself, I would recommend maybe just doing the first part of the hike until you reach the ACTUAL Angels Landing. You still get to experience the amazing views and switchbacks, but you don't have to hike the super narrow parts of the trail with drop offs on both sides. But if you're a dare devil, GO FOR IT!
The total hike is 4.8 miles out and back, and totally a bucket list hike for many! While we were visiting anyone was able to do the hike, but starting in April 2022 they will require a permit to avoid congestion. They will have a seasonal lottery (that opens a few months prior to your visit) or a day before lottery! You can click here for more details & to apply for a permit!
Places To Eat
• Bit & Spur ($$): We were actually planning to eat somewhere else for dinner, but our host recommended Bit & Spur to us instead. Thank goodness she did because it was the most DELICIOUS Mexican cantina, with such a fun atmosphere too!! Their drinks were so freaking tasty (fresh fruit margarita is a must), the guac was 10/10, and our meals were just what we needed after a long day of hiking & traveling.
• Oscar's Cafe ($): We actually received a complimentary breakfast at Oscar's Cafe with our stay at Red Rock Inn, and it was SO good. We both got some coffee & french toast, and we were not disappointed. We both had food left on our plates too, that's how big the portions were! It was the perfect hearty breakfast before a day of hiking.
Where To Stay
• Red Rock Inn ($$): Y'all, I truly cannot recommend this cute little inn enough! Not only was it so adorable and the perfect location (less than a mile from the south entrance) but Sharon, the owner, was SO helpful. She gave us food recommendations, local tips for hiking in Zion, and she even upgraded us to her favorite cottage since it was available. They also have a hot tub with INCREDIBLE views. We got lucky with our dates & availability, because it definitely books up quickly during busy season. So try to snag this cute little spot while you can!
• East Zion Resort ($$): East Zion Resort is located about 20 minutes from the East entrance of Zion, 1 hour from the South entrance of Zion, (but you drive through the park to get there; aka beautiful views) and 1 hour from Bryce Canyon! We stayed in one of their Hillside Treehouses for a night and it was SO awesome! If you decide to stay at East Zion I would definitely recommend grilling out for dinner, watching the sunset, building a fire, and just soaking up the amazing views.
• Zion A-Frame ($$$): If you want an INSANELY cool glamping experience, you may want to check out this A-Frame on airbnb. It is located about an hour from Zion National Park, but the drive seems to be well worth it based on these photos. There's a hot tub, grill, insane views, fire pit, and so much more. I mean who doesn't want a romantic night under the stars, with a view of Zion?!
Additional Tips
Skip the early wake up call: Before going to Zion, everyone told us to make sure and get to the parking lot by 6 am to be on the FIRST shuttle of the day. Well the lady who owned our hotel said do the OPPOSITE. She said everyone does that, making it actually really busy at that time. She told us to sleep in, go get a good breakfast, and start our day in Zion around 10 am. We did exactly that and had zero issues! In fact most of the trails get less busy as the day goes on because so many people go early! She told us that prime time for Angels Landing is around 3 or 4 pm when it's not crowded and you start getting some shade on your hike! So if you enjoy your sleep like I do, skip the early wake up call ;)
I hope you have so much fun exploring the beautiful Zion National Park! While you're in the area, be sure to check out Bryce Canyon National Park as well OR head on down to some of the beautiful spots in Arizona! Feel free to DM or email me any questions, and tag me in your pics if you do anything from our itinerary!
Xo,
Blaire
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