Business Travel to Zion: Under Angels Landing

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They'll teach you how to do it and where to do it. Then they'll send you off in the great unknown, complete with gear, knowledge, and the sort of tips only locals can give you. These people know Zion and they know their stuff, and they'll try to impart as much to you as they can. Zion Rock & Mountain Guides offer different packages for different people. They also offer great trips for the whole family and lots of fun kid-specific activities. Book in advance; they're popular and they fill up. Their guides have frighteningly extensive resumes; the real deal adventurers.

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Another great guiding company focusing on Zion, you can also find them offering a WFR course-Wilderness First Responder. Although a bit pricey, their 5-day course is popular for those who don't have the time for the usually longer course. Also try their canyoneering instruction courses. The Zion Adventure guides are really laidback and fun, and their trips are the same. While they have fewer activities than some companies, their narrower focus allows them to truly be experts at what they offer.

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Betcha weren't expecting decent Chinese food while visiting a national park, were you? Luckily, there's Panda Garden to fulfill all your dumpling-related desires. Well-priced Chinese fare and attentive service make this a viable alternative to another steak dinner. You can also order a hearty drink from their full bar.

Our Local Expert Says:

Very pleasant lodging right inside Zion for the ultimate in natural immersion

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Zion Lodge is the most convenient lodging option for visitors who do not plan on spending their nights in tents or RVs. The lodge features log cabins as well as motel rooms, all recently restored to their classic rustic style from the 1920s. Zion Lodge is also home to the Red Rock Grill, where visitors can eat while enjoying fantastic views. The lodge is operated by Xanterra Parks & Resorts. Great views, central location, and nice accommodations make this a good choice for Zion visitors who want to be right inside the Park itself with a modicum of luxury above the campgrounds.

Our Local Expert Says:

This is the way to see Zion during the on season. Save the trees and your sanity—take the shuttle. (You have no choice April-October anyway.)

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This spring-through-fall shuttle is free, green, and friendly to all, from babies to elderly folks to people with bikes. It is the only way to get around when in season, and it even runs to the gateway town of Springdale. The ease and importance of taking the Zion Shuttle can't be emphasized enough. Ride clean! Save the environment! And allow yourself to settle back and enjoy unparalleled views as someone else steers you through Zion National Park. Bikes, strollers, wheelchairs all welcome aboard as well.

Our Local Expert Says:

You can't visit Zion without doing this deservedly classic hike, even if you stop short of the very skinny, very high up final push.

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This is of course the not-to-be-missed hike of Zion. Angels Landing is famous for its views, its drop-offs, and its thigh-blasting climb. It's easy to find a picture spot at the top that makes it look like you're about to step back into sheer nothingness, although you'll be yards away from the edge during your photo shoot. Early mornings and late evenings are best during the blazing and crowded summer months. Remember to seriously check your fear of heights before you tackle this climb; many hikers call it a day at "Chicken-Out Point" (officially Scout Lookout) which still offers nice views without the gut-wrenching proximity of a thousand-foot fall from the aptly-named Angels Landing. Bizarre but true: you can get cell service on top. Please respect your fellow hikers and maintain outdoorsy silence by texting only!

Our Local Expert Says:

Amazing views for such a short hike -- only one mile roundtrip. Great for kids.

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It's short but a bit strenuous, and the views you're rewarded with are fantastic. Great kid hike or for those with less stamina or little time who still want to see Zion's best. Make sure to pick up a trail guide at the hike's start so you can find out all about plants, animals, and geologic features along the way. Have fun checking out the hoodoos close to the top and imagining them to be funky creatures from outer space. At the lookout end of the Canyon Overlook Trail, keep an eye out for bighorn sheep-bring binocs.

Our Local Expert Says:

The most user-accessible trail in Zion, it follows the Virgin River in a leisurely fashion.

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This is your bet if you meet one or all the following criteria: you want to ride a bicycle without getting hit by a car or the shuttle bus. You are pushing a stroller and it does not come equipped with 4-wheel drive. You have a cute lil' pooch (on a leash, of course) who needs to stretch its cute lil' legs. You are in a wheelchair and plan on seeing the best Zion offers. Welcome to the Pa'rus Trail! While some might decry a paved trail in a national park, Zion's rangers long ago saw the need for accessibility by the many different visitors. Bravo to them. Note: be kind to all the different travelers on this trail, and bicyclists please give way to others.

Our Local Expert Says:

Excellent menu choices for an in-park restaurant

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The Red Rock Grill in Zion National Park Lodge will wow you in both surroundings and menu. Look out at the park from the beautiful terrace while dining on carefully cultivated items such as Prickly Pear Trout Salad, Seafood Alfredo, Chipotle Tilapia, and Navajo Eggplant - this is a Zion experience not to be missed. For all those cocktail aficionados out there, you'll love their spirits menu, featuring Nature's Cosmo, the Springdale Mojito, a Blue Moon Margarita, and a delectable treat known as Persephone's Bane, featuring pomegranate juice and light rum.