Exploring Zion with Kids

Description:

Bike riders have known about the Pa'rus for years and many walkers staying in the Watchman Campground make use of the trail. You'll find a few spots shaded by cottonwoods, ash, and maples where you can slip into the Virgin River...

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.)

Description:

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:

Some nice shady spots by the river available

Description:

This campsite does not take reservations, and tends to fill up a little bit faster than Watchman Campground; the sites are shadier and a higher percentage of them have river access. The campground provides restrooms, picnic tables, an RV dump, drinking water and utility sites. Three sites are handicapped-accessible. There are no RV hookups. Fees are $16 per night.

Our Local Expert Says:

Simply gorgeous, and at a 1/2 mile roundtrip, so easy for most people.

Description:

No, the rocks aren't sad, although you may have melancholy thoughts if you're there on a crowded summer day! Wrap your mind around these facts: the "weeping" water comes from a spring 100 feet above and took almost 1,000 years to get to where you can see it. Navajo sandstone is fairly porous, allowing the water to travel through over time. Best time of day to go: early morning if you crave peace and quiet. Best time of year to go: spring, when wildflowers are in riotous bloom alongside the trail. Bring a camera with a great macro zoom for your jaunt to Weeping Rock.

Our Local Expert Says:

It's the only quick-grab food available inside Zion's park boundaries

Description:

The Castle Dome Café is the perfect place to grab a snack in the morning before heading out, or on the way back when you need a little something something to tide you over until dinner. Castle Dome Café features great coffee and nibblies, including cinnamon buns and ice cream. Centrally located and easy to get to via the Zion shuttle.

Our Local Expert Says:

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

Description:

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:

Some nice shady spots by the river available

Description:

This campsite does not take reservations, and tends to fill up a little bit faster than Watchman Campground; the sites are shadier and a higher percentage of them have river access. The campground provides restrooms, picnic tables, an RV dump, drinking water and utility sites. Three sites are handicapped-accessible. There are no RV hookups. Fees are $16 per night.

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.)

Description:

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.

Description:

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.

Our Local Expert Says:

Possibly Zion's best hike for younger kids and less ambitious hikers

Description:

Shaded by leafy cottonwood and boxelder trees, this trail is easy with minor drop-offs. Barely a half-mile long, the paved trail takes you to the lower pool and small waterfalls. Super lush and beautiful, the pool is surrounded by blissfully cooling vegetation and even a fine mist from the waterfall.

Our Local Expert Says:

Excellent menu choices for an in-park restaurant

Description:

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.

Our Local Expert Says:

The Zion Shuttle stops right in front of this motel

Description:

Just a 1/2 mile from Zion National Park, and within easy walking distance of Springfield's shops and dining, the Canyon Ranch Motel is a great place to spend your time exploring Utah. Beautiful views greet guests from every window, and rooms have refrigerators or kitchenettes and free Wi-Fi. The free Zion Canyon shuttle also has a stop in front of the motel.

Our Local Expert Says:

Neither fancy nor pricey, it fits the bill for economical travelers who just need a place to lay their heads at night.

Description:

The Terrace Brook Lodge is one mile from the entrance to Zion National Park and a short distance from Springfield's shops and restaurants. The motel features a pool, two barbecue areas and bicycle storage. With spectacular views of Zion Canyon, the motel is a clean, convenient lodging choice for visitors. Bryce Canyon National Park, the north rim of the Grand Canyon and Lake Powell are all excellent day trips from the area.

Description:

Too hot for you during your visit? Head into the cool, dark recesses of the Zion Canyon Theatre and sit back for a mind-blowing experience as you watch a really big movie! Go ahead, bribe your kids with a cool afternoon option if they've been whining all day. It'll be fun and still educational if you catch the always-playing Treasure of the Gods, which is all about the Park itself. Tip: Check the website for specials and deals that might shave a buck or two off the ticket price.

Description:

Do you vacation for relaxation? Or adventure? Both, you say? Then Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort might be just the place for you to stay while vacationing at Zion National Park. Set on a 4,000 acre ranch, amid the stunning Zion Valley, it offers the best in outdoor recreation and upscale luxury. From horseback riding and canyoneering to vacation home rentals and spa treatments, this resort covers it all. The on-site Belly Grill restaurant serves up tasty food daily, and the gorgeous outdoor pool and hot tub are sure to be a hit with swimmers of all ages. There are also basketball, tennis and volleyball courts, as well as a recreation barn and access to rafting, mountain biking, ATV touring and rappelling. For both heart-pumping excitement and blissful relaxation, spend a few nights at the Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort.