Description:
This is the trip to take if you want to backpack for several days, soak in all Zion has to offer, and see few people. Winter is not a good time to do this trek (snow makes areas impassable), nor is the height of summer (VERY hot). Spring and fall are the best times in Zion, but beware flash flood season in the autumnal months and plan accordingly. Being fully prepared for this nearly 50-mile trip will ensure the greatest success in terms of fun. There is one really long day involved, so hikers need to be truly fit and ready for this trip. Not really for beginners, unless they are quite physically fit and accompanied by experienced backpackers! Plan well, get back country permits, and check in with the Kolob Canyons rangers to have a firm idea of what to expect on the trail. See this site for updated trail conditions: http://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/backcountry-trail-conditions.htm. Then get out under the stars and enjoy hiking Zion's best.
View Iternary mapDay Note:
Zion Rock and Mountain Guides are extremely knowledgeable about the area. Check in with them for tips, gear, and shuttle service. Backcountry permit in hand, make sure you check on trail conditions, which are available on the NPS website or by calling the Park. Get up & at 'em early in the day. Start at Lee Pass, in the Kolob Canyon district of Zion, which is a well-marked trailhead about 3.5 miles from the Visitor Center. Enjoy vistas few see as you hike to...read more
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Zion Rock & Mountain Guides
Contact:
- (435) 772-3303
- visit website
Location:
- 1458 Zion Park Blvd.
- PO Box 623
- Springdale,UT84767
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Map
- user rating
Description:
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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Kolob Arch
Contact:
- (435) 772-3256
- visit website
Location:
- Zion National Park
- Zion National Park,UT84767
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Map
- user rating
Description:
Want to see Zion, rather than all the other people who want to see Zion? Head to the "upper" part of the Park, Kolob Canyons, and hike in to see Kolob Arch for yourself. This section is as glorious as the far more visited southern section of Zion, and Kolob Arch offers something better: beauty without all the people. This is a hiker's hike, so be prepared for anything from blisters to tarantulas to raincloud bursts as you explore the trail to one of the Northern Hemisphere's largest freestanding arches. Totally worth the effort if you're prepared.
Day Note:
Today might be your most kick-butt day in terms of miles (16)! You'll head through Hop Vally (some say serene, some say mucked up by cows), hit the Connector Trail and then the Wildcat Canyon Trail. Keep an eye out for golden eagles and bald eagles, among the 290 bird species found in Zion. Camp along the Weest Rim Trail, again in a designated, pre-picked site. Ah, dinner outdoors...yum!
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West Rim
Contact:
Location:
- Zion National Park
- Zion National Park,UT84767
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Map
- user rating
Our Local Expert Says:
Spectacular views from overlooks, deep inside canyons, and sparsely-traveled.
Description:
This is considered the Zion trip if you're a backpacker. You see all the geology Zion offers along the West Rim Trail, as well as all the ecology. Keep your peepers peeled for colorful wildflowers and some of the park's 292 bird species. This is also a shuttle trip, so you either need two cars or, more likely, to hire a shuttle from one of the local guiding companies.
Day Note:
The West Rim Trail is underfoot all day (around 8 miles). The views into the Great West Canyon are superb—make sure your camera has extra batteries. Things to possibly spot anywhere along your hike: mule deer, bobcats, rare species like the peregrine falcon, prickly pear cactus (gorgeous spring blooms, but watch those spines), and tarantulas (nope, not dangerous—just big and hairy). Happily collapse into sleeping bag that night.
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West Rim
Contact:
Location:
- Zion National Park
- Zion National Park,UT84767
-
Map
- user rating
Our Local Expert Says:
Spectacular views from overlooks, deep inside canyons, and sparsely-traveled.
Description:
This is considered the Zion trip if you're a backpacker. You see all the geology Zion offers along the West Rim Trail, as well as all the ecology. Keep your peepers peeled for colorful wildflowers and some of the park's 292 bird species. This is also a shuttle trip, so you either need two cars or, more likely, to hire a shuttle from one of the local guiding companies.
Day Note:
Views from the West Rim Trail are still stunning. You may begin to run into crowds here. If you want to continue on to the East Rim Trail, today's the day, and that means a big push. But the hike can be ended just by dropping down to the Zion valley floor at the Grotto and catching the shuttle to your evening destination. Or you can head on to Echo Canyon (about 10 miles) and camp there. If you decide to finish up here, a good side-trip would be to head out...read more
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West Rim
Contact:
Location:
- Zion National Park
- Zion National Park,UT84767
-
Map
- user rating
Our Local Expert Says:
Spectacular views from overlooks, deep inside canyons, and sparsely-traveled.
Description:
This is considered the Zion trip if you're a backpacker. You see all the geology Zion offers along the West Rim Trail, as well as all the ecology. Keep your peepers peeled for colorful wildflowers and some of the park's 292 bird species. This is also a shuttle trip, so you either need two cars or, more likely, to hire a shuttle from one of the local guiding companies.
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Angels Landing
Contact:
- visit website
Location:
- Zion National Park
- Zion National Park,UT84767
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Map
- user rating
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.
Description:
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!
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Zion Shuttle
Contact:
- (435) 772-3256
- visit website
Location:
- Zion National Park
- Zion National Park,UT84767
-
Map
- user rating
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.
Day Note:
If you head on to the East Rim Trail, you'll have your car waiting for you at the end, because the Zion shuttle doesn't run up here. Drive down to the valley floor, enjoying the views from the east end of the Park. Have a fabulous dinner at the Spotted Dog in Springdale and a good night's sleep at the Red Rock B&B.
- Destination(s): Springdale, Zion National Park
- 4 DAYS
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