Zion National Park is one of the most sought-after gems in the US for any outdoor enthusiast, and for a good reason. The park includes nature spectacles not seen anywhere else, including the two we had the opportunity to visit: Angels Landing and Zion Canyon Narrows. Coming from the PNW, we decided to travel to the beautiful state of Utah via car in May of 2021. This was both the most flexible and viable option for the requirements of our trip, seeing as we wanted to explore the entirety of the state during our stay and had flexibility in our schedules to do so. This trip was a hybrid between staying in Airbnb’s and camping.
Day 1: Driving from WA to UT
With so many amazing stops on the way the trip took us an estimated 24 hours. One of the spontaneous detours we took included Antelope State Park near Salt Lake City. It’s a wonderful island located about 20 min from the city with wildlife ranging from cayotes to bison. There are campgrounds there, and the relatively flat terrain is home to a popular bike route which is accessible to bike packers, campers, or even daily through traffic. We recommend this spot if you plan to travel through Salt Lake City and want to spend a day or two exploring the island.
Our drive continued, as Zion National Park is still a hefty 6 hours from SLC. Our first stay was an Airbnb Tiny home (linked at the end) only 30 mins from the park!
Day 2: Angel’s Landing Hike
Our day started early, around 4 AM. This gave us enough time to pack up and drive into the park so that we are lining up for the shuttle by 6 AM. The park isn’t officially operating at this time, so if you do make an early entrance, make sure you are prepared with your America the Beautiful pass. Parking is convenient and ample in the early morning, but it fills up quick. We saw a lot of people park outside of the park along the main road as well.
There are two main reasons why we pushed to enter the park early:
- Beat the Heat – even though we were exploring the park in early season, the days still got into the 90’s. Being able to start off the day early allowed us to get back to camp before the highest temps hit.
- Beat the Crowds – getting to the shuttle line at 6am did guarantee we were on the first couple shuttles, but by the time the shuttles started running (6:15am), there was a decent amount of people in the que. Additionally, after a certain ranger’s start monitoring how many are on the shuttle and regulate it.
Angel’s landing is a modest 4.4 mile long hike with an elevation gain of 1604 feet. The trail ebbs and flows, with a relatively sharp incline from the get-go, flattening out once you enter the canyon, and then entering some rigorous switchbacks. Although intense at times, don’t forget to look around and enjoy the scenery! The park changes drastically throughout the day as the rock faces deflect different shades of the sun’s rays based on time of day. The last bit of the trail requires you to climb on a narrow ridge which is trafficked in both directions. Make sure to always take caution and it helps to stick with a group when it comes to deciding which direction has the right of way. Once you reach the top, you will have a beautiful view of both the big bend and canyon.
After starting the hike around 7am, it was almost noon when we came back down and was time for some lunch. After taking the shuttle back to the parking lot, we cleaned up and headed outside the park in hunt for a campsite for the night. After speaking to a few local shops, we got directed to this area (37.224055, -113.160814) that had first-come-first-serve sites on the side of the road. After a few relaxing hours later, we enjoyed a quick dinner and were off to bed at 8pm.
Day 3: Narrow’s Hike
Traversing Angels Landing was something we were used to coming from the PNW. 8 mile hike through canyons with flowing water? Not our forte. After discussing the trail with a local rental shop the day before, we opted to rent some neat water booties! These proved to be a life saver as they were both comfortable and sturdy (linked at the end).
Hiking the Narrows, although more strenuous, proved to be pleasant since the temperature in the canyon is significantly lower and gets little direct sunlight. The early morning had us layering up. if you happen to enter the park later in the day, opt for the Narrows as the heat won’t be so bad. Although we did not make it all the way to Wall Street, we had a blast exploring the new form of hiking.
There weren’t parts of the trail that we did which had our packs submerged, but we still packed our things in drybags and put our phones in waterproof cases. We suggest you do the same, as traversing in the water can be unpredictable and can cause you to slip or even fall. We’re speaking from personal experience.
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Overall, you need rest before and after becuase these hikes will take most of your day and are quite streneous. Stay hydrated and keep snacking throughout.
We enjoyed quite big meals for lunch after both these hikes!
Tips for Zion:
- Proper Footwear
Water booties were a major help during the trip, so if you don’t have a pair make sure to check out the local shop we rented from. The staff are super nice and helpful too!
- Accommodations
Airbnb: Tiny Home
Zion Campground: Watchman Campground
Dispersed Camping: Kolob Terrace Rd
Thank you for reading and hope this helps you plan your next trip to Zion! – K&S
Out of Town 