Zion National Park

In 1903, an artist named Frederick Dellenbaugh spent his summer in the Zion Canyon, painting the magnificant rock formations that make the canyon unique. Those paintings were displayed in the St. Louis World's Fair while Dellenbaugh published a story about Zion in the January issue of Scribner's Magazine. In comparing Zion Canyon, he referenced Niagara Falls as having the beauty of energy, The Grand Canyon had the beauty of immensity, Yosemite of altitude, and Zion was the great temple of eternity. And so it seems to describe the first national park in Utah. As you stand in the valley near Zion Lodge and gaze up at the canyon walls, covered with Desert Varnish and layered with over two billion years of sediment, you can't escape the feeling that time is hidden in those rocks, wanting to tell its story to anyone who will be silent long enough to hear it.
 

Zion National Park was originally named Mukuntuweap, its Indian name, when it was first designated as a National Monument on 1909. In 1918, the name was changed to Zion because of the unpopularity of the original name with the locals. Zion, it seems, was the name given by the first Mormon settler, Issac Behunin. The name Zion means “a place of refuge”, and it's easy to imagine a place like Zion being a great place of refuge.
 

In an average year, between 2.5 and 3 million people visit this park, and for that reason the Park service implemented a shuttle bus system in 1990. The competition for parking places, noise, and pollution appeared to be seriously detracting from the park's experience, and was simply becoming impractical given the amount of space available. While one could reasonably argue that another solution other than shuttle buses could be found in a park like the Grand Canyon, or Yellowstone, it's reasonable to see the necessity of a bus service in Zion because of the confined space inside the canyon, which is the main attraction. Shuttles operate from just inside the main gate of the south entrance at Springdale, and from within the town of Springdale, so visitors have many options to choose in terms of parking.
 

Zion is not a particularly large park in terms of size, but activities are many, and range from a simple overview bus ride through the canyon to serious adventures in the slot canyons of the Kolob Canyon area, the park's northern area. As a minimum, you should plan a day to see the valley floor, and maybe take a short day hike on one of the many easy to moderate hiking trails within the canyon. We would recommend the Lower, Middle, or Upper Emerald Pool hike that starts across the street from the Zion Lodge. The level of activity for these short walks ranges from an easy 1.1 miles with a 70 foot vertical climb to close to three miles, and 200 feet of vertical difference for the reward of seeing the Upper Emerald Pool. Take water since this hike is on a south facing wall of the canyon, and the sun is present in all its southwestern force.
 

A quick glance at the map that's handed out when you first enter the park will show that many hiking trails are available for people who are interested in getting out and moving about. There are several back country camping spots – especially in the northern areas of the Park – for folks who like to leave their RVs in search of something more primitive, or for the backpacker looking for an overnight trip.
 

For the rest of us who might be more modest in our outdoor activities, there's another attraction at Zion that warrants mentioning. The town of Springdale at the southern entrance to Zion has done a remarkable job of setting a destination for visitors. Their upscale hotels, B&Bs, restaurants, and stores have combined into a really unique place to shop, eat, and stay when visiting Zion. It's uncommon in our experience to observe a community with such attention to detail with a focus on upscale tourism. While in most cases, this is just another way of saying that Springdale is expensive, but in this case, there really appears to be good value for the services provided in this young and energetic community.
 

Whether your intention at Zion is to stay a day and limit your activities to the canyon floor, or make a complete vacation from this one destination, it's clear that you'll easily find plenty to do. The canyon floor offers many stops with lots of day hikes ranging from easy 1.2 mile strolls to 8 miles of strenuous walking. There are opportunities to camp and hike in the Kolob Canyon area or drive the Kolob Terrace Road as well, and local towns like Springdale offer shopping and dining that are quite good. In addition, Bryce Canyon is close by for additional day trips as well as the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.