Visiting Zion National Park was one for the books. Zion engulfs you as soon as you drive in, with winding red roads that blend into the red color of rock, beautiful and unusual rock formations that contrast with the blue sky and a mile-long dark tunnel that, at the end, reveals the enormous feeling of all that Zion encompasses. Zion is known for its steep cliffs and outstanding views, and it did not disappoint.

I am so grateful for the website I found about Zion just by doing a quick Google search of “Utah”. It provides so much useful information about all of Utah, including an in depth look at Zion National Park, all of the trails, their difficulty, length, terrain, and photos. This was so useful to me, and will be for you, too, if you decide to go! My husband and I only visited Zion National Park for the day and were able to hike two trails.

We decided to do the infamous Angel’s Landing hike (we didn’t finish the whole thing – the heat plus the scary ending weren’t a great combination) and the Emerald Pools hike. These two hikes were also recommended to us by those who have previously visited the park.

Angel’s Landing

This one was tough. The hike takes about 4-5 hours and is 5.5 miles round-trip. With 100 degree temperatures and walking uphill for about 2 hours, it was necessary to take breaks in the shade and catch our breath. There is a tale that Angel’s Landing got its name because it is so hard to get to, only Angels could land on the edge of the rock at the end of the path. I can see why. We made it about ¾ of the way up and decided to turn around. Once there were 1,500 foot drops on either side of me and I had to proceed by holding chains, I was too scared to continue. This trail is for experienced hikers only! Here are some photos of the hike:

Emerald Pools

The Emerald Pools hike is much more my speed, walking at ground level with gentle slopes, past some small ponds until finally reaching a river. This hike is known for its beauty and its accessibility. It is about 1.5 miles round trip (depending how far you go into the water known as the beginning of the Narrows hike) and takes a few hours.

If you continue to go deeper in the water, you may need assistance with poles and you will definitely need water / hiking boots (both are available to rent at the parks Visitor Center.) The bottom is quite rocky. We only went in until the water was close to knee height; it was so refreshing after hiking uphill for 2+ hours. The cold water was a wonderful way to cool off.

We were graced with a lot of wildlife at Zion, and all of Utah for that matter. There were a few beautiful deer right off the path of the Emerald Pool hike, and we saw a ram perched on the top of a rock as we were leaving the park. We also saw a beautiful raven soaring above us while on the Angel’s Landing hike.

Our next stop was Page, Arizona, where we visited Lake Powell, Horseshoe Bend, and the magnificent and jaw-dropping Antelope Canyon. Stay tuned!

For more on Utah, check out this post:

• Bryce Canyon National Park