Zion and Bryce Canyon have been on our bucket list for quite some time. My husband has visited many of the National parks out west and was eager to head back. Jack (currently 16) has an adventurous spirit and loves exploring anywhere and everywhere. Madelyn (currently 13) opted to stay back with friends and family as this type of trip is not her cup of tea. Audrey (currently 10) was excited to go and although I was hesitant about how much she could handle, she kept up with everyone like a champ!
Being my first trip to this part of the country, I don’t claim to be an expert, but we were guided by a few friends and learned quite a bit while we were out there. I’ll share some of our most beneficial tips throughout the post.
From the east coast it was easiest and the most convenient to fly into Las Vegas. St. George Regional Airport is a closer option (less than an hour from Zion) if that’s available to you. We spent our first night in Vegas, rented a car for the week and then drove out to Zion the following morning.
One of the best recommendations that we received was to spend our first night in the Lodge that’s located inside Zion Park. The only vehicles that are allowed to drive into the park (in addition to the shuttle buses) are those staying at the lodge. This meant that we were able to drive straight into the center of the park and let me tell you, that initial drive in is absolutely majestic. The Lodge ends up being a hub and a convenient spot to refuel for everyone passing by in the park. Even after we had checked out we found ourselves back there most everyday.
We checked in and immediately hit the Emerald Pools trails (lower, middle and upper). When you’re staying at the lodge, you’re so easily able to access many of the trails without needing additional transportation. The next morning when we woke, we took advantage of being able to beat the crowds and hiked up to Scouts Landing. In order to hike up to Angels Landing, one of the most sought after destinations in the park, you are required to have a permit. Jack wasn’t selected via the random draw that first day, but he applied once more and was fortunate to receive a permit for he and my husband the last morning we were there.
My son has little to no fear of heights. I cannot say the same for my husband who pushed through if for no other reason than to make sure he had eyes on our fearless 16 year old! This summit was a moment they’ll both remember for a lifetime.
After that first night in the Lodge, we relocated just outside the park into the town of Springdale. Here we stayed at the The Redcliffs Lodge for the rest of the week. The rooms were well equipped and the pool was a fabulous retreat after our daily hikes in 80/90 degree weather.
There were a number of places that we enjoyed while in the town of Springdale. A few that stood out were Canyon Coffee (great coffee and baked goods), Deep Creek Coffee (quick breakfast sandwiches and oatmeal etc.), Oscar’s Cafe (great dinners and sit down breakfast), Bit & Spur (great dinner option), and Canyon Creamery (ice cream and sweet treats).
We took one day and drove out to Bryce Canyon National Park which is about a 2 hour drive, unless you stop multiple times to see the sights as we did. Although very different from Zion, the views here are just as breathtaking. It’s filled with rock formations referred to as hoodoos, which have been shaped by erosion over the years and seem to fill the park with sights unlike any others I have seen.
We spent a the morning and early afternoon here hiking around the Queens Garden and Navajo Loop trails. It felt like the perfect amount of time for us.
Back in Zion, we took advantage of another tip that was given to us and we rented e-bikes to transport us to the Narrows. We rented both the bikes and our gear that we used to hike the Narrows at Zion Guru. Their staff was very knowledgeable and helpful as we navigated all of this for the first time. The bikes were certainly one of the highlights for us all. With the bikes, we were able to head in on our own time and make pitstops along the way as we wanted.
Here was one sporadic stop that we made off of a trail and I think it was one of the prettiest spots that we saw.
The Narrows hike is predominantly through a river, hence the rental gear (special boots, socks and a walking pole). Trust me, those poles made a huge difference as we were walking over large rocks. We saw many others tripping and falling without that extra stability. Keep in mind the water changes with the seasons. It came waist deep on me at the deepest section in mid-June. Jack had also rented a waterproof bag which was helpful to have for our belongings.
We had the most incredible time on this trip and I can already see us wanting to go back. We balanced the hikes with time to relax by the pool or walk around the town. We left plenty of time within our days so we never felt depleted, yet rather excited for the next day ahead. I’ll also add that although there are some rather challenging hikes that we did, there are also plenty of less strenuous hikes that would be ideal for the younger and older crowds alike. ZIon especially is an ideal spot that I’d recommend to just about everyone who enjoys the outdoors. Maybe the next time we get out there we’ll even convince our middle child to join us!
I packed a simply as I could for this trip. I’ll link some of my travel MVP’s below which include my luggage, hiking shoes (these were so comfortable all week), mix and match pieces and most notably this bag which included a separate pouch to hold a water bottle.
