Zion National Park

Absolutely loved it. Took a day trip from Las Vegas — left LV ABOUT 9:30am and got there about 2:00pm, but made several stops along the way– we weren’t really in a rush, though I’m sure you could get there faster. We went on a day with extreme heat advisory (115 in Vegas and 108 in Utah) and I thought it was going to be a mistake but it actually was amazing.
Went went specifically to hike The Narrows. We street parked in Springdale by Zion Adventure Company which is by bus stop 3 and stopped into ZAC with the intention of renting boots, socks and a hiking stick but they wouldn’t rent to us because they said it was too late in the day and that we couldn’t hike the narrows that late. I didn’t agree– and so we went anyway and decided to hike what we could within our own timeframe.
Took about 35 minutes to get to the narrows from the shuttle and it was CROWDED! soo crowded it was kind of insane. The sheer amount of kids was kind of mind blowing. But we decided to stick it out. We just wore sneakers and I had a small backpack and put my phone and money in a ziplock. I have to say, it is not necessary to rent the boots and hiking stick and I think you could totally save the $ 27 on that. We hiked for about 1 hour before it started to clear out. In the narrows it was only about 78 degrees and the further we hiked the cooler it got. You’ll definitely get wet but only about thigh deep at the deepest and only in certain parts. I’m 5’4″.
I highly recommend it. I can’t wait to go back and hike the other trails and camp! We got back to the car around 7:30pm and back into Vegas around 10:30pm.

My bucket list never seems to get shorter because there is always something new to add… Zion was on my list and glad I was able to visit here.
A few months ago, my friend from work stopped by my office asking me if I wanted to go to Zion. Sure, why not? Zion was in my radar but never had a chance to plan a trip there, so I blocked my time she told me. She did all the planning for us, all I had to do was show up on time.
We did the Narrows on day 1, and Angels landing on day 2. Tried emerald but gave up to go to the top as it was too hot on that day. For details of Narrows and Angels, please see separate reviews.
Zion is well managed national park. They have free shuttle bus runs in town as well as inside the park. This limits traffics, which was very nice.
Anything you do, try to start as early as possible as lines get so busy in mid day. Try to limit your alcohols intake, you are at 5,000 feet elevation, alcohol works differently here. After all you are here to enjoy the nature.
I stayed at a hotel outside the park. I am still debating which is better to stay inside the park or outside. I want to plan for the second visit there, should start thinking pros and cons of staying inside the park soon.

I’ve been here twice, and actually purchased my National Park Annual Pass on my last visit. I plan to be back. So many different hikes, and areas to explore. The park has a ton of activities for everyone. Horseback riding, camping in the park, guided tours, and more. There are deer, condors (on Angel’s Landing), chipmunks, and more. The bus system works great for getting round. They have plenty of water filling stations around. I still want to do the Narrows but wasn’t able to get a permit in time (that will be for my next visit). The bus driver stated at 9am every morning they do a guided tour around the park (for FREE), where the ranger tells you information about hikes and areas. Sounded awesome. Wish I had known about it so I could’ve planned to attend (I plan to do this next time also). Such a wonderful place with a great history. A must see if you have never been. I found the Fall more ideal than the Summer. Less crowded and cooler conditions.

It was an amazing experience with the group. We got to see a lot of interesting sites and experienced something new. It was pretty cool to hike upstream and get a great workout all at once. The narrows had just opened up a few weeks ago so I assumed the water levels were low but no they were high enough to make the hike a little more challenging. We started our hike at 10:30 am from the Temple of Sinawava and made our way up to the middle of Wall Street in about 2.5 hours. The water levels were mostly knee high but in some areas waist deep. On the way back down we were able to figure out where the higher ground paths were and avoided getting soaked again. It took less time getting back down. The shuttles took some time. I would factor in an hour from Zion Adventure Company to the Temple of Sinawava. All in all a very fun trip.
Next time I’ll be sure to visit the other popular trails.

We visited Zion April 20 – 24, flying into Las Vegas, renting a car, staying in St. Georges UT the first night, and four nights at Zion Lodge, and then two nights at Bryce Canyon national park, two hours away.
We wanted to avoid the crowds of the summer and the blistering 90 – 100 degree temperatures common in the high desert from late May through early October.
We pass through tourist town Springdale, Utah, with dozens of hotels and restaurants. This is just like Disneyland, with the hotels and restaurants for the tourists visiting the attraction next door.
A free city shuttle runs through the city to the Park edge. Visitors get off the city shuttle, pay the $ 35 7 day park entrance fee, and walk the 200 yards to the Visitor Center free Park shuttle stop.
Permits required for overnight camping and hiking the Narrows.
11am, we scan the hundreds of parking spots at the Visitor Center, but the only ones available are the 20 minute spots, which we use to get information. Parking lot full by 10am. Learn that the famous Narrows hike through water has been closed indefinitely due to high water levels this Spring.
The free Park shuttle runs 6am to 9pm during peak season, the 9 miles from the visitor center along the scenic drive, with stops at Zion history museum, Canyon junction, Court of Patriarchs, Zion Lodge, The Grotto, Weeping Rock, Big Bend, and Temple of Sinawava.
Towering 1500 feet are the brown and orange walls of the canyon on both sides of the two lane scenic drive, meandering next to the green trees besides the Virgin River. Resembles a miniature version of the Grand Canyon, viewed from the Colorado River at the bottom of the Canyon, only Zion has forests of trees next to the Virgin River.
No private vehicles allowed on the scenic drive except those with reservations at Zion Lodge. This is the only lodge within the park, with parking only for those displaying a stamped, dated bright red hotel guest permit hanging on the inside windshield mirror.
Zion Lodge is a modern lodge, interior corridors, AC rooms (temperatures in the 80s in late April), Wifi, new carpets, full tub, comfortable beds, private balconies overlooking well maintained lawns and soaring cliffs, but with no microwave, no refrigerator, and no pool. Restaurant, fast food café, and gift shop with snacks and cold medicine for the wife.
After checking into the Lodge, we walk across the road, over a pedestrian bridge to the Lower Emerald Pools, Upper Emerald Pools, and Kayenta Trails. The first two are hikes to pools of water, caused by streams of water falling down the cliffs. Rounded rock alcove for Lower Emerald Pool. Saw frogs in the pool, and a deer alongside the Kayenta Trail. No mountain lions, nor bears, nor mountain goats to be seen. The Upper Emerald pools has water falling a few hundred feet from the cliff tops to a large pool below.

The Kayenta Trail is a gradual sloped trail alongside the Virgin River, ending at a pedestrian bridge at the Grotto. Some of the most scenic shots of the river flanked on both sides by brown orange Navajo sandstone canyon cliffs.
Our first full day we do the Weeping Rock trail which is a short steep paved trail leading to a rock alcove with dripping springs. We start of the Hidden Canyon trail, but head back after doing about an hours worth of steep cross traverse trails going straight up.
Wife suffering from an airline cold. We do the Riverside walk, a trail alongside the Virgin river in a narrow canyon. Sign says «Flash Flood Warning. Flash Flooding Imminent. Narrows Closed to Entry».
Second day I do the Angels Landing hike, a 4 hour hike, with 1488 feet elevation gain on a paved trail the first 3 miles, and the last 0.4 miles using steel chain cables anchored into the Navajo sandstone, along a narrow steep ridge with 1500 foot drops on both sides! Called Angels landing as it was for Angels only on the final plateau. But could be called Angels Landing, as that is what will happen if you let go of the chain cable!
Third day I do the Observation Hike, a 7 hour hike, with 2148 feet elevation gain on an 8 mile round trip trail. Magnificent water pools carved into the rock. Red rock clay on the actual point, overlooking the Angels Landing and Zion Canyon with the Virgin River wandering down the canyon.
On our departure we bypass the Zion Canyon scenic drive, and head east and up the mountains. Long line of vehicles stopped at the approaches to the Zion-​Mt Carmel tunnel. Two lane tunnel, but RVs, campers and trailers too tall or wide for each lane. Down the center one lane traffic control route through the tunnel. Go from the desert area to the alpine area, with temperatures plummeting with the 3000 foot elevation gain as we leave the Park, going to nearby Bryce Canyon National Park.

I’ve wanted to go to Zion for years but felt intimidated by it since Angel’s Landing seems something I can’t do, but as time went on, I decided it’s now or never, so I packed my bags, took my kids and came here to hike the Narrows and other beautiful hikes in this park. I don’t regret it for one second even though it was very difficult to hike with kids on your back through waters and streams. My husband didn’t know much about it but after hiking it with me, he said this is hands down the coolest thing he’s ever done with me in the domestic U.S. We plan to come back and do more hikes again in the future.
The crimson red roads, the beautiful warm colors, the marks on the rocks from erosion, rivers and flash floods, and all mother nature made… millions of years ago. What’s not to love about it?

Zion is more of an activity driven park than scenic beauty. Lots of challenging and unique hiking options here.
Overall, I found Zion to be a little overrated and commercialized. Most of the hotels & restaurants around a too expensive, especially around holidays. The sites are beautiful but hard to get to, for example — angels landing and narrows are both at least 6 hr hikes. So this does make it harder for many people to enjoy all the sites without staying several days. Even the 2^nd tier sites like watchman, weeping rock, emerald pool are at least about 2 – 3 hr round trip trail. Don’t get me wrong, I like the trails but scenic points should be accessible by car or shuttle directly and the trails should be optional for the trail seekers.
The overall terrain and experiences you can have here are beautiful, but from a photogenic standpoint the views from almost anywhere are very similar and not unique enough to differentiate.
The food options around Springdale are amazing, you can clearly see a California and Vegas influence there in cuisines, taste and prices. Another good part is the shuttle system, very efficient and covers all the parts of the park — this is the right step In being green and safe at the same time.

What is there to say? It has that certain je né sais quoi. A phenomenal place to be. One of Utah Great Five and not called that just for gimmicks, this place has so many great sights. Unfortunately some of the best views can only be seen on long hikes. There are some great sights from stopping on the road but many great views are from hikes that ascent to a higher elevation. Also one of the great features of Zion is it’s relatively narrow canyon, creating majestic vistas similar to that of Yosemite. A contrast to Zion would be Sedona, where the valleys are very broad. The stone coloration here is not as intense as Sedona’s but it is still prettier here.
I have not hiked the submarine or angels landing. That is on my list for return trips. Will definitely return and stay for a few days to explore further.

Easily a top five National Park. And with that popularity comes the crowds; go as EARLY as possible, I recommend getting to the park no later than 7am. During high season (April thru October I think) driving is restricted in the park and you’ll need to take the shuttle to any of the 9 stops. But oh Lawdy, the shuttle at the visitor center gets c-​r-​o-​w-​d-​e-​d! Standing in line at 7:15 it took about 10 – 15 minutes to get on. By the time we boarded, the wait at the end of the line was 30 minutes. When we left at 2pm, the line wait had to be 90+ minutes. GO EARLY!
If you show up midday and the shuttle line is awful, consider walking the Par’us Trail out to Canyon Junction, and maybe even continue walking to the Court of the Patriarchs. You’ll get the majesty of the canyons without having to wait forever.
The only extended hike we did was to the summit of Angel’s Landing, and again — GO EARLY! If you start at 7:30am it will take 4 hours round trip. If you start at 10am, it will take 5 – 6 hours round trip and you’ll bear the brunt of the scorching midday sun.
Great park. Go often, and GO EARLY! ;-)

This place has been on my bucket list for a while now.
Great place to explore and hike! Unfortunately it started raining when we got to the park but we still managed to hike a bit.
Great for kids and big groups. Most of the trails are well maintained or even cemented!
The free shuttle service is convenient, it brings you to multiple different stops. 1 – 9 I believe.

Great Hiking And Breathtaking Scenery!
Make your campground reservations ahead of time or it will be totally booked.
I have never seen a National Park that has so many people flooding it every single day! This place is super packed and surprisingly it seems most people are not from the USA even!
There must be some sort of mass marketing in China since there are bus load after bus load of Chinese tourists all over! More than from anywhere else and Germany is probably the next most popular country here.
Angel Landing was our favorite trail and definitely on of the best national park hikes around! It requires good footwear and stamina and do not forget the water.
Emerald pools is 3 segments of hiking as you work your way up the mountain. Not much water until the third pool.
Well maintained roads and trails.
Super convenient shuttle buses ease your travel within the park.
Lots of cool hiking, great rock features, the Virgin River is nice too.

Zion is a small but mighty park. It seems to be the most frequented and especially popular among the LA groupings. Too many people wearing too many flimsy Nike trainers here. Anyways, Zion is a unique place. Because it’s main attractions are through the canyon that the Virgin river has carved, it’s a lot more lush than most barren southern Utah joints. Don’t get me wrong, though. The place heats up just like any other desert arena.
All in all, the park spans pretty far north to south, but the main drag is a 3-​ish mile road that goes essentially east to west through the south and east entrances. As of this review, please note you can no longer drive up the canyon. You have to park at the visitors center or the history museum and take the shuttle up the canyon. The canyon holds a majority of the major hikes — Watchman, Narrows, Angels Landing, Emerald Pools, Weeping Rock, etc. All of which are wonderful. Outside the canyon you’ll find canyon overlook, the subway, etc. One note on the subway, you HAVE TO get a permit AT least 3 days in advance of your hike regardless of whether or not your doing the long repel down or the day hike in and out. Cost of a car to come in is $ 30 for I believe a 7-​day pass.
A note on camping: since they closed the canyon, there are only TWO campgrounds in the south side of the park — watchmen and south campgrounds. Watchmen is reservation only and they fill up fast. You need to book it at least 6 months in advance. South also fills up fast. People are lined up waiting for others to check out at 11 by ⁸⁄₉ a.m. If you want to camp inside the park, you HAVE TO do one of the two above — reserve six months in advance or get to south by about 8 a.m.
All that to say, we didn’t get there in time and had a little moment of hysteria. We ended up driving all the way to the east side which was a pleasant drive through the tunnel and staying at a campground called Hi-​Road. It was super pleasant, way more expensive, but they had showers and flushing toilets, water spickets, and picnic tables. There’s also a handful of options in Springdale on the way in/​out of the south entrance.
OK. That about sums it up. Good luck if your headed there! If not, go now. No, like, leave. Go, pack your bag. And GTFO of your house. Get outside. You won’t regret it.

Zion is simply just amazing. I was already taken into a state of awe once I arrived into this national park. I just don’t know how to describe how amazing this place is! Nature really does create breathtaking places.
I camped here with my group for 2 nights at the Watchman Campgrounds in late April. This campsite is located right by the visitors parking lot. The restrooms here are super clean! Bonus points for clean restrooms and running water!!!
There’s a variety of hiking trails here to explore. I especially love the fact that you can catch the shuttle from your camp ground to your desired trail starting point. The main hikes my BF and I did were Angel’s Landing and Upper Emerald Pool.
— Attempt Angel’s Landing is you have a brave soul. I made it up half way and I chickened out due to the fact that I’m scared of heights. I honestly regret not getting up to the very top… Next time I’ll reattempt it!
— Upper Emerald Pool was beautiful, however, there wasn’t much of a waterfall during the time we visited.
It’s definitely on my bucket list to revisit this place again.

Why should Zion National Park receive anything but 5 stars? Such natural beauty deserves nothing less. The views are just absolutely astounding.
I can’t say I’ve hiked enough here or explored it all. I agree as somebody put it, it’s like Yosemite but red. One can simply drive through and not get out of the car to get the idea of how beautiful this place is.
There is traffic hold up at the tunnel. Only one lane of traffic at a time. Keep your eyes peeled for mountain goats, wild turkey, deer, and more.
Funny sight we saw was a goat at the side of the road that was just licking a rock. That lead to my googling and finding out about «mineral licks» that animals are dependent on.

Definitely a 5 star national park. Driving here is relatively easy (about 3.5 hours from Las Vegas), and you can get entrance for one car or four people with a National Parks pass that can be bought ahead of time and is good for multiple national parks in the area. If you want to do Angel’s Landing (the iconic hike in the park but strenuous and vertigo-​inducing, about 5 miles and 4 hours), aim to get to the park early because it gets very crowded once the day gets going. The parking lot has a lot of space and there is a well-​run shuttle system that takes you from the visitor’s center by the parking lot to the beginning of a lot of trails.
We decided to do Observation Point, which is another hike rated «strenuous» but gets much less traffic than Angel’s Point. In fact, we didn’t even start the hike until noon and saw only a modest number of people along the way. The hike itself is 8 miles (4 mi to Observation Point and 4 mi bike) and takes about 5 – 6 hours. The hike itself is absolutely gorgeous, with the elevation rise taking you up 2000 feet through the canyons. At the top, the whole of Mount Zion is spread before you and you can see the entire valley below, with the massive cliffs rising above it. It is an absolutely worthwhile experience!
Make sure to bring a lot of water and check the weather — the temperature can get up to 100 F in the summer and the risk of dehydration is real. Cell service is also spotty in the park so don’t rely on being able to look things up on your cellphone.

At the time of writing this review — 533 reviews with an average 5 star rating…
…well, they do call it «Zion».
Check it out if you can. At the very least go into the main canyon — easy trails (even wheel chair accessible), museums, sandstone carved canyons, and more. No need to worry about parking, they have it all figured out for you (excellent shuttle system). Lodging and camping are easy enough to find in and out of the park.

WOW!
It is as simple as that, just. WOW!
This park is by far one of the most beautiful places in the world. It is inspiring, magnificent, and majestic.
On my trip through Arizona, we decided to also head to Utah to see and hike Zion. I did not know what to expect at first, but it is easy to say that I was absolutely blown away by the beauty of this park.
We arrived this past Thursday, and we went straight for Angel’s Landing. This was one of the most nerve-​wracking hikes I have ever done. It was strenuous and scary, and worth every bit of adrenaline. I pushed myself far past where I even thought I could go, although regrettably we chickened out at the final stretch with a slight panic attack due to fears of heights, even just getting almost to the top was absolute exhilarating. After Angel’s Landing, we did lower and middle emerald pools, a very easy hike but also lovely. Trailing along with greenery next to you and red rocks high above until you reach the waterfalls, absolutely stunning.
The following day we did Observation Point. I highly recommend this hike, it is extremely strenuous, 4 miles each way, much of it in direct sunlight. But the trek up is gorgeous, full of gorgeous views every inch of the way and then once you reach the top you have the most incredible view of the canyon. It took my breath away! It was worth every ounce of agony from the trip up.
If Zion National Park is not on your bucket list, add it immediately. Even if you skip the strenuous hikes, just experiencing the beauty of the canyon is absolutely incredible.

Definitely 5 stars for this all-​around beautiful, impressive, colorful, and fun National Park! It’s a three hour drive from Vegas. Despite the crowds, the National Park Service does a wonderful job of crowd control with the shuttle bus system. Arrive early and claim a parking spot at the visitor center, and then feel free to take the shuttle all around the park to various destinations and trail heads.
The weather in the park can change dramatically over very little time, so come prepared. One of their signature hikes, the Narrows, is only open if water conditions are suitable. Another popular hike, Angel’s Landing, was worth it for the gorgeous views, but definitely has crowds so try and go early in the day if possible. There are other easier and shorter hikes to suit all fitness levels.
If you really want to stay in the park, make your lodge/​cabin/​campground reservation as soon as possible, even months in advance! You can easily spend a day here or over a week, so enjoy!

So far all the national parks I’ve been to are five stars material, except for Sequoia & Grand Canyon maybe.
Entrance Fee:
$ 30. Since I bought an annual pass ahead of time, it covered this and Bryce entrance. It’s worth it to get one since it’s only $ 80 and going to Bryce & Zion cost $ 60 already!
What to do:
Zion itself is really big but we did the scenic drive from the entrance to the last stop on the map which is Sinawava Temple. I know they run shuttle during summer due to limited parking space but since we went during the winter, we drove around the whole park ourselves.
When you come to Zion, first thing you’ll hear are Angel’s Landing & the Narrows. Since we didn’t have time to do both, we chose Angel’s Landing and skip the Narrows. You’ll need two days if you plan on doing both.
The view up Angel’s Landing is totally worth the hike & risk your life for. It’s the most dangerous hike I’ve ever been on and I’ll not go back just because I feel very lucky for making it down safe & sound. We also did some stop on the map but it’s not worth mentioning or I didn’t enjoy it that much.
Where to stay/​eat:
Springdale is the closest to the south entrance. It has a lot of hotels & restaurants just right outside the park. Zion def has more food options than Bryce. Meme café has some delicious crêpe for breakfast.

#20/​100
Over twenty different trails ranging from easy to strenuous difficulty, short stroll to multi-​day hikes, and several other action packed adventures like biking, rock climbing, 4×4 tours, there is something for everyone at Zion.
My short visit to this wonderful place was indeed memorable. For a not so outdoorsy person like me, I still wanted to be one in nature as close as possible. So fully dressed in my hiking outfit — my Coach rainboots and LV cross body bag loaded with water bottles and trail mix, off I went exploring.
Zion is a place where your mind and spirit collide with nature in complete harmony. You come to realize that beauty is found in the most simplest form. It’s in the different shadings of the rocks. The changing color of the leaves on trees. It’s the sound of the water streaming down the river bed. It is the snow flurries falling down from the blue sky. It’s the smell of fresh air and cold breeze on a 32 degree November morning. It’s in the subtle wind blowing thru each turn of a trail. It was all there and all I had to do was open my eyes and mind. I did.
This city girl was lost in so many good ways in the world of Zion. Loved every minute of it.
#thankful #and #blessed #C&H #Nov2015

Notre dernière halte avant Vegas s’est faite dans ce merveilleux Zion Park!
Il faut avouer que c’est très vert, il y a plein de canyons et encore une fois, même après avoir fait le Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Antelope et Bryce, et oui, bien même après tout ça, on en prend encore plein la vue.
Souvent ignoré, souvent recalé, car les autres grands parcs lui sont préférés faute de temps, le Zion park vaut réellement le détour pour une magnifique randonnée — vous trouverez également pas mal de tables de piqué-​nique, nous on a organisé tout un apéro avant de reprendre la route.
Vous trouverez également des magasins de souvenirs et autres boutiques, mais également toutes les commodités dont vous pourriez avoir besoin (notamment des toilettes propres :)).

Unglaublich schöner Park. Wir haben viele Wilde Tiere gesehen. Nicht so überlaufen. Ich werde zum klettern wiederkommen

230 englische Beiträge zum Zeitpunkt dieser Zeilen und über 460 eingestellte Fotos — was soll man da noch hinzufügen? Einen deutschen Beitrag!
Wer den Zion National Park besucht, wird sicherlich englisch sprechen und sich mit den englischen Beiträgen ein gutes Bild von diesem Nationalpark machen können. Er wird nahezu einhellig schwärmend beschrieben und ich kann mich dem nur anschließen. Zwei Mal habe ich ihn besucht und werde immer wieder hinfahren, sollte ich Urlaub in der Region machen. Fünf Sterne sind für diesen ganz besonderen Nationalpark ohne Alternative.
Von mir nur einige praktische Hinweise:
1. Die Straße no. 9 führt zum Nationalpark (die beim Park «Zion Park Bvd.» genannt wird). Doch man kommt nicht umsonst dorthin. Es ist eine Mautstraße, die Preise im April 2013: $ 25 pro Fahrzeug. Kommt man vom Westen und fährt auch wieder so zurück, bleibt es bei der Summe. Wer jedoch den Park gen Osten verlässt bzw. von dort kommt, muss noch durch einen Tunnel fahren, der nochmals $ 15 kostet. Für RVs und Busse wird der Tunnel jeweils in eine Richtung freigehalten, da man damit nur in der Mitte der Fahrbahn «auf dem Strich» hindurch passt.
2. Im Park selber (ein lang gezogenes Tal) kann man nicht mit eigenem Fahrzeug fahren. Dafür wird ein kostenfreier Shuttle-​Service angeboten. Das sind mit Gas (Propane fueling) betriebene (umweltfreundlich) Kleinbusse, die in engem zeitlichen Rhythmus durch das Tal fahren und an zahlreichen Haltestellen Ein– und Aussteigen ermöglichen.
3. Zentral im Park liegt die Zion Lodge. Dort kann man wohnen oder sich als Tagesgast erfrischen, essen, trinken. «Waffen tragen» ist nicht erlaubt (siehe mein Foto!).
4. An der Street 9 gibt es drei Campgrounds. Einer ist privat kommerziell und nicht zu empfehlen. Wir lieben den Campground South mit einfachen, aber großen Plätzen, Stromanschluss vorhanden, aber kein Wasseranschluss. Kosten $ 16 pro Site und Nacht.
Bei so viel Schwärmerei auch von mir fünf Sterne.

Zion National Park
Dis papa c’est encore loin Zion National Park ?
Mais non fiston, regarde ces falaises devant toi, on arrive.
Je dirais même plus: on y est
Ce parc loin de tout mais distant d’une centaine de kilomètres à peine de Bryce Canyon vaut à lui seul le voyage au pays des mormons. Nous sommes dans le sud-​ouest de l’Utah à 7 heures de route de la capitale: Salt Lake City et à 4 heures de la capitale du jeu: Las Vegas située dans le Nevada voisin.
Commencez par garer votre voiture au parking
et rendez-​vous au visitors center qui vous dit tout ou presque :
Le parc d’une superficie de presque 600 km² est célèbre pour ses profonds canyons creusés par la rivière Virgin et ses affluents dans des roches aux couleurs jaunes, oranges, ocres et rouges viellles de dizaines de millions d’années.
Il est constitué de zones basses désertiques, de zones ripariennes au fond des canyons et de zones boisées au sommet des montagnes.
La faune du parc comprend: 78 espèces de mammifères, 291 espèces d’oiseaux, 44 espèces de reptiles et d’amphibiens et huit espèces de poissons.
Vous aurez l’occasion notamment d’observer des bisons
Plus de 900 espèces de plantes sont présentes allant des cactus dans les zones désertiques aux forêts de conifères dans les zones montagneuses.
Vérifiez ces chiffres à votre arrivée, ils auront peut-​être changé dans la nouvelle brochure.
Le parc créé le 31 juillet 1909 s’appelle d’abord Mukuntuweap National Monument, il devient parc national 10 ans plus tard et est renommé Zion, un mot hébreu signifiant refuge ou sanctuaire. Les principales merveilles de Zion portent d’ailleurs toutes des noms bibliques.
Depuis 1919, le National Park Service s’occupe de la protection des richesses naturelles et culturelles du parc qui accueille chaque année plus de deux millions de visiteurs.
Efforcez-​vous d’éviter de venir en juillet et août.
A né pas manquer :
— le sommet du parc, Horse Ranch Mountain qui culmine à 2 659 m,
— le canyon de Zion, localisé au sud-​est,
— la zone désertique de Coal Pits Wash avec son point le plus bas 1 117 m, situé au sud-​ouest. En été vous y suerez à grosses gouttes
— Les Three Patriarchs, triple pic (Abraham à 2 130 m, Isaac à 2 080 m et Jacob à 2 082 m)
— le Great White Thorn, 2055 m
— l’ Angels Landing, 1763 m
Les noms de ces sommets aux formes remarquables, font référence à la bible. Ils ont été donnés par les premiers colons et explorateurs.
Empruntez un des nombreux sentiers balisés et partez à la découverte de la faune, de la flore et des rochers sculptés par les vents violents et les rivières. Comme à Bryce, une bonne journée est nécessaire pour faire le plein d’émotions.
Vous pourrez même, si vous êtes un sportif accompli, escalader les vertigineuses parois verticales (précision: je né suis pas un sportif accompli)
L’idéal est de dormir dans un lodge à l’intérieur même du parc afin de profiter d’un de ces couchers de soleil dont l’Amérique a le secret (il né manqué plus aujourd’hui que les Indiens à cheval)
Have a nice day in Zion !

Bei unserer Rundreise
erreichten wir am 7. Tag den Zion National Park. Er liegt im südlichen Utah und
hat die vielfarbigsten Farbschichten mit gigantischen Formationen aus
Kalkstein, Sandstein und Schiefer, die der Virgin River in Millionen von Jahren
ausgegraben und abgeschliffen hat. Der Park besteht aus zwei
Sektionen, dem wenig besuchten Kolob Canyons Section genannten Teil im
Nordwesten und dem Zion Canyon Section genannten Teil im Südosten. Die meisten
Sehenswürdigkeiten sind im Zion Canyon zu finden Wir besuchten den Temple of Sinawava, eine Ausweitung in Zion Canyon mit einem wunderschönen Wasserfall,
fuhren dann zum West Temple. Er ist der höchste Gipfel im südlichen Teil des
Parks und hat einen fantastischen Ausblick.
(Siehe Foto unten) Weiter ging es zum Watchman,
einem Berggipfel, der sich imposant in südöstlicher Richtung des Visitor Center
in Szene setzt und gerade in den Abendstunden mit einem weichen Licht seinen
besonderen Reiz ausübt. Auch die Beehives, wie Bienenkörbe aussehenden
Sandsteinformationen, durften wir natürlich nicht verpassen. Wahnsinn, was die
Natur alles macht. Nächstes Ziel war der Aussichtspunkt
Three Patriarch. Von dort hatten wir einen sehr schönen Blick auf die Drei
Patriarchen. Die Farbenbracht war einfach unglaublich. Je nach den herrschenden
Lichtverhältnissen erscheinen die blanken Felswände dem Betrachter in den
Farben Grau, Gelb, Orange, Rot, Violett oder Blau. Sehr schön fanden wir auch
den Weg zu dem Emerald Pools, die wie ein zarter Wasserschleier über die
Felswand fallen. Hier muss man zwar ein wenig klettern, aber die Mühe wird auch
hier mit einem herrlichen Ausblick belohnt. Der Aufstieg beginnt direkt vom
Parkplatz der Zion Lodge. Ein weiteres Highlight war
der Besuch im Zion Canyon Cinemax Theatre in Springdale, das nur ein paar Meter
vom Westeingang liegt. Hier läuft der
beeindruckende Film: Zion Canyon Treasure oft the Gods auf einer
riesigen Leinwand. (Siehe Foto unten) (Siehe Foto unten) Ein paar Impressionen aus dem Zion Natiolpark
(Siehe Foto unten) (Siehe Foto unten) Für uns zählt der Zion Nationalpark mit
seinen roten Sandsteinfelsen und malerischen Canyons zu den schönsten
Nationalparks in den USA. Er ist ein Muss für alle, die in der Gegend unterwegs
sind. Der Park liegt etwa in der Mitte zwischen Grand Canyon und Las Vegas. Er ist von Anfang April bis Ende Oktober von 9:00 Uhr bis
21:00 Uhr und von Anfang November bis Ende März von 11:00 bis 19:00 Uhr
geöffnet. Die Eintrittsgebühren können unter +1 435 722−24−00 oder +1 888 256−34−56
erfragt werden.

Ich versuche nach und nach alle Nationalparks und Einrichtungen des National Park Service zu besuchen und habe bereits einen ansehnlichen Anteil geschafft. Der Zion National Park ist nach wie vor für mich der schönste Nationalpark der USA. Hier passt einfach alles: eine Traumhaft schöné Landschaft, ideale Möglichkeiten zum Wandern, dank Shuttle-​System ein Autofreier Park (in den Wintermonaten darf man mit dem Auto reinfahren), alle Einrichtungen (Visitor Center, Bushaltestellen, etc.) sind im typisch regionalen Stil angelegt und zumindest außerhalb der Hochsaison ist der Park auch noch nicht so überlaufen wie manch anderer.
Ein muss bei einem Besuch im Park ist sicherlich eine Wanderung in den Narrow. Für alle die Schwindelfrei und gut zu Fuss sind, kann ich nur die Hikes in den Hidden Canyon und zu Angels Landing empfehlen!

Le parc est très joli, beaucoup de verdure et entouré de montagnes.
Hélas il y avait tellement de monde que nous n’avons pas pu en profiter pleinement.

Traumhaft schöner Park, der nur von den Shuttle Bussen größtenteils befahren werden darf. Wir hatten traumhaftes Wetter für tolle Wanderungen. Hier sollte man sich auch (wenn man gerne wandert), mind. 2 komplette Tage Zeit nehmen. Wir waren u. a. am Hidden Canyon– tolle Wanderung, für die man aber schwindelfrei sein sollte. Angels Landing haben wir leider nicht geschafft, muss aber auch genial sein! Hier würde ich auf jeden Fall nochmal hinfahren.

Der Zion Nationalpark ist wirklich sehr schön.
Praktisch ist das Informationsmaterial, das man bei Einfahrt in den Nationalpark bekommt. Enthalten sind Informationen über die Stationen und die Abfahrtszeiten der Shuttle Busse, sowie Tourenvorschläge mit Beschreibungen. Solche Info-​Broschüren haben wir in einigen Nationalparks in den USA erhalten und ich finde diese Idee sehr gut. Wir haben uns einige der kleineren Touren daraus ausgesucht und durchgeführt. Gut gefallen haben uns die «Emerald Pools». Insgesamt war alles aber etwas trocken, was sicher an der Reisezeit (September) lag. Vermutlich sehen der Weeping Rock und die Emerald Pools im Frühjahr mit mehr Wasser noch mal schöner aus. Fotographieren war schwierig, da die Schlucht stark im Schatten liegt und die umliegenden Felsen sehr hell angestrahlt werden.
Da der Park sehr beliebt ist, ist am Eingang und an den Hauptpunkten ziemlich viel los. Unser Motel war in einiger Entfernung vom Park; näher am Park muss man vermutlich frühzeitig buchen.
Insgesamt empfehlenswert.

Der Zion Nationalpark mit seinen roten Sandsteinfelsen und malerischen Canyons zählt zu den schönsten Nationalparks der USA. Zahlreiche Trails machen den Park ideal für Wanderungen. Vom ruhigen Spaziergang bis hin zu anspruchsvollen Klettertouren wird für jedes Niveau etwas geboten. Der Zion Canyon Scenic Drive kann nur mit dem Zion Shuttle befahren werden, der aber in Abständen von 5 min fährt. Die bis zu 600 Meter hohen Sandsteinwände werden oft von Kletterern genutzt die bis zu 3 Tagen brauchen um diese zu erklimmen.
Es ist eine Reise wert.

Der Zion-​Nationalpark befindet sich im Südwesten Utahs an der Grenze zu Arizona. Er hat eine Fläche von 579 km und liegt zwischen 1128 m (Coalpits Wash) und 2660 m Höhe (Horse Ranch Mountain). 1909 wurde das Gebiet des Canyons zum Mukuntuweap National Monument ernannt, seit 1919 besitzt es den Status eines Nationalparks. Der Park wurde 1937 um den Kolob Canyon erweitert.
Die Canyons sind aus 170 Millionen Jahre altem braunen bis orangeroten Sandstein der Navajo-​Formation entstanden. Der Park liegt an der Grenze zwischen dem Colorado-​Plateau, dem Great Basin und der Mojave-​Wüste. Durch seine besondere geografische Lage existieren im Park eine Vielzahl an unterschiedlichen Lebensräumen mit vielen verschiedenen Pflanzen und Tieren.
Einige der wichtigsten Sehenswürdigkeiten sind:
Virgin River Narrows
Emerald Pools
Angel’s Landing
The Great White Throne
The Three Patriarchs
Kolob Arch
Weeping Rock
(Wikipedia)
Ein wirklich schöner Ort. Auch hier kann man wieder sehr gut wandern gehen. Leider haben wir es nur bis zum Emerald Pools geschafft weil nicht so gutes Wetter war, aber schon allein der Weg dahin war schon schön.

Den Sonnenuntergang und das Farbenspiel der Felsen sind fantastisch, dort habe ich auch meinen Mond mit einer Diagitalkamera aufgenommen. Dieser Park war einer der Highlights unserer Rundreise

Terre d’accueil des pionniers mormons, Zion fait partie des National parks. Le parcours en bus se fait au fond du canyon, sur une route bitumée rouge pour né pas jurer avec les couleurs des roches. On a retrouvé d’ailleurs ces paysages dans le dessin animé «Cars» .
Des sentiers de randonnées sont tracés le long de la Virgin River. Certains tronçons sont accessibles aux fauteuils roulants; de tous les parcs visités, celui –ci est le mieux équipé pour accueillir les personnes à mobilité réduite.
Le parc propose pour les enfants un programme pédagogique pour devenir «ranger». En rentrant à la maison on a pu réviser en allant sur le site: www​.nps​.gov/​w​e​b​r​a​n​gers/
(Voir photo ci-​dessous)
P. S. Décidément, je n’arrive pas à entrer les adresses correctes ! Le parc est à 500 km au sud de Salt Lake City, la ville la plus proche est Springdale