Zion National Park, Utah (National Parks in the USA)

Member Name: janeh

Product:	National Parks in the USA
Date:	27/10/03 (24 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: fantastic scenery, good trails, shuttle service

Disadvantages: very hot in summer, trails can be hard work

Zion is a photographer's dream. It is very mountainous, with huge, high red mountains. As the light catches them during different parts of the day, their looks change dramatically. If you can stay for sunset, they are truly magnificent.
There are shuttle buses which run regularly throughout the park and stop off at all the main views and trails. The lodge is a good place to note, as it has a café where you can get drinks, food, ice cream, etc. There is also an adjoining gift shop.

There are many trails to walk, ranging from easy to very hard and from short to ?will this ever end.? Some of the shorter ones include Court of the Patriarchs, which is only 100 yards or so on a paved, steep trail that leads you to great views of the mountains. Another short and easy trail is Weeping Rock, which leads to a dainty waterfall where light water spray going over the trail is very refreshing.

Another good trail is the Emerald Pools Trail near Zion Lodge. You walk along a trail which encompasses lots of views and types such as trees, waterfalls, hanging gardens and water pools full of huge tadpoles. You can walk as far as the lower emerald pools, or carry on to the middle emerald pool, which is a bit steeper. If you are feeling really good, you can go on to the upper emerald pools, which is a bit of a hike, but well worth the effort due to the views and waterfalls you encounter. The full length of the trail is about 2 miles.

Near the Weeping Rock Trail is a diversion to Hidden Canyon Trail. This is described as moderate to strenuous; the latter is more accurate. This trail is 2 miles long (each way) and climbs nearly 900 feet in less than half a mile. A lot of the time, you are walking on very steep, rocky ground ? we met a snake en route, which was a bit worrying. Once you get towards the top, you are walking on trails which are literally cut out of the mountain and are very narrow, so much so that many parts have chains secured to the rock
to help you pull yourself up with. This can be very scary, and we came across many people who decided to turn back. We didn?t and carried on--why, I will never know! Once at the top of the trail, the views are great. The only problem is that you then have to go back down. This was extremely hard on the legs, and I could barely walk by the time we had finished. In fact, I suffered for several days after, as did my husband.

If you want something less strenuous, try the Riverside Walk. This is a lovely, easy walk which follows the river for about 2 miles each way on flat, paved ground. Very pretty views and lots of squirrels.

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