Two Perfect Days in Zion
- thurlizejeankohler
- Mar 15, 2024
- 5 min read
Planning to spend some time in Zion National Park?
Here is a two-day itinerary for Zion National Park.
- Read to the end for a full map of trails -
Let’s be honest, one could spend way longer than 2 days in Zion. Zion National Park is known for its views, hikes, and activities. With over 112 hiking trails in Zion National Park alone, it is definitely necessary to plan ahead. This is where I come in. While I can only speak from personal experience, I do believe that there are at least two hikes in Zion National Park that every visitor must see...
Welcome back friends, this week we look back on Day 3 and 4 of our 12 day, 6 State Road Trip. We finished Day two with a long drive to Zion National Park. Once here, we settled into our camp site for the night.
Camp sites are only available by reservation through nps.gov website.
- 3rd State: Utah -
After all of the excitement we had on Day 2, getting engaged in the lava tube and all, our morning started off slow. We made terrible instant coffee, again, and then we set out to tell the whole family of our engagement. We spent hours, calling everyone from my parents to high school friends and beyond.
Now that everyone was informed of the great news…
It was time to explore the beautiful:
Zion National Park.
If you are planning a trip to Zion, you will soon realize that there are almost too many things to do. This National Park has more activities and hikes than most people have time for. Sporting over 112 hikes, horseback riding, and even stargazing, it is certainly a good idea to visit Zion with at least an idea of what you want to do.
Due to the size of the park, they have implemented a shuttle bus system taking explorers to and from nine stops throughout the park. This shuttle is also free of charge.
The shuttle has a last run between 6-8 pm (changes seasonally). Do not miss the last shuttle. The hike back to the visitor’s center is about 3 hours.
Although this park has an array of activities, Zion is famous for two hikes. Every year, people from all around the world travel to this National Park for a chance to experience these hikes.
These hikes are:
The Narrows:
Distance: 9 mi.
Type of Trail: In-and-out river walk.
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation Gain: 0 ft
The Narrows leads you through the Virgin River that flows through Zion Canyon. On either side of you, the walls of this gorge, standing at thousands of feet high up in the air. At times so high, daylight seems to darken. At your feet, refreshing cold water. This hiking trail leads you through the narrowest section of Zion Canyon. The Narrows hike can easily be described as one of my favorite hikes to date in North America.
To get to the trailhead, you will need to take the shuttle bus to stop #9 – Temple of Sinawava. The first stretch of this trail is going to be on the riverside walk trail. After about a mile, you will need to dip your toes into the water to officially start the Narrows trail.
Always check the NPS website for information on whether this trail is open and safe to walk, as flash floods are common in this area. For this exact reason, it is important to note that choosing your time of year for hiking the narrows can easily dictate how enjoyable your hike will be.
In our experience, the best time for visiting the Narrows was mid-July. Why might you ask? Because, while the rest of Zion National Park was melting away in 110 F (43 C) weather, the water from the Virgin River in the Narrows was a refreshing 60 F (15 C). This made for the most cooling, refreshing hike. Especially after spending days in the summer heat traveling from Nevada to California, and now Utah.
One of the most appealing aspects of the narrows hike is that it is extremely family friendly. During the time we spent in the gorge, we saw many little children running and playing with their parents. Another major draw for visitors is that you can turn around at any point. Hiking the entire trail of almost 10 miles might seem daunting, in that case you can choose to only do one or two miles and then turn around. Whether or not you hike to the very end or stop and play with the kiddos at the first pool, the Narrows is an enjoyable experience for all.
The next hike is certainly the polar opposite to the Narrows, in every way possible. Whereas with the narrows you were in the water in the bottom of the gorge, now you will be thousands of feet up in the air amongst the clouds.
Angel’s Landing:
Distance: 5.4 mi.
Type of Trail: Roundtrip.
Difficulty: Difficult.
Elevation Gain: 1,488 ft.
A hike with the most breathtaking view, Angel’s Landing takes you on a 5.4-mile journey with 1,488 feet elevation gain. Steep grades, sudden drop-offs, and slippery ledges make Angel’s Landing one of the most dangerous hikes in North America. This hike is not for children, but well worth it for any adventurer willing to make the climb.
Permits are needed for this hike. To get a permit, one needs to enter the permit lottery on the NPS website.
How to get here:
The trail begins After taking the Zion shuttle stop #6 - The Grotto, and then crossing over the bridge at the Virgin River. The next 2 miles of the trail follows the West Rim trail until reaching ‘Refrigerator Canyon’, a very well named canyon after the fact that it is much colder here in contrast to the rest of the hike. Next, at the top of the canyon, layered with switchbacks lays Walter’s wiggles, named after the park’s first superintendent. Your next stop will then be Scout’s lookout, also a good place to turn around for most folks not up for the last 500 feet of strenuous elevation gain. Individuals who did not receive a permit, are also not allowed passed this point.
The very last stretch of the trail is what many of us come for. The grueling climb! These last steps, although fewer in number than what is behind you, are certainly much more challenging. Not only is either side of you lined with death defying drop-offs, also known as cliffs, but to make the climb, hikers will need to hoist themselves up with the help of chains. Right here is the reason why permits are now needed to complete this part of the hike. Because of the little space there is to turn around or pass others, the less people up here, the better. This narrow route with cliff exposures is enough to turn any tummy. However, completing this final part of the trail and ascending to the summit of Angel’s Landing is a reward like no other. Here you are met with views of the Canyon that few will ever get to see. You did it!
Now all that is left is hiking back down, before the shuttle stops running for the day. Goodluck.
While it would have been possible to cram so much more into our two-day adventure in Zion National Park, we were more than happy with what we accomplished. We split both hikes up into their own separate day in order to really enjoy it, and of course recover too.
After two days of experiencing Zion, it was time for us to pack up and move on to our next destination.
Come back next time, to find out where we are now.
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