Zion
Utah | may 2023
Exploring a sandstone-cladded heaven on earth.
Beautiful rock formations that are millions of years old, "weeping" canyons, and seasonal rivers—Zion National Park is a red wonderland for nature enthusiasts. The home of Zion is Springdale, a small town outfitted with museums, outdoor gear, souvenir shops, countless inns, restaurants, and a bumbleberry pie and ice cream parlor that I regret not visiting more. No matter where you are in Springdale, the canyons appear massive in any backdrop.
Scenic walks along Zion Park Blvd.
Canyons in someone's backyard.
Our first hike was the Watchman Trail, which is accessible from the visitor center.
Views from the Watchman Trail.
The abundant rain gave life to roaring rivers, forcing the Narrows to be closed during our visit.
Switchbacks en route to Scout Lookout via the West Rim Trail.
High up on the West Rim Trail.
We were within view of Angels Landing and the famous chained trail that takes hikers up a steep ridge. Permits were required to go up, which we didn't have (and didn't mind).
View of Angels Landing from Scout Lookout.
A squirrel friend overlooking the canyons.
The West Rim Trail is an out and back trail, so we backtracked all the way down through the switchbacks and towards the shuttle stop. That was our intense hike of the day, but we had some energy left to do the Riverside Walk and Emerald Pool Trail.
Once water builds up in rocks, it's forced to permeate through walls to create "weeping" canyons.
Waterfalls at the Emerald Pool.
On the last day, we took the car on a scenic drive into the national park and hiked the Canyon Overlook Trail, a one mile hike towards a spellbinding view of the canyons.
The best view of them all.