The Nature of Zion National Park

The western half of the U.S. is full of secret gems and treasures. Yes, they have gemstones and gold, but the beauty is also what lies above earth’s surface and in the heart of Utah lies Zion National Park.

According to the Zion National Parks website, it was the first National Park in Utah. And it deserves that title.

Zion is nestled in the middle of nowhere except for a little town called Springdale. This town is where you will likely spend your nights and eat your dinner while visiting the park. It is also home to the entrance of Zion National Park. It is also within a days dive to Las Vegas, Nevada.

Last year, 2018, over 4.3 million people went to go visit the park and each pass for a single car costs $35. This is a tiny park and only features one main road that leads to the narrows. Zion doesn’t let too many cars in during the main traveling season, so there are buses you take around and they will pick you up and drop you off through the various stops along the park.

The Narrows at the back of the main road is the main trail. You can walk the first mile of it very easily, but then you’ll notice the trail disappears… kinda. The trail then becomes the river. You have plan ahead for this hike and bring water gear and plenty of water. This hike will take a majority of the day and have you fighting the current, but this will take you through a narrow canyon.

Weather

When you go to Zion you also want to plan ahead for the weather. It may be hot just outside the park, nearly 100 degrees, but as you get farther into the Canyon, the temperatures drops so you may want to bring a jacket. The higher in elevation you are too the cooler it also gets. Besides the temperatures, you’ll also want to check out the forecast for the chances of flash flooding.

Flash flooding is a major concern in the park because the ground is extremely dry and when a storm arrives the water doesn’t soak into the ground, it runs off. This means a storm could be 20 miles away, but the rain can travel and it will go into streams and rivers and being that you’re hiking into one the rivers will rise causing problems along the trail. This is when you’ll want to seek higher ground as soon as possible.

This is a park where you can bring the whole family.