Established
in 1919 and enlarged in later years, Zion National Park encompasses
146,551 acres (229 square miles). Its mighty canyons and
cliffs have long inspired feelings of awe. With
canyons laced with desert varnish, and cliffs that tower thousands
of feet above the surrounding scenery, Zion National Park
has a lot to offer. Flora, fauna, and wildlife are as diverse as the elevation. The elevation in the park varies greatly
from 4,000 to 9,000 ft.
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For Families: |
Zions is just a really cool place to visit and camp.
The children's favorite hikes are Emerald Pools and the Narrows.
Angel's landing is a bit much for young children, but older children may enjoy it if they are not afraid of heights at all.
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The
park encompasses approx. 230 square miles and has several
different sections, including the Kolob Canyon section,
Zion Canyon section, and the Southeast section.
Most who come
to the Park see only Zion Canyon with red, white, and brown sandstone cliffs that tower 2,000+
feet over the North Fork of the Virgin River. The Narrows of Zion Canyon are located here. Here one
can hike through water and narrow canyons with cliffs towering thousands
of feet above the river. As you hike further up the canyon, the walls narrow spectacularly.
Other sections of the park include the Kolob Canyons section.
This is accessible from 1-15. Kolob Arch is located here as
well as various canyons.
The
southeast section is separated from the rest of the park by
a mile long tunnel that was completed in 1930. The road is
sometimes referred to as the Zion-Mt Carmel highway. The Great
Arch and and an impressive Canyon overlook are located here.
Hikes
in the Park include:
Narrows
of Zion Canyon: Starting from the main canyon trailhead, the hike is as long as you want to hike up the canyon before turning Starting from the top, a 16-17 mile hike one way through water
Emerald Pools
Angels Landing: 4.5-5 miles round-trip. Trail goes up Refrigerator
Canyon before going up Walter's Wiggles. People with fear of
heights may wish to stop at the saddle.
East Rim of Zion Canyon
West Rim of Zion Canyon: 14.5 miles one way
The Subway: 8.5 miles one way, swimming through ice cold water
is required.
Coalpits Wash
Orderville Canyon: 12.5-13 miles one way
Hop Valley
Kolob Arch
Observation Point
Canyon Overlook (Tunnel)
Watchman Viewpoint
Wildcat Canyon
Left Fork
Cable Mountain
The Park has recently begun to use a shuttle system due to
the large numbers of visitors from all over the world.
Flash floods periodically occur in parts
of the park and temperatures in the summer often exceed 100
degrees Fahrenheit. During the winter snow and ice can close
the back country of the park. Hikers should be prepared for
conditions.
Location: Zion National Park is located in Southwestern Utah. It is about
3 hours from Las Vegas, Nevada and 4-5 hours from Provo, Utah and
Salt Lake City respectively.
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