This article is Part 4 of the Mighty Five series!
When to Go and Where to Stay
As a native Utahn, I've been to Zion in all seasons, and I can confidently say that it is stunning both in a blizzard and under the hot summer sun. Like all of southern Utah, spring and fall are the ideal times to go, but you can make just about anything work if you need to.
We did this trip at the end of July. Because of the heat, we started the day really early and spent the heat of the afternoon in the water. The trails were very busy and the shuttles were crowded and hot. But it was still amazing.
We always stay in St George because Jake's family have a house there. It is about an hour drive away from the entrance to Zion so it is a great spot for a day trip to the park, but isn't ideal if you are planning to spend multiple days hiking. There are lots of towns closer to stay in and you can even stay in Springdale which is the town right at the entrance to the park.
What we did in Zion
Observation Point
Since we had done Angels Landing so many times, we were looking for something new and this was such an amazing hike. I actually thought the view was better than iconic Angels Landing for a lot less work!
The trail from the main road in the park has been closed since 2021 because of damage from rockfalls, so we hiked via the East Mesa Trail (here is the AllTrails link). It takes a while to drive out to the trail head and it is best to start early to avoid the heat and get a parking spot. We left St George at 5am and started the trail at 7am. It was short, basically flat, and with plenty of pine tree shade. And the view at the end has to be one of the best in the world!
Drive Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway
Most of the park is closed to private vehicles during the summer, but you can take the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway with your own car. Because shuttles don't service this area of the park, we had never been here, but we drove through it on the way to the East Mesa Trail for Observation point. It was stunning! The road does all of these twisty switchbacks, there are multiple tunnels, and the whole landscape is white, orange, and red whorls of sandstone. There are plenty of places to pull off and walk a bit or just enjoy the view. I really recommend spending time over here if you've been to Zion a few times and are looking for something new.
The Narrows
The Narrows are one of the most iconic parts of Zion. It is essentially just a walk in a massive river between thousand foot tall sheer cliffs. It is really cool! It is literally cool too, making it a great hike to do in the summer. In the middle of the day in late July, we found the trail to be PACKED full of people. Like almost miserably crowded. But as is true with all trails, the further you go, the less people there are and the more pleasant it becomes.
Nearby Activities
St George
St George is one of the biggest cities in Southern Utah and has tons to do and see. There are historical buildings, great food, and plenty of hikes. It makes a really fun base for exploring this part of Utah. This area has something for everyone. Talk to anyone from Utah and I'll bet they have spent a long weekend here, especially in the winter or early spring!
Sand Hollow State Park
One of Jake and my favorite spots is Sand Hollow State Park, specifically Sand Hollow Reservoir which is great for boating but not ideal for swimming (read up on Swimmer's Itch). The fine red sand is really stunning contrasted to the blue water.
Snow Canyon State Park
I also love Snow Canyon State Park where you can spend the day (or night) trekking across petrified sand dunes or exploring deep lava tubes. I really love state parks if you can't tell! I think they are the hidden gems of Utah and probably most states!
Tuacahn Ampitheatre
Right by Snow Canyon is the coolest theatre I've ever been to. It is an outdoor theatre built right into a gorgeous red rock canyon. Plus the shows they put on are super high quality (and often involve water and fireworks which is always a good time). On this trip my friend Nat and I saw Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat! It was fantastic aaaand David Archuleta was playing Joseph which was so sick.
Check out the first 3 articles of the Mighty Five series here!
