Zion National Park, located in southwest Utah, is one of the most awe inspiring places that we have ever been to. We spent several days going through the park last November; fall was definitely the best time to drive through the park as the changing leaf colors were fabulous!
Zion has a great Jr. Ranger program (though you do have to buy the booklets at $1 ea.). The kids learned a lot about the park through the program; things that they (we all) would have not otherwise known. The museum in the park has a great movie about the area and it’s history that is also a great educational opportunity.
If you want to really experience Zion, you have to park the car, or get out of the bus, and put those hiking boots to work! Zion has so many beautiful hikes – everything from short, easy walks that even the littlest of kids can go on to very extensive treks. You can pick up a map of trails from the information desk near the entrance to the park. All of our kids (from 2 to 20) hiked the Weeping Falls trail, where they could walk behind the small waterfalls. The following day, the guys got up early and hiked to the Emerald Pools – I got to sleep in, but sure enjoyed the beautiful pictures that they brought back of waterfalls and pools, the path canopied in yellow and orange foliage, and rock outcroppings! The park is filled with massive rock formations that dwarf everything around them.
Zion has only 2 roads in it – the main road that extends through the park and includes a 1.1 mile long tunnel. The tunnel is actually quite interesting to drive through – it has 6 ‘windows’ cut into it for ventilation, and they make wonderful outlooks. There is a short road off the main one that leads to the lodge; take your time, it is a beautiful drive! Another one of our favorite aspects of the park was all the animals that we saw there. Living in Montana, we are pretty spoiled – we see wildlife all the time, and Zion reminded us of home with all of the deer and even bighorn sheep. I posted a personal blog post about the park that covers more of our experiences in the park; you can read about our visit here.
Zion National Park is an exquisitely beautiful park to tour; we spent 3 days in the park, and would have enjoyed staying longer and checking out more of the park. It is a great family destination; be sure to bring the camera as the entire park is a visual treat that you will not soon want to forget!
