Zion National Park
Location: Zion National Park is on State Route 9 in Springdale, Utah
Park Passes: Weekly passes are non-transferable and are valid for 7 consecutive days including the date of purchase. Weekly passes may be upgraded to annual passes within 7 days of purchase.
Private Vehicle: $35. Valid for 7 days.
Annual Pass For all State Parks: $80
Experience: When I visited Zion, I was with a few of my friends. We camped inside the park for 4 days and 3 nights. The first day we set up camp, and settled into the trip. The second day we went up to Angel’s Landing, and I am absolutely terrified of heights. I almost didn’t make it all the way. I was not going to do the part where it narrows and you have to hold on to a chain to read the top of the summit, but my friends were very encouraging and helped push me to complete it. IT was worth every second of the fear and crawling, the view was incredible, and I think it is entirely worth it for anyone that is in Zion. To this day it is one of the most incredible hikes I have ever done.
The Second day we did a hike, to the emerald pools, it was a shorter hike that ended at some gorgeous waterfalls with glistening pools. Relatively short round trip, and easy enough for anyone to do. I would recommend it on the last day of your trip, as you could easily do it in the morning and still have ample time to pack up before leaving.
Our final day of the trip, we attained a permit to do the subway trail. It’s a part of the narrows that is only accessible with a permit. In order to do the hike, we had to rent some neoprene boots and socks, luckily the water wasn’t so high that we needed to rent full neoprene suits. The subway trail is a long intense out & back trek without any trail markings. It is important that you keep your bearings and remember where you entered the river, as some people miss their exit point on their way back, and can get lost. IT was not extremely difficult, but it is a long hike, that requires you to take your time. You have to be careful with the force of the river as it can take you off your feet. We went slow during the more dangerous portions, and overall it is a trail that I would highly recommend to anybody that has the time and opportunity to grab a permit. It took us about 8 hours from start to finish, and we drove back to california the same day. I would suggest doing it well before the day you intend to leave as we had to still drive and return our gear before making the 7 hour drive home.
Overall: (9/10)