Sara

My husband and I will be spending a weekend at Zion NP in mid-April (staying in a cabin at the lodge). We're flying into Las Vegas on Friday, and driving over to Zion that afternoon, arriving around dinnertime. We have to be back in Las Vegas Sunday night, as DH has a conference to attend there starting Monday morning. We spent a couple of days in Zion four years ago, and loved it. At that time, we did the Riverwalk Trail, hiked a little ways up the Narrows, hiked Emerald Pools, Weeping Rock, and the Canyom Overlook Trail. We'd love to do most of those again (although it will be too cold then to hike the Narrows), I don't know if there are other trails we should try. DH has a problem with heights - he did fine on those trails, but I don't think he could handle Angel's Landing, for instance.

I'm wondering if it would be worthwhile to drive up to Kolob Canyon on Sunday before we head back to Las Vegas, or if we should just spend all of our time in the main part of the park. We wouldn't have time to do a very long hike there, if we do go, and the ones I've read about seem to take several hours - are there shorter but interesting hikes available in that part of the park? I understand there is a scenic drive, is it very special? I don't know if it's worth the extra driving, and the time it would take to get there. However, it would be nice to see something we haven't seen before, and we don't have time to get to any of the other spectacular Utah parks (we were fortunate enough to go to Bryce on our last trip). Thanks for any opinions.

bob_brown

I suppose it depends on where you have been and what you have seen. If you are new to the red canyons, I think so.

If you have slithered up the slickrock of Capitol Reef and wandered deeply into canyons like Muley Twist, I would say no.
It all depends on where you are coming from.

Sara

Thanks, Bob. I live in Massachusetts. Four years ago we took a wonderful, whirlwind trip through the Southwest. We visited the south rim of the GC, Zion, Bryce, Lake Powell, Monument Valley, Goosenecks State Park, Mesa Verde, and ended in Durango, with a wonderful train ride to Silverton. There are so many other places I wish we could have visited, but that was an amazing amount in two and a half weeks. We also lived in Portland, Oregon for three years, so we've been able experience the gorgeous pacific Northwest as well.

utahtea

It's been a long time since we've done the Kolob Section, but it didn't make that big of an impression. Yes, it was nice. We started hiking down one of the washes but, like you, didn't have a lot of time to spend in the area, so we didn't do the whole hike. The scenic drive in is only about 5 miles. It's only 40 total miles out of your way. If you find you are ready to leave the main section of Zion with about an hour to kill, you might want to go up there. Driving thought the little town of Toquerville, Utah on Hwy 17 is interesting. If you go, stop and read the historical signs on the old houses in town.

Utahtea

Utahtea

Sara

Thanks, Utahtea, I knew I could count on you for some good advice. I guess we will just play it by ear, then, and see how much time we have, and what we feel like doing. Anyone else have an opinion?

emd

Sara: If you go to Kolob canyon, will you please post about it when you get back? I am considering going there to hike for an afternoon while in Zion May 12-16. I know the trails in Zion canyon will be more getting more crowded then and I think it woudl be nice to have a bit more solitude for an afternoon....

Sara

If we end up going there, I surely will do that.