Road Trip to Utah’s First National Park
YES, IT’S NINE HOURS—600 miles—from Denver to Zion. But there’s adventure to be had along the way, and the majesty of the canyon carved by the Virgin River is like nowhere else. We packed the new Toyota Grand Highlander to the gills (it holds more than the Sequoia and looks like a big 4Runner) with our two kids and made a run well past the state line into Utah.
EAT
Since we camped, it was all about camp-kitchen cooking on the deluxe Camp Chef Pro 14: chocolate chip pancakes on the custom griddle, BBQ chicken on the grill attachment, pasta—the classics. But the gateway town of Springdale hosts a number of great places to eat, like the walk-accessible Zion Canyon Brew Pub (11:30 a.m–9 p.m.) or hop the free shuttle deeper into town to Wild Thyme Cafe (11:30 a.m.–9:30 p.m.).
PLAY
First, Zion does not have a timed entry system, so there’s no need to get a reservation to enter the park. The most important thing to do is check the “Current Conditions” page on the Zion NP website, nps.gov/zion, to plan your trip and see what’s available. Also, the shuttle is free and does not require a reservation. Because of this, the line to get on the shuttle can be long—especially the first few shuttles (they start at 6 a.m. in the summer). Personal vehicles can enter the park, but cannot be driven up the inner canyon road. Classics like the Angel’s Landing hike require a permit through a lottery system or day-before applications. Yes, it’s a pretty amazing experience and even if it feels like there are a lot of people on the trail with you, it’s a lot less than it was at peak times before a permit was required. Another classic that does not require a permit is to hike up-stream into The Narrows. This is a no-trail, feet-will-get-wet, sturdy-boots-and-hiking-staff-recommended hike. Even on extremely hot days, The Narrows can be quite cool so remember to take a layer. The full no-permit up-stream option to Big Spring makes for a strenuous, all-day, ten-mile round-trip adventure, and offers access to some of the narrowest and spectacular portions of the canyon. River boots and walking staffs can be rented from various outfitters in Springdale.
STAY
Most of the lodging options, from resorts to campgrounds, reach from Springdale all the way to Interstate 15. There are a few options beyond the East Gate, which make sense if you’re keen on a single base camp to hit Zion and Bryce. We managed to score a camping reservation in the Watchman Campground—one of three within the park. The “Camping” page on the Zion website has all of the details. I wish I had some sneaky trick to share, but they describe best practices pretty thoroughly and have the latest conditions detailed. But after this trip, camping in the park is an incredible experience and I highly recommend it.
Photos by Doug Schnitzspahn.
