National Park Geek Series - Zion edition
National Park Geek Series - Zion Edition
One of my good friends and fellow national park geeks suggested Zion to me 5 years ago when we were heading out west for a wedding. True to our style, we flew into San Diego and spent a few days there. I used to work for a company based in San Diego, had been several times, and wanted to show Ryan the highlights. We then spent several days near Zion, headed to the Grand Canyon area (South Rim), for a night, and then Vegas for two nights. The remarkable Zion climbed the ranks to my top 5 parks visited so far. Not only is it breathtaking, but it's also incredibly accessible and easy to navigate with the park shuttle.
The first hike we did was the Narrows. You hike the canyon floor and wade through the river. The rock of the slot canyons is stunning. You do get wet, but if you visit during the heat of the summer months, it feels so refreshing! Just a tip: wear water shoes or go barefoot (some risk of injury involved here) and put your shoes back on once your feet are dry. Otherwise, you can get blisters once you're on the dry land part of the trail when your feet start to dry.
Following the Narrows, we jumped on the Emeral Pools trail, which was so pretty (especially the waterfalls.) Part of the trail was closed for maintenance so we chose to venture off the path to find the last pool and were attacked by a large swarm of bees. That's a story best told over a beer, but I do find that all of the best stories happen when you get off the trail (I will not be held accountable for the risk but feel free to hold me accountable for the laughter.) ;)
We then hiked the Angel's Landing trail which was fairly steep and intense towards the end (it's so worth it, the views are incredible.) We got caught in a crazy thunderstorm right when we got to the top but it turned out to be an great view of a stunning sky and multiple waterfalls that were created by the downpour. I realize getting attacked by bees and caught in a thunderstorm sounds like a terrible time, right? It was one of my favorite trips so far!
Have you ever been to Zion or have plans to visit? You should and we can help!
Images by Personal Branding Maven Elise Kutt at Mod Bettie Portraits
My name is Anna VanAgtmael, and I am a certified yoga instructor with a passion for yoga, travel, and connecting with others.
I believe in trying everything once. My values lie in collecting memories over things. Though we desire adventure and authentic experiences, naturally our fear holds us back.
My ambition is to inspire and encourage you to unmask your fears and jump into the unknown.
Anna VanAgtmael | Yoga Enthusiast | Trip Planning Wizard