20211012_145830Views from Canyon Overlook Trail (October 2021)

Known as “The Promised Land,” Zion National Park is one of the essential parks in Utah that millions of visitors come to every year, as means of discovering the variety of natural wonders: mountains, rivers, canyons, and arches. It is a highly-popular site that allows easy access to trails and landmarks for both the casual tourist and hard-core hiker to explore. Even though I only had three nights in Zion, I got to see a good handful of its highlights, which left me wanting more (and a reason to return)…

Zion National Park is situated in the southwest quadrant of Utah, which makes it very accessible for visitors coming from either Arizona or Nevada to spend a weekend in. In fact, Zion has seen a sharp uptick in visitors in the past few years, due to social media boom and COVID-19 (with many choosing to travel domestically, especially to national parks). The number has almost doubled in the past decade, from about 2.7 million in 2008 to hitting an all-time high of 4.5 million in 2017.

Park rangers and the Zion staff are feeling the burden of over-tourism, with the small resort towns of Springdale and Hurricane overrun with traffic and pollution and the increase of visitors who may not necessarily respect their stay, i.e. littering, vandalism, etc. My dad and I felt like we were contributing to this growing problem of over-tourism in national parks, but as we were already there, we did our best to respect the land and adopted the “leave no trace” policy (which really, is common sense). We also did our best to enjoy our short stay, as a few barriers like heavy traffic, fatigue, even snow(!) did set us back a bit.

We left early for Utah after our time in Arizona; after our *failed* attempt to see Antelope Canyon, we headed out towards Zion National Park in order to maximize our time there. From Page, it was only a two-hour drive over (we crossed the state border within 20 minutes), but it ended up being longer, as it was snowing in Utah! It boggled my mind that it was only early October, yet winter was already here. Us being Californians, we rarely encounter snow, so we had to be cautious while driving along the icy roads. Thankfully, it was only light snow, so it wasn’t too bad. Made for some gorgeous, winter-wonderland photos!

20211012_084837Winter in October…

20211012_102120Crossing the Arizona-Utah border

After a brief, 10-minute stop in Kanab for some snacks, we soon reached Springdale, the gateway town to Zion, within an hour. Fortunately, it wasn’t snowing in Zion, although the weather was a bit nippy. We arrived perhaps an hour early before our hotel check-in, but the front desk was nice enough to allow us to check in early and get settled in our room (take that, hotel in Page!). We had lunch and coffee in our room and, after resting for a bit, we decided to head out to explore Zion National Park in the afternoon.

*note* Utah was an hour ahead of the other states we visited (Arizona and Nevada, both which are in the same time zone as California). Although it didn’t make a huge difference, having to adjust our meals by an hour was noticeable!

Traffic to get into Zion wasn’t too bad that mid-afternoon. We paid the $35 USD entrance fee (which allows us to visit up to 7 days) and drove right in. You could also take the shuttle in, and it also takes you up north to the popular hikes like Angels Landing and The Narrow, but as those hikes aren’t for novices (like us), my dad and I chose to take the scenic route towards the eastern part of Zion, at our own leisure.

We spent our stay in Zion strictly along Highway 9, also known as the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway. It’s the most-accessible way to visit the national park, with sinuous, scenic roads that go along the mountains and plenty of turn-outs to park the car and capture photos. It’s the easiest route for tourists to take, instead of having to wait for the shuttle (as they can be packed with people). My dad and I first drove through the highway without stopping, passing by some notable sites like the East Temple, Twin Brothers, and ending at Checkerboard Mesa at the furthest point in the park.

20211012_153409East Temple and Twin Brothers in the distance

20211012_134257Checkerboard Mesa

On our way back, we decided to do the Canyon Overlook Trail. The trailhead is right when you exit the first tunnel of Highway 9, and you’ll know where it is based on the sheer number of cars parked alongside the road. As we went towards 16h00, we had to park perhaps a quarter of a mile (0.4 km) away from the trailhead and make our way over to start the hike. It’s not a difficult hike, as there’s only one way to get to the scenic overlook and is only a mile (1.6 km) long– however, parts of the trail are narrow, which means allowing others to pass, and at times slippery, so definitely watch your foot as you hike along the cliff’s edge!

The views at the very end are gorgeous, as you see the canyons and switchbacks from above. Weather was overcast that afternoon, which added to the dramatic effect of the sight that unfolded in front of us. Definitely a highlight of our time in Zion, as we paused for plenty of photos and a short break before heading back down.

It was barely 17h00 when we returned to Springdale and decided to get an early dinner at a restaurant just right across the street from our hotel. The interior wasn’t too packed when we arrived, although by the time we finished and left, crowds of tourists were coming in waves– helps to come early, and eat early!

I was actually impressed with the food, as the restaurant offered a sort of southwest-Mexican style cuisine: I opted for mushroom sopes, which came with a lot of rice and beans, as well as elote and a jalapeño margarita (which was spicy!). Food was well-made with large portions and prices were reasonable– I also appreciated that staff were all wearing masks indoors, as the pandemic really is no joke. The food was so good that we ended up eating here again the following night!

20211012_160449Mushroom sopes with elote and jalapeño margarita

That ended our first day in Zion National Park, and we would spend more time checking out more. More to come soon!

— Rebecca

Published by Rebecca

Blogger, world traveler, poet, foodie, part-time penguin. Welcome!

55 thoughts on “Destination: Zion National Park, Utah (Caught in Snowstorm & Scenic Drive- Part 1)”

  5. Mmm, more dramatic and uniquely Americana landscapes. I love the shot of the wintry view unfolding from within the car, there is a real romance to this kind of travel. What a fascinating and unusual formation Checkerboard Mesa is, a sandstone delight. Seems like a fitting meal to end a day of adventuring. I look forward to the next one considering you say that you were more impressed by Bryce.

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    1. The views at Zion are certainly emblematic of the Southwest US landscape! I didn’t expect for the food to blow me away there, but it pleasantly exceeded expectations. Thanks for reading and the post on Bryce will be up in a couple of weeks!

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  6. It’s a shame Zion has gotten so popular, but it seems like you found a way to see the sights without too many people around. I’m surprised to hear it was snowing in October… I think that’s relatively rare in Utah. It sure makes everything pretty, though!

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    1. I think it helped that we visited on the weekday, as well as started early. However, by the time we left Zion on Thursday, the weekenders were piling in! The snow was unexpected, but it was a beautiful surprise nonetheless!

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  10. I enjoyed Zion when we went in 2020. Very few places were open to eat then and those that were had limited take out only menus. I think we pretty much survived on apples, peanut butter, granola and M&M’s! Regardless it was a great place and I enjoyed your post bringing back memories!!

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    1. Yes, I can imagine many businesses were shut in 2020. But they were definitely open and lively when I went the year after you! Incredible just how one year can make a difference…perhaps you could return to check out the good eats!

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  18. I wouldn’t say a beginner couldn’t do Angels’ Landing. Rather, they just need to be physically fit and have no fear of heights, though I’m guessing the official word from the park is that it’s not for beginners. Also, you have to get a permit to climb it now. So glad I did it 15 or so years ago when I didn’t have to deal with that. The parks are just getting overrun, so I understand why they’re taking measures like this. Still an inconvenience, though.
    Interesting that you were able to drive in. When I was last there – maybe 2017?? – it was summertime and cars weren’t allowed. We had to take the shuttle. Maybe they open it back up to cars when the crowds diminish in the fall? It’s a lovely park.

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    1. Yes, I agree! Technically, my dad and I could’ve done Angel’s Landing, as we’re fit enough, but it was the fear of heights and the crowds which detered us from attempting at all. We decided to play it safe and do easier hikes. We went during the fall, and we could drive Highway 9 through without any issue…I believe it does have to do with the time of year you go!

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  20. It’s always a treat to find a restaurant you want to go back to before you leave a place. I’ve been through Zion a few times, and each time hiked into the Narrows. We didn’t go far into the river but it was exciting to hike there. Looking forward to your next Zion post.

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  21. Seems stunning! Just the other day I saw a short video on Zion and it really seems like a breathtaking landscape – I can’t imagine how impressive it must be in person! I didn’t know there was also a problem of “over-tourism” there too – and it’s awful that some people can’t be respectful at all when they travel (or even when they don’t)! As you say, it’s just common sense! I’m glad you had a great time there and the food sounds delicious!

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  23. Pingback: Destination: Zion National Park, Utah (Hiking the Watchman & Mexican Food- Part 2) – Rebecca Goes Rendezvous

  25. I’ve gotta catch up on my reading – looks like you visited my home state! I love Zion, but I haven’t been back there since 2020 because of the overcrowding problem. I’ve also nearly completed every hike you can do in the main section of the park, save for one long one. The littering and waste is such a bummer there, and makes me so sad!

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    1. True, I’ve heard Zion has gotten ridiculously crowded over the years, to the point that it seems to be hurting the natural wonders of the area. It’s great you’ve been able to get a lot of hikes done here, before it might be too late!

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  26. Pingback: Destination: Zion National Park, Utah (Hiking the Watchman & Mexican Food- Part 2) – Rebecca Goes Rendezvous

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