A Day Trip to Zion National Park in Springdale, Utah

Zion National Park ranks the third busiest national park in the U.S. Last weekend, my boyfriend and I decided to take a spontaneous trip to Zion National Park to get a first-hand experience of the beautiful views and tackle the widely-known hike, “The Narrows”.

We drove out from Las Vegas on Friday night to Utah. Our Airbnb was about 140 miles (2 hours from Las Vegas). After doing some research about the various hotels around the park, we decided staying at an Airbnb would be ridiculously more cost-effective. Our place was in Leeds, Utah, about 30 minutes away from Zion. 

Accommodation 

We checked in at our “Earthship” Airbnb. Yes, you heard me correct. The Airbnb did dub themselves as “Earthship”. The studio was made of used tires, solar-powered, and even had a mini garden in the inside. With the place priced right, clean and tidy, and the cozy and earthy ambience, I would definitely recommend staying there. Check out the link here for more details. 

Pre-Narrows Prep

Saturday morning, we left our Airbnb and grabbed some quick coffee at a local drive thru coffee shop, River Rock Roasting Company. I had an English Toffee Almond Milk latte and a Samoa brownie (bomb af!). We arrived at the park around 10:30 am and parked at a mutual friend’s hotel (only a 5 minute walk from the park entrance).

Before heading in, we rented some gear for the hike from Zion Outfitters. For around $40 we rented, high-waisted dry pants, Adidas Hydro Lace Canyoneering Boot, 5mm Neoprene Socks, and a Wooden Hiking Stick. Keep in mind, when hiking The Narrows, you’re actually hiking through the Virginia River. Being a little shorty, the water rose up to almost my chest so the gear was very much necessary. Coming back I would probably only rent the hiking stick, shoes and socks (These are so necessary and can really make or break the hike for comfort reasons!). After getting geared up, we entered the park for a $35 entrance fee. The entrance fee is per group and is good for a whole week.  

As you enter the park, you’ll find the visitor center and the line to the shuttle. The shuttle is free and you can find the schedule here. There are nine stops which take you through the park. This helps with parking problems and traffic throughout the park. The shuttle stop to hike “The Narrows” is #9 - Temple of Sinawava. The ride was about 20 minutes and to-date the most beautiful bus ride I’ve ever been on. Driving through the park met breathtaking and vibrant views. 

The Narrows

Finally, reaching our stop at the Temple of Sinawava, we started off the hike on the easy-paved way of the River Walk. After about 1.5 miles, we reached the end of the River Walk and the entryway to The Narrows. The Narrows was an experience and sight you cannot imagine. Surrounded by walls of beautiful canyons, clear water, and rocks on rocks it was a strenuous but well-worth it adventure. We hiked about 2.5 miles and reached the end of “Wall Street”. “Wall Street” is the famous landmark hikers are looking to reach. For a longer hike, you can hike to Big Springs. Our trip was about 7 miles out and back. Half the hike was navigating through the currents of the rivers and since we came in the early afternoon, we had to deal with the crowd. We finished the hike around 4:30 pm and headed to the shuttle back to the visitor center. 

Post-Hike 

We returned our rental gear and had our post-hike dinner at Zion Canyon Brew Pub. The food was pretty good for park food and for something quick. We had the house-marinated chicken wings (IPA-sriracha hot sauce & gorgonzola dressing) as an appetizer and the Zion Brew Burger (conviction stout jalapeno bacon jam, swiss & roasted garlic aioli). 
After the hike, we drove around to find a store to purchase wine. Fun fact- In Utah, you can only purchase liquor and wine in liquor stores and they are super hard to find. From the area of Leeds and Springdale, we had to drive about 20 miles to the closest liquor store. They sell beers at the gas stations, but they are all 4% or less in alcohol percentage. That said, pack your booze beforehand if you’re looking to relax after a long day! Exhausted after the long day, we ended the night low-key with a bottle of wine and watching some Netflix. 

With all the hikes I’ve been on, I’d definitely recommend taking the trip to Zion National Park. Whether it’s a weekend or week, there’s a lot to explore. Until next time, Zion!