To ensure we’d be front and center for our 9:00 a.m. shuttle at Zion National Park (the earliest time we could get), everyone was up early, preparing to leave the cabin by 7:30 a.m. Jim looked out the window and noticed overcast skies and a blurry horizon. Maybe an early morning rain shower? It was pretty chilly at our elevation above 8,000 feet.
Daypacks, water bottles, hiking poles in hand, we headed out the door as it began to…SNOW. Teensy flakes, then a little more, beginning to dust the porch railing. Next thing we know, white stuff was everywhere!
It’s called the Grand Staircase for a reason, a series of cliffs and terraces stepping down from Bryce Canyon to Zion Canyon to the Grand Canyon. The snow flurries just disappeared as we headed south/west on Highway 89, the temperature rising quickly as we lost elevation. Here we come, Zion NP!
Note: Mormons settled in the canyon and named it Zion, meaning “sanctuary.” Read more about the Mormons’ part in park history here. Read more about place names here and here.
Another Note: There are numerous sources online describing the history of indigenous peoples that preceded the Mormons in Zion NP and I cannot provide an appropriately thorough summary here. I encourage anyone who visits any of our national parks to research and learn about their history beforehand. It will help you to look at and honor the land you walk on.
Mount Carmel Highway (Hwy 9) is a long scenic drive similar to Newfound Gap Road in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, especially the steeply switchbacked descent to Canyon Junction. An interesting drive to build anticipation - pulloffs and overlooks and a tunnel – oh my! But today we’re exploring inside the park.
aNote: This description is of a hike in April 2021. As of April 1, 2022, a permit is required to hike to Angel's Landing. Read more about permits here or go to the Zion NP website.
The West Rim Trail to Angel’s Landing begins at the Grotto picnic area. Shuttles had been running since 6:00 a.m. and we expected that hundreds of folks were ahead of us. Let’s embrace the day and see where the trail takes us.
Ants on switchbacks
The last push on West Rim Trail to Scout Lookout, where the Angel’s Landing trail begins, is via a series of 21 steep, tight switchbacks called Walter’s Wiggles. It’s an incredible feature carved into the solid rock face, named after Walter Ruesch, who was the first superintendent of Zion NP. Walter supervised the construction of the switchbacks in 1926. The Wiggles are nearly 100 years old!
We stopped at Scout Lookout to get a feel for the final half-mile push up the narrow spine to the top of Angel’s Landing. Adventurous souls were lined up for the skinny path that, in some places, is one step away from nothing on either side. The queue was hours long, most of it standing still waiting to take each step. This was a major test of overcoming FOMO, but we all decided to skip the summit and see what awesomeness lay further ahead on the West Rim.
Every few steps up the West Rim gave a slightly different bird’s eye view back to Angel’s Landing. Notice the sheer drop on the left side down to the perpendicular fin (wall) that extends out to a feature called the Organ. Here the North Fork of the Virgin River makes a massive turn called Big Bend.
and the Organ (center)
The Great White Throne, a mesa of white Navajo sandstone, looms prominently in the center
We continued about a mile past Scout Lookout on the West Rim Trail, gentle elevation gain on slickrock, until we reached a curious knob rising on the right that the trail skirts around. Why didn’t the trail go over what must be a grand overlook? There was no obvious or easy path, so we each scrambled our own way to the top of the knob (no name that I can find).
I learned later that our knob’s elevation was nearly 6,000 feet, far above the Pulpit rock formation and directly across the river from the Riverside Trail trailhead.
The West Rim Trail continues for miles, but we decided that the knob was the high point of our hike (literally!) and turned around to retrace our steps.
Speaking of a bird’s eye view…don’t EVER take for granted that there is nothing new to see on the return of an out-and-back hike. A black dot on the edge of a rock face could be…
A condor!! Photos are fuzzy, zoomed in as we stayed on trail to be respectful of distance. I learned later that the bird was near a nest. Was there a hatchling on the day we saw it? This article tells about a fledgling from the nest in early September.
The Angel’s Landing queue had grown as we breezed by, patting ourselves on the back for taking the high route and seeing a condor (!) [But for all we know, those on the summit had a clear view too…]
As we descended, we observed those hiking up, knowing what they were going towards and silently judging those who looked unprepared. Why do people hike with nothing but shirts on their back, no water, no gear? Never ceases to amaze me how many signs people pass that advise carrying water on a hike.
Snippet of a conversation between two women who passed me as they were going up: “I need to get rid of all my business suits.”
Our shuttle passes were good all day for any stop inside the park until we returned to the Visitor Center, so we decided to check out the Narrows trailhead where the North Fork of the Virgin River flows through a narrow gorge and into Zion Canyon. In our trip planning, we had decided that hiking the Narrows would take too much time for logistics, i.e. renting and picking up and returning wetsuits.
We followed the Riverside Walk, a one-mile paved path from the Temple of Sinawava shuttle stop to the river (2 miles round trip). Waterfalls and lush green hanging gardens spilled down the canyon walls. I had to stand still, plant my feet, and look straight up to see the cliff tops and the sky.
Watching people wade in the cold water, a myriad of reactions on their faces, some splashing around wearing big grins, some holding big wooden walking sticks and taking timid steps, some shivering to get the heck out of there – I felt the FOMO bubbling up again. Because of the crowded conditions, I doubt we will ever return to Zion NP unless we’re in the neighborhood…maybe just for the unique opportunity to hike the Narrows…
The Narrows is located at the far end of Zion Canyon, where most people get off of the shuttles, until late afternoon when the flow of people reverses and everyone wants to leave. There was a long queue and the buses filled up. People at trailhead stops on the way back to the Visitor Center had to wait as load after load passed them by. Just by dumb luck (no planning) we had no trouble returning to the VC.
The town of Springdale, UT is just outside the park boundary, steps away from the Visitor Center, with souvenir shops and restaurants and Zion Brewery calling our names. We stopped to toast a good day in this magnificent (did I mention crowded?) gem of a park preserved for the enjoyment of the people. This made Jim especially happy and we all enjoyed the respite.
On our drive back to our Airbnb, we stopped at the Thunderbird Restaurant in Mount Carmel, home of Utah’s famous “Ho-Made Pies.” When Jack Morrison built the restaurant/gas station in 1931, his wife Fern served her delicious pies. Jack didn’t have room to spell out “homemade” so he abbreviated to “ho-made” and that’s the way it’s always been.
Tomorrow we’re moving on.
“Those who dwell among the beauties and mysteries of the earth are never alone
or weary of life.”
~Rachel Carson
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