Zion
National Park

Zion National Park is the first national park of our 2023 summer adventure. Towering sandstone cliffs, narrow slot canyons, and the Virgin River running through the heart of the canyon make Zion one of the most iconic destinations in the National Park System. We plan to spend five days here, with hikes planned in both Zion Canyon and the quieter Kolob Canyons section. If the permits come through, we’ll summit Angel’s Landing, and we’re definitely gearing up for a full-day hike up the Narrows. We’ll stay all five nights at Watchman Campground.

Read our blog on Zion

Itinerary

We are presenting our itinerary as we lived it. Not the plan, but rather what we were actually able to accomplish. Naturally there are some missed goals and some serendipitous surprises. We always rolled with the punches and made the best out of our time in the national parks. Below we have included some notes that explain how the itinerary changed from what we had in mind.

It’s important to know that these plans were made to suit the abilities and interests of two young girls aged 11 and 13. We feel confident that any family on their “Every Kid Outdoors Summer” (4th grade) could handle this itinerary. For hikes, we have listed the distance, elevation gain, and time that we tracked, which may differ from published (or actual) measurements.

Day 1

Afternoon

  • Drive from Salt Lake City to Zion

  • Stop at Mystic Hot Springs in Monroe, UT

  • Hike: Canyon Overlook Trail (1.0 miles RT, 187 feet, 1 hour)

Evening

  • Overnight at Watchman Campground

Day 2

Morning

  • Zion Visitor Center

  • Bike rentals from Springdale gate

  • Pa’rus Trail

  • Bike into Zion Valley

Afternoon

  • Zion Lodge

  • Weeping Wall

Evening

  • Shuttle into Springdale

  • Overnight at Watchman Campground

Day 3

Morning

  • Helicopter Tour

Afternoon

  • Tubing the Virgin River

  • Hike: Wildcat Canyon to Northgate Peaks (4.2 miles RT)

Evening

  • Overnight at Watchman Campground

Day 4

Morning

  • Shuttle to The Grotto

  • Hike: Angel’s Landing (5.4 miles RT, 1,500 feet, 4 hours)

Afternoon

  • Spa treatment at Cable Mountain Lodge

Evening

  • Overnight at Watchman Campground

Day 5

Morning

  • Nature Center

  • Pa’rus Trail

Evening

  • Overnight at Cable Mountain Lodge

Notes

Zion was our first national park of the summer and one of the most anticipated stops. We hit the ground running with a late afternoon hike to Canyon Overlook, which set the tone with stunning views and cool shade. The next day we rented bikes to explore the valley and checked out Springdale. The following day was off script. We skipped our planned Observation Point hike for a helicopter tour, tubing down the Virgin River, and a hike in a lesser-known part of the Park.

On day four, we scored permits for Angel’s Landing and hiked all the way to the summit. The chains section was intense and unforgettable—one of the defining moments of the trip. We rested and enjoyed Springdale for the final day, realizing that The Narrows was not going to open while we were there.

 

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