Watchman, Zion National Park, UT
I've been to Zion twice before, it is an amazing place. Our site, previously scouted out, had plenty of space though Tom had to park the truck at an angle. We were facing the Watchman, what a treat!
The Visitors Center parking lot was next to our loop, we walked to it and could also easily walk out of the park. Outside of the entrance booth, there is a brewpub, restaurant and general store. On the north side you have a shuttle bus stop, rental for Narrows (boots and walking sticks) and e-bike rental. Just a hub of activity!
Bikes are the best to get around, the Pa’rus Trails starts behind the Visitors Center and continues toward Pine Creek, where it ends and you continue on Zion Canyon Scenic Drive. If you are on a bike (definitely e-bike!), you need to fully stop for the shuttle to pass you. It’s uphill going north, e-bikes make a huge difference. So we started exploring early morning before it got hot. We got to the Grotto Trailhead and Shuttle stop, so many people were going up to Angels Landing (permit required for final portion). I have tried the final section twice and it’s just not for me. We kept biking to the Big Bend Shuttle stop, which faces Angel’s Landing, the ridge is very clearly visible. We met other bikers, mostly of more mature age, and Tom had lots of fun describing that trail. You could see hikers making their way up and down the trail.
The Narrows trailhead was very busy, so we stopped for a quick break before heading back. I did the Narrows on my first visit, back in 2012, it was a wonderful experience and highly recommended. We biked back, it was much easier now, mostly downhill. The views in the canyon are just stunning.
The best place for late lunch is the Zion Canyon Brew Pub , just outside of the entrance booth. The outdoor area is great for people-watching, there’s a firepit (too hot!) and space for a band. The inside restaurant has an outdoor section as well and the food is pretty good. But be there before 4 pm, it gets busy as people return from exploring the park.
We drove through the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel . It’s one mile long, blasted through the mountains back in 1920 and 1930s. The road from the canyon floor is a series of tight switchbacks and traffic can stop for oversized vehicles. On the east side, the road snakes through beautiful rocks with some great hiking, but unless you get there early, the parking is a problem. The last time we stayed in Springdale we drove to East Mesa Trailhead for Observation Point, which has great views of the Canyon. However, I’ve learned from our previous visitis, that there are plenty of hikes outside of the main Canyon that are worth exploring.
The campground has access to a couple of trails. The short hike to the Watchman Overlook was easily accessible so I went very early in the day. The trail was straightforward uphill, with the final section a short loop along the rim. The views were great, seeing the Watchman and then the campground, Visitors Center and the mountains on the other side of the Canyon, Mt Kinesava and The West Temple. What a place!
We finally had to leave, driving down towards Las Vegas, but first, we had a stop in the Valley of Fire State Park!
