After completing our trips to Europe and Mexico the year before, we craved an epic trip in our own backyard. What better than the American Southwest, packed with National Parks and rugged landscape as far as the eyes can see. Monica surprised me with plane tickets for Christmas. With only 5 days for adventure, we set our sights on Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park in Utah.
With our backpacks stuffed with camp gear, and our First Aid Kit playlists loaded, we hopped a quick flight to Las Vegas. Ironically, Monica had never been to Vegas, but we would only be using it as a jumping off point, and not as the Disneyland for adults I experienced when I was 18. From Vegas we rented a car and drove the 4 hours to Bryce Canyon where we had full intentions of camping. Being April and at 9,000 feet elevation, we expected Bryce to be cold, but the forecast called for dry weather. So no big deal right? Well it started snowing as we approached and didn’t let up, so we grabbed a hotel near the park. Despite the weather throwing us a curve ball, it didn’t damped our sprits. We still cooked our camp meals and were just happy to be on vacation.
Bundled up, we explored the park. Bryce Canyon is the largest collection of hoodoos in the world (rock pillars left from erosion). From the top, there is a seemingly endless landscape of odd shaped rock towers, and the dusting of snow added another level of beauty. Our photos don’t do justice the expansiveness of the area. We went on a couple hikes in the canyons, and it was equally amazing looking up at the natural wonders. We intended on doing much longer hikes but the weather proved to be a barrier.
Knowing that Zion would be warmer (3,500 feet elevation), we cut Bryce Canyon a bit short. It was almost comical how in the 1.5 hour drive to Zion, the temperature raised into the 70s and was sunny. We arrived in Zion through the East entrance which takes you through a mile long man made tunnel and presents a breathtaking reveal. Zion is a canyon nearly a half a mile deep, so driving down into it makes you feel minuscule in comparison. We set up camp at the Watchman campground which had the best camp scenery I’ve every experienced. We met people who had traveled from all over the world, which reaffirmed how special Zion truly is.
Zion contains countless hikes, varying in difficulty. The one most associated with Zion is the appropriately named, Angles Landing. The trail takes you the top of a nearly 1,500 foot tall rock formation with 1000 foot drops on each side. Not for the faint of heart. We spent each day soaking in the scenery, while managing to hike nearly every trail in the park. We felt accomplished exploring the park so thoroughly.
At the North end of the park lies The Narrows where at times it’s only 20 feet wide with 1000 foot walls on each side. The Virgin River flows throw this area and to hike through it you’ll be in cold knee deep water. The Narrows can only be hiked during dry days in the surrounding areas, as flash floods through the canyon are common. We only hiked about 1 mile in and out as we were in our sandals. With proper gear you can go much further. It’s slow going, trudging through the water, struggling for balance. But the experience is uniquely amazing.
We can’t express enough how beautiful and expansive Zion’s landscape is. The area has a rich history and should be a bucket list item for everyone. After a quick drive back to Vegas, we hopped a flight home. It was a whirlwind of an adventure full of great memories!