Today, I had the chance to hike up in Zion National Park. I love that place. It’s beautiful, has many nice hiking opportunities, and is well-served by a shuttle service. Did I mention that it is beautiful?
There are three “must do” hikes in Zion: Angel’s Landing; The Narrows; and, Observation Point. The first one is a cardio-vascular/fear of heights test, which I passed last year. The second is a wet and wild slog through one of the most beautiful slot canyons in the world. Again, I did that one last year. And, the third, is an opportunity to view all of the majesty of Zion from “the rooftop”. This was my quest today.
The 8-mile trek began at Weeping Rock Trailhead. The first couple of miles is basically right up an escarpment. The trail starts right at Big Bend of the river. I started at 8:15 a.m. The map says that, up and down, it’s a 4 to 6 hour round-trip, with 2,100 feet vertical ascent.
The trail, although steep going up the cliffs, is much more hiker-friendly than the South Kaibab Trail washboard. And, of course, the scenery is better, too.
Some of the rock faces on the trail are 1,000 feet high, in various colors.
Maybe half way up the trail is a beautiful slot canyon, which I didn’t have a lot of time to explore. It is evident that quite a bit of water has poured through here.
I made it to Observation Point (4 miles) in 2 hours. It was a beautiful 270-degree panorama, one that I shared on “Face Time” with my son Tim (who called me on the phone right as I reached the top!) and wife Charlie.
Some 20 year-old flatbellies from Mississippi, who had hiked up the trail with me, sat on the edge of the cliff, eating snacks and taking in the majesty of Zion Valley.
The only other comparable view that I’ve witnessed in person is atop Half Dome in Yosemite. It takes your breath away.
By the way, these guys were planning on doing The Narrows…later in the day! I expressed amazement (hey, impetuous youth), particularly when they hadn’t planned to get the special pole and neoprene socks/water boots that make the in-river trek tolerable. I gave them my advice; I hope they took it.
The trip down the mountain was a breeze compared to the slog up it. It’s always nice to pass winded hikers trudging upward; gives you a sense of accomplishment, superiority, etc. Who knows if they will make it all the way to the top?
One thing that I didn’t capture in these photos was the large number of women doing this particular hike. I would guess that between 60 and 70 percent of all the hikers on the trail were women, some solo, and many in groups of 3, 4 and more. I’m thinking that the girls may have better stamina than the guys, because this was a tough hike.
That white-faced cliff, just right of top center, is Observation Point. It is 500′ higher than Angel’s Landing.
I completed the 8-mile trip in four hours flat, including rest stops and a 15-minute break at the summit.
On the way back to the parking lot via the shuttle, I noticed how busy the park had become. There was a quarter-mile long line of hikers waiting at the Visitor Center to board the shuttle headed up-Valley. The crowd of people reminded me of the throngs at Disneyland. This is one popular national park.
Hopefully, I can do more hiking here on this trip.