Zion, The Promised Land
One week exploring heights and depths in Zion National Park, a place of great majesty and tremendous energy.
I met up with my adventure buddy Matt Chesebrough in Zion at the end of February. He was on a photo shooting trip through Southern Utah. I am perfectly content to do a lot of my adventures solo, but I was thrilled to have a partner in crime for a few days! We had a blast hiking and shooting canyons, rocks and the Milky Way. Matt also helped me by shooting some yoga images of me for my brand and a retreat I was planning.
The highlight of his visit for me was our day in The Narrows, a hike requiring special outfitting (highly recommend Zion Outfitter) especially this time of year because you are wading through frigid water, sometimes up to your waist or higher, up a high, narrow slot canyon. I don’t think I would have attempted it on my own given the challenging conditions and safety concerns, but man would I have missed out! It was unbelievable. On the long day of hiking I went through such a wide range of emotions, most of them relating to awe of the stunning canyon. There were many laughs along the way as well.
And for once I have some decent pictures of myself without setting up a tripod or asking a random stranger who randomly cuts my feet out of the picture. Matt is actually an amazing photographer, shoutout!
Angels’ Landing was another epic experience! On the jouirney to Angels’ Landing, going all the way from the depth of the canyon to high peaks of the landing, you can really tune in to the amazing energy of our planet. Not all hikers continue on the last section of the hike, where you are scrambling up a narrow section of rock, with dramatic drops on both sides, and which still has icy patches in February, and holding on to a chain for safety. Don’t let that deter you from starting! You get a great views even if you skip that part.
Also, don’t miss the Kolob Canyon section of the park, which is accessed via a separate entrance. I headed over there on the day of the Zion Half Marathon to avoid the crowds and road closures. It turned out to be really beautiful!
Being in Zion during early season was a treat! Beautiful, sunny, uncrowded days abruptly interrupted by cold nights. You could still drive into the canyon in your own vehicle and find parking. We weren’t yet restricting or social distancing, the pandemic had not yet been declared. My mom called me that week because she was worried from things she was hearing about China in the news. But it hadn’t yet started to change the behaviors of people in the U.S. In hindsight I’m incredibly grateful to have experienced Zion in this window before all of the closures that would become such a significant part of 2020.
Tips for The Narrows. You’ll want to get outfitted the night before you plan on hiking, at Zion Outfitter, so you can get an early start on the day of the hike. They will help you figure out what gear you need depending on the season, and give you info on safety conditions. Even in summer when you don’t need the heavy gear, I highly recommend those water hiking shoes, they’re actually amazing. I hiked all day with wet feet and had no blisters or hot spots or anything.
Food near Zion. The town of Springdale sits right outside the western gate of Zion and has everything you need for outfitting, shopping and dining. Right next to Zion Outfitter is the Happy Camper Market where you can stock up on snacks to fuel your hiking days. We had a great casual post-hike meal at Zion Canyon Brew Pub.
Campsite Review. Since it was still down in the 20’s at night in the park, I found an RV park 20 minutes down into the valley where nights just barely dropped below freezing. Zion River Resort was excellent. The edge sites, though average in size, have lovely valley views, and the amenities are top notch including spotless restrooms, a clubhouse, and a nice pool and hot tub. They also have a lovely little gift shop. Definitely the nicest setup in the area.
Bonus content: Here’s a silly 2 minute bloopers and b-roll video from our day in The Narrows. Enjoy!
