Travel Tips for Visiting Zion National Park with Kids

Over fall break, the kids and I headed to Zion National Park. The weather is beautiful at the end of October, with highs in the days in the 70s and lows in the 40s. The fall colors are at their peak. With such a nice combination, I guess I shouldn't have been so surprised that we had a long wait just to enter the park on a Friday morning! Fortunately we got there in time to get one of the 300+ campsites in the main part of the park--but barely. They filled up by 11 am. 

This was the first time I camped in a park campground. I've stayed in motels in Springdale, the Zion Lodge, in the backcountry, at the Ponderosa Zion Ranch, and at a campground on the east side of the park. They have all been good. I was really excited to stay in the main canyon and to camp, as I like hearing the birds chirp early in the morning and peeking out of the tent at the stars during the night.

The park campgrounds have campsites located close together, but we lucked out and got a walk-in campsite that had a little more space. We did have to carry all our gear a little further, but the kids have become good campers and know what to do. Bonus: Desert Boy even set out to put up the tent by himself. That was a little over-ambitious, but a really nice thought!

Tip One: If you want to camp in the park but will be arriving late (meaning after about 10 am), one campground accepts reservations. The campgrounds are great for kids!

After we got all set up and had lunch, my big plan was to take the shuttle bus up Zion Canyon to the Temple of Siniwava, walk up the River Walk and then hike up the Virgin River a ways.

The shuttle buses ran about every 7-8 minutes, so we didn't have to wait long, and we enjoyed the narration about the park along the way. The River Walk was pleasant. Then we got to the end of the trail and prepared to walk in the river. We all had wool socks and shoes (although I had admittedly forgotten Desert Girl's sneakers), poly pro shirts, fleece, hats, and lots of snacks.

We were all set. Until we actually got in the water. And realized that in late October, the river is quite chilly. Like 47 degrees. Brrr. The warm day wasn't enough to counteract the coldness, so after two river crossings and two crying kids, we turned back. Epic failure.

I felt really bad. I wanted the kids to have fun and have good memories of this trip. So we threw rocks in the river for a little while. Then the kids found this great rock to scamper up and slide down.

Desert Girl got stuck for a bit, so she consoled herself after her mini-rescue by mom by playing in the sand. There's plenty of sand in Zion! Then she got brave again and conquered the rock. We spent at least half an hour just by this rock, and it put the kids back in good humor.

Tip Two: Playing (or hiking) in the Virgin River is best reserved for the summer months. But there's plenty to do near the river from spring through fall, and those who can't resist hiking can rent neoprene shoes/socks and wetsuits or drysuits to make it more comfortable.

Our leisurely walk back down the one-mile River Walk, shuttle ride, quick stop at the museum to pick up junior ranger booklets and watch the movie took up the rest of the afternoon. Then it was time for one of the kids' favorite activities: make a fire!

Now we've been working hard at eating real food and cutting processed food out of our diets this last year, but when we were in the grocery store, the kids talked me into marshmallows. I reached for the big marshmallows, but they said the preferred the small ones, because they didn't really like to roast them, they just wanted to eat them out of the bag. Nevertheless, the allure of a fire and roasting sticks meant that Desert Girl just had to try roasting mini marshmallows. 

Day Two

Our big plan for day two was to take our bikes on the shuttle bus to the Temple of Siniwava, then bike down the canyon back to the campground, stopping for occasional hikes and rest stops.

Tip Three: The shuttle bus system is awesome! You can get off and on as many times as you like for free (park entrance fee is $25 for one week and includes the shuttle bus). The buses even have bike racks, and with no cars allowed up Zion Canyon, it's a great place to bike ride!

I was so glad we brought our bikes. We could ride at a slower pace, letting the fall colors and imposing big walls of Zion Canyon soak in. It was also great to hear the quieter, more natural sounds of the canyon. We knew the shuttle buses came by every 7-8 minutes, so we knew approximately when we had to find a good place to get to the side of the road (the buses won't pass you unless you've stopped).

One of our first hikes was to Weeping Rock, a short but steep walk to a cool overhang and quite a bit of water.

We continued biking to the Grotto Stop, where we left our bikes at the rack, crossed over the river, and had lunch on the Kayenta Trail. I was surprised by all the people hiking it. We continued along the trail to the Emerald Pools, where we found really busy trails. We often had to wait at the side of the trail to let folks pass.

Tip Four: The Emerald Pools Trail may be the most popular in Zion. To avoid the crowds, go early in the morning (sunnier) or late in the afternoon (in the shade).

Desert Boy at the Upper Emerald Pool

We first came to the Middle Pool, which was not impressive at all. The Upper Pool was quite nice, but very crowded. The attraction at the Lower Pool isn't so much the pool, but the neat trail that goes under the little waterfall.

The crowd at the Upper Emerald Pool

 After the Emerald Pools, we were ready for a special snack, so we headed to the Zion Lodge and went to the cafe. The seats were all full, but we found a great place to snack under the big tree in the middle of the front lawn. Then we took the shuttle back up to the Grotto, got on our bikes, and headed down canyon. Desert Girl was so wiped out she fell asleep on the bike, so we didn't stop for any more hikes, just enjoyed the views.

Desert Boy on the P'arus Trail.

Tip Five: The P'arus Trail is paved and great for strollers, bikes, and even dogs. It starts at the Visitor Center and goes up to the Canyon Junction stop, just over 2 miles one way.

One thing about camping in the fall is that the days are a lot shorter, so after we ate an early dinner, we still had several hours to fill before bedtime. Desert Boy convinced me that riding the shuttle bus at night was a good thing to do. He sure was right!

We didn't see much scenery during our night bus ride, but we did get to ask the bus driver all sorts of questions. We also saw a huge buck mule deer, a couple gray foxes, and a raccoon at Temple of Siniwava stop. At the Big Bend stop, the bus driver turned off the bus and told us to get off. The stars were marvelous, and we could see the Milky Way. Then he told us to look high up the canyon wall. We saw two little dots of light--climbers using head lamps to make their way up the wall! Just imagining ourselves doing that made me realize that I was okay just observing and not doing.

The shuttle driver told us we could get off and catch the next shuttle in 15 minutes if we wanted some quiet time to enjoy the canyon and the stars. The kids were quite sure they didn't want to do that (even though we had flashlights), so we stayed put. We enjoyed talking to people who got on the bus on the way back down the canyon: hikers who had watched sunset from Angels Landing (a must-do hike for older kids and above), someone who had dined at the Zion Lodge, and rock climbers who had made it up a tough route.

Tip Six: Try riding the shuttle bus at night for a very different look at Zion Canyon. (It's free entertainment!)

Day Three

We had to go home on day three, so our first stop was to the visitor center where the kids could turn in their junior ranger booklets and get their badges.

Tip Seven: Kids love the junior ranger program! The park offers different junior ranger experiences in summer and off-season, so ask what the requirements are when you visit.

Then it was time for the scenic drive back: through the Mt. Carmel tunnel (a really neat tunnel!) for a roundabout way home. I was also hoping for a quick hike on the other side of the tunnel. As it turned out, the parking lot right after the tunnel was empty, so we pulled in and parked. I checked out a canyon I had canyoneered many years ago, looking wistfully at it. I also observed folks on the other side of the road hiking the Canyon Overlook trail. I tried to get the kids out of the van, but they didn't want to hike. I went back to looking at the canyon, memories of rappelling and swimming through cold pools coming back to me. The park ranger who was stationed at the tunnel entrance came over and mentioned that although going down canyon required a permit, we could go up canyon without one. I asked him if it was a neat hike, and he said yes.

So I coaxed the kids out and we hiked under the bridge into the canyon. It was sandy, which the kids liked. And then the canyon walls closed in and we were in our own slot canyon!

It was a great little hike! We had obstacles (flood debris) to climb over, a little water to avoid, and just the right amount of complexity for us. It made the whole trip so much better for me, as finding a bit of solitude energized me.

Tip Eight: Go off the beaten path. Park at a roadside pullout and explore what's nearby. 

Overall it was a really refreshing weekend, and I hope we all can go back next year--maybe in the summer when we can play in the river!

Have you been to Zion? What other tips do you have for making the most of it?

A Fall Jaunt up Strawberry Creek

 The fall colors have disappeared at the higher elevations to be replaced with a dusting of snow on the bare aspen branches, but at the lower elevations two weekends ago, the colors were still great. A group of us decided to head up Strawberry Creek for a hike.

 The kids didn't mind posing on the rock wall at the trailhead.

 We've hiked here below, a simple loop about two miles long. There still aren't any signs, so we didn't know exactly how long. And I had heard rumors of a new trail in the area. I kept that in the back of my mind as we headed up the trail. The kids took off running. They couldn't go too far ahead, because Rule #1 was Stay in Sight of an Adult at All Times.

 Soon they came running back and pelted the adults with snowballs. That made us decide on Rule #2: Snowball Throwing at Legs Only.

 Jenny, nine months pregnant, was ready to enjoy the hike. She's so awesome!

 Soon the kids were ready for a snack, which we decided we would have at the first bridge, along with a photo op. It works well--sit still and you get a snack!

We had one more rule for the hike, Rule #3: No Whining.

Desert Boy managed to fall into the creek from the bridge and drenched himself, immediately breaking rule #3. Lucky for him (and for me), I had a change of clothes with me.

 The kids loved the bridges and watching the water go under them.

 After about an hour, we reached a trail junction and headed uphill to a nearby sign that said Osceola Trail. We decided to give it a try, hoping my info was good that a trail would then connect down to our vehicles.

 The Osceola Ditch was constructed over a hundred years ago to transport water to a mining area. Much of the ditch still exists, and we happened to be in a shady part of it, which meant more snow!

 We kept moving in the shady part, it was a bit chilly.

 Then we came out into the sunlight and the kids discovered ants.

 All the kids were good hikers. And one decided to climb a tree. Guess who.

 By this point Desert Girl also required a change of clothes, but I didn't have any more, so she got to wear my fleece as a dress. She was quite stylish in it.

 We reached an old road that looked like it headed in the right direction,  so we headed down. A few trees were in the way, but the kids had fun crossing them.

Then we came out on a trail! It was easy from there. It will be helpful when some signs are installed so you know where you're going. Overall, we had fun on the loop hike, with about two hours of hiking at a very leisurely pace.

Hike to Baker Lake in Great Basin National Park

 Back in September I had the opportunity to hike to Baker Lake, a 5.5 mile (one-way) hike with about 2,400 ft elevation gain. The view from the trailhead includes False Pyramid Peak. The trail continues past it and past (true) Pyramid Peak to a cirque, which is where the lake is located.

 It was a mostly cloudy day, but when the sun came out, it really lit up the fall colors. Aspen trees line many parts of the trail.

 The trail also follows Baker Creek for most of the way, although at times the trail switchbacks away from the creek to allow for a gentler gradient. Generally in September the water levels are really low, but due to the abundant monsoon rains, the creek was roaring almost like it was spring runoff. (If you're from any area besides the desert, this probably looks like a tiny creek, but to us it's huge!)

 Several spring tributaries made us even have to step on the big rocks to get across.

 Some of the aspen hadn't fully turned, but some, like in this avalanche path from 2005, lit up the hillside.

 While we were walking, I noticed these mushrooms growing in a cut tree stump.

 Some of the leaves were already falling.

 Another avalanche area looked a little desolate.

 After about two hours, we made it to Baker Lake. It was quite a bit higher than it usually is in late September, thanks to those aforementioned rains.

My friend Chandra had never been to Baker Lake, so I took her to the far end, the west end near the cirque, to get an overview.

As we were walking back to meet the other people in our group, I noticed the moraine above the lake. What was up there? Could there be more water?

There was only one way to find out.

So we turned around and hiked further up.

We didn't find any other lake, just lots more talus and boulders.

It sure was beautiful. There are some great campsites near the lake, but campfires aren't allowed, so if you do go, be sure to take a stove.

Then it was time to get to work, collecting water samples and measuring water quality.

Baker Lake is one of the deeper lakes and supports non-native brook trout and Lahontan cutthroat trout.

The wind blew and we were cold. We worked fast to get everything done so we could get out of the wind and down to a warmer elevation. It was a good day, a fast trip, and some beautiful vistas. Looking forward to hiking up there next summer!

Thank You, Park Ranger

As we enter the third week of the government shutdown, we really miss our national parks and the park rangers and other park employees who take care of these special places. As I looked through my photos, I realized I had so many photos of my kids interacting with park rangers. Park rangers have really helped encourage my kids' love of nature.

Park rangers have taught them things they never expected to learn, things that they not only remember, but ideas and thoughts that come home and are shared with their parents, grandparents, friends, and relatives.

Park rangers have pushed our kids to learn more. The junior ranger program has been fantastic, truly inspiring the next generation to care for our national parks. My kids want to pick up trash not only in national parks, but everywhere they go. They ask about picking flowers when we're out on a hike, knowing that in national parks they are protected. They know that if they have questions about something they see, they can find a ranger who most likely will know the answer, and if not, will probably look it up for them.

Park rangers do much more than teach and sign junior ranger certificates. They share their talents, getting us to think about the amazing resources that national parks protect in new and innovative ways.

Park rangers get down on the kids' level, showing them that they are important. They listen patiently to kids' stories and questions, and help steer them in the right direction.

Park rangers show kids (and sometimes their parents!) new ways to think about the places they visit.

Park rangers are heroes to our kids.

As we travel, we seek out national parks, as we know the 401 National Park Service units preserve unique features and history of our country. These are places that are worth visiting, places we dream about and stay in our memories long after we've left.

National Parks are not restricted just to geography. They are featured on our money. They are visited via the Internet. Most importantly, they are an idea that helps define our country.

Park scientists, educators, and rangers visit classrooms to inspire even more kids to visit.

We want to go to our national parks. We miss seeing these fine people in the green and grey.

We hope that we can soon once again visit these beacons of wildness, history, and special places.


And although we can't go to these places right now, know that we appreciate  everyone who cares for our national parks. Thank you, Park Ranger, each and every one of you. And thank you, all National Park Service employees. You make a difference.