Planning to spend a day at Zion with a group of guys. Any suggestions or must-do's?
Thanks!
Thanks!
The Narrows are busy, but not as packed the deeper you go.reddog90 said:
First, I would spend more than a day if you are able. If you are experienced, get into the back country to escape the crowds.
Narrows - You can't really go to Zion without doing the Narrows. It is going to be insanely packed in May. Think buses of people with no hiking experience. Be on the first bus to beat crowds. I would suggest renting the shoes from Zion Adventure Co and their walking stick. You can snap a trekking pole in the river rocks.
Angels Landing - same as above. Downright dangerous (imo) when fighting crowds on the chains.
Observation Point - great hike, better vista than AL but not as thrilling of a hike.
Subway - Need a permit. Not crowded. Hiking bottom up to the Subway isn't that exciting but the Subway itself is incredible.
West Rim - Catch first shuttle from Zion Adventure Co. You can do it top down in one day if you are in shape. You could hit AL on the way down but it will be packed by the time you get there. You can also pull a permit and camp up on the rim. Incredible views from up there.
In general, stuff in the main canyon, anything easily accessible by the shuttle bus, and relatively easy hiking is going to be crowded. Permit required = less crowded. More difficult = less crowded. By crowded I mean you will feel like you are on a tour bus inside Jurassic Park surrounded by foreigners and retirees.
This is a great resource:
http://www.citrusmilo.com/zionguide/
I did fine in my trail runners when I did it. My wife did a lot of slipping and sliding. We went in from the bottom and went up to the area where you can camp and back out in the afternoon one day. The rentals are designed for the water and wet rocks though. I'd rent them in a heart beat if I went again. you get a great shoe and keep your own shoes dry.speckledtrout said:
Can someone explain why the rental shoes are so much better to wear than hiking boots or tennis shoes ? I've never been to Zion's and I'm curious. It's on my list of parks to visit.
Last October, it was packed all the way to Orderville Canyon, I didn't go past that unfortunately. I agree that the key is being early to these places. If you only have one day, maybe do AL first. I would feel more comfortable doing AL when it is less crowded, then spending the afternoon in the cool water of the narrows with the crowds. Then go to Oscar's and drink and eat burgers.mpl35 said:The Narrows are busy, but not as packed the deeper you go.reddog90 said:
First, I would spend more than a day if you are able. If you are experienced, get into the back country to escape the crowds.
Narrows - You can't really go to Zion without doing the Narrows. It is going to be insanely packed in May. Think buses of people with no hiking experience. Be on the first bus to beat crowds. I would suggest renting the shoes from Zion Adventure Co and their walking stick. You can snap a trekking pole in the river rocks.
Angels Landing - same as above. Downright dangerous (imo) when fighting crowds on the chains.
Observation Point - great hike, better vista than AL but not as thrilling of a hike.
Subway - Need a permit. Not crowded. Hiking bottom up to the Subway isn't that exciting but the Subway itself is incredible.
West Rim - Catch first shuttle from Zion Adventure Co. You can do it top down in one day if you are in shape. You could hit AL on the way down but it will be packed by the time you get there. You can also pull a permit and camp up on the rim. Incredible views from up there.
In general, stuff in the main canyon, anything easily accessible by the shuttle bus, and relatively easy hiking is going to be crowded. Permit required = less crowded. More difficult = less crowded. By crowded I mean you will feel like you are on a tour bus inside Jurassic Park surrounded by foreigners and retirees.
This is a great resource:
http://www.citrusmilo.com/zionguide/
Angel's Landing is much less crowded at dawn. It is about hitting the popular areas EARLY imo. And Zion is definitely worth more than a day
mpl35 said:
It isn't that bad. Some areas are scary for sure. I did see grade school kids on it though. Also, there is a chain that you can keep a death grip on the entire time. I will admit I did. Once you get up there, you can see up and down the canyon and just enjoy the views. I did it in May and want to go back again some day.
bmac_aggie18 said:
For the Narrows It is an absolute MUST to rent the river shoes from an outfitting company. I was too cheap and decided walking 13 miles through a rock bottom river in Keen's was a good idea lol. I did that hike in August and I still have blister marks! Top to bottom is the way to go, nothin like camping on that river
Ol_Ag_02 said:bmac_aggie18 said:
For the Narrows It is an absolute MUST to rent the river shoes from an outfitting company. I was too cheap and decided walking 13 miles through a rock bottom river in Keen's was a good idea lol. I did that hike in August and I still have blister marks! Top to bottom is the way to go, nothin like camping on that river
So several years ago we did the 13 mile top down hike of the Narrows, I was in Keens (because wading through the river al day, right). By the time we got to the camp site that night each of my feet had a spot that was raw into the flesh, making walking excruciating. So at camp I wrapped my feet around the middle in duct tape so I could hike out the next morning. Fortunately the cold water helped to numb your feet. I think it took about six months for the spots on my feet to fully heal.