Going into Dr.Hottie's 21 day stint of no days off, I knew we needed a carrot. In mid-October I texted Dr.H, "we're going to Zion November 14-16!" Being the adventure-planner in the relationship is hard, but somebody has to do it ;-) Well, Zion National Park was all it promised to be. For the non-Utahn readers out there, Zion Ntl Park is located in southwestern Utah. The park is uber-popular among tourists for its diverse vegetation. There's a unique blend of trees & greenery set against red rock. The park is also a short drive from Bryce National Park as well as the Grand Canyon. We braved the nation-wide cold front & camped at Watchman Campground at the base of Zion Canyon. The view was well worth the mid-20 degree temps on Saturday night.
Saturday, we went balls to the wall knowing it was our only full day in the park. We hiked/ran ~14 miles of trails. We started with the 8-mile round-trip jaunt up to Observation Point. It ended up being my favorite trail all weekend. We saw viewpoints of the entire park, and while the scenic views are breathtaking, I couldn't get over how cool it was that trees seemed to pop up out of nowhere. You'll be walking along a sandy, rocky path & BOOM- there's an evergreen just hanging out all by itself. The loner in me totally got those trees. They need space; want to march to their own beat.
We then went to the top of the canyon and walked the paved path to the start of the narrows. The narrows involves wading and crossing through the Virgin River. You get to experience slot canyons and mid-summer it's a great way to escape the heat. With the temps in the 40's and no desire to rent dry suits, we opted no on taking a dip into the river. It's definitely on the bucket list though. We ended the day with a loop to see the emerald pools- which are small pools of water set into sheer rock faces. Very cool, but we spent most of the time dodging hoards of tourists.
Sunday, we hiked up to Angel's Landing. You basically suck wind up an endless number of switchbacks, then endure a sketchy climb up to the top of a rock fin. I made it up the switchbacks, and opted out of climbing up the fin. You have to hold on to a chain, and if you fall there is over a 1000 foot drop off. I have a fear of ledges and drop-offs, but Dr.H made his way up for some good pictures. To avoid thinking of the possibility of Dr.H plummeting to his death, I hiked a bit the opposite way on the Western Rim Trail. And guess what?? The views are the same with no people & no possibility of death by scary fall!
The takeaway from the trip: These weekends are crucial to surviving residency as a couple. I would do anything to have a schedule that allows me to flee the coop when life gets too complicated. It's so important to take time for ourselves and be absolutely selfish about that time. We were both able to hit the reset button, and give thanks for the best gift in life- being able to move in mother nature with the ones you love.
The takeaway from the trip: These weekends are crucial to surviving residency as a couple. I would do anything to have a schedule that allows me to flee the coop when life gets too complicated. It's so important to take time for ourselves and be absolutely selfish about that time. We were both able to hit the reset button, and give thanks for the best gift in life- being able to move in mother nature with the ones you love.
Inspired to visit Zion? Here's my take:
Stay: Watchman campground was beautiful and affordable at $16/night. It had flush toilets, running water, and a dishwashing station. No showers at the camground, but if you go into the neighboring town of Springdale, there are showers you can pay for. If camping is not your cup of tea, you can stay at the Zion Lodge located partway up the canyon. You can also stay at any number of hotels/b&bs just outside the park.
Eat: We are obsessed with freeze dried meals. It sounded weird at first, but after two trips with them I wouldn't have it any other way. Outdoor stores carry loads of options- REI is my go-to for the meals, and they range from $5-$10. There is also a market outside of the park with food options, as well as a number of restaurants.
Do: During the high season (April-October), there are no cars allowed to drive up the canyon. You park at the visitor center and take a shuttle up the canyon that makes frequent stops. In November, cars aren't allowed on weekends. I found the shuttle to be very easy. It came by every 10 minutes or so, and we never had to wait more than ~5 min for one. My favorite hike was Observation point, and the other really challenging hike is up to Angel's Landing. For families or newb hikers the emerald pools and the narrows are great options. The narrows is a hike where you wade through the Virgin River into narrow parts of the canyon. The best time to do it is mid-summer when it's hot and before the late summer storms can lead to flash flooding.
Stay: Watchman campground was beautiful and affordable at $16/night. It had flush toilets, running water, and a dishwashing station. No showers at the camground, but if you go into the neighboring town of Springdale, there are showers you can pay for. If camping is not your cup of tea, you can stay at the Zion Lodge located partway up the canyon. You can also stay at any number of hotels/b&bs just outside the park.
Eat: We are obsessed with freeze dried meals. It sounded weird at first, but after two trips with them I wouldn't have it any other way. Outdoor stores carry loads of options- REI is my go-to for the meals, and they range from $5-$10. There is also a market outside of the park with food options, as well as a number of restaurants.
Do: During the high season (April-October), there are no cars allowed to drive up the canyon. You park at the visitor center and take a shuttle up the canyon that makes frequent stops. In November, cars aren't allowed on weekends. I found the shuttle to be very easy. It came by every 10 minutes or so, and we never had to wait more than ~5 min for one. My favorite hike was Observation point, and the other really challenging hike is up to Angel's Landing. For families or newb hikers the emerald pools and the narrows are great options. The narrows is a hike where you wade through the Virgin River into narrow parts of the canyon. The best time to do it is mid-summer when it's hot and before the late summer storms can lead to flash flooding.