Today we wanted to explore Zion National Park, which can be reached within 2.5 hours by car from Las Vegas.
Table of contents
The route from Las Vegas to Zion National Park
The ride on Interstate 15 offers some very nice views of the mountain formations of the region. Interstate 15 leads you first through Nevada, then crosses the “left top corner” of Arizona and finally reaches Utah.
Zion National Park
While Zion National Park is open to visitors all year round, Zion Canyon Scenic Drive, the panoramic road that runs through the park, is closed to public traffic from March to October. This means that we parked our car at the park entrance and then switched to the free shuttle buses that took visitors to the individual sights. At the visitor centre there were some information boards where you could get a good overview of the park.
The Rock Formation “Court of the Patriarchs”
From the bus stop of the same name, one goes a short, easy way up to a small observation deck from which one can see the three mountains (Abraham , Isaac, Jacob).
The Weeping Rock Trail
Weeping Rock is a rock formation where a hillside spring emerges and is covered by a 600-metre paved hiking trail. The trail ends on a platform under the overhanging rock behind a curtain of water drops.
The Rock Formation “Patterns in Stone”
Rock Formation Patterns in Stone
The Emerald Pools Trail
The hiking trail to the Emerald pools leads through dense forests and is a popular day hike for many park visitors. The route goes up slightly. The Emerald pools are created by rivers whose water seeps into the sandstone, then accumulates again into small streams and emerges from the rock face – sometimes even in the form of small waterfalls.
The Canyon Overlook Trailhead
Finally we walked to another very nice viewpoint, the Canyon Overlook, which is located in the eastern part of the park and is also accessible by car. At the end of the parking lot, steps lead to the trail, which later winds along the demolition edge of Pine Creek Canyon. Most sections of the road are secured with a metal fence to avoid crashes. At the end of the trail, a breathtaking panoramic view of the great gorge of Zion Canyon awaitedus.
After a really great day with sunny weather and bright blue skies we drove in the afternoon to our nearest accommodation, the Bryce View Lodge, at Bryce Canyon.
All travelogues from the USA (2012)
This trip through the USA took us through 10 different states in 17 days. We started with a short stopover in the megacity Chicago. From there we continued by plane to Los Angeles and from there by rental car via Las Vegas, Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, Salt Lake City and Yellowstone National Park to Denver. For the last leg of our trip we went to the East Coast, where we visited New York, Philadelphia and Washington D.C. All in all an incredibly varied round trip with really many highlights.
» Illinois: Chicago – Tourist Attractions, Things to Do & Photo spots» California: Los Angeles – Walk of Fame, Chinese Theatre & Hollywood Sign
» Nevada: Las Vegas – Casinos, Fremont Street & the Las Vegas Sign
» Utah: Zion National Park – Attractions & Hiking Trails
» Utah: Bryce Canyon – Navajo Loop, Wall Street & Viewpoints
» Utah: Salt Lake City – Tourist Attractions, Things to Do & Photo spots
» Idaho: Idaho Falls – The Waterfalls & the Yellowstone Bear World
» Wyoming: Yellowstone National Park – Travel Guide & Things to Do
» Colorado: Denver – Travel Guide, Things to Do & The Zoo
» New York: New York in one day? The perfect route to walk through Manhattan
» New York: New York – One World Trade Center & 9/11 Memorial
» New York: New York – Travel Guide for a visit to the Statue of Liberty
» Pennsylvania: Philadelphia – Tourist Attractions, Things to Do & the Liberty Bell
» Disctrict of Columbia: Washington D.C. – Tourist Attractions, Things to Do & Photo spots