Photo By Senior Airman Sarah Post | The Emerald Pools Trail in Zion National Park, Utah, takes visitors to the Lower,...... read more read more
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F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. -- This is my final summer being stationed at F.E. Warren, and I have been trying to make the most of it. So, my parents and I recently decided to take a weeklong road trip across three states to four state and national parks.
Due to the distance from F.E. Warren that most of our destinations were, I’ll be focusing on Zion National Park in Utah for this edition of Wyoming Wanderers.
Zion is certainly not the closest adventure to F.E. Warren that Wyoming Wanderers has taken me, but it was one of the best and is well worth the time it takes to travel there.
Day 1
My parents and I flew into and spent some time in Las Vegas, then drove about two and a half hours to Springdale, Utah, the location of Zion National Park.
We made it to the park with just enough time to catch the sunset and made our way up the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway. The highway takes you through the 1.1-mile Zion-Mt. Carmel tunnel that was carved through the canyon in the 1920s to connect the two sides of the park. Through the tunnel, massive windows carved out of the walls give you glimpses of the canyon as you drive.
Shortly after exiting the tunnel, we turned into the parking area for the Canyon Overlook Trail. The trail is easy, only about one mile round trip, but is a must-do during your trip to Zion - especially at dusk.
When we arrived at the base of the trail, daylight was already starting to fade, but I didn’t want to miss the sunset. I practically ran half a mile up to the overlook in my sandals so I wouldn’t miss the sunset, while my family trailed behind.
The Canyon Overlook wasn’t my favorite trail in Zion National Park, but I will always remember it for the incredible view it afforded us of the canyon as the last light of day left and turned to night.
The sun was bright orange and as it shone on the canyon walls and the rocks became a deep burnt orange and red. The canyon is so deep that the sunset made harsh shadows on some areas but highlighted parts of the canyon and river below beautifully. I spent the hike down appreciating the scenery that I missed on my run up, like the arched cut-outs in the rocks, the bridges we crossed and the greenery along the way.
It may have been the most beautiful sunset I have ever seen.
Day 2
We started our morning before dawn so we could fit in a days’ worth of hiking all before the 100 plus degree heat that the day promised to bring. We were determined to hike the Angel’s Landing Trail and a portion of the Narrows, which was about eight miles in all.
If you didn’t know, Zion operates on a shuttle system during the busy summer months and requires permits on certain trails for crowd control. Angel’s Landing is one of the hikes requiring a permit, which are awarded to applicants in a lottery style.
We hopped on the shuttle a little before 6:30 a.m. and rode the crowded bus from the visitor center to stop 6, the Grotto. By this point we were on the clock, as we had to make it to the entrance of Angel’s Landing before our permit expired at 9 a.m.
From the Grotto, we hopped on the West Rim Trail that connects hikers to either Scout Lookout or Angel’s Landing after about two miles and almost 2,000 feet of elevation gain. Of the three trails here, only Angel’s Landing requires a permit. West Rim Trail progresses up a paved, stone and dirt trail, through switchbacks and next to canyon walls, but isn’t too strenuous. We watched the sunrise as we ascended the trail and there was a new perspective of the sun peaking over the canyon walls at the top of each new switchback.
After the two-mile hike, we reached the entry for Angel’s Landing and a National Park Ranger checked our permit reservation. If you are an unsteady hiker or afraid of heights, don’t attempt to continue on this trail and consider continuing on to Scout Lookout at the top of West Rim Trail instead.
Angels Landing consists of a half-mile worth of narrow ledges with sheer drop offs and rocks you must scramble up and over. But no fear, there are chains to hold onto that ensure the safety of visitors ascending the trail. I didn’t find it overly dangerous, but rather thrilling to stare down the cliffs edge with a camera in one hand and holding onto a chain in the other. When we made it to the top, we were rewarded with stunning panoramic views of the canyon and surrounding mountains, as well as an aerial view of the river below. This was absolutely my favorite part of visiting Zion, and a can’t-miss experience if you’re up for a challenge.
We spent the second half of our day exploring the Narrows.
We took the crowded shuttle once again all the way to the end of the line, stop 9, the Temple of Sinawava and then walked one mile down the Riverside Walk Trail to get to the entrance of the Narrows.
The Narrows are the narrowest part of Zion Canyon, with walls of million-year-old rocks towering a thousand feet above you. But once you finish the Riverside Walk, the remainder of the hike is only accessible by walking or swimming through the Virgin River.
My parents and I were not up for a swim, so we waded about a half mile up the frigid river until the water reached our thighs, before turning around. The water was so crystal clear that even when we were walking through three feet or more of water, we could see the brightly colored rocks lining the river bottom. Some parts of the rock walls were covered in vines and flowers and shadowed from the sun, making for a green colored hue in the canyon and more awe-inspiring views.
To get the best views of the sky-scraping canyon walls, they say you must walk at least a few miles up the river, but you can do as much as 10 miles round trip as well. Whether you do a mile like me, or all 10, I can say the Narrows are worth your attention.
Day 3
As the weather once again was predicted to reach well over 100 degrees, my parents and I began our third day in Zion bright and early. Beating the heat meant we would have more time to spend exploring and hiking.
We took the shuttle from the visitor center again to the Grotto stop, where we hiked the three mile Lower, Middle and Upper Emerald Pools Trail.
I’m not sure how the pools got their emerald names, because to me they were not an emerald green, but looked like a normal everyday pond. It was the waterfalls and canyon that made the pools special.
We skipped the lower pool that veered off the main path and pushed on to see the upper pool first, passing the middle pool along the way. The upper pool was the most beautiful of the three pools and a worthy hike for the views. It is the largest of the three and is tucked into the end of part of the canyon, against three red rock walls. The sun and the bright red rocks made the whole area look red and the calm water provided beautiful reflections of the canyon.
This part of the hike also made my day because a friendly squirrel looking for snacks let me pet him and even posed for my camera.
The lower pool was my favorite of the three. A rock staircase brings hikers off the main trail and out of the canyon area, onto a trail that leads behind thinly flowing waterfalls, which misted me and cooled me off from the hot sun. The two falls flowing down from rock ledges above captured all my attention. The waterfalls and the photos I took of the sun shining through the mist is what made the lower pool my favorite.
I could have spent a week in Zion National Park before getting bored. There were so many more hikes to go on, more views to take in and animals to search for. Maybe one day I will go back and hike all 10 miles of the Narrows or explore the east side of the park. But for now, I am grateful I was able to experience yet another national park and take in the beauty of our country with my family.
| Date Taken: | 09.06.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 09.06.2024 11:35 |
| Story ID: | 480256 |
| Location: | F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE , WYOMING, US |
| Web Views: | 85 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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