There are a ton of great things to do that are just a short drive from Las Vegas. One of our favorite things to do is to visit the beautiful National Parks the area offers. Obviously, we visit the ones closest most often, so Red Rock is where we go to quite a bit.
This past weekend, we finally got the chance to head over to Utah and visit the amazing Zion National Park. I had always heard such great things about it, and I must say it more than lived up to its reputation.
We started off our journey early in the morning knowing we had only one day to take in as much as we could. The drive was a just over three hours, so we got there in plenty of time to enjoy most of the day discovering the wonders the park had to offer.
It costs $25 for a car to enter the park, but since we love going to parks on a regular basis, we opted to get the year pass for just $80 that gives us entrance into all parks in the United States for the next year. What an awesome deal!
We entered the park and immediately stopped at the visitor’s center. This gave us a chance to learn some about the park, get together a game plan for the day, and of course to purchase some souvenirs.
We began our tour up the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive and were amazed by the spectacular beauty of it all. The colors were beautiful since all the trees are just starting to turn green for the season. And of course the mountains that were reaching towards the sky were just breathtaking.
Although it is great to drive through a park this beautiful, you can’t really get the full experience unless you get to do some hiking. Since time was short and we were not quite expert hikers, we decided the Riverside Walk would be our best bet. And we realized pretty quickly we had made the right choice!
The trail is very easy to navigate. Even the most amateur hikers, or those in questionable shape can easily manage it. There is basically a paved path the entire way. Of course if you prefer, you can also get off the path some to add a little diversity to your hike.
Even though there were quite a few people on the trail, we had no problem seeing wildlife. Almost immediately we saw several deer up on the mountain, and there were incredibly tame squirrels everywhere. They would even let you pet them if you are brave enough (not recommended).
The only unfortunate part for us was the end. That is where another trail called The Narrows begins. We could see more brave souls than ourselves did cross the water and go on, but we found it to be just a little too cold for our tastes. It truly looks to be an amazing adventure though, so we will just make sure to catch it next time!
In all, the hike lasted about 2 hours. You can do it more quickly or slower, depending on how caught up you get in your surroundings. Because of its popularity and ease of navigation, it isn’t likely for the more serious hikers. However, if you just want to get out and enjoy some of the most beautiful scenery in the country, be sure to take this hike!
As our time in the park came to an end, we realized that we had barely scratched the surface of all the park has to offer. It really is a place best enjoyed over the course of several days. However, even if you only have a few hours like us, it is definitely worth the trip. We are already planning our next trip back so we can make sure to see all of the things we missed the first time. We definitely intend to see The Narrows as well as try out some of the more challenging hikes.
If you live in Las Vegas, make sure to get out and enjoy all of the natural beauty that surrounds us. Shows, casinos and restaurants are great, but nothing really ever beats the great outdoors. So be sure to get out and see the sites!
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