When I think of Utah, I think of national parks. In addition to well-known Zion, Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef and Bryce Canyon make up the “Mighty Five” – a must for many hikers’ bucket lists.
Zion National Park: Our November National Park of the Month
27.07.2023 - 18:26 / smartertravel.com / National Park
Among its 232 square miles of mesas, canyons, and terraces lies the highlight of Zion National Park: the 16-mile-long, 2,500-foot-deep Zion Canyon, where the north fork of the Virgin River has been sluicing its way through red-and-ochre sandstone of Utah’s plateau for more than a million years.
In contrast to the Grand Canyon, where the views are best from the rim, Zion Canyon is at its most beautiful from the bottom, inside the canyon walls—where copses of box elder, willow, and cottonwood line the river, eventually giving way to cactus and juniper at higher elevations and, finally, Douglas fir and ponderosa pine at the top.
Related:A Year of National Parks: Your Month-by-Month Guide to America’s Best IdeaZion’s impressive slot canyons are a huge draw for climbers and canyoneers. Hiking is one of the major activities in the park, thanks to more than 100 miles of backcountry trails and 15 miles of paved trails. And though a ranger isn’t likely to acknowledge its existence, due to vandalism concerns, the park is also home to Petroglyph Canyon, where ancient inhabitants carved more than 150 images into the soft stone. Today more than 3.5 million people visit Zion National Park annually, making it the country’s sixth most-visited national park
Why November Is the Perfect Time to GoBy autumn, the high summer heat has cooled and the monsoon rains have departed, making late fall one of the best times to visit, especially since the park can still be crowded as late as October. This is perfect weather for hiking or canyoneering in the park (water levels are lower, which makes some of the hikes easier), but dressing in layers is recommended. Note that in November, the Zion Canyon Shuttle runs daily only through mid-month, and then on the weekends through the end of the month. Even in November the park can be crowded, so if you’re planning to drive the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive yourself, get there early—the road close to additional traffic once all of the parking spaces are full.
Why It’s Great Other Times of YearThere’s no getting around that fact that many visitors, especially those with school-age children, will need to visit the park in summer, when temperatures routinely climb above the century mark and thunderstorms are common. On the other hand, summer is the season when most family activities are offered; just get as early of a start as possible, and carry plenty of water.
If you want to beat the crowds in Zion Canyon, winter is your best bet; you also have a better shot at seeing bigger game like elk and deer. In the higher northern elevations, Kolob Canyons remains open, but deep snow will make Kolob Terraces and Lava Point inaccessible by car.
Once the snow begins to melt in spring, usually in
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