Four weeks in Virgin, Utah…
Why we came…
To hike Snow Canyon State Park and maybe fish Sand Hollow State Park, Quail Creek State Park, and Kolob Reservoir. After spending the last few months far from cities, we looked forward to getting some needed supplies and taking care of a few things in St George (population 75,000, elevation 2,900 feet). Fall weather in southern Utah is usually perfect so it’s a great time to visit. But the main reason we came…Zion National Park!
Campground…
Zion River Resort RV Park was excellent! Sites varied from relatively tight back-ins to spacious, long pull-throughs. The place is well maintained and well run. We had full hook-ups, a nice laundry room, and decent wi-fi (slow during peak times). There was even a nice pool and hot tub. Though the campground is next to highway 9 which gets tons of day-time traffic, it was peaceful. The campground is in Virgin, population 600 and elevation 3,600 feet. There isn’t much in Virgin, but there is a good grocery store and a few restaurants 7 miles west in La Verkin. Hurricane is another 3 miles south of La Verkin and had even more options including a big Walmart. St. George, 30 miles southwest, has just about everything. Most important, the west entrance to Zion National Park was 12 miles east of the campground.
Zion National Park…
From the park’s web page:
Zion National Park encompasses some of the most scenic canyon country in the United States. Within its 229 square miles are high plateaus, a maze of narrow, deep, sandstone canyons, and the Virgin River and its tributaries. Zion also has 2,000-foot Navajo Sandstone cliffs, pine- and juniper-clad slopes, and seeps, springs, and waterfalls supporting lush and colorful hanging gardens.
With an elevation change of about 5,000 feet-from the highest point at Horse Ranch Mountain (at 8,726 feet) to the lowest point at Coal Pits Wash (at 3,666 feet), Zion's diverse topography leads to a diversity of habitats and species. Desert, riparian (river bank), pinyon-juniper, and conifer woodland communities all contribute to Zion's diversity. Neighboring ecosystems-the Mojave Desert, the Great Basin, and the Rocky Mountains-are also contributors to Zion's abundance.
Whether walking along the Virgin River and looking up 2,000 feet at the craggy cliffs or standing on top of the East or West Rims and looking down 2,000 feet at the ribbon of green along the shimmering river, Zion National Park truly is spectacular. Then add the quiet wilderness and amazing landscape of the Kolob Terrace and Kolob Canyon, all with excellent hiking trails, and it’s our favorite Utah national park!
Our first hike in Zion National Park was to Angels Landing and then to the Emerald Pools. The legendary hike to Angels Landing climbs almost 1,500 feet in about 2.5 miles. Surprisingly, most of the trail is paved. The 21 switchbacks of Walter’s Wiggles were a bunch of fun. We got an early start, but there were quite a few people on the trail. The last half mile to the narrow point of Angels Landing is quite dangerous. At one spot, the trail is only 3 feet wide and drops over a thousand feet on each side! As we headed up the final half mile dangerous stretch, my knees got a little wobbly and my world spun with a touch of vertigo. In addition to the precarious trail, dodging tons of folks headed both up and down, really freaked me out! We stopped just short of the top, enjoyed a snack, soaked in the incredible view, posed for a few pictures, and then headed down. When we got back to the river, instead of crossing the bridge, we continued straight on the Kayenta Trail. Initially, the trail paralleled the pretty river, but started climbing again…the view down the canyon was excellent. The trail then curved west and continued up a dramatic side canyon to the Emerald Pools. The lower pools were small and inundated by families having a great time. The upper pool was amazing! The seemingly bottomless water was back-dropped with 1,000 foot vertical sandstone walls. I found a sweet spot on a large slab about 50 feet above the pool, and quietly contemplated the splendor surrounding me.
The upper Emerald Pool
Headed up to Angels Landing
The first 2 pics are on the final leg to Angels Landing / Arleen on the way back down
The hike to Observation Point is 8 miles round trip and climbs almost 2,200 feet. The tough, but fun route switchbacks up the nearly vertical Zion Canyon east wall. Then for about a half mile, the trail follows the narrow slot of Echo Canyon before climbing steeply again to the top. Spectacular views abound along the entire route but are truly special from Observation Point. The tour buses looked like caterpillars snaking along the river over 2,000 feet directly below us. We found our own quiet spot on the ridge, refueled our bodies, posed for pictures, and tried to fully absorb the special view.
Headed up to Observation Point
Zion Canyon and the trail to Observation Point
The view from Observation Point
We did this route in Zion National Park mainly for exercise, but really enjoyed it. We parked near the visitor center and made the short trek up the Archeology trail where a display indicated the spot was used hundreds of years ago as an Indian granary. Then we headed down to the river and walked a mile up the Pa’rus trail to the Human History Museum. We learned a bunch from the informative exhibits and enjoyed the 20 minute movie. From the viewing deck, some of Zion’s most incredible landmarks like Mount Kinesava, the West Temple, Alter of Sacrifice, and the Bee Hive loomed over 2,000 feet above us. Then we headed back towards the visitor center on the Pa’rus Trail and hopped on the Watchman Trail. The route is about 2 3/4 miles round trip and climbs nearly 400 feet. The view over the southern part of Zion Canyon and up towards the imposing 6,400 foot high arrowhead-shaped Watchman was incredible. We ended up walking about 6.5 miles and got some good exercise surrounded by one of God’s most amazing creations!
The Zion Narrows route should be on every hiker’s wish list! However, it is tough and takes a bit of planning. Much of the time is spent walking in the cold river and negotiating tricky rocks and channels. A good chunk of the route is walled in by 1,000 foot high sandstone cliffs with nowhere to escape when flash floods roar through. We chose a warm fall day with temperatures in the mid-70s. But the high, steep canyon walls prevent most sunlight from making it to the water, keeping it about 20 degrees cooler. Add a couple of hours walking in ankle to waist deep, upper 40 degree water, and you have the ingredients for hypothermia. A couple of adventure businesses rent good gear to keep people dry and warm, but we did ok with our own gear.
We slowly headed upstream, continually saying “WOW” because of the amazing scenery and unforgettable experience. About a mile and a half in, we rounded a corner and were surprised to see an impressive buck standing in the trail just 10 feet away! (See picture above.) There wasn’t much room for either of us, but eventually the buck gave us enough space to pass. It was quite a treat to see the big guy in the tight confines of the canyon. As we continued upstream, we kept leap-frogging a nice couple. Eventually we matched paces and got to know each other. Our new friends, Tatyana and Eugene, currently live in Boston but are from Russia. The four of us reached our goal near Big Springs and celebrated with some of their fine French Cognac…even I took a sip! While we posed for a bunch of pictures, we got more and more chilled so it was time to trek back downstream. We rushed back, seeking the sweet warmth of the sun! Then we traded contact info with our new friends and said goodbye. Hiking the Zion Narrows was a special experience and sharing it with Tatyana and Eugene made it even more special.
Sharing some Cognac with Eugene and Tatyana
Negotiating the tough water route
180 degree view in the Narrows
This hike was in the Kolob Terrace section of Zion National Park. Though the scenery isn’t as spectacular as the popular Zion Canyon, the more peaceful wilderness setting with much fewer people is very enjoyable. First we headed out on the 5 mile round trip Northgate Peaks Trail. The route meanders on a fairly level plateau and ends on a rocky point with a splendid view of North and South Guardian Angels and the upper reaches of Zion. To get a few more miles of walking, we headed northeast on the Wildcat Canyon Trail. Trees lined much of the route, so other than a few quick openings overlooking the valley, there wasn’t much to see. We ended up hiking about 7.5 miles and only saw a few other people…it was very pleasant.
A view along the ridge to Northgate Peaks
This great hike in Zion National Park was up the East Rim Trail to Hidden Canyon and then to Weeping Rock, and then to Big Bend.
The strenuous 2 mile round trip hike to Hidden Canyon climbs nearly 900 feet. The last few hundred feet are exposed and dangerous, but compared to Angels Landing, there are less people and the drop is on one side, not both. Hidden Canyon is a hanging valley perched a thousand feet above the Zion Canyon floor. The maintained trail ends at the mouth of Hidden Canyon, but adventurous folks can scramble another half mile up the narrow slot canyon to a small arch. After thoroughly enjoying this hike, we detoured to Weeping Rock. The short, popular trail climbs a hundred feet in a quarter mile to an impressive rock overhang that continuously trips spring water. It was pretty neat. Then instead of hopping on the bus, we walked along the river to Big Bend. The cottonwoods and box elders lining the Virgin River were adorned with golden leaves…it was very pretty. Over a thousand feet above us, people scrambling up to Angels Landing looked like tiny specks. We also spotted a couple of crazy rock climbers scaling a 1,500 foot high vertical sandstone wall. Our GPS said we walked about 3 miles, but it was actually more than 4 miles with over a thousand feet of climbing.
Arleen at the mouth of Hidden Canyon / Under the arch / Beautiful sandstone wall in Hidden Canyon
Jumping off a choke stone in Hidden Canyon
The trail up to Hidden Canyon
Weeping Rock in bottom center of left pic / Arleen under Weeping Rock
Along the Virgin River at the Big Bend
We did this hike in Zion National Park mainly for exercise. We parked at Canyon Junction and hiked north 7.5 miles to the Temple of Sinawava. The route was tricky. We alternated between hiking trails, game trails, bushwhacking, and the road. It amazed us that we were usually alone! The highlight of this adventure were the critters. We saw quite a few deer including a mom and fawn bedded in the grass and a group of 5 deer crossing the river. We also saw a few turkeys, mostly near the lodge. We stopped at the cafeteria for warm tea and a bagel and 3 or 4 turkeys passed within 10 feet of us…it was cool! After this very enjoyable hike, we hopped on the bus at the Temple of Sinawava and road it back to our truck.
See the turkeys in both pictures?
The Kolob Canyons section of Zion National Park has outstanding scenery and gets far less visitors than the popular Zion Canyon. First we stopped at the Visitor’s Center and Arleen stamped her National Park Passport book…that’s 18 stamps in Utah this summer! Then we drove to the top of the scenic road and hiked the mile long Timber Creek Overlook Trail. The trail peaks around 6,400 feet at a point with a spectacular view. We posed for a few pictures and as we were about to head down, I nearly stepped on a big tarantula! (Check out the tarantula pic in the “Parting Shots” section below.)
Next we drove down to the Taylor Creek trailhead. The 5 mile round trip hike follows the small creek upstream to the incredible Double Arch Alcove. Along the route we passed two cabins built in the 1930s and crossed the creek 50 times before it dwindled to nothing. The Double Arch Alcove is really impressive…it was difficult to take it all in. As with most things on such a grand scale, pictures can’t do it justice. The sunlight glowing off the red sandstone walls made it even more incredible. Though it was a nice warm day, I doubt the temperature got much above 40 in the deeply shaded canyon. We could see snow up a short distance at the head of the canyon.
Folks who visit Zion National Park must spend a day in the Kolob Canyon section!
Views from the Timber Creek Overlook
An incredible place for a cabin…built in the 1930s
The sun glowing off the colorful sandstone walls in Taylor Creek Canyon
Double Arch Alcove…I laid on the ground to take this picture looking nearly straight up
We went back to the Kolob Terrace section of Zion National Park to hike a short portion of the 7 mile long Hop Trail. The route is initially sandy and rolls up and down through an open plateau area and then drops steeply into the spectacular Hop Valley. We stopped short of 3 miles where we had a great view into the canyon and then headed back. In one shady spot, there was a little snow so Arleen made a snowball and threw it at me! It was quite weird seeing the snowball framed by multihued sandstone cliffs…it was so out of place! We only saw one other hiker on the trail and really enjoyed ourselves.
Just dropping into Hop Valley
We saved possibly the best, and certainly the most difficult hike for last: West Rim. We started at “The Grotto” in Zion Canyon at 4,300 feet and walked 6.5 miles up to 7,300 feet. Add all the ups and downs and we climbed a total of 4,000 feet! We were treated to an incredible array of views and different aspects of the heart of Zion. This tough, but incredible 13 mile hike was the perfect way to end our unforgettable season of Utah adventures!
Snow Canyon State Park…
We had some errands to run in St George and decided to spend half the day hiking and geocaching in nearby Snow Canyon State Park. Snow Canyon is Zion on a smaller scale. There are 38 miles of hiking trails that allow thorough exploration of the dramatic landscape. We explored the northeast corner of the park and found three interesting geocaches. The first geocache led us to a sandstone carving that said “Kit Carson 1869”. Below that carving was another one that said “US Parks Service”. It was cool to imagine Kit Carson or someone from his gang in that spot. The next cache was on top of the Cinder Cone (see picture on right above). The steep climb on loose rock was a bit tough, but the view was worth it. I lapped the rim twice for exercise and a few pictures. From the top of Cinder Cone, we looped back to the south to a geocache named “Joan’z Bonz”. We paid respect to the skeleton and scrambled up the nearest hill for an excellent view of Snow Canyon and St George. We took the easiest way back to the truck to complete the nearly 6 mile adventure.
“Kit Carson 1869” / Arleen climbing Cinder Cone
Looking north across the Cinder Cone…the distant Pine Valley Mountains are dusted with fresh snow
We paid respect to the skeleton / Being cheesy at Snow Canyon State Park
Our second adventure in Snow Canyon lead us through the heart of the park. We started at the visitor center and looped about 5.5 miles. Scrambling up the Petrified Sand Dunes, enjoying the great view from the top, and spotting two different roadrunners were the highlights. We only saw a few other people along the route and had a great conversation with three of them. We had an excellent day and treated ourselves to Red Lobster to top it off.
Having a good time on the Petrified Dunes in Snow Canyon State Park
Petrified Dunes in Snow Canyon State Park
Two roadrunners in Snow Canyon State Park
Other hikes and geocaching…
This geocaching adventure was along the Guacamole Trail just northeast of our campground. The spider web of trails is mainly for mountain bikers and hikers, though there are a couple miles that are used by ATVs and motorcycles. This cool area sits atop a plateau along the western boundary of Zion National Park and affords excellent views of classic landmarks like the 7,800 foot high West Temple. We found seven caches along our 5 mile route. We had the entire area to ourselves and had a very pleasant adventure.
This hiking and geocaching adventure was just south of Rockville, on the western doorstep of Zion National Park. We got a late start, but knew we would get treated to a great sunset. The 5 mile route lead us to the point of Wire Mesa and we found 5 geocaches. As we found the last cache, Zion’s sandstone cliffs were glowing as the sun set…it was amazing!
Fishing…
19 Oct…round 1 to Kolob Reservoir. The pretty lake sits in a bowl above 8,000 feet. All trout 16-22 inches long have to be released. We like these kind of slot limits because they often result in quality fishing. The aspens had already shed their leaves and there was even an inch or two of snow in the shady spots from a storm that hit a week earlier. It was sunny with the temperature in the mid-50s, but a steady 10mph wind made it chilly. We launched the kayaks from the southwest bank and fished a nearby point that was somewhat protected from the wind. We caught 4 cutthroat trout 10-16 inches long on lake leeches. It was a good day.
26 Oct…round 2 to Kolob Reservoir. The weather was similar but the winds were lighter which made it more pleasant. We explored a little more of the lake and had success fishing the rocky point of an island. I even wedged my kayak between two large rocks and fished from the rocks for an hour or so. We caught about 20 trout, 8-18 inches long! At least 5 of them were in the slot (16-22 inches)…a great day! Nearly all of the trout hit lake leeches fished 5-10 feet deep and slow.
With a storm coming and winter setting in, we declared our Utah trout season over. From Boulder Mountain to Panguitch Lake to Kolob Reservoir, Utah’s waters treated us great! Now we end the season on a high note and will cherish a bunch of great memories!
Next…
While our home remains in St George for some minor repairs, we will embark on a 1,500 mile road trip to Colorado’s Front Range to visit family. We’ll miss our comfy cocoon, but look forward to spending a little time with loved ones. After the quick detour to Colorado, we plan to spend a week in Nevada’s colorful Valley of Fire State Park. Stay tuned…
Parting Shots…
Our favorite burgers after a tough hike / Roster Cogburn having vanilla ice cream
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