Zion National Park is easily one of the coolest national parks I’ve been to. When I went in July of 2021, the views were unparalleled and the weather was perfect. Here’s a list of the hikes that my friends and I went on.

Angels Landing

Angels Landing has probably the best 360-degree view that I’ve ever experienced. It’s a pretty intense hike, with the vast majority of the ascent being at a steep incline, but it’s beyond worth it. Sitting at the top of the trail, eating my long-awaited Poptart I brought with, is a sensation I won’t soon forget.

However, it’s important to gauge how strenuous of a hike you are willing to endure. It can be pretty nerve wracking climbing up the final quarter of the hike or so, since you’ll have to hold on to the chain link railing that guides you up the spine of the massive rock crest. However, even the hike before reaching the chain link stretch has some great views of the park. It all pays off when you get to the top though, and it’s good to get out of your comfort zone every once in a while. Builds character.

The hike takes about 3-5 hours round trip, but there are also some amazing views overlooking the park along the way.

Riverside Walk

This is a pretty chill hike that takes you alongside a nice river on your way to The Narrows. It’s almost all on flat ground and smooth terrain, so it’s a great hike for anyone that isn’t looking for something too intense. However, the fun part of the Riverside Walk comes when you reach the end, because it leads right into:

The Narrows

This hike is absolutely breathtaking. One of my all-time favorites. You’ll know you’ve reached the start because you almost immediately have to step down into knee-deep water to continue down the floor of the canyon. The majority of the hike is through water like this, but it’s well worth it. You’re surrounded on both sides by the canyon walls, which are smoothened from the millions of years of water erosion. It’s truly an unforgettable experience.

The walls of the canyon slowly grow narrower throughout the hike, and by the time you’re 2-3 miles in it’ll get down to around 10 feet or less in width. This was where my friends and I decided to turn around due to the flash flood warnings that plague the park in the summertime, but I look forward to one day going back and going as far as I can.

---

Overall, the views in Zion are incredible no matter where you are. It’s like when I was a kid and you’d input a specific jumble of numbers into the seed box on Minecraft, then you’d get some insane world with massive hills and bottomless ravines and crazy waterfalls.

Enjoy these amazing pieces of nature while you still can!