Hiker's Guide: Zion National Park
Springdale, Utah is a charming town filled with breathtaking views located just outside of Zion National Park. Springdale and Zion National Park were both Matt's and my favorite stop on our trip. Here is a Hiker’s Guide to Zion National Park.
Where to Stay: Springdale, Utah
While in Springdale, Utah, we stayed at the Bumbleberry Inn. The Bumbleberry Inn is family owned and operated and located only a mile away from the entrance to Zion National Park. Getting into Zion National Park from the Bumbleberry Inn was a breeze. You can pick up the Springdale shuttle at stop 5 just steps from the hotel.
The Inn itself is nothing fancy. The rooms were clean, and the grounds were well-maintained. We booked a Queen room for two nights about 9 months in advance. Check-in is at 3 pm, but they graciously allowed us to check in about an hour early.
My only complaint is that we got stuck in a ground floor room directly beside the ice machine. So in addition to the noise from the ice machine, we also had noise from our upstairs neighbors. Definitely request an upper-level room if you stay at the Bumbleberry Inn.
Where to Eat: Springdale, UTAH
We ate our PB&Js and snacks we picked up at Target for lunch each day. However, we did enjoy a complimentary breakfast each morning at Porter’s Restaurant and dinners at Oscar’s Cafe.
Porter’s Restaurant: Porter’s Restaurant is associated with the Bumbleberry Inn. They open at 7 am, and we were there every morning right at opening with a crowd. They have a pretty hardy breakfast menu with omelets, pancakes, french toast, oatmeal, and more. If you’re staying at the Bumbleberry Inn, your stay includes a meal voucher for one breakfast item and one drink. One issue we ran into is that this didn’t include gratuity. We saw several guests also running into the same issue.
Oscar’s Cafe: We went to Oscar’s Cafe both nights for dinner. Oscar’s Cafe is located almost directly across the street from the Bumbleberry Inn. Matt and I highly recommend ordering the chips and guacamole, muchos nachos, enchiladas, turkey avocado w/bacon sandwich, and sangria.
Zion National Park Hiking Guide
On the first day, we hiked Watchman Trail (trailhead at Visitor’s Center) and Riverside Walk (shuttle stop 9) for a total of 5.3 miles.
The next day, we hiked Scout Lookout (shuttle stop 6) and Weeping Rock (shuttle stop 7) for a total of 4.1 miles. Scout Lookout is the first portion of the trail leading to Angel’s Landing. The trail is incredible and probably one of my new favorite hikes.
Scout Lookout
Watchman Trail: Watchman Trail was our first hike in Zion National Park. The 3.3-mile trail is rarely shaded, so it’s a good one to do first thing in the morning. Pick up the trailhead for this hike at the visitor’s center.
River Walk: Pick up Riverside Walk at the trailhead at shuttle stop 9. The paved trail follows the Virgin River for a 2.2-mile out-and-back hike. This hike wasn’t my favorite because it was super crowded.
Scout Lookout: We debated on whether or not to hike Angels Landing but ultimately decided to hike Scout Lookout via West Rim Trail instead. Scout Lookout is a strenuous, 3.6-mile out-and-back hike. It is one of those hikes you feel victorious after completing.
Weeping Rock: Weeping Rock is a quick and easy 0.4-mile out-and-back hike. The trail is relatively shaded, so it is an easy hike to save for the heat of the day. The trailhead is at shuttle stop 7. This was the last hike we did in Zion before heading to our next destination. It was the perfect way to end our time in Zion!
There were two additional hikes on our list that we were sadly unable to do. The Narrows was also on our list, but the hike was unfortunately closed due to dangerous conditions. Emerald Pools was the second hike on our list, but the main trailhead was closed.
Final Thoughts on Zion National Park
Zion National Park is a can’t-miss hiking destination. The views were immaculate, and the hiking was unmatched. It’s hard to express how incredible Springdale, Utah and Zion National Park are. The scenery looks straight out of a movie, the downtown area was walkable, and the trails were some of my favorites to date.