Zion

Everything We Did in Zion National Park 

Let me start by saying, I MESSED THIS TRIP UP! I was on a work trip in LA before I met up with Kam in Las Vegas. The morning of, I woke up in LA feeling kinda weird. I used the bathroom and just moved along with my day. I ate breakfast with my cousin before I had to take my flight to Vegas. As I sit at breakfast I have to go to the bathroom again, then again at the airport, then again when my plane lands (you see where I'm going here). So at this point I'm like "wow something is wrong". I tried to retrace my steps and I realized the night before I had sushi and other random dishes at this mixer with other googlers. I officially declare myself sick as I wait on my rental with my friend Bry. I honestly was feeling fine enough, so we dressed up and went to Drais at the Cromwell. By the end of the night I was weak and exhausted and unable to eat. The next morning I woke up to get Kam from the airport and I felt like I had been hit with a ton of bricks. It was so bad that I cried in the car in the arrivals lane! We checked into the Vdara hotel and that's where we stayed the entire week until I could get the strength to drive (well ride) 4 hours to Zion. I spent 3 days in the hotel "SICK" having to cancel most of the activities we planned for Kams Birthday; Kayaking the Grand Canyon, Canyoneering, and a helicopter ride! I felt so guilty, but I finally felt better just two days before we had to head back to Chicago so here's what we did to sneak in some Zion time: 

Ride the Shuttle: We didn't arrive in town early enough to be able to drive into the park. So we had to park in town (Springdale). We rode the free shuttle from Springdale into Zion and then walked through the gates. Word on the street is you have to get to Zion by 6am to actually find a spot. The park recommends you leave your car parked until it's time to leave because moving risks not being able to find another spot. We aren't always that dedicated so this time around the free shuttle was the answer. We took the scenic route twice and just got off at our respective stops along the way. It was no phone signal but the maps and drivers are really informative and helpful. Even if you drive you will end up on the shuttle due to convience so its nest to plan ahead and avoid the traffic by using the shuttle.  

Hiking Scouts lookout: This was the hardest hike I have ever done in my entire life. When we started we saw a giant tarantula walking across the trail, it made me afraid to touch anything! I swear I thought those things only existed on Animal Planet. Continuing up the trail I almost quit about 1 mile in at "Walter's Wiggles". WW is made up of 21 switchbacks carved into the side of a mountain. I am so glad I did it because I saw some of the most beautiful views I will ever see in my life. From our viewpoints we could see the beauty and depth of the Canyon. Pictures just don't do it justice but best believe we got our photo shoot on.  If you're bold and strong enough you can continue up the mountain onto the terrifying and dangerous Angels Landing Trail. You will first need a permit for this one but we heard it's worth it. I'm just going to take their word for it for now. 

Eat at Zion Lodge: Since parking was full we rode the shuttle to this place for a bite to eat. We got off at stop #5 and gave this lodge a try. The food was just okay. Kam got a veggie pasta and I was so tired I don't remember what I ordered. We sat inside to finally get a break from the heat. The design of the lodge still rewarded us with views because the dining area was enclosed with glass. Some people sat outside on the grass and tables taking in the scenic surroundings as they dine. It's the perfect spot to enjoy Zion Canyon with a nice hot meal. 

Stay at Zion tiny home: We spent the night about 30 mins away at Zion Tiny Homes which we booked on airbnb. The price per night was pretty steep but we like to splurge on birthday activities. It was a cute and cozy tiny home that had everything we needed. We watched the stars from the hot tub, enjoyed some Netflix, cooked a small meal and went to bed. As we covered the hot tub Kam knocked his phone into the water and we lost all our photos from the park since kam did the majority of recording. So we had to wake up early and head back to Zion to do another hike. Yeahhhhhhh. 

Hike Watchmen and Pa'rus Trail: These were super easy with zero elevation. I was so sore and tired from the day before I could barely walk. Kam was not satisfied with the content from these hikes so he fixed his mouth to ask me to do Scouts Lookout again to get photos and videos. The way we argued was not for the faint at heart. We just left after this super easy valley hike and headed to Vegas to buy him another phone from the apple store. Side-note, there is no sales tax in Nevada so it was cheaper to buy the phone there.