We started our second day in Zion National Park early. Since I read that the viewpoint at the end of the Canyon Overlook Trail was a great spot for sunrise pictures we stopped there first. While I still believe this to be true, this isn’t a hike I would want to be doing if it was too dark to see well. Despite starting early, we didn’t start early enough. By the time Kris and the twins made it to the overlook, the sun was already too high. Therefore, no sunrise pictures to share.
Hiking
Canyon Overlook Trail
The Canyon Overlook Trail is on the east side of the park, on the opposite side of the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel. There is a small parking lot to the right as soon as you exit the tunnel, but it fills up quickly. The trail is one-mile round trip and has an elevation change of 163 feet, probably the stone steps at the start of the trail.
The Zion National Park Information Sheet states this trail is mostly fenced. Sure, maybe this is true. But there are plenty of places with just a guardrail that a child could easily slide under. My mom fear was strong on this trail! I was so afraid Hannah’s little hand would slip out of mine and she’d stumble on the loose rocks of the trail.
While there are some cool places along this trail, I spent most of my time internally freaking out over the very rocky terrain and long drop offs. I do have a fear of heights, but this trail is the first one I’ve ever done where I decided I couldn’t take anymore. See, Angels Landing isn’t happening for me!
There’s an area on the trail with a little bridge that connects two portions of the trail, spanning a section that’s inaccessible. Once over the bridge there’s an overhang which offers a good resting point and place to snap some pictures. See, I’m still holding Hannah’s hand, and we’re just taking a picture!
Hannah and I hung out there while Kris and the twins did the rest of the trail to the viewpoint where you can see Pine Creek Canyon and lower Zion Canyon.
I was definitely a little disappointed I didn’t get to the viewpoint, but I just didn’t feel comfortable enough. I don’t say this to deter you from adding this hike to your list. Just reconsider if you have small children that wander a little too easily. Kris will tell you this is his favorite hike in the park.
Slickrock!!!
Our next stop was to go looking for Checkerboard Mesa. The area east of the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel is slickrock heaven! There are a few unofficial trails that let you explore the slickrock. This was one of our favorite things to do in Zion National Park! It’s a great way to spend anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours. Although this part of the park is where the big horn sheep like to hang out, we didn’t see any.
Lower Emerald Pool Trail
From there we drove back to the Lodge and threw some snacks in our backpacks for our hike on the Lower Emerald Pool Trail and Upper Emerald Pool Trail. The Lower Emerald Pool Trail is considered easy. It is a 1.2-mile round trip paved trail that starts near the Zion Lodge and leads to the Lower Emerald Pool and waterfalls. It’s a very family-friendly hike and has very minimal elevation change.
Past the paved section shown above, hikers continue up stone steps to the Middle Pool. The Middle Pool is located just above the waterfall shown above. I’ve been told there is barely a trickle of water during the summer months but the waterfalls are pretty remarkable in the spring. It’s so important to remember safety first on these hikes. Some spots can get pretty slippery, and sturdy footwear is recommended.
Upper Emerald Pool Trail
The Lower Emerald Pool Trail connects with the Kayenta Trail and the Upper Emerald Pool Trail. The Upper Emerald Pool Trail essentially starts at the Middle Pool. We chose to hike the one-mile round trip Upper Emerald Pool Trail. This hike is considered moderate and is mostly sandy and rocky. It is a very popular trail in the park so chances are you won’t be hiking alone. We did have a chance to set up the tripod and get some pictures of the five of us. Pack your patience for this trail. I gets pretty busy.
Lunch at the Red Rock Grill
We stopped at the Red Rock Grill for lunch. I don’t recommend getting a burger here as it looked like a hockey puck and probably had the same consistency as one. However, the taco bar was pretty tasty. We were able to take a nice break and look through the pictures on our cameras while we waited for the check.
Our favorite “snack” of the day was one only Kris and I could have. Not promoting alcoholism here, but the Zion Canyon Lager really hit the spot after a long day of hiking.
Zion Canyon Scenic Drive
After lunch we took the shuttle along the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive to enjoy some of the other popular stops within the main canyon. We didn’t do any real hiking the rest of our second day but took some pictures near the Court of the Patriarchs.
What to Remember:
- The Lower and Emerald Pool Trails get very busy. If you’re looking for some solitude you might want to try hiking earlier or later in the day.
- Avoid the burgers at the Red Rock Grill. Try the taco bar instead.
- Highly recommend the Zion Canyon Lager if you’re looking to try a local brew.
Day 2 miles hiked:
3.2 miles, not accounting exploring the slickrock east of the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel
Total miles hiked since our Southwest vacation began:
7.75 miles
