A Pit Stop a Day (Day 19): Hiking in Zion Canyon

July 15, 2010 By

Foot path bridge to national park entrance booth.

We devoted Day 19 to morning hikes in Zion National Park and the afternoon to floating along the Virgin River behind our room at the Cliffrose Lodge.

We began our day at the visitor’s center, where we consulted the shuttle route (also found in the park newsletter) and planned our hike to the Emerald Pools on the Zion Lodge shuttle stop.

The Emerald Pools is a great hike for kids because you can adjust it to your needs/abilities. There are three pools on the trail: the lower pool is only .6 mile from the trailhead (although it does climb quite a bit), or the second pool is only 1 mile. From either of these, ambitious families can continue to the third pool (another .5 mile) or return. When we visited in July, the pools weren’t much to look at, but the dripping water from the overhangs of rock were very impressive (and a great way to cool off!).

The kids catch spring water in their hats at the first of three Emerald Pools.

Weeping Rock is another easy hike for kids, which my boys explored with a ranger as part of their Junior Ranger curriculum. This trail is short (.4 mile) but steep, and very beautiful. Definitely worth a stop!

For more daring families (or more likely, adults), try the Angel’s Landing trail from the Grotto shuttle stop. A strenuous 2 mile hike up the canyon, this trail ends at the top and affords amazing views of Zion. From there, hikers can continue an additional .5 mile up the sandstone rock utilizing chain supports. This section of the trail follows a knife-edge of path with drop-offs on either side. If you’re at all fearful of heights, you can skip this last section (I did).

Final section of the climb to Angel\’s Landing.

Note: We did not take our kids on the Angel’s Landing trail. Our older two (11 and eight) could have climbed the first 2 miles, but the last .5 really is not appropriate for anyone under age 14-15, in our opinion. This final climb involves sharing a tight space of trail with many others, hanging onto a chain, and strenuous climbing (drops offs stretch to 1400 feet). Of course, use your own judgment with your children (we did see a few attempting it), but we felt safer saving this hike for when they are teens.

Extra Tip: Due to Zion’s high temperatures, we embarked on all hikes by 8 am and returned to our pool/air-conditioning/river by 1 pm. It appeared that most other families did this as well. In addition, water bottle filling stations are available at most shuttle stops. You’ll need to drink lots of water, and the stations are a fun way to get kids involved in filling bottles!

Date last visited: July 2010.

Distance off the interstate: About 30 minutes from I-15 off Hwy 9.

Bathrooms: Pit toilets are located at most shuttle stops.

Food Services: Zion Lodge (shuttle stop) serves all meals. There’s also a quick service ice cream and snack location on-site. The visitor’s center at the entrance to the park has a convenience store nearby. The Grotto (shuttle stop) has a nice picnic area.

Directions: Zion National Park is located on Hwy 9 in Springdale, Utah. From I-15, follow signs onto Hwy 9.

Up Next: We arrive in Laguna Beach, CA and explore the lesser-known kid-friendly locations in Orange County.

 

A Pit Stop a Day (Day 17): Cliffrose Lodge and Gardens

July 13, 2010 By

Suites facing river views at Cliffrose Lodge and Gardens

After driving from Park City to Zion National Park, day 17 found us at Cliffrose Lodge and Gardens in Springdale, Utah, gateway to the park.

Cliffrose Lodge and Gardens is located in the heart of Springdale, mere yards from the national park entrance. While all of Springdale enjoys an unexpected lushness of greenery and flowering plants (due to water from the Virgin River which flows through town), the Cliffrose in particular boasts beautiful gardens and even fruit trees which contrast dramatically with its backdrop of sandstone cliffs and barren land.

I didn’t expect to love this resort as much as I did. On paper, it looked certainly comfortable (and clearly more than your average resort-area motel), but in ‘person’, it was so much more. It is beautifully laid out to mesh with its surroundings, the units steps away from the river and shaded by the well-kept gardens and grassy areas. The desert air felt ten degrees cooler on the property, and even at near full-capacity, it felt very peaceful and welcoming.

Nate and Cal walk through the gardens to the pool.

Swimming pool with beautiful cliffside backdrop!

The amenities for kids are extensive. The Cliffrose has a full-sized pool and hot tub, grass to play on (with chairs and umbrellas set out under shade trees for parents), a small playground for the toddler set, and best of all, river access with a sandy beach, fire pits, and picnic tables and chairs. The river is perfect for wading and floating, and inner tubes are available to use. My kids spent more time in the river than the pool, walking up the path to the lodge boundary, putting their tubes in, floating down to the other end of the grounds, and getting out to to it all over and over again. (Meanwhile, I was more than happy to sit in a deck chair with my feet in the river and read.)

Second bedroom in the Riverside two-bedroom suite.

There are several available room configurations at the Cliffrose, from regular one-room units to family, one-room, or two-room suites. We stayed in a Riverside two-bedroom suite, which was perfect. With a full kitchen and living area, we could store leftovers and picnic lunch supplies, spread out, and start a long game of Monopoly. Each bedroom had two double beds (or one King…rollaways are available) and a large bathroom (with tub).

Note: We bought our own inner tubes for river use at the Sol Market in Springdale (before realizing there were tubes for use on-site). They were larger and sturdier, and cost $20 each. Be sure to buy a pump as well ($6)!

Extra Tip: You’re in walking distance of the park entrance and most dining and shopping at the Cliffrose, but free town and park shuttles are available as well. We used these extensively, and found them to be very convenient.

Date last visited: July 6-8, 2010.

Distance off the interstate: Right off Hwy 9, about half an hour from I-15.

Room Rates: Rates range from $149 for a standard unit to $279 for a two-bedroom suite.

Food Services: There are no restaurants on-site, but Springdale is filled with great places to eat (and the Sol Market for snack and picnic supplies). We bought groceries for breakfasts and lunches, and ate dinners in town. Our favorite picks were the Bit and Spur (great outdoor seating and lawn for kids to play on) and The Spotted Dog (extensive children’s menu with large portions).

Website: Cliffrose Lodge and Gardens

Directions: From I-15, take Hwy 17 south to La Verkin, then take Hwy 9 west to Springdale.

Up Next: We hike (and swim!) in Zion National Park’s ‘Narrows’!