Sights in South Central & Southwestern Utah
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The Narrows
If there's one hike that's made Zion famous, it's this 26km/16mi waltz down the Virgin River, through the thousand-foot sheer gorge known as the Narrows. Overnight camping promises the best experience, though you can hike from the top in one very strenuous, long day. (You can also day hike the Narrows from the bottom, the only approach that doesn't require a permit.) This is the easiest and busiest of the backcountry hikes, and is unforgettable.
Plan on getting wet: about 50% of the hike is in the river. The trip takes 12 hours; split it into two days, spending the night at one of the designated campsites. This hike is possible between June and October, and may close betw…
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Bryce Amphitheater
Bryce 'Canyon' is actually a horseshoe-shaped amphitheater eroded from the cliffs, where hoodoos stand like platoons of soldiers or melting sandcastles, all painted endless shades of coral and magenta, ochre and white, and set against a deep-green pine forest. A shaft of sunlight suddenly breaking through clouds can transform the scene from grand to breathtaking. For the best views, head to Sunrise, Sunset, Inspiration or Bryce Points.
You can walk the rim above Bryce Amphitheater for awesome views, but the best way to experience the canyons and weirdly eroding hoodoos is to hike below the rim. Descents and ascents can be long and sometimes steep, and the altitude makes t…
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Bryce Canyon National Park
The Grand Staircase – a series of steplike uplifted rock layers stretching north from the Grand Canyon – dramatically culminates in the Pink Cliffs formation at Bryce Canyon National Park. These cliffs were deposited as sediment in a huge prehistoric lake some 50 to 60 million years ago, slowly lifted above sea level, then eroded into wondrous ranks of pinnacles and points, steeples and spires, cliffs and crevices, and oddly-shaped hoodoos.
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Rim Road Scenic Drive
The park's 29km-long (18mi) main road roughly parallels the canyon rim. It takes 30min to drive the road's length. Because scenic overlooks (15 of 'em!) lie on the east side (the left, as you head south), drive all the way to Rainbow Point, then turn around and work your way back, stopping at the pullouts as you come to them on your right. Traffic is heaviest at the overlooks into Bryce Amphitheater. If you stop nowhere else, see the stunning Bryce Point.
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Zion Canyon Scenic Drive
Zion's three main roads - Kolob Canyons Rd to the northwest, Kolob Terrace Rd in the middle, and Hwy 9 to the south - pass through fabulous scenery. But the most spectacular is the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive, which pierces the heart of Zion Canyon. This is most visitors' primary destination; if you've time for only one activity, tour this road (only possible by park-operated shuttle from April to October; cars permitted November to March).
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Zion Human History Museum
A half-mile from the park’s southern entrance station, the Zion Human History Museum presents the geological and human history of Zion and its birth as a park. A good introductory video is shown every half hour. The paved Pa’rus Trail parallels the road for 2 miles from South Campground to the main canyon junction, passing the museum on the way.
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Paunsagaunt Wildlife Museum
Live deer roam the yard at this barnlike museum, with more than 400 taxidermied animals and a butterfly and bug room. Ask at the museum about scheduling a visit to see the live bull elk and buffalo at the associated 80-acre Bryce Canyon Elk Preserve, a mile north of Hwy 12 on Airport Rd.
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Zion National Park
If possible, enter Zion from the east, following Hwy 9 west from Hwy 89. The route is jaw-droppingly scenic as it rolls through colorful red rocks and a gallery-dotted tunnel before switchbacking 3.5 miles into the canyon.
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Ripple Rock Nature Center
Across the road from the blacksmith shop (just a shed with period equipment) is the Ripple Rock Nature Center, a family-oriented learning center.
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