Highlights

There is such a wide variety of things to do and see here that it's difficult to say which are the highlights, but probably the single most important activity for visitors is traveling the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive (by shuttle bus in summer, your car in winter), stopping at viewpoints where you can see many of the park's best-known rock formations.

Among the spectacular rock formations that you won't want to miss is the Great White Throne, which can be seen from Zion Canyon Scenic Drive as well as from several hiking trails, including Observation Point Trail, Deertrap Mountain Trail, Angels Landing Trail, and Emerald Pools Trail. Considered the symbol of Zion National Park for many visitors, this massive and imposing block of Navajo sandstone towers 2,000 feet above the North Fork of the Virgin River. It can be especially impressive when colored by the setting sun. A postage stamp depicting the Great White Throne was issued in the 1930s.

Another eye-catcher is the huge Checkerboard Mesa, which you pass when entering the park from the east. Looking as though some giant hand etched it, this huge dome of sandstone has a fishnet pattern created by a unique form of erosion and weathering. Although horizontal lines in Navajo sandstone are fairly common, experts believe that the rare vertical lines were formed by freezing and thawing processes, and then enlarged by running water.

Those who think of southern Utah as nothing but burning desert will learn differently at Weeping Rock, a short but steep walk along Weeping Rock Trail. Its name derives from the fact that water continually runs from a spring down the vertical face of the rock, nurturing hanging gardens.

The Emerald Pools provide another look at the wet side of Zion -- lush green plants, pretty pools of water, and two delightful cascading waterfalls. Located in a short canyon near Zion Lodge, the lower pool is an easy walk along a paved path, while the two upper pools require a bit of real hiking. The pools are named for their rich green color, the result of algae in the water.

At the end of the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive is the Temple of Sinawava, a picturesque canyon surrounded by rock walls reaching 2,000 feet into the sky. Here, you'll discover the aptly named Pulpit and Altar rock formations, as well as maple and cottonwood trees and a spectacular waterfall that cascades almost 1,000 feet down the temple's west wall during the spring and summer. This is the beginning of the Riverside Walk.

The Riverside Walk, one of the park's easiest trails, should not be ignored just because it's not a challenge. It begins at the Temple of Sinawava and parallels the Virgin River, providing a good sense of the steepness of the canyon walls as you approach the Narrows. Along the walk are interpretative signs discussing this particular ecosystem. This is a good place to hear, and possibly see, the canyon tree frog, plus the American dipper and other park wildlife.

For a unique hiking experience as well as a close-up look at the power of water, venture into the Narrows, a section of the Virgin River where the canyon walls are less than 30 feet apart in spots but stand over 1,000 feet tall. To travel between these delicately sculpted rock walls, you'll hike and wade. The Narrows can be experienced as a short day hike, a long 1-day through hike, or an overnight hike -- although caution is needed because the Narrows is prone to flash flooding.

An often-overlooked area of Zion National Park is the Kolob Canyons section, in the park's northwest corner. With its narrow canyons and brightly colored cliffs, this is a somewhat different world than Zion Canyon. There's a scenic drive with spectacular overlooks, and several hiking trails..

Wildlife Viewing & Bird-Watching

It's a rare visitor to Zion who doesn't spot a critter of some sort, from mule deer -- often observed along roadways and in campgrounds year-round -- to the numerous varieties of lizards seen from spring through fall, including the park's largest lizard, the chuckwalla, which can grow to 20 inches long. There has been an increasing number of sightings of desert bighorn sheep and even an occasional mountain lion along Utah 9 (the Zion-Mt. Carmel Hwy.) on the east side of the park. Along the Virgin River, you'll see bank beaver, so named because they live in burrows dug into riverbanks instead of dams.

If you're interested in spotting birds, you're in luck at Zion. The peregrine falcon, among the world's fastest birds, is sometimes seen along the Angels Landing and Cable Mountain trails and in the area of the Great White Throne. It sometimes nests in the Weeping Rock area, where you're also likely to see the American dipper, canyon wren, and white-throated swift. Bald eagles sometimes winter in the park, and you might also see golden eagles. Red-tailed hawks are fairly common, and you've got a very good chance of seeing great blue herons, American kestrels, Gambel's quail, mourning doves, great horned owls, western kingbirds, common ravens, piñon jays, Steller's jays, yellow-rumped warblers, wild turkeys, and American robins.

Snakes include the poisonous Great Basin rattlesnake, found below 8,000 feet elevation; there are also nonpoisonous king snakes and gopher snakes. Amphibians found in the park include the Arizona tiger salamander, Great Basin spadefoot, red-spotted toad, and northern leopard frog. Tarantulas, those large, usually slow-moving hairy spiders, are often seen in late summer and fall. Contrary to popular belief, the tarantula's bite is not significantly poisonous to most people, although it may be somewhat painful.

Remember, it's illegal to feed the wildlife. No matter how much you may want to befriend an animal by offering food, please remember that it's not healthy for the wildlife to eat human food or to get used to being fed this way.