Zion was just incredible. There's a reason so many people come here. The walls of the canyon are huge, and the colors are so vibrant.
I spent about 24 hours here and did 3 trails: the Watchman, the Pa'rus (on my bike), and the Canyon Overlook. Angels Landing is the most famous here, but lots of people die on it, and it's now hard to get a permit. As a novice, that was right out. The Narrows is the other famous one. It's the one where you hike through knee-deep water, but it was closed "due to a flow rate of above 150 cfs". Despite doing neither, I still totally feel like I got my money's worth.
Getting in
Came in from the east. Not much traffic at the gate, but LOTS of people once you get deeper into the park.
You go through a few tunnels. One was very long, and very dark, and very narrow. So narrow they have to stop traffic coming in the other direction to let RVs through.
Finding a parking spot was VERY difficult, and I wasn't even there during peak season. I eventually found a spot on the shoulder about a mile from the visitor center and biked the rest of the way.
The Watchman
This trail was just right for me. Not too easy to be boring and not so hard that it felt impossible, and the views throughout were fantastic. Just 3 miles roundtrip and about a 600' climb.
The view from the overlook:
The trail is near the mouth of the canyon so you get a different view in each direction:
There was a cool-looking bird at the top. I don't know what kind it is, but I would love to know.
I stuck my hand in the river when I got back to the bottom. All that snowmelt made it feel supernaturally cool and refreshing.
Pa'rus Trail
Very chill. A leisurely stroll that follows and crisscrosses the Virgin River. Just a mile-and-a-half each way so a bit short for biking, but it's quality over quantity.
Springdale
Stayed in Springdale, literally right next to the park. Paid more than average for the convenience but wasn't exorbitant. Nice little town. Should've taken more pictures.
Canyon Overlook
On my way back out, I hit up the Canyon Overlook trail. I wanted to do this on my way in, but it was completely logjammed with cars and hikers. Wasn't too bad the next morning though.
Nice sampling of Zion. Pretty short and relatively easy. Only about a mile roundtrip and around 150' of elevation gain. A few dicey spots but most had railings.
Zion definitely lived up to the hype for me. I lost count of how many times I said "wow" or variations of it. But the crowds make it pretty stressful. I felt more like I was in a hectic city than in peaceful nature. It's definitely worth visiting, but it's one of those places where you feel like you need a vacation from your vacation.