The route it took us on was just reserved for the shuttle (automobiles weren't allowed unless they had a special pass). It was August when we visited so it was hot and we were glad we took some water bottles with us. The scenery was beautiful. I was with my parents and kids, so didn't get to do a lot of hiking. My kids (7 and 10) and I took one short trail to a waterfall. They enjoyed it and it wasn't too strenuous. There is a map you can get at the gate that gives information on the length of the trails and how strenuous they are. At another stop we went horse-back riding. It was like most trail rides where you don't need to be experienced to ride. The horses just follow each other along the trail. There were several stops on the shuttle ride where you could get on and off at your leisure. One thing I'm sorry we didn't do was to drive on through the tunnel in the park. Overall, we enjoyed the day. The rock formations are beautiful.

There are shuttle buses which run regularly throughout the park and stop off at all the main views and trails. The lodge is a good place to note, as it has a café where you can get drinks, food, ice cream, etc. There is also an adjoining gift shop.

There are many trails to walk, ranging from easy to very hard and from short to "will this ever end." Some of the shorter ones include Court of the Patriarchs, which is only 100 yards or so on a paved, steep trail that leads you to great views of the mountains. Another short and easy trail is Weeping Rock, which leads to a dainty waterfall where light water spray going over the trail is very refreshing.

Another good trail is the Emerald Pools Trail near Zion Lodge. You walk along a trail which encompasses lots of views and types such as trees, waterfalls, hanging gardens and water pools full of huge tadpoles. You can walk as far as the lower emerald pools, or carry on to the middle emerald pool, which is a bit steeper. If you are feeling really good, you can go on to the upper emerald pools, which is a bit of a hike, but well worth the effort due to the views and waterfalls you encounter. The full length of the trail is about 2 miles.

Near the Weeping Rock Trail is a diversion to Hidden Canyon Trail. This is described as moderate to strenuous; the latter is more accurate. This trail is 2 miles long (each way) and climbs nearly 900 feet in less than half a mile. A lot of the time, you are walking on very steep, rocky ground – we met a snake en route, which was a bit worrying. Once you get towards the top, you are walking on trails which are literally cut out of the mountain and are very narrow, so much so that many parts have chains secured to the rock to help you pull yourself up with. This can be very scary, and we came across many people who decided to turn back. We didn’t and carried on--why, I will never know! Once at the top of the trail, the views are great. The only problem is that you then have to go back down. This was extremely hard on the legs, and I could barely walk by the time we had finished. In fact, I suffered for several days after, as did my husband.

If you want something less strenuous, try the Riverside Walk. This is a lovely, easy walk which follows the river for about 2 miles each way on flat, paved ground. Very pretty views and lots of squirrels.

Personal vehicles are only allowed on Highway 9 in the park. From the Visitor Center on Highway 9 near the town of Springdale, there is a 6.5 mile road that heads north into the actual Zion Canyon (Highway 9 goes through a side canyon). Due to the congestion and pollution caused by over 3 million visitors per year, Zion instituted a shuttle bus system. The shuttle buses are the only motorized vehicles allowed to drive into Zion Canyon. I have used shuttle systems at other National Parks, and none of them does it as well as Zion. The shuttle leaves every 30 minutes, and starts very early and runs late. It does a loop through the town of Springdale to pick people up, so they don’t have to fight for a parking spot at the Visitor Center. Our driver gave a funny and interesting presentation on the ride – and pointed out landmarks such as The Great White Throne, The Watchman, Angels Landing, and Weeping Rock.

The Visitor Center has displays, a movie about the park, and a small shop that sells books and postcards. You can talk to a ranger or volunteer at the Visitor Center and get information, or you can go to a free Ranger program or guided hike. We are always impressed with Ranger programs. We wanted to do a long hike, so we talked to a ranger about two possibilities – Angels Landing and The Narrows. You can read about the hike up Angels Landing in a separate entry. The Narrows sounded interesting too – a hike through a narrow slot canyon where you have to hike in the river. Two short hikes that people seemed to be doing were to Weeping Rock (0.5 miles round trip to where a dripping springs has made a "hanging garden") and to Lower Emerald Pools (1 mile round trip to a waterfall). Both are on flat trails and great for beginners.

A few final facts: the Entrance Fee is $20 per vehicle (the pass is good for 7 days). Or you can get a National Parks Pass for $50 which is good at all National Parks for one year. This is a great idea if you are going to 3 or more parks like we did. There are campgrounds in Zion or Springdale, and Zion Lodge in the park is open year round.