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Zion: Utah’s First National Park
Zion Canyon Scenic Drive, one of the most gorgeous places in the world, is a natural draw for vactioners to the state of Utah. It opened to the public as a national park in 1909, and gathers millions of visitors to the gorgeous cliffs and trails every year. And a trip to Grand Staircase is something that no individual or family will want to miss.
If you are short on time on your Utah Family Vacation, one of the best ways to see some of the rugged and stunning landscapes is to drive yourself through the park or take a guided tram tour to get a bit of extra insight about the area. If you decide to drive yourself, or take one of the visitor tours, you might want to think about picking up one of the road guides at a visitor’s information center. You’ll want to remember to drive slowly on these roads since they are used for sightseeing. This means other cars will be going quite slowly and you will also encounter bicyclists.
Aside from driving through Zion Canyon Scenic Drive, you might want to take a bicycle. They are allowed on the established roads as well as the scenic but short Pa’rus Trail. You can’t take your bicycles off trail though – this means no mountain biking. Also, bikes are not allowed to go through the Zion – Mt. Carmel Tunnel. They need to be brought through the tunnel by a vehicle.
Hiking and camping are also very big parts of the attraction to Zion. Some of the hikes, however, require permits, which you can inquire about at the visitor’s centers. Hikes through the tributaries and narrows, for example, require permits, as does mountain camping. The permits are typically $5.
If you are the rugged sort and you have the experience, you might want to try climbing along some of the cliffs in the park. Not all of the cliffs in Zion Canyon Scenic Drive allow climbing, however, so you should talk to the guides at the Backcountry Permit Desk for more availability when you pick up your permits. As with the other permits, this is only $5.
Should you rather keep your feet rooted firmly on terra firma, you can have a great family picnic at one of the multiple picnic areas in Zion. The Grotto has fire pits, tables, restrooms, and water. The Kolob has tables, fire grates and pit toilets.
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To learn more about the Zion National Park visit nps.gov/zion.
