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  1. #1
    Member JoshD's Avatar
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    Anyone ever go to Zion, UT?

    Looking for recommendations on good hikes/photo spots. Staying in the area for 4 days next week, bringing my gear, can't wait! I keep reading about the canyon river trail, and how amazing it is, but also how some areas you have to "swim" to get by. That could kill it for me if I am carrying my camera and lenses.

    any recommendations on hikes/photo ops/ or even camping are welcome!

  2. #2
    Senior Member Dylan8i's Avatar
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    Re: Anyone ever go to Zion, UT?

    anywhere.


    literally anywhere you will get fantastic photos.
    any of this hikes sin the main canyon that you want to hike on will have many many photo ops.

    i did about 3-4 miles up the narrows canyon and then back the one morning, i just had a dry sack i put my camera in when i wasn't using it. i have cameras around water all the time though so it doesn't worry me like most people probably do.

    i had alot of fun in the hidden canyon trail to. just because i loved climbing around the scree.


    also id suggest being in good shape, pretty much every hike is a 2000 foot climb to the top. and i was doing 2-3 a day when i was there.

    heres a shot from angels landing looking down canyon




    a shot of angels landing knife ridge




    self portrait of me in the narrows
    check out my photography website
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  3. #3
    Learning more with every "click" mjs1973's Avatar
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    Re: Anyone ever go to Zion, UT?

    I have been to Zion a couple of times. It's one of my favorite places!!! If you're not afraid of heights, I recommend hiking up to Angels Landing. It's not an easy hike but the view from up top is worth it. This is a photo from the start of the trail. The trail ends at the top of the big rock in the center.



    Here are a few images from the trail to Angels Landing. The chains are for you to hold onto.



    My wife on the trail.


    Walters Wiggles


    Walters Wiggles from the top looking down.


    The Emerald Pools are also worth a visit. Here is a shot from the trail going to the pools.



    I'm not positive, but I think this was taken from the Emerald Pools trail.


    The Narrow's is another trail that can provide some great photo opportunities, but I have never hiked it. I have only hiked the very beginning of the trail and never crossed the river. This is a shot from the beginning of the trail.



    For me, no trip to Zion is complete without stopping at the Zion Pizza & Noodle Company for a pizza! Another must stop for me is the Gallery in Springdale. It looks like his gallery has moved since the last time I was there. It's now in the IMAX Theater Complex. Stop and see an IMAX movie too!

    One thing to keep in mind when visiting Zion. A main part of the park is closed to private vehicles. This means you will have to take a park shuttle to many of the areas you want to hike. So you will want to pack everything you need for the day with you because you can't easily run back to your car. Have fun!
    Mike

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    "I thought that because fewer wolves meant more deer, that no wolves would mean hunters' paradise. But after seeing the green fire die, I sensed that neither the wolf nor the mountain agreed with such a view."
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  4. #4
    Member JoshD's Avatar
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    Re: Anyone ever go to Zion, UT?

    great pictures! thanks guys

    I cant wait to go. Never been. I am bringing my mountain bike too to mess around Gooseberry Mesa, but I really want to spend the majority of the time in Zion...maybe even Bryce? we will see

    is there such a thing as fall colors there? will the leaves be a variety of colors?

  5. #5
    Learning more with every "click" mjs1973's Avatar
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    Re: Anyone ever go to Zion, UT?

    Never been there in the fall but you can check out this thread. It's a couple years old, but it's talking about Zion in the fall.

    best time for leave colors in Zion National Park?

    Bryce is a beautiful park too! My first trip to Zion was on a field trip in college. One of our leaders took a group hiking in Zion, the other leader took a group to Bryce. I went on the Bryce trip. I loved it but it seemed like most of the day was spent in a van, and not much time to get out and explore Bryce. The people who stayed in Zion got to spend the whole day exploring and hiking the park. My point is, if you only have a few days I would spend them in Zion. Nothing against Bryce, but I would rather spend an extra day in Zion than a day on the road. I have since been back and got to spend more time in Bryce and it's well worth it's own trip. Some friends and I actually went their for Spring Break one year. There was still 2 feet of snow on the ground when we got there. We camped on top of the snow one night, and then headed to Zion the next day. Iit was quite a bit warmer and no snow in Zion!
    Mike

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    "I thought that because fewer wolves meant more deer, that no wolves would mean hunters' paradise. But after seeing the green fire die, I sensed that neither the wolf nor the mountain agreed with such a view."
    Aldo Leopold

  6. #6
    Senior Member Dylan8i's Avatar
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    Re: Anyone ever go to Zion, UT?

    when i went i had 7 days and split it between the two parks. bryce the first 3 days then zion the next 4. they are both great parks and can't go wrong with either. but i would do either one or the other. i was doing a hike in the morning, afternoon and night, and covered about 90 miles in those 7 days (and the first and last half days were spent driving) and i still didn't see everything i wanted to.

    also remember bryce is at about 8000 feet so it gets cold and coudl even be snowy.


    and yes the hardwood trees will still change color, though probably not as impressive as im use to being from the north east.
    check out my photography website
    http://dylanschneider.zenfolio.com/



    Please feel free to edit or change any of my pictures to show me how to improve them.



    Nikon D200
    Nikon D7000 w/grip
    Nikkor AF-S 18-135
    Nikkor AF-S 60mm macro 2.8
    Nikon 70-200 2.8 vr
    Nikon tc-17eII
    Kenoko extension tube set
    SB-600

  7. #7
    Member JoshD's Avatar
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    Re: Anyone ever go to Zion, UT?

    Quote Originally Posted by mjs1973
    Never been there in the fall but you can check out this thread. It's a couple years old, but it's talking about Zion in the fall.

    best time for leave colors in Zion National Park?

    Bryce is a beautiful park too! My first trip to Zion was on a field trip in college. One of our leaders took a group hiking in Zion, the other leader took a group to Bryce. I went on the Bryce trip. I loved it but it seemed like most of the day was spent in a van, and not much time to get out and explore Bryce. The people who stayed in Zion got to spend the whole day exploring and hiking the park. My point is, if you only have a few days I would spend them in Zion. Nothing against Bryce, but I would rather spend an extra day in Zion than a day on the road. I have since been back and got to spend more time in Bryce and it's well worth it's own trip. Some friends and I actually went their for Spring Break one year. There was still 2 feet of snow on the ground when we got there. We camped on top of the snow one night, and then headed to Zion the next day. Iit was quite a bit warmer and no snow in Zion!
    Yea, good advice I think

    Thanks for the link, looks like I may be a little early to see the great colors but that's ok

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