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Hiking in Zion Park
The Park is divided into three sections: Zion Mt. Carmel Hwy (Scenic Byway 9) Zion Canyon, and the Primitive Kolob Section
Zion Canyon Hikes and the Zion Canyon Shuttle:
To get to these hikes park at the Zion Visitors Center, Zion Museum or Canyon Junction and get on the Zion Shuttle. The shuttle also takes the visitor to view points in the canyon. Even if you do not wish to hike, do take the time to ride the shuttle and stop and see each of the view points.
Zion Canyon Shuttle Schedule:
Zion Canyon Loop Shuttle Trip. The first bus leaves the visitor center for Temple of Sinawava at 5:45 a.m. then shuttles run every 10 to 30 minutes throughout the day. The last ride out of Zion Canyon is at 11pm, leaving the last stop, Temple of Sinawava. The trip is short but is time consuming due to all the stops and people getting on and off. Be sure to take all you will need for the amount of hiking you will want to do in Zion Canyon. A round trip takes a minimum of 90 minutes, but is usually longer. In the coolest months of the year the shuttle closes down and driving is permitted into the canyon.
Angels Landing:
Angles landing is a half mile of climbing along a narrow sandstone ridge with sheer cliffs on both sides. The start of the west rim trail leading to Angels landing is a 2 mile moderate hike, mostly in the shade, through refrigerator canyon, with the steep walters wiggles at the end leading a winding path to the angels landing trail view point. Many hikers turn around where the west rim trail and angels landing trail part or they continue on west rim trail. The combined trails ascends 1488 ft to the summit of angles landing and takes about four hours for the round trip. This hike is not for kids or those afraid of heights on narrow places. It is not that the trail is so difficult, in fact many kids would love the last half mile, it is because is is extremely dangerous. Angels landing is one of the more famous Monoliths in Zion Park along with Cathedral Mountain and the Great White Throne.
West Rim Spring:
This 5.0 mile hike continues where Angels Landing and West Rim split. It is 2.0 miles to the split and an additional 3.0 miles to the West Rim Spring.
Next: Hiking in Zion Park continued
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