VisionQuest™: Zion National Park

We've spent a full day and a half at Zion National Park and completed one extremely challenging hike. Yesterday we saw a few quick sites and set up camp, as we plan to be here for 4-6 days.

Zion Canyon

Checkerboard Mesa

The Three Patriarchs

Today was our first long hike in Zion. The Subway, from the bottom up, is a 7-10 hour back-country hike off the beaten trail. You hike down a 400' cliff then up a canyon stream to a feature called The Subway (pictures show why it is named as such). This back-country trail does not have an official route, but rather you follow the path of those before you. Options are plentiful, the route is tough, and you cross/walk in the creek many, many times. Climbing up and over rocks, down slopes, and under/over trees is common. A few hours later you arrive at The Subway, including some wading and swimming in 58 degree water to reach the waterfall. It was well worth the trip.

Ah the backcountry. Good thing it doesn't rain often.

Action Shot

Our hike from below

The trail

More of the "trail"

Getting closer...

Entrance to The Subway

Looking down the subway tube (eroded by the creek when flooding)

The waterfall, accessible only by some swimming

Route to the waterfall

Looking down the north end of the Subway

The way back took just as long as we scrambled over rocks, hiked down the creek, and we both knocked ourselves onto the ground by hitting our heads on tree branches. The end of the hike involved some scrambling up the same 400' cliff, much to the dismay of our knees. We grabbed dinner in town and did some research on our upcoming 2-day hike down The Narrows (Sunday-Monday). I would write more, but we are both completely exhausted from what has been the hardest day of our trip as of yet. Although it is only 8 PM, the surrounding cliffs have made it dark enough to sleep and we just may be headed that way soon. With a multitude of hikes coming up, we will continue to update as we stay here in the Southern Campground at Zion.