Road Trip USA 2022

Zion National Park

As is often the case, the plan is to drive a few kilometers towards the next destination and enjoy breakfast somewhere along the way. I chose the Thunderbird Restaurant, which is right on our route to Zion National Park. What I unfortunately didn't pay attention to was the fact that it is closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays. And you can guess three times when we were there...

Well, so we drive on to Springdale, because that's where we want to meet up with our friends again. To do this, we have to drive right through the park. This messes up our schedule a bit, because we are so fascinated by the landscape that we have to stop again and again on the way there to enjoy the view.

In the middle of the park, we then go through the Mount Caramel Tunnel, which is around one mile (1.7 km) long. During the day, you can only drive through it in one direction. Rangers control the alternating passage. Therefore, depending on the volume of traffic, there may be corresponding waiting times.

Attention: If you are traveling with a camper van, you will need a tunnel permit depending on the size and, above all, you will only be able to drive through the tunnel from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Plan for this if you have to go through the tunnel in the afternoon. You can find more information on the Zion National Parks website.
With a car/SUV, you can drive through the tunnel around the clock.

When you arrive in Springdale, you feel like you've been transported to a different climate zone. It was cool and rainy when we left in the morning, but now it's a sunny 20°C. We get a delicious breakfast at MeMe's Café.

But now we're off to see our friends who are waiting for us at the nearby campsite. Once we get there, we set off again straight away. Our goal is the Canyon Overlook Trail. To do this, we have to go through the tunnel again and see if a motorhome can really fit through.

It fits and now the next challenge is to find a parking space, because there are only small parking bays on the road. But we manage that too and now we're on the trail. The trail is about one mile (1.6 km) long and easy to manage even with children. However, the ground (sandstone) is sometimes very slippery, so sturdy shoes are highly recommended. The path leads past rocky gorges and at the end a breathtaking view of Pine Creek Canyon awaits us.

We are back at the Watchman Campground at around 4 p.m. and have a small afternoon snack at the RV. The Zion Canyon Shuttle Service also starts right at the campsite. It runs every 15 minutes and takes around 45 minutes to the last stop, the Temple of Sinawava. It is free to use or is included in the park fee. You must also take this shuttle if you want to hike to the famous Angels Landing. But please remember that you need a separate permit to climb Angels Landing. This became necessary because the number of hikers became so high that it became too dangerous on the narrow paths.

Anyway, we arrive at the Temple of Sinawava at around 6 p.m. From there we follow the Virgin River further into the canyon. A 1 mile (1.6 km) long, partially paved path leads along the river. At the end of this path things get interesting. To get further into the canyon, you have to hike through the riverbed. This is the end of it for us. Firstly, the river has so much water on these days that walking in the riverbed is impossible. Furthermore, we are much too late, because the last shuttle back to Springdale leaves at 8 p.m. and dusk is also setting in. But it is beautiful to see how the low sun bathes the steep canyon walls surrounding us in yellow-reddish colors and literally makes them glow.

We end the evening with a meal together at the Zion Canyon Brew Pub.

Then it's time to say goodbye again. Unfortunately, we won't meet again on this trip. But the trips together were all the more beautiful. For us, it's now time to cross the park again and through the Mount Carmel Tunnel to Duck Creek Village. I have to say, I haven't experienced it this dark for a long time, as there really is no light from the surrounding towns illuminating the area and we don't see another car in front of or behind us the whole way. There are no more entry controls at the tunnel at this time and we hope that all RV drivers will abide by the no-entry sign.