Favorite Places to Explore Nature in Utah’s National Parks

Today’s guest post is part of the “Favorite Places to Explore Nature” series and comes from Julie (aka @JulieTrevelyan), whom I recently “met” on Twitter. She’s a wilderness guide (how cool is that?!) in Southern Utah who also blogs about Utah’s national parks for NileGuide. I’m excited she’s sharing the places she likes to explore nature in some of our nation’s national parks.

I didn’t discover Utah until 1999. But since then, I’ve explored many outdoor spots in the southern part of the state, and I can testify that much of it is a wilderness playground for kids and kids-at-heart!

Picture the scene in Utah’s red rock deserts. Unbelievably blue skies. Sandstone rock formations in crazy shapes and a rainbow of colors. Surprise pockets of green popping up near springs nestled in otherwise dry, sandy areas. Unexpected waterfalls and swimming holes in beautiful canyons of sandstone. The darkest, most star-studded night skies that most Americans will ever see.

And in the middle of all this, five of the most scenic and hiking-friendly national parks in the country. I’ve rounded up two of my favorite kid-friendly hikes in each of the parks — Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands and Arches.

Zion National Park
Zion operates a clean-running shuttle system April-October, which visitors are required to use. I strongly recommend parking in gateway town Springdale, unless you’re staying inside the Park itself and taking a shuttle from one of the several in-town stops.

Hike #1: Weeping Rock
At a half mile in length, Weeping Rock is the shortest trail in Zion. (It is steep, though, so expect a bit of workout.) Best of all, it stays cool even on the warmest days. Why? Because as you near the top of the trail, you get closer to the water “weeping” from the rock. Sandstone, the rock which makes up the formations in Zion, is porous, allowing water from a spring above to travel through very slowly.

Photo by dennis

I hear that if you visit during the spring, the wildflowers are out in force. Trailside markers give brief flora explanations. I’ve only been to Zion in the fall, which in my opinion is an even better season to visit because it’s cool, the leaves are turning and there’s usually less chance of a surprise winter storm. Note the edges of the trail might be slippery. Shuttle stop for trailhead: Weeping Rock.

Hike #2: Lower Emerald Pools
There are three Emerald Pools in Zion: Lower, Middle and Upper. The Lower Pools are easiest to reach when traveling with younger kids. Sharing the same trail at the start as the famous Angels Landing, this hike is really popular because it’s short, cool and has classic views of Zion along the way. It’s also great on a hot day, as the trail is beautifully shaded and winds behind two waterfalls. Heading to the middle and upper falls, the trail gets much steeper! Shuttle stop for trailhead: Zion Lodge.

Photo by Ken Lund

Bryce Canyon
Bryce operates an optional shuttle May-October that hits the major overlooks and trailheads. Again, I recommend taking it; our environment needs every little bit of help it can get!

Hike #1: Queen’s Garden
Considered the easiest Bryce hike, Queen’s Garden gets its name from a hoodoo (sandstone rock formation) at the end that some think looks a bit like Queen Victoria. It’s a great introduction to the crazy-looking hoodoos that make up this park.

Photo by Alaskan Dude

There is a small bit of elevation loss (320 feet) on this trail, which of course you regain on the hike back, but the whole thing is less than two miles roundtrip. Trailhead: Sunrise Point.

Hike #2: Navajo Loop 
Navajo Loop is easily the most-hiked trail in Bryce Canyon. I think this is the first hike I took in on my first visit. Somewhat strenuous, its mile-and-half long loop offers classic views of the really funky-looking Bryce Canyon geology. Douglas fir trees tower overhead, as do the pointy spires of sandstone in their riot of natural colors.

Photo by Scott Teresi

There are some steep dropoffs, so this is a trail for older children and close supervision is required in parts. Trailhead: Sunset Point.

Capitol Reef
Capitol Reef does not have an entrance fee unless you cruise down the Scenic Drive. This is one of the lesser-visited parks in the entire system, which is a blessing and a shame. It’s a blessing because this park is not being “loved to death” and it’s a shame because it’s so gorgeous, more people should visit it.

Hike #1: Capitol Gorge
Capitol Gorge is a flat hike along a wash that meanders through a canyon of impressive sandstone walls. Particularly appealing about this hike are the Pioneer Register and the Tanks at the end. The register is basically historical (and therefore federally protected) graffiti scratched into the rocks by those hardy white travelers in the 1800s who settled the area. The Tanks are desert potholes – those essential water-holding depressions in the earth that sustain hardy desert critters.

Capitol Gorge also used to be the only way to drive a wagon (and then a car) through the reef until Highway 24 was built in the 1960s. Note: if you see a small herd of baby goats at the far end of the canyon, do not tell the Park’s biologist. He will laugh so hard he’ll almost fall off his chair before he finally wipes his eyes and tells you there are no mountain goats in the desert (duh); that was a group of young bighorn sheep. Which look like goats. Yes, I admit this is a true story.

Hike #2: Sulphur Creek
Sulphur Creek wanders for six miles, serving up a near-slot canyon experience complete with waterfalls, rock scrambling and swimming opportunities. Not suitable for really little ones, this is probably best for the 5 and over crowd. (You’ll also need to shuttle with two cars or hitch back along the highway to return to your car.)

Totally perfect on a hot summer’s day, the coolness of this hike comes from the creek you follow the entire way and the occasional shade from the 600-foot tall canyon cliffs. I suggest starting from the northernmost end (across from the Chimney Rock parking lot) and hiking down to its end behind the Visitor Center (VC). Near the VC, there’s a section of the river that is water flowing just over the top of slickrock, which makes for a great slide on a hot afternoon. Note: Don’t attempt this hike on a rainy day. Flash flooding is a danger to keep aware of.

Canyonlands
Canyonlands is divided into three distinct sections: Island in the Sky, the Needles and the Maze. Island in the Sky and the Needles are probably where you want to head for a first-time visit. The Maze is much more rugged and remote and generally only tackled for longer backpacking trips.

Canyonlands is very close to the small but hip town of Moab, which has plenty of places to stay and eat if you’d prefer indoor accommodations or want a break from camping.

Hike #1: Whale Rock Trail
Whale Rock Trail offers a fun opportunity to actually climb a geologic feature, a large chunk of sandstone. If you use your imagination this rock could indeed resemble a whale. There are handrails firmly secured to the rock to assist with climbing, but plenty of people don’t need to use them.

Quite popular, this is an interesting hike for older kids. And at only a mile roundtrip, it’s an undemanding trail that really exposes you to classic Canyonlands topography. On top, you’ll have unobstructed views of another nearby geologic feature, Upheaval Dome.

Hike #2: Cave Spring Trail
Cave Spring Trail features a preserved old cowboy camp, complete with rough wooden tables, tin cans and pictographs left by the ancient Indians that inhabited the area a thousand years previously.

The trail round trip is barely over half a mile, which is its first appeal, and it’s also easily accessible from the main road. There are two wooden ladders along the route, which are probably unsafe for very young children to navigate. However, most parents can likely make the ascent with kids in carrier-backpacks. Note: it is possible to hike to the cave itself without needing to use the ladders. If you want to get to the slickrock portion on the trail without using the ladders, use the route to your right from the trailhead and simply return the same way.

Photo by BooClif3

Arches
Arches is practically in Moab. There are 2,000-plus natural arches in this park and many of them are easy to reach.

Hike #1: Balanced Rock
Balanced Rock is really short (.3 mile roundtrip), accessible (think strollers, wheelchairs) and pretty cool. The rock in question is a quintessential feature of southern Utah: a large rock seemingly balanced on a narrow neck of sandstone above an anchored rock. There is a balanced rock in every park! This one is really huge, though, which makes it more unique. This hike is the perfect leg-stretcher and is appropriate even for toddlers because it’s basically flat, no drop-offs and so short.

Hike #2: Delicate Arch Viewpoint
Delicate Arch Viewpoint nicely showcases the most famous monument in the park. Natural arches are formed by wind and water over millennia. An arch must be at least three feet in width for technical classification.

Photo by Ken Lund

At only half a mile, the viewpoint hike won’t tax your lungs and is great for the youngest members of your family. For older kids, consider tackling the hike to Delicate Arch itself, which is three miles roundtrip. It’s more exposed, which means early morning departure times in the summer, and distinctly steeper.

Photo by sundancekid

Raised in the bustle of Southern California, Julie somehow became a wilderness guide in southern Utah. Since 1999, she has taken clients aged six to 76 hiking, backpacking and horse packing in Utah’s gorgeous red canyon deserts and high alpine meadows. A word crafter since the second grade, Julie also explores hidden Native American ruins with her faithful canine companion, learns ancient skills such as the bow drill fire and is a dedicated yogini. She blogs about Utah’s national parks for NileGuide, and you can follow her on Twitter @JulieTrevelyan.