Zion National Park
Camping Trips July 13, 2020Zion National Park in Utah is one of the most spectacular and awe-inspiring natural sites in the world. Located on the edge of the Colorado Plateau in southwestern Utah, Zion National Park is a true destination for the intrepid traveler. With Stunning views of red sandstone canyon walls and winding trails, Zion National Park offers plenty of opportunities for exploration and adventure. Hiking, canyoneering, camping, and photography are all popular activities in the park. With over 220 miles of trails, Zion National Park allows visitors to explore the park from either the bottom of the canyon or the rim for a more challenging experience. From the breathtaking Narrows to the soaring rock cliffs that line the Virgin River and its tributaries, Zion National Park is an area that truly must be seen to be believed.
Watchman Campground at Zion National Park is a scenic campground located near the banks of the Virgin River in the southwestern upper corner of Utah. It is the closest campground to the popular city of Springdale. Surrounded by the immense red cliffs of Zion National Park and close to the emerald-green Virgin River, the Watchman Campground offers amazing scenery and incredible outdoor adventures.
The campground has 165 sites, with four of them dedicated to group camping. It features a variety of amenities, including restrooms with flush toilets, a dump station, picnic area and paved roads. There is also a shaded amphitheater and trailhead located nearby.
Watchman Campground is open year around. In the summer months, you can camp here and then adventure out into the park to explore the spectacular canyons and backcountry routes. Be sure to stop by recreation.gov to secure a reservation at the parks campgrounds.
Zion National Park’s Narrows hike offers one of the most rewarding and beautiful experiences in the entire park. It is a nine-mile round trip hike along the winding Virgin River with high canyon walls on either side, taking hikers to the northern end of Zion Canyon. The award-winning hike features a variety of stunning views from its stunning canyon walls, deep pools, and diverse plant life.
When Saydie and I were camping and hiking the Narrows, there were signs posted warning visitors that park staff had detected dangerous toxic cyanobacteria blooms in the Virgin River and streams of Zion National Park. So, pay attention to any posted signage about warning in the park. In the picture above in the lower right of the photo you can see a park visitor swimming in one of the emerald pools. Probably not the smartest thing to do since the warnings that were posted stated swimming or submerging your head in the water was a bad idea. They also suggest not drinking stream water anywhere in the park. Keep dogs on a leash in and out of the water. Dogs are vulnerable to cyanotoxin exposure because they may bite or accidentally eat/drink material from potentially toxic algal mats. Colonies of cyanobacteria can be yellow, tan, green, brown, or black in color. Toxins detected in Zion include anatoxin-a, nodularin, microcystin, and cylindrospermopsin.
Despite the posted warning about the bacteria, park staff were still allowing hiking up the narrows and as you can see this did not stop people from wading in the Virgin River which is unavoidable in some areas of the hike.
The Narrows is a popular route for canyoneering, with plenty of short rappels for more experienced adventurers. Whether you’re planning an easy day hike or a multi-day backpacking adventure, hiking the Narrows is an unforgettable experience that all visitors to Zion National Park should add to their must do list.
