Zion National Park

Famed for its breathtaking mountainscapes, Zion National Park is a nature reserve in southwest Utah. The first national park of the state, it is home to iconic red sandstone cliffs of the Zion Canyon that have been carved over centuries by the swiftly flowing Virgin River. Follow the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive for stunning mountain vistas and dizzying chasms, perhaps taking a diversion by wading in the Virgin River on a Zion Narrows hike. Eventually, the river empties out in the Emerald Pools whose lush beauty is adorned with silvery cascades and a hanging garden. Created by indigenous people and later the pioneers, the region’s mountain trails are famous. At the Park Museum, visitors can also learn about the special connection of the ancient communities to the land. The museum patio is an ideal location to watch Bridge Mountain and the East Temple light up in fiery pink and burnished gold as the sun sets beyond the heights, followed by a stunning panorama of stars in the night sky.