Emerald Pools
3 mi in-and-out, ~2 hr, Easy-Intermediate, Stop #5 Zion Lodge
How to get there: Park in Zion’s Visitor Center lot. Take the complimentary shuttle to The Lodge (5). Walk across the road and across the bridge to Lower Falls Trails.
Because of all the rain, the falls at the Pools were full and flowing. I’ve heard it is a little less exciting during the summer months. The trail to the Lower Pool is a flat and easy 0.5 mi. Once you reach the falls the trail takes you right under them along an alcove as they pour down over you into the pools. You can see the falls from multiple angles if you keep walking.
The Middle Pool is an additional 0.5 miles and the trail gets slightly more difficult with little incline but still easy. The Middle Pool are the streams that flows down and turns into the waterfalls that flow into the Lower Pool. From here you get a great, wide view of the scenery.
The Upper Pool is the most exciting to see, with water falling from 300+ ft. It’s only an additional 0.5 mi of moderate incline, still pretty easy. Towards the end you cross some small streams by jumping from rock to rock, before you face the towering falls.
Overall, highly recommend hiking the Pools. It’s cool seeing a lush oasis of waterfalls and plants in such a dry setting. It generally is pretty crowded so plan accordingly, and bringing a lunch or snacks would be a good idea!
Riverside Walk, The Narrows
1 mi in-and-out, ~1 Hr, Easy, Stop #8 Temple Of Sinawava (Last Stop)
How to get there: Park in Zion’s Visitor Center lot. Take the complimentary shuttle to the last stop, Temple of Sinawava (8).
Unfortunately, with the heavy rain and definite flash flood warnings we were unable to hike The Narrows. Instead, we did the easy Riverside Walk that takes you to the entrance of The Narrows where the riverbank disappears. It was a super easy walk that took maybe 20-30 minutes and was just a nice spot to takes some pictures at. There wasn’t too much to see at the end. We will definitely have to come back to hike through the water to reach the famous “Wall Street” where the walls really come in and around you.
