Zion National Park is well known and the amount of people in the shuttles (you are not allowed to drive your own vehicle in the park) and on the trails only confirmed its popularity. But of course, there is a good reason for it: it is a spectacular place and the hiking trails are epic. We hiked Angels' Landing, a beautiful steep climb full of switchbacks that leads to a breathtaking viewpoint. But the magnificence of Zion can only truly be appreciated if you keep going after the overlook (not recommended for kids) and take the challenging path to the very top. Once there, you understand why they call it Angels' Landing. It is that grand!

As we started our hike, we met a French-speaking family that was from my hometown! We quickly found out that we had more than our birthplace in common and stuck together for the whole hike, chatting away as old friends. Their two girls quickly grew attached to Mathilde, who loved being in the big sister position. Thanks to the energy of the group, their 3 and 5 yo girls hiked all the way to the overview and back!

After 4 days of intense desert heat, Snow Canyon sounded like a great idea... until I found out that its name did not come from being in high altitude and receiving snow... That it was in fact named after Erastus Snow, one of the Mormon settler that discovered it...

Its geologic formations are simply stunning, a combination of black lava flow and burnt orange to creamy white sandstone cliffs. We hiked on petrified sand dunes under the glorious sun and went to explore the rock climbing routes for an upcoming rock climbing outing.

When we returned to the bus, our friends had decorated the bus and prepared a delicious vegetarian lasagna and salad, as well as a yummy chocolate cake that we ate outside as the sun set. It sure was a memorable birthday!

Zion National Park: Hiking Angels' Landing trail

Hiking in Snow Canyon State Park