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We felt fortunate to win a lottery to hike Zion’s “popular” Subway.  Little did we know what we were getting ourselves into…. most of what we read said the hike was 6 miles and would take 5-9 hours to complete.  Because we typically hike on the faster end of these ranges, we assumed we would be back for a late lunch, not knowing that the mileage was wrong, and what the “trail” entailed.  You see, the Subway starts with a quick and very steep descent down a crumbly cliff.  We thought we had surely completed the most difficult part of the hike (well, except for the trek up this tricky trail).

Once we reached the creek, we were surprised to see that there was no trail at all, just a creek that we would have to navigate back and forth to reach our destination.  We found lizards, fish, and frogs galore, so the kids were in animal heaven.

What we really didn’t expect were the difficult crossings and side trails.  There were many spots where the creek could not be navigated due to waterfalls, etc, so much of the hike is spent on the sides of the creek, navigating large boulders and trees until you can cross the creek once again.  Slow going is an understatement for this hike.

  

It is true that the many stops to check out a new critter slowed us down, but I can’t say we had a more tiring hike up to this point.  Lucky for us, the kids always seem to be unfazed.

  

  

By the time we reached the waterfalls, we had spent at least an hour thinking we had somehow missed the actual Subway!

The kids loved sliding down the slippery rocks here!

  

Finally, we reached the Subway!  While the actual structure was amazing, the kids had more fun jumping in the swimming holes than anything else.

 

  

We spent awhile playing at the Subway, knowing that the 5 mile trek in meant 5 out.  While it didn’t deter us from jumping in more swimming holes on the way out, we tried to move along.  Upon our return, yesterdays group of 14 would be increasing to a massive 28 people in Zion!

  

Travel date 6/19

Additional photo credit: Kim Hoff

 

It’s true.  The drop from Angels Landing is a jaw-dropping 1,488 feet from the top to the bottom.  The trail is 5 miles round trip, but the last 1/2 mile of the 2.5 mile trail up is the scary part… with chains bolted to the cliff.  The rest of the hike is steep, with drop offs right off the edge of the trail, but it is well travelled and doable for anyone in average physical condition.

Most of Zion National Park is only accessible by shuttle now, and Angels Landing starts at the Grotto Trailhead.  We arrived in Zion, knowing that my dear mom would be arriving the next day, and if we had any shot at doing Angels Landing before she got wind of it (fearing for her grandchildren’s lives), we better do it that first day.  We had heard that you should do it early in the morning to avoid crowds and sun, but our timeframe was limited, so the 14 of us headed off on a shuttle mid-afternoon with half of the group would we have starting the next morning.

We felt so fortunate that much of the trail was in shade, and there were hardly any people on the trail.  I have no idea if this was luck, or if most people don’t hike it in the evening, but for us, it was perfect!

  

  

The first two miles were lovely, and we stopped several times to check out wildlife, including lizards and two beautiful owls!

  

The switchbacks were indeed steep, but the trail is great.

As we reached the chains, I stayed down with the 5 kiddos as Chuck went up with the rest of the group to scout it out.  You can tell the squirrels are well fed here, as the stalked us while we snacked on trail mix.

Chuck went up and down relatively quickly, and we decided to send the girls down with Patti (despite them begging to go to the top), who had enough of the chains 😉  Chuck, the boys, and I headed to the top to meet the rest of the group, who were still enjoying the view from the top.

 

We instructed our kids to keep at least one hand on the chains at all times.  It looks truly terrifying from photos, but the cliff is solid, and the chains very useful.  In the moment, none of us were scared.  However, if you are afraid of heights, this is not the hike for you.  We saw plenty of folks on this trail who clearly had a fear of heights, and I’m not sure why any of them would do this to themselves.  Fortunately and unfortunately, none of our kids seemed to adopt this fear.

  

  

We took a few group shots at the top before heading down.

 

 

  

The boys were so proud to do complete what is known as one of the scariest hikes in America, and truth be told, some of the other hikes we have done were much harder with their steep, loose gravelly trails down cliffs.

 

 

The girls enjoyed their hike down with Patti and Kyle, and they look forward to the next trip to Zion so they can join us on this amazing hike!

 

Travel date 6/19

Additional photo credits to the Pienkowskis, Jill Heikilla, and Kim Hoff

Wire Pass is the place that made us fall in love with Page.  Friends brought us here 5 years ago, and I was amazed with every twist and turn.  After the busy-ness of the beautiful Antelope Canyon, this was a welcome change.  Wire Pass is a ways from Page and down a dirt road (the same trailhead as the Wave, which we were not able to get permits for), but well worth the trip.  As opposed to the $40 ticket to Antelope Canyon, Buckskin Gulch via Wire Pass cost $6 per adult, kids 12 and under free.  While the walls of the canyon are not as smooth as Antelope Canyon, the seclusion makes it just as beautiful.  You have to hike in the wash for about a mile and a half before you reach the canyon, so the hike can be sunny and hot initially.

Once you reach the canyon, there is not a better way to escape the heat of the day.

 

We all looked up in wonder at the growing canyon walls.

  

 

  

 

    

The paintings on the walls were a reminder of the rich history in the area.

The kids loved catching and releasing all the multi-colored lizards too.

  

It was so fun to introduce this magical place to more family members Kimmy, Ben, and Jill.

 

 

 

It’s amazing to look up and see all the logs lodged up above from prior floods.  After being caught in a flash flood years ago, we exercise extreme caution with weather when entering canyons like Wire Pass.  Even a hint of rain far away can bring flooding to slot canyons like this.

 

 

We were disappointed when we reached a muddy clay area this year that was impassable.  We watched as several tried to navigate through it, but the mud was more than knee deep to cross.  Yuck!

 

  

We exited the pass and looked for the half gallon of water we had stashed near the entrance, only to find the container chewed up by a thirsty critter.  Thankfully, we still had plenty of water!  Dehydration is no joke in the desert!

Toad Stools is another fun stop on the way back into Page, and a short 1/2 mile hike off of the main road.

 

It was a hot hike, so with the afternoon heat, we were more than ready to head back to Lake Powell for the rest of the day!

Travel date: 6/17

Additional photo credit: Jill Heikkila and Kim Hoff