We love taking scenic byways whenever we can! Not only do you see a ton of fantastic scenery, but scenic byways also make for a good activity to do whenever you’re having a rest day in between bigger hikes. We were a little thrashed after our super long (and magnificent) day hiking in The Narrows, (post coming soon) so we decided take it easy for the day and go for a drive.
One of our favorite things to do when we’re going for a drive is to get something to sip on for the road. So we headed into the town of Springdale, and picked up a couple of coffees for the drive at Deep Creek Coffee House. With a couple coffees, their yummy Einstein Smoothie, and plenty of snacks in hand, we were ready to go!
Side Note: We loved their Einstein Smoothie so much, that after we came home I came up with this Berry Green Smoothie so that we could continue to enjoy it.
There definitely isn’t a dull moment on this scenic byway, the scenery changes constantly…
… and the view is just as good in the rearview mirror!
I highly recommend driving both ways up and down this scenic byway, so that you can fully take in all the sights.
There are plenty of pull offs where you can stop for pictures, (or in Tyler’s case a snack while he patiently waits for me to take a million photos – which is only a slight exaggeration, we actually came home with over 10,000 photos from Zion and Bryce Canyon!).
There’s also a really great, super short hike that’s just 1 mile roundtrip,(the Canyon Overlook Trail)Â and the trail head starts just east of the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel. It takes you to a view point where you’re standing on top of the rock arch that you see in the above photo looking out over the whole canyon.
I don’t think I’ve ever been on such a short hike with such incredible views. You can expect it to be busy, but since the parking lot is small, that does help limit the number of people on the trail at any given time. This is also a hike recommended for families, but like many hikes in Zion, there are fatal drop offs. They have railings in place and the trail is safe, but only if proper caution is used.
This scenic byway is also a great way to get to Bryce Canyon National Park if you’re headed there during your visit. We ended up driving this road 3 times during our stay in Zion National Park, and we enjoyed every single trip. There is just so much to look at, and I found myself seeing new things with each trip through! The colors of the rock even changed while we were there because of a rainstorm. These pictures were taken right after a day of steady rain, and I was amazed at how vibrant the rocky peaks were after soaking up some moisture!