4 Amazing Guided Adventures While Visiting Zion National Park with East Zion Adventures
- Sep 22, 2022
- 5 min read
Updated: Oct 21, 2022
When exploring Zion National Park and all the beauty that Southern Utah is known for, don't just stick to the popular hikes! Instead, get off the beaten path, get out of your comfort zone and go on an adventure!
This post is part of a paid partnership with East Zion Adventures. All ideas and opinion are 100% my own.
Does that sound a little scary? You might also be wondering how to find those off-the-beaten-path adventures. Well, I'm here to tell you it's not scary, and those hidden gems are easy to find. Just hire East Zion Adventures to take you on a guided adventure!
All my adventures with East Zion Adventures have been to places that even I, as a local, would have never gone on my own.
East Zion Adventures has over two decades of experience guiding guests on world-class recreation adventures just outside the park and surrounding areas. The guides are local experts who love people, adventure, and of course, Zion National Park and the surrounding East Zion area, and they are CPR, and First Aid certified.
A guided adventure allows you to sit back and let the adventure come to you. Well, maybe not come to you....haha. It is the easiest way I know to explore a new place without knowing where you're going and what you're doing.
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Guided adventures are also a great way to experience new places with kids. It allows you to be more in the moment with your kiddos because your guide has everything taken care of regarding planning, timing, and safety.
Check out my detailed review of four guided adventures I have had the pleasure of experiencing with East Zion Adventures.
SUNSET JEEP TOUR
Duration: 1.5 Hours
Terrain: Rugged
Ages: Ages 2+
Included: Snacks, Water
Adults $69, Kids $59
I have been lucky enough to do the sunset jeep tour to Pine Knoll twice! I went once on a girls' trip with a friend a few summers back and then again this August with my kiddos. My brother and niece even got to join in on the fun with us in August!
A few summers ago with my girlfriend, the weather was perfect. Our guide Tyler had great stories about the history of Zion Ponderosa, and we loved our time with him.
The ride was rugged, bumpy, and so much fun. The jeeps were open air and more than capable of taking on the steeped hills and crazy dirt
roads. I remember being surprised by how much I loved the ride. I had no idea it would have a thrill factor similar to riding a rollercoaster.!
At the top of the knoll, we had time to relax, take in the views and enjoy the show as the sun descended behind the towering cliffs of Zion National Park. It was the perfect evening!
Our sunset jeep tour this August was a whole different story.....haha! Monsoon season in Southern Utah was very active this year. The sky was grey and ominous, and the roads were muddy and slick. We even got stuck for a minute, but that just added to the adventure! My kiddos loved being thrown back and forth and bouncing up and down as our guide skillfully navigated the large boulders and slick muddy roads.
At the top, we watched as lighting hit the Zion cliffs in the distance. It was windy and a little cold. I should have brought jacked for the kiddos.
The real adventure came when the rain started pouring down. We all quickly piled back into the jeep and descended the mountain with thunder and lightning following us. Open-air jeeps are not great for keeping dry........haha! It was a cold and wet adventure, but it was also the most fun ever, and we made some amazing memories.
WHITE MOUNTAIN HORSEBACK RIDE
$59
8yrs and up
Duration: 1 hour
Info: Slot Canyon
Ages: Ages 8+
Weight Limit: 220 lbs
Horseback riding is not something we get to do often. Any time we go somewhere with horseback riding as an option, my kiddos get so excited. So when I saw that East Zion Adventures had a guided horseback ride through towering sandstone cliffs to a little slot canyon hike, I knew we had to do it.
We met our guides at The Coffee Shop in Orderville and followed them to the stables. Our guide, Jonny gave us a brief riding lesson and helped us onto our horses.
The horses were so sweet but also had a mind of their own.....haha! The ride was stunning the entire way, with lush desert vegetation and white and orange swirly cliffs towering above us on all sides.
When we reached the slot canyon, the kiddos were excited to get off the horses and go exploring. It was a fun way to break up the ride and let the kids get out some energy. The slot canyon was short but stunning, with walls towering several hundred feet high on either side.
The ride back was just as stunning as the ride in, and we all agreed that t was the prettiest horseback ride we have ever experienced.
ABANDONED MINE HIKE
Duration: 2 hours
Terrain: Mild/Rugged
Ages: All Ages
Adults $39, Kids $29
This guided hike to an abandoned mine was a short drive from Zion Ponderosa and such a fun and unique way for my kiddos to learn a little about Utah mining history, along with an interactive tour of an old mine.
Our guide was great with the kids and very knowledgeable about the history of the mine. Our first stop was to check out the old abandoned cabins where the workers once lived.
The hike was a short drive down the road from the cabins. The hike had sweeping views of the Zion backcountry as well as views of the Narrows, the West Temple, and other prominent National Park landmarks.
The kids loved crawling into the mine shaft with helmets on their heads, ready to explore. We ran our fingers along the cold, wet walls and marveled at the rocks sticking out of the walls. We walked along the old cart tracts to see remnants of the historic operation.
CRIMSON CANYON HIKE AND UTV ADVENTURE
Duration: 2 hours
Difficulty: Easy-Moderate
Ages: Ages 4+
Adults $109, Kids $99
This guided adventure perfectly combines a thrilling UTV ride and a spectacular slot canyon hike. It's like two adventures in one!
The UTV portion was an absolute blast. Speeding through the desert and navigating the rocky path was nothing for our amazing guides and my kiddos loved every second.
The slot canyon was stunning from the first moment we stepped in. The red canyon walls stretched over 100-feet high on either side, with a gap of only 6-10 feet between the walls to hike through. We loved that this was a private access canyon and didn't see a single sole the whole hike.
It was a challenging hike that required quite a bit of rock scrambling and climbing 3-6 foot boulders. The kids needed lots of help and patience. My 12-year-old, who doesn't love hiking as much as the younger two, wasn't thrilled about all the climbing. She needed a lot of help, but we gave her a lot of encouragement, and she made it! She had a massive sense of accomplishment in the end.
After a heavy rainstorm, sections of the canyons may contain pools of water. Under those circumstances, East Zion Adventures will supply what is needed to gear up and advance through the canyon despite the potential obstacles!
A guided aventure with East Zion Adventures is a great way to get off the beaten path and experience the rugged beauty that surrounds Zion National Park. The guides are skilled at working with all different adventure levels and know how to ensure everyone has a great time.
Happy Adventuring,
Arika
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