(A view of the Zion area from Kolob Mountain.)First, a word of advice. Never drive down dirt roads without a spare and always double check that the spare is actually full and hole-free. I consider myself a pretty independent girl, but even I can admit that we would have been miserably stuck if a truck a with an air compressor and tire repair kit had not chanced to stop and help two girls in distress.
Secondly when hiking in Zion National Park, it is always a good idea to spend at least part of the time hiking up the Narrows. It's a pretty intense 14 mile trek that requires a permit if you hike down into the canyon, but you also have the choice ditch the permit and start from the Riverside Walk within the park and continue up the canyon as far as you have the time or energy. The water is colder and faster in the early summer, but no matter the month, the rock faces in the canyon and the fun of scrambling through the river makes for one of the best hiking experiences in Utah.
