Zion National Park in Winter

This time last year, the hubby and I traveled to Zion National Park for a long weekend! It was absolutely gorgeous and I can't even fathom the beauty of this park! I wanted to share a few tips that I wished we would have known beforehand when traveling to Zion National Park in the winter time. 

1. If you're planning to go hike while visiting, then go after the snow melts (unless snow hiking is your sort of thing). When we arrived there was a lot of snow and ice on most of the hiking trails which made hiking either harder or even dangerous. We started a few hikes but ended up not being able to finish them due to the snow. 
2. If you end up doing a little hiking in the snow, then ALWAYS rent or purchase a traction system. They are shoe covers that have spikes on the bottom. It makes hiking so much easier and you do not have to worry about slipping as much. We saw tons of people slipping just on walking trails. Ice is seriously no joke!
3. Dress warm! If you're from San Diego like me, then you know anything under 50 degrees is cold! I ended up buying the blue/green jacket while we were there and it ended up being one of my favorite investments! Shop it at the end of this post!
4. Take risks. I am deathly afraid of heights. Some of the hikes did not have rails and were just on the side of the mountain which scared me. The snow even made it a little harder and scarier. And there were times I had to hold the hubby's hand while walking on the edge. But I would do it all over again and deal with the fear for the views we were able to see! Each hike gives you different views of Zion, so check out as many as you can while visiting! 
5. The best part of going in the winter, is that it is not crowded at all. We loved being able to get out of the car or finish a hike, and experienc nothing but pure silence surrounding us. We didn't have to fight anyone to get the best spots for pictures because there were only about 5 people on each hike. It was just amazing being able to listen to nature without people everywhere. The silence in a canyon just makes it even more breathtaking.  

Zion will always be one of my favorite adventures with the hubby. We plan to go back in the summer to explore more and experience more hiking! If you have been to Zion, I would love to know your favorite part or your favorite hike, so please comment it below.