I Explored Zion National Park in 3 Unforgettable Ways—and You Can Too

When visiting a national park, what are your favorite ways to explore it? Is it hiking or, perhaps, camping? Scenic drives are another great way to see natural sites within a park, and, if there's water, canoeing or kayaking is also fun. Recently, at Zion National Park, one of Utah's "Mighty Five," I took three incredibly unique tours to explore it in the most wonderful ways. While at least two out of the three tours took me out of my comfort zone, they gave me memories to last a lifetime.

As part of a hosted Springdale and Zion National Park trip, all three tours were through Zion Guru, a local adventure outfitter. With expert guides leading the way, these were among the most exhilarating and challenging ways to explore in and around the park.

Per journalistic integrity, we disclose that the creator of this content was invited to this location by GV Public Relations, and some expenses were covered. However, all opinions and thoughts expressed in this content are their own.

1. Canyoneering at Lambs Knoll Climbing Site

Although it's not technically within Zion National Park, Lambs Knoll Climbing Site is on the outskirts. Our two expert guides, Meghan and Lindsey, led us on an adrenaline-pumping canyoneering adventure. We were picked up at our hotel, the Red Cliffs Lodge Zion, and driven about 25 minutes away to the climbing site. After we parked, the guides gave us harnesses and helmets to wear and went over some of the mechanics of rappelling, then off we went on a short hike to the first slot canyon.

Many of us in the group were apprehensive about rappelling. I, for one, am afraid of heights, and here I was teetering on the edge of a slot canyon, and I was supposed to rappel down? Lindsey and Meghan did a great job demonstrating what to do and certainly eased our fears. Meghan rappelled to the bottom first and was there to guide us down after Lindsey got us set up at the top.

With sweaty palms and a pit in my stomach, I listened to our guide, Lindsey, who made each of us feel safe enough to rappel down the first slot canyon with 30-foot-tall walls. One by one, we went down, cheering each other on. Once we were done with this first wall, the others felt much easier.

In total, we rappelled down four slot canyon walls, ranging in height from 25 to 40 feet. Each one involved a lot of trust in our guides and the ropes, but also in ourselves. Pushing ourselves to do something we consider hard or challenging and succeeding at it is such a great feeling, and we all felt proud of ourselves after facing our fears, trusting the process, and accomplishing a goal.

2. E-Bike Tour through Zion National Park

Taking an E-Bike tour through Zion was probably the most fun I've ever had exploring a national park. First of all, I love biking—there's so much freedom in it, and I just love feeling the breeze and sunshine on my face as I ride. Another reason? It's much quicker than hiking, and we could cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time, especially on an E-bike.

The same guides we had for the canyoneering adventure were the ones who took us on the E-bike tour. We were picked up at our hotel and brought directly to Zion Guru, where we picked out our bikes and helmets and were given a tutorial on how to use the bikes. This was my very first time E-biking, and I was excited!

Off we went, first along bike lanes through town and eventually to the Springdale entrance of Zion National Park. After showing the rangers our National Parks passes for entry, we rode along the paved Pa'rus Trail, over pedestrian bridges, and eventually on the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive alongside the Virgin River most of the way. Every now and then, we would stop for a photo op while our guides explained where we were and the names of the rock formations, and shared stories. This was probably my favorite of the three tours, especially since I love bike riding. On this E-bike tour, we covered 17 miles.

When we returned to the Zion Guru headquarters in town and dropped off our bikes, we were outfitted with waders, waterproof hiking boots, and walking sticks. Why? Well, the next day was our third and last adventure tour, this time on the iconic Narrows hike.

3. A Guided Hike Through The Narrows

Outfitted with waders, waterproof boots, and walking sticks from Zion Guru, we set out on a full-day hike through one of the most famous hikes in Zion—The Narrows. We were first picked up from our hotel in the morning and taken into Zion National Park by van, and after parking, boarded a shuttle to the last stop on the shuttle's route. After hiking along a portion of the paved Zion Narrows Riverside Walk, we arrived at the beach entry to The Narrows. I was excited and nervous as we stepped into the water with our guides, Lindsey (again) and Claire. These adventurous women have done the Narrows hike countless times, so our group knew we were in good hands.

Now, I have been on some epic hikes before, but nothing quite like The Narrows, one of the top hikes in Zion. Very quickly,y I realized why we needed all the gear. The trek through the water with a fairly strong current was quite a challenge, and with all the rocks underwater, it's easy to lose your footing and possibly hurt yourself. Being careful, strategic with where you step, and going slow were key to making a safe journey through The Narrows.

At some points, the water was waist-deep, while in other sections it was only ankle-deep. We hiked along this river trail through the canyon, past Mystery Falls, around a few river bends, and even on the banks of the river as a break from the water for about 1.5 miles. At this point, we took a break and ate the lunches we brought on the edge of the river, surrounded by steep canyon walls. I was mesmerized by both the experience and the otherworldly scenery around. us.

After lunch, it was time to head back. However, after hiking for so long on rocks and through the water, I noticed how tired my legs were and knew I had to be extra cautious. About a quarter mile back to where we first entered The Narrows, I ended up slipping on a rock in the water and spraining my left foot. Our hiking guides were concerned and even offered to carry me out, but I was okay to keep moving. At one point, we stopped at the edge of the river so they could take a look at my ankle and tape it up—that helped a lot. Claire also gave me her hiking stick for extra support. Honestly, I don't know if I would have completed this challenging hike if it weren't for these expert guides!

No matter how you want to explore Zion National Park, I believe you'll get more out of your experience by taking a guided tour. Not only that, but I feel it's safer to go with a guide. Zion Guru offers canyoneering, e-biking, guided hikes through The Narrows, photography tours, rock climbing, and yoga. I highly recommend it as someone who has taken three tours through this local outfitter.