On Bicycle Tourism: LVSportsBiz’s Tips For Enjoying Zion National Park (Hint, Bicycle Is Involved)
By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com
On the last day of November, Zion National Park was bathed in sunshine. It was warm in the sun, warm enough for bike shorts, a long-sleeve shirt and a bicycle jersey.
It’s a national park that’s typically packed with visitors in the summer.
But today — a Tuesday — there was plenty of open spaces in the visitors center parking lot.
I started pedaling on this glorious day.
The roads are open this time of year. During the summer, there are shuttle buses moving Zion park visitors along the valley road that heads out to the Zion Lodge, the popular Angels Landing Trail and the narrows.
Take a look at how visitorship has soared during the past decade, according to the park service’s own stats.
In the COVID-19 pandemic year of 2020, the monthly visitation numbers were out of whack. But typically, the number of folks going to Zion drops off big-time in November compared to July and August. I wrote an entire chapter about bicycling Zion in my book, Bicycle Man: Life of Journeys. The book is available by purchasing it straight from me at asnel@LVSportsBiz.com.
Here are my tips to enjoy a crowd-free, fun time at Zion.
Aim for the middle of the week. I went on a Tuesday. Even with spectacular weather, it was a low-key crowd that adds so much to the experience of soaking up the spectacular scenery.
It can get chilly in January and February, especially in the shade and overnight. So dress accordingly, pack a few extra long-sleeve shirts and a big, ol’ hoodie, and don’t forget the gloves and head gear. The extra layers are a small price to pay for an enhanced Zion experience thanks to the smaller crowds.
Ride a bicycle on the main river valley road. It’s a whole different experience seeing these walls of rock from a seat of a bicycle instead of from the interior of a motorized vehicle. It’s only eight miles from the visitors center lot to the end of the valley road, and the main hill is not too bad.
Buy the annual national park pass for $80. It gets you in to every national park. Go three times during the 12-month period and it already paid for itself.
Pack your sandwiches the night before so you can focus on the landscapes and nature at Zion. My go-to are black-bean burgers on sesame seed buns with Guldens spicy mustard with sliced burger pickles.
Not to be missed is the upper road through the tunnel.
This road that takes you out to Bryce Canyon National Park features five miles of stunning roadside landscape. It’s so underrated. There are hiking trails and some parking right after you get through the tunnel.
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