For the Memorial Day / my birthday weekend, Sarah, Marisa, Kelvin, and I headed out to Zion National Park. Ever since we visited Zion in 2009 and got a taste of the Narrows, Kelvin and I have been itching to go back and see more. We set up camp at WillowWind RV park in Hurricane, UT. On Saturday, we hiked the bottom up route to the Subway.
Hike Basics
Miles: 9 miles, out and back
Elevation Change: 1,000 ft.
Duration: 8-9 hours
Permit Required?: Yes
A strenuous, non-technical hike to the beautiful Zion subway. For the most part, the pace is slow since it requires quite a bit of trail navigating/route finding, creek crossing, and rock scrambling.
The hike starts at the Left Fork of North Creek trailhead located on Kolob Terrace Road 8 miles north of Route 9 and the town of Virgin, UT. The parking area is located on the right side of the road and has a sign indicating “Left Fork”. There is also a kiosk with a map and hiking information and a toilet facility.
The hike begins as a steep down hill climb from the top of the canyon to the creek. Once you reach the creek, you follow the creek up to the Subway. Surrounded by red rock canyons, the hike takes you through beautiful water cascades and a lush oasis of plant life. There are quite a bit of slippery spots from moss and slow moving water.
My favorite part of the hike was that it was definitely off the beaten path. We ran into very few people along the 9 hours that it took us to hike trail.
Hiking down the canyon
Once we got to the creek, we followed it up stream for a several miles to the subway.
These trail markers were our guides for the hike.
Almost to the Subway!
Flowers growing alongside the river.
View from the back of the Subway.
A little slot canyon behind the Subway.
The water in the slot canyon was a bit cold.
A waterfall in the slot canyon.
A group canyoneering down the slot canyon behind the Subway.
Sarah on her private beach.
Entrance of subway
We were told these were dinosaur tracks.
Exit sign directing hikers to head up the canyon up the trail.
Kelvin and me next to the trail sign.
Some desert blooms.
At our home for three nights, WillowWind RV park, there was this map of the US where everyone pinned where they were from.
Relaxing with some Utah beers after a long day of hiking.
PHOTOS BY: MELODY KUO
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