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A few weeks back we packed up all our camera gear, the most off-brand and ugly hiking boots and some walking sticks and headed to Utah! My parents and their friends were going on a walking trip through Bryce + Zion Canyons and I did what I do best\u2026 invited myself along! Truth be told, we were welcomed with open arms but I knew Thomas would have the best time with his photography while we were there so it was an opportunity we couldn\u2019t pass up.<\/p>\n
We walked upwards of 10 miles a day and everything was incredible except for the 1 brief moment I had a mild panic attack and thought I was going to die. More on that later. We spent the majority of the time in Zion, and so many of you commented on my instagrams asking where to go\u2026 so let\u2019s do this! Gaby\u2019s Guide to Zion coming your way in 3, 2, 1.<\/p>\n
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First things first – we went with Country Walkers<\/a>. It\u2019s an organized walking group that requires you to be in pretty great physical shape. That way everyone can power through some epic hikes. We had 2 fun guides that showed us around and were there to lend some mega knowledge about what we were seeing during all our hikes. I\u2019d HIGHLY recommend them to anyone that wants to see Bryce + Zion!<\/p>\n Before we get into my brief flirtation with death – lets talk about food.<\/p>\n Cafe Soleil<\/a> – perfect place to grab some sandwiches in the morning and then hit the trails!<\/p>\n Thai Sapa<\/a> – without a doubt the best meal we had the entire trip. Seriously delicious thai food!<\/p>\n The Spotted Dog<\/a> – who says no to a giant bowl of pasta after hiking for 10 miles. No one.<\/p>\n Springdale Candy Company<\/a> – you must go for the ice cream!! Too good to pass up and calories don\u2019t count on vacation, right?<\/p>\n Oscar\u2019s Cafe<\/a> – endless bowls of guacamole and pitchers of margaritas? What more could you ask for?!?<\/p>\n Okay so onwards to some of my favorite hikes:<\/p>\n Canyon Overlook Trail – gorgeous, easy, a must!<\/p>\n Echo Canyon – another easier hike that you can\u2019t miss!<\/p>\n The Narrows – easily my favorite hike of the trip. We geared up at Zion Adventure Company and wore water suits (which I HIGHLY recommend) because then we spent the next 5 hours trekking through a rive to get to the narrows. It was insane. So beautiful. Beyond quite and peaceful. And I was super happy about my dry suit as I passed people on the hike that were literally turning blue because they were wearing their shorts and sneakers. No thanks.<\/p>\n Angels Landing: Okay so here it is. About 3 miles of switchbacks lead up to Angels Landing. The switchbacks weren\u2019t easy, but they also felt great (especially after a night with LOTS of food). Once you get to the top of the switchbacks you\u2019re looking at angels landing. It\u2019s a half mile there and back that takes you over a narrow path (with a chain) and you have to maneuver around people going up and down to get to the lookout point. Doesn\u2019t sound awful right? Ya\u2026 except that there are sheer cliffs on either side of you and theres only about 4-5 feet of walking space. I was panicked leading up to the hike and then once we got there I was like, you got this Gaby, go for it! And then about 100 feet into I had to stop to let some woman down the mountain and she looked at me like, you need to move, and I looked her right back and said, hell to the no. you move. And then I burst into tears and had to turn back. Clearly I had a fear of heights that I didn\u2019t know existed. So\u2026. if you\u2019re not freaked out by heights, go for it! My mom did the entire hike and said it was breathtaking and I totally chickened out. If you\u2019re a little panicked like me, text me from the top of the mountain while you wait for the rest of your party to make it across.<\/p>\n And we stayed at the Desert Pearl Inn<\/a> which was seriously PERFECT. They had wifi throughout the property which is enough to make me a happy camper. But on top of that the rooms were giant, the beds were so comfortable and they had a pool and jacuzzi so I could rest my tired body after a day of 10+ miles.<\/p>\n If you guys are into adventure travel then you absolutely MUST add Zion to your list!<\/p>\n![\"Gaby's](\"https:\/\/cdn.whatsgabycooking.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/wallstreet.jpg\")
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