Stave Spring Trailhead to Observation Point, Zion, June 17, 2021

After twisting my ankle in the Grand Canyon four days before rolling up to the Stave Spring Trailhead in Zion, Utah, I wasn’t in any condition to take this iconic spot at more than a slow hike.

Regardless, my first visit to this incredible place was a gift that beat all the hype and photos I’ve come across. 

11 miles of beautiful trails with under 3,000 feet of elevation gain isn’t out of my comfort zone, but this day got pretty rough towards the end. I’m trying to get better at directions and get frustrated when I don’t know where I am, especially at the end of a hike, and when the temperatures rise, on top of not being at full physical capacity. 

That said, I appreciate any opportunity to recognize a pattern of negativity, hold it at eye-level, straight on, then take it to the mat with all of the things I have going for me. 

I felt confident that previous experiences like this equipped me well for success. My water and nutrition supplies were solid for the entirety of this trip. And, of course, jaw-dropping scenery at every turn was a huge benefit for my state of mind as well. 

I pushed through a tough ending with a glad heart, and came away with a great sense of accomplishment, one of my longer cardio workouts, stronger glutes, and some of the my favorite photos and video I’ve taken so far. 

The chipmunks were adorable, and my new friend in the video was as cute as he or she was insistent at getting calories of some form from me. 

But I do my best to keep wild things wild and not encourage animals to get close, since our food isn’t good for them, and all kinds of transmissible diseases can find their way from them to us. 

I’d recommend this trail to anyone who likes techy terrain with not a little climb at elevation, with all the usual qualifiers of bringing more water and food than you think you need. 

I aim to come back some day for a proper trail run with an eye on exploring more of this system, since it goes on much further in quite a few directions, and promising to be one of the most gorgeous long-run days I could ask for.