Oscars Cafe

 

Oscars Cafe is a Mexican restaurant located at Springdale, just right outside of Zion National Park. Oscars Cafe offers both indoor and patio seats to its customers and it is actually quite a large restaurant. Oscars Cafe is actually rated the most popular restaurant near Zion National Park and thus there is always a line waiting outside for available seats.

After a long day at Zion National Park, we put down our stuff at the hotel and walked around on the street of Springdale looking for a place for dinner. Initially we spotted Casa de Amigos Mexican Restaurant right across the street, but we did not see anyone there. Thus we were not sure if it is open or not.

We continued down the street and saw a line waiting in front of Oscars Cafe. Oscars Cafe was not facing the Main Street. We would have missed it if it wasn't due to the line waiting outside. We figured that we were going to get take out anyway so we decided to try Oscars Cafe.

We ordered a grill chicken taco salad and a chicken Enchiladas. It took about 20 minutes to get our food and we were already really hungry. The taco salad came with many ingredients, such as corn, carrot, mushroom, olive, tomato, avocado, and also 2 pieces of garlic bread. It was full of colour. The taco salad was quite fresh, even more fresh than what we have in Oregon! We enjoyed it very much.

The Enchiladas was amazing as well. It came with beans, rice, an Enchiladas, and a big jalapeño at the top. The whole thing was drizzled with this green spicy and sour sauce but the sauce was amazing. It was the right amount of spiciness and the sour taste just neutralized it. We really loved this.

We highly recommend to give Oscars Cafe a try when visiting Zion National Park. Although there may be a line outside, the wait is usually just around 25 minutes.

Zion National Park

 

Zion National Park is one of the most popular national parks in United States. It is located at Southwest corner of Utah state and has attracted thousands of visitors each year. It is known for its breathtaking canyon view and the hike in the Narrow. Currently, visitors are not allowed to drive their own vehicle into Zion Canyon and must take shuttle bus. The reservation ticket for shuttle bus is no longer required but still need to ride the shuttle bus into the park.

We planned to spend 1.5 days at Zion. We arrived at Springdale just outside of the park the night before. We had shuttle bus reservation ticket for tomorrow morning at 6AM. The hotel front desk told us we should be good to park our car at the visitor center parking lot since 6AM is still quite early.

The next morning we left the hotel at 5:30AM. As we approached the park, there were already so many cars on the road in front of us! Then we saw the road sigh indicating the parking lot was already full! We were shocked! However, we still drove to visitor center parking lot and found that there were still quite a lot of parking space. The sigh was quite misleading but we could imagine the parking lot to be full around 6:30AM.

We then went to the shuttle bus stop and it was crazy. The line waiting for the shuttle was extremely long. Since we have reservation ticket, we had the priority to board the shuttle. If we didn't have the reservation, we probably have to wait for another 2 hours before getting onto the bus.

The first thing we did was Angels Landing of course and that was where everyone else is coming. This is a must do hike when visiting Zion since it offers an amazing view over the canyon. As we come back down on the trail, we saw a long line up at the trail head with people waiting to do this climb.

We then took the bus and headed to the Narrows. The Narrows is a 9 miles long hike. The first mile is just on the river side and easy for people to hike. Then people must switch on gears to hike in the water and must hike with a stick to measure the depth of the water. We were not prepared for this and thus we did not do this hike unfortunately. However, we did see severals deers along the river side.

Then later in the afternoon, we took the shuttle bus to Zion Lodge and did hike on Emerald Pools Trail. This was an interesting trail with scenery of small water falls and pools of water that offers nice breeze of wind. However, we were pretty exhausted due to the excessive heat in the afternoon.

The next day we left hotel early at 6AM and drove to East Mesa. To get to East Mesa, we drove through the Zion Mountain Camel Highway. The view was quite scenic. Once we get to East Mesa, we did the Observation Point hike. This was a great hike that offers the same breathtaking view as Angels Landing. The view was simply amazing.

Overall, we enjoyed Zion very much and would definitely visit again next time. Next time we would definitely be prepared with gears to hike in the water and do the Narrows.

Zion Observation Point

 

Observation Point in Zion National Park is another amazing view point that offers the breathtaking view over Zion Canyon. The view matches the one that can be seen from the top of Angels Landing. However, getting to Observation Point is a bit tricky. People could have accused Observation Point via Weeping Rock trail head, but it has been closed due to falling rocks. Thus there are only 2 ways to get to Observation Point. The first method is via East Rim trail, but it is a 10 miles hike 1 way. 20 miles round trip may be too much for a lot of people. The second method is via East Mesa. From East Mesa trail head, it is only 3.5 miles and 7 miles round trip.

We did this hike early morning in the morning. We drove to East Mesa, which is on the East side of Zion via UT-9 Highway. Then we drove through Ponderosa neighborhood to get to the trail head. The last 0.5 miles of the road was quite rough. The road was poorly maintained. If you don't have a SUV, we recommend you to park the car before going down the rough road and hike the final 0.5 miles. We saw many people doing that.

The trail was quite easy to follow and the trail descends first. The climb is only on the way back. The trail to get to the Observation Point had little shade and was not interesting to be honest. It was essentially going through the woods with just few pine trees. There wasn't really any scenery to look at.

Luckily, the trail was very easy to hike on. We were walking at a very fast pace and got to the Observation Point in about an hour. When we got there, there was already a person sitting at the edge of the cliff looking down the canyon. The view was breathtaking, but we didn't dare to sit along the edge of the cliff. The vertical drop was quite steep!

From the Observation Point, we could see the top of Angels Landing as well. Observation point is much higher than Angels Landing and provides a better panoramic view around the entire Zion Canyon.

As we spend time there and enjoy the view, there were more people coming. There was a family of mom and daughter from Iowa coming over to chat with us to go over their hiking experience. They were passionate hikers too and plan to visit Oregon later this summer.

As we head back, more and more people were coming. People did seem exhausted since it was getting hotter in the day. Thus hiking this trail early in the morning is definitely recommended.

Overall, this was an amazing hike. The Observation Point provides an alternative to people who do not want to do Angels Landing and still offer the amazing view over Zion Canyon.

Emerald Pools Trail

 

Emerald Pools Trail is a short hiking trail in Zion National Park. It has a round trip distance of around 3 miles with little elevation gain. Thus it is very family friendly. The trail goes around the Lower Emerald Pool and Middle Emerald Pool. Then by hiking 0.5 miles more, you can reach the Upper Emerald Pool. The trail starts at Zion Lodge, which is the 5th stop of the Zion shuttle bus. Many people rest at Zion Lodge and then head over to Emerald Pools Trail.

We did this trail in the afternoon and it was scorching hot. It might have been a bad decision but we did carry enough water to keep ourselves hydrated. The start of the trail goes along the Virgin River and you could actually dip your feet in the river water. It was a blessing! Then the trail descends into a canyon wall where the Lower Emerald Pool is at.

Due to the low precipitation this year, there was barely any water dripping down from the top of the cliff. The pool of water was murky and at a very low level. However, as we walked around the pool, the breeze of the wind had never felt so good. It was a cold breeze and it was what we needed during this hot afternoon.

We then proceed and moved on to head to the Upper Emerald Pool. It was only 0.5 miles but it had never felt so difficult to hike this last 0.5 miles. The weather was extremely hot and we had to go between the narrow cliff wall and climb over some large rocks. We were pretty exhausted due to the heat.

As we finally made it to Upper Emerald Pool, the water level was very low at the pool. There was no water coming down from the top of the cliff either. It was about to get dry up. The good thing is that there was shade there and we could feel nice breeze around the pool.

In general, the trail was not as spectacular as other trails in Zion. People should only do this trail if there is extra time when visiting Zion National Park and make sure to carry enough water!

Angels Landing Trail

 

Angels Landing Trail is one of the most popular trail in the state of Utah. The trail is 5.5 miles long in round trip distance with significant elevation gain in the middle section and the last climbing section. Angels Landing is known for its magnificent view at the top and also known for its steep drop at the last 0.5 miles of the trail. The last 0.5 mile of the trail require hikers to utilize the chains that are installed along the cliff to hike up the rock.

Angels Landing is the very first trail that we attempted when we visited Zion. We got to the visitor center at 5:50AM and it was already so crowded. There were already so many people waiting at the bus stop and we were sure everyone was heading to the same place. Luckily we had reservation tickets at 6AM and thus we were allowed to get onto the bus before anyone else.

The bus stop for Angels Landing was at Grottos and as expected, everyone got off here. When we got to the trail head, the rangers stamped our hands which indicated that we were allowed to climb Angels Landing. The stamp was used to control the crowd going up there.

The beginning of the trail was quite easy with limited elevation gain. We were enjoying the view very much with between Zion canyon scenery. We loved it. After about 1 mile, the trail started to climb with switch backs. The switch backs were not difficult to hike on however, the trail was well maintained and nicely graded. We got to Scott's Lookout within an hour and it felt really good to be up here. From Scott's Lookout, the view was already so amazing. This was also the place for people to decide on whether to go forward to climb the chain, or stay down here and turn back.

One of us stayed behind to wait and the other went on to climb the chain. The chains were firmly installed along the cliff side for people to grab on. It was not a difficult climb, but anyone with fear of height should not attempt this. Part of the trail had a steep vertical drop right on the side and it could be very scary for people. Also, when there were people coming down while I was going up, I had to find a good spot to allow both of us to go through. After about 30 minutes, I finally made it to the top. The top of Angels Landing was a somewhat large surface of rock. People could rest here to enjoy the view and rehydrate. The view from the top was simply breath taking.

Going back down the chain section was a different challenge. This was because some sections require people to reach far down to set the footings on the rocks. Also, people would be starring down the vertical drop with the body leaning downwards.

After about 30 minutes, I finally made it back down to Scott's Lookout and there were already so many people there waiting to climb Angels Landing! When speaking to the rangers, people have to wait for an hour to get a chance to climb all the way to the top! It was crazy!

As we head back down to the trail head, there were just so many people flooding in to do this climb. We have never seen so many people on a hiking trail. It was insane! When we got to the trail head, there was a long line waiting at the trail head. We were told that the wait at the trail head was 2 hours! We were so glad that we started early.

Overall, Angels Landing trail was an amazing experience! If you have fear of height, do not attempt to climb the chain section! The views along the way are equally amazing! In addition, the West Rim trail was amazing as well! From the top of West Rim, it is higher than Angels Landing and you could see the entire canyon as well! Nevertheless, this trail is a must do when visiting Zion!

Mosier Plateau Trail

 

Mosier Plateau trail is a heavily used and popular hiking trail along Columbia Gorge. As its name suggests, the trail is located at Mosier, a small town East of Portland. The trail is located about 1.5 hours East of Portland. It is only about 3 miles round trip with little elevation gain. Thus it is ver family friendly. During the spring time, Mosier Plateau trail is known to have its beautiful wildflowers at the top of plateau and thus attracts lots of hikers to come.

We left Portland around 7AM in the morning and got to Mosier around 8:30AM. It was rather cloudy at Portland but when we got to Mosier, it was sunny with no cloud! The parking for Mosier Plateau trail was quite small that could only hold about 8 cars, but there is a large free public parking lot along the railway just North of the Mosier Plateau parking lot. The free public parking lot is was to find with a Mosier Totem. We saw few cars simply parked on the road side, but please don't park on the road. The public parking lot is simply 1 minute away.

The trail head is right by the narrow white bridge and going upward towards the plateau. The first section of the trail goes around some community's backyard. As we hike along the trail, we came cross a small cemetery. We walked around it but people could walk through it as well. The trail then went around the cliff side along the Mosier Creek. Right near where the waterfall is at, there was a path where people could head down to the swim hole.

The hiking trail was very well maintained. There was even staircases built for people to climb up the hill. As we went higher along the plateau, it was getting more and more windy. As we got to the open space at the top of the plateau overlooking the Columbia Gorge, the wind was blowing extremely hard. The wind felt quite sharp scratching our face.

The view was beautiful however. We could see highway I-84 and the entire Columbia Gorge. The wildflower was still blossom, but it has passed its peak time. Comparing to Sevenmile Hill, Sevenmile Hill definitely offered the best wildflower experience we have had.

Overall, Mosier Plateau trail was a great short fun hike. We enjoyed it and didn't have to push ourselves to finish the trail. This trail is family friendly and also pet friendly. One thing to keep in mind is to stay on trail and not to damage any wildflowers.

Sevenmile Hill

Sevenmile Hill is located West of Dales, just 1.5 hours of drive time from Portland. Sevenmile Hill is located by the Columbia Gorge, but it is on the South side of the mountain. Sevenmile Hill is not as popular as Rowena Crest for wildflower seeing due to its remote location; however, it is one of the best place to see rows and rows of wildflowers.

With the beautiful weather on the April weekend, we drove to Sevenmile Hill to have a great view of wild flowers. The hiking trail at Sevenmile Hill is a bit different from the usual hiking trail with markers, parking lot, and clear hiking path. The Sevenmile Hill trail is rather odd. The parking lot of simply an unpaved and barely maintained rocky space on the side of the road. There isn't any trail marker either. The hiking path is essentially not visible. There isn't really a hiking path for people to clearly follow.

When we got there at 8:30AM, there was already a car there The gravel road continues further to an empty gravel area, but that is a privately owned land. Thus we parked where we should park at the open space on the side of the road.  When we got off the car, we could not figure out where the trail starts. We did download the trail map from the Oregon Hiking site before we came, thus we tried our best to follow the trail.

We first walked upwards and towards left, and then essentially going up the hill. As we moved across the river stream, we finally found a barely visible walking path. Thus we then followed the path to head up the hill. The climb of the hill was a bit steep, but not entirely difficult. The most wonderful thing is the view of the wildflower as we hike. There was just so much wildflower along the trail. It was so magical! This is probably the best wildflower viewing spot we have ever been to.

As we continue to head up, we eventually got to the top of the hill and there were fences blocking the private area. The fences mark the furthest we could go on the hill. We sat at the top of the hill to enjoy this beautiful view under the sun. It was extremely relaxing.

As we head back down, we could see the parking lot from the top. There were 3 more cars that arrived after us. However, as we head back down to the car, we did not run into any hikers. We figured that other people could not find the hiking trail either.

Overall, this was such an amazing hike. This hike was at a remote place and not crowded at all, but it is a gem in Pacific Northwest. If you like wildflowers, this is definitely the place to go!

Coyote Wall

 

Coyote Wall is an extremely popular hiking trail on the North side of Columbia Gorge in Washington State. It is so popular because it can also be used by mountain bikers with side variety of terrains to traverse through. From Portland, it takes about 2 hours to drive to the trail head and the trail does not require any permit. The trails goes from the parking lot all the way up to the rocky hill above it with a distance of about 3 miles one way.

During this beautiful sunny March Saturday, we headed to Coyote Wall with hope to see some wild flowers. We left Portland around 7AM and got to the trail head around 9AM. Instead of taking I-84 on the Oregon side and then cross Columbia Gorge via Bridge of God, we took Highway 40 on the Washington side. It is a bit slower taking Highway 40 but it avoids the toll route.

When we got to the trail head, the parking lot was already full. So many people were here already. We had to park on the side of the road like many other people. Luckily, we did not have to park the car far and it was still within the walking distance to the trail head.

The trail head has 1 restroom for people to use. However, due to the amount of people there, there was a super long line waiting to use the restroom.

We started the hike around 9:30AM walking upwards. Many bikers were on the trail but they would slow down when they see hikers on the trail. We usually step aside to allow them to pass through first. Basically sharing the trail.

The trail also has many different routes for people to take but all of them eventually lead upwards to the top of the hill.

The trail was not difficult at all with limited elevation gain. The steeper part is after about 2 miles in. The trail starts to incline at a steeper angle, but it was not difficult either and totally doable for people of all ages.

From the top of the Coyote Wall, we could see the snow capped Mount Hood on the far side. It was such a beautiful day and Mount Hood looked like a ice cone. There were few trail paths that go near the cliff side, it was a bit scary to walk along these paths since it was very close to the cliff wall. Just be very careful when walking along the cliffs.

Overall, the trail was well maintained and dry. We had no problem sharing the path with bikers and finished the whole trail within 3 hours. There were also many people with their lovely pet dogs. Some dogs were unleashed but still well behaved. This is a highly recommend trail for wild flower viewing as well later in the season of May.