Southern Utah is one of my favorite places in the United States. But with five national parks and dozens of state parks and national forests, I'm clearly not the only person who thinks it's a beautiful place: Zion is the second most-visited National Park, receiving nearly 5 million visitors every year. After being frustrated by crowds in previous visits in May 2017 and September 2022, I vowed to return in January, the quietest month. That finally happened in 2026.
I was greeted in Zion by white clouds and snow on red rocks. The rest of the week was pure sun, and while it did get cold at night, daytime temperatures were very pleasant.
